38 The House Of Braun

"Hermione Granger." The call for Hermione came quickly. The young girl nervously made her way to the chair, and after some contemplation, the Sorting Hat reached a decision.

"Gryffindor!" it declared, and Hermione happily joined her new house. As she sat at the Gryffindor table, she waved at Braun.

Braun waved back, but he hadn't yet decided which house he wanted to be sorted into. With his parents coming from Ravenclaw, it was a strong option. However, Gryffindor also had its appeal, as it would allow him to be closer to Hermione.

"Shall I choose Gryffindor?" Braun contemplated.

Professor McGonagall called Braun's name, and he promptly made his way to the stool and sat down. With his surname starting with "R," he was among the last to be sorted. Anxiety coursed through him as he worried that the Sorting Hat might declare something unexpected, like "Azkaban."

However, the Sorting Hat's response was quite different from what Braun had anticipated. It spoke to him in his mind, addressing his apparent concern.

"Oh, boy, why do you think that? Hogwarts doesn't have a Fifth House."

Braun was on the verge of revealing his preference for the sorting hat, as he knew from his past experiences that doing so could influence the sorting process. But before he could utter a word, the Sorting Hat made its decision.

"Slytherin!"

The Sorting Hat announced the house loudly, and Professor McGonagall promptly removed it from Braun's head. Braun was momentarily stunned, realizing that he hadn't even shared his choice with the hat. He found himself joining the Slytherin table, where he was met with cheers and applause from his new housemates. He settled into an empty seat with a smile, although he couldn't shake the feeling that his sorting had been predetermined.

Braun, coming from a pure-blood family, was welcomed by his new Slytherin housemates. His surname only fueled their curiosity, and they greeted him warmly.

However, a stark contrast was evident when it came to the mixed-blood students. Most of them were seated at the corner of the table, separated from the purebloods. Even the older Slytherin students are excluded.

Although Braun wished to extend a helping hand to the mixed-blood students, he knew that he didn't yet possess the influence or authority to change the dynamics of the house. It was a complicated situation that he couldn't readily resolve.

As the sorting ceremony came to an end, the students were officially sorted into their respective houses. It was no surprise that Slytherin had the fewest members, followed by Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, while Hufflepuff had the most. Despite the tables being of equal length, the Hufflepuff table was abuzz with activity, in contrast to the comparatively cooler atmosphere at the Slytherin table.

"Hello, I'm Theodore Nott," the tall and thin boy with a distinct lisp introduced himself to Braun. He had blond hair and a somewhat thin frame, and his prominent buck teeth made him appear somewhat awkward at first glance. However, the shrewdness in his eyes hinted at a different, more perceptive side to his personality.

Braun greeted Theodore with a modest handshake, showing his intent to make friends during his years at Hogwarts.

"The Rowle family! I've heard of you! Thorfinn Rowle is your uncle," Theodore noted.

Braun confirmed with a smile, "It's my uncle!"

He mentioned that Thorfinn Rowle was the Director of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures at the Ministry of Magic and that he had garnered some reputation for his work in that role.

"Welcome!" Dumbledore stood up. "Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you"

His message left many of the students puzzled, unsure of its meaning. Braun and Theodore had a brief conversation about it, as their earlier exchange and family connections had helped them get acquainted.

"Braun, what do you think that means?" Theodore asked, showing his curiosity.

Braun, who had received this answer from his grandmother before starting school, responded confidently, "Rune, former Merlin, bless you!"

This cryptic response intrigued the surrounding students, and they looked at Braun with admiration. Even Theodore couldn't help but be curious. It seemed that Braun possessed knowledge that extended beyond the ordinary, leaving others feeling like they had much to learn from him.

The Hogwarts dinner was a grand affair, and as Dumbledore tapped his cup with a silver spoon, magical food appeared on the students' plates. The tables were filled with a variety of delicious dishes, including roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, sausages, potatoes, Yorkshire pies, and more. Dumbledore's whimsical touch even added a starry night-themed dessert to the menu. The peculiar-looking pudding with cream on top was served on each table, complete with fish heads that stared blankly at the students.

Braun indulged in the feast, enjoying the rich flavors of the food and filling up after skipping lunch. However, Ron and Harry, seated at the Gryffindor table, had little appetite. They had indulged in snacks throughout the day and were now too full to partake in the grand feast.

"Hermione, why don't you eat it?"

Neville happily ate the tonkatsu in front of him.

At the same time, don't forget to give some to his toad.

"Neville, why did Braun get sorted into Slytherin? I heard that the wizards there are not very nice people."

Hermione looked at Braun, who was posing elegantly at the Slytherin table, and asked worriedly.

The joy of entering Gryffindor was diluted a lot.

"Isn't this normal? Rowle's family is also pure blood; anyway, their family is either Ravenclaw or Slytherin."

Neville said it indifferently.

He didn't see Braun's entry into Slytherin as anything.

There are a lot of bad guys out there, though.

But there are also many good people.

For example, Madam Pomfrey in the school infirmary is also a Slytherin.

Hermione's muttering continued with clear frustration and disappointment in her voice.

"It's all your fault for going to Slytherin! Smash you! Smash you!"

She repeated these words while persistently poking her steak with her fork, unable to hide her disappointment.