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Chapter 4: Ravenclaw
🕑 Added 2025-02-08 14:01:34 +0000 UTC
An hour of waiting was exhausting, but Noah knew there was no way around it.
With so many students to sort, the process was already quite efficient. Even if each student took 30 seconds, the ceremony should have taken two hours. Thankfully, some students were placed almost instantly, speeding things up.
Still, one thing bothered Noah—why was he the last one?
Do they think I’m some kind of grand finale?
He wasn’t famous, nor did he have any remarkable background. Yet, he was now the center of attention simply because his name was last on the list.
"The last student, Noah Finniel," Professor McGonagall called out, her tone as composed as ever, despite having read names for over an hour.
Noah sighed.
There was no choice but to go through with it.
He walked up to the front, took the Sorting Hat from McGonagall, and placed it on his head.
"Ah… a new name," the Sorting Hat muttered. "A past filled with hardship… a mind filled with curiosity… A thirst for knowledge, yet also a sense of loyalty and responsibility. Hmm… and courage too, the kind that comes with accepting responsibility in difficult situations. How very interesting."
Noah had expected a quick placement, but instead, the hat fell silent, as if deep in thought.
What’s taking so long?
He had watched dozens of students get sorted in mere seconds, yet here he was, sitting in silence while the Sorting Hat debated his placement.
Come on, just pick a House already!
But the Sorting Hat wasn’t in a hurry.
It found Noah to be an unusual case. His love for knowledge made him a perfect fit for Ravenclaw. His sense of duty and reliability made Hufflepuff a strong option. And despite his quiet nature, he had a courage that wasn’t reckless, but firm—something that could make him a solid Gryffindor.
The only House Noah hadn’t considered was Slytherin—not because he wasn’t ambitious, but because he had already dismissed the idea himself.
This was a common misconception. Many believed Slytherin only accepted pure-blood wizards, but that wasn’t the case. Slytherin valued ambition above all else—the desire to achieve greatness and the drive to pursue one’s goals. Many Slytherins weren’t pure-blooded, including Voldemort and Professor Snape.
Yet, Noah had mentally ruled Slytherin out before the hat even had a chance to consider it.
The Sorting Hat sighed internally. It had little interest in convincing students to change their minds—especially when there were already multiple Houses that suited them.
In the end, there was only one thing left to do.
"Tell me, young one," the Sorting Hat spoke, "which House do you prefer?"
Noah blinked in surprise.
"...Aren’t you supposed to decide that?"
"You possess qualities that could place you in multiple Houses," the hat replied. "Rather than deciding for you, I believe your preference matters in this case."
Noah thought for a moment.
Slytherin? Not an option.
Gryffindor? He had no interest in reckless heroics.
Hufflepuff? The idea of learning magic related to food was amusing, but ultimately, it didn’t feel like the right fit.
That left Ravenclaw—the House of wisdom, learning, and curiosity.
And most importantly—it had the best access to books.
"I’ve decided," Noah said at last. "If possible, I’d like to be in Ravenclaw."
"A fine choice," the Sorting Hat agreed.
"RAVENCLAW!" it announced loudly.
Applause erupted from the Ravenclaw table.
Noah removed the hat, placed it back on the stool, and made his way over to his new Housemates.
"Welcome to Ravenclaw!"
A boy with short blond hair and freckles greeted him with a bright smile.
"I’m Evan Kane," he introduced himself. "Glad to have you with us!"
"Nice to meet you, Evan," Noah replied. "Just call me Noah. Looks like we’ll be classmates."
"Sure thing, Noah! I don’t think I’ve heard the surname Finniel before. Are your parents wizards?"
Noah hesitated for a moment before shrugging. "I wouldn’t know. I grew up in an orphanage. I didn’t even know I was a wizard until I got my Hogwarts letter."
Evan winced. "Oof, yeah… the school owls aren’t the smartest. Mine flew straight into a window."
That got a chuckle out of Noah.
"My family’s been in Ravenclaw for generations," Evan continued. "My dad was a Ravenclaw, my mom was a Ravenclaw, and now I am too!"
"That’s pretty impressive," Noah admitted.
Their conversation was cut short when Professor Dumbledore stood up, signaling the start of the feast.
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