She hadn’t figured out until later that the Hat had been contemplating whether she should be put in Slytherin. Eleven year old Hermione was offended when she learned that, tutting away her own towering ambition and pretending as though it had nothing to do with her own intelligence. When the Hat had been on her head, there was only one thought running in frantic circles—what if they sent her home? What if the Hat decided she didn’t belong here, that she wasn’t magic after all, that she wasn’t special, and needed to be sent home instead? 