The silence stretched on as Sherlock continued his examination, apparently oblivious to the hundred pairs of eyes focused on his every movement. For him, this represented a unique opportunity to study one of the most remarkable magical artifacts in existence—a chance that might never come again.
When Headmaster Dumbledore observed that Sherlock had not simply donned the Sorting Hat as tradition, but was instead conducting what appeared to be a thorough forensic examination, his interest sharpened.
He leaned forward in his chair at the head table, his half-moon spectacles catching the candlelight as he narrowed his piercing blue eyes to study this remarkable boy more intently.
Yet despite the unprecedented nature of the situation, he made no move to intervene or call for order.
Fortunately for the increasingly restless audience, Sherlock's external examination concluded within moments. With the decisive movement of someone who had gathered all available data, he lifted the ancient hat and settled it firmly onto his head.
The first sensation that struck him was very unpleasant. From external observation, the hat had clearly seen better centuries, but wearing it gave an unfortunately close experience of its hoarded history.
The inside fabric, worn smooth by countless young heads, carried the distinctive odors of hair oil, sweat, and what could only be described as the essence of unwashed wool left too long in moist storage. The greasy residue of decades clung to the inner part, creating a sensation that made Sherlock's fussy nature recoil instinctively.
'Good lord,' He thought with barely concealed disgust, 'I knew the wizarding world seemed less concerned with modern hygiene standards, but this is absolutely disgusting...'
His mental classification continued automatically: 'And the most recent wearer was definitely a baker's son...'
Just as this observation appeared in his mind, a thin, reedy voice spoke directly into his consciousness, seeming to emanate from somewhere near his left ear:
"Oh my, terribly sorry to disgust you so thoroughly, young man, but I am just a hat, after all—I have no means of washing myself, you understand. But do tell me, how did you deduce that the last child was a baker's son?"
Sherlock's eyes widened beneath the hat's brim as a thrill of intellectual excitement ran through him. "Fascinating! You can actually perceive human thoughts directly?"
'My own thoughts had been captured by a hat—the magical world was truly amazing!'
"Goodness no, nothing quite so invasive," The hat replied with what sounded like gentle amusement. "I can sense only the surface thoughts, the ones you don't deliberately shield from observation. I am certainly not a Dark Arts creation—I possess no Legilimency abilities at all. My talents lie in understanding character and potential, not in forcing entry to unwilling minds."
The hat's tone grew more curious: "But you haven't answered my question yet."
Sensing the hat's persistence, and he himself being genuinely interested in this hat, Sherlock satisfied its curiosity:
"Just some observation, really," He explained with a patient tone. "Your brim has accumulated several traces: tiny fragments of aluminum foil, the sort used to wrap fresh bread, along with a fine dusting of wheat flour that's worked itself into the cloth.
There's also a aroma of yeast and baked grain that temporarily masks your... well…. more personal fragrances. Additionally, the previous boy's posture and clothing—clean but clearly inexpensive, with flour stains on his sleeves that he'd tried unsuccessfully to brush away—already suggested his family's profession. The evidence on your cloth just confirmed what behavioral observation had already indicated."
"Remarkable! Absolutely remarkable!" The hat's voice rang with genuine admiration and excitement. "Such extraordinary analytical capability! But oh my, this presents quite the challenge for me..."
The Sorting Hat's tone grew increasingly pensive, as if wrestling with a particularly complex puzzle:
"You possess incomparable wisdom and intellect that would shine brilliantly in Ravenclaw's towers of learning. Your courage burns bright and true—the kind of fearless bravery that has always defined Gryffindor's finest.
That genuinely compassionate heart and your dedication to justice would make Hufflepuff's founder smile with pride. And yet... your cunning mind, your willingness to challenge authority and bend rules in service of greater goals—Slytherin could nurture that ambition and help you achieve greatness beyond imagining.
"You see the problem, don't you? You embody the finest qualities of all four Houses simultaneously. Where does one place such a student?"
The hat's voice grew livelier as it continued its analysis:
"Your desire to fight crime and defend the innocent—oh, how Helga Hufflepuff would have treasured such noble purpose!
Your insatiable curiosity about the unknown, your love of research and investigation—Rowena Ravenclaw would have seen you as an ideal Ravenclaw.
And your absolute fearlessness in the face of danger, your willingness to risk everything for what you believe is right—Godric Gryffindor would have been proud.
After all this, If I don't put you in Gryffindor, Professor McGonagall will surely kill me...
This is extraordinarily difficult! I haven't faced such a complex sorting in decades!"
"Regarding that particular point," Sherlock interjected calmly, "I've always maintained that courage is merely the most socially acceptable substitute for intelligent thinking."
And thus began one of the most unusual conversations in Sorting Hat history.
Meanwhile, in the Great Hall beyond Sherlock's awareness, the lengthy silence was creating an unprecedented situation.
Students shifted restlessly in their seats as whispers began to circulate like wildfire through them.
Was the sorting really this complicated?
The Granger girl had already taken an unusually long time, but this boy was surpassing even that record...
At various House tables, older students began taking more detailed notice of the boy who had caused such unusual delay.
His distinctive face—particularly that Roman nose—caught the attention of several upperclassman girls, who quietly captured both his name and appearance to memory for future reference.
Sherlock Holmes.
But Sherlock remained unaware of the growing attention focused on his motionless figure. Even if he had known, such social considerations would have seemed irrelevant compared to the fascinating conversation occurring with the ancient hat.
"Listen here, young man," the hat was saying with increasing exasperation, "I can clearly perceive that you possess genuine courage—the kind of fearless bravery that could make you a true hero..."
"Please don't transform people into heroes," Sherlock interrupted coolly. "Heroes are fictional constructs created to inspire the masses. Even if they existed in reality, I would hardly qualify for such designation."
"But surely you must see—"
"Emotional involvement always proves to be the weakness that destroys the losing side in any conflict," Sherlock continued with the detached logic. "Intelligence, properly applied, represents the only reliable path to victory. Everything else is mere sentiment."
The Sorting Hat fell silent for several moments, clearly struggling with this.
Because this young wizard simultaneously possessed characteristics of all four Houses—theoretically, placing him in any House would be perfectly justified. But as their conversation deepened, certain preferences began to emerge from the complexity.
The choice, the hat realized, was narrowing to Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw.
Initially, the hat had been strongly inclined toward Ravenclaw. After all, Sherlock himself had essentially declared intelligence superior to all other qualities—surely that suggested natural affinity for the House of wit and learning?
However, as their dialogue continued, the hat detected a crucial distinction that changed everything.
Through careful probing, it discovered that Sherlock approached knowledge with the calculation like selecting tools for a task. He would master any information that served his purposes, but showed little interest in learning for its own sake. Knowledge, for him, was purely instrumental—a means to achieve specific ends rather than an object of pure intellectual desire.
This point was a fundamental divergence from Ravenclaw's essential character. True Ravenclaws possessed an insatiable hunger for knowledge itself, studying and researching driven by pure intellectual curiosity rather than practical application. They learned because learning brought them joy, not because information served their goals.
For most students, such a distinction might be considered insignificant. But for someone of Sherlock's exceptional nature, it became the decisive factor.
Sherlock treated knowledge as a tool—useful knowledge was learned, useless knowledge ignored.
Moreover, the hat recognized that Sherlock's approach to courage was equally distinctive. Despite his dismissive words about bravery being a substitute for intelligence, his own courage was absolutely genuine. He was full of adventurous spirit, and his inner courage seemed enough to sweep away all obstacles.
Ravenclaw's scholarly eagles would spend their time buried in books and theoretical discussions, leaving little opportunity for the kind of active investigation and exploration that Sherlock craved. Gryffindor's lions, on the other hand, would eagerly join him in any adventure, providing both companionship and support for whatever challenges lay ahead.
But the final factor that sealed the decision came when Sherlock learned more about Ravenclaw House's reputation for producing what he termed "living libraries"—students who accumulated vast stores of knowledge across multiple subjects.
His eyes had lit up with obvious delight at this information.
"Excellent!" He exclaimed with genuine enthusiasm. "That means when I require specific information or expertise, I can simply consult them directly rather than spending valuable time acquiring the knowledge myself. This would free up considerable time for actual investigation and exploration."
The hat recognized this as the decisive moment.
After several more minutes of internal deliberation—longer than any sorting in recent memory—the hat finally reached its conclusion.
With a voice that carried clearly throughout the suddenly silent Great Hall, it announced:
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The Gryffindor erupted in thunderous celebration, and students leapt up to their feet and applauded with unusual enthusiasm. A sorting that had taken so long clearly indicated something special about their newest member.
Sherlock removed the hat carefully, gave it a small nod of respect and gratitude. "Thank you for the fascinating conversation," he murmured quietly, before turning to walk toward his new House table.
"Welcome to Gryffindor!" Hermione practically bounced in her seat, her face was radiant with joy at seeing a familiar face join her new House. "I was hoping—"
Before she could complete her sentence, two identical red-headed figures appeared on both side of Sherlock like grinning genies, their movements were perfectly synchronized in the way that only twins could manage.
"Well, well, well," said the first twin, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
"What have we here?" continued the second, completing the thought seamlessly.
"We were just telling everyone that Miss Granger nearly became a Hatstaller," said the first, gesturing toward Hermione.
"But it seems the real Hatstaller was still to come!" finished the second, grinning widely at Sherlock.
"Hatstaller?" Sherlock's eyebrows rose with interest. "What exactly does that mean?"
The twins exchanged identical grins of delight—clearly, they had found someone who appreciated their dramatic flair.
"It means you've managed to utterly confuse the Sorting Hat," explained the first twin.
"Made it completely incapable of deciding where you belong," added the second, nodding.
"Generally, happens when someone's equally suited to multiple Houses," they said in perfect unison.
"FRED! GEORGE!" The sharp voice cut through their explanation, causing both twins to wince. "That's quite enough!"
Percy Weasley, in his Prefect badge approached their group with the long-suffering expression of someone who had spent years trying to manage his irrepressible younger brothers.
"Please excuse my brothers, Holmes," Percy said. "They're notorious troublemakers throughout Hogwarts for their... creative approach to facts and their complete inability to show proper respect for school traditions."
During the summer holidays, Percy had spent long time studying a book called How Prefects Gain Power. The book had emphasized the critical importance of maintaining House dignity and setting proper examples for incoming students—responsibilities that his brothers seemed determined to undermine at every opportunity.
So, he absolutely couldn't let the twins lead the new students astray—even if they were his own brothers!
He straightened his shoulders and extended his hand toward Sherlock with practiced formality. "I'm Percy Weasley, Fifth Year Prefect. Allow me to provide you with the accurate definition of a Hatstall, rather than my brothers' typically irreverent interpretation."
His voice took on the educational tone he'd been practicing: "A Hatstall occurs when the Sorting Hat requires more than five minutes to make its decision—indicating that the student in question possesses exceptional qualities that span multiple Houses. It's actually quite rare."
Percy's chest swelled slightly with pride at delivering this perfectly formatted explanation, though his satisfaction was somewhat diminished by the twins' synchronized eye-rolling behind Sherlock's back.