Chapter 6: The Sorting
He was still staring at the ceiling five minutes after they'd entered, watching the clear sky twinkle in the rafters.
"Tom," someone hissed next to him. He tore his eyes away from Canis Major and looked quizzically across. "You're supposed to be listening" the boy next to him whispered.
Listening?
He scanned the room quickly and fixed eventually on an elderly wizard standing behind a long table, speaking slowly in a voice that crackled like an old wireless. Next to him sat Professor Dumbledore in robes of Midnight Blue, apparently deeply absorbed in what the wizard was saying but as Tom's gaze flickered onto him, Dumbledore's lips twitched and he flashed the boy a small smile. Someone to the left of him yawned behind their hand and Tom watched as Professor Murphy, three seats to the left of Dumbledore began playing with her hair. She wasn't even pretending to listen and grinned broadly at Tom as he looked at her and rolled her eyes. Several of the other first years had also noticed her and the blond girl next to him let out a nervous giggle. Fortunately their new headmaster sensed he was losing his audience, smiled wearily and gestured to another of the teachers who brought forward a short, three legged stool and placed a mouldering hat upon it.
Then a rip in its brim opened wide and it began to sing.
Nobody else was the least surprised at this but Tom, who hadn't been listening to the speech that had obviously explained the singing hat, jumped and looked around nervously to see if anyone had noticed.
They hadn't; everyone in the room was watching the hat. Eventually it finished, the school cheered and it bowed once to each table and fell still. A young wizard with a neat black beard and hair that swept his shoulders stepped up beside it and unrolled a scroll.
"Ashbury, Donald."
The boy who had spoken to him earlier and was presumably Donald Ashbury stepped up and gingerly placed the hat on his head.
Well now that's very interesting.
Tom looked around half heartedly but as he had suspected nobody else could hear the voice.
Yes, very like your father.
Thank you sir, Ashbury replied.
He was a good man. Like him you're a GRYFFINDOR!
The people around him began to clap; apparently the last word had been out loud. Donald rose pinkly from the stool and placed it respectfully back down.
"Bunson, Lisa."
There was a minute pause. Incredible mind, it had better be RAVENCLAW!
The gaggle of people around him gradually disappeared until it was just Tom and another boy with long, light brown hair standing in the centre of the room. It had to be him next.
"Rico, Nathanial."
Nathanial moved quickly over to the hat and Tom was left standing on his own.
Incredible courage, nice and bright too; so where shall I put you?
Slytherin, Nathanial thought back, his voice in Tom's head hasty and eager and nervous all at the same time. It has to be Slytherin.
Your family eh? You don't feel like a Slytherin though. Are you sure you wouldn't rather be in Gryffindor, you'd do well there.
It has to be Slytherin.
Your father said the same thing twenty years ago. Very well, let it be SLYTHERIN!
And then: "Riddle, Tom."
Nathanial handed him the hat and went to sit with his new house, looking both pleased and slightly apprehensive. Tom sat down on the stool and jammed the hat onto his head. It was much too large and fell down over his eyes replacing his view of the school with the dusty interior of the hat.
A deafening silence filled his ears.
Hello?
Nothing.
Why aren't you talking to me? he thought furiously. You talked to everyone else.
The hat was silent for another moment. You heard that?
Yes.
You're not supposed to.
What's wrong with me? Tom demanded. Aren't I magical enough to be here?
The hat made a small sound that might have been a laugh. Quite the opposite. He's far more like me than any of the others ever were; the hat spoke again, its voice less deep now, more melodious. Godric, this one's mine.
It's his choice Salazar, another voice, this one female; a warning.
No, that choice was made a long time ago. I'm not having Godric put another of my descendants into his house again. Not this time. Not with this boy.
It was their choice, the woman spoke again.
Well, now it's my choice.
Salazar. Helga. Stay out of this. The voice that had spoken to everyone else was back. We agreed a long time ago.
But-
You agreed.
Fine, just make sure you tell him the truth this time.
A small sound that might have been a sigh came from the first voice. Child, before you stands what may prove to be the most important decision of your life. Your mind is extraordinary in many ways; you possess great courage but you are also exceptionally intelligent and incredibly gifted magically. In fact you are almost uniquely positioned in that you could excel in any of the four Hogwarts' houses but as you may have gathered you are different from your classmates in another way as well. You are the last true descendant of Salazar Slytherin and he is very anxious that you join his house.
Do not let that affect your decision though, Tom, another woman countered.
And why shouldn't it? The voice he had now identified as Slytherin broke in, angrily. He is my blood. He belongs in my house.
Tom, Gryffindor's voice continued as if he had not heard the other two. I will not decide for you and neither, though I suspect he would very much like to, will Salazar. This choice can only be made by you.
From the behind the teacher's table Albus Dumbledore watched as Tom sat silently beneath the hat, the visible part of his face pale and determined.
Very unlike the rest of his ancestors it was true; but his choice… would his choice be the same?
There was silence for another moment.
"Slytherin," the hat pronounced; its voice quieter than usual, tenor rather than bass, a sense of self satisfaction that had not been there before clinging around the word as Tom Riddle removed the hat and walked slowly across to the table second on the right, a smile of triumph edging around his mouth.
He belonged.
Author's note: There was supposed to be a sorting hat song in this chapter but I started and well... it sucked. That's probably why that part feels a bit rushed [almost wrote rubbish, froiden slip no doubt] and the chapter is so short. Chapter dedicated to David who forced me to post it up without afor mentioned sorting hat song. Oh and Liv... I don't know who you are because you never leave your address but you review every time. Thankyou everyone else including everyone who actually knows me.... It's like I've won a prestigious award, instead I'm just posting up a fanfiction chapter.
Funny old world aint it?
Oooooooooooh almost forgot, very important propaganda message, vaguely related to this: Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease go and read Founders which I really like but has received almost no attention because I have no characters who actually appear in Harry Potter so nobody will accidentally go and find it. Oh and Salazar looks and sounds like an English Johnny Depp… yes I'm sure he'd be rather insulted too.
