Chapter 12

This must be Hannah Abbott, who would eventually marry Neville. Her name was called first because her last name starts with the first letter of the alphabet.

Albert watched as a small, blonde girl with rosy cheeks stepped out of the line. Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head.

Hannah sat nervously on the stool, hoping to be sorted into Hufflepuff. The Sorting Hat didn't keep her waiting long before it shouted, "Hufflepuff——!"

The students at the table on the right applauded and welcomed Hannah to their table, and the Fat Friar, the house ghost, waved at her cheerfully.

"Susan Bones," McGonagall called next.

"Hufflepuff——!" the Hat declared again. Susan quickly joined Hannah and took a seat beside her.

The Sorting continued, and Albert noticed that the Hat's tone changed with each name it called.

Before his name was read, Albert began to speculate about which house he might be placed in.

Due to his lineage, Slytherin was a possibility, but he doubted he would be chosen for that house. He didn't possess the cunning or ambition often associated with Slytherin, nor did he share the darker traits of families like the Malfoys or the Blacksons. As for Ravenclaw, he hadn't yet proven himself a prodigy in knowledge—he had only spent a month learning about this world—so that seemed unlikely as well. That left Gryffindor and Hufflepuff as the most probable options.

Both houses had appealing qualities, but after seeing both Hermione and Neville sorted into Gryffindor, Albert started to prefer Gryffindor. After all, it was better to know someone than to be completely on his own.

Finally, when Neville Longbottom returned the Hat to Professor McGonagall, she read out Albert Black's name.

At the mention of the name "Black," most of the teachers tensed up, but none more so than Professor Snape.

Albert felt a strong sense of hostility emanating from his right side. When he turned to look, he saw Professor Snape glaring at him with intense anger, as if he could devour him on the spot.

Ignoring Snape, Albert walked over to where Professor McGonagall stood.

He sat on the stool, and the professor placed the ancient, never-washed Sorting Hat on his head.

As soon as the Hat touched his head, Albert heard a small voice say, "Although I find your thoughts a bit cheeky, I must thank you for your concern. But the life of an old hat isn't as dull as you might think. I can sense your kindness and bravery, so I've decided..."

Before Albert could respond, the small voice of the Hat turned into a loud shout: "Gryffindor!!!"

Albert took off the Hat and respectfully placed it back on the stool, despite its dirty, torn, and stained appearance. The Hat represented Hogwarts more than the grand castle itself, embodying the wisdom of the four founders and the very spirit of the school.

After bowing to the teachers, Albert walked over to the Gryffindor table and took a seat beside Neville and Ron.

A little later, Harry Potter was sorted into Gryffindor, just as in the original story, and everyone at the table stood up, cheering and clapping.

When Professor McGonagall returned the Sorting Hat to its place, Dumbledore rose from the large golden chair in the center of the staff table. He looked at the students with a warm smile and spread his arms wide, as if nothing made him happier than seeing them all together. "Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our feast, I'd like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

He sat down again. The hall erupted in applause and cheers. Albert looked across the table at Hermione and asked, "What did the headmaster mean by that?"

Hermione, a bit puzzled, replied, "I didn't read that in any book. It might be some sort of special wizarding welcome."

Neville, sitting beside them, interrupted, "Don't think too much about it now. Let's eat quickly. Aren't you hungry?"

Albert noticed that the once-empty plates were now filled with all sorts of delicious foods. He took some boiled potatoes and tomato sauce, eating them with chicken—his usual dinner habit from his past life. Not used to eating too much meat at night, Albert only had half the chicken with the potatoes.

When everyone had finished eating, the remaining food suddenly vanished from the plates, which became shiny and clean as if they had never been used. Shortly after, new dishes appeared, offering a variety of ice cream flavors.

With the help of desserts, conversations flowed easily. Albert and Hermione began asking Percy, the prefect, about academic matters. This lively atmosphere continued until the desserts disappeared.

As the last of the sweets vanished, so did the various table settings, leaving the table looking as clean as new.