The gaze from the elderly man didn't carry the piercing sensation Luke had expected, nor the heavy pressure. The old man's eyes were kind and wise, and the smile at the corners of his mouth seemed gentle and warm.
Dumbledore noticed Luke's glance and smiled, nodding slightly at him. Luke returned the gesture with a similar nod, knowing this wasn't the right time to exchange formal greetings.
Professor McGonagall, standing in front of the group of anxious young witches and wizards, brought out a small four-legged stool and placed a worn, tattered, and slightly grimy-looking pointed wizard's hat on top of it.
The hall fell into complete silence. The older students watched with anticipation, while the newcomers were filled with nerves.
In that moment, the hat twitched, and a wide tear appeared like a mouth. Then, it began to sing:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me."
..
..
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be."
...
"You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;"
"You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;"
"Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;"
"Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends."
"So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Hat!"
To be honest, as soon as the hat finished its song, both Luke and Hermione furrowed their brows almost instinctively. Meanwhile, thunderous applause filled the Great Hall.
"This hat feels like it's the biggest critic of Slytherin," Luke thought silently to himself.
What did it mean by "those cunning folks" and "will use any means necessary"?
What left Luke more helpless was that, despite the lyrics, the Slytherin students didn't seem to care much, some even looking a bit proud. Only a few seemed slightly dissatisfied, wrinkling their brows at the words.
Luke sighed, realizing how long the journey to change the perception of Slytherin might be, but at least there seemed to be a few normal, sensible people he could rely on.
Luke stared at the hat, now bowing deeply to the four long tables in turn, as if thinking of some very impolite thoughts.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward, holding a scroll of parchment in her hands.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted into your house"
She said, her sharp gaze sweeping over the students before she unfurled the parchment and read the first name aloud.
"Hannah Abbott!"
A rosy-cheeked girl with two blonde pigtails stumbled out of the crowd and nervously placed the hat on her head.
After a moment, the Sorting Hat called out, "Hufflepuff!"
The Hufflepuff table erupted into applause, and one of the house ghosts, the Fat Friar, waved cheerfully at her.
…
"Taylor Barbara!"
Under everyone's gaze, a girl dressed plainly, with long, golden hair that covered her face and hid her features, walked slowly toward the stool. She put on the Sorting Hat.
What was strange, though, was that the hat fell into silence, as if conflicted. Several minutes passed, and the students began to shift impatiently in their seats.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity(3-4 minutes), the Sorting Hat spoke.
"Slytherin…" it said, in a tone that could only be described as uncertain, even hesitant. The voice was much quieter than it had been before.
After the Sorting Hat announced "Slytherin," the girl named Taylor took it off and, still looking quite listless, made her way to the Slytherin table.
The Slytherin students gave her a warm but restrained round of applause. Hogwarts was never short of strange people, and a student who kept their head down and stayed silent wasn't all that unusual. There had even been cases of students who barely spoke to anyone for seven years.
However, Luke couldn't help but feel suspicious as he watched the girl. In his memory, this girl hadn't appeared in the original story, but he could sense that she might be more than she seemed.
--
"Luke Gaunt!"
Professor McGonagall called his name, snapping Luke out of his thoughts. He walked toward the stool, and the atmosphere in the hall grew noticeably heavier. The name "Gaunt" carried a lot of weight. It was synonymous with nobility, wealth, ruthlessness, and fear.
Even the teachers were scrutinizing him more closely now.
Especially Snape, who, like most people, assumed the boy would end up in Slytherin. After all, the Gaunt family's history was deeply tied to that house. But from what Professor McGonagall had mentioned, there was something different about this child. Could that possibly affect the Sorting Hat's decision?
At the Slytherin table, the students were gazing at Luke with burning anticipation. Everyone knew that the founder of their house, Salazar Slytherin, was an ancestor of the Gaunt family.
The arrival of a Gaunt was something they eagerly looked forward to, though not without judgment.
The entire Great Hall was filled with a strange energy that even Ron, Harry, and Malfoy noticed. Ron and Malfoy couldn't help but feel a sense of envy.
To be the center of attention, to be under the spotlight—wasn't that what kids their age craved?
And Luke, at this moment, had achieved that.
He picked up the hat and placed it on his head.
A soft voice whispered into his ear, "You are an unusual child. You have the ambition to change the world, the courage to protect all that is good, the wisdom beyond your years, and a heart full of resilience. I'm conflicted, child."
But Luke responded firmly in his mind, "I want to go to Slytherin."
"Don't be so hasty in making your decision, child. Take your time and think. I know Slytherin's blood runs through your veins, but I can also sense something else—an aura and talent that remind me of my master. You're very much like him, you know."
Luke fell silent for a moment, genuinely taken aback. He had always assumed his ambition and bloodline tied him naturally to Slytherin.
But for the Sorting Hat to say he resembled its master, especially in terms of aura and talent, was surprising. After all, the Hat's master was none other than Godric Gryffindor…
However, after a brief pause, Luke's resolve remained firm. "Slytherin!" he insisted.
The Hat stayed silent for a long while before speaking again.
"That stubbornness makes you even more like him," it said. "But, if you insist…"
"SLYTHERIN!"
The Slytherin table erupted with cheers and applause, loud and enthusiastic. Even Professor Snape gave a few light claps, though his eyes flashed with a hint of caution.
As Luke prepared to take off the hat, he heard its voice once more in his ear.
"I can sense your dissatisfaction with me, child. But from what I know, this is what Slytherin House is now. If you don't like it, then perhaps you should try to change it."
Luke's hand paused for a moment. He smiled slightly and responded in his mind.
"That's exactly what I plan to do."