Vid quickly walked over, put on the Sorting Hat, and thought to himself, "Hufflepuff! Hufflepuff! I want to go to Hufflepuff!"
"Hufflepuff?" a small voice said, "Oh, maybe you didn't hear the song I just sang, no worries, I can sing a part for you alone—where the people are just and loyal—"
Vid: "..."
He vaguely sensed something.
The Sorting Hat continued to sing, "Hufflepuff's students are tenacious and honest—"
Vid: "..."
Alright, I understand, no need to keep singing!
Sorting Hat: "Not afraid of hard work—"
Vid: "..."
A bit excessive! Your voice is a bit too loud!
The Sorting Hat whispered, "Although Hufflepuff never refuses any student yearning for Hogwarts, there is a place more suitable for you... Hmm—people always have a hard time recognizing themselves, don't they?"
Vid quickly thought to himself, "I won't go to Slytherin!"
"Of course it's—" the Sorting Hat shouted loudly, "Ravenclaw—"
The second table to the left started clapping, the applause was very restrained. Vid sighed inwardly, took off the hat, and walked towards the table decorated in teal and blue.
——Stubborn Sorting Hat! So what if I'm not honest, hard-working, and tenacious enough? I just like to befriend honest, hard-working people, can't I?
A few Ravenclaw students stood up to shake his hand. A leading boy said, "Welcome to Ravenclaw, I'm the male Prefect, West Moore."
Another boy leaned in and said, "Your name is Vid Gray? Then you're very suitable for our house!"
"What do you mean?" Vid asked.
"Oh, Benson, don't tell your joke," West thought of something and said helplessly.
Benson winked and said, "Because our house ghost is also called Gray—Ms. Gray."
Vid looked at him and after a few seconds, slowly said, "…Oh, so?"
Benson: "..."
West pushed the boy's head back, "I told you long ago, don't imitate the Weasley twins; you don't have the funny genes."
Benson flopped onto the table, appearing extremely dejected, which Vid found rather funny.
He sat down and glanced around.
No introductions needed, in his eyes, everyone around had a name above them (or two). However, Vid had little impression of nearly all the Ravenclaws, probably because they were never mentioned in the plot. The only exception was a very cute black-haired girl not far opposite him—[Cho Chang], who was watching the newly sorted students, unaware of Vid's gaze.
The faculty at the teachers' table also matched his memory—silver-haired, long-bearded Albus Dumbledore, sallow-faced, greasy-haired Severus Snape, Filius Flitwick, as short as a three-year-old child, the eccentric Sybill Trelawney, the plump Professor Sprout, and the two-faced Quirinus Quirrell & Tom Riddle.
Of course, sitting at the Ravenclaw table, Vid was like an invisible man, and the professors didn't focus their attention on him.
The Sorting Ceremony continued.
"Michael Corner!"
"Ravenclaw!"
Before Vid, a blond boy named Anthony had been sorted into Ravenclaw and was excitedly greeting everyone. Soon after, a boy with long black curls named Michael Corner arrived and sat next to Vid. Following him was the younger of the twin sisters of Indian descent, Padma Patil, while her sister Parvati Patil was sorted into Gryffindor.
Ravenclaw didn't have many newcomers, about ten in total. The new students observed their surroundings with a mix of nervousness and excitement until a name suddenly resounded—
"Harry Potter!"
The entire hall instantly fell silent, followed by a buzzing discussion.
"Potter? Harry Potter?"
"Is it that Harry Potter?"
At the Ravenclaw table, even students who usually seemed aloof and uninterested in newcomers couldn't help but turn their heads and crane their necks to look at the black-haired boy walking towards the Sorting Hat.
When he put on the hat, many held their breath in anticipation, from Gryffindor to Slytherin, from Headmaster Dumbledore to Filch standing at the door, everyone was watching that dirty hat and the little boy's face underneath, mostly hidden by it.
The chatter gradually subsided.
Finally—
"Gryffindor!"
The Sorting Hat shouted, and enthusiastic cheers and applause erupted in the hall, with Gryffindor being the loudest, but the Ravenclaws were also mostly clapping—this was a reception other students didn't receive during sorting.
"I knew he'd be in Gryffindor!" Benson earnestly told West, "Harry Potter is definitely in Gryffindor; where else could he go?"
"Shut up, Benson. Two months ago, you even said Harry Potter was just a character from a book and didn't exist in reality!" West said, rolling his eyes.
As the last new student was sorted into Slytherin, Professor McGonagall took the Sorting Hat away, and Dumbledore stood up with open arms.
"Welcome!" he said, "Welcome to the start of a new school year at Hogwarts! Before the feast begins, I'd like to say a few words. They are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"
Hearing this classic opening line, Vid clapped hard.
"What does he mean?" Michael, sitting next to him, asked.
"I don't know," Vid replied.
"Then why clap?" Michael raised an eyebrow and asked.
"Isn't such a short speech worth applauding?" Vid countered.
Michael thought for a moment and agreed, "You're right!"
The enthusiastic applause was followed by cheers, and in the blink of an eye, the previously empty table was filled with food such as roast beef, lamb chops, crisps, mashed potatoes, and more. Although vegetables were a bit sparse, everything smelled delicious and looked appetizing.
The students, having been hungry for quite some time, began to feast, and when almost everyone was full, the main course disappeared, and many desserts appeared on the table. With their stomachs filled, the students had to slow down and savor the treats, leaving them with time to chat with those around them.
The freshmen naturally focused their talks on their family backgrounds and heritage.
A boy named Stephen said, "I'm from a Pure-Blood family. My mom was also in Ravenclaw, and my dad was in Gryffindor. I've already read all the textbooks at home."
"And you, Vid?" someone asked.
Vid said openly, "Neither of my parents are wizards."
"Then magic must be a completely unfamiliar field for you, right?" Stephen said sympathetically, "You'll have to work harder at school."
"Yes, I will do my best," Vid replied with a smile.
"Though I'm a Half-Blood, I think it doesn't really matter if one is Pure-Blood or Muggle-born," Michael beside Vid said, "Take my family, for example. My father is a wizard, but he's not as smart as my mom. She makes all the decisions at home."