Professor McGonagall led Morris through several heavy doors into an empty room outside the Great Hall.
"We'll wait here. The other new students will arrive shortly," she said.
Morris looked around curiously. Beside him, two suits of armor were rolling their shoulders, their joints clicking.
"Professor, are we having the Sorting Ceremony in a moment?" he asked casually.
"Yes." Professor McGonagall's answer was brief.
"Then how do we choose the house that suits us?"
"You'll find out shortly."
"What about Gryffindor? I hear it's a good house."
"Gryffindor is indeed very good." A barely perceptible trace of pride entered Professor McGonagall's voice as she adjusted her glasses. "But every house has its own unique strengths."
"Really?" Noticing her gesture, Morris suddenly thought of a question. "Speaking of which... you wear glasses. Can wizards be shortsighted too?"
"Mr. Black," Professor McGonagall finally sighed, "you ask too many questions."
"Oh, sorry."
Morris obediently shut his mouth and turned his attention back to the suits of armor beside him.
Before long, a clamor of footsteps came from outside.
Three heavy knocks sounded at the door before them.
Then the man Morris had seen earlier, named Hagrid, entered first, followed by the new students.
"They're all here, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid's booming voice echoed through the room.
Professor McGonagall gave him a slight nod.
Just then, Hagrid noticed Morris standing beside her and looked puzzled. "Who's that? Professor McGonagall, is he a new student?"
"Yes," Professor McGonagall said sternly. "On that subject, I believe I need to remind you, Hagrid, that as the person responsible for bringing in the new students, you failed to notice that a student was missing from your group."
Hagrid's heavily bearded face immediately turned red.
"I didn't notice," he mumbled.
Being reprimanded by the deputy headmistress in front of the new students was clearly not a pleasant experience.
As the culprit, Morris silently apologized to him.
"Go back and join the others, Mr. Black." Professor McGonagall gave Morris a nudge.
Morris silently walked to the back of the group.
Almost all the new students watched him curiously as he went.
He also spotted the girl named Hermione Granger among them. She seemed to be glaring at him the whole time.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and began, "First of all, welcome to Hogwarts..."
She briefly explained the Sorting Ceremony, told the students to wait there for a moment, then entered the Great Hall.
The students began chattering among themselves.
Hermione squeezed through the crowd to Morris and asked earnestly, "Where did you go? I kept looking for you in the group earlier, but I couldn't see you."
"Ah." Morris hadn't expected anyone to approach him and start a conversation. "Maybe it was too dark outside for you to see me. I was right at the back."
"Then why did you get here so much earlier than us?" Hermione found that rather strange.
What a persistent girl.
Morris shrugged. "I got lost in the courtyard. I came through a side door."
The explanation was clearly full of holes. Hermione was about to question him further when Professor McGonagall returned.
"Form a line," she said. "Follow me."
Everyone fell silent and immediately obeyed, quickly forming a single file.
Morris and Hermione naturally ended up at the back of the line.
The line began moving slowly forward.
They passed through the enormous oak doors and entered the Great Hall of Hogwarts.
"Hmm, not bad." Morris looked around curiously.
The place looked like a huge, old-fashioned church. The four house tables stood in neat rows, set with gleaming golden plates and cutlery. At the very front were the professors' seats, all of which were already occupied. The old man with the long beard sitting in the center was presumably Dumbledore.
Looking up, he saw hundreds upon hundreds of candles floating above the Great Hall, providing ample light.
Above them stretched a deep night sky, glittering with stars.
But that was about it. Morris wasn't particularly awed.
In his previous life, he had seen plenty of sights more spectacular than this-the power of technology.
Still, something did catch his attention.
It was the silvery-gray, insubstantial figures mingling among the four long tables.
Ghosts!
This was the first time Morris had ever seen actual ghosts.
As a half-baked necromancer, he immediately had his attention completely captured by these floating spirits.
Noticing his intent gaze, Hermione explained quietly, "Those are the Hogwarts ghosts. I read about them in Hogwarts, A History. They've been at this school for a very long time."
Morris, however, didn't respond. He was completely immersed in his own world.
"Hey, are you listening to me?" Hermione asked unhappily.
"Oh, sorry. Could you say that again?"
"No!"
Looking at the girl sulking beside him, Morris felt rather baffled.
Children's minds really are hard to understand.
While they waited, Professor McGonagall brought over a stool and placed a battered hat on it.
Then the battered hat sang a baffling song.
"When I call your name, put on the hat, sit on the stool, and wait to be sorted."
"Hannah Abbott!"
With Professor McGonagall's announcement, the Sorting Ceremony officially began.
So this was how they sorted people. Morris rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Supposing this hat could read people's minds, wouldn't his identity as a transmigrator be at risk of discovery?
That wouldn't do.
Morris narrowed his eyes.
I had to be careful.
If all else failed, he would use the Wailing Curse to scramble his own brain into mush. Presumably, that would let him avoid the risk for the moment.
"Morris Black."
At last, his name was called.
A murmur ran through the Great Hall-perhaps because of his surname.
Morris calmly walked forward, sat down, and placed the Sorting Hat on his head.
"Hmm..." A voice sounded beside his ear. "Relax, child, or you'll affect my judgment."
Morris tried to empty his mind-something that wasn't difficult for someone well versed in meditation.
"..."
After ten seconds of silence.
"Have you really relaxed?" The Sorting Hat's voice sounded again. "How strange... why can't I see anything? Are you an idiot?"
The hat seemed rather confused and squirmed uneasily on Morris's head.
Whispers began to rise in the Great Hall-this student was taking longer to sort than anyone else today.
Hearing the Sorting Hat's words, Morris felt a little reassured.
Mr. Hat, he replied in his mind, no personal attacks, please. Thank you. If possible, just put me in any house.
"That won't do!" The Sorting Hat's voice grew stern. "Hmm... in that case... an obvious choice..."
"Ravenclaw!"
Enthusiastic applause erupted from the Ravenclaw Table.
At the Gryffindor table, the Weasley Twins and Lee Jordan looked regretful.