18 Chapter 18: The Sorting

Simon gulped as he stood in a long line of students in alphabetical order while a lady, who did look oddly like Dame Maggie Smith, explained the sorting that was about to occur. He noticed Angelina Johnson and Lee Jordan in front of him, with some kid called Michael McManus he did not really recall from the books standing behind him.

Angelina and Lee seemed to be debating about what houses they would be sorted into. Simon doubted anything would drastically change and they would both be in Gryffindor. Cedric was going to Hufflepuff with his work ethic and goody two-shoes personality, the twins to Gryffindor and Phoebe, likely, Slytherin given her family background and personality. Simon was more curious where he would end up.

Simon had considered if his parentage may affect his sorting. Jane would definitely be a Gryffindor. She left her prestigious clan to go be a cursebreaker overseas for Salazar's sake. And enjoyed throwing her children into maze simulations to "toughen them up." Meanwhile, Dirk would likely be a Ravenclaw. He was a potioneer in the British Ministry of Magic's research committee, scouted from China for his strong body of academic work. He was a scholar through and through. However, children do not always end up in the same house as their parents. Look at Sirius Black. Also, the Patil twins who were identical genetically were in different houses.

So, what of Simon himself? He had been practicing wandless magic in secret every night since he was four. That was some Hufflepuff dedication. But he also really loved to read and acquire all sorts of magical knowledge. That was pretty Ravenclaw. Yet he was doing all this in hopes of facing a dark lord in a few years' time. That was very ambitious and certainly a Slytherin quality. And here he was, about to share his mind with knowledge of the books and the future plus his crazy backstory to a hat that can read minds. Bold and Gryffindor-like.

Before Simon could contemplate much more, the doors to the Great Hall opened and he could feel the whole line of first years collectively shit their pants at the sight of all these professors and students focusing on them and only them. It was only when the hat on the stool began to sing that the intense gazes drilling holes at the first years stopped for a moment.

*"I may look dull and boring,

But I am more than that,

As I will be here judging,

For I am the sorting hat.

Don't be afraid of what you hear,

I will choose the right home for you.

I have done these for many years,

And I know what's best and true.

If you worship bravery and being bold,

Gryffindor is your new home.

If you seek knowledge of new and old,

Ravenclaw is where you will roam.

If you prize cunning and ambition,

Slytherin will lead you to your throne.

If you support hard work and determination,

In Hufflepuff you will not be alone.

But no matter which house you enter,

Do remember all of their founders.

They each travelled to lands far away,

To learn and hone their magical trade.

So, in each house you will find,

Learnings from lands far and wide.

After Hogwarts you shall see,

The different yet same *magicae populi*."*

The Great Hall broke into applause as the hat finished his song. Simon tried his best to remember all the words but the anxiety ahead of the sorting was making it extremely difficult. He caught something about the founders' worldly learnings and unity in the wizarding world but would love to have a written copy of the song to be sure. He knew how important the Sorting Hat's song was in canon and really hoped someone recorded its song each year.

Names began to be called up one by one. Finally, a friend of Simon's was called up.

"Diggory, Cedric!"

The hat barely touched Cedric's head when it shouted "Hufflepuff!"

The table decked out in yellow and black erupted into applause.

"Fawcett, Sharon!"

The girl cheerfully pranced onto the stool and the hat was placed on her head. After a few seconds it announced "Ravenclaw!"

After a Jake Flinton who was also sorted into "Ravenclaw" with a bit of a delay, Professor McGonagall called for "Greengrass, Phoebe!"

Phoebe calmly took her seat. Her face remained stoic when the hat was placed on her head. It took a couple seconds before it shouted "Slytherin!"

Simon watched his friend join the table with green and silver colours as he moved further in front of the line. They were going to get to "L" soon.

"Johnson, Angelina!"

"Gryffindor!" stated the hat after a few moments.

"Jordan, Lee!"

"Gryffindor!" cried the hat immediately.

"Li, Simon!"

Simon took a deep breath and stepped forward. He could feel all eyes in the hall staring at him. He did not know how he got his legs to move him to the stool but soon the hat was placed on his head.

*"…Intriguing,"* muttered the hat in Simon's mind, *"It has been a while since I had seen two minds in one."*

*"You've seen someone like me before?"* Simon was stunned.

*"So, you do not know. I see,"* the hat continued, *"And yes, I have seen those from different worlds before. But not recently. No, but life and death work in mysterious ways."*

Simon could feel his stomach drop to the floor. The hat and little Simon saying the same words was not creepy at all.

Simon could hear frantic whispers starting to build up in the hall. Professor McGonagall seemed to have stepped closer, almost as if to see if something was wrong.

The hat seemed to be feeling the pressure too. He groaned before continuing.

*"Well, I see you at least already realise you have a mission here. That is good,"* the hat continued, somehow appearing deep in thought while swimming within Simon's thoughts, *"You already have the outlines of a plan, a rather daring one may I add, and have been working towards it. Both very Hufflepuff and very Slytherin. And wanting to do that requires dauntless. So, you could thrive in Gryffindor too. But you need much more knowledge to reach your goals and are definitely attracted to a path of learning. You have quite a creative mind young man, so it has to be – "*

"RAVENCLAW!"

Simon gingerly took off the hat and passed it to Professor McGonagall. He made his way quickly to the table decked out in blue and bronze with members cheering enthusiastically for him. He thought he heard some older students arguing if he was a 'hatstall' but apparently nobody bothered to time. Taking the empty spot besides Sharon, he looked up at the staff table. Given how pleased Professor Flitwick (who could be easily scouted due to his height) was looking following his sorting, and the slight splash of warmth on Professor McGongall's otherwise stern expression, Simon believed he was up there for around five minutes as he seemed to have gained a little approval from the former almost hatstall and actual hatstall respectively.

"I am so glad we are in the same house together!" Sharon beamed, albeit a bit too enthusiastically for Simon's liking.

Simon nodded and turned his attention back to the staff table. As the sorting progressed, Simon examined the faces of the staff. Most of them did not look like their movie counterparts. Dumbledore looked like a musical version of Gandalf, with the similar beard and hair but with a much louder fashion than in the movies and was bursting with childish wonder. The one who looked the most unlike their movie counterpart was Professor Snape. He looked much younger, which fitted the canon a lot more. While he did have the aura of Alan Rickman, he reminded Simon much more of Adam Driver as Kylo Ren from the Star Wars films.

Simon's train of thought was broken when he heard Professor McGonagall say "Weasley, Fred!"

The elder twin confidently marched to the stool and the hat shouted "Gryffindor!" without making it onto his head. The table decked in red and gold cheered, with Charlie and even Percy clapping enthusiastically.

"Weasley, George!"

George got on the stool, looking prepared to get this over and done with. The sorting hat was placed on his head.

Everyone waited.

The sorting hat remained silent. George started to frown. Everyone started whispering. A Weasley never took more than a few seconds to be sorted. Simon could see the confusion in Charlie, Percy and Fred's eyes.

An older Ravenclaw groaned, "Are we getting another hatstall? I am starv…"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The hall was completely silent for a moment. Then everyone went about the usual applauding. George got up and returned the hat, looking dazed. He stared at his gaping brothers before walking to the Ravenclaw table in a trance-like state.

"Wow, the three of us are all –"

"Not even bloody Percy was a Ravenclaw!" George muttered, cutting off Sharon's celebratory words.

"It's alright," Simon replied, patting George on his back. But deep down he knew it was not. The timeline was not supposed to change THAT drastically in his first year!