Hogwarts Raven

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The young wizards in the Great Hall began to buzz with excitement, their eyes fixed on Aurora. In the commotion, no one noticed Daphne, who had gone weak in her legs and was struggling to find her footing.

Grindelwald.

For Daphne, that name represented the weight of her entire family's legacy. But for the pure-blood and half-blood wizards present, it was a legendary name that once sent shivers through all of Europe. 

Some students might not have heard of the dark wizard Voldemort due to their families' attempts to conceal the truth, but no one could be unaware of Dumbledore's arch-nemesis, Grindelwald. 

After all, various documents and the famous wizard cards in Chocolate Frogs highlighted Dumbledore's achievements, with the most prominent being his victory over Gellert Grindelwald. 

This feat was significant enough that even those with little knowledge of wizarding history would understand its importance. Almost all pure-blood families were aware of the impact that name had on Europe.

Perhaps Grindelwald's influence never reached England directly, but it was hard to believe that no pure-blood families secretly resonated with his ideas. Even now, in some historical accounts and "new fables," the name Grindelwald appeared frequently— the infamous incident of burning Paris could not be erased from history.

No one at Hogwarts expected to welcome a Grindelwald among them.

Many turned to Dumbledore, but the headmaster merely smiled, his expression unreadable.

"What is Dumbledore thinking?" One student whispered.

"My God, look at her eyes! They say the Grindelwald family has a pair of magical eyes that can bewitch people. Are we going to be enslaved by her?" Another speculated.

"She's so beautiful; I wouldn't mind..." A third chimed in.

"Wake up! You're a girl too!" Someone else retorted.

These murmurs were not loud, but some of the gossip inevitably reached Aurora's ears. She seemed unfazed, sitting on the four-legged stool with an expressionless face, quietly waiting for the Sorting.

"Child, don't mind them; they mean no harm," Professor McGonagall whispered, placing a reassuring hand on Aurora's shoulder.

Then, she placed the Sorting Hat on Aurora's head. No one knew what exchange was happening between the Sorting Hat and Aurora, and the Great Hall fell into an eerie silence.

Time passed slowly.

Minutes ticked by before...

"Slytherin!" 

When the Sorting Hat announced Aurora's house, the dead silence was shattered by an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin table. Some older students even stood up to applaud and welcome her.

'A descendant of the first generation? Some might think so.'

But not everyone would agree.

Many students in Slytherin were wise enough to understand things that others had yet to ponder. 

"Slytherin welcomes you! Your arrival is our honor!" Some senior wizards exclaimed enthusiastically.

Aurora simply nodded politely and chose a seat away from the crowd. Facing the overwhelming enthusiasm around her, she frowned slightly, contemplating an excuse.

"Sorry, I have autism; I don't like to talk."

Upon hearing this, many Slytherin students looked startled. Although a few still attempted to strike up a conversation, the atmosphere was much calmer than before.

"What should I do?" 

Most Slytherin students were pleased, but a few felt uneasy. The one with the most complex emotions was undoubtedly Daphne Greengrass.

Coincidentally, at that moment, Professor McGonagall called out her name.

"Daphne Greengrass!"

Since Aurora had just been sorted, fewer people were paying attention to Daphne, but this was no longer something she cared about.

This once-arrogant girl was now as pale as a ghost. She barely registered how she walked up to the platform, her mind racing with thoughts of how she had complained about the Sorting Hat being dirty.

Coming from a family of Slytherins, she desperately wished to be sorted into another house. Who would have thought she would consider Ravenclaw a good option?

"Slytherin!"

Unfortunately, the Sorting Hat did not heed Daphne's silent plea.

When the house name was called, Daphne felt a wave of dread wash over her. She walked toward the cheering table, hesitating for a moment before finally mustering the courage to sit beside Aurora.

"Sorry, I..." 

Having lived a pampered life, the proud Daphne wanted to uphold her family's legacy, but she had no idea how to make amends for the disaster she had caused.

At just eleven years old, in a state of panic, her mind was almost blank, and even her short words seemed to carry a sob.

Because of her pure-blood pride, she understood the terror associated with the Grindelwald name even more deeply.

"Greengrass, what you should worry about is not me," Aurora said, gesturing for Daphne to sit beside her. This would help block many others who might try to engage her in conversation. Besides her surname, Aurora's striking looks also attracted unwanted attention.

"Huh?" 

Daphne sat down uneasily, puzzled by Aurora's words.

"I won't be your trouble because you've already gotten yourself into bigger trouble," Aurora replied calmly, continuing to observe the Sorting as it unfolded.

"Peter Papaclaw!" 

Another young wizard was called by Professor McGonagall, and he was sorted into Gryffindor.

Next, Ian, filled with anticipation, finally heard his name. Daphne, still puzzled by Aurora's earlier comment, looked on with uncertainty.

This surname... it can't be!

"Ian Prince!"

As soon as Professor McGonagall's voice rang out, Ian rushed to the Sorting Hat, placing it on his head without hesitation. His eagerness even caused Professor McGonagall to pause for a moment.

But she didn't scold him; after all, this wasn't against the rules.

"Huh?" 

As soon as he donned the Sorting Hat, Ian heard its surprised voice.

"Is it difficult?" He asked, taking the initiative.

"No, no, no! I can see you are not lacking in courage and talent. You possess loyalty and ambition; all four houses would suit you very well, but..." 

The Sorting Hat's voice was soft and light.

"You have an even rarer quality. Yes, yes, I can sense it— how familiar..." 

The hat seemed to show a hint of nostalgia.

"Actually, someone secretly threatened me to sort you into Slytherin. I originally planned to do so; after all, I don't want to be thrown into the dung heap of young wizards."

The Sorting Hat revealed a small secret before making a decision.

"Who would have thought it would be like this? I must give up my safety. Well, I should fulfill the mission I was given. You belong there; you must belong there!"

"Little one, in some ways, you are so, so similar to her. She was very lonely when she was alive. Now, I have finally found for the departed her most similar... successor!"

The Sorting Hat's voice suddenly took on a more somber tone.

The next moment, it shouted, "Ravenclaw!"

A loud cheer erupted from the Ravenclaw table, welcoming him with open arms.

At the same time, a loud bang echoed from the teacher's table.

The angry bat slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

"Someone fainted!" 

At the Slytherin table, a little snake with a rough fate saw this and reacted quickly, fainting and falling backward.

(End of chapter)