AU where the hat knows that there’s a storm brewing on the horizon Harry’s first year, and is determined to be ready.
When “Granger, Hermione,” is called, Hermione’s logic catches up to her excitement and she realises that the sorting hat has been a part of this world for centuries and she’s only been in it for weeks, and that she wants to listen to what it has to say before asking to be placed in Gryffindor. And the hat looks, and the hat sees someone who’s always been on the outside, who has such thirst, such ambition, and who knows that she is capable of more. And thinks Slytherin immediately.
“Very well,” Hermione thinks. “Put me in Slytherin.
And the hat warns her that she is not choosing an easy path, that there is a reason that no muggleborn has gone to Slytherin since the time of Voldemort. It tells her that it is dangerous, and that he can put her in another house as he has done for those before her. But he looks into her mind and sees the force of her conviction.
“I’ve been facing racism my entire life,” she tells it. “Here I have the power to do something about it. Put me in Slytherin.”
“Very well,” the hat thinks, and announces her placement. And jaws drop and eyes widen in shock as this little black girl with eyes like a bronze warship and the bearing of a queen walks over to her table.
When “Potter, Harry,” is called, and the hat sees a child who has suffered, but is so powerful, more powerful than almost any child he has ever seen, if he could only believe what he is capable of. Powerful enough to do what is needed, even though it shouldn’t be his responsibility. And Harry is so nervous he tells the hat to put him anywhere. Put him anywhere, just let him stay.
“Very well,” the hat thinks, better be…
“SLYTHERIN” is the only sound before the hall is silent and shocked her again, as a shy little boy with black hair and tan skin who looks far too skinny and far too small stumbles over to the Slytherin table, trying his best to be as invisible as possible. And his big green eyes have a haunted look that says he’s seen too much for someone his age, and that looking back is not an option.
When McGonagall reads “Weasley, Ronald,” Ron is confused. An hour ago, he was sure he would go to Gryffindor, thought he knew the order of the world. But his new friend is in Slytherin and he’s too nice to be evil, and Ron questions what he thought were hard truths.
And the hat sees. Sees a boy who’s been overshadowed, who has so much ambition and so much longing to prove that he can be something. And he is something, something more. The hat can feel it in its very fibres. “You were made for Slytherin,” it tells him. “You have the mind of a general and the ability to face your worst fears and stand strong in the heat of battle.” And Ron thinks that sounds far too ominous, but all he knows is that his new friend is in Slytherin, the only friend he’s ever had that respected him like an equal and looked at him like he was Ron and not Just Another Weasley. And he makes up his mind.
“Okay,” he tells the hat. Aware that he is breaking away from centuries of Weasley tradition. But isn’t that what he wanted- to be noticed?
“SLYTHERIN,” the hat calls, just as the students think that they cannot possibly be more surprised.
And the gangly redhead that slinks awkwardly to the table in green, away from all his brothers, doesn’t look like much, seems to the casual eye entirely unimpressive. But there is a look in his eyes that says he is strong, he is capable, he is loyal without fault if only he can find someone who is worthy to stand by him. There is power there, there is more.
And nobody knows quite what happened, but everybody can sense things will never quite be the same.
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