Hey everybody! Just a quick upload before my soccer game! Wish me luck! Okay so this chapter is the Sorting Ceremony, featuring McGonagall, Neville, and Hagrid!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANY HARRY POTTER CHARACTERS (so far, I only own Tessa, Matthew, and Margaret a.k.a. Maggie) BECAUSE J.K. ROWLING CREATED THEM.
Enjoy:)
Albus POV
As the train pulls to a stop, Rose squeals excitedly. Now, let me you something about my brainiac, redhead, chocolate-loving cousin: When she gets excited, you may want to take a few steps away from her. She's always yelling at me whenever I say she gets a little carried away, but here she is, jumping up and down and babbling away so fast that I can't even understand her.
Poor Scorpius. Meeting Rose on the first day of Hogwarts...well, it's an interesting experience just meeting her. But he doesn't seem to mind. He even complimented her crazy hair. That must be a good sign.
Scorpius is a very shy person. At first, when I was talking to him, he would only give simple replies. Then, I started talking about Quidditch. Man, that was like an "on" switch; he started talking to me about Quidditch like we had known each other our whole lives. He told me he wants to play Beater for his House. He also told me that he was scared to disappoint his father by being in another house besides Slytherin (even though his father doesn't mind that much), but his mother had told him that he could easily make it as a Gryffindor or a Ravenclaw.
Rose is hyperventilating now, and Scorpius looks a teensy bit freaked out, so I grab her shoulders and hold her steady on the floor.
"Calm down, Rosie," I say jokingly. "You'll make a hole in the floor if you keep jumping like that." I start to drag my luggage out of the train.
Rose huffs, but doesn't stop smiling like a mentally ill person. As she follows me, she replies, "Sorry, Al, but I'm just so excited! I mean, we're going to Hogwarts! It's like a whole new adventure right at the tips of our fingers! I can't wait to visit the kitchens, sneak through the secret passages, swim in the Great Lake...Oh! And let's not forget, taking rides on Hagrid's hippogriffs!"
Okay maybe she is a mentally ill person. "Woah, Rose, hold your horses! I bet Scorpius is frightened of you now."
Rose's eyes widen and she turns to our new friend. "Are you scared of me?"
He shakes his head and smiles shyly. "No, I guess I'm just not used to being around people who have so much energy in them."
As we step off the train, Rose startles me by yelling, "HAGRID!"
Our old family friend (who is a half-giant, by the way) makes his way through the crowd of students and scoops Rose and I into his arms, nearly crushing us.
"Rosie! Al!" Hagrid bellows. "I'm really glad ter see yeh! I can't believe yer actually first years now! I remember when yeh was a wee baby!"
"Hargid, this is our new friend, Scorpius Malfoy!" Rose exclaims happily.
Scorpius was standing in front of us, watching awkwardly. "Hi, Mr. Hagrid."
Hagrid stares at Scorpius before grabbing his tiny hand and shaking it warmly. "Welcome, ter Hogwarts, Scorpius!"
Then Hagrid stands up straight and calls, "Alright, first years, over 'ere!"
As the rest of the first years gathered around us, Rose grabs Scorpius's and my hands so that she doesn't lose us. She pulls us along as Hagrid leads us to the boats. The closer to the water we got, the colder the air became. Rose, Scorpius, and I stepped into a boat along with a boy with dark skin and black hair.
"Hi," he says. "I'm Zabini, Matthew Zabini. I want to be in Gryffindor! How about you three? Hold on a minute, you're Harry Potter's son! And Ron Weasley's daughter! They saved my dad's life, you know. And Scorp's dad's, too! Oh! HEY, Scorp! How was your summer?"
The boy is extremely excited and is rocking the now slowly moving boat back and forth. I grab onto Rose to steady myself and keep from falling into the lake. Scorpius smiles at Matthew.
"Good, and yours?" he responds calmly smiling.
"It was bloody awesome! My dad got me a new broom, too!" Matthew exclaims. Then his voice turns into a whisper. "Don't tell anyone, but I cast a shrinking spell on it and it's in my luggage. As soon as I learn the spell to reverse it, well, there's gonna be a bit of a commotion."
Rose's eyes widen. "You mean to tell me that you don't know it yet?"
"Know what?"
"The Engorgio Spell."
"No. What's that?"
"Well, when you use it on people, it makes them swell up, but on objects it enlarges them," states Rose. "I can teach it to you if you want."
Oh, Rosie. Always determined to share her knowledge with others.
Matthew's eyes grow to the size of meatballs. "Yeah! That'd be great! Thanks...uh..."
"Rose. Rose Weasley. This is my cousin, Albus, by the way. And I take it that you and Scorpius are already friends, yeah?"
"Corse! Our dads are really close and we hung out a lot last summer," Matthew says. "Anyways, which Houses are you aiming for?"
"Gryffindor," Scorpius and I reply at the same time. We glance at each other and start laughing.
Rose smiles at us, but she looks a little pale.
"Rose are you alright?" I ask concerned.
She nods, but continues to stare at the castle, which is getting closer and closer. I reach over and squeeze her hand. Rose and I have always been there for each other in our times of need. Like this summer, when a Muggle gully pushed me off a swing, Rose tackled him and beat his arse into pulp. I guess that's one reason she's my favorite cousin. Of course, she punched me in the arm for making her beat him up instead of me just defending myself.
Scorpius looks back and forth between me and Rose with a worried look, and Matthew has gone into a state of silence as our boat touches the shore. Rose snaps out of her trance and bravely steps out of the boat. Scorpius, Matthew, and I follow her as Hagrid leads us up to the castle.
When Rose remains silent, I begin to realize what's happening. Weasley nerves. The same nerves that almost made Uncle Ron throw up before his Quidditch tryouts (back in his school days), Roxanne shake like a leaf before singing at Dominique's birthday party, and made James and Fred hide themselves in a closet when Grandmum Weasley went into a cleaning rampage this summer. Now it's causing Rose to turn pale as a ghost.
As we approach the Great Hall (I'm guessing it's the Great Hall because of all the descriptions I have heard from my family), a familiar face approaches us.
"I'll take them from here, Hagrid," Uncle Nevi-I mean, professor Longbottom says. "This way, first years." He looks us all over and winks at Rose and I. I see Rose smile and relax.
As we all file into the Great Hall, my hand starts to feel clammy. Rose grabs onto my hand and squeezes it tightly. I hear Matthew snicker behind me and realize that Rose was strangling Scorpius's hand as well.
"Don't kill him, Rosier," I tease her lightly. "Or cut off the circulation of his hand."
"Sorry," Rose mumbles.
Scorpius nods and say quietly, "Don't let go, though, I might die of nervousness."
Holy Merlin! Headmistress McGonagall already started her speech and is preparing for the Sorting! I zone out as the Sorting Hat sings its yearly song, and then Professor Longbottom (this it too weird) holds up a scold.
"Abrams, Zach," he calls.
A boy with heat. combed back hair takes his seat on the stool and his head disappeared underneath the Sorting Hat. After a few seconds the Hat calls out, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
The Hufflepuff table erupted with cheers as Zack made his way to his new House table.
As the Sorting goes on, I become more and more nervous. But I make a mental note not to trip when I see a small amber haired girl fall flat on her face after Uncle Neville calls "Griswold, Margaret" up to be Sorted. The poor girl's face turned redder than my sister Lily's hair. After a long discussion with the Hat, it finally announces, "GRYFFINDOR!" She then makes her way carefully to the Gryffindor table.
The next few names pass by like a Snitch.
"Malfoy, Scorpius."
I mutter good luck to Scorpius as he let's go of Rose's hand. He takes a deep breath as the Sorting Hat is placed on his head. About two seconds later, the Hat shouts, "GRYFFINDOR!"
A polite found of clapping comes from the Gryffindor table as well as whispers of disbelief from the Slytherin table.
Rose notices this and starts to yell, "YEAH SCORPIUS! WHOOO!" and begins clapping like a maniac. Matthew quickly joins in and a new (and more welcoming) applause follow.
After "Pomares, Arial" sits down at the Slytherin table, Uncle Neville calls, "Potter, Albus."
Whispers arouse from the students. I hear Rose whisper something and feel her let go of my hand, but I don't move. Someone pushes me forward and the next thing I know, I'm sitting on the stool, with the Sorting Hat inches above my head. I mimic Scorpius's actions and take a deep breath.
Ah, Albus Potter, your time has come to be Sorted. The Hat's voice echoes in my head. Are you ready?
"Yes," I think. "Let's hear my...options."
Well, you have Gryffindor blood and bravery. I hope you aren't offended when I say you're not smart enough for Ravenclaw or cunning enough for Slytherin.
"Not at all! Gryffindor it is then?"
Not so fast, boy. Although your bravery runs true, you have the loyalty of a Hufflepuff-"
"Please, Mr. Hat, put me in Gryffindor! I'll do anything! Um, I'll, uh, jump in the lake with my crazy cousin Rose! I'll go into the Forbidden Forest to give the centaurs a Christmas present! I'll-"
Now calm down. Ever heard of a test? If you are willing to do all of that to prove you are a worthy Gryffindor, then who am I to try and keep you away from your future home?
"Well, you are the Sorting Hat, sir."
Oh? Have you had a change of mind? Are you trying to convince me to place you in Hufflepuff?
"What? NO, I-"
No worries, Mr. Potter. I think that you'll do well in...
"GRYFFINDOR!"
A wave of relief washes over me as the Gryffindor table cheers. Even over all the screaming, I can hear Rose's shouts from the line of first years. I swear, that girl is bipolar; one second she's all happy and excited, the next she'll be so nervous she can't talk, but once something good happens, she'll be all happy-go-lucky again.
Names pass. Two Hufflepuffs. Four Slytherins. Three Ravenclaws.
"Weasley, Rose."
Rose, still looking hyper and enthusiastic, skips up toward the stool, ignoring the hushed comments surrounding her. She straightens out her uniform and waves at me as the Hat is being placed on her head. Only seconds later, the Hat roars:
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Rose beams over at the cheering table, and continues to skip over. She sits in between me and Scorpius and laughs.
"Well, that couldn't have been any more nerve racking," she simply states.
"Yeah, did you see my hands shaking up there?" Scorpius asks.
"No, you looked like you were all confident and ready," I say.
"You sure?"
"Totally."
You, on the other hand, Al, were a mess!" Rose tells me.
"What?"
"I mean, you didn't even move when Uncle Neville-"
"Professor Longbottom," I remind her.
"-called your name," she finishes ignoring me.
"So?"
"So, you were nervous, but you still made it into Gryffindor, which means that I was right all along!"
"About what?"
"That you don't have a drop of Slytherin blood in your veins."
"Oh." I can't really argue with her; she was right and I was a nervous train wreck.
"Zabini, Matthew."
Matthew sits confidently up on the stool and as soon as the Hat touches his head, it calls out:
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Matthew grins and walks calmly to sit across from us and next to James. "Hi, guys! I think my Sorting was the quickest one of the year, don't you think?"
Scorpius nods. "Yup. Hey, Rose? What was the count?"
I turn to my cousin and raise my eyebrows. "You didn't actually count-"
"Ten Hufflepuffs, eleven Ravenclaws, twelve Slytherins, and eleven Gryffindors."
"Oh. You did."
Done. I hope you liked it! Sorry if the Sorting was too cliche or obvious. I just wanted them all to be in the same House. And since I don't exactly think that Albus and Matthew would make it into Ravenclaw, and Rose is NOT a Slytherin, Gryffindor was the best choice. (No offense to any Hufflepuffs out there! I love you guys!) Anyways, Maggie will make her debut in the next chapter. Please R+R!