All the other professors had already left.
In the hall, only Snape, Dumbledore, and McGonagall were left. The Sorting Hat's ear-piercing screams eventually touched Dumbledore's heart.
"Professor Snape, as the Sorting Hat mentioned, it is one of Hogwarts' valuable properties, and we have no right to damage it or engage in other... acts against it."
Dumbledore never addressed anyone by name in the presence of others.
He originally intended to take Snape to check on the poor student who had fainted, but before he could even straighten his beard, Snape had already approached the Sorting Hat.
To be honest.
In Dumbledore's eyes, Snape's actions at this moment weren't entirely bad — at least they proved that Ian held some significance for Snape.
This was a connection that could prevent Snape from falling into the abyss when he was on the brink.
"I just want to give the Sorting Hat a bath."
Snape continued expressionlessly, carrying the Sorting Hat.
"A cesspit is not a bath! Let me go! You wicked old bat!"
The Sorting Hat yelled.
"I think you should say a lot less." Professor McGonagall quickly made a shushing gesture at the Sorting Hat when she saw Snape's expression darken slightly.
"Heh, an old bat, is it? Not even Merlin could save you today," Snape said, about to head toward the direction of the bathroom with the Sorting Hat.
Dumbledore raised his hand, wanting to speak but stopping himself.
"Dumbledore! Save me! McGonagall!"
"I watched you all grow up! Save me!"
The Sorting Hat struggled but was completely powerless.
"It was Ian! It was Ian! I'm going to tell on him! That little wizard called you that! I was just copying him!" The Sorting Hat, seeing the door getting closer, finally couldn't hold back.
He became a traitor this time.
However.
The millennia seemed not to have made him realize the price of betrayal—Snape's face grew even more grim, and his steps quickened.
"Then let's give you a bath in the Ravenclaw cesspit."
Snape's tone was icy.
"No!!!"
The Sorting Hat let out a desperate scream.
"Alright, Professor Snape, stop scaring it." Dumbledore said helplessly, feeling somewhat guilty himself when facing Snape.
After all.
He was the one who initially promised that Ian would enter Slytherin.
Who would have thought?
Everything pointed to him being a model Slytherin child.
How did he end up in Ravenclaw?
He even secretly instructed the Sorting Hat last night to give Ian special consideration, but the child still ended up in another house—Dumbledore trusted the Sorting Hat's judgment, but Snape clearly was unhappy with this outcome.
"I'm not joking with it."
Despite what Snape said, he stopped walking.
Dumbledore immediately spoke up, "Give the Sorting Hat some time, I'm sure it can provide a sufficiently convincing reason, after all, it has never made a wrong judgment in a thousand years."
Professor McGonagall nodded at the Old Beehive Principal's words.
"Interfering with the Sorting Hat's work is already overstepping." Professor McGonagall, a diligent professor, had suppressed her Gryffindor nature for many years.
"Exactly! I never make mistakes!"
The Sorting Hat loudly defended itself.
"I only trust my own eyes, Slytherin would bring him glory, he was born to be in Slytherin." Snape recalled several encounters with Ian.
In the orphanage.
And in Hogwarts Village where the floorboards were dug up.
Plus Ian's numerous actions and words.
In Snape's view, they constantly proved that Ian would be a student of his house.
Ambition, cleverness, determination, and an understanding of glory.
Given these very precise traits, Snape thought that even without any bias, he would consider Ian more outstanding than most Slytherin students he had taught.
The traits were so evident!
Where else could he go but Slytherin?
Look at the students who entered Slytherin this year!
Each one more lackluster than the last!
The Grindelwald family's little brat notwithstanding, the others were the worst batch of Slytherins he had ever seen — even including a coward who fainted from excitement!
Fainted from excitement!
Shouldn't such a person go to Gryffindor instead?
The more Snape thought about it, the angrier he became.
He felt the Sorting Hat was deliberately trying to disgust him. Even the little brat from the Grindelwald family was fooled, so how could the crafty Ian not be Slytherin?
"Silence won't save you."
Snape lifted the Sorting Hat high by its brim, his tone cold.
"I'm just thinking! Thinking of how to explain to you how special that little boy you fancy is!" The Sorting Hat's tone was a bit defensive despite his firmness.
"I'm listening, but if you start talking about his intelligence, wit, wisdom, fairness, erudition, and foresight, I think I can find a way to make you permanently reek of the cesspit."
Snape sneered.
He was, of course, very familiar with the traits of students in each house.