Coasting

With Hermione's internal crises 'finished', Terry glances sideways at Harry and leans forward slightly, still keeping a far distance from Nanthisk, "So, what do you guys wanna join?"

Parvati shrugs, "I'd prefer to stay with Padma, but I guess the Sorting Ceremony will decide that..."

"Same, but if I had a choice I'd pick Ravenclaw, I like learning and learning likes me." she giggles.

"I think Gryffindor for me, I heard Albus Dumbledore is from that house, so it has to be good for something." Hermione chirps.

"Don't you need to be brave for that?" Terry bluntly asks, silencing the now thoughtful Hermione. With that, they all turn their attention to Harry, who'd only now actually started considering it.

What house would he join?

He knew he was a clear pick Slytherin, but what kind of 'cunning' person would out themselves as a potentially 'evil' schemer? A true Slytherin would join any other house, wouldn't they? At least, only if their cunning outweighed their ambition.

From what Grindelwald had said, you could force the Sorting Hat to place you wherever you wanted by simply bombarding it with your wishes and intentions. This had been implemented not long after Grindelwald's entry into the school, since a student belonging to a traditionally Slytherin family was Obliviated into madness and dumped on the side of the road at the end of the school year...

Still, the real question was, which house would he pick?

From what he'd read, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were clear no's for him. The comradery, socialising, and other annoying attributes the houses liked to claim wouldn't suit him at all, even if it would challenge him as Kali wished.

So Ravenclaw or Slytherin...

On one side, he'd probably be received in Slytherin with great anticipation due to his status as a Parselmouth, but there were also many families there that hated him for killing Voldemort.

Ravenclaw would be peaceful, and the atmosphere of isolation, cold logic, and nurtured introverted personalities seemed like it'd suit him perfectly.

He nods to himself, deciding that Ravenclaw would be his pick, anywhere else would either be too annoying or would have him kill too many people to properly cover up. He shrugs at the others, "I don't have a preference, we'll see where I land when I get there."

-----------------------------------------------------

The First Years soon reach the shore and are led into the castle and brought to a stern-faced woman who, to the children, looked like the kind of witch who'd feed them before shoving them in an oven... At least, that's the impression Harry got from her.

She silently looked over the crowd, until her eyes lock on Harry, who had a circle of space around him of children unwilling to get close. Her jaw gives a minute tremble as she locks eyes with both him and Nanthisk, only coming out of her daze as Hagrid shuffles past her.

She shakes her head and clears her throat, "I am Professor McGonagall, your Transfiguration teacher as well as the Head of Gryffindor house and Deputy Headmistress.-" she then goes on to give a basic outline of the houses, point systems, what's expected of the students, etc. Most of which Harry just ignores, electing to speak with Kali.

"Her mental shields are strong, but she seems to hold some interest in you... A cougar maybe?"

"Or maybe I'm the Boy-Who-Lived attending her school?"

Once she was done she led the children to the Sorting Ceremony, which was being held in an absolutely massive hall, decorated with so much magic that it was hard to concentrate on any single thing.

A visual representation of the sky covering the roof, under that hundreds of candles floating individually, occasionally moving to make sure every part of the room was illuminated. Many tables were lined up in the centre of the room, each filled with students wearing matching colours of their respective houses.

Ghosts flew down and scared a couple of First Years with their mere presence alone, but Harry was more interested in the implications of their existence than anything else... The Lich hadn't had any ghosts in his palace, so either there was something special with these ones, or something prohibited him from controlling ghosts in the first place... Something to look into later.

While walking, Harry looks up towards where the school faculty were seated, most were observing the new students, and half had already locked their eyes on him... He guessed it was Nanthisk's presence but-

He stumbles and locks his mind down after two probes try to gain access to his thoughts, the students behind him stop and wait to see what the hold up is, but Harry ignores them and sends a furious glare to those responsible.

One, a man with greasy-looking hair that wore a seemingly permanent frown on his face. He looked surprised at his skill with Occlumency, as if he'd expected to barrel on through and do whatever he wanted without regard for the consequences...

The next, a person who already had his utmost ire. The elderly man in strangely coloured robes with a huge white beard and spectacles hung over his twinkling blue eyes. Albus Dumbeldore.

"Master, calm down." Kali presses into his mind as she notices the flickering of nearby candles, indicating the approaching magical outburst.

...

After a couple tense moments, he tears his eyes from the duo, rolling his tongue in his mouth and trying to firm his expression. By the cautious looks of the nearby students, his reaction hadn't been as quiet as he'd hoped... Thankfully, Professor McGonagall saves him by clearing her throat, drawing everyone's attention.

"First Years, this, is the Sorting Hat, and will decide your placement for the rest of your time in Hogwarts. Each of you will wear the hat, have your house called out, and join your peers at their tables.-"