Tabitha stood outside the Great Hall, the doors towering above her. She pulled on her robes, trying to straighten it out. She wanted to look as neat as possible. The woman who had met her at the gates and walked her here - she said her name was Professor McGonagall - had told her to wait there and not to worry, it was going to be fine. She seemed nice.
She heard some with a loud voice talking. She used her powers to listen to what was being said.
"Welcome, back everyone. You may have been wondering why the sorting hat is here today. Well, we are lucky enough to have a student transferring from Drumstrang and I hope you will make her feel welcome!" The doors opened and Professor McGonagall ushered her in and guided her towards an old man stood next to a stool and an old looking hat.
She felt hundreds of eyes staring at her as she walked past the long wooden tables. When she reached the stool, the old man introduced himself.
"I am Professor Dumbledore, and I am the headmaster here at Hogwarts. Would you mind telling everyone who you are before we get started?" he said smiling at her with a kind face. Gulping, she nodded and turned slowly and began to speak.
"Hi, my name is Tabitha Brown." She said. She heard a few people cheering at her and she focused on them. It was Fred and George. How typical of them. She glanced at them, mentally thanking them for their support. They stopped cheering and looked at her shocked when they got her message. She turned as Dumbledore placed a hand on her shoulder and nodded at the stool. When she sat on the stool, she felt McGonagall place the hat on her head. She paused, wondering what was going to happen, until she let out a small gasp. The hat was talking! Tabby started to listen to what the hat was saying.
"Ahh, very intelligent, full of courage and bravery. Hmm, difficult, very difficult. Not a bad mind either, there's talent, very cunning and a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you? Slytherin is an obvious choice, looking at your past and heritage. It's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, there's no doubt about that. Yes, I know exactly where to put you. GRYFFINDOR!" it yelled.
The whole table erupted in cheers and Tabby made her way over to Fred and George, who made a space between them for her. They gave her a hug and clapped her on the back when she sat down.
"We knew you would be in Gryffindor!" The twins said. "But what was all that about your past and heritage?" Fred asked looking concerned.
"I don't know. My mother was in Gryffindor when she came here and she said my father was in Ravenclaw, but he cleared off when I was three!" Tabby told them, tears forming in her eyes as she remembered her father. Fred gave her a hug.
"Don't worry, you've got us now!" he said, joking around. Once again, Dumbledore cleared his throat and began to speak.
"Now you've settled down, I'd once again like to welcome you all back, and wish you a good year. Now, let the feast begin!" he said, raising his hands. Tabby stared in awe as food appeared on the plates and a buzz of chatter filled the hall. She filled her plate and started to eat, listening to Fred and George.
"Harry, Ron, Hermione, we'd like you to meet Tabitha." They said, pointing towards Tabby.
"Heya, you can call me Tabby, if you'd like." She said, getting embarrassed again.
"Hey Tabby, I'm Harry, this is Ron, and that's Hermione." Harry said, pointing to them in turn. Tabby looked at Ron to see him staring at her hair.
"Will. You. Stop. Staring!" Hermione said, hitting Ron with her book. "You must be a metamorphmagus, am I right?" she asked.
"Yeah, I am. Not many people can guess that!" Tabby said, astonished.
"Hermione's really clever!" Ron said, causing Hermione to blush. "And I'm sorry for staring at you."
"It's okay Ron, many people do." Tabby replied. They carried on chatting about what they had been doing during the holidays until Fred and George elbowed her in her sides.
"OW! What do you want?!" Tabby said, peevishly.
"Draco Malfoy is staring at you!" they said, nodding at someone over on the Slytherin table. She looked to where they were looking. It was the mysterious blonde boy from the train. From the looks on the twin's faces, she decided against telling them about meeting him already.
"What does he want?" She asked them nervously.
"Oi, Malfoy! What you staring at?" Fred yelled in his direction.
"Push off Weasel! I wasn't staring at anything, why would I look at your pathetic little table? It's full of filthy mud bloods!" Draco sneered. Tabitha slammed her hands on the table and walked fiercely over to Malfoy.
"You sending your girlfriend to do your work, Weasel? What are you gonna do?" he said, looking at Tabby with disgust.
"No one insults my friends and gets away with it!" She snarled. She knew everyone, including the teachers, was watching at this moment, to see what would happen. Tabitha began to get angry, heat and anger boiling up inside her at an alarming rate. Her hair had turned electric red by this moment. She closed her eyes to try and stop it by calming down. Draco laughed at the girl screwing up her face like an idiot. Suddenly, the giant bowl of trifle and custard flew up into the air and landing over Draco, drenching him in pudding. He stood up and looked at Tabby.
"I'll get you for this, you little mud blood, see if I don't." he sneered at her menacingly. He rushed out of the Great Hall, with a girl and two boys following, carrying his stuff. Tabby turned around to see the rest of the hall cheering and clapping at her. Even some of the teachers were smiling, but a man dresses in black robes, along with Professor McGonagall looked concerned. She saw Fred and George yelling the words "Nice one Tabbs!"
Suddenly, the whole room began to spin, and she collapsed to the floor, smacking her head on the cold stone floor. The last thing she remembered before she blacked out was Fred, George, Harry, Ron and Hermione crowding round her shooting worried looks at each other. Then the whole room went black.
~fini~