Chapter 19: We Have a Spy Among Us

They didn't have to wait long before Professor McGonagall returned. She had the new students form a single file and led them into the Great Hall.

The hall of the school was large, with four long tables filled with students. Countless candles floated above their heads, illuminating the entire hall.

The candle flames were some sort of magical fire, or else the image of all the candles dripping wax together would be simply mesmerizing.

While Albert's mind was filled with all sorts of strange thoughts, the line had reached a chair with a dirty and worn hat placed on it.

They said it was the Sorting Hat of Gryffindor.

"I really hope they would clean the Sorting Hat properly," Albert expressed his disdain for the hat. It was just too dirty, perhaps due to being left untouched for a thousand years, or maybe nobody ever bothered to clean it.

It was truly unbearable.

By the time Albert snapped out of his thoughts, the Sorting Hat had already concluded its customary opening song amid applause.

Professor McGonagall held a parchment scroll and began calling out names for the sorting.

Of course, Albert was the first one to be called since his surname started with an "A."

In front of everyone, Albert walked forward and sat on the chair, allowing Professor McGonagall to place the hat on his head.

"Not Slytherin, not Slytherin," he whispered quietly, even though he knew the chances of being sorted into Slytherin were very slim. He didn't want to accidentally fall into that particular pit.

"Well, it's difficult. I can see you're courageous, with a good heart, talent, and intelligence," the Sorting Hat whispered, "Besides Slytherin, where do you want to go?"

Albert was speechless. Was the Sorting Hat implying that any house would be suitable for him except Slytherin?

"Oh, I believe you've already made your choice, then..."

"Gryffindor!" When the Sorting Hat called out Gryffindor, Albert knew what it meant by giving him a choice.

If he had encountered students from the other two houses in the train compartment instead of the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan, he might have chosen a different house.

In the end, the Sorting Hat made the choice for him.

After all, Albert would be spending seven years at the school, and he didn't want to end up like the initial Hermione, without any friends. That would be too tragic.

Of course, there were also the nighttime adventures, and the twins were undoubtedly the best companions for those.

After the Sorting Hat called out Gryffindor, cheers erupted from the farthest table on the left.

However, the twins and Lee Jordan, in the queue, couldn't help but open their mouths wide in surprise. They never expected Albert to be sorted into Gryffindor.

What about Ravenclaw?

After Professor McGonagall took the hat away, Albert walked towards the direction of the cheers. The front row of the long table had been cleared, obviously prepared for the new students.

As Albert approached, a few people stood up and shook his hand. They had badges on their chests, probably prefects or student council members.

He shook hands with several people one by one and nodded with a smile in response.

The sorting ceremony continued, and when the Sorting Hat called out Slytherin, Albert shifted his attention back to the hat. As Professor McGonagall read out Cedric Diggory's name, he curiously observed this minor character from the story.

The person in question was quite handsome, no wonder they called him a heartthrob. Albert wondered if he would still become a tragic figure, considering he now had this little butterfly stirring up trouble.

As expected, the Weasley twins were also sorted into Gryffindor. A redhead guy seemed delighted by this and waved at the twins. Albert took a closer look and concluded that he must be Percy Weasley, the legendary one.

By the way, the Weasley twins ended up at the bottom of the list. After they were sorted into Gryffindor, the sorting ceremony concluded. Professor McGonagall rolled up the parchment and took the Sorting Hat with her, and the stool disappeared as well.

"Wow! We thought you would be sorted into Ravenclaw," both the twins and Lee Jordan stared at Albert with exaggerated expressions, as if they were observing a rare animal.

They couldn't believe he wasn't sorted into Ravenclaw. Maybe the Sorting Hat was broken.

"Is that strange?" Albert shrugged, unfazed. "By the way, I just discovered a secret about the Sorting Hat."

"What secret?" Lee Jordan asked curiously.

"It wouldn't be a secret if I told you," Albert decided not to share with them. "This secret is the reason why I was sorted into Gryffindor."

Albert scanned the faces of the others and shook his head. "I made it pretty clear, but no one guessed it. I guess that's why I'm in Gryffindor."

However, no one paid much attention to this so-called secret. After the sorting, it was Dumbledore's turn to give a speech, and then it was time to feast.

"Welcome..." Dumbledore smiled at the students, stretching his arms wide. "Welcome to Hogwarts! A new school year begins! Before the feast begins, I want to say a few words. They are: 'Nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak.' Thank you, everyone!"

That was really just a few words.

The difference, oh, the difference! Dumbledore understood the minds of the new students better than those who blabbered on, knowing that they had no patience for nonsense.

"Do you know what those words mean?" Albert turned to the prefect beside him and asked.

The prefect's expression froze when Albert asked. It was clear he didn't know how to answer that question.

At that moment, the prefect suddenly felt that what the Weasley guy had said earlier was right. This guy should have been in Ravenclaw, not Gryffindor.

"It seems no one knows, I'll have to ask Dumbledore himself," Albert muttered. Those few words were an unsolved mystery from the Harry Potter story.

The people nearby twitched their lips upon hearing his words, unsure of what to say. Was he really planning to go directly to Dumbledore and ask?

Even Ravenclaw students aren't as curious as you!

This guy is definitely an eagle hiding among lions.

Hey, someone, throw this guy onto the neighboring table!

Ignoring the strange looks from others, Albert fell into deep thought.

In a past life, there were several interpretations of those words on the internet:

Rumors said that the Latin meaning of those words was "May Merlin protect you."

Of course, some people believed that those words represented each house's different attitudes toward others.

Ravenclaw students believed that anyone not sorted into Ravenclaw was a fool.

Gryffindor students believed that others lacked their bravery.

Slytherin students believed that half-bloods or mudbloods were useless extras.

Hufflepuff students hoped that students from other houses would adjust their behavior.

As for the truth, Albert didn't know. Perhaps he would have a chance to find out the truth from Dumbledore.

Boom!

Lightning suddenly struck the castle roof, causing the weather enchantment to fail.

This scene startled everyone.

Dumbledore pulled out his wand and used magic to make the lightning and thunder disappear. The pouring rain vanished as well, and the night sky above them was once again adorned with stars.

"All right, let the feast begin." Dumbledore raised his spoon and tapped his glass, announcing the start of the feast. Plates on the tables instantly filled with food as if by magic.

(End of this chapter)