This year's Sorting Ceremony, at least on the surface, was proceeding quite smoothly. Even so, it was hard not to notice that the young wizards below seemed a little distracted.
More precisely, most of them were still caught up in the song the Sorting Hat had just sung...
Since he hadn't listened carefully earlier, Draco took the time to ask Goyle about the lyrics. Only then did he understand why everyone was talking about it, and why Hermione had specifically brought up the song.
It wasn't that the melody was especially beautiful or lingering, nor was it so awful that it demanded attention. The problem lay entirely in the lyrics themselves. There was something seriously off about them, something that couldn't be ignored...
Tapping his fingers rhythmically against the table, Draco gave a small nod. "It really is very different from previous years."
"Right? You think so too, Draco," Hermione said. "But is this just a coincidence, or is it the same kind of thing as that so-called prophecy?"
"No," Draco replied, dismissing her suggestion. "Compared to a prophecy, I'm more inclined to think it was deliberately manipulated."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted subtly toward Dumbledore at the staff table.
Just as everyone else had noticed, there was something deeply wrong with this year's lyrics. The song had issued warnings and reminders to all the wizards of Hogwarts, something that simply shouldn't have come from the Sorting Hat.
As a result, aside from the new students standing there flustered and nervously awaiting their turn to be sorted, most of the younger wizards had already begun whispering about the lyrics.
The quick thinkers immediately shared their thoughts with the people beside them, while the slower ones started asking questions...
After all, in past years, the Sorting Hat's songs had only ever described the different qualities valued by the four houses, along with bits and pieces of student life at Hogwarts. It never touched on anything else, let alone matters so pointed and ominous.
That was why this unexpected turn left everyone stunned. Even the seventh-years were encountering something like this for the first time...
Only after the final first-year was sorted into Slytherin did Dumbledore rise unhurriedly from his seat. His calm demeanor made it seem as though he was quite pleased with how things had unfolded.
As murmurs spread through the hall, Dumbledore wore a faint, meaningful smile. He offered no explanation of the song's deeper implications, merely leaving everyone with a single, thought-provoking remark.
"Quite interesting, isn't it? But this song also reminds us that no matter how cleverly conflict and hostility are stirred up, all we need to do is respond with equally unbreakable friendship and trust."
Dumbledore's words seemed to carry a strange pull, drawing everyone's attention and prompting them to instinctively reflect on their meaning.
Although he had recently been forced to step down as Chief Wizard of the Wizengamot, within Hogwarts, Dumbledore was still the one whose voice held the greatest authority...
Some listened with only partial understanding, some gazed at him in admiration, and others revealed dark, unreadable expressions. Draco, meanwhile, shifted his gaze back and forth between Dumbledore and the Sorting Hat...
"Our Hogwarts is facing danger. Enemies outside the school are watching closely..." Draco murmured. "In a way, that really does sound like something Dumbledore would arrange."
After quietly repeating a fragment of the lyrics, Draco began to form a vague suspicion. Or rather, from the very beginning, he had never believed that the Sorting Hat had truly been given life, let alone the ability to think independently.
To put it simply, Draco strongly suspected that which house each new student entered had been decided long in advance by Dumbledore himself...
As for whether Dumbledore was using this as a way to warn everyone?
There was one wizard present who rejected that idea more firmly than anyone else.
With that thought in mind, Draco lifted his eyes toward a pink-clad figure at the staff table. On that witch's face, he saw a twisted, cold, thoroughly unpleasant expression...
...
Before getting to that witch, there's something that needs to be explained first. The seating arrangement at the staff table was never random. In fact, it followed a very deliberate logic.
Seats weren't assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, nor could anyone simply sit wherever they liked without regard for order.
In some ways, wizards were more rigid about rules than anyone else, especially when it came to spellcasting and hierarchy...
In short, the position subtly encircled by all the professors at the center naturally belonged to the current Headmaster of Hogwarts, and that was where Dumbledore stood.
Seated to his left and right were the Heads of the four Houses, followed by professors responsible for other key subjects. It was worth mentioning that the caretaker, Filch, was not qualified to sit at the staff table at all.
The left was the seat of honor, with the right ranked just below it.
Because of that, Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House and Deputy Headmistress, always occupied the seat to Dumbledore's left. To his right, somewhat unexpectedly, sat Severus Snape.
From this small detail alone, it was easy to see just how much trust Dumbledore placed in Snape, even if Snape himself likely didn't care in the slightest about such favor or recognition.
Under normal circumstances, following long-standing tradition, this arrangement would have continued unchanged until Dumbledore stepped down, and only then would the familiar scene that had lasted for so many years begin to shift.
But now, that change had arrived early.
At this moment, it was clear that the seat meant for Minerva McGonagall had been taken by another figure.
The very next second, that figure abruptly rose from her seat, rudely cutting off Dumbledore mid-speech.
"It seems there's been some sort of problem with this hat. I believe the Ministry could offer assistance. For example... how about replacing it with a more obedient Sorting Hat?"
"...."
"...."
Silence.
The moment those words left her mouth, an eerie stillness fell over the entire Sorting Ceremony.
Below the stage, the young wizards' gazes flickered back and forth between Dumbledore and the witch who had dared to speak up at such a moment.
Calling it a request for Dumbledore's opinion would be generous. It was far more like a statement of intent.
Yes, the witch who had just stood up and amplified her voice with a spell was none other than this year's newly appointed Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts and Hogwarts High Inquisitor...
Dolores Umbridge.