The Sorting Ceremony continued, with one young witch or wizard after another stepping forward to find the House they belonged to with the help of the Sorting Hat.
Before long, Professor McGonagall called out Hermione's name.
"Hermione Granger," she read from the list.
Hermione stepped forward and sat down on the tall stool. The Sorting Hat was placed gently upon her head.
"Oh, a clever and courageous young girl," the Sorting Hat wiggled its tip. "I can sense your hesitation… Do you have a preference?"
"Ravenclaw," Hermione said without hesitation, glancing quickly at Louis.
"Hmm, a firm answer," the Sorting Hat praised. "Then Ravenclaw it is!"
Hermione jumped off the stool, waved excitedly to Louis, and ran toward the Ravenclaw table.
"I'll be waiting for you in Ravenclaw," she said as she passed by him. "You're so smart—you must belong there too!"
Then she rushed to join her House.
Louis, however, wasn't paying attention to her words. He was focused on the system's notifications. The moment Hermione was placed in Ravenclaw, the system's alert chimed in:
> [Destiny Disruption Detected. Established fate has changed.]
> [Disruption Intensity: Low (requires minor effort and a few insignificant coincidences to correct)]
> [You have gained: 4 Fate Points]
> [Current Fate Points: 5]
As expected, persuading Hermione into Ravenclaw did result in some Fate Points—though not many. After all, she was still in Hogwarts and would inevitably come into contact with the so-called Chosen One sooner or later.
"Mr. Wilson? Mr. Wilson?"
A stern voice called Louis's name repeatedly, snapping him out of his thoughts. When he looked up, he realized that all the other students had already been sorted. He was the only one still standing there like an idiot.
Harry Potter and Ron, as expected, had both been sorted into Gryffindor and were now happily chatting at the long table.
It must've been quite the scene when Harry's name was called, but Louis had missed it entirely while daydreaming.
"Mr. Wilson, it's your turn," Professor McGonagall said, now visibly irritated. It was the first time she had seen a student zoning out during the Sorting Ceremony.
"My apologies, Professor McGonagall," Louis said sincerely. "I was lost in thought."
"It's alright. But I do hope you won't be so distracted in class," McGonagall replied. "Now come here and let's see which House you belong to."
His name was especially memorable to her. In all her years at Hogwarts, this was the first time a student had been left off the initial records. Because his acceptance letter had been sent late, his name was the very last on the Sorting list.
Meanwhile, at the Ravenclaw table, a senior student sitting next to Hermione couldn't help but tease her when she caught Hermione staring at Louis.
"Hey, Miss Granger—is that handsome boy your boyfriend?"
"No, not at all. We're just friends for now. I think he's very smart," Hermione replied calmly. "Though… maybe I'll try pursuing him later."
"Then you'd better move fast. Smart and good-looking boys like him are rare," the older girl chuckled.
"If I want to, I won't lose to anyone," Hermione said proudly, lifting her chin and revealing her graceful, pale neck.
Louis sat down on the tall stool. When Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head, he frowned slightly.
"Hehehe, don't worry—I'm not dirty," the mind-reading Sorting Hat said at once.
"Whether you're dirty or not, I can't say. But I'm pretty sure you've never had a bath since you became sentient," Louis shrugged. "Let's begin, Mr. Sorting Hat. Where are you planning to put me?"
"To be honest, I can't fully see through you. But from the fragments I can glimpse, you'd fit well in Gryffindor. You're even just one step away from Azkaban," the Sorting Hat said in a low voice.
"Are you implying most Gryffindors end up in Azkaban?" Louis laughed.
"If school rules were counted as laws, then two-thirds of them would," the Sorting Hat replied, twitching its tip. "Enough chatter. Choose your House. For someone as independent-minded as you, it's best you decide for yourself. Just… not Slytherin. You're from a Muggle family, and it won't be a friendly place."
"But I like difficult challenges," Louis said with a smile. "Please sort me into Slytherin. Thank you."
"Are you certain? There's no precedent for House transfers at Hogwarts. If you choose Slytherin, you'll be there for seven years—likely facing constant hostility."
"If they're capable of it, I won't mind," Louis said, gently brushing the brim of his tall top hat. "But they'd better be ready for how I strike back."
"Sharp answer," the Sorting Hat nodded its tip. "Very well—Slytherin!"
The moment the words were spoken, Slytherin House erupted in cheers—though none of them knew exactly what sort of person they had just welcomed… or what kind of chaos he would eventually bring.
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