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The life of a sorting hat was a never-ending series of moments spent in waiting. He was very old now and after having sorted the likes of Harry Potter and Tom Riddle, the hat didn’t believe there was much in the way of excitement coming his way for many years to come. At least he hoped not.
“Please Head Mistress!” The Japanese woman who came every year had burst into the office making her same plea. The hat remembered her from when she sorted all those years ago. Such a brave girl. “I’m not asking for you to upend all of the rules, just please let this one boy in. Mahoutokoro will never let him continue and you know it. He’s top of his class and he deserves this chance!”
The Head Mistress sighed, “Minako, you know I can’t change the rules for one student. We’ve been over it time and time again.”
“I’m not asking for a rule change, just an exception. I’ll go to the Governors myself! I’ll –“
“If we can’t change the rule for one, why not change it for all?” The clever Gryffindor girl spoke up. She was a prize, the hat knew; she’d be an asset to Hogwarts in the future. He kept this to himself of course, but once you look in to someone’s brain, you could tell a lot of things. He was glad he’d put her in Gryffindor. She’d been rather shy when she first arrived, but he’d seen that seed of courage planted in her heart, and Gryffindor had tempered it into something beautiful.
The women looked at the girl with appraising stares as the girl laid out her plan. Let transfer students in? What a curious idea. The hat liked the sound of this, more minds to look in to, older ones at that, what more could he learn from an opportunity like that? Ha! How clever this sounded to the old, worn-out cap.
“That might work,” the Head Mistress said with care. “We’d need the Governors all on board though.”
“I’ll go!” Minako declared.
“And I,” the young one name Jo agreed.
Professor McGonagall nodded. “Alright then, I’ll see what I can do on my end. This could be an interesting opportunity. Now if you’ll both excuse me.”
The other women left with a nod to the older woman as she turned her back to the door. “Is this a terrible idea?” She asked, to no one in particular, though the room was full of ears.
“Minerva, why do you doubt yourself?” The portrait of Dumbledore asked. The hat looked on with interest. He had spent many years with Dumbledore, and he’d be lying if he didn’t have some fondness for the old Head Master.
The Head Mistress sighed, “I just hope I am doing well enough for our students, Albus. I want to make this place what it was, but also move it forward as you and I discussed so many times. Will opening our doors move us forward, or backwards? I cannot say for certain.”
“Ah my dear, death is the only certainty, you know; but for what it’s worth, I think this is a brilliant idea.”
The Head Mistresses shoulders seemed to relax at the words and the hat watched on. ‘Curious,’ he thought. ‘Curious indeed.’
A year later the hat sat on the stool looking over the sea of students. There was excitement rippling through the air and the hat was not immune. He’d finished sorting the First Years once more, and he couldn’t help but eagerly await the arrival of the Transfers. There was a bit of a disturbance as one of the boys had been waylaid by a bothersome father.
He didn’t mind the details, he’d sort the boy when he arrived. He never minded a bit of extra work.
The Head Mistress began to call the names, starting with “Altin, Otabek” and the hat eagerly straightened up as he was dropped onto the first boy’s head.
“Oh my, how interesting!” He cried out as soon as he sat upon the boy’s head.
“I’m sorry, but what’s interesting?” The boy thought in reply.
“You just have so many thoughts, so different from what I normally see. But down to business. Let’s see, let us see, where should you go. Quite brave, and rather clever, but my oh my aren’t you determined! A little brother and sister you wish to protect. Perhaps Hufflepuff would be best, their friendship and loyalty would certainly suit your siblings if they do indeed come here. Though I hesitate to sort you based on them.”
“Would some houses not take them?”
“No no, it’s nothing like that, I just like to see everyone in a place that’s best for them, and I can see how much you want to keep them close.” The Hat sighed, “Alas, I cannot tell where they would fit best, after all I am not on their heads, now am I?
“For you, where should I chose? I think it’s best to follow you heart. You’re cunning, ambitious, loyal and kind; you’re not easily frightened and certainly daring. This is a pickle, but I think we should put you where you might best thrive. Yes, better be – SLYTHERIN!”
The cheers went up among the crowd as the first Hogwarts transfer student was sorted into his house. The hat smiled to himself as he settled onto another head. Some were quite easy, like Babicheva, Mila who came next. The moment he touched her fiery red hair he could feel her desire to protect her friends, and Gryffindor certainly was the perfect place for someone like that.
Others were more complicated, taking longer and longer. But none compared to the moment he was placed on the head of “Katsuki, Yuuri. Mahoutokoro.”
‘Ah,’ The hat thought, ‘this must be Minako’s pupil.’
“Hmm, interesting. Quite a sharp mind, an excellent fit for Ravenclaw,” he said. “But there’s more, so much more. A thirst to prove yourself that would suit Slytherin quite well. Loyalty and kindness that Hufflepuff desires. But there, deep down, courage and strength, fighting to come out.”
The boy stayed quiet, and the hat could feel his nerves. He’d felt this shyness in so many before, but the boy’s mind was filled with pictures. Figure skating, a program the boy apparently performed, whose whole purpose was a call for strength, his own strength. How very curious, the depths of desire this boy felt as he longs for strength and courage. Many felt this depth of longing, but most felt it for money or power, never for the simple means just to face their fears.
A flash of silver and a pair of blue eyes. Ah, this the hat understood, though he didn’t see it much since he tended to rest on heads of eleven-year old’s. He longed for someone, he was in love, though he didn’t know it just yet. He longed for strength to prove himself worthy of the one he cared for, even if the other was a Muggle.
The hat had to admit something about this boy touched him, and he couldn’t help the thrill of excitement bubble up within as it always did when he came to his decision.
“Yes yes, it’s becoming clearer now. The thing you want, the thing you need, that which you seek can best be gained through – GRYFFINDOR!”
The boy stumbled off, looking a bit stunned, and the hat couldn’t help but smile to himself. This one was interesting, no wonder Minako had such high hope for him. The hat couldn’t help but wonder what Katsuki, Yuuri would have in store for them, because there was so much deeper within that the boy had no idea even existed.
It had been a long night, so many to sort, and the hat had to admit he was tired as he was placed back in his case in the Head Mistress’ office. He didn’t sleep, but at times like this he wish he could just lay down for a moment and rest. He wasn’t a young hat anymore, after all.
There was a commotion outside and the door suddenly opened drawing Professor McGonagall’s eye. “Ms. Johnson? I take it you were successful?”
Angelina Johnson nodded and waved in a boy behind her. He was rather tall with long, silver hair, and as he looked up, his eyes shown blue. The hat gasped. ‘The same boy as the other was thinking of? He’s not a Muggle? How interesting!’
He hadn’t imagined he could take much more excitement in one night, but this new discovery had him twitching to be placed upon another head.
“This is Viktor Nikiforov. Viktor, this is Professor McGonagall, Head Mistress.”
The boy looked up and gave a rather sad smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Professor.”
The hat was not blind, and neither was the Head Mistress. The pain in this boy’s eyes was so clear. He’d have to be careful how he sorted this one. Pain like that could either be healed, or it could fester, turning into something ugly. He’d seen it before.
Suddenly a dog bounded in after the two and the boy’s face instantly lit up. “Good boy, Makka! Were you good for Winky?”
The small house elf trotted in. “Winky likes, Makka, Master Viktor.” The elf shivered a bit. “Head Mistress, Winky would like to take care of Master Viktor, and Makkachin, if that’s alright.”
The Head Mistress nodded. “That’s good to hear, Winky. It’s going to be a bit of an adjustment having a Poodle in the castle. Do you think you could get Mr. Nikiforov some super from the kitchens?”
The elf nodded and disappeared with a bang.
“Have a seat Mr. Nikiforov.” She motioned to the chair. “Ms. Johnson, I thank you for fetching our student. You may return to your family now.”
“Right, Professor. Don’t you worry Viktor, you need anything just write. Professor McGonagall was my Head of House when I was here so she’ll take good care of you. You’ll have to come by for dinner again soon.”
The boy nodded. “Thank you, Angelina.”
Angelina smiled and headed off, closing the office door behind her. The Head Mistress let out a sigh and sat down. “Well, it certainly has been a day for you, hasn’t it, Mr. Nikiforov?”
The boy nodded and looked down, focusing on petting his dog.
“Would you like something to help you sleep tonight? I know it’s been a trying day.”
“Ah, no, thank you. I’ll be alright. It really wasn’t surprising.”
This made the Professor bristle and she glanced at the hat. The hat knew his job was important, but this boy might require special care. With a flick of her wand that hat was out of his case and sat on the desk.
“First we’ll sort you into your house. Put on this hat, if you would.”
Viktor nodded and picked up the hat, placing it on his head.
“Hello there, Mr. Nikiforov.” The hat greeted kindly, making the boy gasp in surprise. The hat could feel curiosity and wonder sparking in his mind.
“You can talk!”
“I can. I can also think. I’m going to take a look in your head and see where you ought to go.”
“How do you pick my House?”
“A variety of means. It’s a mixture of your wants and desires, balanced against what you need. Sometimes I can see something within you, or some greater purpose yet to unfurl that will point me to put you one place over another.”
“If you’ve got a House full of idiot Purebloods, I’d prefer you not put me there,” the boy nearly spat.
The hat was surprised by the boy’s sudden anger and he took it into account. “We’ll see,” he simply replied as he began to shift through the thoughts.
Anger, so much anger. A father who raged and ranted, a man who abused, a mother’s body cold on the floor. Poor child, so much pain, so much hatred. Yet the hat could see what the boy could not. Those father’s eyes were not filled so much with anger, but with hurt. And his hatred towards wizards, it wasn’t towards their magic, but from their closeminded thinking.
“You want to see the wizarding world be a more open place, don’t you?” he asked
The boy nodded and the hat considered, looking a bit deeper. Skating, hours and hours spent skating. The determination to keep going. The boy was clever and shrewd, always finding new ways to get what he desired even when everyone was against him. If what he had longed for was power, the hat might be worried, but all this boy wanted was the ice. Well, and one other thing.
A set of brown eyes flashed through the boy’s mind and the hat had to hold back a laugh. It was Katsuki, Yuuri handing Viktor a crown of blue roses. Viktor searching all through Diagon Ally for the other boy, Viktor watching the same video, of the same nameless boy for hours and hours, a sense of longing so profound, only equal to that of Yuuri’s towards him.
The hat pondered this. He could put him in Gryffindor. It would certainly suit him, but the hat couldn’t help thinking maybe there was a better solution. A better plan, a way to make certain the past stayed dead. The Head Mistress would never ask this of him, but he did rather like hatching clever plans. He smiled to himself as the idea unfurled, and he knew it would be perfect, and maybe, just maybe, it could change the world?
“Slytherin,” he said, and he felt the boy’s curiosity spike. “It’s a good fit for you, and I think you’re in for a surprise. You’re skating and searching, and you’re so close to your prize. You’re smart and you’re brave, loyal and true; but I can see that there’s some yearning within too. Slytherin will help you get there, I promise you this; don’t worry about labels, and I’m sure you’ll find bliss.”
“Do you always rhyme?” the boy thought with a laugh.
“Not always, but it does pass the time.”
And with that the hat grew silent, as he was tucked away; back on his shelf, to observe and wait, to sort another day.
‘Katsuki, Yuuri and Nikiforov, Viktor,’ he thought to himself. ‘Where will life take you, once you both settle your hearts?’
It had been a very long day, and he felt due for a long rest. The rest was up to them now, after all, he was just a hat.