Chapter 47 - 47 Branch cap’s humour cell

Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Branch cap's humour cell

When the Sorting Hat pronounced the name "Azkaban" clearly, the atmosphere around the professors' seats fell silent for a moment.

The professors stared in astonishment at the Sorting Hat. Their gazes flickered between Dracula and the hat on his head, their expressions showing utter shock.

"After all these years as headmaster, it's the first time I've learned that Hogwarts has a fifth house!" Dumbledore was the first to speak, cheerfully saying, "Let's congratulate Professor Dracula on becoming the first member of House Azkaban. His promotion to Head of Azkaban will be just around the corner!"

Dumbledore led the applause.

Professor Kettleburn, who had only one arm and half a leg, found the situation amusing and hobbled over to Snape's seat with his cane.

"Severus, now that there's a new house, I suppose Slytherin students no longer need to go through the usual process. They can go straight to Azkaban!" He cheerfully patted Snape's shoulder with his remaining hand, laughing loudly, "Why go through seven years of schooling just to end up in Azkaban? What a hassle!"

As an old-school Hufflepuff, Professor Kettleburn naturally enjoyed poking fun at Slytherin. After all, Slytherins had long looked down upon the Hufflepuff witches and wizards.

Snape's face darkened, but given Professor Kettleburn's decades of experience, a mere thirty-year-old like him could do little but endure.

Listening to the surrounding professors' jabs, Dracula's mouth twitched.

"Are you itching for another taste of being burned?" He took the Sorting Hat off his head, looking displeased, and said, "Don't think I don't know; you're probably still holding a grudge about the cleaning job I did for you and want to get revenge!"

"Lord... Lord Count, I didn't!" the Sorting Hat said with a tone of feigned innocence, "It's Christmas, after all. I just wanted to make a joke and lighten the mood..."

"Well, it's true that the Christmas feast could use a bit more entertainment to liven things up." Dracula looked at the hat in his hand, a malicious smile forming on his lips. "So, I'm planning to give everyone here a performance of the Sorting Hat jumping through a ring of fire. I'll need your cooperation for that."

"But the founders' wills have remained within me, and their memories and feelings about you, Lord Count, have persisted for a long time. If that was just a minor issue, the real problem is that the founders' thoughts argue with each other!"

"Wait, you're saying the thoughts left by Salazar and Godric and the others argue with each other?"

Dracula became interested immediately, setting aside his pudding and sitting up straight, ready to listen to the Sorting Hat's story.

"Indeed. In fact, when I was placed on your head, the residual wills of the four founders all wanted me to place you in their respective houses. As you know, Ravenclaw has always had a strong fondness for you, while Gryffindor and Slytherin have both tried to prove which of them had the greatest impact on you..."

"Those three, really." Dracula shook his head with a light smile, his eyes reflecting a nostalgic and reminiscent expression.

At that time, he was far from the fearsome vampire count he would later become. The four founders of Hogwarts were also just young wizards starting out, and there was a vampire friend who joined midway. The five of them walked together across the frozen surface of the Black Lake, a memory from a thousand years ago.

Lost in recollection for a while, Dracula suddenly thought of a question.

"Why didn't you mention Helga? Doesn't she want me in Hufflepuff?" he asked the Sorting Hat in his mind.

"Lord Count, please wake up." The Sorting Hat couldn't help but mock, "Look at you—where do you see any qualities of integrity, loyalty, honesty, or hard work... The Hufflepuff mindset has long since given up hope and hasn't participated in the arguments of the other three founders. Instead, they've acted as mediators."

Dracula's face darkened.

"After all that, it's still the same question." His tone took on a mischievous edge. "Why did you shout out 'Azkaban'?"

"Well... that..." The Sorting Hat, feeling nervous, said, "Why don't you blame Gryffindor? As a Gryffindor hat, I must have inherited some of his misplaced sense of humor. Yes, that must be it!"