“Ethan Adrian!”
The entire group was empty, leaving only Ethan behind.
With an indifferent expression, Ethan strode forward, directly placing his hat on his head, and sat down on a stool, ready to begin his sorting.
Although he knew the Unforgivable Curses and had taken lives with the Killing Curse, by right, he should be going to Azkaban.
But the Sorting Hat clearly did not sort based on memories. Instead, it was imbued with the philosophies of the four founders, guiding witches and wizards toward the houses best suited for them.
During this process, it could indeed discern some of the young witches' and wizards' thoughts and the glimmer of potential they possessed, but that was all.
Ethan had undergone specific training for this, specifically shifting his thoughts, a basic ability derived from Occlumency.
“Your magic far surpasses your peers. You possess exceptional talent in Dark Arts, and you have ambition and greed. You truly are a prime specimen. Salazar would be overjoyed to see you, although your ambition is a bit odd. Everything else is quite fitting.”
“I'm not pure-blood, not even half-blood. Can I even go to Slytherin?”
Ethan asked with a hint of curiosity.
“Of course, that is possible. However, in recent centuries, the understanding of Slytherin's philosophy has become distorted. The Slytherin of old valued ambition, cunning, honor, the ability to seize opportunities, self-preservation, and victory above all else.”
The Sorting Hat's voice, filled with regret, echoed in Ethan's mind. It knew the witches and wizards had misunderstood the true meaning, but it could not change it.
This impression was deeply ingrained. Some witches and wizards with such traits were unwilling to go to Slytherin, because it had become a gathering place for pure-bloods obsessed with ambition. They often possessed nothing but ambition, yet they clung to Slytherin.
The Sorting Hat possessed the power to sort, but it could not act entirely independently. It still had to consider the young witches' and wizards' desires, which was one of the reasons why things had become this way.
“Actually, Azkaban would be more suitable for you. I heard Dumbledore mention it. It's a gathering place for Dark Arts wizards and the cradle of Dark magic. You would surely achieve great things there. Sadly, Azkaban is not part of Hogwarts.”
A melancholic tone resonated in Ethan's mind.
“But Azkaban is a prison!”
Ethan felt a wave of helplessness.
“What's wrong with being a prison? I once spoke with a former Azkaban inmate who returned to Hogwarts to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. He said everyone there was talented and eloquent. I believe you would enjoy it there.”
The Sorting Hat couldn't help but feel a tinge of frustration. How could Ethan deny its judgment?
The only pity was that Azkaban wasn't a Hogwarts house. It had heard Dumbledore lament, “Azkaban has become Hogwarts' post-graduate program,” more than once.
“So, which house should I go to? You've been on my head for a long time now.”
Ethan didn't want to talk about Azkaban. What if those thoughts that couldn't be exposed were revealed?
“What's the rush? Sorting is a serious matter, you can't be hasty!”
The Sorting Hat's irritated voice echoed.
“Fine, you continue!”
“That's better. You also possess courage and a thirst for adventure. Gryffindor would be a good fit, even though chivalry isn't quite your forte. These days, there are no perfect matches, just those that are close enough.”
“Ravenclaw is not bad either. You're smart and wise and crave knowledge.”
“Kid, if you want to go to a particular house, tell your Hat Daddy!”
The Sorting Hat's ramblings echoed in Ethan's mind.
“What about Hufflepuff? I have a soft spot for that house.”
“Hufflepuff? Just, loyal, honest, hardworking, and fair. Which one of those applies to you? If I let you in, you'll just be a menace to them! No, absolutely not!”
The Sorting Hat immediately rejected the idea. It had to consider the young witches' and wizards' opinions, but it couldn't be too ridiculous!
“Ravenclaw!”
Before Ethan could say anything further, the Sorting Hat announced its decision in a loud voice.
It then left Ethan with a single sentence, “Your ambition can be perfectly realized in Ravenclaw. According to wizarding aesthetics, it's the house with the most beautiful women.”
Warm applause erupted from the Ravenclaw table. Ethan's arrival filled them with excitement.
This was a Hatstall, and a long one at that, lasting over ten minutes. Each Hatstall was an extraordinary witch or wizard, just like the current Deputy Headmistress, Professor McGonagall.
Ethan arrived at the Ravenclaw table and greeted the senior students and those in his year. Indeed, there were many female Ravenclaws, and quite a few of them were beautiful. The Sorting Hat had not lied to me!
As Ethan stepped down, the Sorting Ceremony officially ended. Professor McGonagall put away the Sorting Hat and stool and joined Dumbledore at his side.
Now it was Old Dumbledore's turn to take the stage.
He looked at the students with a beaming smile, his arms spread wide as if nothing pleased him more than seeing them all gathered together.
“Welcome!”
“Welcome to Hogwarts and a new school year! Before the feast begins, I have a few words to say. That is, 'Fools! Crybabies! Scraps! Twists!'”
“Thank you all!”
As he sat down, the students applauded and cheered.
It was unclear whether they were applauding for Dumbledore or for the upcoming feast.
Tonight's dinner was arguably the most sumptuous of the entire year at Hogwarts. Roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, steaks, boiled and roast potatoes, fried potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding…
Even the most picky young witches and wizards could find something they liked, and in Ethan's discerning opinion, the food was indeed delicious.
After eating his fill, Ethan began chatting with the beautiful senior student beside him. “Kriwatt, what did Dumbledore mean by ‘Fools! Crybabies! Scraps! Twists?’”
“It should be each house's view of the others. 'Fools!' is Ravenclaw's self-proclaimed intelligence. We see the other students as fools.
'Crybabies!' is Gryffindor. They consider themselves the bravest and everyone else as cowards who like to cry.
'Scraps!' is Slytherin. They see themselves as the superior pure-blood wizards who lead the magical world, and everyone else as scraps left over.
'Twists!' is Hufflepuff. They see themselves as loyal, honest, and united, while others are twisted and ununified.”
After thinking for a moment, Penelope explained her understanding.
Penelope Kriwatt was a Muggle-born, in her fifth year. Thanks to her excellent grades and outstanding leadership skills, she was recently appointed as Head Girl, responsible for welcoming the new students this year.
In Ethan's eyes, Penelope was a beautiful girl with brown hair, blue eyes, delicate features, and a voluptuous figure. Compared to flat girls like Cassandra and Hermione, Penelope's allure was much greater.
【In the original work, only Penelope is one year younger than Percy, but they could also be classmates. Harry is about a year younger than Hermione. The twins are in the same year as Cedric, but they are not eligible to participate in the Triwizard Tournament due to their age.】