Oh you may not think I'm pretty, You can keep your bowlers black, There's nothing hidden in your head You might belong in Gryffindor, You might belong in Hufflepuff, Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, Or perhaps in Slytherin So put me on! Don't be afraid!
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!
"Magdelena Le Fay!"
Act like a lady, Elena. Stand tall, shoulders back, chin up. You are a Le Fay woman, descendant of Morgan Le Fay.
Elena recited her mother's words in her head as she strode with purpose to the podium in which sat a short three legged stool. Behind it stood the wise, wrinkled face of Professor McGonagall, whom held the famous ancient sorting hat in her long pale hands.
Elena took a seat, clasping her fair childlike hands in her lap. She looked out onto the Great Hall, spying a few recognisable faces in Slytherin from famous pure blood families that her clan associated with. The dusty old hat was placed upon her head.
"O! A relative of the infamous Morgan Le Fay…" The Hat trailed off, looking deeper into Elena than she would ever see herself, "Such a fair mind with much potential." The hat was deliberating quietly, mumbling nonsense that only Elena herself could hear.
"It will have to be Slytherin for you!" Proclaimed the Hat; shifting on the dark haired head as he spoke. Elena stopped herself from releasing the breath that she had held in anticipation and worry. She would hate to disappoint her family by being put into a different house. She stood from the stool, head held high as she walked to her new family table of Slytherin. She was welcomed with a round of applause as was customary for new house mates.
Elena smiled politely before sitting down next to another first year girl.
"Pansy Parkinson," She grinned, her short hair gleaming in the warm candlelight that surrounded the Great Hall. The brown eyed girl held out a small hand in greeting.
"Magdelena Le Fay." She returned the smile but with less enthusiasm and shook the bigger girl's hand.
"The Sorting Hat said you're related to Morgana - the dark witch of legends. That's so cool." Pansy gaped while watching Elena curiously.
"I suppose you could say that," Elena smiled wider, rosy cheeks more pronounced in the action. To anyone else, Elena seemed to be a normal magical child. But she held her heritage close and that in itself along with her great-great-great grandmother's infamy was the reason she would be treated differently and with respect.
The child turned back to watch the rest of the sorting. Her long, dark brown curls bouncing as she turned.
"Draco Malfoy." Called McGonagall and out from the shrinking crowd of those yet to be sorted came a white blonde boy. One that Elena immediately recognised from her families gatherings of pure blood families but she did not know him, she saw his father Lucius in him. She remembered the smug, handsome sneer of his father as he spoke to hers as she peered from the top of the staircase to the chatter of proud witches and wizards.
It took not even a second after the hat was placed on the young wizards head before the hat cried, "Slytherin!" and the boy stood with an arrogant smirk that made the young Malfoy look even more like his vain father.
Draco strode with pride to his cheering house mates. Elena applauded though with less vigour as was expected of an upstanding young witch of her calibre. Draco caught her green eyes with his grey as he moved to sit opposite her. She looked away feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.
As the Slytherin table quietened down once again, Elena turned back to continue to watch the sorting. She watched as a dark haired boy sat upon the stool, and whispering began about the hall.
Harry Potter.
He survived the killing curse.
He who shall not be named.
Elena's eyes widened. The famous Harry Potter, who disappeared after his parent's murder, was a student at Hogwarts. The boy who lived. It was all fascinating to Elena, whom was enlightened on the Dark Lord from a very, very young age. She was educated about pure blood supremacy. Though she bought in to none of it, she would always aim to live up to expectations of herself and her bloodline to be an extraordinary witch and to go above and beyond the normal progression of a first year.
The Sorting Hat placed the young orphaned wizard into Gryffindor where the jeers and shouts of welcome seemed to drown out all other houses. The bespectacled boy sat and quickly made friends with the first years already seated at the long tables.
It wasn't long until all the first years had been sorted and after a few words from our Headmaster, Dumbledore, the Great Hall was suddenly full of plates and plates of food. It smelt delicious, and after such a nerve wracking experience Elena felt her stomach rumble. Luckily her growling stomach wasn't heard by her peers.
"Magdelena," She looked up from her plate of roast chicken with all the trimmings to lock eyes with a stormy eyed Draco Malfoy. "I'm shocked we haven't met before, as our parents are so well acquainted." His words were genuine, his voice holding the tone of youth yet with a pretentious edge that came hand in hand with the Malfoy family.
"As am I – Although our families don't like to get us involved in their affairs, at least not until we are of age." Elena said pushing her food onto her fork with her knife and taking a small bite from the utensil. Draco knew all too well what she meant. Of how they were part of the family but would not be fully included in the family business until they were of an age where they would know of dark magic and be able to wield it. Until then, they would be expected to keep up their family names and command the respect of their peers.
Draco nodded, before taking a drink from his goblet of pumpkin juice. "Well, I hope that we become good friends" He looked up from his drink to catch Elena watching him "- as to maintain the alliance of our families." The icy blonde added.
"Of course, Draco," Elena smiled, "And if we are to be friends, then please call me Elena."