Even if Professor McGonagall hadn't said anything, Tom would've done the same. After all, he was next in line for Sorting!
And he absolutely did not want to find out whether the Sorting Hat could read his thoughts while he was still in soul form.
As for how to fix a hat that had lost its soul… honestly, it was pretty simple—at least for Tom.
Tom grabbed the little white blob of soul and shoved it—none too gently—back into the hat's "mouth."
The next second, the limp, lifeless hat suddenly sprang back to life, the tear-like mouth opening and closing as if it had finally come up for air.
Dumbledore's eyes flew open, and the way he looked at Tom changed just a little.
"(☉□☉) Whoa! I'm alive again? Honestly, seeing the world from a soul's perspective was kind of amazing. Now that I'm back in a body, I almost miss that floaty, free-moving feeling!"
The Sorting Hat sounded almost nostalgic.
"Really, once you get used to it, breaking free from all restraints feels pretty great! So uh, kid, I was wondering… maybe in the future you could let me—"
"Enough, Sorting Hat!"
Professor McGonagall cut it off before it could finish.
"This is work time. Please fulfill the duties entrusted to you by every former headmaster—and the four founders themselves. Not wander around the school pretending to be a ghost!"
Honestly, having Peeves around was already enough to give her migraines. If the Sorting Hat turned into a wandering ghost too…
Merlin's beard, the school would be destroyed within a week!
What worried her most, though, was that a ghostly Sorting Hat could sort ghosts. The last thing she wanted was to wake up one morning and discover Peeves had become a Gryffindor student.
They still had a chance at the House Cup. But if Peeves joined Gryffindor… the house would be doomed. If they ended the semester with a positive score at all, that would be pure divine intervention.
And anyway—how were they supposed to sort next year's freshmen? With souls?!
"(´-ω-`) I just wanted to feel free for once… You all stuff me on that shelf all year except for opening day. I'm pretty sure I've started to mildew."
The hat grumbled under its breath.
McGonagall ignored the complaint and turned to Tom.
"All right then. Tom Lovegood."
(Coming, coming~)
Tom mimicked Ariana's movements, sat down in the chair, and placed the Sorting Hat on his head.
The moment it settled, the once-chatty hat suddenly went silent.
As one of the Founders' relics, it took its job very seriously. That's why it refused Dumbledore's attempt to assign Ariana a house manually.
The moment Tom put it on, the hat activated Legilimency. Tom's recent experiences and the emotions behind them flooded into the hat's awareness.
"(｀・ω・´) Let's see…
As a thinking cat, you're remarkably clever and full of odd little ideas—your curiosity about magic itself and your talent for tinkering with bizarre gadgets.
That would make Ravenclaw a good fit.
But you're also brave—unafraid of death (which, to you, doesn't really exist) and always willing to charge into grand adventures. Gryffindor would love that.
Ambition though… Hmm. A pretty owner? Endless feasts? Sleeping 'til noon? Doing whatever you want?
Other than those last scraps, I'm not seeing any ambition. Or rather—you're too lazy to bother having ambition.
If I put you in Slytherin, Salazar would probably claw his way out of his coffin and melt me down for scrap!
But loyalty… devotion to your family… protecting your friends… Hufflepuff fits you very well too.
Goodness! You're the first student in decades who truly fits every house except Slytherin. No preferences at all! You're making things quite difficult for me!"
(So? Picked one yet?)
While the hat rambled on, Tom yawned lazily.
He knew he wasn't nearly as noble as the hat made him sound—but who cared? What mattered was which house he ended up in.
So he shut off the hat's Legilimency (how? No idea. He figured he could do it, so he did), and started thinking:
Ravenclaw isn't bad. Luna's there—I could help her make some friends, otherwise she'll probably alienate the entire house all by herself…
But wait—they make you answer riddles just to get into the dorms? Ew. No. Nope. Not Ravenclaw.
Gryffindor… too much drama. But Ariana's there, so maybe it wouldn't be too bad. Worst case, I just avoid the troublemakers.
And with Ariana around, Dumbledore probably wouldn't let Gryffindor get into too much danger… probably.
Hufflepuff though… hold on, isn't the kitchen right next to their dorm?
Tom suddenly asked:
(Hey, is the kitchen near the Hufflepuff dorm?)
"Hm? Yes, that's correct. Why?"
(Decision made! Put me in Hufflepuff!)
ヽ(￣▽￣)ノ Obviously I'm not picking it because of the kitchen—Hannah owes me, and she's paying it back with labor!
If we're in different houses, she can only work during the day.
But if we're in the same house? I can make her work overtime for free every night!
Totally not about the kitchen. Absolutely not.
"Hufflepuff, hm? It does make sense. While the other three houses suit you, your core nature isn't adventure or pure knowledge—it's wanting a place where you can stay close, protect others, and feel at home.
And of course, your… enthusiasm for food."
The hat paused, then announced loudly:
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
(It's NOT because of the kitchen!! ヽ(≧Д≦)ノ)
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ilham20