Chapter 15: Hogwarts Learning Panel Chapter 7

Wizard Sean: "..."

Better not to answer at all.

"Why?"

Wizard Sean asked softly in his heart.

"Let the old hat sing it again—fair Ravenclaw, from fields untold..."

The Sorting Hat suddenly began to sing, wriggling constantly atop Wizard Sean's head.

"Mr. Sorting Hat?"

Wizard Sean covered his head, asking in confusion.

"Those wise and learned, will meet their truest friends in clever Ravenclaw..."

The Sorting Hat continued to sing while twisting.

"I want to go to Hufflepuff."

Wizard Sean seemed to realize something.

"Ravenclaw says: Our students must be of the sharpest mind..."

The Sorting Hat sang on without stopping.

"I want to go to Hufflepuff!"

Wizard Sean attempted a final struggle.

"Stubborn little wizard, why must you go to Hufflepuff?"

"Mr. Sorting Hat, why must I go to Ravenclaw?"

"Hmm, practicing spells for thirteen hours a day until you cannot move;

barely knowing English, yet memorizing every book you bought within two months... Apart from Rowena, the old hat has not seen a wizard so thirsty for knowledge in a long time.

Slytherin will help you achieve your ambitions, Gryffindor admires your courage, and Hufflepuff accepts your kind heart."

The Sorting Hat's voice carried a sense of emotion,

"But only Ravenclaw can grant a wise wizard the ability to walk the path of truth!"

"I want to go to Hufflepuff."

Wizard Sean felt his morale drop significantly.

"Very well."

Unexpectedly, the Sorting Hat agreed, and Wizard Sean's emerald eyes lit up.

"Just kidding,"

the Sorting Hat's voice boomed,

"RAVENCLAW!!!"

A distraught Wizard Sean pinched the Sorting Hat,

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch..."

Hearing the Sorting Hat's voice made Wizard Sean feel much better.

However, he did not hear the latter half.

"...Hey, I tricked Ravenclaw...

Truly like mother like daughter, Rowena; you used to pinch the old hat just as recklessly...

Twelve centuries... the old hat has finally fulfilled its promise to Gryffindor, finding an heir for Ravenclaw.

Just watch; great power lurks within this little one's frail body. The old hat is never wrong."

Ravenclaw is fine too.

Wizard Sean told himself,

at least it isn't Slytherin.

Before Wizard Sean could place the Sorting Hat into Professor McGonagall's hands, he heard enthusiastic applause from the Ravenclaw table,

even Gryffindor and Hufflepuff were clapping; looking over, Wizard Sean saw Jia Jia Siting standing and leading the effort,

driving a group of Hufflepuffs to clap thunderously.

Seeing this,

Wizard Sean felt even worse,

What a wonderful Hufflepuff!

What a detestable Sorting Hat!

In the center of the Great Hall,

Professor McGonagall looked gently at Wizard Sean,

her previous pilled robes replaced by Hogwarts' plain robes;

her ill-fitting shoes had become British-style leather boots;

a light of longing sparkled in her cautious emerald eyes,

as she removed the hat for him:

"Are you ready, Mr. Green? Go welcome your new life."

Wizard Sean froze for an instant, then was gently pushed by Professor McGonagall toward the Ravenclaw table.

"Welcome!"

Wizard Sean saw a slightly chubby little wizard beside his seat waving at him,

"I simply cannot believe you are a Hatstall!"

Curious eyes peered from behind his large copper-rimmed glasses; after a shudder, he reached out to Wizard Sean,

but unfortunately, his copper-rimmed glasses were sliding down, so the hand he extended went to adjust them instead,

leaving him flustered and repeatedly apologizing to Wizard Sean.

"Hatstall?"

Wizard Sean paid no mind, his large eyes full of confusion.

"Oh! My goodness! You don't know!"

The chubby little wizard's mouth fell open.

"Terry, not everyone studies that tattered hat."

A voice came from behind him,

belonging to a male wizard with long black hair, who helplessly interrupted Terry's next words.

"Don't mind it too much; Terry always likes researching these strange questions. When I first sat down, he was asking me how many windows Hogwarts has.

Merlin, who cares about such things?

Unless they all fall down, surely crushing Terry Boot, who is counting them below."

"No, windows are important!"

The little wizard named Terry's face turned red, clearly anxious.

"Alright."

The long black-haired little wizard responded as if coaxing someone, then turned to Wizard Sean with considerable interest to introduce,

"Hatstall.

It means a Sorting dilemma student,

referring to those little wizards whose Sorting takes over five minutes,

extremely rare; it is said one appears only once every fifty years or so.

By the way, I am Michael Corner; welcome to Ravenclaw."

He extended his hand.

Wizard Sean was even more confused; over five minutes?

But he clearly remembered it being only a short while?

It was as if something had stolen the time.

Wizard Sean thought so.

"Wizard Sean Green."

The two shook hands lightly.

As the last new student went to Slytherin, Dumbledore stood up,

smiling broadly at the students with arms outstretched, as if nothing pleased him more than seeing the students gathered together.

"Welcome!"

he said,

"Welcome to Hogwarts for a new school year!

Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words.

And they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

As he spoke, Terry frantically took notes, while Michael beside him wore an expression of "I knew it would be like this."

Wizard Sean paid no mind, for the table before him had magically filled with food.

Roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, apple tart, treacle tart, chocolate eclairs, jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, rice pudding...

Wizard Sean checked against the menu he had listed; it matched his memory perfectly.

Dipping the beans, it began.

Wizard Sean told himself.

Immediately, he activated the one-click sweep mode.

"How does he manage to be so elegant while eating so fast?"

Michael asked the boy on his left, utterly dumbfounded.