Harry Potter: Prince of Shadows

The Great Hall erupted into clamor as all eyes fixated on Aurora. In the midst of that, no one stepped forward to help Daphne, whose legs had gone weak.

Grindelwald.

For Daphne, that name could spell doom for her entire family's future.

And for every pureblood wizard—and even half-blood—present, that surname was legendary, once making all of Europe tremble.

Some might not know of Voldemort, the mysterious and terrifying Dark Lord—perhaps due to their families' deliberate secrecy. But absolutely no one could be unaware of Dumbledore's old foe, Grindelwald.

After all,

countless records—

and even the Chocolate Frog Famous Wizard Cards—describe Dumbledore's many feats and inventions, the most notable being his victory over the Dark wizard Grindelwald.

The fact that Dumbledore's greatest achievement is defeating Grindelwald should convey its weight. Nearly every pureblood family understood the name's past impact across Europe.

Perhaps

Grindelwald's reach never truly extended into England,

but it's impossible to discount the idea that some pureblood families quietly sympathized with his philosophies.

Even now,

history books and certain "new-age fables" rarely fail to mention that name. Setting fire to Paris was no modest deed; no one could simply bury such a moment beneath the dust of time.

No one at Hogwarts expected that a Grindelwald would suddenly appear here.

Many people glanced toward Dumbledore.

Yet,

the Headmaster only smiled.

"What is Dumbledore thinking?"

"Oh my goodness, just look at her eyes… I heard the Grindelwald family has a pair of 'magic eyes' that can ensnare people's minds. Are we going to end up enslaved?"

"She's so beautiful; I wouldn't mind…"

"Wake up! You're a girl too!"

…

Though these voices weren't particularly loud,

some stray murmurs did reach Aurora's ears. She seemed unfazed, sitting calmly on the four-legged stool and waiting in silence for her Sorting.

"Don't mind them, child. They mean no harm."

Professor McGonagall gently placed a hand on Aurora's shoulder, whispering softly.

Only then

did she place the Sorting Hat on Aurora's head. No one knew what passed between Aurora and the Hat; the entire hall fell into an uncanny hush.

Time passed.

Minutes ticked by—

"Slytherin!"

When the Hat finally bellowed Aurora's new House, a beat of dead silence gripped the hall—then the Slytherin table burst into thunderous cheers. Some older students even stood to applaud.

A Founder's heir?

Some likely thought so.

But others viewed it differently.

In Slytherin, quite a few students possessed keen intellect. They already suspected reasons that the rest of the school hadn't worked out yet.

"Slytherin welcomes you! It's an honor to have you!"

Many of the older Slytherins were especially enthusiastic.

Aurora merely nodded politely, choosing an empty seat. Faced with all the surrounding enthusiasm, she frowned slightly, offering a half-truth excuse:

"I'm sorry, I have social anxiety… I'm not good at talking."

Her words left several Slytherins momentarily perplexed. Though some tried to continue chatting her up, the throng of well-wishers soon thinned.

"What should I do?!"

Most Slytherins were overjoyed, though a few felt uneasy. The one with the most tangled emotions was, without question, Daphne Greengrass.

As it happened,

Professor McGonagall called her name next:

"Daphne Greengrass!"

Because the previous student had been Aurora, fewer people paid attention to Daphne. But that wasn't what bothered her now.

Usually proud and headstrong, Daphne stood pale as a sheet. She had no clue how she got up to the front; she wasn't even miffed about how worn and filthy the Hat looked.

Her entire family had always belonged to Slytherin. Now, ironically, she half hoped to be placed in another House. Who'd have guessed she might suddenly find Ravenclaw appealing?

"Slytherin!"

Alas,

the Sorting Hat did not heed her wishes.

Once the Hat cried out her House, Daphne couldn't bring herself to feel any joy. Mind racing, she walked toward the cheering Slytherin table. After a brief pause, she mustered her courage and settled next to Aurora.

"I'm sorry, I—"

For a girl raised in the lap of luxury, who wore her pride with ease, Daphne struggled to salvage her family's reputation. Yet she had no idea how to remedy the grave mistake she'd made.

Panicked, her mind went blank. Even those few syllables emerged tinged with a sob.

Because of her pureblood pride,

Daphne grasped all too well the terror embodied by the name "Grindelwald."

"Greengrass, you needn't worry about me."

Aurora gestured for Daphne to sit beside her—an easy way to keep unwanted admirers at bay. Besides the name "Grindelwald," Aurora's beauty itself drew enough trouble.

"Huh?"

Daphne settled herself shakily, bewildered by Aurora's cautionary words.

"I'm not the problem. You've stirred up far bigger trouble already,"

Aurora said calmly, eyes back on the Sorting that was still underway.

"Peter Papakro!"

Another of the new students—prompted by "cat lady" McGonagall—bounded up, ultimately being assigned to the brave House of Gryffindor.

Soon,

Ian's long-anticipated moment arrived. Daphne, who'd been puzzling over Aurora's cryptic remark, was once more thrown into confusion.

That surname… no way!

"Ian Prince!"

No sooner had Professor McGonagall spoken his name than Ian dashed up to the Sorting Hat, slamming it onto his head before she could say another word.

He was so eager that even McGonagall looked briefly startled,

though she made no objection. It wasn't exactly rule-breaking, after all.

"Hmm?"

The instant Ian donned the Hat, he heard a small, puzzled hum.

"Is it that difficult?"

he asked it quietly.

"No, no, not exactly. I can see you have courage, talent, loyalty, and ambition—truly all four Houses might suit you well. Yet…"

The Hat's voice was gentle, almost airy.

"You also possess a very rare quality. Yes, indeed—I sense something so familiar…"

The Hat seemed to pause, as though lost in old memories.

"In fact, someone secretly demanded that I sort you into Slytherin. I was inclined to go along—I dislike the idea of being tossed into a pile of wizard dung, you know."

The Hat revealed a little secret, then seemed to steel itself with resolve.

"But who could have foreseen events turning out like this? I must forsake my own safety. Yes, I must fulfill my purpose! You truly belong somewhere else—and you must go there!"

"Little one, in many ways you're so very similar to her. She was lonely when she lived. Finally, I can do for her what I couldn't before—find the heir who most resembles her!"

All at once,

the Hat's tone grew ancient and wistful,

as though a different voice spoke through it.

A moment later,

"Ravenclaw!"

the Hat roared.

A chorus of welcoming voices rose from the Ravenclaw table.

And at the same time,

Bang!

Up at the staff table,

an enraged bat slammed his fist against the surface.

"Someone's fainted!"

Near the Slytherin table,

a luckless snake swooned, rolling their eyes and collapsing at the sight.

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