By the time the surroundings had fully fallen into night, the Hogwarts Express finally came to a stop.
Students began to pour out in a long line, and I followed along with them. As I looked around the darkened area, a huge man holding up a lantern came toward us.
"First years! First years over here!"
I couldn't help wondering what one would have to eat to grow that big. As that thought crossed my mind, I heard Harry calling the giant "Hagrid." So that was his name, Hagrid.
"There aren't any first years left behind, right? Watch your step. Come on, follow me!"
Using Hagrid's lantern as our guide, we walked along the dark path for a while and soon arrived at the shore of a vast black lake. Beyond the water, mountains towered high, and at their peak stood a majestic castle.
"Look, first years! There it is! Hogwarts!!"
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A school of tradition and prestige, counted among the greatest magical institutions in the world. It was the place where I would spend the next seven years of my life.
"That's… Hogwarts…"
I found myself completely captivated. Hogwarts Castle, floating in the darkness of the night, was breathtakingly beautiful. Its many spires of all shapes and sizes, along with its stone arch bridges, were sights I could stare at endlessly without growing tired of them.
After capturing a panoramic view of the castle with my camera, I heard Hagrid's voice.
"All right, four to a boat!"
Illuminated by the brilliant lights of Hogwarts, our boats carrying the first-year students glided smoothly across the vast lake. The flotilla passed beneath a curtain of ivy hanging from the cliff below the castle, went through a tunnel-like cave, and arrived at what appeared to be an underground dock beneath the castle.
We climbed a long staircase, and at the top stood a witch wearing emerald-green robes. She had square glasses and gave off a strict, no-nonsense air.
"Professor McGonagall. I've brought the first years."
"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take over from here, so you may go ahead."
This time, Professor McGonagall led us into a small room.
After surveying us, she spoke in a calm yet clearly projecting voice.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. A welcome feast for new students will be held shortly, but before that, you must undergo the Sorting to determine which house you will belong to."
There were four houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Each had a glorious history, and it was said that many great witches and wizards had graduated from them.
"For the next seven years, you will study alongside your housemates in the house assigned to you. You will sleep in your house dormitory and spend your free time in its common room."
Following Professor McGonagall through a set of doors at the back, we entered an enormous hall.
"Oooh…"
The moment I stepped inside, I couldn't help letting out a sound of awe.
Countless candles floated in midair, illuminating four long tables arranged lengthwise. When I looked up, a star-filled sky spread across the ceiling like a planetarium, and the ghosts flying through it resembled a mysterious drifting mist.
Each of the four house tables was decorated in its house's symbolic colors, with many goblets set upon gleaming golden platters. Older students were already seated at the tables, and at the far end stood a long table for the faculty.
"It's not the sky, it's the ceiling. It's just enchanted to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."
As I waited while listening to Hermione's trivia, which she had been sharing ever since the train ride, Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the new students.
Resting atop the stool was a pointed hat much like the one my mother had given me. Unlike mine, however, this one was covered in patches, tattered all over, and looked rather worn and dirty.
Just as I was thinking it might be better to have it cleaned, the hat suddenly began to sing.
I am the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,
I see what's hidden in your head.
The Sorting Hat knows all there is to know,
So put me on and I will tell you so,
The house where you belong instead.
If Gryffindor is where you'll stay,
The brave and bold will lead the way.
With daring hearts and chivalry,
No house compares to Gryffindor's decree.
If Hufflepuff is where you'll go,
You're just and loyal, true you know.
Patient, honest, strong and fair,
Hard work is work you gladly bear.
Wise old Ravenclaw awaits,
If you have wit and eager traits.
With clever minds and love of lore,
You'll find true friends and knowledge more.
Or maybe Slytherin is right,
Where cunning helps you win the fight.
Through any means, you'll see it through,
And gain true friends, perhaps a few.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
No need for nerves, just let me decide!
Entrust your thoughts and mind to me,
For I'm the hat that thinks, you see!
When the song ended, loud applause filled the hall. The hat bowed to each of the four tables and then fell silent once more.
"So it's not a test…"
My mother had told me there would be an exam, so I had studied desperately. I'd been completely fooled. I'm sure she meant well, but this is how children begin to lose trust in their parents and head straight into their rebellious phase.
Before long, Professor McGonagall began calling students forward in alphabetical order, and the Sorting ceremony commenced.
"Hannah Abbott!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Susan Bones!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Terry Boot!"
"Ravenclaw!"
The hat shouted each result loudly, and as each student finished being sorted, they were welcomed to their house with applause.
"W-what if I don't get Gryffindor…"
Ron, standing a short distance away, muttered anxiously.
"I'm definitely going to be in Slytherin."
From the back, Draco Malfoy was posturing with complete confidence. Among pure-bloods, one's bloodline tends to all but determine which house they are sorted into, but whether that pressure weighs on someone like Ron or instead fills them with anticipation like Draco seems to vary from person to person.
"By the way, Elaina, which house do you think you'll be in?"
Neville, who was lined up right behind me, asked in a hushed voice.
"That's a difficult question. Someone of my caliber has the aptitude for every house, so I imagine the hat will struggle to decide. I may end up leaving my name in Hogwarts history as a once-in-fifty-years hard-to-sort case."
"I-is that so… You're incredibly confident."
Judging from the Sorting Hat's song earlier, Gryffindor values bravery, Ravenclaw values intelligence, Hufflepuff values perseverance, and Slytherin values quick wits.
However, it seems that on very rare occasions, there are those who possess several, or even all, of these qualities. Yes, me. Surely.
Incidentally, it seems Neville wants to be in Hufflepuff.
His grandmother, who raised him, apparently hopes he'll be sorted into Gryffindor, but Neville himself lacks confidence in his bravery. Not aiming too high isn't necessarily a bad thing, but one can't help wondering if it's a bit rude to Hufflepuff to treat it as a compromise choice.
"The Longbottom family has a long history, after all. Well, if your grandmother says anything, you can always blame the Sorting Hat."
"Y-yeah… I guess. Wait, is that really okay?"
It's fine. Probably.
"By the way, what about your family, Elaina?"
"We're pretty evenly spread out. There are a lot of Ravenclaws, but quite a few Slytherins too, a fair number of Gryffindors, and Hufflepuffs from time to time."
My mother wavered between Ravenclaw and Slytherin before ultimately ending up in Slytherin.
"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Brown, Lavender!"
"Gryffindor!"
"Bulstrode, Millicent!"
"Slytherin!"
As the sorting continued smoothly, my turn soon arrived. Since my name is Celesteria Elaina, it came fairly early.
"Celesteria Elaina!"
I stepped forward with my chest held high, feeling the eyes of the entire school on me. Being the center of attention really does feel good.
As I sat down on the stool, Professor McGonagall placed the hat on my head.
Now then, what will happen? For someone like me, who is not only brave but also intelligent, fair, and even quick-witted—
"Slytheri— 'Stooop!'"
Just as the Sorting Hat was about to decide on Slytherin, before it even properly touched my head, I instinctively shouted inside my mind. I might have said it out loud as well.
"Hmm, what's the matter?" the Sorting Hat asked in a low, puzzled voice inside my head.
"Do you dislike Slytherin?"
"No, it's not that I dislike it."
These days, Slytherin suffers from the prejudice of being seen as a breeding ground for dark wizards, but the great wizard Merlin himself was a Slytherin, and I'm interested in the Dark Arts as well. Not shying away from any means can be a sign of strong ambition, which is a good thing. Saying "I hate Slytherin" is nothing but prejudice.
"Then?"
"That said, wouldn't it be better to think it over a little more? Of course, I'm quick-witted and highly motivated in a very Slytherin way, but at the same time I'm bold like a Gryffindor, intelligent like a Ravenclaw, and even hardworking like a Hufflepuff."
"…Don't you think you're being a bit overly confident?"
"I'm the type of child who grows from praise."
I thought I heard the Sorting Hat sigh, but it was probably just my imagination.
"By the way, Mr. Hat, do you happen to know a student named Nike? The famous witch who wrote The Tales of Nike's Adventures. I heard she was a Hogwarts graduate."
"Nike? There were a few female students by that name, but I've never heard of any of them writing adventure tales."
So Nike really was a pen name rather than her real one. If I had known her house, I would have liked to join the same one, but it can't be helped.
"Hmm. You certainly would do well in any house. But when it comes to cunning, you truly stand out. If you enter Slytherin, you will undoubtedly become great."
Undoubtedly become great… I see.
"And above all, you possess ambition. Am I wrong?"
Ambition… perhaps that could also be called a dream. My dream is to become a witch and travel the world like Nike. Learning magic is not so much an end in itself as it is a means to that goal.
In that case, indeed—
"Have you made up your mind?"
"Yes."
And besides, after all this deliberation, everyone will have no choice but to acknowledge me as a hard-to-sort case with aptitude for multiple houses. These days, thanks to "You-Know-Who," Slytherin doesn't enjoy the best public image, and this should make it clear to students of the other houses that I'm not a pure-bred Slytherin at heart.
"That kind of calculating mindset is entirely Slytherin, you know…"
Thus, with mutual agreement, the Sorting Hat declared loudly:
"Slytherin!!"
At once, a great cheer rose from the Slytherin table, which had been watching in silence until then. Removing the Sorting Hat, I headed toward the Slytherin seats, where the older students greeted me with words of welcome and congratulations.
Glancing back at the remaining first-years, I spotted Harry and the Malfoy group.
It's strange. For some reason, all three of them had expressions that seemed to say, "Well, of course." Do I really look that Slytherin-like?
Looking toward another line, even Hermione and Neville wore faces that said, "Now that you mention it, that makes sense."
Everyone, couldn't you at least look a little more surprised…?
(End of chapter)
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