The Sorting Hat had just finished its song, and the first-year students stood in a trembling line near the staff table. Professor McGonagall held a long parchment scroll in her hands, her expression stern.

But then—she paused.

The heavy oak doors at the back of the hall creaked open, and every head turned.

A figure stood in the doorway, silhouetted against the torchlight of the corridor. An adult—Professor Flitwick—ushered someone forward with a small, encouraging pat on the arm.

You stepped inside.

The whispering started.

Not loud. Not aggressive. Just a low, creeping murmur that spread through the room like wind through tall grass.

The Slytherin table went quiet first. Completely, unnervingly silent. Then the silence radiated outward—Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor—until the entire hall was holding its breath.

A fork clattered against a plate. Someone coughed.

Professor McGonagall’s voice cut through the tension. "A late arrival, I'm afraid. Y/n, is it? Please, come forward for the Sorting."

You walked.

Every pair of eyes tracked your movement. The flames in the floating candles flickered as you passed beneath them. The whispers returned, sharper now, more defined.

The rest of the hall remained hushed.

You stood up. The hat was lifted from your head. Professor McGonagall nodded toward the green-and-silver table, her expression unreadable.

The walk toward the Slytherin table felt longer than the first one.

Every step brought you closer to a group of students who weren't looking at you like a new classmate. They were looking at you like a ghost.

At the end of the table, near the center, a boy sat perfectly still. Dark hair, sharp jaw, and eyes so black they almost didn't reflect the candlelight. He stared at you like he was staring through you—like he was seeing someone else entirely.

Mattheo Riddle.

You slid into an empty seat. The bench creaked.

For a long, suffocating moment, no one spoke.

Then, to your left, a girl with a sharp bob and an even sharper gaze tilted her head. Her eyes swept over you—searching, calculating.