Warning: At some point, there will be swears (although I don't think in this chapter...)
Moment 2:
The Sorting Silence
Amelia first met the Black family when she was shopping for Hogwarts supplies at Diagon Ally. She accidently bumped into Bellatrix Lestrange and Regulus Black and knocked the small black notebook in Bellatrix's hands onto the ground. Bellatrix, having been dragged to this milestone of her black sheep cousin, Sirius, whom she really didn't like all that much, was not in a good mood. So when Amelia Bangcroft knocked her precious notebook out of her hand, Bellatrix decided that now was as good a time as ever to begin her first full-on fit of the day, not including the slightly smaller one she had had earlier that morning when her mother insisted on the trip in the first place.
As Bellatrix ranted and raved at her, accompanied some of the time by Regulus, Amelia decided that she did not like the Lestranges, the Blacks, or any other extended family she may run into. She silently took the rant, crossing her arms and raising her eyebrow once Bellatrix ran out of steam—it was of no use yelling at a person if they didn't cower or yell back.
"Are you done?" Amelia asked, annoyed. Bellatrix only stared at her, and Amelia pushed past her into the crush of people in Diagon Alley. Every time Amelia saw Bellatrix or Regulus after that, she made sure to shoot them the glare they deserved. So it was with this attitude in general that Amelia first came into contact with one Sirius Black at the Sorting Ceremony in her first year at Hogwarts. Being a Bangcroft, and Sirius being a Black, they were standing next to each other in alphabetical order. So Amelia had plenty of opportunities to send laser-point glares his way, and she took quite a few of them. When Amelia's name was called at the beginning of the list, she shot one last glare his way, then made her way to the Sorting Hat.
Sirius once asked her, later on, what that whole night she had been thinking in that head of hers.
"Well, at first I thought you couldn't be any better than your cousins, so I was determined to let you know I didn't like you," she said.
"Oh, you did." Sirius had often wondered what the Bangcroft girl had against him that night.
"Right. But then, when my name was called, I could only think of this funny little rhyme my mum taught me. She sang it before I left on the train, you know.
"A Bangcroft girl in Hufflepuff
Is loyal, kind and true,
And shares her gifts throughout her life
With every little coo,
But if you're right for Ravenclaw,
Don't worry your little head
For Ravenclaws have clever smarts,
And won't ever lose their beds.
A Bangcroft girl in Gryffindor
Is the bravest of them all,
But must beware her reckless side
Which could always lead to fall.
But if your home is Slytherin
Then congratulations to you!
You must be all above,
And cunning, quick, and true!"
Indeed, that was what Amelia was thinking of as the Sorting Hat was placed on her head.
"Oh, so you're a Bangcroft girl," said the little voice in her ear. "And what house would you like to be in? Hufflepuff? No, no, too clever for that. Perhaps Ravenclaw? Ah, but that doesn't really have the adventure you want, does it? Then maybe Gryffindor? Oh, but you want a challenge, don't you? You want to be remembered." Amelia snorted, just a little. A Bangcroft was always remembered. "Oh, yes. I know the perfect place for you—SLYTHERIN!" the Hat shouted across the hall. Most of the Slytherin table broke out into applause and cheers, Amelia was their second acquisition, after a Thomas Addlefee, which most were still unsure about. But a Bangcroft in Slytherin meant change, and some of the older families at the table knew it. Amelia certainly did.
"Black, Sirius," was called, and the Slytherins at the table shifted in their seats to view their new student. Blacks were always in Slytherin, which was good, since they needed someone to keep the Bangcroft in line.
Which is perhaps why when the Hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR", most of the students sat, stunned, as Sirius Black made his way over to the Gryffindor table. No Black in living history had ever been at that table. Amelia remembered that night, and the two back-to-back silences, for many years to come.
A/N: I've made an executive decision! Oh...boy...
Since the idea of a story made up of moments for its entirety doesn't sit well with me (cause these moments are mostly less than 1000 words-usually less than 700) THIS story (which I know I've been working on awhile) will be a prelude to a DIFFERENT story-this will be the moments that make up the exposition that would usually take place. I haven't figured out how long it will be-how many minichapters (cause that's what they basically are) it will contain-but I have about seven moments written or in the process of being written right now. I'll then move on to a different story (and change the summary of this one) that goes into more detail, and is full blown.
OK, so that's it for now!
Please comment! Titles! What are you thinking? Can you guess the next moment? Any suggestions for moments you want to see? :D