C20 Sorting

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While waiting for Dumbledore to return, Druella asked Tom an important question.

"Tom, which house do you want to be in?" She asks and her two companions' ears perk up at the question.

"I don't really care which house I'm sorted into, but I'll most likely be in Slytherin." Tom answers.

"Why do you think you'll be in Slytherin? Because you're a pureblood?" Abraxas speaks to Tom for the first time since he's met him.

"Hmm, who said that I was a pureblood?" Tom asks allowed and all three of them widen their eyes in shock.

'Is he actually not a pureblood?' They all think at the same time.

Even Abraxas, who doubted Tom at first, was starting to believe in Tom's blood purity. Before any of them could reply, Tom started talking again.

"As for why I believe I'll be in Slytherin, it's just a feeling I have. Although, I could probably fit in any of the houses. I like to think that I'm brave enough for Gryffindor, studious enough for Ravenclaw, Loyal enough for Hufflepuff, and ambitious enough for Slytherin." Tom says, leaving the three even further shocked.

As they were about to say something, Dumbledore returned and brought them into the great hall. The hall is exactly as it was in the movies. Floating candles lit up the room with four tables grand tables. Looking up, Tom could see the beautiful night sky that's not polluted by the bright lights of London. At the back of the room opposite the entrance, the staff of the school sat and observed their new students. Tom didn't recognize anyone except Headmaster Dippet and Professor Slughorn.

The first years were told to form a line in the middle of the room and wait patiently for their names to be called. Ever since Orion and Abraxas found out about Tom's blood status, they've been putting more and more space between them and him as every second goes by. As for Druella, she still stands next to him with an unsure look on her face. She was taught to avoid people like Tom, but she considers him a new friend. She didn't know whether to join her friends in distancing themselves or to stick by her new friend because that's what friends do.

While Druella was having her inner Crisis, Headmaster Armando Dippet stood from his seat and addressed his students.

"Welcome to the new first years and welcome back to our returning students. I know that all of you have had a long journey here and you want to eat, but we have to go about the sorting first. Let the sorting begin!" He announces and Dumbledore brings up a stool and places a dusty hat on it.

'Oh god, here it comes.' Tom thought as he knows what the hat is about to do.

(A/N: Like I said with the Gringotts poem. These are time-honored traditions.)

In times of old when I was new and Hogwarts barely started

The Founders of our noble school thought never to be parted:

United by a common goal, they had the self-same yearning

To make the world's best magic school and pass along their learning.

And now the Sorting Hat is here and you all know the score:

I sort you into Houses because that is what I'm for

But this year I'll go further, listen closely to my song

Though condemned I am to sort you, still I worry that it's wrong,

"Together we will build and teach!" The Four good friends decided

And never did they dream that they might one day be divided,

For were there ever friends like Slytherin and Gryffindor?

Like Helga and Rowena, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?

So how could it have gone so wrong? How could such friendships fail

Now, I was there and so can tell the whole sad, sorry tale.

Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those whose ancestry is purest."

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose intelligence is surest."

Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those with brave deeds to their name,"

Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot, and treat them just the same."

These things were not a problem, when first they came to light,

For each of the four founders had a House in which they might

Take only those they wanted, so, for instance, Slytherin

Took only pure-blood wizards of great cunning, just like him

And only those of sharpest mind were taught by Ravenclaw

While the bravest and the boldest went to daring Gryffindor,

Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest, and taught them all she knew

So the Houses and their founders were all friends and firm and true.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony for several happy years

But then anger crept up on us, feeding on our faults and fears,

The Houses that, like pillars four, had once held up our school,

Now turned upon each other and they tried to win and rule.

And for a while it seemed the school must meet a sticky end,

With dueling and with fighting and the clash of friend on friend

And at last there came a morning when old Slytherin departed

And though the fighting then died out he left us quite downhearted.

And never since the founders four were whittled down to three

Have the Houses been united, as they once were meant to be.

Though I must fulfill my duty and must quarter every year

Still I wonder whether sorting may not bring the end I fear

Oh, know the perils, read the signs, the warning history shows,

For Hogwarts is in danger from our cruel and deadly foes

But maybe this year is different,

as we have a special guest.

He could bring about a hopeful change.

Of that, I do not jest.

It's for him I sing this sad sad song

to explain our history.

For will he truly bring about a change?

Now that, that is a mystery.

You must unite the broken houses or we'll crumble from within

I have told you. I have warned you. Let the sorting now begin

(A/N: I didn't write this by the way, but I did tweak the ending for plot purposes.)

That was not what Tom was expecting to happen. He expected an annoying happy go lucky song about the houses and sorting. As the hat got to the part about the special guest, Tom could feel that it was talking about him. Was his presence here foretold by one of the founders? It could be that the castle is asking for help. Many of the fan-fictions Tom has read, say that the school is sentient. If it is then it could have sensed Tom, as he owns the school, and reached out through the hat for his help. That seems to be an explanation worth looking into.

'I have to speak with the hat alone. I'll be able to speak to it when I'm called, I guess.' Tom thought as the first batch of students were called up. Tom waiter patiently for the students to be sorted into their houses. By the time his name was called, Orion, Abraxas, and Druella were already sorted into Slytherin and sitting among their new housemates.

"Thomas Riddle!" Dumbledore called, and Tom walked up and took out his wand. Dumbledore dropped the hat onto the stool in reflex and almost reached for his wand, but then he heard the spell Tom called out.

"'Scourgify'" Tom called as he waved his wand.

Suddenly, the dirty and dusty hat was cleaned and looking as good as new.

'Why didn't anyone think of this?' The faculty and older students thought at the same time.

"Haha, I feel century's younger! Thank you." The hat laughs as it wiggles its brim happily.

"Your welcome." Tom says as he takes the hat into his hands and places it atop his head. 'Hello, Hat.'

'Good evening, Heir Slytherin.'