On the high platform, the Sorting Hat suddenly split open to form a mouth, singing the customary Sorting Hat song.
As the Sorting Hat's voice fell, the auditorium burst into applause. The Sorting Hat bowed to the four Houses one by one and then remained motionless.
At this time, Professor McGonagall took out a piece of parchment and announced loudly, "Next, when I call your name, please come up to the platform, put on the Sorting Hat, sit on the stool, and wait for the sorting."
"Er—I'm sorry, Hannah Abbott!"
Professor McGonagall corrected herself, puzzled, as she called out.
Hannah Abbott hurried over, put on the hat, and the hat immediately shouted, "Hufflepuff."
The Hufflepuffs cheered loudly, applauding their first new student.
Next, one name after another was called. Whenever the Sorting Hat shouted the name of a house, that house would applaud. Gryffindor was the loudest, and the two redheads were still booing when Slytherin was announced.
Finally...
"Alvin Gaunt!"
When Professor McGonagall called out the name loudly, the professors on the high platform immediately turned their gazes toward him.
The Slytherins were particularly sensitive to this name, craning their necks to see what the legendary last orphan of the Gaunt family looked like.
In the queue of freshmen, a cute girl with fluffy brown hair and a messy head also cast a startled look.
Alvin didn't seem to notice this and approached the Sorting Hat under everyone's gaze. He glanced at the Sorting Hat with disdain, as if making a great determination to place it on his head.
"The boy of Damn it, I am the hat of the founder of Hogwarts, and countless excellent wizards have chosen the appropriate academy under my assignment."
The Sorting Hat's voice echoed in Alvin's mind.
"Oh? That great Sorting Hat, didn't so many good wizards think of cleaning you up?"
"Who said no, two hundred years ago, a Gryffindor kid threw me into the Black Lake. I cleaned it up."
Alvin couldn't help but complain. Washed once two hundred years ago, you are really "clean."
"Slytherin's blood, what else to say!"
"S!"
"Stop! I'm going to Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw!"
Hearing the Sorting Hat, Alvin kept repeating Ravenclaw in his head.
"Why? Although you also have a thirst for knowledge, your ambitions for magic and your bloodline prove that you are a natural Slytherin."
"Bloodline is not the standard for sorting, right? My own desire and my qualities are the most important, aren't they?"
"You said that I have the qualities of Ravenclaw, then let me go to Ravenclaw!"
Uncompromising, Alvin kept sending the Sorting Hat his desire to go to Ravenclaw.
"Okay boy, as long as you promise me, come and do a cleaning for me when you have time, I will promise you."
"No problem," Alvin agreed immediately.
"If Rowena found out, she would definitely laugh at this fellow Salazar."
"Ravenclaw!"
The Sorting Hat declared loudly. Not only were the little wizards stunned, but even the professors on the teacher's chair were taken aback.
Just now, the Sorting Hat had started to say Slytherin but stopped abruptly, and after a moment of silence, it announced Ravenclaw. Especially Snape, the coldness on his face seemed to intensify.
For nearly a thousand years at Hogwarts, there had never been a little wizard who forcibly reversed the Sorting Hat's will and re-selected the house.
As a result, now, there was a little wizard in front of them who strongly rejected Slytherin and chose Ravenclaw. This was almost a slap in the face.
Dumbledore's eyes, hidden under his glasses, flashed with a golden light of interest. He hadn't expected the little guy from the Gaunt family not to go to Slytherin, which was a delightful surprise.
The students at the Slytherin table also understood this truth. After a brief shock, they looked at Alvin with hatred, wishing they could take out their wands and hex him.
Alvin didn't care about this and happily placed the Sorting Hat back on the stool. He suddenly took out his wand and pointed it at the Sorting Hat.
"Aguamenti!"
Immediately, a stream of water spurted from the tip of his wand and splashed on the Sorting Hat.
"Oh! Ah! That's nice, refreshing."
"Boy, you're really good, much better than that kid two hundred years ago! More! I want more!"
Alvin was exasperated. Where had this hat learned such strange phrases?
Ignoring the Sorting Hat's shouting, Alvin turned and walked toward the Ravenclaw table. The little wizards gradually came to their senses, and loud applause erupted from the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables.
Especially a pair of red-haired twins, shouting excitedly at Alvin, "Nice job, Alvin! You should be in Gryffindor! So cool!"
Then, they were suppressed by an older redhead.
Walking to Cho's side and seeing her surprised eyes, Alvin sat down and hugged her tightly, whispering,
"I am here."
"Welcome to Ravenclaw!" Cho was very excited, seeing that the boy in front of her had become the first person in Hogwarts history to openly change the Sorting Hat's will because of her. She was very moved.
Alvin looked at the girl whose eyes were full of admiration and surprise, and gently held Cho's hand, engaging in an intimate conversation.
The uproar caused by Alvin was settled, and the sorting ceremony continued.
When Hermione came on stage, she glanced at Alvin but was still assigned to Gryffindor.
Then it was Harry's turn, which caused another sensation. When Harry was assigned to Gryffindor, Gryffindor burst into cheers. The twins shouted, "We have Harry! We have Harry!"
But it didn't affect Cho and Alvin, who were lost in their own world. Meanwhile, Ravenclaw's older students were a bit worried; finally, such a handsome junior had arrived, and Cho had taken the lead.
Soon, the sorting ceremony was over. Dumbledore stood up, and the noise in the hall gradually subsided. Looking at the little wizards sitting below, a look of relief flashed in his eyes. These students, this school, were the proof of his life's work.
Looking around, Dumbledore spoke.
"Welcome everyone, welcome to Hogwarts. Before the feast, I want to say a few words, and they are: 'Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!' Thank you, everyone!" After he finished speaking, he sat down, looking more like a mad old man than the greatest white wizard of the 20th century.
Under everyone's stunned eyes, the plates in front of the students suddenly filled with food.
The feast had officially begun!