A/N: Just what I consider a little character sketch of Hugo Weasley, though I don't even know the real definition of 'character sketch'. But I'd think that what I'm doing could be considered one.
Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter in any way, Hugo would actually have spoken in the epilogue.
He's not the ostentatious type, he's realized long ago – he's the kind that stands in the corner and observes everyone else, the one who plans and schemes and amid all his thoughts gets forgotten in his quietness and tendency to go unnoticed in the shadows.
In the corners, he discovered quite long ago that that was the best place for him – doing things no one knows about until he reveals it to the world, not even his cousins and sister, close as they all are. Though a Weasley, he recognizes himself as a true Slytherin, though he currently plans to go to Gryffindor to remind everyone they're still a good house, too.
But despite this plan, something tells him no one will care – if he's Gryffindor, he'll once again fade into the wall like at home, shunned because no one realizes he's there. And though he likes it, he also nurtures a yearning to be recognized, to be known. Not to just be little Hugo Weasley, the one whose face is easily forgotten by even his own relatives.
The examples his parents and his aunts and uncles give to be known in Hogwarts aren't the greatest – Mum rather a know-it-all, Dad bouncing off Uncle Harry with the occasional accomplishment of his own, Uncle Harry being the Chosen One and Boy-Who-Lived…then there was also Uncle George being a prankster, Uncle Percy being smart like Mum, Uncle Charlie for his Quidditch, and Uncle Bill mainly for being nice and friendly and smart.
Mostly the normal things one can be known for, Hugo reflects sadly. Not to mention them all being Gryffindors, too. And of all that lot, only Al in Slytherin – unassuming Al, who'd have thought of that.
But all he can see to be distinguished is being intelligent – and Hugo doesn't care for unoriginality.
But that yearning is often smashed by his desire to be unnoticed, to just live quietly in the dark corners and plan his little plans – but that's no life, he knows, even for someone rather Slytherin.
It's what Hugo does best, though – sometimes being alone is better when you're in a life confined by your relatives' fame and stereotypes and expectations – well, not really expectations. Hugo knows gloomily that if he got into Slytherin, there'd be no excitement of disowning and anger – just some sweet "Oh, we always expected it and we're proud of you, dear" and the expectations of doing well practically obsolete when he's been reading the old Hogwarts textbooks since he was around seven.
The Wizarding World would like it best if he stayed in the shadows. They're still barely getting over a Slytherin Albus Potter who's best mates with Scorpius Malfoy. They want normality – and normality is a Weasley in Gryffindor who's a fairly average student, not the first Slytherin Weasley ever with an extremely bright mind. But of course, it'll just be something else for them to cope with after Lily's sorted into Hufflepuff – one of Hugo's many plans – and there's an uproar over yet another Potter not sorted into the lovely, brave, perfect Gryffindor House.
However, it's always Hugo's preference for the shadows that wins, plus not wanting to face the wrath of the Wizarding World. He prepares himself for a Gryffindor life.
"Weasley, Hugo!"
Hugo steps up to the hat.
A/N: Just a short little thing – it would have been longer if set in Hugo's Hogwarts years rather than waiting to get sorted, but something about this setting appealed to me, especially the end.