Sorting Ceremony I

The door opened immediately. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald robes waited there. She had a very stern face that frightened many of the first-year students.

"First years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said.

"Thank you very much, Hagrid. I'll take care of them," said the witch.

She opened the door wide. The entrance hall was so big they could have fit a whole house in it. They all followed Professor McGonagall across the stone floor marked with flags.

The professor led them into a small, empty chamber. They gathered there, closer to each other than they were used to, nervously looking around.

"Welcome to Hogwarts... The beginning of the year banquet will be held shortly, but before you take your places in the Great Dining Hall, you must be selected for your houses..."

James stopped listening to the witch. He already knew what she was saying. He began to look curiously at the castle. It was gigantic and ancient.

"In a few minutes, I will be back for you. I suggest you get as much dressed up as you can, while you wait." finished McGonagall. She then left the room and left the first-year students alone, who began to murmur nervously.

"How exactly is the selection for the houses done?" muttered a short boy in a shaky voice.

James looked over and noticed that he was talking to himself, and no one would answer him, "You don't have to do anything. They just put a talking hat on you that will decide which house you go to," replied James.

"What the...? I mean t-thank you..." replied the boy quickly. He hadn't expected the ceremony to be so strange, so to say.

"Don't be so nervous. It'll pass quickly. My name is James," he said, stretching out his hand.

The boy looked at James, surprised by the kindness and confidence he showed, "A-a pleasure, my name is Toby Copper!" he greeted with a shaky voice and a strange bow. James smiled. He thought he was funny to this boy.

"The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin," said a watery voice causing James to end his conversation and look forward.

Professor McGonagall had returned, "Now form a line and follow me," she said.

All the first years lined up neatly and followed the teacher. They walked through a pair of double doors and into the Great Hall.

James and all the first years opened their mouths in surprise. The dining hall was lit by thousands and thousands of candles floating in the air on four large tables, where the rest of the students were already seated. On the tables were glittering, golden plates, silverware, and goblets.

At the back of the dining room was another large table, where the teachers sat. Professor McGonagall led the first years there and had them stop, facing the other students and with the teachers behind them.

James could see hundreds of faces staring back at them. He also noticed some ghosts that had a misty silver glow. As he looked up he saw a black velvet ceiling, dotted with stars.

McGonagall quietly placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool, she placed a pointed wizard's hat. The hat was patched and tatty and very dirty. All eyes in the dining room looked at the hat.

There was complete silence, suddenly the hat shook. A tear near the brim opened, wide as a mouth, and the hat began to sing. When it finished its song the whole dining room burst into applause.

The song spoke of the houses and their characteristics. Gryffindor is brave and chivalrous; Hufflepuff is fair and loyal; Ravenclaw is clever and wise; and Slytherin is cunning and ambitious.

According to what James managed to research, the Hat used Legilimency to interpret the student's thoughts and know which house was best for him or her to place in one of the four houses. Legilimency was the act of magically navigating through the many layers of a person's mind and correctly interpreting his or her findings.

James, upon learning of this did not like it at all, as it would not be pleasant at all if, for some reason, the sorting hat found out about his past life. He does not know exactly how much he can read thoughts, as he got this information by deductions from his grandfather and father.

This is why he had to prepare for today. In these years, besides learning and practicing about incantations, potions, and healing magic, he also read books about Occlumency. A branch of magic that consists of closing the mind against the opposite branch, Legilimency.

Occlumency requires a lot of willpower, as well as a high degree of mental and emotional discipline. Something James did not lack. So he was confident that the Sorting Hat could not know about his past life.

His parents agreed to James learning Occlumency, as they didn't want a hat or anyone to navigate their son's mind.

Especially when they already had a secret to hide, which was when James killed the troll and that he had a wand at a very young age.

James had another reason to learn Occlumency. The reason was to hide his past life as Edward, either to hide it from the hat or from other unknown people.

In his close family there was no Legilimens, so James had to read and practice alone, which made it difficult to learn the art of Occlumency. His grandfather and father gave him some advice as they had minimal defenses in their minds. 

'I have a long way to go yet to be an advanced Occlumens...' thought James.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a large roll of parchment, "When I call you, you are to put on your hat and sit on the stool for me to select you," she said.

"Avery, Dylan!" she added in a loud, clear tone.

A long, pale-faced boy stepped out of the line. He put on his hat, which covered even his eyes and sat down. A moment's pause.

"SLYTHERIN!" shouted the hat a few seconds later.

The Slytherin table applauded as Avery went to sit at the table. James watched as a grotesque ghost clapped lazily.

"Arnold, Simon!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat, and Simon hurried to sit at the table as his new housemates applauded him with smiles.

"Black, Sirius!" shouted McGonagall.

Sirius, standing next to James was pale, something rare of him and his always confident face.

"Good luck," whispered James as he gave him a little push, and Sirius started walking.

He had been thinking about his conversation with James and the family tradition, something that made him even more nervous.

As he walked, many whispered. House Black was very famous, and Sirius was the direct heir. Sirius sat down on the stool and placed the hat on his head. The hall was silent for a few moments. Then the hat screeched:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

This time, there were a few moments of stunned silence before the applause came. No one had expected this result. McGonagall gave a rare small smile to Sirius, who looked completely horrified and pale, although he had told James about breaking tradition he didn't expect to be put in Gryffindor. His favorite cousin, who is against pureblood supremacy was put in Slytherin. For this reason, he thought he would be put in that house as well.

Sirius began to stagger over to the Gryffindor table. James gave him a thumbs-up gesture, but Sirius didn't notice. The Gryffindor table applauded, many rising to shake hands with Sirius.

"Bones, Edgar!" called McGonagall.

A boy walked toward the stool with confidence.

"HUFFLEPUF!"

"Copper, Toby!"

The short boy walked trembling toward the stool almost stumbling, but managed to steady himself and not be the laughing stock of the room. He placed the hat on his head with trembling hands and closed his eyes.

After a few seconds of contemplation, the hat spoke:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Toby couldn't believe his ears, but he didn't have time to think, as hundreds of eyes were on him. Clumsily he took off his hat and went to the Gryffindor table.

After him, several more names followed, two went to Slytherin, and another went to Hufflepuff someone James had met, Amos Diggory.

"Evans, Lily!" called McGonagall.

James's eyes widened in surprise when he heard this name. He quickly began to look around for who would be coming out of the line. He was surprised by what he saw. The red-haired girl with green eyes started walking towards the stool.

'Is she!?' thought James with sweat on his forehead. It was the redhead girl they mocked with Sirius. He never thought she would be Harry Potter's mother, hence his 'future wife'. Her name and green eyes assured her identity.

'No, as much as I liked Harry Potter, I won't be with her just to bring the protagonist of the novel into this world' James thought shaking his head. In this life, he'll do as he pleases as far as it's possible and legal.

Besides, the girl would hate him for sure, because they made fun of her and her friend, and they were making fun of a girl's body, although he believed the latter was justified.

Anastasia had a classist personality and hated Muggles to death, showing it more than Gwen. James heard some very dark comments from Anastasia's mouth despite being a year older than him.

"GRYFFINDOR!" exclaimed the hat.

James heard the boy nicknamed 'Sev' give a faint whimper. Lily took off her hat, handed it back to the teacher, and sped towards the table occupied by the Gryffindor students, who were clapping enthusiastically. As she passed, she glanced at Sev and smiled a sad smile.

After a couple more last names, James recognized one of the people.

"Lestrange, Rabastan!" the teacher called.

It was about the boy he had met thanks to Gwen along with her stupid gang of purebloods.

Rabastan stood up confidently and walked calmly to the stool. The hat no sooner touched his head than he shouted, "SLITHERYN!"

Rabastan went to join his friends with an air of satisfaction. He gave James a cocky grin as he passed him, something James chose to ignore.