Chapter 14: The Sorting Ceremony
Inside a door on the right of the hall, a buzzing sound of voices could be heard, but Professor McGonagall did not lead them in.
Instead, she stopped, turned around, and her stern gaze swept over the crowd:
“Welcome to Hogwarts.”
she said.
“In a moment you will walk into the Great Hall and undergo the Sorting Ceremony, which will decide which house you will join. This is very important, as for the next seven years, your house and Hogwarts will be your home. You will attend classes with students from your house, share dormitories, and eat meals together. I hope you will regard each other as family, living together.”
“The school has four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has a glorious history and has nurtured outstanding wizards.”
Professor McGonagall’s gaze lingered on Malfoy for a moment. The spell had worn off, but Mr. Malfoy was far from in good condition.
His eyes were red and swollen, his clothes disheveled, as if he had been ravaged by a troll.
Professor McGonagall paused, and her stern gaze fixed on Vaughn:
“I know some things happened on the train today, very unpleasant things… but I hope this is the last time! Once you enter your respective houses, your excellent performance will earn points for your house, and violations will deduct points. At the end of each school year, the house with the highest score will win the House Cup. This is a great honor. I hope everyone will abide by the school rules and bring glory to their house!”
Vaughn looked at Professor McGonagall’s stare with an innocent expression, as if nothing had happened.
The diligent Deputy Headmaster’s eye twitched a few times, and she continued to speak to the other terrified first-year students: “The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin. I suggest you tidy yourselves up properly, as the entire school faculty and student body will be watching you.”
With that, she turned and walked into the Great Hall.
The silent crowd immediately gasped in unison.
Draco Malfoy hastily tidied his hair and tugged at his robe, trying to smooth it out.
Harry and Ron also ran a hand through their hair, while Hermione tightly pursed her lips, tidying her now-smooth long hair slightly.
Others also busily tidied themselves up.
But before long, someone shrieked. Vaughn looked up and saw a string of over twenty ghosts, phasing through the wall.
These translucent spirits were whispering to each other, some with kind expressions, others with angry faces, and some even trying to strike up conversations with the first-year students.
The first-year students below held their breath again, no one daring to make a sound.
Vaughn, however, was somewhat interested in them.
When he had read novels before, he had been very curious about the formation principles of these ghosts, but now was clearly not the time.
The ghosts drifted away after Professor McGonagall returned. She scanned the first-year students again and said,
“Everything is ready. Line up in a single file, and follow me!”
The first-year students quickly followed her, passing through the open doors of the Great Hall. The four long tables on either side of the path were already filled with older students, who were watching them with either curiosity or scrutiny.
Vaughn saw Percy, Fred, and George, who were waving at him and Ron.
Vaughn smiled back. As for Ron, he was so nervous he didn’t even notice.
The ceiling of the Great Hall, as Vaughn knew, resembled a starry sky, casting a soft, peaceful light downwards.
And at the very front of the line, a tattered hat sat on a stool, and it began to sing.
Vaughn, expressionless, cast a spell to block his ears, and only unsealed them after it finally stopped wriggling. Professor McGonagall had also walked to the front of the line and unfolded the parchment in her hand.
“Hannah Abbott!”
Hmm, a familiar name…
One by one, the first-year students stepped forward, put on the Sorting Hat, and were then announced to which house they belonged.
Among those Vaughn knew, Hermione was the first to go up. The girl trotted to the stool, the Sorting Hat covered her head, and after a moment of thought, it shouted, as expected:
“Gryffindor!”
Then came Harry, also Gryffindor. The moment the Sorting Hat spoke, the entire Gryffindor house erupted. Everyone was banging their tables vigorously.
Vaughn squinted at the teachers’ table. Professor Snape, with his stern face, looked increasingly cold. Dumbledore, wearing his crescent-shaped spectacles, had a genuine and cheerful smile on his weathered face – everything was proceeding as he had planned so far.
Vaughn also smiled.
The story of the Boy Who Lived began from this moment. The most powerful forces in the Wizarding World would soon engage in overt and covert struggles around the Boy Who Lived, and he was delighted to be able to observe and explore from their side!
After an unknown amount of time, it finally reached the letter “W.”
Ron, due to the initial of his surname, was placed earlier. Under everyone’s gaze, the young man didn’t know where to put his hands and feet, walking to the Sorting Hat almost with a limp.
And the tattered hat, the moment it touched Ron’s scalp, yelled: “Gryffindor!”
Clap clap clap clap—
Applause rang out from the Gryffindor long table. Percy loudly said to the person next to him: “That’s my brother!”
Fred and George were whistling and jumping around.
When Professor McGonagall called out “Vaughn Weasley,” they banged their tables even harder.
“Vaughn! Vaughn!”
“Gryffindor! Gryffindor!”
The other little lions, infected by the twins, also joined in the playful taunting.
Amidst the cheers, Vaughn, maintaining Legilimency and walking towards the Sorting Hat, sighed inwardly:
“Sorry, Fred, George!”
Over the years, he had long since recognized himself. His thirst for knowledge, his pursuit of power, his ambition for authority… there was no way he would be sorted into Gryffindor.
As the Sorting Hat was gently placed on his head, Vaughn heard a small voice in his ear saying:
“Hmm—very, very perfect Legilimency, you can’t fool me. I embody the most advanced knowledge and wisdom of the four founders! Hmm, those who master Legilimency usually have a hidden side and great secrets.”
“Cunning child, it’s clear that two houses are not suitable for you. I shall place you in—”
“Slytherin!”
As the Sorting Hat loudly proclaimed, the joyful atmosphere of Gryffindor came to an abrupt halt. Percy, who had been leaning forward, froze in place. Fred and George, who had been bouncing in their seats, tumbled forward. Hermione covered her mouth in surprise. Harry and Ron stared with wide eyes.
Even Professor McGonagall, who had heard Vaughn’s name, couldn’t help but look back at Dumbledore.
And the greatest wizard of the century watched Vaughn’s retreating back with a solemn gaze.
For a moment, the entire Great Hall fell silent.
After a moment, Dumbledore cleared his throat and gestured for Professor McGonagall to continue.
Professor McGonagall, slightly flustered, helped Vaughn remove the Sorting Hat.
The other students gradually came to their senses, looking at Vaughn’s signature Weasley red hair, whispering and murmuring, their low voices merging into a noisy buzz.
Vaughn paid no attention to any of this, only seeing the System Panel pop up before his eyes:
【Main Quest ①: Join Hogwarts（Completed）】
【Reward: 1 Talent Point, 50 Magic Power Scale】
【Claim Reward?】
