"Quiet!"
Professor McGonagall's commanding voice echoed through the Great Hall. The candle flames overhead shot up, lighting the entire hall even more brilliantly.
Rock glanced up at the enchanted ceiling. For a moment, he could've sworn he felt a wave of magic ripple through it.
"There's definitely some kind of spell on the ceiling…"
Behind him, Hermione was already whispering rapidly to a girl next to her, rattling off long explanations that made several first-years blink in confusion.
Once the students quieted down, Professor McGonagall stepped aside, revealing the Sorting Hat.
"A hat? We're not supposed to… fix it, right?"
Some first-years whispered nervously.
"Fred and George lied to me! I knew it!" Ron muttered to Harry.
Harry just gave an awkward half-smile, not sure how to respond.
Before anyone could ask more questions, the hat split open and burst into a very off-key song.
Rock watched with interest. If he could analyze the Philosopher's Stone… what about the Sorting Hat?
After all, the Sword of Gryffindor was hidden inside it.
Once the hat finished, Professor McGonagall lifted her parchment.
"When I call your name, you will come forward, sit on the stool, and place the Sorting Hat on your head."
She scanned the first-years, ensuring everyone was paying attention, then called:
"Hannah Abbott!"
The girl with two braids hurried up, face flushed. She placed the hat on her head and sat perfectly still.
So this was the famous "Iron Hat Queen"?
It took only a second before the hat shouted, "Hufflepuff!"
The Hufflepuff table erupted with cheers, clapping and even jumping up to welcome her.
Hannah removed the hat and rushed over to join them.
Next:
"Susan Bones!"
Barely a moment passed before the hat again announced, "Hufflepuff!"
Rock raised an eyebrow. Hufflepuff's sorting odds were looking pretty high this year.
Sorting continued smoothly. One by one, the first-years relaxed—just put the hat on, and it was done.
Rock waited calmly. With a last name starting with "S," he definitely wasn't going up early.
Hermione went up first. After a long struggle, the hat finally announced "Gryffindor!"
Then Neville. He nervously placed the hat on, and after an even longer pause…
"Gryffindor!"
Neville practically tried to sprint off the stool before McGonagall stopped him to remove the hat.
Several more students went up before McGonagall reached tonight's main attraction.
"Harry Potter!"
The entire hall erupted. Even Dumbledore and the faculty glanced up with interest.
Harry stumbled forward. The oversized hat dropped over his eyes, shielding him from the attention. The long wait began.
Students whispered nonstop—no one had ever taken this long before.
"Gryffindor!"
The Gryffindor table exploded with cheers. The Weasley twins were dancing, singing, "We got Potter!"
The Slytherin table stayed quiet. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff applauded politely.
Harry was swallowed into a crowd of enthusiastic Gryffindors as McGonagall resumed calling names.
"Rock Theseus Scamander!"
Rock walked forward calmly, eyes fixed on the Sorting Hat. He placed it on his head.
Behind him, Hermione looked startled.
"Neville—did you hear Rock's last name just now?"
"Uh… I think it was Scamander?" Neville replied uncertainly. He had heard it on the train but forgot after all the conversations.
"Scamander… I'm sure I've seen that name somewhere."
Hermione dug through her memory, determined.
"I think you mean Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," Percy said. "It was written by Newt Scamander—the most famous Magizoologist of the century. Order of Merlin, Second Class."
Newt Scamander…
Hermione repeated the name, eyes shining brighter and brighter.
"Yes! That's it!"
Rock ignored the whispers, focusing on the floating system panel only he could see.
The good news: the Sorting Hat did have unique magical properties, similar to the Philosopher's Stone.
The bad news: unlike the Stone, it couldn't be fully analyzed.
The founders' blessings protected it—his interface kept flickering but couldn't break through.
"Oh? Scamander, is it? Newt's grandson?"
The hat's voice echoed warmly in his mind.
"Yes," Rock answered, raising an eyebrow.
"Interesting… very interesting," the hat mused. "It seems I've encountered quite a few difficult cases today."
"I remember most of the Scamanders are easy placements—straight into Hufflepuff."
Rock's heart stirred.
So the hat really was hesitating about his House?
Or… was Legilimency involved?
"Oh? You know about Legilimency?" The hat sounded surprised.
Rock's stomach dropped.
So every thought he had just now… the hat saw them?
"No need to worry, child," the hat soothed. "Your thoughts are fragmented—something is blocking me, quite deliberately."
The system?
Rock could only think of that.
"Yes, that's it exactly," the hat said. "I was just blocked again."