Chapter 82: Different Branches
Next, the Sorting Ceremony finally began.
Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on a four-legged stool. The hat twitched, its pointed tip flexing, and a wide slit opened near the brim—its mouth. Then it began to sing:
You may think I'm not pretty,
But don't judge a book by its cover,
If you can find a hat more charming than me,
I'll gladly eat myself altogether.
You may shine your bowler hats with care,
And keep your silk hats smooth and fair,
But I'm the magic Sorting Hat of old,
With secrets and stories yet untold.
There's no thought I cannot read,
No hidden dream, no secret need,
Place me upon your worried head,
And I'll reveal where you're best led.
Perhaps you'll find in Gryffindor,
Brave hearts who long for something more.
With daring souls and courage bright,
They charge ahead into the fight.
Or maybe you'll go to Hufflepuff,
Where loyalty and work are enough.
They're patient, kind, and always true,
With steadfast hearts in all they do.
If wisdom's what you seek the most,
Then Ravenclaw will be your host.
Where learning, wit, and clever minds
Are praised by all those of their kind.
Or else you'll make in Slytherin,
Real friends who'll help you rise and win.
Though cunning may be in their vein,
Their goals are clear and not in vain.
Come, don't panic! Don't be scared!
I'll guide you right—your soul laid bare.
For though I lack both hands and eyes,
I see through all with no disguise!
After the long Sorting Song, the hat gave a bow as if it had just finished a stage performance. The Great Hall erupted into applause.
Ron, standing nearby, quickly tried to comfort Harry with a laugh: "So, we just put on the hat? I swear, I'll kill Fred—he made it sound like we were wrestling a troll!"
Harry chuckled, visibly relaxing. Hermione finally stopped nervously muttering to herself, and even Neville's timid face began to show a bit of confidence.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a long parchment scroll. "When I call your name, come up, put on the hat, and sit on the stool to be sorted."
"Hannah Abbott!"
The future Mrs. Longbottom, with her two blonde braids bouncing, stumbled from the line and placed the Sorting Hat on her head—it completely covered her eyes.
There was a short pause…
"Hufflepuff!" the Hat called.
The table on the right erupted in cheers and applause as Hannah was warmly welcomed. Even the Fat Friar waved joyfully at her.
"Susan Bones!"
"Hufflepuff!" the Hat called again, and Susan quickly joined Hannah.
The list continued in alphabetical order, from A to Z.
Unfortunately, Alexander Smith, whose last name began with an S, would be sorted near the end—after Harry Potter, whose last name started with a P.
In the original timeline, the final student called was Blaise Zabini—Z for Zabini. Having to wait on stage under everyone's gaze like a display in a zoo had always seemed a bit awkward.
Luckily, Alexander found entertainment in watching the changes the Sorting Hat had made this time around.
He'd already noticed Hermione glancing at Doraemon, the comic Ron had left lying around. The curiosity in her eyes was unmistakable to a fellow book lover.
After all, Hermione had bought more than just schoolbooks before the term. She couldn't possibly have missed the recently popular Doraemon comics. Alexander had slipped in plenty of personal touches into the book: lines like "Books are the ladder of human progress" and "Study hard, make progress every day." Even the characters were meant to inspire—Fat Tiger (Darth Vader) with Gryffindor's courage, and Nobita (Luke Skywalker), bullied for slacking off.
"Hermione Granger!"
"Ravenclaw!" the Hat shouted.
Of course. Hermione clearly fit Ravenclaw's ideals. Alexander noticed Ron grimacing—he must've expected her to join him in Gryffindor. With W for Weasley, Ron was still ahead of Alexander, but something far more interesting was coming.
"Neville Longbottom! Ravenclaw!" the hat called after a long pause.
Unexpected. In the original, Neville was placed in Gryffindor, possibly due to his inner courage. But now... could it have been Hermione's kindness that pulled him toward Gryffindor before?
While Alexander was daydreaming about timeline changes, the Sorting continued: Malfoy... Moon... Nott... Parkinson... followed by the Patil twins...
"Sally-Anne Perks…"
And finally—
"Harry Potter!"
The Great Hall buzzed like a lit fuse.
"Potter? That kid next to Weasley?"
"No way! I blinked and missed him!"
Malfoy, now seated beside Crabbe and Goyle, grinned smugly as he watched Harry walk up, as if he'd spotted a rare treasure. Ron glared protectively from below.
From Harry's perspective, he saw a room full of wide eyes staring up at him. Then, darkness—the hat slid down.
"Well," whispered a small voice in Harry's ear, "difficult… very difficult. You're brave, no doubt, and certainly not a bad person. Oh yes, there's talent here… and a strong desire to prove yourself. Interesting… Where shall I place you?"
Harry clenched the edge of the stool.
"Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin."
Deep within his subconscious, shadows of childhood fears flickered—cats like Mr. Paws, Fluffy, Cher, and even Tom from Tom & Jerry twisted into a dark lion. It all solidified his unspoken rejection of Gryffindor.
Watching from below, Alexander saw Harry's back under the hat and gave a subtle, knowing smile.
"You don't want Slytherin?" the voice asked again. "Are you sure? You could be great there, you know… Slytherin could help you achieve greatness. There's no doubt… Still, if you're sure—then best be… Ravenclaw!"
The Hat shouted the final word to the entire hall.
Harry, wide-eyed, pulled off the hat and slowly walked toward the Ravenclaw table, his knees a little shaky. Relief poured from his shoulders—no Slytherin.
"No! Harry!" Ron shouted impulsively—but no one listened now.
Snape's eyes widened. Professor Flitwick leapt to his feet in glee. Quirrell's jaw dropped, literally, unable to form words. Even the Gryffindor table roared in shock.
But it was the Ravenclaws—normally calm and reserved—who went wild. Cheers rang out. Some even booed the Gryffindors playfully.
"Quiet, please! The Sorting continues!" Dumbledore called calmly, like a patient old wizard used to surprises.
Alexander, slightly disappointed he wouldn't see more chaos, smiled nonetheless.
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