Chapter Text
Jisung didn’t hate magic. Don’t get him wrong. The issue was his parents weren’t so keen on letting him into the secrets of magic. Before getting his Hogwarts letter, his life was pretty much as mundane as it could get. Going to a normal primary school, slowly trying to figure out what he likes and what he’d do in the future. They weren’t hiding from him that he was a wizard, but they weren’t encouraging him to develop further, hoping for him to avoid going to Hogwarts at all. Finally, it didn’t happen and Jisung was on his way to the start 6th year. Sitting with his friend group in one of the train compartments.
“Did you decide what subjects are you going to take?” asked one of the guys, whose name Jisung couldn’t recall
He wasn’t the type of the person to toss everyone around, being the boss of his friends. The issue was, their group was this big. Jisung couldn’t remember some of them. This is what happens when you are friends with Donghun, the most popular Gryffindor to ever exist. Or maybe like the top 10 popular Gryffindors of all time. Because there are guys like Harry Potter or his father after all. Jisung just somehow tagged along during the first year and they’ve been best friends for 6 years now.
“I don’t know. Maybe charms? Or herbology? My dad said if I passed anything at all, he’d get me a job in the Ministry anyway,” Donghun shrugged, laughing at his own plan. “I don’t see why I have to do anything.”
Jisung rolled his eyes, elbowing his friend. This caused the giggling in their compartment to die down. Technically, Donghun was more popular, but they respected Jisung just as much as him. And even if his friends couldn’t take the school seriously, it doesn’t mean he wouldn’t. Even if he has no idea how wizarding subjects could help him land a muggle job. He didn’t intend to spend his entire life in a small wizarding colony.
“You should’ve been placed in Ravenclaw. Your nose is always in some book and I bet half of our house points are from your class activity,” another friend, Jun, said and Jisung could sense the slight mockery in his voice.
What was their problem with having some ambitions while he was at school?
“Someone has to be smart, or you’d be expelled before you even got sorted years ago,” Jisung said, rolling his eyes. “And to hold the gains in our house points, I’m going with Arithmancy, Potions and Transfiguration”
This caused another, much smaller, fit of giggles, as he’s been seen as one of the most ambitious house members. Yeah, there were some other people attending more complicated classes, but sadly, they were not in his social circle. The rest shared their so-called hopes and dreams for this year in terms of subjects and then it came down to who was going to be in this year’s Quidditch team line up. Jisung was probably going to be in the team once again as a seeker. If he’s going to be able to fit it into his busy schedule. Because he’s going to have lots of homework to do, not only his. Over the course of the years, doing other people’s essays for money became his side income. Or more like the primary source of it and it pays off rather well. Thankfully soon they were at Hogwarts and Jisung didn’t have to listen to his friends any longer. He really liked them, that’s for sure. But sometimes they were annoying as fuck.
“I’m calling dibs on the first shower,” Donghun whispered, leaning over the table, as they were watching the scared first years marching towards the teacher’s table.
Jisung nodded mindlessly, observing the people in the Great Hall. Not that anything changed through the summer break, but he really couldn’t be bothered by arguing about the shower queue, knowing he would go last, anyway. His attention was brought back when the Sorting Hat spoke, startling many people present in the room.
“As reluctant as I am, I have to admit I’ve made a mistake,” the screeching voice echoed down the hall, scaring even the headmistress Minerva McGonagall, who dropped the hat in surprise. “Minerva, dear. I’m too old to be tossed around.” McGonagall quickly picked up the piece of material as Jisung snickered quietly. Never in his lifetime he saw someone scolding this woman. “There’s been a few, wrongfully placed somewhere they don’t belong. I ought to change it, giving those few fair chances at their development”
“I bet it’s one of the younger years. It’s impossible for someone older to be in the wrong house for so long,” Yedam whispered to them, eyeing everyone at their table suspiciously.
Jisung noticed how everyone became wary of the people they were sitting next to. Especially amongst younger people, just like Yedam noticed. Jisung couldn’t argue. He was also curious, who was misplaced through the years. Turns out that those people would be going through the sorting ceremony once again, before the first years. So it means his late night shower would be even later than usual. He sighed deeply, leaning his head against the table. Maybe to take a nap or something. The hat was calling out to the people, as Jisung was slowly lulled to sleep by all the white noise.
“Han Jisung” the hat shouted, startling him awake
“Dude, what the fuck?” Donghun kicked him under the table, looking at him with betrayal in his eyes. “What the fuck are you, then?”
“Like I have any idea,” Jisung whispered, slightly panicked as he stood up from the table, careful not to trip over the bench. “It’s probably another mistake and I’ll be back here in a few minutes”
His friends gave him reassuring smiles, just like the rest of his house, as he was walking down the hall, along with a girl from Ravenclaw and a boy from Hufflepuff. Turns out there were about 50 people next to him, aside from the first years. This hat is getting progressively stupid through the years. He was one of the first people called to the stool and he sat down nervously. What could this hat possibly want from him?
“Han Jisung, we meet again,” he could hear the quiet voice inside his head “You’re probably wondering why I called you up here”
“Actually, yes” Jisung knew the hat would hear him, even if he didn’t say anything out loud “Couldn’t you just do your job properly?”
“Well, I do. Sadly, some of you have your true potential hidden deeply. Just like you, with your former disconnection from the wizarding world. It blocked an enormous part of your potential,” the hat kept on talking inside his head as Jisung grew more and more impatient.
“Just place me in Ravenclaw and let’s be over with it”
It seemed like the only reasonable choice, because his friends always told him how they were surprised he ended up in Gryffindor, because of the amount of time he spends in the library. And the only reasonable one because it seems like he won’t be sleeping in the Gryffindor tower anymore.
“Boy, who said you belong there? There are still two other choices”
Was the hat trying to keep him here forever? Even McGonagall seemed to get impatient, even though she is a hatstall herself. So it means he has spent eternity here already. And the hat seems not to be ready to announce the verdict. But what other two choices did he get left? He doesn’t seem to fit in Hufflepuff. He wasn’t the most hardworking or friendly person out there. His loyalty was also often questioned for some odd reasons. This leaves only Slytherin, but Jisung also couldn’t place himself there somehow.
“See, how you can’t point out any reasons why you don’t belong in a certain house? That should be your answer”
Jisung sucked his breath in as he grimaced. The headmistress started tapping her foot against the hardwood floor impatiently. It seems like the hat took the clue for once, taking a deep breath, before announcing her decision for the second time in six years.
“Slytherin” the voice echoed loudly as Jisung was left stunned
He looked at his friends, trying to find some support, but was met with disdain. Then his eyes navigated towards the Slytherin table, getting similar stares. So does it mean he’s now all alone? In a house full of people that seem to hate him for no reason? Great.