Harry Potter and the Greek Gods

{12} There's a Talking Hat! - Part 1

ANNABETH'S POV

We were ushered from the small cove to the grand entrance hall of Hogwarts. I was continuously ranting about how beautiful the castle was to Percy, and I could tell that he was trying to pay attention, which was sweet, but most of it was going over his head. Percy wasn't as dumb as some people thought, but there were certain things he just didn't have any interest in, and therefore didn't know anything about.

A wise looking woman met us in the hall. She introduced herself as Professor McGonagall. She instructed us to wait in the hall while the first years were sorted. The moment she left along with the cluster of eleven-year-olds I turned to my friends, a dozen different words trying to come out of my mouth simultaneously. There was a long list of things they had all been told but had likely forgotten. Well, some of them had likely forgotten.

"And remember, Chiron told us to spread ourselves out among the houses. We have to be all over the school." I finished, looking around the group to ensure no one had fallen asleep.

A few of them nodded, indicating that they had heard everything that I had said. Others, like Leo, looked far too preoccupied with the hall. I held back a sigh and opened my mouth to chastise him, but the doors reopened before I got the chance to. I whirled around to see Professor McGonagall standing in the doorway.

"It's your turn." She informed us.

I shot a warning look at my friends before leading us forward. Things were going too well at the moment. Something was bound to go wrong, or someone was going to screw something up or tell someone else something they shouldn't.

My worries vanished the moment I stepped into the great hall. It was amazing. The room was filled with dozens of floating candles, and the ceiling was nonexistent. Instead, you could see the ink-black night sky dotted with hundreds of twinkling lights.

A familiar constellation caught my eye. I smiled sadly at it, glancing at Percy, who, given the glistening tears in his eyes, had seen it too. Hey Zoë, I thought, Bob says hello. I hadn't known the huntress very well, but I knew that she had had a big heart, despite her tough exterior.

I was jolted back to reality by Percy's hand on my arm, silently telling me that we had stopped. I was suddenly very aware that there was a room with several hundred teenagers staring at us. No doubt their headmaster had told them who we were.

Professor McGonagall had ascended a set of steps to where a stool with an old hat was lying. She now held a roll of parchment in her hands. She straightened her glasses before she read out the first name.

"Chase, Annabeth."

I held my head high as I walked up the steps. I glanced questioningly at the professor, not feeling any less bewildered when she indicated the stool with the old hat on it. Nevertheless, I went over to it and sat down, cautiously placing the hat on my head.

Well, well, well, what do we have here?

I flinched, looking around me before realising that the voice was inside my head- and it was coming from the hat.

Who are you?

The better question is who are you. You see, it is my job to place students in the houses best suited to them, even if I don't always agree with the practice. You are one of the most interesting ones I've seen yet.

Thank you, I guess.

But where to place you? Very intelligent, I see, but also very cunning and resourceful. Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Brave as well. You'd make a good Gryffindor.

I shifted slightly, feeling uncomfortable with the way the hat was sorting through my memories like they were books for anyone to pick up and read.

I'm afraid I simply can't decide. Where do you want to be?

I scanned the room. Green and silver- Slytherins. They were cunning and ambitious. Resourceful too. It seemed perfect for me, but everything I had heard from Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys had put me off. We needed these people to trust me, and they wouldn't if I was a Slytherin.

As for the other two, I was sure that Gryffindor would attract most of my friends, but Ravenclaw seemed like a better fit for me than Gryffindor. It would also put eyes and ears in a different house.

How about Ravenclaw?

I was sure the hat had heard my entire internal debate, but he didn't comment on it. Instead, he spoke aloud.

"Ravenclaw!" He called out.

The blue and bronze house erupted into cheers. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as I scurried off, leaving the hat on the chair and nodding at my friends as I passed.

I sat down beside the ditzy looking blonde from before in time to hear the next name called.

"Di Angelo, Nico."