The great oak doors of Hogwarts Castle loomed before them, glowing faintly in the torchlight. As the students gathered, the door opened with a deep creak — and there stood Professor Minerva McGonagall, stern as ever, yet with a faint, knowing smile when her sharp eyes met Roy's.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said crisply. "Please form two lines, if you would."
Her gaze lingered for a second on Roy, who gave her a polite bow of the head. "Good evening, Professor McGonagall. It's good to see you again."
Her brows lifted slightly in recognition. "Ah yes, Mr. Valvas. Two weeks, wasn't it? I must say, punctuality and manners are rare virtues among new students."
Roy smiled lightly. "I'll try to maintain both, Professor."
Beside him, Cassandra Vole, Daphne Greengrass, and Hermione Granger all greeted her as well. McGonagall noted how respectfully they spoke — and how Roy's calm composure subtly set the tone for those around him.
"Now then," McGonagall said, turning to lead them. "Follow me."
As they began walking down the candlelit corridor, Hermione's nervousness was obvious. Roy noticed, leaning slightly toward her.
"Relax, Hermione," he whispered with that teasing tone. "It's not like they're going to grade your Sorting."
Hermione flushed pink. "I–I know that!"
Daphne and Cassandra exchanged amused glances before both let out a quiet laugh. Even McGonagall, ahead of them, seemed to fight the faintest twitch of a smile.
The Great Hall
When they entered the Great Hall, hundreds of eyes turned toward them. The starry ceiling gleamed like the night sky, candles floating gracefully in midair. The atmosphere hummed with curiosity and excitement.
McGonagall moved to the center with the Sorting Hat and the worn wooden stool. One by one, names were called.
"Granger, Hermione!"
Hermione practically jumped before hurrying forward. The hat barely touched her curls before shouting,
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Applause erupted from the red-and-gold table, and Hermione took her seat, face glowing with pride.
Next came a few more students.
"Vole, Cassandra!"
Cassandra walked with composed grace. The hat paused for only a moment before calling,
"SLYTHERIN!"
Then,
"Greengrass, Daphne!"
The hat echoed again,
"SLYTHERIN!"
Both girls shared a knowing glance as they took their places among the green and silver.
And then—
"Valvas, Roy."
A hush fell.
Every whisper, every murmur seemed to stop.
Roy stepped forward calmly, silver-white hair gleaming under the candlelight, his diamond-blue eyes reflecting the flickering flames. The girls from several tables blushed or whispered, entranced. The boys stared, half from awe, half from shock — and the professors exchanged glances of recognition or curiosity.
Even Dumbledore, seated serenely at the head table, smiled softly. He had known Roy's grandfather, Darius Valvas, for many years.
So it begins again, he thought with quiet amusement. The heir of the Valvas line walks among us.
Only Professor McGonagall seemed unsurprised, remembering her earlier meeting with the boy.
As the Sorting Hat dropped over Roy's head, silence stretched across the hall.
Minutes passed.One minute.Three.Five.Ten.
The entire school held its breath.
Then the hat spoke — slowly, clearly — for all to hear.
"Ah… now this is rare indeed. I cannot decide where to place you, young Valvas. You possess the courage and fearlessness of a Gryffindor… the cunning and intellect of a Slytherin… the sharp mind of a Ravenclaw… and the loyalty and heart of a Hufflepuff. You could make history in any house you choose."
Gasps rippled through the hall. Professors exchanged stunned looks.
Roy sat calmly, eyes closed, then spoke silently within his mind.
I choose Hufflepuff.
The hat seemed to hesitate.
You could rule in Slytherin, or lead in Gryffindor. Why Hufflepuff?
Because, Roy replied quietly, power and fame mean little. I want peace, and those who value loyalty and fairness will understand that best.
There was a pause — then a deep, approving chuckle in his mind.
Wise indeed. Very well, Mr. Valvas…
And aloud, the hat shouted,
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
For a moment, no one reacted — and then the entire Hufflepuff table erupted in cheers. Professor Pomona Sprout clapped her hands joyfully.
Dumbledore smiled down the table and said,
"Congratulations, Professor Sprout. It seems a fine seedling has joined your garden."
"A rare and golden one," Sprout beamed, eyes gleaming with pride.
As Roy walked to the Hufflepuff table, applause followed him — even from other houses. The girls still blushed, some whispering to each other about his ethereal looks, while others murmured about the legendary name Valvas.
The Whisper of the Valvas Name
Among the murmurs came hushed recollections — the Valvas House, an 800-year-old noble family in France, known in both magical and muggle worlds.Their influence stretched through politics and history:
Darius Valvas, retired general and political power in France.
Clara Valvas, Duchess of Este and member of NATO.
Alex Valvas, Governor of France in the muggle world.
And then, the infamous Lestrange Incident — when Darius and Alex Valvas personally came to the British Ministry of Magic, warning them never to contact Jessica Valvas (née Frostborne), Roy's mother, again. They had stripped the Lestrange family of their fortune and holdings as reparation. The wizarding world still whispered about that day — a moment that shook even the proudest purebloods.
Now, the grandson of that powerful line sat quietly among the loyal Hufflepuffs, smiling faintly as if none of it mattered.
A few names later, Harry Potter was called and sorted into Gryffindor, earning wild applause.Then Ronald Weasley joined him at the same table — though Ron's smile faltered as he glanced toward Roy, who was surrounded by friendly faces already.
Harry, on the other hand, simply watched Roy thoughtfully.
"So that's why he didn't care about fame," he murmured. "He already had his own."
And as Dumbledore rose to welcome the students, candles flaring above them, Roy Valvas sat among his new housemates — calm, radiant, and unreadable.
A legend reborn, though he had chosen to walk among the humble.