"A thousand years ago, to protect young witches and wizards persecuted by Muggles, and to pass down knowledge and awaken wisdom, the Four Founders came to this castle and together established the Hogwarts School."
Dumbledore briefly recounted the founding of Hogwarts, then turned to Dawn. "Child, in your opinion, how do we distinguish the four Houses today?"
Dawn furrowed his brow.
What kind of question was that? He thought for a moment, then gave the well-known answer. "Diligence, bravery, wisdom, and ambition?"
"Oh, of course! That is absolutely correct!"
Dumbledore smiled and stroked his long beard. "But aside from that?"
Seeing that Dawn looked puzzled, he changed his approach.
"Let me ask it differently… Just two days ago, you experienced the Sorting Ceremony. Tell me, what do you think the Sorting Hat bases its decisions on?"
Dawn pressed his lips together. How was that any different from the previous question?
He didn't understand what Dumbledore was getting at and cautiously replied, "Thoughts?"
"Yes! Thoughts."
Dumbledore's eyes lit up in agreement. He popped a candy into his mouth and continued, "Then tell me, what kind of thoughts?"
He noticed the increasingly vacant look in Dawn's eyes and could tell the boy was using Occlumency, though he didn't point it out.
"Have you heard of Legilimency?
The Sorting Hat's ability is similar to that, but it doesn't read memories. It can only vaguely sense the wearer's current thoughts and surface-level consciousness."
"But even with such limited information, how does it manage to sort students so quickly and accurately?"
Dumbledore spoke patiently and gently.
Dawn narrowed his eyes. He had never considered that question before.
Indeed.
If it only read thoughts, then when a young witch or wizard wore the hat, they would most likely be thinking about which House they wanted to join.
But wanting to be in a House doesn't mean one is suited for it.
So how exactly did the Sorting Hat detect traits like diligence, bravery, wisdom, and ambition so swiftly?
He had even deliberately used Occlumency during his sorting to hide most of his thoughts, leaving only those about his love for reading.
And yet, the first thing the Hat asked him was whether he wanted to join Slytherin.
"Headmaster, what do you think?" Dawn threw the question back.
Dumbledore wasn't in a rush to answer. He pushed the plate of pies forward, gesturing for him to eat, and only after a moment did he speak again.
"Dawn, a person's character cannot be truly hidden. No matter how much they try to cover it up, it will always reveal itself… in their thoughts, for example."
He spoke with intention and then drank the last of his tea before continuing.
"The more people you meet, the more you'll realize—each House has a fundamentally different way of thinking."
"For example, Hufflepuffs are loyal, hardworking, and honest. They believe in personal responsibility. When faced with a problem, their first instinct is to think, 'I ought to do something.'"
"Gryffindors, on the other hand, love adventure and breaking the rules. They have a strong idealistic streak. Deep in their hearts lies the shadow of 'I hope.'"
"Those who find courage, or who hesitate despite their hopes, are usually sorted into Gryffindor."
"Slytherins are united and exclusive. Driven by 'I want,' they can quickly distinguish friend from foe, then proceed to win over or suppress others accordingly."
"And what about Ravenclaws? Most of them think, 'I will achieve.' Because they believe in their own intelligence, they tend to focus more on the self."
Dumbledore spoke slowly, emphasizing certain key phrases, allowing Dawn time to reflect.
"Of course, no one's thoughts are purely of one type. They're always a mix. But the Sorting Hat can tell which mindset dominates in a young witch or wizard."
Dawn absentmindedly tapped his finger on the table. This was the first time he had heard such an explanation, but he didn't entirely agree.
"I hope and I want—aren't they basically the same thing?"
"Oh, not at all." Dumbledore shook his head with a smile. "While the line between them can be blurry, the difference is quite significant."
"Hope stems from ideals. People strive toward their ideals but don't necessarily expect to see them realized."
"Want, however, is rooted in reality. And because it's grounded in the real world, it often pushes people to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals."
"Just like the Four Founders, a thousand years ago... Gryffindor hoped to unite all magical forces. He believed witches and wizards were one and could protect each other through unity."
"But Slytherin, reacting to the reality of the witch hunts, insisted on removing Muggle-borns from the school, choosing to teach only children from magical families."
"After many arguments and conflicts, the two ultimately had no choice but to go their separate ways."
Dumbledore sighed.
"In truth, looking back with the knowledge we have now, Slytherin wasn't entirely wrong."
"Because during the witch hunts, many Muggle-borns, unable to abandon their families, ended up turning their wands against their fellow wizards."
Night had deepened.
The bright moonlight streamed in, casting a pale glow over the now-cold food.
Dawn licked his dry lips and looked at his nearly empty teacup. He still didn't understand what Dumbledore was trying to say.
Could it really be… just idle conversation He didn't want to follow Dumbledore's train of thought any longer.
Lifting his head, he pressed:
"Headmaster, do you truly believe your explanation was impartial? In both tone and word choice, your description of Slytherin feels more negative than that of Gryffindor."
"Do you also believe Slytherin students are inherently evil, destined to become dark wizards?"
There was a sharp edge to Dawn's tone.
But instead of answering directly, Dumbledore paused for a moment and then asked, "Dawn, what kind of person do you think I am?"
Dawn frowned, thought for a moment, then cautiously replied, "You are a great man."
"A great man!"
Dumbledore chuckled, shaking his head.
"The greatest headmaster, the most powerful wizard, the protector of the wizarding world… people always praise me."
"But you know, Dawn…"
He suddenly stopped speaking. The smile faded from his face, replaced by pain, nostalgia, and other complex emotions.
In a quiet voice, he said, "When I was young, I nearly became a dark wizard myself."
The wind that had been blowing through the window seemed to vanish. There was a faint noise from the cabinet at the back of the classroom.
But Dawn had no time to notice that now. He stared at the too-sincere-looking Dumbledore, feeling more confused than ever.