Chapter 16: They Are All Talented. This Hufflepuff is the Right One

The Sorting Hat was stunned.

It had no immediate words. Robert's reasoning had been too convincing.

"Alright then..."

"Hufflepuff!"

The Sorting Hat's voice rang out through the Great Hall.

At the faculty table, Professor Sprout shot up, clapping enthusiastically. Her face beamed with joy. The Hufflepuff table burst into loud, warm applause. Strangely enough, the other House tables also clapped more enthusiastically than usual.

Professor Sprout was well-liked at Hogwarts. Few students from any House had anything bad to say about her.

Robert looked at the teary-eyed Professor Sprout and smiled warmly. He was, once again, reaping the benefits of her popularity.

He turned toward the Hufflepuff table and began walking in that direction. Susan Bones waved at him excitedly, pointing to an empty seat beside her.

"Robert, sit here!"

He waved back, his steps picking up slightly. Given the choice between sitting next to a stranger and Susan, he would always pick Susan.

But there was another reason for choosing that seat.

On Susan's other side sat Hannah Abbott, who still hadn't quite recovered from the tension of the Sorting. Her cheeks were bright red, as though she'd been holding her breath the entire time. Robert glanced at her curiously, wondering what might be going on in her head.

As soon as he got close to her, the two small Goldfish Vines he'd brought with him suddenly shimmered with a vibrant green glow, as though they'd been supercharged with magic. They looked as if they'd taken a powerful tonic.

Robert's eyes gleamed.

Excellent. Another genius.

As Hannah sat there blinking in confusion, Robert reached into his bag and pulled out two potted Goldfish Vines, placing them gently in front of her.

"Are you nervous?" he asked gently. "This is a Goldfish Vine—a magical plant. Holding it helps with tension."

Hannah looked up, startled, then smiled with immense gratitude.

"Thank you," she said softly. "I really needed that."

She hesitated, then blushed deeper and added, "Sorry... what was your name again?"

"I was trying to remember everyone's names earlier, but I forgot them all…"

Robert grinned. "No worries at all. Forgetting is perfectly normal when we're just meeting for the first time. You'll remember soon."

Hannah gave a small, grateful nod and hugged the potted plants close to her. Whether it was the plant's magic or simply psychological comfort, her tension visibly eased. Her breathing slowed, and her posture relaxed.

Robert, meanwhile, watched with satisfaction as the glowing reward light above the Goldfish Vine gently expanded. The magical resonance was unmistakable.

Then Susan Bones, seated on his other side, leaned in with a curious look.

"Robert, you said this was a Goldfish Vine? Goldfish… what? Do you have any more?"

She took a deep breath and whispered, "I don't think I've recovered yet, either."

Robert turned to look at her and his eyes sparkled again.

Another talent.

Perhaps not as gifted as Hannah, but clearly someone with potential.

Without saying a word, he pulled another pot from his bag and handed it to her.

Susan held the plant carefully and let out a long breath.

"It really works," she said in surprise. "I can feel my heart rate going down."

The other first-year Hufflepuffs nearby turned toward Robert with expectant but shy expressions. It was obvious they wanted to ask—but didn't quite dare.

Robert smiled kindly and stood up slightly.

"I brought enough for everyone," he said cheerfully. "Please don't be shy."

He began handing out the remaining Goldfish Vines to the other first-years. Some of them hesitated.

To ease their worries, Robert added, "Actually, this was arranged by my aunt—our Hufflepuff Head of House, Professor Sprout. You could say it's a sorting gift from her to all of us."

He gestured proudly to the plants. "Since Herbology is our specialty, she hopes the Goldfish Vines can grow with us—just like we'll grow at Hogwarts."

The Hufflepuffs visibly relaxed at that. A gift from the Head of House? How could they refuse?

One by one, they accepted the plants, and soon, every first-year Hufflepuff had a pot of Goldfish Vine in front of them. Smiles broke out across the table. Laughter and quiet conversation filled the space.

Who said Hufflepuff was boring? This House was warm, kind, and full of heart!

A newfound sense of belonging swept through the young Hufflepuffs, binding them together in the soft light of their magical plants.

Up at the staff table, several Professors had noticed the scene and turned to look at Professor Sprout.

"Pomona, are you giving out gifts to students this year?"

"Goldfish Vines for the Hufflepuffs?" one asked, amused. "Very on-brand."

Professor Sprout beamed, eyes glistening with pride.

"It must be Robert," she said. "What a thoughtful child. He must have planted those just to help his classmates."

She dabbed her eyes. "So considerate—just like a true member of the Sprout family."

Seeing that she was about to launch into a heartfelt speech, Dumbledore quickly interjected.

"Pomona, the Sorting Ceremony is nearly complete," he reminded her gently. "Let's prepare for the next part."

The other teachers let out a collective sigh of relief.

Dumbledore's gaze, however, lingered on Robert.

His thoughtful act of distributing Goldfish Vines had caught the Headmaster's attention. It made him wonder—was this student exceptionally perceptive?

Or... manipulating others?

He frowned slightly, unsure what to make of it.

But after a moment, he shook his head and chuckled to himself.

No. Robert was a Hufflepuff. What harm could a Hufflepuff possibly do?

Besides, his magical signature was unusually gentle. A rare talent, no doubt—but not dangerous.

Dumbledore turned his attention back to Harry Potter. His role as mentor and guide remained unchanged. He had to ensure Harry didn't follow the path Tom Riddle once had.

As he thought this, his eyes briefly swept over Professor Quirrell, before settling on the few unsorted students left.

Among them stood Ron Weasley.

When Ron was sorted into Gryffindor—as expected—he nearly collapsed from relief. With Harry and Hermione also in Gryffindor, the golden trio had finally formed.

Robert watched them with a strange feeling.

These three were destined to change the world. To defeat Lord Voldemort.

To think he was here, witnessing history being written.

But Robert quickly pushed those thoughts aside.

He wasn't interested in adventures or grand legacies.

He'd much rather plant flowers and make a quiet fortune.

When the last student was sorted, Dumbledore stood, his eyes twinkling, and raised his arms.

"Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

At the Ravenclaw table, older students leaned in to explain the mysterious phrase to the new first-years.

"It represents each House's prejudice," one said.

"Ravenclaw thinks everyone else is a nitwit."

"Gryffindor believes others are blubbering softies."

"Slytherin sees others as oddments."

"And Hufflepuff thinks everyone's a bit too much of a tweak."

"Dumbledore says it to remind us that no one House is perfect—and we all need each other."

The Hufflepuffs, sitting nearby, stared blankly at the Ravenclaws.

"Is that true?"

"That's amazing…"

"Did you understand?"

"Nope."

"Did you remember?"

"Tried, but it slipped away…"

"…Then let's eat!"

At that, the food appeared magically, and the Hufflepuffs dove in joyfully. The Goldfish Vines on the table began gently absorbing the ambient energy in the air, growing healthier by the second.

Robert looked around at his classmates—each holding their new plants, chatting and eating, laughter echoing under the enchanted ceiling.

A radiant smile spread across his face.

Talents. All of them. Rare, wonderful talents.

He had chosen the perfect House.

He had come to Hufflepuff at exactly the right time.

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