Chapter 191: Hermione Breaks Away from the Group

In the evening, the new students finally arrived at the Great Hall.

Soon, under Professor McGonagall's guidance, the sorting ceremony began.

Murphy sat on the teachers' bench, leisurely watching the reserved program, occasionally chatting with Professor Fu Li Wei beside him.

Although he tried to hint via notes that Tom should join Gryffindor to better take part in the Magic Stone project, it would be fine if he were in Slytherin, as long as the three protagonists stayed together, it wouldn't be off track.

Thus he was completely relaxed at this moment, adopting a spectator's mindset.

Listening to the Sorting Hat babble at the young wizards before assigning them to their houses felt like opening blind boxes; if Dumbledore hadn't already returned, Murphy would have to maintain the School Governor's dignified image, and now he even wanted to open a betting pool.

Moreover, the Sorting Hat is a fascinating object; its having a mind is not unusual, as the Wizarding World contains many thinking things, such as the portraits seen everywhere in Hogwarts and the self‑moving armors.

What's interesting is its discerning ability when sorting students; Murphy is eager to know how it distinguishes their traits.

One possibility is that it can read minds, having built a deep‑learning mechanism over centuries of countless sortings, allowing it to directly judge the suitable house from a student's thoughts.

Another conjecture is that it reads a student's magical nature; according to the Spell Research Group, a wizard's "aura"—i. e., magical nature—is linked to their personality, emotions, and even mood.

Of course, the hat might possess both mechanisms.

Moreover, compared to those, the fact that magic can operate continuously in a single hat for a thousand years seems even more astonishing.

A thousand years!

Even if you store it in a glass case, it might not last that long.

This thing is used every year and hasn't shattered into tatters.

I have no idea what material the hat is made of to be so durable.

It can't be a Horcrux, can it?

While his soul roamed beyond the heavens, Tom donned the Sorting Hat and, unsurprisingly, was sorted into Slytherin; Murphy's peripheral glance caught Dumbledore and Quirrell, who both behaved normally, seemingly unaware of Tom's oddity.

Next was Hermione Granger; just as Murphy expected her to be sorted into Gryffindor without surprise, an unexpected event occurred—the hat shouted, "Ravenclaw!"

The Ravenclaw table erupted in cheers.

Murphy was stunned.

What the heck?

Ravenclaw?

Hermione went to Ravenclaw?

In a moment of distraction, how did the iron triangle lose one?

Although, given Hermione's personality, without a personal intention the hat indeed has a higher chance of placing her in Ravenclaw, but… hadn't she said she wanted Gryffindor earlier?

Murphy was baffled, and he couldn't just perform Legilimency in front of Dumbledore now, and besides him, no one else seemed to find it odd, so he suppressed his thoughts and looked at Harry and Ron in the line.

You two, don't cause any more trouble, okay?

Fortunately, the remaining students were mostly assigned as in the original story; Malfoy went to Slytherin, but upon seeing Tom smiling and clapping at the table, for some unknown reason his pride was cut in half.

Although the hat hesitated a long time over Harry, it ultimately sorted him into Gryffindor.

Ron was also unsurprisingly sorted into Gryffindor.

In other words, only Hermione deviated from the group.

If Hermione isn't in Gryffindor, can the trio still become friends?

And Hermione's role itself is crucial.

The Harry Potter series, ridiculed as the tale of Henmi Gelanjie and her two useless men, isn't without basis; without Hermione's intelligence boost, whether Harry and Ron can secure the Magic Stone is doubtful.

Perhaps Tom could take Hermione's spot in the meantime?

Murphy glanced at Dumbledore, who announced the start of the meal.

Without knowing what the Headmaster had actually arranged, pushing Tom out now is a bit too risky.

Perhaps they should think of another way to reunite the trio.

After the meal, Dumbledore announced the prohibition on entering the forest and the fourth‑floor corridor, then added, "This year we have a new professor joining us; everyone, please welcome the Practical Studies professor, Mr. Murphy Darkholm. Professor Murphy, please say a few words for us."

This was a pre‑arranged segment, and Murphy did not decline, stepping onto a small podium in front of the teachers' bench.

"Thank you, Headmaster Dumbledore, and thank you, professors," Murphy addressed Dumbledore and the professors nearby, "Eleven years ago I was also a Hogwarts freshman; now having the chance to stand here and work with you former professors, I feel deeply honored."

"And to all the new students, welcome. Seeing you reminds me of myself back then. I too stood below, full of anticipation and fear, waiting for that battered hat to sort me into some unknown house."

"What's more infuriating is that the professors made this affair so mysterious, apparently deliberately not telling us the criteria the hat uses to assign houses, leaving us extremely nervous, while they enjoy it, cracking jokes about us from the podium."

"Ah, sorry, Professor McGonagall, I didn't mean you."

"I was only saying I only felt this nasty amusement today."

"Anyway, in the end the hat sorted me into Ravenclaw. I don't know why; perhaps the hat saw some of my future talents and thought I might become rather clever."

"Regardless, I'm glad it didn't sort me into Hufflepuff."

"I didn't become the least cool student."

In the Great Hall, students at the three long tables burst into laughter, while the Hufflepuff table's students pulled their faces down.

Even Professor Sprout frowned.

"I'm also glad it didn't sort me into Slytherin. I was then terrified of entering Slytherin and being bullied by future Black Wizards."

Gryffindor erupted in uproar, but the Slytherin table stirred up.

Snape's complexion seemed as if he was about to cast a Curse on Murphy.

Yet soon even Gryffindor couldn't laugh any longer.

"Gryffindor? Oh, of course, they're pretty cool, unconventional, always leading trends. But honestly, sometimes we feel they go a bit too far…"

"Like a bunch of never‑growing kids, noisy and reckless, stupid and playful, basically troublemakers."

Professor McGonagall stared wide‑eyed; how can a professor speak of students like that!

The Ravenclaw table let out a self‑satisfied chuckle.

Indeed, that bunch of little lions is far too noisy; being both inexperienced and playful is an accurate portrait of them.

Professor McGonagall truly lives up to being from Ravenclaw; it really fits their taste.

But Murphy is about to disappoint them.

"However, is Ravenclaw really that great?" Murphy suddenly said, "Younglings of Eagle House, do you know what image we have in the other houses?"

"Bookworm." Murphy said, without mercy.

Now all the students were puzzled; Murphy had disparaged all four houses—what exactly does he want to say?

(End of chapter)