A Dog's Purpose Is Strange Magic Chapter 20
All any of the kids could do now is wait for their turn in dread.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward unrolling a sheet of parchment carrying the name of each and every first year to enter the school this term.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. Abbot, Hannah," called Professor McGonagall.
A girl with blonde pigtails stumbled away from the group on shaky legs and put on the hat.
"Hufflepuff," shouted the hat.
The table all the way on the far right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. This routine continued on for a while. Each boy or girl summoned would sit on the stool, the Sorting Hat would creep through their minds looking for specific characteristics that would should him which House they belonged to. Most of them were quite nervous about it. When it was Neville Longbottom's turn he was sorted into Gryffindor and he ran straight to that table forgetting to take off the hat. Humiliated he brought it back under the onslaught of everyone's laughter.
In Bailey's opinion the only one who wasn't nervous about it was Hermione Granger. Quite enthusiastically Hermione ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly onto her head.
"Gryffindor," shouted the hat.
Ron groaned fully aware that with how many in his family were in Gryffindor that they were going to be in the same House.
Finally it was Harry's turn to be called.
"Potter, Harry!"
Instantly whispers suddenly broke out in the Great Hall as Harry stepped forward where all could now see him. Students stood craning their necks over their classmates to get a better look at him. The hand Harry had on the handle of Bailey's harness was trembling. Bailey could feel the tremor through the material.
Harry took his seat on the stool and Professor McGonagall slipped the hat onto his head. The hole was so big it fell down over his eyes. From where she sat Bailey could hear the conversation her boy had with the Sorting Hat. The two went back and forth and it seemed like the hat would place him in Slytherin, but Harry pleaded with it not to. He'd practically accept any other of the Houses but that one. More time passed as the Sorting Hat thought it over and then…
"Gryffindor!"
Harry got the loudest cheer yet as the Gryffindor table exploded.
The Weasley twins were even shouting with great fervor "We got otter! We got Potter!" Show boating to the other Houses.
Harry rose from the stool to decent to his new housemates, but Bailey kind of put a dampener on that.
You see Bailey had been dead focused on the Sorting Hat. No one had been paying any attention to her so they didn't see Bailey tense becoming poised to pounce the moment the Sorting Hat came within range of her teeth. And come in range it did.
The cheers were short lived as Bailey lunged.
Taking the Sorting Hat in her teeth Bailey stole it from her boys fingers as he was passing it back to Professor McGonagall. Shocked gasps and murmurs rang through the Great Hall as Bailey tore into the Sorting Hat shaking it like any dog would a chew toy or a misplaced hat their owners would leave lying around.
"No, Bailey," said Harry, trying to tug it out of her teeth.
But Bailey was relentless. That is until…
Bailey squealed as the mouth of the Sorting Hat bit down on her nose in retaliation.
Bailey instantly released pawing at her nose now trying to get the Sorting Hat to let go. Its message received the Sorting Hat stopped.
That done Harry hastily handed the Sorting Hat back to Professor McGonagall before Bailey went for another go at it.
For a few seconds there was silence and then shrieking laughter echoed in the room.
Clapping a hand to his eyes in mortification, Harry moaned "Bailey!"
School hadn't even officially started yet and Bailey wasn't leaving a good impression.
Bailey whined tilting her head in confusion. What did she do wrong?
Authors Note:
Yup, it's as you guys feared. She went there.
Bailey is a service dog, but until now she's basically been living mainly in the Muggle world. This is all brand new for her to take in so she's a bit overwhelmed right now. She will calm down, but she's pretty much everywhere at once.