A Talking Hat?

Sonic had never seen such a big entrance hall in his life and he could say that he had outlived every one of his peers. As they followed after Professor McGonagall they arrived before yet another giant door she told them, "Welcome to Hogwarts."

"The welcome banquet will begin shortly but before you all will be sorted into your respective houses, each house has its noble history along with outstanding wizards and witches known throughout the ages," she said and told them to wait while she went inside leaving them alone.

Sonic saw Harry and Ron shivering while Hermione was somewhat fine as for the sobbing boy he was having another headache of sorts.

Sonic looked around when he felt strange energies flowing towards them. He looked around but there was nothing when suddenly smoky white figures appeared through the walls.

"Let's forgive him one more time shall we?" a fat ghost said who looked like a monk.

"We've given Peeves all the chances in the world," said another ghost in ruffs and tights, "you can't change my mind Friar -- my what do we have here? First years?"

Sonic felt his soul joining them but his mind suddenly jerked and he felt no fear all of a sudden. He looked at the ghosts but did not say anything, and so did everyone.

"Ah, new ones?" the fat Friar said, "I hope you all in Hufflepuff, my old house."

"Get away and get going," Professor McGonagall arrived relieving first year's worries, "follow me and make sure to pay attention."

She pushed open the gates to the great hall and Sonic was blown away. Floating candles and four tables with students chattering and gossiping. At the front, there was a long table with who seemed to be the teachers and staff members. The ghosts from before now were sitting at the four tables chatting with each other and sometimes with other students.

"Do they not care if it rains?" Sonic asked looking above. he saw the clear starry sky and was intrigued by it. Harry also agreed with him.

"That's a spell," Hermione pitched in, "It makes it so that the ceiling appears similar to the night sky."

"'Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black, ..."

"A talking Hat?" Sonic nearly choked.

They suddenly saw the hat on the front singing and Ron sighed, "Looks like we just have to put that hat on," he then suddenly frowned, "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll!"

"Now everyone once your name is called out please come forward for the sorting!" Professor McGonagall said taking out a list of names and reading it out loud, "Abbott, Hannah!"

Sonic was wondering just how was it possible for her voice to reach far corners of such a big hall when he remembered it was not the world where his logic would work.

He waited for his turn when soon it was Harry's turn after Hermione and Neville were put into the Gryffindor. And just like that he too was put into the same house along with Ron and Draco whose name Sonic envied was in Slytherin.

"Sonic Boombam!" Professor McGonagall called out but not without a slight smile on her face, "Sonic Boombam please come forward."

The entire hall room was filled with laughter as soon as his name was announced. Even the teacher had a hard time controlling their smiles.

"Silence!" she snapped at them and everyone kept quiet, "Sonic Boombam, please come forward."

Sonic sighed, his fate, his name, just why he wondered as he tottled out of the queue and to the sorting hat.

He sat on the stool and lifted the hat before looking at it for a good while, "Creepy," he mumbled and put it on his head.

"Hmm... I see, nothing?" the hat said confused, "No magic, no talent but brave heart and sundering might!"

"Sheer will and all-knowing mind, I see yet I don't, hmm... Guest!"

The sorting hat suddenly yelled confusing everyone but Dumbledore's eyebrows were shot through the roof.

"What does that mean?" Professor McGonagall asked as everyone looked at Sorting Hat.

"Student Sonic Boombam will be invited to all houses as a guest and it is up to him to decide which house he will choose later but till then he's allowed in every house as a guest." Dumbledore stood up waving his hand and started his speech, "Welcome," he said, "Welcome everyone to a new year at Hogwarts! Now before we begin our banquet I'd like to say a few words."

"Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" and sat down again, "Thank you!"

Claps sounded everywhere as they cheered and Sonic found it funny. He tried to repeat those words and felt a tingling sensation in his throat.

"He's -- mad?" Harry whispered to Percy.

"Mad?" Percy smiled, "He's a genius, the best in the world and the strongest, mad yes a bit you can say. Potatoes Harry? Sonic?"

Sonic and Harry's mouths fell open. Before there was nothing on their plates but now the dishes were filled with all sorts of delicacies and food from all over the world. One could have anything as long as they wished.

Harry had never seen such sight before  and Sonic was nearly prostrating saying 'All Hail Albus Dumbledore.'

They enjoyed the banquet to their heart's content and even the ghosts from before came along to chat with them. One even took his head off -- almost headless if not for the slight attachment of the skin at the end.

They talked about all sorts of things and what would happen and what they hoped for, students talking with seniors and others minding their business too shy to lift their heads while Sonic was enjoying his food. Although he was not a glutton he had never tasted such luxury delight and was not going to miss it at any cost.

As Sonic was stuffing his mouth Harry suddenly hissed pressing on his head where the bolt mark was, "You alright?" Sonic asked, "Headache?"

"No I am fine, it happens sometimes."

Sonic nodded and looked at where Harry was looking and saw a teacher with swallow skin and hooked nose and greasy black hair. He was talking to another teacher with a turban and Sonic felt an ominous presence. His observation haki was itching him but since no one was doing anything he shook his head and focused back on his food.

"You better pay mind to that turban teacher," Sonic said to Harry, "I don't like the feeling he gives off."

"Huh?" Harry looked over at Professor Quirrell who smiled back at him and looked at Sonic who was busy with his food, "What do you mean?"

"He looks nice person to me."

"I did not say he's ugly though, did I?"

Harry smiled and shook his head.

"I just don't like his vibe," Sonic lifted his spoon and pointed at Professor Quirrell's turban, "That place behind his head, I feel it's -- strange."

Harry asked how he knew that and Sonic told him that he always had something like sixth sense and did not say anything much. Harry looked back at the hooked nose teacher -- Professor Snape -- and then at Professor Quirrell but he felt Snape to be more suspicious.

Looking at Harry Sonic knew that he did not believe him and he was not going to explain it to him nor did he mind since he was not here to babysit others. If he was here in this world then there must be a reason and he needed to figure out what kind of place this was if he wanted to survive here and utilize his power of haki and rokushiki to their maximum potential.

When the desserts were finished as well Albus Dumbledore got on his feet, "Ahem -- now that we all are fed and watered and satisfied I have a few notices for the term and I want you to heed them with strict discipline."

He went on about what was forbidden and where they should not be if they wished not to die -- early. He also warned teachers to be strict with students and finally gave his best wishes to everyone as they proceeded with the school anthem.

"Quite funny --" Sonic chuckled but stopped and tried to sing along but since he did not know of the lines he started singing: You and I riding Harleys at Hawaii, I. No one was in sync as it didn't matter what he was singing and kept going on in his crow-like voice.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes, "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

Everyone followed after their respective house leaders while Sonic was having a hard time on where to go and which to choose. He hardly knew anyone here and only Ron, Harry, and Hermione were he talked to but they were not his friends.

"Hey, what are you standing there for? Come!" just as he was pondering Hermione called, "It's better to stay at Gryffindor than at other houses since we are also here."

Sonic smiled and followed Percy through doorways after doorways behind the sliding panels and hanging tapestries, the living portraits on the wall nearly made Sonic jump on his feet and fall down on the ground floor had it not been for Hermione and Percy catching him.

They climbed stairs after stairs and more stairs when suddenly coming to a halt. There were sticks floating in the air ahead of them and Sonic felt another energy hidden there. It was similar to the ghosts from before.

"Peeves!" Percy shouted, "Go away! Or do you want me to go to Bloody Baron?"

A snort came and a short creepy man ghost appeared. He was clutching the walking sticks and smiled evilly, "Ickle fristies! What fun beans!"

"Peeves go back!" Percy said, "Bloody Baron will hear about this for sure, I tell you."

Peeves snorted dropped the walking sticks on Neville's head and zoomed away rattling the armor coasts on the way.

"He only listens to Bloody Baron so it'd be best to watch out for him." Percy said, "Here we are."

There was a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress as she said, "Password?"

"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and they entered too tired to even notice anything else as Percy directed girls to their dormitory and boys followed behind him to another -- atop the spiral staircase -- in the tower.

Sonic as soon as he found his bedding blacked out and knew nothing of next.