Annabeth's hands were shaking slightly. She was nervous. Very nervous. Everything here was so different from what she knew. Curiously she looked around. She walked between two of four large tables, crowded with students staring at the first years. She felt them watching every step she took. The aisle was leading to another large tables, where the professors were sitting, watching them, too. And then the ceiling. She had read in one of her books that it was only a charm to make it look exactly like the sky outside. But still… it was so strange. So new.
When the letter came she had been so confused. And excited. She was a witch! A witch! She couldn't believe it. She immediately knew that this was the reason she never got to know her mother. She was a witch and had left while Annabeth was still a baby. This was also the reason Annabeth could do things. Things nobody could explain. And now she was going to this school, learning how to control her magic.
The first years arrived in front of the professors' table, where a chair stood. A kind looking wizard who had already introduced himself as Professor Chiron, was standing beside it, holding an old brown hat. He explained that He would call everyone to the front in alphabetical order and they had to put on the hat and it would sort them into the four houses of Hogwarts. How was the hat doing that? Could he see into one's soul? Or in the mind? Annabeth shivered slightly.
The professor opened a parchment and read out the first name.
"Annabeth Chase."
She. Was. The. First.
She took a deep breath and walked to the chair, almost knocking the boy next to her off his feet because her knees were wobbling around. The boy shot her a glance out of his green, green eyes, then she was past him. She sat down and professor Chiron put the Sorting Hat on her head. It was too big so it covered half of her face.
"Ahhh I see", Annabeth heard a voice. Inside her head? No. It… it was the hat speaking to her.
What do you see? Annabeth thought.
"Everything", the hat replied mysteriously. "I see intelligence and eagerness for knowledge, but also loyalty and courage. But I know exactly where to put you. RAVENCLAW!"
The last word was spoken aloud for everyone to hear. The hat was lifted from her head and she saw and heard the students from one of the tables cheering loudly. She got to her feet and walked over to the other Ravenclaws. She watched the other first years getting sorted, the green-eyed boy was sorted into Gryffindor. And then, after a speech of the headmaster, Professor Dionysus, the feast began. Food over food appeared on the table.
"Whoa", she said and a boy with blond hair and grey eyes across from her gave a little laugh. The grey of his eyes was a bit softer than hers and the blond a bit darker and curlier. She felt herself blushing.
"It's alright", the boy said. "I felt like you in my first year."
"And what year are you in now?" Annabeth asked.
"Third." He eyed the food, deciding what to eat. Annabeth heard her stomach growl and realised just now that she had been hungry all the time but was too nervous to notice. She put a bit of everything on her plate, while the boy was watching her with a grin.
"I'm Malcom by the way", he said.
"Annabeth", she replied.
"Nice to meet you." He concentrated on his food and Annabeth began to eat. It tasted great.