Hogwarts: Harry Returns from Water Margin

Chapter 55 Following the Example Without Asking the Reason

So Colin Creevey imitated Harry by throwing his hat, but this only exposed the Sorting Hat's flaw. It turned out that it was merely offering advice, but it couldn't sway the one who had already made up his mind.

Upon seeing this, the freshmen's eyes lit up, and they were secretly delighted.

When they wanted to enroll, everyone else hesitated, fearing they would be assigned to a college they didn't like. But after seeing Colin's audacious actions, they realized that they could actually choose where to go.

Even the senior students from the fourth division were whispering among themselves, secretly regretting their actions.

"Merlin's beard! So we can choose our own House after all?"

"Damn it, I should have noticed last year when Potter went to Gryffindor!"

"No wonder my parents are Ravenclaws, but I ended up as a Hufflepuff. My dad has always suspected that my mom cheated on me."

This remark drew another round of laughter, and some busybodies spread the word, making the auditorium noisy and bustling, just like the streets and alleys on the Lantern Festival. Where was the solemnity and dignity of the usual division of the academy?

Dumbledore's head throbbed again, and he took off the mirror, rubbing his temples. Even his good mood about seeing the newborn and enjoying the banquet had vanished.

Snape curled his lips into a sneer at Dumbledore: "Around this time last year, I think I told you that Mr. Potter's flamboyance was a bit annoying."

"Do you remember what you said, Dumbledore?"

"Oh, my dear Severus, this is actually a good thing," the old headmaster sighed. "I just didn't expect Harry to have followers so quickly."

"Ha! A brainless new wizard, less valuable than a Death Eater's fingernail, and you consider him a follower?"

"The children will eventually grow up, while you and I will walk toward death with Voldemort."

Having said that, Dumbledore stood up, cast a megaphone spell with his wand, and said, "Quiet!"

This shout silenced a thousand mouths. Dumbledore waved his wand, and the Sorting Hat returned to its chair.

"Please continue, Minerva."

McGonagall nodded, took the roster, and said, "Luna Lovegood."

Then, a platinum blonde girl strolled in, wearing a hat. Just as the Sorting Hat was about to speak, Luna took it off. "I want to go to Ravenclaw, is that alright, Mr. Hat?"

"Hey! Little girl, at least listen to my advice, okay?"

"I think I'm pretty smart, and I felt like you were trying to stick something into my head just now..."

Flitwick saw that Luna was as steady as a mountain, calm and composed. Although she was sickly and moved like a ghost, she had the demeanor of a great general in every gesture.

He had been eyeing Harry for a long time, and now that he had seen this female Harry, how could he let her go?

She gave the Ravenclaw prefect a wink, who rose and called out, "Welcome, Miss Luna! Ravenclaw is your home forever!"

With the prefect taking the lead, the Ravenclaws around him joined in the shouting. They all strained their voices and stretched their necks.

The Sorting Hat, unwilling but helpless, could only call out, "Alright, Miss Luna, Ravenclaw!"

Luna stood up, put her hat on the stool, and headed straight for Ravenclaw.

He would come back immediately after stepping down from the stage to get his hat.

The Sorting Hat, seeing this, exclaimed with delight, "Oh, little girl, you're planning to listen to the old hat's advice again—wait, what are you going to do?"

Before she could finish speaking, Luna raised her arm high and threw the hat down.

Luna breathed a sigh of relief, "Phew~ I almost forgot the ceremony." With that, she tiptoed, glanced curiously at the imposing Harry, and wobbled toward Ravenclaw.

McGonagall was dumbfounded. Her lips twitched for a while before she hesitantly said, "Ginny Weasley."

Since Harry rescued Ginny at Flourish and Blotts and enlightened her, her purse has been bulging with gold and silver, and she has long since forgotten all her inferiority complex.

She stormed onto the stage, grabbed the hat but didn't wear it. She swung her arm in a half-circle, slammed it to the ground, and shouted, "I'm going to Gryffindor!"

"Oh! You bunch of crazy kids! Why do you keep throwing me around!"

As the saying goes, "One imitates another without asking why." He saw Colin and Luna throwing their hats to the ground, but dared not do the same.

She hurriedly stepped off the stage, but then suddenly froze in surprise.

Wait, that Luna from earlier...didn't she also make a gesture of peeking westward?

She hesitated for a few moments, then tiptoed and did the same as Luna before stepping off the stage.

McGonagall, however, was at a loss and hesitated.

If we let these young wizards choose their houses randomly, the balance of the four houses will be disrupted.

It is:

A white lie hidden in a felt hat might lead a child to make a careless choice.

This time, Colin broke the golden edict, causing a stir and disrupting the balance of power among the four houses of parliament.

She pondered a way out of the predicament, remaining silent for a long time. However, a few bold and impatient students stepped forward before their names were called, threw down their hats, and chose their own academy.

"I'm going to Gryffindor!"

"Hey! That's enough, you guys!"

"Slytherin!"

"Stop falling! When will this end?"

"Thank you, Mr. Hat, I'm going to Hufflepuff."

"Ah, yeah, you don't even need to put me on your head to tell me you're definitely a little badger."

McGonagall wanted to stop him, but didn't know what to do. She looked at Dumbledore, who simply shook his head and closed his eyes, taking it as tacit consent.

Seeing someone take the lead, the other freshmen followed suit one after another, and their hat-throwing gestures became increasingly elaborate.

By the end, only Justin was left, and he was already dizzy from remembering everything.

He threw down his felt hat, stood there stunned for a moment, then tiptoed to look west, circled around the stage, called out twice, and then took out his wand, pointed at the ceiling, and headed toward Hufflepuff.

"If it were me, I'd rather drop out." Ron looked at Justin, whose face was flushed red, and said with emotion, "Harry, you're treating this year's freshmen like Death Eaters."

"Hey, brother, you're mistaken. I'm only concerned with eating and drinking; this so-called branch has nothing to do with me."

"But ultimately, it's all thanks to you." Hermione nodded slightly towards the professors' table. "Look, the professors are all looking at you."

Harry turned his head and met the eyes of the professors, simply bowing and smiling. Lockhart, seeing this, also greeted them with a smile.

After the Sorting Ceremony concluded, and everyone was quite full, Dumbledore introduced Lockhart to the students, and then the prefects led the students back to the common room.

After saying that, he added, "However, Mr. Harry Potter needs to come to my office. I have some things to discuss with him."

Upon hearing this, Harry also stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "That's alright, I also have important matters to discuss with the headmaster!"

Upon hearing his words, Dumbledore felt his headache return.

What does this child want to ask me now?

Wait a minute, I don't think I did anything this summer.