Chapter 135 The Sorting Hat Never Makes A Mistake
Professor McGonagall led Hermione back to the school infirmary, and Evan entered Dumbledore's office alone.
Just like last year, the headmaster's office was very intriguing. Fawkes, the phoenix, gazed at him gracefully. A table not far away was filled with magical objects, of which Evan had no idea of their purpose. The curious silver instruments spun and emitted small puffs of smoke.
Before entering, Evan heard voices in the office. It was a heated discussion about the night's events. Evan thought it was Dumbledore and Fudge, but upon entering, he discovered that there was no one in the office.
What he heard were the portraits of wizards and witches hanging on the surrounding walls. They were ancient Hogwarts headmasters and headmistresses.
Unfortunately, Evan did not see the portraits of the Four Founders among them; otherwise, he could have asked Gryffindor about their treasure key, the legendary magical object hidden in the Forbidden Forest, and what it was.
The former headmasters and headmistresses dozed softly in their frames, but Evan noticed that some of them occasionally secretly opened their eyes, glanced at him, and then quickly shut them, afraid of being discovered.
Evan did not focus on them. He noticed a worn and tattered wizard hat on the shelf, the Sorting Hat.
He hesitated for a moment. There was always a question in his heart that he wanted to ask it. Now was a rare opportunity to do so.
He approached, lifted the hat from the shelf, and slowly placed it on his head. It was too big and slid over his eyes, just as it had done the last time he wore it.
"Long time no see, Evan Mason!" whispered a sharp voice. "Do you have something in mind?"
"Yes, there are things I do not understand. Regarding the sorting ceremony, I was curious why Peter Pettigrew had been..."
"...sorted into Gryffindor, is that the question?" the Sorting Hat said softly. "My duty is to sort young wizards into the right House according to the wishes of the four founders. For over a thousand years, I have seen so many young wizards. Some of them were kind-hearted, others ambitious, others talented, and some... but you must know that during the sorting ceremony, besides these inherent qualities, the choice of the young wizards is also a crucial factor."
"So, did Peter request to be placed in Gryffindor himself?"
"That boy wanted to go to Gryffindor and find the courage he had never had," said the Sorting Hat. "But in fact, he did not need to search for it. The courage was buried deep, waiting for him to look into his heart. When he is able to bow his head, he will find what he has been seeking."
"But he didn't do that. What he did next was not worthy of a Gryffindor."
"Do not hesitate! I never make mistakes. The magic of the four founders allows me to see through people's hearts. My job is to assign people to the right House," said the cunning hat. "However, that doesn't necessarily guarantee that the House is right for him, nor can it ensure that he won't take a wrong path later."
"And what about me?" Evan asked hastily. "You didn't ask for my opinion at all. You know, I had planned to be in Ravenclaw, but you sorted me into Gryffindor."
"Is that really true? Is that what you truly wanted?" chuckled the patched Sorting Hat. "Yes, like Harry Potter, both of you are not particularly easy to sort, but I still stand by my claims, never wrong. Gryffindor can help you achieve your dream."
Evan was stunned! What is his dream, to learn more magic? To defeat Voldemort? Or to become a great white wizard like Dumbledore?
He was lost in his thoughts. He still wanted to have a word with the hat, but he heard someone approaching. He quickly took it off and put it back in its place.
The office door opened, and Dumbledore entered with a serious expression.
"Professor!"
"Sit down, Evan," said Dumbledore, pointing to the chair next to the desk. "I need to talk to you, but it will be brief. I don't have much time. Cornelius is waiting for me in the foyer. We have to go to the Ministry of Magic tonight to address the werewolf uprising and the charges against Remus."
Evan sat down. He gathered his thoughts to make sure he didn't leave anything unsaid and the steps to use Occlumency.
"First and foremost, I must ask you, Evan, is there anything you would like to tell me?" Dumbledore looked at him intently and brought his ten slender fingers together. He said softly, "Anything!"
"I have something to tell you, Professor," Evan nodded and spoke slowly. "But first, let me ask a question. Did you just discover that Ron was being controlled, right?"
"Indeed, in that office, I believe I am not the only one who noticed Mr. Weasley's anomaly," said Dumbledore calmly. "What he did tonight was so blatant. It was as clear as a candlelight in the dark!"
"Well, do you know who is controlling him?"
"Although many people think that I know everything, I am not omniscient as rumored!" Dumbledore sat in the high chair behind the desk and stared at Evan with his light blue, piercing eyes. "I have some possible ideas, but I still want to hear your opinion."
"I suspect Peter Pettigrew took control of Ron," Evan looked away, trying not to meet Dumbledore's gaze.
Although he was willing to disclose some information to the headmaster, he did not want to divulge all the information he possessed.
"Peter Pettigrew, that is truly a surprising revelation."
Despite his words, Dumbledore did not seem too taken aback, as if everything was within his expectation.
"This afternoon, Hermione and I encountered Sirius Black in Hogsmeade. He told us that Pettigrew betrayed Harry's parents to Voldemort and did not die. He turned out to be an Animagus. Now he is Ron's rat."
"An Animagus?! This is crucial information!" Dumbledore closed his eyes and pondered. "Evan, your information confirms my speculation. To be honest, I didn't pay much attention to Peter Pettigrew. It's my fault; I could have prevented that boy from falling into what he did today."
Evan waited for him to continue, but Dumbledore seemed lost in memories and remained silent.