"House Sorting"

With that tone, Leo could immediately imagine who it was: yes, it was Miss Granger.

Her voice, while not particularly loud, had an unmistakable tone, a combination of intelligence and determination that made her stand out in the crowd.

"Urgh... That... Malfoy," articulated Crabbe, who, true to his reputation as a man of few words, spoke briefly. His face, usually as expressionless as a rock, slightly contorted in a gesture of distaste upon hearing the mention of the professor.

"Tch... Crabbe, Goyle, step back," Malfoy ordered reluctantly.

"I have a reputation to maintain, so I'll let you go today... But don't think this is over." With those words, he retreated to the back of the crowd, probably to avoid further interaction with the trio.

"Saved by the bell, I guess," Harry commented, relieved. Ron nodded vigorously.

"That's true... I was a bit scared, to be honest," Ron admitted, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

Leo stared at them, but in the end, he could only sigh and say nothing more. He preferred to avoid an unnecessary argument, at least for the moment.

"Hey, Hermione, I appreciate the gesture, but you shouldn't interfere in other people's fights."

"Eh!? Whether I do or not is my decision. Do you care?" she responded fiercely, crossing her arms and adopting a defensive posture.

She seemed particularly sensitive, as if expecting a personal attack.

"No, I'm not saying that for that reason. It's just that... well... you could get hurt."

Unfortunately, those last words were barely a murmur, inaudible to Hermione.

"Don't bother me anymore. I still have to prepare for exams. You should review too, although, looking at you, I doubt you know much."

Leo scratched his head, puzzled.

Aside from a brief exchange on the train, he didn't think he had offended her enough to justify her hostile attitude. Although their first encounter hadn't been particularly friendly, he didn't remember saying anything that could have offended her that much.

Brrrrgh

The squeaky sound of a door opening interrupted his thoughts.

Everyone turned, and Professor McGonagall, with her impeccable bearing and stern face, entered the hall.

"Well, everything is ready. Please follow me," she announced in her firm, authoritative voice, signaling toward the exit with a wave of her hand.

Leo automatically fell into line, in front of Harry and behind Ron, following the group of first-year students out of the room.

They crossed a set of double doors, and upon passing through them, they finally entered the Great Hall.

They walked through the foyer, feeling the curious gaze of the older students upon them.

Soon, Leo was breathless, once again amazed by the power of magic.

The grandeur of the place was even more impressive than he had imagined.

The Great Hall was illuminated by thousands of candles that floated magically in the air above the four long tables where the other students were already seated.

The tables were elegantly set, with plates, cutlery, and goblets of gold, sparkling under the magical light.

On a raised platform at the end of the hall stood the table where the professors observed the new students with a mix of curiosity and solemnity.

Professor McGonagall guided the first-year students there, making them form a line in front of the older students, with the professors behind them.

The ghosts, scattered among the students, had a silvery, misty glow.

Hundreds of pairs of eyes examined them, like pale lanterns in the dark.

He had never been good at such situations; in fact, he couldn't stand being surrounded by so many people.

Moreover, being the only one not wearing a uniform made him stand out like a sore thumb, which drew many strange looks to his body.

Trying to escape the scrutiny, Leo discreetly looked up at the ceiling, a velvety black color that seemed to be sprinkled with stars, catching the gazes.

As she distracted herself in her world again, she heard Hermione next to her whispering to a girl:

"It's a spell that makes it look like the sky outside. I read it in Hogwarts History." Her voice, although soft, conveyed contained emotion, as if she were struggling to control her nerves.

Despite Hermione's explanation, it was hard to believe that the Great Hall's ceiling wasn't really open to the night sky.

Looking at the small smile on Hermione's face, it seemed that the previous incident had dissipated some of her anger, leaving her less nervous and even a bit happier.

Seeing this, Leo felt surprisingly calm. It appeared that he wasn't the only one feeling nervous at that moment.

Of course, unlike the young witch, who was nervous about her future, Leo was worried about exposing his secrets.

For him, it didn't matter which house he would end up in; magic was a secondary concern.

He just wanted to study it out of interest and fun.

As far as Hogwarts was concerned, it was nothing more than a means of protection for both himself and his loved ones, as well as a school that was more entertaining than a regular one.

At least until he could grow up safely and be strong enough to take care of himself.

After some formalities among the presenting professors, a strange speech was given by Professor Dumbledore, and in the center of the platform, a chair was placed, with a small table next to it that had an old and tattered hat on top.

Silence became absolute, and then the hat moved. A tear near the brim opened up like a mouth and began to sing.

After what was undoubtedly the worst song Leo had ever heard in his life, the hat finished with a bow towards the four tables. Subsequently, Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a long roll of parchment.

As she unfolded the parchment, she prepared to read the list of first-year students.

The moment of truth had arrived: it was time to choose his future house.

"When I say your name, you will come forward, sit in the chair, and place the Sorting Hat on your head," Professor McGonagall explained in a clear voice, breaking the deathly silence that reigned.

"Abbott, Hannah!"

A girl with a rosy face and blonde braids stepped out of line with a trembling walk and headed toward the chair.

She sat down cautiously, and Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head.

After a few seconds of silence, the hat shouted: "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuff table erupted in applause and cheers as Hannah, with a shy smile, made her way to her table.

Leo watched the scene with curiosity, wondering to which house he would be assigned.

'Wait, I shouldn't be paying attention to this; I still haven't figured out how to pass this test. But I'm also curious: How would the Sorting Hat react upon discovering my true nature?'

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The sorting ceremony continued, and with each name called, the proclaimed house generated a new wave of emotions among the first-year students.

Leo watched as his classmates were called one by one; some showed relief, others disappointment, but they all had one thing in common: they were eager to join their new house.

"Brown, Lavender!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Bulstrode, Millicent!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Finnigan, Seamus." The sandy-haired boy, who was next to Harry in line, sat for a full minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

Leo noted that sometimes the hat shouted the house name immediately, but other times it took a while to decide.

"Crabbe, Vincent!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Goyle, Gregory!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Granger, Hermione." Hermione almost ran to the stool and put on the hat, very nervous.

The hat remained silent for a considerable time, generating a murmur of anticipation among the students.

Finally, after a brief pause, the hat shouted:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Hermione got up from the chair with a radiant smile and walked over to the Gryffindor table, where she was greeted with applause and cheers.

"Longbottom, Neville!"

Neville tripped as he stepped out of line and almost fell to the ground, but he managed to recover and made his way to the chair with a hesitant step.

He sat down timidly, and Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Draco, Malfoy."

Malfoy, walking confidently, approached, and without much preamble, the hat shouted.

"SLYTHERIN!"

With an arrogant and self-satisfied smile, as he walked towards his house, he looked defiantly at Leo; it was a pity that he was distracted with his thoughts...

As the list grew shorter, Leo's anxiety increased.

He knew his name was near and that soon it would be his turn to face the Sorting Hat.

He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to calm his nerves and prepare for whatever was about to happen.

"Moon, Luna!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Parkinson, Pansy!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Weasley, Ronald!"

Ron stepped forward hesitantly, his face flushed and his hands trembling slightly.

He sat down in the chair, and Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head. The hat didn't hesitate for a second:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Potter, Harry!"

The Great Hall fell into complete silence at the sound of that name.

All eyes turned to Harry, who stepped forward confidently, his face reflecting a mix of nervousness and determination.

He sat in the chair, and Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head.

The hat remained silent for an even longer time than it had for Hermione, generating an even greater murmur of anticipation among the students.

Leo could feel the tension in the air as he watched Harry sitting in the chair, the hat covering his face.

Finally, after a dramatic pause, the hat shouted:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table erupted in applause and cheers, celebrating the arrival of the famous Harry Potter to their house.

When everyone finally calmed down, they realized that only one student was left.

He was easy to recognize by his travel clothes, which set him apart from the rest.

"Jackson, Leo!"

Despite being called, the student remained in place without responding.

"Jackson, Leo!" The professor was getting angry, and in a severe voice, she called him again.

"Mr. Leo Jackson!"

'Huh?' Leo seemed to come back to himself. Seeing Professor McGonagall's almost green face of anger and the delighted expressions of the students, he understood that he had once again lost track of time.

This situation had happened more than once; in fact, the professor's expression was very similar to that of his matron at that moment.

'Wait... This isn't the time to daydream.'

"Yes... professor!" Leo stammered, somehow feeling as if it were the matron who was scolding him.

Behind him, there was an explosion of laughter.

At one of the tables of the little lions of Gryffindor, three little wizards had different reactions.

Harry just held his head, as if he knew this situation might happen.

Ron simply laughed with the rest.

And in a corner of the long table, a little witch with long brown hair looked at him in amazement and, almost unconsciously, murmured:

"Stupid." In a soft voice, almost like a whisper.

Leo took a deep breath and stepped forward with a firm step toward the chair, feeling the gaze of all those present upon him.

His heart raced in his chest, but he tried to stay calm and project an image of confidence.

He sat in the chair, and Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head.

The moment the hat touched his head, Leo felt a wave of energy rush through his body.

"Hmm... A demigod... Interesting... Very interesting... There hasn't been a demigod with gifts for magic since Godric Gryffindor," murmured the Sorting Hat, its voice resonating softly in Leo's mind.

"I see bravery, I see intelligence, I see loyalty... But I also see immense power, a connection to the ancient world that could change the fate of everything we know."

"What house shall I choose for you, young demigod? Gryffindor, for your bravery? Ravenclaw, for your intelligence? Hufflepuff, for your loyalty? Or Slytherin, for your ambition?"

The hat seemed to be reading his thoughts, exploring his soul, discovering his true nature.

But just as it was about to delve into his most private thoughts and secrets, a shift occurred.

A faint blue trident mark illuminated on Leo's forehead.

And soon the hat found itself in a very special place.

It seemed like an abandoned temple.

Well, it wasn't just any ruined temple; it was an ancient underwater sanctuary, vast and old, with architecture that defied human understanding.

Colossal columns, carved from dark stone and polished by centuries of ocean currents, rose from the sand, supporting a ceiling of collapsed vaults where light filtered in like a ghostly whisper.

Around it lay scattered giant figures, statues of mythical beings, their faces eroded by time but still holding an expression of solemn grandeur.

A sepulchral silence, broken only by the ethereal whisper of water, enveloped the place in an aura of mystery.

In the center of it all, the Sorting Hat found itself confused.

"Where am I? In all my years, I have never encountered anything like this..."

"Is this the mental passage of the young one?"

"No, if that were the case, it shouldn't be this restricted."

As the hat hesitated, it looked ahead.

Where glowing coral reefs, luminescent with ghostly phosphorescence, stretched like the fingers of a sleeping giant, intertwining with the ruins of the temple.

It felt a deep fear. At the end of the immense temple stood a throne made of black coral and pearlescent shells.

And upon it loomed a figure, imposing and wrapped in ethereal mist.

Its gaze, deep and inscrutable, seemed to penetrate the soul of the hat, laden with ancient wisdom and immense power.

The weight of its presence, the vastness of the ocean that dwelled within it, filled every corner of the temple, leaving the Sorting Hat breathless, reduced to an insignificant object before the greatness of... a god.

The error had been colossal: trying to unravel the secrets of a demigod was to toy with forces far beyond its understanding.

"Long...."

...

Returning to reality, Leo was still seated in the chair, feeling nervous, waiting for the Sorting Hat to speak again.

But he waited one minute... two minutes... three minutes...

After what felt like an eternity under the gaze of hundreds of people, Leo felt increasingly anxious.

Just when he thought the nerves were eating him alive, the hat, which had remained silent for a long while, finally deigned to open its mouth.

But instead of announcing one of the designated houses, a horrible scream emerged from within.

"¡Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!" A scream filled with pain and suffering.

Leo covered his ears, just like everyone else present in the Great Hall.

"Stop it already! My ears hurt!" someone complained.

"I knew this thing was crazier than a goat," muttered someone else.

"I thought listening to it sing was bad, but I didn't expect it to be even more horrendous when screaming!" exclaimed a student.

When the situation seemed about to spiral completely out of control, the headmaster pulled out his wand and, with a gentle movement, appeared to pull the Sorting Hat out of that state.

"Aaaaaaarrrgh... huh?" The hat seemed dazed.

And before the headmaster could say anything, the hat shouted quickly, while sweating cold and its old leather folds shook:

"Bloody!... Definitely... Slytherin!"

Silence fell. And soon, several voices rose in unison:

Harry: "Huh?"

Ron: "Huh?"

Hermione: "Huh?"

Dumbledore: "Huh?"