His voice was so soft it was barely audible, even in the silent headmaster's office. Other than Tom, who was standing right next to him, no one else even noticed that Dumbledore had spoken.
He did it on purpose.
Even though having his sister return to him in such a "healthy" state filled him with overwhelming emotion, he was still a man over a hundred years old—he had some pride left!
If Tom had been the only one present, he might have let his guard down and spoken honestly, maybe even thanked him directly for everything he'd done.
But in front of Ariana and Professor McGonagall?
…Better to keep them from noticing anything.
(´-ω-`)
Hearing the faint, raspy voice, Tom turned his head—and was surprised to see that the old man's eyes behind those half-moon spectacles looked a little wet.
Tom hesitated for a moment. Then, without saying a word, he gently picked up Dumbledore's hand and placed it on top of his own head:
(￣ω￣) Since today is a special occasion, this noble cat will be merciful and allow you to pet my head. Normally, only Luna gets that privilege!
"You're comforting me, aren't you?"
Dumbledore let out a soft laugh.
"But let's not do it this way in the future. You're not someone's pet anymore—you're my student, a part of Hogwarts."
Tom was about to respond when Professor McGonagall suddenly spoke:
"Headmaster, we can begin the Sorting Ceremony."
"Of course!"
Dumbledore instantly pushed down all the feelings swelling in his chest; even the glimmer in his eyes vanished in an instant. He cleared his throat and regained his usual calm:
"Minerva, I'll leave this slightly overdue Sorting Ceremony for these two special students in your hands."
McGonagall nodded and placed the old, battered Sorting Hat on a chair that had somehow appeared in the center of the office.
As soon as the hat landed, it twisted around a few times, settling into a comfortable position before splitting open and bursting into song:
---
Don't be fooled by my shabby seams,
For ancient Hogwarts magic
Flows between every stitch.
I can read the depths of your heart,
Be you living or departed,
Even a cat's peculiar thoughts
Cannot escape my gaze.
Gryffindor cherishes courage,
Where brave souls rise to every challenge—
If you carry an unshakable heart,
That House will be your home.
Hufflepuff honors loyalty,
Where friendships last beyond life and death—
If you embrace honest labor,
You'll find the warmest welcome there.
If it's wisdom you seek,
Ravenclaw will nourish your mind—
High in the towering spires,
Great thinkers find their kin.
Slytherin nurtures all ambition,
Cunning minds and daring dreams—
Deep beneath the lake's green glow,
You'll forge extraordinary deeds.
Come, on this remarkable night—
Don't hesitate to wear me.
One hat, two souls,
Bridging the gap between worlds—
Ghost or feline, it matters not.
I'll find a home for each of you
Within these hallowed halls of magic!
---
As the Sorting Hat sang, Tom felt the corner of his mouth twitch.
Just as it began its performance, he suddenly remembered something Ron once complained about in the original story.
If he remembered correctly, Ron said the Sorting Hat spent an entire year writing its next song.
But after tonight, Tom had only one comment:
(￣ω￣;) A whole year? No way—this thing clearly improvises on the spot!
As he was silently roasting the hat, McGonagall stepped up to the chair, her expression serious—like she was back at the Opening Feast.
"Ariana Dumbledore."
She spoke Ariana's name, then offered the tense girl a small, reassuring smile.
"If you're ready, please come forward, place the hat on your head, and sit in the chair."
"O-okay!"
But even as she said it, Ariana's spirit tightened visibly. She floated nervously to the chair, reached out to pick up the Sorting Hat, and—
Her hand passed straight through it.
Everyone froze.
Even the Sorting Hat.
Because Ariana looked so alive—full color, solid shape—and because she could physically interact with Tom, everyone had subconsciously forgotten a basic fact:
Ghosts can't touch physical objects.
"(;´д｀)ゞ What do I do now?"
Ariana tried two more times, each attempt failing miserably. She finally turned to Tom in confusion and distress.
Was her life at Hogwarts… already over before it even began?
"I could just place her directly into—"
Dumbledore didn't even finish before the Sorting Hat broke into a panicked scream:
"No! Absolutely not! Sorting is a sacred mission given to me by the Four Founders! For over a thousand years, every student who entered Hogwarts passed through my ceremony!
I refuse to allow anyone to skip this step!"
"It's right, Headmaster,"
McGonagall agreed.
"In all these years, the Sorting Hat has never been wrong."
"But…"
Dumbledore looked at Ariana—trying so hard yet failing every time—and his face filled with complicated emotion.
He was one of the greatest wizards of his age, yes…
But he had never studied magic involving souls.
He had no ability to let a ghost touch a physical object.
(If all you want is for Ariana to touch the hat… I might have an idea.)
Tom finally spoke.
"You (´･_･`) ?"
McGonagall raised an eyebrow.
She really didn't think a kid who had just learned about the wizarding world—and hadn't even studied spells yet—could solve a problem that had baffled wizards for centuries.
But then she remembered he had just single-handedly resolved the Obscurial issue, another problem that had troubled the magical world for generations.
She corrected herself.
"…Are you sure you can do it?"
(Not sure at all.)
Tom answered confidently.
(I haven't tried all one thousand-plus methods yet, so who knows what might work.)
"One thousand…"
McGonagall fell silent.
Looking at Tom spreading his paws with that expression of 'I mean, I can try?'—paired with the absurd idea of him having "over a thousand methods"—left her momentarily speechless.
"Well," Dumbledore said calmly, "if Tom says he wants to try, let him try."
He sounded almost casual.
But that wasn't surprising—he had personally witnessed what Tom could do.
A cat who could travel through portrait worlds while carrying a human soul…
Who solved an Obscurial…
If anyone had a solution, maybe it really was him.
(Okay, I'm starting now. But no matter what happens, don't overreact!)
Tom warned.
"Don't worry," Dumbledore said with a magnanimous air.
"As long as you don't destroy the office, don't ruin the Sorting Hat, and don't harm Ariana, I can tolerate anything else."