This is one of those things that is less something that should have happened in canon and more of a missing moment. In a review on chapter 28, oliviathestoryteller made a request for a Tom Riddle sorting chapter so this is that chapter.

I have put up a poll allowing readers to vote on what chapter 43 will be about from 10 choices. I shall leave the poll open until just before August 18th turns into August 19th in Arizona. The idea with the most votes at the time I close the poll will be chapter 43. Link to poll is in my profile.

Tom Riddle had just put on the Hogwarts Sorting Hat.

The hat had had its share of difficult choices over the years, but there were a small handful of cases that went beyond difficult choices to being absolute bitches of decisions. Tom Riddle was one of those cases.

"Hmm," said the Sorting Hat to Tom Riddle, "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage I see. Not a bad mind either. Oh. there's talent. And a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?"

"I belong to whatever house will most allow me to push the boundaries of magic further than they have ever been pushed," whispered Riddle.

The Sorting went silent, even in Tom Riddle's own mind, for a minute and a nanosecond before narrowing down its choices.

"Not Hufflepuff, " decided the hat, "Hufflepuff is the house of loyalty and the only loyalty you possess is your loyalty to yourself. Hufflepuffs have and want friends. You don't want friends, you want followers. And in war situations, you would readily betray anyone else to save yourself. Hell, you're the type of master who will consider your followers disposable commodities and will only care about them so long as they are useful to you. So, no, you're not a badger."

"Just put me where my magic will flourish!" Tom Riddle told the Sorting Hat.

The Sorting Hat picked up on the seemingly demanding nature of Riddle's thoughts but kept quite for another two minutes before deciding to rule out a second house.

"You are not a Gryffindor, " declared the Sorting Hat, "You have an interesting mix of courage and cowardice, but even your braver side is not your greatest strength. You are no lion. "

"So," realized Riddle, "it's down to the Eagles and the Snakes?"

"Yes," confirmed the hat, "And it's the choice between those two houses that is making my job a bitch right now. You are exceptionally academically motivated. But, you also have a creative mind and can think outside the box. Some students get Os left and right because they have a gift for reading and remembering. But, reading and remembering is not true intelligence nor true genius. The thing is, you will excel at taking in that which is already known while simultaneously keeping an open mind, challenging existing ideas, thinking outside the box, and being creative. Ravenclaw is absolutely an option for you. Then again, so is Slytherin. You are one of the most ambitious wizards I have ever met. You certainly are sly, clever, and cunning enough to keep yourself out of trouble. You are quite resourceful and will exhaust ways to employ every person, place, or thing to your advantage no matter how unconventional. You certainly have lofty goals and a lofty hunger to be someone and something. Wanting to conquer death while becoming the most powerful and feared wizard of all time is unequivocally Slyherinish. But? Which way to go?"

The Sorting Hat debated and contemplated for five more minutes and five more nanoseconds before saying in Tom's head.

"You could be great you know. It's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness. There's no doubt about that."

"If Slytherin is where my magic will most flourish and if Slytherin will allow me to the best possible path to becoming the greatest Sorcerer in the world, then make me a Slytherin. I'll go down in history as the GOAT wizard and the GOAT Slytherin, " thought Riddle, now really hoping to become a snake.

"If you're sure-"

"Please Slytherin. Please Slytherin," begged Riddle.

"Better be-"

The Sorting Hat finally shouted out the last word.

"Slytherin!"

Tom Riddle proudly and confidently walked over to the Slytherin table with a look on his face that gave off an aura of superiority. He had already made history. He had just become the longest Hatstall in Hogwarts history.

A shout out to the following members who have added Things That Should Have Happened in Canon to their favorites and/or follows lists since the last update:

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Much love from Arizona for all the support. Love you all-Michael. :)