The sorting hat
The Great Hall was buzzing with excitement as the Sorting ceremony continued. The first years nervously shifting, waiting for their names to be called. All eyes were on the staff table, where Professor McGonagall stood, ready to announce the next name.
“Black, Sirius,” she called, her voice carrying through the hall.
There was a sudden, heavy silence, and then whispers rippled through the room. The name “Black” held a certain weight in Hogwarts, especially in the Slytherin House.
Evan poked him in the back and urged him to move forward. Sirius stepped, a cold shiver running down his spine. The whispers grew louder, but he kept his head high as he walked to the stool, trying not to let the weight of the moment crush him.
He sat down, and Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head. The hall was still, the tension thick in the air. The Sorting Hat rested on his head, and a strange buzzing sensation filled his mind.
“Ah, another Black,” the Hat mused, its voice deep and ancient. “Quite the family name... this should be easy then, shouldnt it" Yes, just get it over with, put me in slitherin, sirius thought.
"You could thrive in Slytherin, no doubt. You have ambition, cleverness, and the cunning they value there...”
The Hat continued, its voice softer now, “But there’s something else. Something... different. It may not be the easy option, but I sense it's what you want. There is rage. You could lead. You could fight for what’s right.”
He could already hear his family’s voices echoing in his mind, especially his mother’s. Slytherin, Sirius. Slytherin is where you belong. It’s where all the Blacks belong.
"Gryffindor would suit you well, you have a spark, it would lead you down a diffrent path entirely." Sirius’s heart raced. Gryffindor? A black in griffindor? Thats unheard of. His whole life, he had been told Slytherin was where he belonged.
The Hat hummed thoughtfully, as if unsure. “You could be great in either house. Ravenclaw, perhaps? You’re clever, sharp, and quick-witted. They would appreciate your intellect.” What would his mother do, if he isnt a slitherin, but this could be his only chance. He should listen to what Andromeda said and follow his own path.
“But... no,” the Hat finally said with a laugh. “Gryffindor, I think. Yes. You’ll do well there. You have the heart for it. It’s not an easy road, mind you, but you have the bravery to walk it. You’re not afraid of standing apart. A true Gryffindor.”
The Hat’s decision echoed in the hall. “Gryffindor!” it Shouted out. For a brief moment, there was nothing. The entire hall seemed to go still, as if holding its collective breath. Narcissa looked shocked, Bellatrix staring daggers and Andromeda, well she had a slight smile and her face looked oddly prowd.
He could hear the teachers sharing whispers behind him as he passed the hat back to McGonagall. She urged him to go sit dow, offering a slight shocked but warm warm smile. Shakily he stood up, although his legs felt like they were going to buckle underneath him he held his head high and started walking over to the griffindor table.
He looked over at Evan who was pale and gaping. Not really knowing what to do Sirius sat down and tryed to look unaffected, no one noticing his leg bouncing under the table. Eventually, McGonagall moved on and the sorting ceremony resumed. Sirius was lost in his mind for most if it but still caught a few names.
"Mckinnon, Marlene" Griffindor
"Fenwick, Benji" Hufflepuff.
"Greengrass, Lucille" Slitherin.
"Vance, Emaline" Ravenclaw.
"Evans, Lily" Griffindor.
Evan was placed in Slitherin, as expected but Pandora was sorted into Ravenclaw causing a slight disruption but nowhere near like what sirius had caused.
Sirius was still trying to process what had happened. The Sorting Hat had nearly sent him to Slytherin, of course it had. But in the end, it had placed him here, among people who would probably hate him if they knew his last name. The realization sent a thrill through him, a mixture of rebellion and uncertainty.