Thoughts of a Hat
by Lirulin
Disclaimer: Nothing in here belongs to me. If it did, Sirius and Dumbledore would still be alive. Everything is property of J.K. Rowling. I'm just borrowing it.
AN.: HBP SPOILERS! Don't read if you haven't finished the book yet (which you really should by now).
Now, I've seen a lot of stories that show Harry's POV about Dumbledore's death. That's all well and good because Harry's certainly the most affected, but I wondered what another character might think about the whole story. A character you normally overlook, although he's always there in the headmaster's office, where all the important stuff is discussed.
So, therefore here are the thoughts of the Sorting Hat!
Oh yeah! This contains very mild Snape-bashing. I normally like him a lot, but I was soooo angry with him when he killed Dumbledore!
Hey, what's going on?
Why are the portraits whispering so much?
They woke me up! How rude. I had such a nice dream about that time when Godric... but that's a different story.
Anyway, what are they saying? My hearing is not as good as it once was.
What is it with Dumbledore's head? He didn't cut his hair, did he? It's so nice...
WHAT? DUMBLEDORE IS DEAD?
No way! That's not possible. He is after all the greatest wizard this world has at the moment. He cannot die like that... or can he?
Now that I think about it... he was still human after all, power or not, and so he can obviously die. And that's damn well good, that he was human I mean. Not like this wannabe Dark Lord. I may be just a tattered, old hat, but I know quite a lot. And I believe it's a lot better to be human and have emotions and feelings than to be immortal but cruel to the core.
What did Dumbledore once tell me? Something like death is just another great adventure. Perhaps he's having real fun right now.
But, to tell you the truth, I will miss him. I still remember the day that I got to sort him. It was not that long ago. For me, I mean. I'm already around for a 1.000 years or so. Well, there are some students you don't forget. And Albus Percifal Wulfric Brian Dumbledore certainly was one of them.
Would you believe it when I told you that he was mightily nervous when he sat on this chair, with me on his head? But he was still very polite and even asked me how I was. Charming boy. And the power I sensed in him! Unlike anything I had seen till then. I then knew that he was destined to do great things.
But still, it was tricky to sort him. He had qualities of all the four houses in him. Studious, highly intelligent and determined to gather knowledge like a Ravenclaw. Loyal to his friends and extremely hardworking like a Hufflepuff. Courageous and a bit reckless like a Gryffindor. And also cunning and devoted to his goals like a Slytherin.
Oh, it was hard to decide. And although he didn't tell me outright (like some other students), I knew he did not want to be in Slytherin. Quite understandable. Slytherin always has had a bad reputation. Last year and the year before that I tried to tell the students that they have to unite if they want to prevail over Voldemort, but I think enmity that runs this deep is hard to destroy.
Anyway, the little Albus ended up in Gryffindor and I believe I made a good choice. Of course, I didn't see him again until many years later when he became a professor, because I'm always in the headmaster's office throughout the year. And even then he wasn't very often there. From what I gathered he and Headmaster Dippet didn't agree on a number of things, one of them being one Tom Marvolo Riddle.
Now, if one had only asked me! But of course: I'm just a hat and no one gives a damn about my opinion, except Dumbledore that is, but more about that later.
As I said, if they had asked me, I could've told them some things. I sorted that Tom Riddle. I had a look into his head. I was probably the only one who ever truly had. And I can tell you, for an eleven-year-old boy he was very dark. Too dark for my liking.
The things he had done to some of the children at his orphanage truly shocked me and it was disturbing that he could already control the magic to such a degree without any education whatsoever.
I knew you would have to maintain a very close look on him. But Headmaster Dippet simply was not aware enough and he didn't want to see what Dumbledore obviously noticed. I tried to tell him several times, but he only said I should go back to sleep and that Tome was a very nice boy. He, like so many others, was fooled by the boy's charm.
You see where we are now. We have an incredibly powerful, almost immortal and indestructible Dark Lord at our hands.
Why I know so much about what's going on with Voldemort? Well, I'm coming to that now.
You see, Dumbledore always valued my opinion, asked me what I thought about certain students or decisions regarding the castle, told me about what was going on in the world outside or simply talked to me.
He knew that I was not just some hat that could talk a bit and shout out house names, but that I was a powerful magical being with parts of all the founders imbedded in me and quite a mind of my own.
It was nice to have a real conversation from time to time with someone who actually listened to what I had to say.
He definitely was one of the greatest headmasters Hogwarts has ever had. I would know it. I have been there from the beginning on.
And now he isn't here anymore. It's quite hard to believe that he will not come through the door and ask me how my day was. He always asked it, you know, although it was obvious that I couldn't be doing much, given that I'm a hat. But I thought it was very kind of him. Showed that he was interested in me. He even tried to offer me a Lemon Drop once...
I'm becoming all sentimental. I never thought I could be this sad. In all my long "life" I have never wanted so desperately to be able to cry like now.
Nevertheless, it somehow helps a bit to talk, or to "think" about him.
As I said, he often asked for my opinion, and it is only natural that sometimes we didn't agree. Take the Potter boy for example.
Dumbledore once told me about the prophecy and since I knew Harry Potter (having first in his first, then again in his second year the pleasure of looking into his head), I urged him to inform the boy about it.
For one, I thought he had a right to know the truth and then I was certain that he would be strong enough. Dumbledore then explained to me that he cared too much about the boy and his well-being and happiness. I didn't quite understand. Perhaps I'm too less human for it. I don't know if Dumbledore did the right thing in withholding this information for so long and I won't judge him. I cannot change it now anyway. I'm sure he believed to do what was best for Harry Potter and the world.
Anyway, how exactly did he die? Must listen to the portraits a bit closer...
WHAT? NO! COME AGAIN!
IT WAS SNAPE?
What's going on?
Dumbledore always told me Snape was a spy for the order! He trusted him!
Snape cannot kill him!
But wait... Let me think. Snape... Severus Snape... Now what did I see when I sorted him? It takes so long to remember. My memory is almost as bad as my hearing.
Ah, there it is! He was also quite dark. Difficult childhood. Lost his trust in people very early. No true loyalty to anyone. Now I don't know what Voldemort offered him, but with these character traits he would have no qualms about killing Dumbledore. I bet there's no remorse whatsoever.
I would've never guessed... Of course I remember that Harry Potter questioned Snape quite a lot this year, but Dumbledore was always firm in his trust and so I didn't give much thought to it.
How dare this Snape!
Oh, if I just had legs and arms and wand, then I would... but that's pointless. It doesn't do to get in a fit over it, I cannot hunt him down. But I sincerely hope someone else does. And then I wish him a slow and painful death. Just come to me if you need advice. Salazar knew some nice little methods...
Good! Thinking about this calms me down a little bit.
I wonder when the funeral will be. I hope someone comes and gets me. I want to be there...
Oh, look! What's this? There's a new portrait on the wall. It's Dumbledore. So he's really dead. At least I can still talk to his portrait. I wonder if it will be the same as when he was alive.
At the moment he's sleeping (the portrait, I mean). And that's damn well good. In the last weeks and months he hardly ever slept. Sometimes he was sitting here in the office till three or four in the night, pouring over ancient tomes or muttering obscure spells under his breath. Sometimes he was away for days at a time.
I believe he was trying to locate these... these Horfluxes or whatever they're called. You know what I mean, these things that hold parts of Voldemort's soul.
Must've put a great strain on him. I mean, he isn't exactly what you would call young. For a human, that is. It's about 140 years that he first set foot into this school, I believe. Perhaps a bit less, but still.
His death now is terrible and I'm not quite sure how the wizarding world will cope without him, but for him, personally, it was probably for the best. Perhaps he can get a little rest now.
Of all things living, me and Fawkes are those who knew him longest. He was always working extremely hard so that others could have a better and safer life. He had to live on while all of his friends died. And then, when everyone he once loved was dead, he was completely alone.
It was especially hard in the last 30 or 40 years. They all came to him with their problems and expected him to solve them, like he was omnipotent or something. And he always listened to them, was compassionate, consoled them and offered advice.
But when they were gone, who was there for him? Who listened to him and his problems, his sadness? Nobody. He would've needed a true friend so badly.
Everyone always thought that he was invincible, the greatest wizard alive, the only one Voldemort ever feared. True, he was extraordinarily powerful, but he was also still human. And that's what they forgot.
So I think that he deserves some rest and peace now. But... you see, I'm supposedly just a stupid old hat. What would I know?...
You truly were a great man. I saw many people come and go, but there was no one quite like you and I suppose there will never be.
Farewell, Albus Dumbledore.
The End
So, that's it. I hope you liked it. Please tell me what you think about it and leave a review.