"Slytherin, Liliana!"
The whole room froze. Then someone from Slytherin house breathed, "Slytherin, as in… Salazar Slytherin?"
And as the first-year girl walked forward, everyone started whispering to each other, their voices growing in volume, louder and louder; everyone started shouting to be heard…
"SILENCE!" Professor Dumbledore roared.
Liliana was breathing hard as the sorting hat was placed on her head, and she jumped a little as she heard its voice inside her mind: Ah, now this is something you don't see every day. Welcome to the modern world, my dear!
What do you mean? Liliana thought back, I've lived in this world all my life!
Ah, right - ahem. The sorting hat gave a small cough and continued, Well, forget what I just said. Now, which house to put you in?
I don't know… Liliana mused, I mean, it would be ironic if I was placed in Slytherin - that is my name after all.
Yes, and you do have the right mind for Slytherin, the hat told her, you're ambitious, you're cunning, and… yes, you feel the need to prove yourself too. But you're also brave, and would make a good leader if you put your mind to it, which makes you eligible for Gryffindor as well… and your intelligence - you are rather a bookworm, aren't you?
Um… yes? Liliana replied, more than a little confused. The sorting hat continued.
Mm, and that would make you a match for Ravenclaw. And - aha! - well, this really is going to be hard. You are very loyal to your friends, are you not?
Without waiting for Liliana to confirm, the hat kept going. Yes, you could just as easily fit into Hufflepuff, couldn't you?
Will you quit messing about and sort me already! Liliana huffed exasperatedly in her mind, and the hat stopped ruminating on her qualities.
But, my dear, you would be just as welcome in any of the four houses, so really - it's your choice!
A cold feeling started making its way down Liliana's spine. She would have to choose?
Yes, the sorting hat told her. You choose.
Well, I don't know! Liliana thought in a panic, Slytherin! That's my name, so I'll go with Slytherin!
Ok then, if that's your final choice, then… "SLYTHERIN"
The last word was shouted aloud to the hall, and Liliana heard thunderous applause as the hat was lifted off her head and she made her way over to the Slytherin table and sat down next to "Malfoy, Draco", a blond first-year boy who had been sorted earlier.
"Slytherin, eh?" he asked her in a cold sort of drawl. "Descendant of Salazar?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Liliana said in a small voice, "it must be a coincidence or something."
But something in the back of her head told her that it couldn't be a coincidence - this was too big to have happened by chance.