Lilith walked toward the stool with graceful poise, picked up the Sorting Hat, and sat down. Every movement she made was precise, exuding confidence and control.
"Why don't you put me on?" the Sorting Hat asked, puzzled as she examined it closely instead of placing it on her head.
"I just feel you're a little strange," Lilith said, her lips curling into a small smile. "But don't worry, I won't take too long. If Mr. Moriarty hadn't already cleaned you up, I'd be tempted to cast a Scourgify on you first. Maybe even a second one, just to be safe."
"Oh, Merlin's beard! Every young witch or wizard has thought about doing that for centuries, but you're the first to say it outright!" the Hat exclaimed in mock horror.
With a sudden clang, a sword tumbled from the Hat, landing directly in Lilith's hands.
Gasps rippled through the Great Hall as Lilith held the weapon aloft, revealing its gleaming silver blade and a large, dazzling ruby set into the hilt.
"The Sword of Gryffindor!"
Students gaped, and even the professors at the High Table exchanged startled glances.
Moriarty caught the flicker of surprise in Dumbledore's eyes. Clearly, even the headmaster had not expected this turn of events. But to Moriarty, it made perfect sense—Lilith possessed a daring, confident nature, and an almost defiant disregard for the status quo.
The Sorting Hat, still in her grasp, let out a dramatic sigh. "Gryffindor! You must be a Gryffindor!"
"No—" Lilith countered, "I haven't put you on yet, so you can't sort me early!"
Placing the Hat on her head, she firmly stated, "Slytherin! And don't even think about making a mistake—every Piliwick has been a Slytherin!"
"Slytherin? No, no, no," the Hat muttered. "You pulled the sword—Gryffindor's sword! That means you have Gryffindor's heart!"
"Who says drawing the sword of Gryffindor means I belong in Gryffindor?" Lilith challenged.
"Well… no one has officially said it, but—" the Hat hesitated, then seemed to shift tactics. "You remember the story of the Gryffindor sword and the Slytherin staff, don't you? The staff has returned. Surely, his old friend must also be wielded once more, so they can continue their eternal duel."
"What? You mean I'm supposed to fight Mr. Moriarty with this?" Lilith glanced between the sword and Moriarty, amusement dancing in her eyes.
"Although I would certainly enjoy testing myself against Moriarty's magic, a sword duel is not exactly what I had in mind."
"You'll have to get used to it," the Hat insisted. "The sword can cut through almost anything, and you should know—there are very few things in the world that can stand against the Slytherin Staff."
"But I'm a witch," Lilith said firmly. Then, after a brief pause, her expression turned mischievous. "And if you don't put me in Slytherin, I might just use the Sword of Gryffindor to cut you open, just to see if you're hiding something inside."
"Hey! That's a threat! That's not very Gryffindor of you!" the Hat twisted slightly on her head, sounding scandalized.
Lilith laughed. "There's no rule saying the Sword of Gryffindor can't be used against the Sorting Hat."
"You—!" The Hat seemed momentarily lost for words before sighing in exasperation. "Fine, fine… let me look at your mind… someone who can wield Gryffindor's sword but insists on Slytherin? Is it because of that boy?"
Lilith's face reddened slightly. "I take it back—I'm definitely cutting you open!"
The Hat, clearly amused, mulled it over for an agonizing ten minutes before finally announcing, albeit reluctantly, "Slytherin!"
The word rang through the hall, and Lilith exhaled in relief, taking off the Hat and shooting it a glare. "You nearly made me a hat-hater! Thanks a lot."
"No need to thank me," the Hat retorted. "Just… remember me."
Lilith strode toward the Slytherin table, where wild cheers erupted—not just from Slytherin, but also from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.
The Gryffindors thought it was incredibly bold to threaten the Sorting Hat, while the Hufflepuffs saw Lilith as nothing short of a genius.
"Miss Piliwick," Professor McGonagall's crisp voice cut through the excitement, "leave the sword."
Lilith tilted her head. "Isn't it mine?"
"Over the centuries, students have drawn the Sword of Gryffindor, but it does not belong to any student."
"But technically, I didn't pull it out—it fell into my hands."
She considered arguing further, but upon seeing McGonagall's expression slowly morphing into something resembling Snape's, she wisely handed over the sword and took her seat next to Moriarty.
McGonagall's sharp gaze lingered on her for a moment before she called the next student's name. The Sorting Hat, apparently exhausted, sorted the next first-year into Hufflepuff almost instantly.
Finally, the last student, Percy Weasley, approached the stool.
"Another Weasley!" the Hat cried. "No doubt—Gryffindor!"
The Great Hall erupted in applause as McGonagall retrieved the Sorting Hat, and Dumbledore stood up.
"Welcome!" he said warmly. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our feast, I'd like to say a few words."
Dumbledore's gaze landed on Moriarty at the Slytherin table. "This year, Hogwarts welcomes a direct descendant of Headmaster Salazar Slytherin—Mr. Moriarty."
The room buzzed with whispers, but Dumbledore continued, "While I do not believe lineage should grant any student special privilege, I do think this is a fine opportunity to remember the great founders who built this school. So, let us raise our glasses—to Slytherin!"
Dumbledore lifted his goblet, and Moriarty, holding the ice cream Lilith had prepared for him, followed suit. "To Slytherin!"
The Slytherins roared in approval, thrilled by the rare acknowledgment.
Dumbledore smiled. "And, of course, I am also pleased that a student has once again drawn the Sword of Gryffindor." His eyes twinkled as he glanced at Lilith.
"As a Gryffindor myself, I confess I was disappointed you did not choose Gryffindor," he said, eliciting murmurs of agreement from the Gryffindor table. "But as Headmaster, I am proud to see a student embody both Slytherin and Gryffindor qualities.
For years, students have believed Slytherin and Gryffindor to be rivals, but such division does not serve unity."
Professor McGonagall frowned slightly. "Albus, is it not a bit early for this discussion?"
Dumbledore merely smiled. "Perhaps not. After all, the Slytherin Staff and the Gryffindor Sword have appeared at Hogwarts at the same time. And what better example of friendship exists than that between Gryffindor and Slytherin?"
He lifted his goblet once more. "To Gryffindor!"
The room echoed his words, and then—
"To Ravenclaw! To Hufflepuff!"
As the students cheered, Dumbledore beamed. "Now, let the feast begin!"
Plates filled with food, and as the students dug in, one thought lingered in their minds—just what were the weapons of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff?