Chapter 31: Slytherin!

Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Slytherin!

Chapter Thirty-One: Slytherin!

When Vesey heard her name, she immediately stood up, pretending to look pale.

She could feel almost every eye in the Great Hall turning toward her.

Some students even stood up to get a better look.

A buzz of discussion spread through the hall as everyone speculated about her identity.

Vesey pretended to be frightened and nervous as she stumbled toward the stool.

Professor McGonagall gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don’t be afraid," she said softly.

Vesey gave her a shy smile.

Then the Sorting Hat dropped over her eyes.

[Ding! The host is currently being subjected to Legilimency. Please prepare to upload memories as soon as possible.]

Vesey’s eyes lit up.

The system really is useful!

It could even detect whether someone was using Legilimency on her.

She wanted to praise the system, but a nervous countdown was already ringing in her mind.

She quickly constructed a series of miserable memories and uploaded them.

A little girl standing before everyone, praying that the ghosts would spare the others if they intended to hurt her.

A little girl taking out her wand in the wand shop. She wanted to make up for her mistake and help repair the damage, so she used the wand that nearly drained her completely.

A little girl meeting Mr. Antoya at the orphanage. She was terrified. Whenever she was locked in a room, she worried that something terrible might happen to her.

A little girl being dragged out of the room by the matron and forced to stand in the pouring rain. The matron claimed she was watering the brain of a fool like her.

The little girl never complained. She was merely frustrated with herself for being so stupid. Her inability to recognize people must have made the matron and the others disappointed in her.

One day, the girl’s friend wanted to sneak out to play. The girl tried to persuade her not to, but her friend slipped out one night anyway and returned covered in injuries.

The girl cried and begged the matron to save her.

But by the time she finally managed to get help, her friend had already hanged herself.

The girl again...

When the Sorting Hat finally recovered from what it had seen, it let out a sorrowful sigh.

"Child... you’ve suffered so much."

Vesey pretended to be confused.

"Suffered? I haven’t suffered!"

The Sorting Hat bounced slightly on her head and said sympathetically, "You’re still young, so you don’t understand. The Hat only thinks that your life has been too bitter. But you’ll be loved by everyone in the future. Hogwarts is a big family!"

Vesey smiled.

Pretending to be happy, she said, "Yes, yes! I think it’s very nice here too. And I have an older brother. Mr. Hat, you don’t know how kind my brother is.

"I also met Professor Snape. Professor Snape makes me feel like I’ve met my father. He must be a very gentle person.

"I still..."

She continued talking for quite a while.

The Sorting Hat listened happily.

Finally, it gave a satisfied sigh.

"You’re such a good child. I really like talking to you. But now we need to sort you into a House. So, child, which House would you like to join?"

Vesey immediately answered, "I want to be in the same House as my brother and Professor Snape!"

"Really? But I don’t think your brother will be in Professor Snape’s House."

"Why?"

"Because Professor Snape’s House is Slytherin, and the man who killed your parents was once a student of Slytherin."

Vesey immediately put on a stunned expression.

But she quickly recovered.

"But that’s disrespectful to Slytherin. I think every House has both good students and bad students. Why should we condemn an entire House just because of one murderer?

"Just because that murderer came from Hogwarts, does that mean people should say Hogwarts is a school that specializes in producing murderers?"

She spoke indignantly.

The Sorting Hat burst into laughter.

"Yes, yes! You’re absolutely right! That’s the prejudice of those people. They can’t see things as clearly as a child like you!"

Vesey blushed as though embarrassed, making the Sorting Hat laugh even harder.

She didn’t interrupt it and simply waited patiently.

Once the Hat had laughed to its heart’s content, it happily said, "Good child, I already know which House I’m going to put you in.

"Salazar would have loved a child like you..."

Vesey’s heart stirred.

She heard the Sorting Hat continue.

"...But Salazar wasn’t as kind as you. You would probably be bullied in Slytherin.

"Godric would also like a child like you, and Dumbledore would probably prefer you to go to Gryffindor, so..."

Vesey sighed.

Then she heard the Sorting Hat suddenly shout:

"SLYTHERIN!"

She froze.

I thought I was practically guaranteed to be a Gryffindor reserve. How did I end up in Slytherin?

"Because I decided to respect your wishes!"

The Sorting Hat trembled with laughter on top of Vesey’s head, obviously delighted by the chance to surprise her.

Vesey stood up with an expression of helplessness.

Professor McGonagall sadly lifted the hat from her head.

Vesey smiled at her and then cheerfully walked toward the Slytherin table.

Slytherin fell silent at her arrival.

Even Malfoy rarely said anything. At most, he simply moved aside to make room for her.

Vesey snorted at Malfoy and sat down beside a girl with short black hair.

"I’m Vesey Potter. What’s your name?"

The corner of the girl’s mouth twitched, as though she wanted to laugh but was holding it back.

"Pansy Parkinson."

Vesey was about to say something else, but Pansy calmly shook her head, clearly indicating that she didn’t want Vesey talking to her here.

Vesey sighed.

She looked around before turning her gaze toward Snape at the staff table.

A huge smile appeared on her face.

The corners of Snape’s mouth twitched.

He seemed to understand exactly why she had been sorted into Slytherin.

His eyes were slightly red, and he turned his head to wipe them.

But he immediately looked back at Vesey and forced a smile.

Vesey understood the conflict in his heart, but she didn’t care.

She simply watched Harry’s Sorting with interest.

Harry’s Sorting took quite a long time.

Finally, the Sorting Hat loudly announced:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table erupted in cheers.

Harry glanced at Vesey apologetically before Professor McGonagall urged him toward the Gryffindor table.

After Harry, Ron wasn’t far behind.

He was also sorted into Gryffindor.

Then came the arrogant blonde girl with blue eyes whom Vesey had seen in the small room earlier.

"Cassandra Vorey!"