Sorimus took his trunk down from the luggage rack and pressed the ring on his right hand into a slot set into the case. There was a sharp click. Then his right hand twisted as though he were turning a key in a lock, and the lid sprang open.
"This is... a staircase?"
Hermione's eyes widened at the sight before her. She could not understand why opening Sorimus's trunk had revealed a staircase leading downward. Clearly, this young witch, who had only just stepped into the magical world, was still unable to make sense of what she was seeing.
"Come on, Neville, and... right, Hermione."
Sorimus glanced at the thoroughly astonished Hermione and nearly let one of the nicknames he had given her slip out again.
Then he took the lead, stepped across the trunk, and started down the stairs.
"Oh, my goodness, what is this? How was this done? Why is there such a huge space inside your trunk? Good heavens, those are bookshelves, so many books! Ah, there's even a door over there."
Miss Making-a-Fuss-Over-Everything was completely stunned by what lay before her.
From the staircase, they could clearly see everything below. There was a space of at least eighty square meters. On the left beneath the stairs stood four tall bookshelves, all packed full of books. Near the corner was an area that was obviously meant for reading. To the right of the staircase was a four-poster bed draped with gauze curtains. Not far from it stood a closed door.
"A permanent Extension Charm. All right, let's not talk about that for now."
Sorimus cut off Hermione's barrage of questions.
"Hermione, I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention my trunk to anyone."
With the other two following behind him, Sorimus descended the stairs and led them to the bookshelves on the left, because that was where the table and chairs were.
"All right, sit down."
He motioned for them both to take seats.
"Don't be shy. It's excellent black tea."
There were exactly three cups of black tea already waiting on the table in front of them.
That was what a truly competent house-elf should be like: everything prepared in advance.
"Neville, I know your grandmother wants you to go to Gryffindor, but what do you want?"
Sorimus looked straight at Neville.
"I... I want to be like my parents too."
Neville twisted his hands together. Sorimus had told him to leave the toad back in the compartment, and since the door had been locked from the inside, it was not as though it could run off anyway.
"Neville, I want this to be your own decision, not something you choose because of the pressure your grandmother puts on you. Do you understand?"
"I know, but... but I, I mean... I'm afraid I won't be able to get into Gryffindor. I know I'm timid. I'm worried..."
Neville looked as though he were on the verge of tears.
Hermione looked from Sorimus to Neville and then back again, unable to understand what the two of them were talking about.
"As long as you're sure that you want Gryffindor, that's enough. When the time comes, just tell the Sorting Hat clearly that you want Gryffindor."
Sorimus took a sip of tea.
"Don't worry. You'll get into Gryffindor. You fit the requirements."
"Sorry to interrupt, Sorimus, but what exactly is the Sorting Hat?" Hermione finally asked. She had the feeling that if she did not speak now, Neville was going to suffocate from holding everything in.
"The Sorting Hat? What else would it do? It sorts young witches and wizards into Houses."
Sorimus looked at Hermione as though that were the most obvious thing in the world.
"You put it on during the Sorting Ceremony, and it tells you which House you belong in."
"If you can just tell the Sorting Hat which House you want, then why is there even any need for a Sorting Hat?" Hermione was confused. If sorting was done according to personal preference, then did that not make the whole thing rather unnecessary?
"Not entirely. The Sorting Hat places young witches and wizards into the House best suited to them."
Sorimus began explaining things to Hermione and Neville.
Neville was not especially clever. He was timid, and a little cowardly on the surface. At first glance, Hufflepuff ought to have been his destination. But the truth was different. The courage buried deep in Neville's heart was what made the Sorting Hat place him in Gryffindor. Still, one thing should not be forgotten: Neville was also a perfectly legitimate pure-blood. That meant Slytherin was also an option for him. After all, if Goyle and Crabbe could go there, then so could Neville. It was simply that Neville himself had never once considered Slytherin.
So the Houses Neville could potentially go to were Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin.
At times like this, a young wizard's own wishes became very important.
That was why Sorimus had told Neville to make it absolutely clear to the Sorting Hat that he wanted Gryffindor.
"So that's how it works. In other words, if a young wizard has more than one possible choice, then they can choose for themselves, is that right?"
"Exactly. A History of Hogwarts certainly won't spell all of that out for you in plain detail."
Sorimus cast Hermione a glance as he spoke. She was visibly excited now.
"Then which House will you go to? Ravenclaw?"
Judging from the few tricks Sorimus had already shown in the compartment, Hermione felt certain he must be bound for Ravenclaw.
"No. I'm going to Slytherin."
Sorimus knew perfectly well that Hermione was about to make a huge fuss, but he said it anyway.
"Slytherin? I heard all the evil Dark wizards come from there. Why would you want to go there?"
The moment Hermione heard that Sorimus wanted Slytherin, the look in her eyes changed.
"Honestly, Hermione, I would really like to know where a Muggle-born witch like you heard all those ridiculous judgments."
Even though Sorimus had expected this reaction, he still could not stop himself from rolling his eyes.
It was true enough that Voldemort was simply too famous. In that, he was very much like Dumbledore. Mention Gryffindor, and the first person everyone thought of was the world-famous, universally known Head of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, recipient of the Order of Merlin, First Class, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards. and Headmaster of Hogwarts: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.
But mention Slytherin, and what wizard came to mind?
Voldemort.
The Dark Lord.
The most terrifying Dark wizard in history.
Of course, the phrase "in history" could be removed. So could "the most terrifying."
As the... illegitimate son connected to a special pure-blood family like the Selwyns, Sorimus had learned a great many things about history and historical figures that ordinary wizards would never know. He could say with certainty that Voldemort was neither the greatest Dark wizard in history nor the most terrifying one.
Sorimus knew of quite a few wizards stronger than Voldemort, some of them vastly stronger.
Most of those wizards had been killed, usually the moment they crossed a certain line, or even when they were preparing to cross it. As for those who were difficult to kill, or inconvenient to kill, they had all been sealed away instead, watched over by a specialized wizarding organization.
That, too, was one of the reasons Scholomance had been established in the first place:
to train and supply people for that organization.