Amid the chatter of the young wizards, all sorts of terrifying methods of testing were passed around. Loren even noticed that Neville was already trembling with fear, and even Hermione was beginning to waver.
He quickly interrupted the increasingly outrageous horror stories and said:
"Don't worry, Hogwarts won't use those kinds of frightening methods. I actually know what the real method is."
At Loren's words, all the discussions immediately stopped. Everyone knew the stories they were telling weren't realistic, but under the pressure of trying to outdo one another, they had kept going, with some even embellishing on the spot, borrowing bits from others.
"I heard that the Sorting Ceremony uses a magical item called the Sorting Hat. It sings a song, and the first-years have to silently memorize the lyrics. If you can recite the whole song, you get into Ravenclaw. If you remember from the start up to the Gryffindor part, you're placed in Gryffindor. If you recall from Slytherin to the end, then you're sorted into Slytherin. And for Hufflepuff, you just need to remember its own short section."
After hearing Loren's explanation, many young wizards found it believable, and soon they were all chattering about which house they wanted to be in. Even Hermione and the others joined in on the discussion.
Loren, however, didn't join. He was watching his surroundings. In the novel, this was usually the moment when the ghosts would come to watch the new students. But so far, none had appeared. Given that Draco had been taken away earlier, he guessed the ghosts had probably gone to spectate that more interesting matter instead.
While the young wizards were still talking, Professor McGonagall entered with Draco.
"Now, line up in a single file and follow me," she instructed, ushering Draco back into the group and directing the children.
As Draco drew near, many of the young wizards stepped away from him, and the neat line immediately fell apart.
Seeing this, Professor McGonagall had no choice but to place Draco at the very front. Only then did the children reluctantly line up behind him—but all kept their distance. McGonagall was clearly upset by the scene but could do little else.
Loren noticed her difficulty and immediately stepped in behind Draco. Seeing this, Hermione and Neville followed him, and Harry and Ron joined right after. They had witnessed Loren's skills before and trusted he could subdue Draco if he lost control.
Once the others saw students already in place, they slowly filled in the line. Professor McGonagall let out a quiet sigh of relief and cast Loren a look of approval before leading them out of the room, through the entrance hall, past a pair of large double doors, and into the magnificent Great Hall.
Loren studied the hall carefully. For the next seven years, this would be where he ate—it was second in importance only to the dormitory where he would sleep for the same span of time.
His eyes swept over the four long House tables, then the teachers' seats at the head, then the enchanted ceiling above, and finally rested on the floating candles.
The four students behind him noticed his movements and lifted their heads as well. Soon, they too discovered the magical ceiling.
"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History," Hermione explained to Harry, Ron, and Neville. The three gasped softly, finding it hard to believe there was really a ceiling up there at all—it seemed like an open sky.
"Do you think the candles will drip wax on us when they burn?" Loren asked offhandedly.
At once, the nearby students turned their eyes to the floating candles above, watching nervously, ready to dodge at any sign of falling wax.
By then, Professor McGonagall had placed a small stool at the front and set upon it an old wizard's hat, patched, worn, and filthy.
Suddenly, the hat twitched, split open along a wide seam like a mouth, and began to sing.
Hearing the Sorting Hat's song, Harry and the others finally tore their eyes away from the candles and stared intently at the hat, straining to memorize the lyrics.
Every student listened in silence until the song ended. Applause thundered, but none of the children spoke—they were all busy memorizing the lines, lips pressed shut.
The hat bowed to each of the four tables, then went still.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward, parchment in hand.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat, sit on the stool, and wait to be sorted."
She glanced at the parchment and called:
"Hannah Abbott!"
A rosy-cheeked girl with two golden plaits stumbled out of the line and put on the hat.
"The ruler of the Iron Throne ascends to her seat," Loren quipped inwardly at the classic scene.
"Hufflepuff!"
After a pause, the hat shouted. The Hufflepuff table erupted with cheers and applause as Hannah joined them.
"Loren Angus!"
At the sound of his name, Loren immediately stepped out and stood before the Sorting Hat. But instead of sitting, he simply stared at it.
"What is it, Loren?" Professor McGonagall asked. She had a soft spot for the boy who had once shared a meal with her and come to her defense.
"Professor McGonagall, may I ask—are we allowed to use magic at Hogwarts?"
Loren's eyes stayed fixed on the Sorting Hat.
"Of course. Hogwarts is where young witches and wizards learn to master their powers. Naturally, you may use spells," she replied, puzzled by his question.
With her confirmation, Loren raised his wand and pointed it at the Sorting Hat. This caught everyone's attention—especially Headmaster Dumbledore, whose eyes lingered on the wand in Loren's hand, so reminiscent of the Elder Wand.
"Scourgify!"
With a flick of his wrist, the spell shot toward the Sorting Hat. Its color slowly lightened, fading from top to bottom until the grimy black turned into a clean brown, like in the films.
The hall erupted in gasps. So the Sorting Hat had only been black from centuries of grime. Many students instinctively touched their own hair in disgust.
A sudden cry came from the Hufflepuff table. It was Hannah, face down on the table, sobbing uncontrollably while upper-year students rushed to comfort her.
Loren turned away, sat on the stool, and placed the hat on his head. A faint voice immediately whispered in his ear:
"Oh! Thank you so much, lad. Not since Godric Gryffindor himself took me off his head have I felt this clean. I've long wanted to mention this to the Headmaster, but as a hat imbued with the thoughts of the Founders, I never dared bring it up. Why didn't they just enchant me with a permanent cleaning charm in the first place?"
"Could you please sort me now, Mr. Hat?" Loren urged. He hated the feeling of having his vision blocked. Magic vision wasn't x-ray vision, after all.
"Oh, let's see… A brave young wizard, able to face great terrors alone—you'd do well in Gryffindor. Yet you hunger for knowledge and power—Ravenclaw or Slytherin could suit you too. You yearn for a steady life, which hints at Hufflepuff… It's difficult. What do you think, young one?"
Loren had hidden most of his memories involving magic and his system, leaving only the parts he'd openly displayed.
"Of course, the choice is yours. You're the Sorting Hat—you're the authority in this matter."
He didn't really care which house he ended up in. Ravenclaw had its private library. Hufflepuff was closest to the kitchens, and with alchemical skill he could make dishes glow. Slytherins respected strength, and he could easily win them over. Gryffindor was where the main characters were, and he could observe from behind them.
All four had their perks. Leaving the decision to the Hat made things far more interesting.
"Hmm, let me look more closely… Rational, not reckless. You analyze problems well, face challenges head-on, with natural strength and skills far beyond your peers. You're courageous, a leader, protective of classmates, and you strike back against threats without hesitation. By Merlin—if Godric Gryffindor himself were reborn at eleven, he'd still fall short of you. You are a true Gryffindor!"
The Hat's excitement was palpable—it even felt to Loren as though something had struck his head from above before vanishing. He guessed it must have been the Sword of Gryffindor.
"Gryffindor!"
The Sorting Hat bellowed, even cracking its voice. For a magical artifact to go off-key—it showed just how stirred it was.
The Gryffindor table erupted in thunderous cheers. The Weasley twins stood on their seats, waving and beckoning Loren over, hailing the boy who had dared cast a spell on the Sorting Hat.
Loren set the hat down and walked toward the Gryffindor table, while Professor McGonagall continued calling the next name and the Sorting carried on.
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