Written by: cinnamon and apples
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J.K. Rowling. Only Ayla, Gillian and their lives belong to us.
Please enjoy our first story together and our first Harry Potter Fanfiction! We apologize in advice for any time you may spend waiting for the next chapter.
Prologue - What was to come?
September 1st 1991 - Year 1
Gliding across the dark lake, smooth as glass, there was complete silence as we slowly inched forward. Hogwarts stood tall; a king's castle on a high cliff as we ducked or heads low and the boats carried us through a sudden curtain of ivy.
There right after was the edge of the cliff. Carefully we all stepped out and onto the pebbles. I took one look at her; Gillian was almost shivering with excitement. Her eyes were fully lit, as mine stayed dull with nerve. Hagrid strongly knocked on the door ahead of us. My heart leaped as a tall witch in emerald robes opened it.
Quietly she led us through the corridor and came to a stop at a doorway. Everyone stood still whispering and gazing in awe until she finally spoke. "Welcome to Hogwarts, I am Professor McGonagall. The starting banquet will begin shortly, but first you must be sorted into your houses. Then you may take your seats." The professor continued on as we all listened closely. No one wanted to miss a word, it was all so important.
"The House Sorting is an extraordinary ceremony because you will be with your house through your entire stay here at Hogwarts. There are four houses, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. These houses all have their history and have produced marvelous witches and wizards. Here at Hogwarts, your triumphs will win your house points and your mistakes will lose your house points. At year-end the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, an amazing honor. The House Sorting will take place shortly in front of the rest of the school." The silence was broken as many people gulped and gasped. My heart continued pounding, this wouldn't be a small ceremony. "I will return when they are ready. Please wait quietly." Professor McGonagall turned and left.
Gillian and I shared a nervous glance and the hush was broken once more as a shockingly blonde boy turned to another, in which I recognized to be Harry Potter. "This is Crabbe and Goyle and I am Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." A little red haired boy gave a subtle cough that might have been used to cover a snigger. "Think my names funny do you? Well there is no need to ask who you are. My father told me all Weasleys have red hair, freckles and a few too many children then they can afford."
Then without warning the most surprising thing happened. New students jumped in shock, some even screamed. "What..." I gasped, and so did everyone else. Nearly twenty ghosts had just flown through the back wall. Pearly white and close to transparent they gracefully slid around the room, chatting and hardly noticing us first years. One ghost who resembled a short and chubby monk was the first. "New students!" he exclaimed smiling. "About to be sorted I suppose." A few students beside me nodded in awe. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house..." "Move along now Friar, the house sorting is about to start." An abrupt voice spoke, it was Professor McGonagall. "Please form a line and follow Me.," she instructed.
We did as we were told. My stomach lurched; this was it, the sorting, into the house we would be in for seven solid years. That thought made me shiver. I turned to Gillian, "Well at least we only have to do this once." she nodded in reply and I could see that she was finally nervous, even so only slightly. Quickly we formed a single file line and stepped into the Great Hall.
The atmosphere of the room took me completely aback. It was amazing, more than amazing. The entire hall was lit up with thousands of candles in which were floating in mid air. Four tables were set with shining golden plates and goblets. Even still at the very back of the Great Hall was a long outstretched table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led all of the first years there and I could sense Gillian finally matching my fears, she was now just as anxious as the rest of us, though she tried hard to keep a smiling face. At this point I wasn't sure what to think. 'Does it really matter what house I am in? I am sure there will be good people in all of them, or...' We had come to a halt and were now all facing a vast number of students, with the teachers behind us. Feeling nearly sick from all the stares I looked above me ever so slightly and was alarmed to see the stars, no ceiling just stars. Behind me I heard a voice whisper "its bewitched." Someone else had obviously noticed me look upwards. My eyes had fallen back into their proper places just in time to see Professor McGonagall place a small stool in front of us.
On the stool was a pointed witches hat, patched, frayed and filthy. There was muteness as everyone thought to themselves. 'What could this possibly do?' Suddenly the hat twitched, a mouth formed from a rip near its brim and it burst into song. Applause filled the hall as it finished its lengthy tune, and the quiet came again. I could feel the tension fall off my shoulders, this was a lot easier then I had thought. I blinked at Gillian and she gave me a small smile.
Professor McGonagall stepped forwards once more, but this time she held out a long scroll of parchment. "When I call your name, please come forward, place on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." "Hannah Abbott!" A blushing girl with blonde pigtails found her way out of the crowd and sat on the stool. There was a small pause when "Hufflepuff!" exploded out of the hats mouth. Softly she shuffled off to her new house table and it continued on as such. "Susan Bones!" "Hufflepuff!" "Terry Boot!" "Ravenclaw!" "Mandy Brocklehurst!" "Ravenclaw!" "Lavender Brown!" "Gryffindor!" "Millicent Bulstrode!" "Slytherin!" "Gillian Coluber!" It was Gillian's turn and neither of us had seen it coming.
I glanced over at her and was positive her eyes had widened so much that soon enough they would just fall out and onto the floor. She repaid my look and I gave her the largest smile I could conjure. Seeming to be calmed a bit she turned away and without a word headed towards the stool that beckoned and carefully placed on the hat. That cap seemed to be thinking out loud this time for I could hear what it thought of her.
"I see talent, a brilliant fighter you are eh? A truly brave soul, wait then there is your violent side. What is that good for? You seem to be a rather sneaky one. Yes you are a Coluber, I guess that sets you up for, Slytherin!" Leaving the stool she glanced back at me passed me a content grin and confidently moved to the rest of her new house. I had finally begun to relax when, "Ayla Fidelis!"
My name was called. I was next? This soon? As I took steady steps closer to the sorting hat, I began trying so hard to focus on nothing, make my mind blank, an empty canvas so the hat wouldn't think badly of me. I sat down cautiously and put it atop of my head gently. "Yes, yes I see intelligence worthy of a Ravenclaw, yet a shy one aren't you? I must dig deeper... what are you at heart? Oh, it is all clear! You are the first descendent of Mr. Charles Fidelis, heroic man he was. You have bravery down there somewhere lets see if we can bring that up! Well that ends your dilemma good one. Gryffindor!" With a shy and blushing smile I set off for the table I would sit at for several years to come.
I seated myself after picking the most comfortable seat I could see, next to another red haired boy who was rather familiar looking, similar to the one in my year. Instantly the ceremony continued "Justin Finch-Fletchley!" "Hufflepuff!" "Seamus Finningan!" "Gryffindor!" "Hermione Granger!" She was nearly running to the stool when I realized that I was finally seeing the one who had whispered to me. A kind one she looked like, yes I would befriend her. "Gryffindor!" this time I clapped along with the rest of the table, I would be in her house! Hermione left the stool and sure enough took a seat only one down on my left, leaving a space for only one more to sit.
The following names were called, "Neville Longbottom!" "Gryffindor!" "Draco Malfoy!" I didn't even need to think about this one, nor did I have time to as the hat touched his very blonde head in seconds it screamed "Slytherin!" Only now did I peek over at Gillian's table, and to my surprise Draco sat down right next to her. Still she didn't look up, for she was calmly cutting her hair with a nearby knife. I sighed and rotated my head once more as the next names were announced. "Moon, Nott, Parkinson, Patil, Patil." "Sally Anne Perks!" Then finally the one I had most anticipated, "Harry Potter!" Whispers spilt over the hall and I knew at once it was really him, the boy I had known my entire life, yet he probably no longer knew I existed.
The last time I had seen him I was only a year old, it was the same year his parents died. After one of the longest waits, his house was decided "Gryffindor!" My heart skipped, I might actually get the chance to talk to him. Just then the red haired boy beside me began to yell, "We got Potter!" along with what I guessed to be his twin. Harry slowly walked towards our table and oddly enough sat down in the spot separating me from Hermione. I didn't dare say a word, but I could tell he was smirking. Lisa Turpin became a "Ravenclaw!" just before "Ron Weasley!" was called up to the hat. That was his name was it, Ron. "Gryffindor!" Not knowing how to feel about this I shrugged it off as he sat down next to Hermione. The twins on my other side had to be related; there was too much resemblance. Then the final student "Blaise Zabini!" became a Slytherin and a silver haired man stood up at the teacher's table. I knew at once it was Albus Dumbledore.
"Welcome, to a great new year a Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet I would like to say a few words." We all sat in a hush. "No matter what house you were placed in, there is no need to be ashamed. Your house and its entirety will always be there for what ever is to come." His speech carried on for several more minutes with several random mumblings in between but I ignored it all. That line really stuck with me, and made me wonder what really was to come.