A/N: Another Familiar Chapter from the old version of Empathetic- some minor alterations. The sorting hat isn't able to tell that Tom is a Gaunt from Tom's memory, and Merope, to our knowledge, didn't go to Hogwarts so the name shouldn't be familiar. I like to think that to the sorting hat, each family line of magic has a different flavor or feel to it, and being a descendant of Slytherin makes Tom's feel distinctly that of the Gaunts. Also, DO YOU KNOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO WRITE THE SORTING HAT'S SONG. TOO LONG. NEVER AGAIN. THIS IS WHY JK ROWLING DID EVERYTHING IN HER POWER TO NOT HAVE TO WRITE IT AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY FRACKING BOOK.
Tom had to pee. He didn't know if it was just the nerves as they waited in the chamber to be brought into the Great Hall, or if he actually needed to go. He didn't dare ask anyone- not that any of them would know, they were all first years and it was their first time at the castle, but what if Professor Dumbledore showed up to take them in? He was relieved just a bit at the small smile of acknowledgment in his direction from the man, settling some of the anxiety in his stomach, but the argument from the three boys behind him weren't helping.
"Dad said I shouldn't worry about it," The boy behind him said for the fifth time, "They just pick where you go-"
"Yeah well, my brother said you have to pass a test-" The other boy said, "I read one of the books but how are we supposed to pass any tests if we haven't learned any spells yet?"
Tom supposed it would be easier if it was a test, considering he'd read all the books twice already, but did he remember any of it, truly? His mind went blank when he tried to recall the spells he practiced, the only one he could remember off the top of his head was the Lumos one, and that was only because of how simple it was.
"Ignore them," Tammy said knowingly and Tom blinked at her and realized Mia looked just as pale, gripping Tammy's hand tightly. "And promise whatever house you get put in, even if it's a different one, we meet up Saturday morning after breakfast."
Tom nodded his head in agreement, not willing to abandon the two girls who had befriended him. "Is there a rule about not being to be friends with people from other houses?" He asked doubtfully.
Tammy shook her head, "No, but I've heard a lot of people just group off like that anyways."
The door at the front of the room pushed open and Professor Dumbledore held it open and gestured forwards through it. "We're ready for you."
The students in the front slowly started to shuffle forwards and Tom followed them, Tammy and Mia next to him in the group. As the group came into the hall, a more cohesive line was formed as they walked and he ended up walking next to a boy with messy brown hair, his face red with nerves who only gave Tom a quick nervous smile before focusing on the back of the other first year in front of him.
He tried to scan the older students sitting at the tables on either side of them- each long table sat under a banner with the different colors of each house, their crests displayed proudly and the students at each table were wearing robes lined with their corresponding colors. Some of them smiled at them while others ignored them completely. The group came to a staggering stop in front of the steps that led up to a long table at the front of the hall, where the rest of the adults were seated. Professor Dumbledore had, at some point between here and leaving the room, retrieved a stool and a large worn wizard hat. Tom swallowed and looked around slowly at the other first years around him, but they all looked equally confused. Professor Dumbledore and the rest of the staff sitting up at the table were staring expectantly at the hat on the stool.
The hat jerked suddenly, the brim splitting open and all of the first years jumped slightly, staring at the suddenly animate object. As the brim split, the hat began to speak and Tom focused in on its words.
Welcome students, young and small
To our school and our Hall
Filled with nerves and self-doubt,
We'll teach you spells and give you clout
Nervous need be you not
All your ramblings and your thoughts
Put it all to the side
And in me you can confide
We'll find a place for you here
Worry not, no need for fear
I present four houses, mighty all
All great and distinguished, nothing small
Gryffindor, filled with bravery and pride
No where for cowards to truly hide
Though reckless and stubborn they can be
Courage and strength are there when in need
Hufflepuff, the kind, loyal and just,
True to their friends and someone to trust
When in need, you will never be lost
Badgers work hard for their own, no matter the cost
Ravenclaw's lot, wisen and learned
They seek their knowledge, always discerned
Creative and occupied are they so
They never mind going against the flow
Finally in Slytherin, our most impressed
Our snakes always seek to find the best
Ambitious and cunning, they aim for success
Desiring to prove the worth of their crest
Nothing left to do but put me on your head
I'll peek inside, put all your worries to bed
Sort through all the bits and bobs, your mind to comb
And send you along to your new house and home!
The hat stopped its song and Tom heard a round of applause from the staff in front of them and the rest of the students behind him. He raised his hands and he and a few others clapped politely as well, but the rest of the first years seemed to be in shock.
Professor Dumbledore stepped up to stand beside the stool unfurled a sheet of rolled parchment with one hand while the other gently grasped the top of the brown hat and lifted it from the stool, holding it aloft.
"Arnold, Debra!" He called out, looking down at the group of first years. There was a moment of pause and then a dark-skinned girl with tight black curls tied into a long, thick braid pushed forward through the group and stepped hesitantly up the steps to the stool. Professor Dumbledore gestured for her to sit and she slipped slowly onto the stool and the professor dropped the hat onto her head.
The room waited quietly and Tom looked to Mia, who just shrugged. They stood in silence and after just a minute, the hat called out loudly, "Gryffindor!"
One of the tables behind them, Tom assumed Gryffindor, burst into applause and congratulatory yells and Professor Dumbledore lifted the hat off the girl's head and she hurried down the steps to the proper table.
"Does it really see in your head?" Tammy whispered quietly and this time Tom shrugged. It was a bit odd they left their futures up to a hat.
"Ansel, Euphemia!" Professor Dumbledore called and Mia gave both Tom and Tammy's hands a squeeze before pushing through the group to take her turn. She hesitantly slid onto the stool and stiffened when the hat fell onto her head, covering the top part of her face. Tom began counting in his head out of curiosity, and had only gotten to twenty when the hat shouted, "Hufflepuff!" The room behind him applauded again and continued to do so when all the students took their turn. When Professor Dumbledore removed the hate, Mia gave Tammy and Tom a small wave and hurried past the group of first years to take her seat.
"Avery, Miles!" Professor Dumbledore called, and a boy in the front row took his turn. It took less time with this boy, and when the hat yelled out "Slytherin!" The claps were less raucous, but still fairly excited.
"Baggley, Tamara!" Tammy gave him a smile and took her place. The hat seemed to take only seconds with her and sorted her into Hufflepuff as well. Tom blinked and looked over his shoulder to see Tammy taking a seat beside Mia.
A boy was sorted into Ravenclaw next, and names continued on for a while as Professor Dumbledore went down the list alphabetically. He shifted his feet occasionally as they got closer and closer to the R's.
Pratt, Roswell was sorted into Hufflepuff as well, and then Professor Dumbledore called the next name on the list.
"Riddle, Thomas!"
The eleven year old tried to remember to breathe as he took a tentative step forward. There were less than half of the first years remaining and he didn't have to push past anyway to get to the steps. The man gave him a reassuring smile and he took the last few steps to the stool. He sat down and the hat fell onto his head, sliding past his ears until the brim of the hat hit his nose, making the world go dark.
"Ahhh, so this is where the Gaunts went off to."
Tom stiffened suddenly as a voice echoed around his head, "Who?" He asked quietly.
"Just think it lad, I can hear you."
'Who are the Gaunts?' He asked, feeling silly for thinking a question.
The hat chortled, which was ridiculous because hats weren't supposed to chortle, but then again hats weren't supposed to sing songs or sort children into houses, at least by what he'd learned in the orphanage. "Your family of course." There was a slight pause and Tom's mind raced with thoughts. He'd never had a family before- he didn't even know his mother's name. Technically he had his father's since it was the same as his own. "I'm not a muggleborn?" He thought at the hat instead.
"Goodness no, not with Gaunt magic in you- each family has a sort of feel to them and you reek of Gaunt." The hat explained, and despite the words, he sounded amused.
"Sorry," Tom automatically apologized.
"Nonsense, now, let's sort you before they think you're a hatstall," the hat said and Tom wanted to ask what a hatstall was, but he didn't think it would be a good thing, so he didn't. "Hmm, new friends went to Hufflepuff, and the loyalty's there, but so is courage- brains too, a thirst to prove yourself…" The hat seemed to trail off and Tom felt a blush rise to his cheeks at the praise.
"Cunning a plenty and the ambition to go with it," The hat hummed and then let out an almost sort of sigh. "Well, I'm sure old Salazar would throttle me if I put you anywhere but, SLYTHERIN!"
The hat yelled the last word and Tom felt just a bit disappointed as the lights came back on, the hat lifted from his head. The hall was clapping again and he stood and stumbled forward to the house with the green crest hanging over it and the most students clapping. There was a spot closest to the front of the hall that was left be, probably for the first years to sit down at as they were sorted. Sure, he wanted to go with Tammy and Mia, but he also wanted to be the best wizard he could be, and if the hat thought Slytherin would do that for him, then he saw no real reason to argue, even if he'd miss Mia and Tammy.
He could see some of the older Slytherins looking at him in a calculating manner, the same he'd seen some of the older students at the orphanage give the new children when they were trying to decide what they thought of them. He sat straight up, not ducking his head. He was a wizard, and the hat said he came from a family of wizards. He belonged here. No one was going to tell him differently.
One of the boys who had been sorted already gave him one of these looks, his head tilted slightly. "Riddle, yeah?" He asked, over the claps of another student being sorted into a different house. "I don't know the name." It sounded almost accusatory. The boy's face was lean and his nose and cheeks were covered in freckles, the brown hair and brown eyes making him look vaguely plain.
Tom inclined his head and kept from frowning, his face neutral. "Yeah? Sounds like you don't know many names then."
The girl sitting behind him snorted, and shook her head when the boy glared at her, "Oh hush Preston, he got you there."
Preston Nott leaned back, his arms folded and shrugged. "Good names get you in good places around here," he said cooly, turning his attention back to Tom. "It helps show who's the best around here."
Tom decided to ignore him, especially when the Headmaster pushed himself to his feet and gave a speech about the school year's start and called the feast to order. The food appeared magically on the table in front of them, things Tom had never seen or heard of and smells so good he didn't know how he'd ever be able to eat anything at the orphanage ever again. He loaded his plate and exchanged pleasantries with two second years sitting on the other side of him, ignoring Nott and his scowl.
