Lucy was fascinated by the Sorting Hat from the moment Professor Flitwick placed it atop the stool and informed Lucy's class that they'd be placing it on top of their heads to be sorted into their houses. Unfortunately, she didn't see the hat again in the months that followed her sorting into Ravenclaw, and none of the students she asked were much help.

It wasn't until she'd sufficiently bothered her cousin Victoire, the Head Girl, that she learned the Sorting Hat resigned in Headmistress McGonagall's office for 364 days of the year. When it was made clear that she wouldn't get to see said office without reason, she resigned herself to the fact she'd need to get into some trouble.

The shameful act had hurt her, but as it was the only shot she had, she'd done it. She'd managed to get sent to McGonagall's office. She'd complete whatever punishment was necessary before trying to pretend it had never happened. What mattered was that the Sorting Hat was before her in all its glory. Well, perhaps not all. It was sitting silently upon a shelf, far too high for Lucy to get to without breaking more rules. She stared up at it in wonder, hardly remembering that she was still waiting for the headmistress to appear with her punishment.

"Excuse me," she said, hoping her voice was loud enough to carry to the hat but low enough that McGonagall wouldn't be alerted from her quarters. "Sorting Hat, I was wondering how you work."

The hat came to life as if she'd said magic words. Though it had no eyes, Lucy swore it was looking at her, and she fought the urge to back away.

"I work through magic," the hat said simply, not caring that its words made Lucy tingle with excitement. "It is the same as much of this castle."

"Most magic can be explained by theory," Lucy pointed out, taking a step forward past McGonagall's desk as she forgot where she was. "But I can't find anything in Hogwarts' library on the enchantments Gryffindor supposedly placed on you. There's no explanation anywhere of how it works."

"Is that so?" the hat said. "Reading has never been my forte. I'm not aware of what is or isn't said about me in the library. As such, I don't believe I hold the answers you seek."

Lucy's bottom lip stuck out in a pout. She thought for a moment before voicing another thought that had been on her mind.

"My grandfather has a saying that one should never trust something that thinks for itself if you can't see its brain, but he seems to have no qualms about you. That seems strange, doesn't it? You can definitely think, but I don't see anywhere you'd be holding a brain."

The hat shifted in a way that reminded Lucy of a person tilting their head to the side.

"I was created for a singular purpose: to sort new students into the proper house. I do not think for myself. What I do is one job and one job only."

"We talking now," Lucy snapped, irritation beginning to work it's way through her. "The fact that you can talk means you're intelligent. And you compose songs. Louis says there's a new one every year. Nothing could write a song if it couldn't think."

The hat hummed in response.

"You were a good fit for Ravenclaw," it said, tilting forward as if nodding. "I made the correct decision with your sorting. Hopefully you've seen that as well despite your initial reservations of going somewhere separate from the rest of your family."

"That's not an ex—"

Sounds came from one of the doors that led off of McGonagall's office, and Lucy suddenly remembered where she was. She hurried back to stand in front of the desk, the Sorting Hat falling entirely still once more. As McGonagall sat behind her desk and looked at her with stern eyes, Lucy did her best to look at the floor and not the hat that continued to intrigue her.

Prompts:

Hogwarts Challenges and Assignments

Advent Calendar: "Curiosity is the one thing invincible in Nature." - Freya Stark

The Golden Snitch

Anniversary Event: (words) hat, stole

Word count: 679