Kenny walked to the hat with confidence, the stares of others as he walked not going unnoticed. He walked with grace that was ill fit for someone his age.
He reached the sorting hat and sat on the stool. Mcgonagall placed the hat on his head and was waiting expectantly.
Kenny was very much expecting to hear the hat mutter in his ear or in his head but instead was met with silence, this also seemed to unnerve Mcgonagall who, although could never hear what the said due to its enchantment, could always hear the things muttering.
Mcgonagall lifted her gaze from the boy to the hat expecting to see it deep in thought, only to see that it was frozen. Almost like it was stunned into silence. Upon closer inspection, Mcgonagall realised the hat wasn't frozen at all but instead trembling as though with fear.
A fact Mcgonagall was only able to discern due to her proximity to the hat.
The sorting hat, which sorted all manner of individuals had never acted like this. Not even when it sorted...you-know-who.
After all, what could be so bloody terrifying about an eleven year old? If only she knew.
Kenny was growing impatient. He had his mental barriers up in order to prevent the hat from reading his memories, but the more he thought about it, the less likely that seemed to be. Why would a school allow a hat to completely invade the privacy of pre teens? So that meant that, in some way, the hat read one's personality.
Kenny released his barriers and felt the hat on his head begin to shake. The shaking was minute so he was certain that no one except Mcgonagall and himself noticed.
"How long is this going to take?"
He spoke, getting impatient. This was clearly not an everyday occurrence as many now looked at him weirdly, including Mcgonagall.
She had heard many students, most recently Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom, speak to the hat in quiet unintelligible mutterings but never had anyone spoke out with such confidence.
After another few minutes, Kenny heard the hat finally speak. Though he was not expecting what it would say. It was so quiet he was absolutely sure that no one, not even professor Mcgonagall, could hear.
"Monster."
'Does the hat read memories after all?! I was careless! I'll either have to destroy it or alter it's own memories, if that's even possible. No. Best not to be rash. I don't know what it does or what it knows for now.'
"Just get on with it."
Kenny's impatience snapped the hat back into reality.
"Appologies, boy. I was merely stunned by the magic you possess. It almost made me lose myself."
'So it detected my magic. But I have a ring with the passive skill to block any attempt to view my MP. Can the hat ignore this so long as it is worn on the target?'
"Let's see...plenty of bravery but perhaps not your greatest trait. Your intelligence is undeniable as is your thirst for knowledge. And yet...you don't seek knowledge for knowledge's sake. You are loyal to a fault, no doubt about that. But I sense something even greater within you."
"Hmm...ah I've got it. I know just what to do with you."
"Better be..."
"SLYTHERIN!"
the green table erupted into cheers and applause. They seemed happier than when others had been sorted into the same house. Perhaps he unknowingly did something impressive. He did notice that no one else had outwardly spoken to the hat. At least not so confidently.
Mcgonagall removed the hat and eyed the boy carefully. What did the hat see to react like that?
He stood and, with the elegance of a king, walked to the slytherin table with his head held high.
Sitting next to Draco Malfoy and across from a strange blonde girl who eyed him greedily. Not in a sexual way but definitely predatory.
The other students pat him on the back as he sits.
"Took you long enough."
Draco had spoke.
"Is that why everyone is acting so excited?"
"Of course, you set a record after all."
This time it wasn't Draco but the girl that sat across from them.
She had long blonde hair, blemish-free, pale skin and startlingly green eyes. She had a sly devilish smirk and exuded an air of superiority.
"And you are?"
She let out a light exhale of amusement.
"Daphne Greengrass, and you would be Kenny Winters. I heard Mcgonagall call your name. I must say, very impressive to not only talk to the hat but also set a record."
"A record?"
Draco was the one to answer this one.
"You took sixteen minutes. The longest ever hat stall only lasted around eleven."
"Hat stall? what's that?"
Daphne spoke next.
"Someone who is more complex, takes longer to sort than those that are...shall we say dull?"
She smirked at malfoy who didn't even take longer than ten seconds.
"A hat stall is someone who takes longer than five minutes to sort. There aren't many but there were a good few this year."
Draco, still annoyed at Daphne, interrupted her.
"Regardless the one you just overtook was the one who placed the hat on your head."
He turned and saw Mcgonagall taking the stool and hat away, having just sorted the last few students.
"I see."
'The hat only took that long because I had my barriers up before hand and that it was stunned by my amount of MP. It seems unfair.'
He saw her take a seat at the staff table where his eyes were drawn to meet that of the old wizard in the middle seat.
He eyed Kenny wearily, as though he was suspicious of him. Surely not, right? What had he really done to warrant a stare down? So he spoke to a hat, big freakin' whoop.
(I appreciate that this chapter was a bit short but I have exams right now and will likely only be putting out shorter chapters for a while. Thanks for understanding, troops.)