The world just kind of faded away as the Sorting Hat slipped down over my head. The Great Hall, the floating candles, the enchanted ceiling, all those curious eyes watching, it all vanished in an instant. It was just me and the warm, velvet dark. Then, a voice stirred in my mind. It was old, like really old, but not dusty or slow. It was sharp, focused, and curious, like someone who had just found a rare book tucked behind a shelf and could not wait to see what was inside.
"Well now," the voice murmured thoughtfully. "You are an interesting one, aren't you?"
There was no surprise in its tone. It felt more like the Hat had been expecting someone like me for a while.
"Ambition, I see plenty of that," it continued, flipping through my thoughts like pages. "You plan ahead, you weigh your steps carefully, and you keep your real thoughts tucked away. That speaks of Slytherin, no doubt about it."
I felt a pause, not dramatic, just reflective, like it was letting a moment stretch out while it examined something deeper.
"But there is more than that. You want to understand things, not just to win or stay safe, but to actually know how they work. You are curious in a way that is not about competition. That kind of mind would thrive in Ravenclaw."
Another pause followed, longer this time.
"And underneath it all, there is boldness. It is not loud or reckless, but it is there. You are not afraid to make moves when it counts. You would do just fine in Gryffindor too."
I stayed quiet. I could feel the Hat working through the thoughts and pieces it had seen in me, like someone mapping a puzzle that did not fit a neat pattern.
"You do not fit into a tidy box," it finally said. "And while most believe there are four Houses, Hogwarts remembers more. One of the paths was lost, a forgotten choice that once existed here, hidden behind the others. You would have fit there, I think."
The air in that quiet space shifted. My breath caught without me meaning to.
And then it spoke aloud, voice booming through the hall like a bell ringing off ancient stone.
"Slytherin!"
Applause erupted from the Slytherin table. Not wild or frenzied, but sharp and proud. I removed the Hat and stood slowly, letting the moment settle in. It was not like the explosion that came when Harry had been sorted, but people were still looking. A different kind of attention, more thoughtful.
I glanced up at the staff table. Snape's face was unreadable, his eyes calm and cold, but I knew he was watching. Not with interest, but with calculation. Dumbledore, on the other hand, was still smiling, yet there was something behind his eyes. He was studying me, not with suspicion, but with the quiet interest of someone who had just been dealt a rare card and was already thinking several moves ahead.
Then my gaze shifted to Professor Quirrell.
He flinched. Not dramatically, just enough. His hand went to his collar like it was suddenly too tight, his expression tight and strained. He glanced away quickly, but not before I caught the flicker of fear in his eyes. I could not help the thought.
If you are going to hide the Dark Lord in your turban, at least work on your poker face.
I kept walking, every step steady, and made my way to the Slytherin table. Daphne had already made room for me. She looked up with something close to a smirk, but not cruel. More like someone who had known the outcome all along.
"See?" she said under her breath, lips barely moving. "I told you that you were Slytherin."
I sighed quietly, taking my seat beside her. "You are going to remind me about this every single day, aren't you?"
"At least until Christmas," she said, a little smug.
Before I could reply, Draco leaned over from further down the table, his chin raised and eyes full of that classic Malfoy arrogance.
"Well, at least you did not end up in Gryffindor. That would have been tragic."
I looked at him, my face unreadable. "Disappointed? Were you hoping for an easy spot at the top?"
Draco scoffed, flicking his hand with casual arrogance. "Please. I only meant it would have been a waste. You don't seem like the type to throw yourself into dangerous for fun, especially not with the likes of Weasley and some mudblood tagging along."
"Maybe," I replied casually. "But sometimes, danger is fun when you are the one controlling it."
His smirk faltered for just a second before he nodded, like he did not quite know whether he had been challenged or praised.
Across the hall, Ron Weasley was glaring at me like I had joined the enemy, which I suppose, to him, I had. Hermione looked puzzled, her brow furrowed, clearly trying to understand. Harry though, was still watching. His gaze was steady, curious, and when our eyes met, he gave me a slight nod. I returned it.
The sorting continued, name after name, as the Hat decided their fates. I watched them move to their tables, cheered and welcomed. But my mind kept drifting upward, to the ceiling that sparkled with stars, and the stones of the castle that felt like they were holding secrets just beneath the surface.
Then something flickered in the corner of my vision. Not real light, not a physical shimmer, but a shift in the air. My vision narrowed and a familiar prompt appeared in my mind, neat and clean.
System Notification
Congratulations.
You have officially entered Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Achievement Unlocked: Chosen by Slytherin House.
Rewards:
+25 System Points
Special Gift Unlocked: Bonded Summon – Toothless (Young Night Fury)
I blinked once. The glowing text faded from my mind as quickly as it had appeared.
What the hell. This was crazy.
I had a dragon. A real Night Fury. Toothless.
I almost laughed out loud at the Slytherin table but caught myself just in time. A few students were already glancing over. I grabbed my goblet and took a long sip to cover the grin pulling at my face.
Daphne glanced over, raising an eyebrow as she sliced into her roast chicken. "You've got that 'just won the lottery' look."
I blinked, still caught in the aftershock. "Feels more like I robbed Gringotts and got away with it."
She gave a low chuckle and went back to eating like it was just another Tuesday. Meanwhile, I took a long drink to hide the grin tugging at my face. Because seriously Toothless. I had a dragon now. A real one.
Toothless.
Not here yet. But mine. Bonded and Waiting.
The Great Hall buzzed around us. The ceiling shimmered. The food kept coming.
I was here in the great hall of Hogwarts And I had a dragon to train.
*Drop a Power Stone if you're enjoying the story so far. And hey... did you notice anything odd during the Sorting? Something the Hat said maybe? Or just me?
Also, Toothless. I mean—come on. Legendary. 🐉*