"Hannah Abbott!" Professor McGonagall called out the first name.
Sure enough, this was the same Hannah Abbott frequently mentioned in various fan novels from his past life, Ryan thought to himself. However, given that the sorting was based on surname initials, she should indeed be among the first to go.
A little girl with flushed cheeks and two blond braids stumbled out of the queue, making her way to the Sorting Hat.
Ryan recalled that, by the end of the story, Hannah Abbott became the owner of the Leaky Cauldron and eventually married Neville Longbottom. Looking at the slightly clumsy little girl before him now, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement at witnessing history unfold firsthand.
Hannah sat on the stool, and after a brief moment, the Sorting Hat announced in a long, drawn-out tone: "Hufflepuff!"
The students at the table on the right erupted into applause and cheers, welcoming Hannah warmly. The Fat Friar, the ghost of Hufflepuff House, waved happily at her.
"Susan Bones!"
"Hufflepuff!"
Susan quickly ran over and sat next to Hannah.
The sorting continued, and Ryan noticed that the Sorting Hat's tone shifted slightly with each name it called. It made him wonder if the hat found its daily routine monotonous—poor thing, being stuck with such a dull life.
Before his own name was called, Ryan began to speculate which house he might end up in.
Slytherin was out of the question because of bloodline considerations. As for Ravenclaw, Ryan—who considered himself far from an academic genius—felt that he wouldn't be a great fit there either. That left Gryffindor and Hufflepuff as the most likely options.
Both houses had good reputations, but after seeing Hermione Granger get sorted into Gryffindor, Ryan began leaning toward that house. Having an acquaintance, especially a highly intelligent one, seemed preferable to not knowing anyone at all.
Finally, when Neville Longbottom returned the Sorting Hat to Professor McGonagall, Ryan's name was called.
He stepped forward and placed the ancient, likely unwashed hat onto his head. It had probably remained uncleaned since Hogwarts' founding in 993 AD, he mused.
The experience of communicating with the Sorting Hat was novel. Despite having lived two lifetimes, Ryan had never encountered anything quite like it.
As soon as the hat settled on his head, a small voice spoke in his mind:
"Although I find your thoughts a bit rude, I do appreciate your concern. However, life as an old hat is not as boring as you assume. Now, I can sense both kindness and courage within you… That makes my decision quite simple."
Before Ryan could even react, the voice turned into a loud proclamation: "Gryffindor!"
He removed the hat and placed it back onto the stool respectfully. Despite its ragged and patchy appearance, the hat embodied the very essence of Hogwarts, infused with the wisdom of the school's four founders. In many ways, it was more representative of the school's spirit than even the grand castle itself.
After bowing slightly to the professors, Ryan walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat beside Neville.
Soon after, just as in the original story, Harry Potter was sorted into Gryffindor. The entire table erupted into cheers, standing up in excitement.
Once the Sorting Ceremony was complete, Professor McGonagall retrieved the hat, and Dumbledore rose from his golden chair at the center of the teachers' table. Smiling warmly, he stretched out his arms as if nothing in the world pleased him more than seeing the students gathered before him.
"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin the feast, I have a few words to say. They are as follows: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"
He sat back down. The hall erupted into applause and laughter.
Ryan glanced at Hermione across from him and asked, "What does that even mean?"
Hermione, looking slightly puzzled, replied, "I haven't seen anything about it in the books. Maybe it's some kind of special magical tradition?"
Neville, seated beside them, interrupted, "Forget about that for now. Just eat! Aren't you hungry?"
Only then did Ryan notice that the once-empty plates were now piled high with food. Sticking to his usual dinner habits, he helped himself to boiled potatoes, pea shoots, and tomato sauce with chicken. Even after living in the UK for ten years, he still wasn't used to eating heavy meat-based meals at night. Fortunately, his adoptive father, who was also of British descent, had a European-influenced diet, making it easier for Ryan to stick to familiar flavors.
As the students finished eating, the remaining food vanished from their plates, leaving them as spotless as before. Then, puddings and ice creams of all flavors appeared.
With dessert in front of them, conversations flowed more easily. Ryan and Hermione engaged in a lively discussion with Prefect Percy Weasley, asking him various academic questions. The cheerful atmosphere continued until the desserts, too, disappeared.
Once the last dish vanished, silence settled over the Great Hall as Dumbledore stood again.
"Now that everyone has eaten their fill, I have a few important announcements.
"First, all first-year students should be aware that the Forbidden Forest is strictly off-limits. Some of our older students would do well to remember that, too."
Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flickered toward the Weasley twins.
"Secondly, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind everyone that magic should not be used in the corridors between classes.
"Thirdly, Quidditch trials will take place in the second week of term. Anyone interested in joining their house team should contact Madam Hooch.
"And finally, for your own safety, please avoid the right-hand corridor on the fourth floor unless you wish to meet an unfortunate and painful end."
A few first-years giggled, but most students remained silent. They knew that when Dumbledore issued a safety warning, he meant it.
Ryan, however, was fully aware of what was hidden on the fourth floor—the protection for the Philosopher's Stone. But that was a matter for Harry and Voldemort, not him. He had no intention of getting involved.
Of course, the Philosopher's Stone was an incredibly valuable artifact. If he could bring it to the Myriad Realms Grocery Store, it would undoubtedly fetch a great price from customers in need. But with Dumbledore keeping a close watch over it, Ryan dismissed the idea. He had no interest in becoming an enemy of the most powerful white wizard alive.
Dumbledore paused, allowing the students to absorb his words before speaking again.
"Now, before bedtime, let us all sing the school song!"
Almost every teacher at the staff table looked visibly uncomfortable.
Dumbledore flicked his wand, and a long golden ribbon floated above them like a winding snake.
"Each of you, choose your own tune!" he declared. "Ready? Sing!"
Ryan felt a bit embarrassed, but he followed the melody he remembered from the movie.
As the song ended, Dumbledore clapped enthusiastically and announced that it was time for bed.
With that, the Hogwarts opening ceremony officially concluded.
FOR MORE CHAPTERS
patreon.com/STEPHENHART427