Anduin stepped forward to the platform, sat down on the chair, and allowed Professor McGonagall to place the Sorting Hat on his head. But Anduin's mind was entirely consumed by curiosity about the hat itself.
"Hmm, diligent and meticulous, with a strong sense of honor and an almost insatiable thirst for knowledge. You possess unwavering resolve and determination, yet you value discipline and disdain certain unreasonable rules. Why are your thoughts so mature? You hardly seem like a young child. This is truly difficult. It appears you could thrive in any house—Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, or perhaps even..." The Sorting Hat muttered on Anduin's head.
"It can actually read minds? I wonder what this hat is made of and how it works. I've never seen an alchemical artifact with such a strong anthropomorphic quality. I'd love to take it apart and examine it," Anduin thought, staring intently at the hat. His mind was filled with academic questions about its construction and function.
"Hey, kid, keep those filthy thoughts to yourself!" Anduin was still lost in his musings when the Sorting Hat on his head suddenly warned him.
Unfortunately, the moment you tell someone not to think about an elephant, that's precisely what they'll think about first. The Sorting Hat's warning only fueled Anduin's wilder fantasies.
"Oh, you can actually react to my thoughts? Are you a soul trapped in this hat? Or did someone truly create an alchemical artifact with such a distinct personality?" Anduin exclaimed, his excitement growing as he realized the Sorting Hat was conversing with him. He couldn't resist reaching out to touch the hat, curious about its material composition.
"Good heavens, take your filthy hands off me! And get those vile thoughts out of your head!" The Sorting Hat sensed the dangerous ideas swirling in Anduin's mind, yet dutifully continued to ponder his placement.
Which house should he go to? The hat mused. That terrifyingly strong will... it reminds me of that wizard from a thousand years ago, the one who left such a lasting impression. That was...
Merlin!
"SLYTHERIN!" The Sorting Hat shouted, eager to end the conversation. It feared that hesitation would lead to regret. With this boy's potential, and if he were placed in that house... Let's hope he doesn't end up in my hands someday.
Professor McGonagall on the stage visibly paused, while Charles and Vivian in the audience couldn't help but be surprised when they heard Anduin's house assignment.
Though they hadn't known him long, based on their understanding of Anduin, they never imagined he might be sorted into Slytherin.
But the decision was final. Anduin's wizarding robe began to transform immediately after the Sorting Hat announced the house name. Emerald green and silver patterns materialized along the edges, and the Slytherin crest appeared on his chest.
Anduin himself was momentarily stunned, but his expression quickly settled into composure. "Tch, does this stupid hat hold grudges? How amusing," he muttered, pursing his lips. As he descended the steps, he glanced back at the Sorting Hat, which glared fiercely back at him with its anthropomorphic expression.
Anduin didn't particularly care which house he was assigned to, but subconsciously, Slytherin was the one he least wanted. Before coming to Hogwarts, Sirius had told him that many Death Eaters came from Slytherin, and that the ideology of Pure-blood supremacy was prevalent there.
"Could it be that the Sorting Hat somehow picked up on my subconscious thoughts and spitefully sorted me into Slytherin? That seems unlikely," Anduin mused as he approached the Slytherin table. The students there rose to welcome the newcomer, unaware of his Muggle origins.
"Welcome, Anduin Wilson. I'm Vanessa Greengrass, the Slytherin prefect," said a sixth-year girl with long, dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Her demeanor was polite and her manners impeccable.
"Hello, Prefect Greengrass. You can call me Anduin," he replied with a slight smile, shaking her hand before taking a seat beside Vivian.
"Oh my goodness, I can't believe you were sorted into Slytherin! I thought you'd end up in Ravenclaw," Vivian exclaimed as soon as Anduin sat down.
"I didn't really care which house I got into, but I never expected to be hated by a tattered old hat on my first day," Anduin replied nonchalantly.
"What tattered old hat? What do you mean? Are you talking about the Sorting Hat?" Vivian asked, puzzled.
"It's nothing. Let's not dwell on it. We'll talk after the Sorting Ceremony," Anduin said, cutting off the conversation.
As Anduin and Vivian chatted, Travers, sitting not far away at the same table, sneered and glanced in their direction before turning back to his companions to resume their conversation.
Unbeknownst to Travers, Anduin had noticed his hostile look. Anduin narrowed his eyes at Travers before turning his attention to observing the other students in his house. Having just entered a new environment, it was crucial to gather preliminary information, not just names but also their allegiances, especially considering the Wizarding World was at war.
Anduin turned to Vanessa, who was sitting across from him. "Prefect Greengrass, do you know if there are any students in our house with the surnames Avery or Snape?"
"Not among the current students," Vanessa replied. "But I do recall those names from graduates who left several years ago. Why do you ask about them?"
"Oh, it's nothing," Anduin said. "I just happened to hear those names before and was curious." It seemed none of the Death Eaters he had encountered had relatives attending Hogwarts, which came as a relief.
The Sorting Ceremony had finally concluded. After the Sorting Hat and stool were removed, a white-bearded, flamboyant old man stepped forward from the teachers' seats at the front of the Great Hall.
"Look! That's Dumbledore, said to be the greatest wizard in the Wizarding World today!" Vivian exclaimed excitedly to Anduin.
Anduin finally had a chance to properly observe this legendary figure, the great wizard who had led the British magic world against Voldemort for so long.
But after studying him for a while, Anduin couldn't sense anything particularly extraordinary about him. Instead, he seemed like an ordinary old neighbor. Dumbledore's speech was brief, consisting of only a few words of greeting before he returned to his seat.
"Let the feast begin," Dumbledore announced, tapping his spoon lightly against his goblet. Instantly, plates on the tables filled with food, piled high.
The younger wizards cheered wildly, abandoning all decorum as they grabbed food with their hands and devoured it greedily.
The Slytherin first-years were awestruck by this magical spectacle, eagerly reaching for the food. However, Anduin noticed that the older students around him maintained a more refined demeanor, using utensils to fork portions onto their plates and savor each bite.
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T/N— You can read upto Chapter 50 and get two chapters a day at— Patreon.com/EtherealTL
Details about bonus chapters mentioned in Auxiliary, Chapter 0.