NOVEL NEXT Chapter 9: The-Sorting-Hat.
With the loud knocks of Hagrid's large hand on the huge door, it finally opened to reveal a tall witch with dark hair and dark green robes.
She had a very stern face, and Harry's first thought was that she was not someone to upset.
- First years, Professor Minerva McGonagall. - Hagrid introduced.
- Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here. - She said, throwing the door wide open. The hall was so large that the entire Dursley house could fit inside.
The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like those in Gringotts, and the ceiling was too high to see. One by one, they climbed the impressive marble staircase in front of them, leading to the upper floors.
They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagstone floor. Harry could hear the murmuring of hundreds of voices coming from a door to the right, indicating that the rest of the school was already gathered.
But Professor McGonagall led the first-year students into an empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing closer together than usual, and nervously looked around.
Except for Harry, who tried to decipher the look on the professor's face. It seemed to be a mix of surprise and simplicity, but he couldn't understand it well due to her serious expression.
- Welcome to Hogwarts. - Said Professor McGonagall. - The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses.
- The sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family at Hogwarts. - She said, looking at each student. - You will have classes with the rest of your housemates, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room or around the castle grounds.
- The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. - She stated categorically. - Each house has its own noble history and has produced outstanding witches and wizards who have revolutionized our society."
- While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor that you may not fully understand right now, but it will make a big difference in your professional careers when you graduate.
- I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the whole school.- She said while listening to the excitement from the Great Hall. - I suggest you smarten yourselves up as best you can while you are waiting. - She finally said, her gaze briefly falling on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's dirty nose.
- I shall return when we are ready for you. - Said Professor McGonagall. - Please wait quietly. - Having said this, she left the room, with Harry feeling relieved that she didn't complain about his katana.
He knew he would have problems if they didn't allow him to keep it with him, as he would never abandon one of his protections. If wizards could carry magical wands, he had every right to carry a katana, which he had learned to always use with the back of the blade, only opting for the sharp edge in extreme cases.
No one spoke much except Hermione, who whispered very fast about all the spells she had learned, not knowing what she might need to show.
Harry, who started to notice something around him, turned very calmly and looked at the wall, arousing the curiosity of others, as being the tallest there, the attention always fell on him.
Then, it was possible to hear a gasp from the boy with the irregular cloak, and Harry caught him to prevent him from falling when he bumped into him, never expecting to see something so strange.
Around him, about twenty entities similar to ghosts from movies passed through the back wall.
Pearl-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room, talking to each other, barely noticing the first-year students. They seemed to be discussing each other's trivialities.
- I'm telling you, it's a sign... I felt the same way before I died. - Said a rather fat ghost in monk-like robes.
- My dear Friar, I feel the same way... - Another ghost responded in a cordial tone of his era. - But I think it's an exaggeration to say death itself would visit Hogwarts. - He continued, finally noticing the presence of the new students.
- My word, what are these kids doing here? - A ghost wearing a ruff and breeches suddenly noticed the first years, particularly Potter, who smiled slightly at Neville's awkward style as he bumped into him and adjusted his cloak, which had been disheveled.
- New students! - Said the Fat Friar, smiling at them. - Waiting to be sorted, I suppose? - He asked, with some of the students nodding.
- Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!. - The Friar said. - My old house, you know?
He might have continued, but an energetic voice spoke up again in the corridor:
- Move along now! The Sorting Ceremony is about to start. - Professor McGonagall returned, and one by one the ghosts glided away through the opposite wall. - Now, form a line and follow me. - The authoritative voice of the professor continued, with all the students moving back to form a line, leaving Harry at the front.
Feeling quite uneasy, Harry tried to breathe calmly and soon took his place beside the professor, just a little behind her.
She looked at him curiously but smiled when she saw that Neville's cloak had been straightened. She began to walk, and they all crossed the hall and the double doors leading into the Great Hall.
Harry had never imagined such a different and splendid place. It was lit by thousands of floating candles above four long tables where the rest of the students sat. The tables were set with golden plates and goblets. At the other end of the hall was another long table where the professors sat. Professor McGonagall led the first-year students there, so they ended up standing in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them.
The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Mixed among the students here and there, ghosts shimmered like misty silver.
Seeing magic everywhere, Harry looked up and saw a velvet-black ceiling dotted with stars, with hundreds of floating candles illuminating the hall.
- Must be a huge job to light all these. - Harry murmured to himself, and the professor in front of him let out a small chuckle, making him raise his eyebrows as he hadn't realized he had said it out loud. She quickly returned to her authoritative demeanor.
He then heard Hermione whisper to a red-haired girl:
- It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History. - The girl said, exactly what Harry thought, having read the book that morning.
It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there and that the Great Hall wasn't open to the heavens.
Harry lowered his gaze when Professor McGonagall silently pointed her wand and conjured a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool, she placed a pointed wizard's hat. The hat was patched, frayed, and extremely old, but it gave a sense of classic importance.
At the same time, Harry felt another sharp pain in his forehead for the second time that day. He once again noticed the man with the turban, only this time at the staff table.
The staff table revealed expressions of surprise and curiosity towards Harry.
An elderly man with a long beard was the main one staring at Harry with his bright blue eyes, and there was a notable surprise in his gaze, similar to when something you try to do doesn't work as expected. He had only been notified by letters a few days ago and, from Hagrid's explanation, thought the boy would just be a bit larger than the typical eleven-year-old, not a child with a youthful appearance transitioning to adulthood.
A man with dark attire and greasy, strange hair stared at Harry mysteriously. Harry didn't understand what he wanted with such a look. He rested his left hand on the base of his sheathed katana, sharpening his gaze as he noticed that he wasn't welcome by someone here.
Noticing that everyone in the hall was now looking at the hat, he looked as well. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat moved. A rip near the brim opened like a mouth and the hat began to sing:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find,
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap! You're in safe hands
(though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!
Mimir: The-Sorting-Hat."
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished singing. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became very still again.
Professor McGonagall briefly gave the hat a strange look as it finished its speech.
- So we just have to try on the hat. - Ron whispered to Harry. - I'm going to kill Fred, he kept going on about wrestling a troll. - Harry, who heard it all, turned to where the twins were seated, and saw them laughing sarcastically at their younger brother's reaction.
At least trying on a hat was much better than having to perform a spell, since he didn't know any yet and would need to review the books he had bought to learn at least some basic ones.
With total silence from everyone, Professor McGonagall then stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
- When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. - McGonagall said in a serious tone.
- Hannah Abbot! - A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down.
There was a momentary pause with her vision covered... and then everyone heard:
- HUFFLEPUFF! - The hat announced. The right-hand table cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.
- "So that's Martha's sister?"- Harry thought to himself, remembering the pretty receptionist at the Leaky Cauldron. At the same moment, he saw the Fat Friar ghost waving cheerfully to her.
- Susan Bones! - McGonagall called again, and another girl climbed the short stairs. This one was a redhead who had been whispering with Hermione behind him.
- HUFFLEPUFF! - The hat announced again, and Susan hurried off to sit next to Hannah.
- Terence Boot! - A short-haired brown boy was called.
- RAVENCLAW! - The hat announced once more. This time it was the second table from the left that clapped, and several Ravenclaw students stood up to shake his hand as the boy joined them.
Mandy Brocklehurst went to Ravenclaw too, but Lavender Brown was the first to be chosen for Gryffindor, and the far left table exploded with cheers. Harry saw Ron's twin brothers whistle enthusiastically.
Millicent Bulstrode became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, but after everything he had heard about Slytherin, he didn't find them to be a group of unpleasant appearance, but rather a conservative group that looked after themselves, since the other three houses seemed to have a prejudice against them.
The list of students continued with many names being called, leaving only a few new students standing.
This made Potter increasingly exposed to the doubts of many and the surprise of others. Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat immediately announced the house name, but other times it took a while to decide.
Seamus Finnigan, the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a minute before the hat announced he would be in Gryffindor.
With that, only five students were left standing side by side: Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and finally Harry Potter, who stood in the middle of the four, drawing curious looks from the professors. They hadn't seen Potter react to anything since entering the Great Hall, but it was notable how he absorbed every piece of information, every person, entity, and movement around him, as if he saw something beyond what everyone else did and knew how to stand without showing interest.
- Hermione Granger! - Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head. - GRYFFINDOR! - The hat announced loudly, much to Ron's disappointed groan.
When Neville Longbottom, the boy whom Harry already considered his protégé, was called, he nearly tripped on his way to the stool, but Harry quickly caught him on the first step and advised him quietly, gently ruffling his smooth hair. This caused giggles from the female professors further ahead, who seemed to recall a similar scene with two former students.
The hat took a long time to decide Neville's fate.
Finally, it announced "GRYFFINDOR!" Neville ran off with the hat still on his head and had to return amid a wave of laughter to give it back to Professor McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts.
Any child would be extremely embarrassed by such a gaffe in front of the crowd, but looking at Harry in embarrassment and seeing the seriousness in Potter's eyes and his wink motivated him to keep his composure and head towards his house, which welcomed him with open arms as the red-haired twins lifted him by the arms in some form of victory, whatever was going through their minds.
Malfoy stepped forward, swaggering, when his name was called, and got his wish immediately. The hat barely touched his head when it announced:
- SLYTHERIN! - The hat declared, with the boy letting out a smug laugh as he glared challengingly at Ron, but finally, he turned his gaze to Harry for a few seconds, seeking something perhaps approval? But why Harry, of all people?
Only he and the newly met Ron were left. Harry didn't know which house he wanted to be in, but whichever he was chosen for, he would strive to do his best and abandon all the normality his relatives had forced upon him.
The youngest redhead he had met so far was called, and within seconds, he was chosen for Gryffindor with a proud smile on his face, sending another sharp look at Malfoy. Harry rolled his eyes at this childish rivalry, though he tried not to judge, as they were children, and he was the odd one out.
Seeing he was the last one, the professor promptly said:
- Harry Potter... - McGonagall called him with a seriousness he had never seen before, but as he approached the stool beside her, amidst the general murmur of the hall, he noticed a smile on her face.
He didn't know what it meant, but her gaze was as if she saw someone very familiar in him from the past.
When Harry sat on the stool facing all the house tables, he saw the commotion he was causing, with whistles and unparalleled euphoria that made him feel strange and sharpen his gaze. Even his usual seriousness was distracted by what he saw hidden in the shadows, all just from his name being called.
- Potter, is that what she said?
- The Harry Potter?
- But wasn't he supposed to be eleven?
- So the stories in the tales were true?
These were the questions circulating among the tables, until he finally saw the redheaded twins giving him a thumbs-up before his vision was obscured by the hat being placed on his head.
- Difficult... - Was the first thing Harry heard from the hat. - Very difficult. - The hat's voice, unlike when it murmured to other users, this time spoke clearly to everyone in the Great Hall. Harry didn't like the attention he was receiving, when everyone else had been sorted quickly and without any speech.
- Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh my goodness, a good deal of nerve and a strong desire to prove yourself. Now that's interesting... So where shall I put you?" the hat recited, moving its user's head towards each table area.
- What an interesting thing... so there are two. - The hat said again, as if reading all of Potter's memories.
- A child forced to become an adult... I see bravery like that of a lion in you... Courage prevails in your being along with your katana, which has become an extension of your body. - Having said this, the Weasley twins whistled in excitement.
- Determined and independent, you value hard work and strive out of sight to achieve what you desire on your own merit... Loyal and fair to those few allies... I like that. - The hat said, as the excitement grew at the Hufflepuff table over his aptitudes.
- But there's more to it! Hm... - The hat continued, making Dumbledore adjust himself in his golden throne while strangely regarding the hat's words.
- A mind that is welcoming to all animals and plants, intelligent in intellect and actions, shrewd in trusting who deserves it, and always looking to stay a step ahead to avoid being deceived or manipulated. - The hat said as it saw Harry's memories of Diagon Alley, clearing his doubts about everything. - Also... good-humored with new friendships, but never forgetting a wrong. - The hat finally said, with the murmuring increasing at the Ravenclaw table.
- This is incredible! So that's the reason for the changes. The hat affirmed, sensing a spark of predominant dark energy from Potter's forehead that had spread through his body since he was a baby.
Dumbledore, listening to everything, was eager to discover what the hat saw in Potter's mind, but could do nothing, as the hat would never reveal anything specific about what its hidden, wise words referred to.
- Moreover! You are cunning and ambitious, working hard with a great desire to achieve a better future for yourself, not minding if your body endures the worst pains in the process to get results. - The hat said, with murmuring now coming from the Slytherin table, causing concern for the headmaster. - A shame you have to sacrifice secretly to achieve this... - The hat finally said, lowering its tip as if understanding some trauma Potter had experienced.
At that moment, Harry placed his left hand on the safe part of his sheathed katana. An action he did whenever he felt apprehensive or feared something from his past being exposed, as a warning that he would cut the hat in half if it even hinted at exposing anything.
Seeing the hat's difficulty in choosing, McGonagall found it strange for Potter to have aptitudes for all houses. This had never been seen before, not even in Dumbledore, who was very famous in his school years.
- But which house should I place you in?
- You have the bravery of old Godric Gryffindor...
- The loyalty of Helga Hufflepuff...
- The wit of dear Rowena Ravenclaw...
- And the ambition of Salazar Slytherin.
- Well... if you have nothing against any of the houses... I am proud to declare! - The hat announced, catching the attention of all the students at the tables.
- You are a DIVERGENT. - The hat finally informed, raising the eyebrows of the Hogwarts headmaster, shocking the professors, and puzzling the general student body.
At that, the hat finally went still. Harry immediately removed it and placed it back on the stool under McGonagall's impressed gaze.
- What should I do? - Harry asked, not understanding what being a Divergent meant.
- You choose which house you want to be in... We will talk later. - The Deputy Headmistress told him. Harry looked at each table, seeing the redheaded twins making a funny arm gesture indicating they would welcome him amidst a crowd of strangers. - Very well... you may go. - She said finally, as Harry descended the steps and headed toward Gryffindor amid the table's general ovation.
Percy, the prefect, stood up and shook his hand energetically, while the Weasley twins kept shouting "We got Potter!"
Harry sat opposite the ghost with the ruff collar he had seen before the ceremony. The ghost patted him on the arm, giving Harry a grand shiver and the sensation of being dunked in a bucket of icy water.
The headmaster stared at him strangely.
Whatever the headmaster would do or what McGonagall would explain to him later, he hoped it would all turn out well.
He never thought having aptitudes for all the houses would cause such a stir among the teachers.
Professor McGonagall, still standing in the same place while examining the roll of parchment, soon noticed the entries for each student with their house noted. Potter's read "Divergent" with an initial for each of the four school houses.
His uniform tie, which should have had the color of one of the houses, displayed each of the four house colors.
Albus Dumbledore stood up. He beamed at the students, arms wide open, as if nothing in the world could have pleased him more than seeing them all gathered there.
Finally, he said:
- Welcome! - Said the bearded old man. - Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. Nonsense! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you. - And he sat down. Everyone clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know if the old man was mad or just a jokester.
- Is he... a little mad? - Harry asked uncertainly, turning to Percy.
- Mad? - Percy said unconcernedly. - He's a genius! The best wizard in the world! But yes, he is a bit mad.
- Potatoes, Harry? - Fred said from his right, just as Harry was surprised by the sudden appearance of so much food. The plates in front of him, previously empty and dusty, were now full of food.
He had never seen so many things on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, steak-and-kidney pie, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.
Finally, he filled his plate as the twins engaged him in conversation about trivial things, whether it was about his recent acquaintance on the train or the katana they insisted on playing a prank with by having someone use it.
- That looks great. - Said the ghost in the ruff collar, watching sadly as Harry cut his roast beef.
- Can't you...? - Harry asked him.
- I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years. - The ghost explained. - I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it.
- But can't magic fix that? I mean, if ghosts can exist, if spells can create the illusion of a sky on the ceiling, or make an eleven-year-old appear eighteen... I don't think it would be absurd to think that a spell could transform real food into food for ghosts. - Harry explained, to the ghost's astonished look.
- You're absolutely right... You know, in all these years, whether alive or dead, I never thought of such a thing, and I've never seen anyone suggest such an idea. We should talk more about this sometime. - The ghost responded excitedly. - I think I haven't introduced myself, have I? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower.
- I know who you are! - Ron interjected. - My brothers told me about you. You're Nearly Headless Nick.
- I prefer you call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy... - The ghost began very formally, but Seamus Finnigan interrupted him.
- Nearly headless? How can you be nearly headless?
Sir Nicholas looked extremely put out, as though such a conversation was not going at all the way he wanted.
- Like this! - He said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was hinged there. It was obvious that someone had tried to behead him, but hadn't done it properly.
Satisfied with the boys' shocked faces, Nearly Headless Nick pushed his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said:
- So, new Gryffindors! I hope you'll help us win the house championship this year! Gryffindor hasn't won the cup in a long time.
- Slytherin has won for the past six years! The Bloody Baron is becoming almost unbearable. He's the ghost of Slytherin.
Harry glanced over at the Slytherin table where Sir Nicholas was pointing and saw a horrid ghost sitting there, with vacant eyes, a very gaunt face, and robes stained with some silvery substance.
- How did he get covered in blood? - Asked Seamus, very interested, not noticing the calculating look at the supposed blood.
- Never asked. - Replied Nearly Headless Nick politely. - Anyway... if you're ever interested in magic involving ghosts, come find me... It would be an honor to help you with anything. - The ghost finally said to Harry, then drifted away from the table.
After everyone had eaten as much as they could, the leftovers vanished from the plates, leaving them spotless as they were at the start.
Then the desserts appeared. Mounds of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs, jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jellies, rice pudding...
Seeing some students walking out to chat and then coming back at dessert time.
Harry also got up with Percy's permission to walk just to the corridor outside.
He helped himself to a tart as he walked from the Great Hall towards the doors.
Fred and George were chatting excitedly, making notes, trying to figure out what Divergent meant. Harry stopped in the corridor outside the hall, in front of a large open window overlooking a vast lake on that full moon night.
He sighed deeply as he sat down by the window, contemplating the view of the lake. He missed drinking something that would make him not see what no one else could, but which he no longer thought possible at school.
At least until a presence interrupted him:
- May I? - Professor McGonagall, who was there, asked if she could sit next to him by the window.
- Of course. - Harry replied, making space for her.
- What are you thinking about, Mr. Potter? - McGonagall asked, trying to study the face of the boy who was both a mystery and a surprise. Strangely, she felt uneasy with this face, present in someone who she believed deserved the greatest happiness and joy in the world.
- What is this Divergent thing... why wasn't I chosen for a house like the others? - Harry asked as she smiled briefly, noticing that he didn't like being the center of attention.
- Divergents are rare titles given to special people! It's never been said that a Divergent existed... although the title was created after the first house prefects were chosen.
- The ability of a Divergent is not just to belong to one house, but to have free access to the others, whether with professors, moving through dormitories, or in classes and private halls. All your earned points are calculated for each house. Besides, the main function is to be instructed to command the house prefects to unite them."
- However, these are just functions within the school. The true nature of a Divergent is the combination of the four aptitudes of the ancient Kings and Queens who created this castle."
- The bravery of Gryffindor, which makes your actions courageous for the sake of your allies before yourself. Be brave, bold, or chivalrous to all.
- The loyalty of Hufflepuff, which values hard work, a patient mind that thinks before acting, loyalty to allies, and a thirst for justice for the wronged.
- The wit of Ravenclaw, which makes you one of the most intelligent in Hogwarts... Not because of having little or much knowledge in the current time, but always seeking to improve. Being intelligent, perceptive, and good-humored is part of Ravenclaw blood.
- Finally... The ambition and cunning of Slytherin, which makes you someone with a great desire for power. They use any methods to achieve their goals. But before you misunderstand, it's not just stepping over others that makes a Slytherin reach where they want... because that's a very distorted view of what being a Slytherin really is. It is, in fact, in rare cases, letting others step over you to get what you want. People who can even sacrifice themselves for their goals and who aren't afraid to break off toxic friendships or hide their own pride.
- Whether to save someone or for their own good...
- A Divergent is formed by the combination of all these psychological aptitudes in one being... and that being is you. - The Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts finally finished explaining what she knew. Harry let out a deep sigh, looking very much like a man and showing a weary look.
- It's a lot... How can I manage to be in four houses when I don't even know about the magical world yet... I think they're putting too much hope in me, when I'm not all that. - Harry said, looking at the lake, making McGonagall extremely captivated by his emerald eyes that seemed to glow from a dull green to a radiant emerald.
- Don't say that, dear... The Sorting Hat never makes mistakes, and if you were chosen as a Divergent, it means great things are going to happen. - The elderly woman said, like a grandmother would to her grandchild. - And you may not have been specifically chosen for my house as I so wished, but I will be here to guide and advise you whenever you want to visit and talk.
Smiling at her advice, Harry finally said after another sigh:
- Looks like I'll have to read all the books I bought. - Harry said, sounding almost excited as he remembered the large collection he had purchased in addition to what was required on the enrollment letter.
Seeing he was a bit more cheerful, the woman finally said:
- Work hard in your classes and tasks to come... As your professor, Head of Gryffindor, and Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, I feel it is my duty to help you with that.
- If all goes well, after the year-end festivities, I will bring a tool that will help you with all these future obligations. - McGonagall said, standing up, leaving Harry confused about what tool she meant. - But for now, make new friends, work hard, and don't slack off on your studies... I will always be watching you, Mr. Potter, and if it is really to help you, I want to see complete dedication to what you are assigned. - She said finally, walking back into the Great Hall.
Harry remained for a few long minutes more, gazing at the beautiful view of the lake outside the castle and the starry sky he had never seen in the No-Maj society. He then stood up and re-entered the Great Hall.
All of this still under general attention, but it didn't matter to him now... He was already getting used to ignoring it just like he ignored the hidden anomalies of his vision. He finally reached his seat at the table.
As he sat down, he could hear the conversation happening at the table:
- I'm half-and-half. - Seamus said. - Dad's a Muggle. Mum didn't tell him she was a witch until after they were married. It was a huge shock, apparently it happened during their honeymoon, but I don't quite understand. - He said, making the older students laugh together at the supposed scene that must have occurred.
- What about you, Neville? - Ron asked.
- Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch, but the family thought for years I was all-Muggle. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me. He pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned. - The boy said, to Harry's surprise. - But nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for tea and hung me out of an upstairs window by the ankles. When my gran offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. - Neville continued, where Harry noticed that the boy's life was as tough as his own.
- But I bounced – all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased. Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here – they thought I might not be magical enough to come, you see. - Neville said, where at no point did he mention his parents, and his slightly burdened look gave Harry some notion.
On Harry's other side, Percy and Hermione were engaged in a lively conversation about classes, making various notes on scrolls:
- I hope they start soon, there's so much to learn, I'm really looking forward to Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, they say it's very hard, you start small, matchsticks into needles and things like that. - She said with Percy advising in response, somewhat encouraging her to continue thinking this way.
Harry, beginning to feel tired from the eventful day and the many discoveries he'd made, looked once more at the head table.
Hagrid was taking a huge swig from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Headmaster Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, with that turban, was talking to a black-haired professor who reminded Harry of fictional vampires.
It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed professor's eyes passed over Quirrell's turban and fixed on Harry's, and a sharp, hot pain shot across Harry's forehead.
- Ouch! - Harry clapped a hand to his forehead.
- What's the matter? - Asked Percy.
- N-nothing. - Harry said as the pain subsided as quickly as it had come, and again he saw a look of disappointment and analysis, as if something had failed, on the greasy-haired professor's face.
It was harder to shake off the feeling Harry had under the professor's gaze. A feeling that he disliked Harry intensely.
However, the turbaned one didn't seem like a nice person either... He played the fool and the good guy, but Harry had learned never to trust anyone he didn't know, and his instincts told him to keep extreme distance from that one.
- Who are those two professors? - Harry asked Percy as he stared at the two adults.
- The one in dark robes is Professor Severus Snape. He teaches basic Potions to first- to fourth-year students, and advanced Potions to fifth- to seventh-year students, but it's not what he wanted. Everyone knows he's been coveting Quirrell's position, who is the professor next to him.
- Apparently, Quirrell got the Defense Against the Dark Arts job by pure luck two years ago, much to Snape's annoyance." Harry observed the professor for some time, but Snape did not look in his direction again.
Finally, the desserts also disappeared, and Headmaster Dumbledore stood up once more. The hall fell silent:
- Now, just a few more words now that we have all eaten and drunk.
- I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First-year students should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students, hence the name, Forbidden Forest. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as I mention it every year and you still insist on challenging me. - Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins, who grinned defiantly at the idea of prohibitions.
- Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to remind you all that no magic should be used in the corridors between classes to prevent delays and accidents. We have training halls, dueling rooms, rest areas, leisure, and everything you seek if you ask your Heads of House.
- Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term to allow the teams to organize and create their schedules. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch or the Quidditch captains of their respective houses.
- And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." The headmaster said with a challenging look at everyone, and Harry tried to understand if he was really encouraging these children to seek out that corridor since challenging a child's courage and ego is like invoking the devil in the middle of a church.
- He's not serious, is he? - Harry whispered to Percy.
- Must be. - Percy replied, frowning at Dumbledore. - It's odd because usually, he gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere, but things always work out, so it might be some kind of intention magic. I mean... if someone really intends to go to the third floor to look for it, the magic could be capable of preventing it with our stairs redirecting or alerting spells.
- And now, before we go to bed, let's sing the school song!" Dumbledore exclaimed, cutting off Harry's thoughts on what he had heard about intention and alert spells.
Harry noticed that the other professors' smiles had become rather fixed.
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick as if trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself into words, much like the subtitles of a film.
- And now, we begin! - He said.
And the school bellowed:
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff.
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff.
Teach us things worth knowing,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."
Everyone finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing, doing a lively little jig with their own choreography. Dumbledore conducted the last few lines with his wand and, when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped the loudest.
Harry looked around with a glance that showed he really felt he had landed in a madhouse. From a distance, he could see Draco looking completely flushed with embarrassment, and at least in this, they could agree—the song was ridiculous. So ridiculous that both laughed together when they caught each other's eyes, and somehow they came to like the anthem.
- Ah, music. - Said Dumbledore, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime, children. Off you trot!" he finally said, ordering everyone out as if his social battery had suddenly run out.
[ ... ]
The new Gryffindor students followed Percy through the groups who were chatting, left the Great Hall, and climbed the marble staircase. Harry's legs felt like lead again, but only because he was very tired and full.
He was too tired to even be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy had led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries.
They climbed more stairs, yawning and dragging their feet, and Harry started to wonder how much further they had to go when suddenly they stopped.
A bundle of walking sticks was floating in the air ahead of them, and as Percy took a step towards it, they started to throw themselves at him.
- Peeves. - Percy whispered to the first years. - A poltergeist. - He said while Harry saw the entity emerging among the students, staring fixedly at Potter.
Peeves was a small man with wicked, dark eyes, and a wide mouth, floating with his legs crossed.
- Oooooooooh! - He said with a nasty laugh. - Firsties! How fun! - And he dived suddenly at them. Everyone ducked except for Harry, who thought nothing bad could happen because it was a ghost.
Finally, Peeves stopped in front of Potter, who this time felt the walking stick he had thrown touching his arm.
Harry didn't want to seem arrogant, but he had always learned that against a stronger animal, you should never show fear.
He picked up one of the sticks from the ground, under Peeves' fixed gaze. He soon handed it back to the poltergeist, who looked at him, confused.
Then Peeves circled Potter once more and finally disappeared down the stairs after taking the offered stick.
- I can't believe it! You scared off one of the most uncontrollable ghosts in the castle, how did you do that? - Percy said as Harry approached him.
- It's the same with animals. They attack if you show fear, but they stay away if you don't show anything... at least in some cases, and apparently, giving back something they like works on both animals and poltergeists. - Harry explained as Percy walked beside him, leading them to the dormitories.
- You should all be careful with Peeves. - Percy recommended as they resumed walking. - The Bloody Baron is the only one who can control him, and Harry is the first I know of who has managed to do that. He doesn't trust the prefects or the Hogwarts staff, so it's best to avoid contact with him.
- Finally, we're here. - The prefect said at the end of the corridor, where there was a portrait of a very fat woman in pink.
- Password? - She asked.
- Smaug: The-Dragon-Of-Dragons. - Percy replied, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall.
Everyone climbed through the hole. Neville needed a leg up. They found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.
Percy directed the girls to their dormitory door and the boys to theirs.
At the top of a spiral staircase, it was obvious they were in one of the towers.
They finally found their beds, five four-poster beds hung with deep red velvet curtains.
Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed.
Except for Harry, who had just come out of a short, relaxing hot shower, wearing only black shorts.
His chest bore various scars, on his back, torso, and even a thin one running from his neck to the other side of his arm.
Then he heard:
- Great food, wasn't it? - Ron commented to Harry, the youngest redhead staring at Harry's chest and back, giving a look that indicated he wouldn't bring up the scars. - Get off, Scabbers! He's chewing my sheets. - Ron said, lying down with apparent drowsiness, only to fall asleep without receiving a response from Harry.
After the bath, Harry completely lost his sleep, soon remembering the no-maj fooler suitcase. He took it from his blazer where he had thrown it on the bed, and after a few minutes, it returned to its natural size.
This allowed him easy access to learn how to feed each animal in that world inside the suitcase, and finally, to give affection to his phoenix and owl, who showed a great neediness from being separated from their owner, even for just a few hours.
Harry knew he had much to discover about this world, many untrustworthy people, many animals to gain loyalty from, and finally... many obligations to learn about spells, potions, transfigurations, and other subjects taught at Hogwarts.
He fell asleep with these thoughts while stroking his owl and baby phoenix, his bed right by the window of the high tower, giving him a beautiful view of the starry sky and the vast lake around the castle.
Fyexbolt also fell asleep on his lap, and Hedwig watched them one last time, realizing that for now, her chick was safe, and so they both had their first complete day in the magical world.
And with that, I conclude the eighth chapter of Changed Prophecy.
I hope everyone is enjoying it, and don't forget to comment.
Many of the changes regarding Harry are due to Voldemort's magic situated in his scar.
In summary, the dark magic in the scar spread from his forehead to his entire body, causing this physical enhancement.
Many things will be explained in the future, as the dark energy spread not just to give Harry a mature appearance, but also to introduce more secrets and potentials to be explored later on.
For now, the divergent title simply grants Harry access to all four houses to make more friends and learn even more from others.
I really hope everyone is enjoying it. See you all later XD
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Minerva Mcgonagall:
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Ghost:
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Percy Weasley:
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Peeves:
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