The hall fell into a stunned silence as McGonagall announced, "Nero Ravenclaw."
It only lasted a mont before whispers erupted across the Great Hall.
"Three out of four Founders' heirs in one year?"
"Nothing can surprise us anymore."
The buzz of conversation followed Nero as he walked toward the Sorting Hat, his expression calm but focused.
Before sitting, Nero raised his wand, Liss, toward the old Sorting Hat and murmured, "Scourgify." Dust and gri disappeared instantly, leaving the ancient artifact looking unexpectedly pristine. A faint murmur rippled through the hall as students took notice.
"What's he doing?" a student whispered from the Hufflepuff table.
"Cleaning the Sorting Hat?" another replied, baffled.
Nero calmly took his place on the stool, placing the now-clean hat on his head.
"Thank you, young man," the hat said, its voice resonating directly in Nero's mind. "Though I must ask, why?"
Nero responded ntally, "I'd like to have another conversation with you later. I have questions about how you function and a request to make. Consider the cleaning a gesture of goodwill."
The hat chuckled nervously. "You're not planning to dissect , are you? I've had quite enough Ravenclaws attempting to unpick my stitches!"
Nero smirked faintly. "Nothing so extre. I'm just... curious."
The hat let out a hum of consideration as it began its assessnt. "Ah, curiosity. Intellect. A relentless thirst for understanding. You are undoubtedly suited for Ravenclaw.
However..." The hat's tone shifted slightly. "Your cunning and ambition shine as well, hallmarks of Slytherin. And there's a loyal streak within you, a deep regard for friendship, though not as dominant as other traits. As for Gryffindor..."
The hat paused, almost as if amused. "You're more likely to retreat from an unbeatable foe to strategize and take your revenge later, rather than rush in blindly, hoping for a miracle."
Nero's faint smile deepened. "So where does that leave ?"
The hat laughed. "A curious enigma, but not an impossible one. Your mind craves knowledge above all else, and there's no better place for you than Ravenclaw!"
It called out, "RAVENCLAW!" to the hall, and applause erupted from the blue and bronze table. Nero removed the hat, giving it a polite nod before making his way to his new housemates.
Whispers trailed him as he walked.
"This is insane. First a Gryffindor heir, then Hufflepuff, and now Ravenclaw!"
"What's next, the return of rlin?"
Nero found a seat at the Ravenclaw table, glancing over at Ember and Alaric. Ember gave him an exaggerated thumbs-up, while Alaric bead at him.
McGonagall resud calling nas, and Nero exchanged a look with Lilith, who remained composed, her hands folded neatly in her lap.
Finally, McGonagall announced "Lilith Slytherin".
Which gave way to the sa wave of shocked reactions as Nero, Ember and Alaric faced.
Lilith strode to the stool with asured grace, seemingly unperturbed by the whispers.
As the Sorting Hat assessed her, a hush fell over the hall once more. It didn't take long.
"Slytherin!"
The green and silver table erupted in cheers as Lilith rose, her expression as unreadable as ever. She briefly headed to join her new enthusiastic housemates.
With the Sorting Ceremony concluded, Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet, his arms open as if to embrace the entire hall. His eyes twinkled behind his half-moon glasses, his expression one of delighted amusent.
Nero felt a warm yet overpowering aura radiating from him.
The most terrifying part? Dumbledore looked as youthful as he did in the Fantastic Beasts era.
A beast in the guise of a headmaster.
A Legend-ranked wizard.
"Welco, one and all, to another year at Hogwarts!" His voice carried effortlessly, silencing the murmurs that had filled the Great Hall. "But before we fill our bellies, we must honor tradition."
With a flick of his wand, golden words appeared in the air above him, shimring brightly: "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts."
"You know the drill," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Sing it however your heart desires. Slow or fast, tuneful or... otherwise. It's the spirit that counts!"
The hall erupted into a chaotic symphony as students and staff belted out the anthem. So sang with gusto, others off-key but with great enthusiasm. Ember's voice rang out loud and proud, drowning out half the Gryffindor table, while Alaric attempted a harmonized rendition that faltered midway. Lilith, seated at the Slytherin table, rely raised an eyebrow and mouthed the words silently.
Nero couldn't help but chuckle, caught in the absurd yet heartwarming chaos of it all. He joined in softly, his voice blending into the cacophony.
As the final, mismatched notes faded, Dumbledore clapped his hands together, his expression unusually serious for a mont. "A splendid start!" he declared. "And now, let the feast begin!"
The tables groaned under the weight of the feast that appeared: roast ats, steaming soups, platters of vegetables, and every dessert imaginable. Yet, as Nero reached for a serving platter, he caught Dumbledore's gaze. The headmaster raised his goblet in a subtle toast toward Nero, his lips moving silently.
Nero's eyes narrowed slightly as he read the words. "Curiosity finds its answers when it asks the right questions."
The cryptic remark echoed in Nero's mind as he tried to decipher its aning. Was Dumbledore referring to the Sorting Hat? The train? Or sothing far greater?
His thoughts were interrupted by Professor Flitwick, who approached with a cheerful smile. "That was a masterful use of Scourgify, Mr. Ravenclaw. Quite the first impression!"
"Thank you, Professor," Nero replied, slightly embarrassed.
"I'll leave you to your al, but before I go, the Headmaster would like to see you tomorrow afternoon, at 3 pm. The password is Sherbet Lemon." Flitwick's eyes twinkled. "It seems your cleaning spell has left the Sorting Hat in a particularly pleasant mood. Well done!"
With a wink, Flitwick returned to the staff table, leaving Nero to ponder the layers of aning in Dumbledore's words and the Sorting Hat's gratitude.
As he settled in, surrounded by curious Ravenclaws eager to introduce themselves, Nero glanced around the Great Hall. His gaze lingered on Ember and Alaric, who were already deep in conversation, and on Lilith, who watched everything with an air of calculated detachnt.
The magic that had brought them together on the train had set the stage for sothing extraordinary, and Nero couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. Whatever secrets Hogwarts held, he was determined to uncover them, one question at a ti.
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2nd Chapter of the day as promised! (2/2)
50 Chapters ahead on Patreon (Suiijin): Chapter 68: Silent Steps
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