Chapter 288: The Sorting Hat
Harry and Ron had still not returned by the time the Sorting Ceremony concluded.
Sean felt a prickle of concern. He hoped they hadn't been battered too badly by the Whomping Willow; by all accounts, that tree had a particularly foul temperament.
Aside from that, Sean's focus was primarily on Ginny Weasley. She was currently carrying a fifty-year-old diary, the catalyst for the Chamber of Secrets saga.
Sean had absolutely no intention of making physical contact with Riddle's diary.
A Horcrux was traditionally described merely as a vessel to ensure Voldemort's immortality, but the diary's utility went far beyond that. It could corrode a wizard's soul and eventually facilitate a resurrection. Since acquiring the Soul Hallow, Sean had become increasingly cautious regarding such matters.
This Horcrux, containing a piece of Voldemort's soul from many years ago, was not to be underestimated. Sean could sense the faint, lingering malice radiating from the girl's direction; the trouble was, the diary could likely sense him in return.
Knowing that Riddle's diary possessed the power of persuasion—that it could "feed on a wizard's deepest fears and secrets, growing hungrier and more powerful by the day"—Sean did not dare to be arrogant.
Even Dumbledore had admitted in the realm of the Dark Arts that "Voldemort has powers I shall never have."
Thus, the plan remained: stay cautious, solve the Basilisk problem quickly, and use a serpent's fang to destroy the diary the moment the opportunity arose. It wouldn't be long now.
Over at the Gryffindor table, the atmosphere was a mix of excitement and worry.
"The Great Green is watching over his most faithful followers—" Fred said, his eyebrows dancing in a mockery of solemnity.
"The radiance of our Lord shines upon us—" George added, clasping his hands together in mock prayer.
"It's strange. I rarely see anything pull Sean's attention away from his books for this long," Hermione said, her brow furrowed. What could possibly be interesting enough to make Sean look toward their table three times?
"Harry and Ron!" Hermione gasped. In the wake of Sean's earlier reassurance that "they'll be fine," she had actually forgotten they were still missing.
Toward the end of the ceremony, Professor Dumbledore and the other teachers suddenly hurried out of the Great Hall, as if receiving urgent news.
This sent a wave of speculation through the student body. Some said Hogwarts was being invaded by a flying car; others claimed a thief had broken in to steal the Whomping Willow—though no one believed that one. Even Neville, who was widely considered the most timid boy in school, wouldn't be brave enough to take a spade to that tree.
"Oi!" Hermione snapped, causing a few boys to stammer out apologies to Neville.
The members of the Room of Hope gathered together, looking troubled.
"Sean, look... are you absolutely sure they're okay?" Hermione asked, poking her bread so aggressively it was starting to look like mashed cheese.
"They'll be fine," Sean replied. Now that Dumbledore had left to handle it, he wasn't worried at all.
Instead, his gaze drifted to the Sorting Hat sitting on its stool. For the first time, his look was distinctly predatory.
The Sorting Hat twitched its tattered brim. It seemed to have sensed an unsettling, focused stare. Who is that? It twisted its fabric curiously until it met a pair of calm, piercing green eyes. After a few seconds, the Hat stiffly turned its "face" away.
Old Hat should have known... just as vengeful as a Ravenclaw... I'd best hide...
The feast concluded shortly after Dumbledore returned. The students, buzzing with excitement, were led back to their dormitories. The first-years followed their Prefects, wide-eyed as the older students regaled them with exaggerated tales of the castle.
When the Great Hall had mostly emptied, Sean and his friends finally spotted Professor McGonagall. She was vibrating with suppressed fury, leading a cowering Harry and Ron behind her.
"Eat here! And then straight to bed!" she barked. She flicked her wand at a nearby table, and a large platter of sandwiches, two silver goblets, and a jug of iced pumpkin juice appeared. She looked like she was one word away from a total meltdown.
"I really thought we were going to be expelled!" Ron said, grabbing a sandwich the moment McGonagall stormed off.
"Me too," Harry agreed, taking one himself.
"There you two are! Where have you been? The rumors are absolute madness—people are saying you flew a car into the school and got sacked!" Hermione cried, being the first to rush over from the corner of the Hall.
"We weren't sacked," Harry assured her.
"Are you telling me you actually did fly here?" Hermione looked ready to deliver a lecture that would last until Christmas.
But she was interrupted. A crowd of Gryffindors who had been lingering nearby erupted into a roar of applause.
"Brilliant!" Lee Jordan shouted. "Absolutely legendary! Flying a car into the Whomping Willow—people will be talking about that for years!"
"Good on you, mate," a fifth-year Harry had never spoken to said, patting him on the back as if he'd just won a marathon. Fred and George squeezed through the crowd, asking in unison:
"Why didn't you tell us? We'd have come back with you!"
Seeing that they were safe, Sean prepared to leave for the Headmaster's office. Justin walked beside him, watching the look of lingering anxiety on Harry's face.
"Harry's definitely found himself in it this time," Justin remarked.
"Mmm," Sean agreed.
"The Boy Who Lived... the boy who defeated the Dark Lord... the boy who's famous for everything," Justin sighed. "My mother always says that all the gifts of fate come with a price already marked in secret."
His voice faded into the cold night air. The sky was ink-black, and the wind moaned through the mountains, pressing down on the castle until the branches of the trees outside looked like swaying, skeletal limbs.
The Headmaster's office was empty when Sean arrived.
He knocked and waited, only for the heavy oak door to swing open on its own. Taking the invitation for what it was, Sean walked inside and approached the desk.
There, sitting on a high shelf behind the desk, was the patched, frayed, and crumpled wizard's hat—the Sorting Hat.
Sean walked around the desk and picked the hat up, holding it in his hands as he considered his options.
"Beautiful Ravenclaw, from the glen so fair..." the Hat suddenly began to sing, its voice trembling.
Unreliable Dumbledore... leaving at a time like this; unreliable gargoyle, not even blocking the way; and an unreliable door, opening by itself! the Hat thought frantically. I am a vital artifact of Hogwarts! How can you just hand me over to a student?
"Relax, Mr. Hat," Sean said, a small smile playing on his lips. It seemed Dumbledore didn't mind him "borrowing" the artifact for a bit.
"First time in centuries... I suppose I owe a debt to Ravenclaw," the Hat said, sounding utterly defeated. "What do you want, young wizard? Or rather... what are you looking for?"
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