A/N: I planned to post this chapter yesterday. However, some urgent irl stuff came up so I couldn't finish the chapter until today..Apologies, hope you enjoy the chapter.

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"What?"

Aurelius couldn't help but blurt out audibly, hearing the sorting hat's verdict. He was, quite frankly, completely dumbfounded and couldn't believe what he had just heard.

He was a Slytherin? By what sorcery?

For starters, he wasn't even pureblood. According to the Dumbledore Family Directory, his grandmother, Kendra Dumbledore, was muggle-born, thus making him a half-blood.

So, he had felt that just his blood status alone was enough to rule out the possibility of being sorted into Slytherin; after all, the house was notorious for being a cesspool of pureblood blood-supremacists.

Additionally, he, like Evelyn, didn't see himself as the cunning or prideful sort.

As for ambition?

Although he did have ambitions to be a wizard as great as his uncle, he didn't think it was significant enough for him to get sorted into Slytherin; after all, there was no scarcity of ambitious wizards in all Hogwarts houses.

Lastly, and most importantly, he was a Dumbledore. A noble house famous for producing exemplary wizards, most of whom, according to the directory, were sorted into either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. There were barely any Slytherin Dumbledores; he could count them on one hand.

Thinking about all this, he became disgruntled. Just how had he been sorted into Slytherin? Was the hat trying to make his stay at Hogwarts troublesome?

He was about to question the hat, but McGonagall took it off him when he opened his mouth and gestured him to move to his table.

'Great...This is just great.'

Thinking those words, he begrudgingly got off the stool and looked at the hall. He froze, seeing the eyes of every student locked onto him.

Moreover, the eerie silence of the hall made him gulp inwardly, further exacerbating his already heightened nerves. Only a few people clapped and cheered; the rest seemed shocked.

Instinctively, he glanced at his brother and new friend. They both had surprised expressions on their faces. He flashed both of them a wry smile before looking away.

"Can you believe it? He's a Slytherin; a Dumbledore's a Slytherin!"

"I'm as surprised as you are. I never knew a Dumbledore could be a snake. You think he'll get corrupted?"

"I dunno. Though I doubt he'd be bullied because of it. Don't think anyone's dumb enough to bully a relative of the Headmaster."

"Mate, you'd be surprised."

"Shh, he's about to pass us. Lower your voices."

Murmurs like these reached Aurelius's ears as he hastily made his way to the Slytherin table. They made him feel weird, almost as if he was some abomination.

'Calm down, Aurelius. It can't be that bad, right?'

He inwardly tried to convince himself that everything would be alright...that it was not unusual for him to get sorted into Slytherin...that he wasn't a freak.

Sighing, he took a seat at the end of the Slytherin table, under the watchful eyes of many, and focused his attention back towards the ceremony.

'Definitely wasn't expecting that. Thought he'd be sorted into Gryffindor for sure.'

Adrien thought inwardly at the same time. He glanced at Dumbledore to see his reaction. He was still smiling as if nothing surprising had just transpired.

'Objectively speaking, there's nothing wrong with being sorted into Slytherin. It's the students here that make it such a big deal. Initially, I wanted to be sorted into Ravenclaw, but now, I want to get sorted into Slytherin. Just so Aurelius doesn't feel too alone. Undoubtedly, he'd be ostracized due to his half-blood status.'

Adrien continued to muse, though his thoughts were interrupted by the following name McGonagall called,

"Flamel, Adrien!"

'Here goes nothing.'

Thinking these words, he stepped out of the crowd of first-years and walked to the stool. As he walked, he took note of the reactions of everyone in the hall.

Some of the students had erupted into hushed murmurs while the professors were all looking towards him, most with curious expressions.

Once he sat on the stool, he activated his Occlumency shield and turned it up to the max.

Although he knew an object as ancient as the sorting hat could easily bypass his mental defenses, it didn't stop him from trying. He would not present his mind to anyone on a free plate.

"What a powerful Occlumency shield. Though, you'll have to do much more than that to keep me out of your mind, young man."

The hat's archaic voice greeted him as McGonagall placed it on his head.

"Figured." Adrien chuckled, "Quick question though, why is it that you haven't been cleaned? One would think that a hat as priceless as yourself would be taken care of adequately."

"Priceless, huh? I suppose I am." The sorting hat started with a chuckle, "The answer to your question is simple: Tradition." it cooly said.

"Tradition?"

"Yes, Tradition. My creator, Godric Gryffindor, wanted me to be a symbol of the long-standing history of Hogwarts, and as such, he had left me untouched since my creation. Every Headmaster since then has followed said tradition."

"I see."

Nodding his head slightly, Adrien hummed. It had turned out that his guess was right on the money.

"Now, let's get you sorted. I've never sorted a Flamel before." The hat said, and Adrien felt his mental defenses crumble the next moment.

"Hmm...I've never seen a wizard with as much talent for magic as you... not even that guy from way back then...your intellect is ridiculous, too, given some of these unprecedented and revolutionary ideas in your mind. Though, you've got quite the ego..." The hat mumbled, seemingly deep in thought.

"Ah, this is interesting. Where to put you? Where to put you?... Well, certainly not Gryffindor; you're brave but far from chivalrous. Hufflepuff is a no go either; you're too arrogant for there. Slytherin is a possibility, given your blood status and grand ambitions."

The hat continued to mumble, but Adrien spoke up,

"Yes, put me in Slytherin. Do it." he curtly said.

The hat ignored his attempts at urging it and carried on with its analysis,

"However, you're thirst for knowledge is overwhelming. You believe knowledge is the greatest power and scoff at those who are not enlightened. Looking at your history, I can easily see that you are a researcher and innovator at heart. I know just where to put you. It'll be...RAVENCLAW!!!"

Immediately, the Ravenclaw table erupted into loud cheers and clapped loudly. Most of the Ravenclaws were knowledgeable and conversant with the news, so they knew who Adrien was.

They were beyond pleased that the son of the venerated alchemist, Nicolas Flamel, would be joining them in their house. It was exciting to think about.

Like the Ravenclaw table, the other house tables clapped, though not as loudly.

'Guess we'll be in separate houses. Sorry, Aurelius.'

Sighing softly, Adrien thought as he stood up from the stool.

He looked towards the crowd of first-years in front of him, most of whom fixed their eyes on him. Evelyn was smiling at him, and the emerald-eyed boy was gazing at him intently.

Shrugging off the emerald-eyed boy's intent gaze, he returned Evelyn's smile and made his way over to the Ravenclaw table. As he walked, he glanced at the end of the Slytherin table to look at Aurelius.

Aurelius met his gaze, and the two smiled at each other.

The Ravenclaws were all welcoming when he reached their table. Some were even giving him handshakes as he walked toward the end of the table. He found the amiable atmosphere pleasant; it seemed like he would get along with everyone just fine.

Grinning, he sat down at the end of the table, and at the same time, McGonagall called out the next name, a name which permeated a foreboding atmosphere and eerie silence throughout the Great Hall...a name that made his pupils dilate exaggeratedly,

"Grindelwald, Gerhard..."

'It's show time...'

The silky chestnut-haired boy Adrien noted earlier thought amusedly as he stepped out and walked towards the stool. As he walked, he gazed at the professor's table. They were all staring at him. Besides the Headmaster, they all wore shocked expressions.

'How amusing. It's just as father said... Its all going according to my visions..'

Inwardly chuckling, he sat down on the stool and awaited the sorting hat's verdict with a bored expression. He inwardly hoped the hat would keep its yapping to the minimum and sort him immediately; that would be best. He already knew where he was going to be sorted anyways...

Thankfully, the hat wasted no time, and before it was placed entirely on his head, it shouted, "Slytherin!"

Not sparing a second, Gerhard got off the stool and walked towards the Slytherin table, ignoring the state of the stupor of everyone present in the hall. The only sounds audible were his footsteps due to the persisting pin-drop silence permeating the hall's atmosphere.

When he reached the end of his table, Adrien finally snapped out of his state of bewilderment.

'You've got to be fucking kidding me....'

 

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A/N: The four main OCs have now been introduced and thus, the stage is now set. There will be no more OCs in this fic, just fyi.

Also, Adrien's research chapters will be coming up in the next 2-3 chapters so stay tuned.