Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of this work of fiction, and no profit is being made through the writing of this, monetary or otherwise.
A/N: Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's July Fortnight Two, Going Postal. Section 9: Confetti; Being chosen for a team.
"Team captains, I cannot emphasize this enough, once you've been chosen, you must pick the members of your teams wisely," Professor Dumbledore said in a rather serious voice. Never mind the fact that the team captains hadn't even been announced yet and thus would not be making a choice of any kind.
Ron looked at Harry and Hermione. Harry shrugged and Hermione gave the Headmaster a shrewd look. It figured that she'd know what was really going on with all of this team picking for a series of games that they'd literally just been made aware of scant minutes ago.
Ron's stomach growled and Hermione glared at him - Dumbledore had made the announcement before dinner and he was hungry. He blushed and looked away. He was not going to pick Hermione for his team, not that he was going to be chosen to pick team members anyway.
Dumbledore had said something about having the Sorting Hat select team captains. The Sorting Hat hadn't even sat fully upon his head before declaring him to be in Gryffindor last year. He doubted that it would choose him for something like this. There was to be one name called for each house. As a second year, Ron didn't have much hope of being called, and as just another Weasley, he had even less hope.
Dumbledore sat the Sorting Hat on the chair and the Great Hall was filled with silent tension as they waited for the first name to be called. Instead of speaking, however, the Sorting Hat spit out a slip of paper, then another, and another and after several tense seconds, one last slip of paper.
Everyone held their breath while the Headmaster read through the slips of paper, a small smile, then a slight frown, a twinkle of his eyes, and then a much bigger smile crossed his face before he looked up from the papers and magnified his voice to address the Great Hall once again. Holding his hand up for silence when the students started murmuring once more.
"For the House of Ravenclaw, the Sorting Hat has chosen, Penelope Clearwater," Dumbledore said, smiling at the young girl who'd been chosen, and he waited for the polite smatter of applause to die down before he moved onto the next name.
"For the House of Hufflepuff, the Sorting Hat has chosen, Ernie Macmillan," Dumbledore announced and the entire Hufflepuff table seemed to gather around the chosen team captain, patting him on the back and congratulating him. Ernie blushed but his wide smile showed how happy he was.
Once it was quiet once again, Dumbledore moved onto the next house. "For the House of Slytherin, the Sorting Hat has chosen, Millicent Bullstrode."
There was a smattering of shocked gasps before the Slytherin table broke out into polite applause, the other tables following suit. Millicent's face was redder than Ron's hair and she kept her gaze locked on the table in front of her. Ron almost felt sorry for the other second year, though there was hope that another second year would be chosen by the hat as a team captain for Gryffindor.
"And, last but not least," Dumbledore said once silence once more settled over the Great Hall, "for the House of Gryffindor, the Sorting Hat has chosen..." Dumbledore paused dramatically and Ron felt like his heart was going to beat itself out of his chest as the entire Gryffindor table made a drumroll. Dumbledore held his hand up to cease the drumroll and the entire Hall was silent.
"Ronald Bilius Weasley," Dumbledore said and Ron could swear that his ears weren't working right, and for a solid minute he could not see. Harry clapped him on the back and he started breathing again.
"Congratulations, mate," Harry said, beaming at him.
Ron blinked at his friend, completely at a loss for words and certain that he was dreaming.
"Pay attention, Ron," Hermione chided, elbowing him.
"Remember, you cannot choose the four members of your team from your house, you must have one member from each house. You must let me know who is on your team by next week, Wednesday. For now, let us eat," Dumbledore said, and Ron's plate filled with food.
He was so happy and nervous and excited that he almost (almost being the operative word) eat, but he managed, feeling that, for once in his life, he was more than just a Weasley.