Author Note: I'm updating with stories that hadn't previously made it onto here. This is one from 2008.


The Lot of Them

"Warrington, Charles" was Sorted into Slytherin and then Professor McGonagall's lips quirked upwards into a small smile as she called for "Weasley, Fred."

Most of her colleagues, seated at the Staff table behind her, added their own smiles to the occasion

"More Weasleys," Pomona Sprout said happily, careful to keep her voice low so as not to interrupt the ceremony.

"How wonderful." Professor Snape, sat next to her, looked decidedly less than happy. "Yet another red-headed wretch cluttering up my classroom."

"Now Severus," she said, slipping into a lecturing voice, "William Weasley was an excellent Head Boy last year, one of the best we've had, Charles is a lovely lad and you shouldn't discriminate against him just because his skills on a broom make an embarrassment of your House team, and how anyone can object to studious little Percy is beyond me. I'm sure the youngest brother will be just as hardworking and easy to teach."

"Terrible at Potions and Gryffindors the lot of them," Snape said dismissively.

"I do believe," Dumbledore said serenely on Pomona's other side, "that this is not the youngest Weasley."

"Oh?" She turned to him with curious eyes.

"I'm certain the youngest is a girl, and that there is another boy between our new arrival and her."

"Breed like gnomes," Snape muttered.

The Sorting Hat, meanwhile, seemed to agree with Professor Pomona Sprout.

Definitely hardworking, just like the rest of your family, it told the small boy whose head it had engulfed, but not as inclined to be hardworking at the same things, I think.

"Hey, I like Quidditch!" the boy protested.

Not as clever as some of the others either, the Hat continued, although more cunning.

The boy pulled a face and someone watching giggled. "Don't even think about putting me in the Snake House."

The Hat sighed then pronounced yet another Weasley as a "GYRFFINDOR!"

"How utterly unsurprising," said Snape. He brought his palms together three times, the closest he would come to clapping for any student not Sorted into Slytherin, and looked out across the Hall to see if there were any many students left before they were allowed to eat.

"How sweet! Identical twins," said Pomona and beamed.

Snape suppressed a groan as Minerva called for "Weasley, George".

Another? the Hat said with some surprise. Hmm, where to put you…

"In Gryffindor, of course," the boy scoffed, as though there could be no other answer.

Hardworking, but only for things you deem to be of interest, clever, but not for books, cunning…ambitious too.

"I am not going in the Snake House," the boy told him firmly.

Wouldn't you want to be somewhere different to the rest of your family? the Hat asked, half curious and half tempting. You could be unique for once; just George.

"Where's the fun in that?" the boy demanded, and then added smugly, "besides, I'm Fred. Shows how smart you are."

Sometimes, the Hat said musingly, I am reminded why Slytherins always insist that courage is merely impudence when it comes to "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Sometimes, Severus, I just think you're jealous of Minerva having those lovely boys all in her House," Pomona said teasingly as they watched Minerva remove the stool and the Sorting Hat whilst the students at the Gryffindor table welcomed the newest arrivals.

Snape's nostrils flared. "I hope they drive her mad."