Chapter 2: the sorting?

Nevilles POV:

I look around it looks pretty normal I sigh with relief I see Hagrid calling for the first years and I walk past Hagrid to say hello when I yelp. Hagrid has slashes all over his face just like mine but Hagrid's are all puffy and oozing with blood and puss.
"ello guys! You okay? Wo' Neville! What happen'd to ya face?" Hagrid looks at me, I sigh his face is much worse than mine "oh it was Macnair but forget about me! What in the name of merlin happened to your face? HAGRID! Have you been beaten by you-know-who?" I say the last part fairly quiet, but Hagrid looks uncomfortable she shushes me. "I'm fine, seriously guys! Look don' come to me hut okay? I'll talk to ya later okay? Now hurry up yeah? You don't wan' to be late now do ya?" he calls the first years to follow him we go find a carriage. Me and Luna see the Thestrals as normal. We climb into our carriages. I make sure I am not sitting next to Luna, I sit next to Seamus and Luna and Ginny sit opposite us. It takes us 15 minutes to get up to the castle I start to feel nervous, I think we all feel nervous so we all stop talking. I hold my stomach feeling queasy knowing that this year is not going to be normal. The carriages stop and we all get out, I pat the Thestrals and look into those milky slightly blind look to them. I mutter a bye and me Ginny Luna and Seamus walk to the entrance hall. Draco is shouting out orders but he still has the look of not wanting to be here and scared.

All the years walk into the great hall but I notice its very different. There used to be to be 5 long tables. One long table for us Gryffindor's, one table for the Slytherin's, one table for the Ravenclaw's, one table for the hufflepuffs and one table for the teachers. But now there is one table high up with a big chair I presume that for head master Snape, and two more chair either side of him. Then below the table was another table with many chairs I assume that is for the other teachers. But what's really strange is that there aren't any table and chairs for us. I look at Seamus and he raises his eyebrows. i look back and I notice that the decoration is different where they used to have the Hogwarts crest they now have a Slytherin looking green and the death eater sign. I feel like I just want to shout at everyone, lately I've been feeling really angry, maybe it's the fact that you-know-who is really in charge. I'm about to ask Seamus where Luna and Ginny are when I get barged. I see that Snape just walked past me, he stands in front of the whole school and orders silence.

"SILENCE! I am your new headmaster. Now, I want you to get into straight lines in your houses girls and boys separate. GO! AND IN SILENCE!" Me and Seamus walk closely together not wanting to be separated, I stand next to Seamus and a 6th year that I don't really know. I look for Ginny to make sure she is okay she winks at me knowing that I was worrying about her and then I look for Luna in the Ravenclaw group. She was pushed by pansy Parkinson I am about to go and stand up for Luna but Seamus whispers "not now, please Neville be good!" I look at him he has a pleading look so I just stand still next to Seamus keeping an eye on Luna.

"Good, as you can see there are new decorations for a new year. There won't be any more sorting at Hogwarts you are now all in one house. You will sleep in your dormitory's you had last year and you will have the same common rooms. The new students will be put into groups and will be joining your common rooms. We do not have a sorting ceremony anymore, argue about that and you will be punished most severely. The house elves have organised some food for you and you will be mixed with everyone. To my right is Alecto carrow and to my left is Amycus carrow. They are now going to be teaching muggle studies, they will also be head of punishment. Mr filch the care taker has been given permission to use his metal whips he has been shining for a 17 years now. Muggle studies are now a compulsory subject. When you have finished eating please do the honer of getting out of my sight!" he swishes his wand and loads of tables are falling to where we were stand everyone jumps out of the way of the falling tables.

Me Seamus Ginny and Luna all walk towards a table, Hannah abbot joins us as most of her friends are muggles and can't come to Hogwarts because it's not safe. We pick at our food but we hardly eat anything they hadn't made a nice feast like they would if Dumbledore was here… I get up and say goodbye to everyone because all I want to do is go to bed and read nans letter.

"Neville? We don't have the password. You need to go ask professor McGonagall." I sigh Ginny is right I need to ask for the password but I don't want to go anywhere near Snape, so I grit my teeth and I walk to the teachers table. I scan the table for professor McGonagall I see her next to flitwick and sprout whispering, probably about Snape as they keep glancing up at Snape. What was really strange is that Snape wasn't eating either he was just picking like we did, Snape sees that I'm staring at him and he gives me the look he always gives me in potions. I look away first and I carry on walking to McGonagall, I clear my throat. "Excuse me professor I don't know the password to the common room and I don't know who the prefects are to tell me the password, are you able to let me know what the password is?" McGonagall sighs and says to me "I'm afraid I don't know the password either, you need to ask the head boy or girl." Then McGonagall gives me one of her rare smiles, I smile back and go to find either Malfoy or Parkinson. I see Malfoy first and I go ask him. He looks up at me and sighs he wasn't eating either. He writes down the password 'pureblood' a gives it to me. I see what the password is and I sigh in more of a fed up way I mutter a 'cheers' and I walk to the table I was on. "The password is…" I show Seamus and Ginny the password and I say good night.

As I walk up to our common room I notice there are no paintings on the walls, the only painting I see is of the fat lady. I say the password and walk in, what did make me happy was that the common room was exactly the same that made me smile. There are only a couple of people in the common room because they are all in the great hall. I sit down at a table and I get out grans letter and open it this is what it says:

Dear nevi,

The second you left for Hogwarts I packed a small bag, I am going to visit your mum and dad before I leave for good. Neville I hope you don't think I'm a coward, I'm only running because they want me if you get what I mean. (Kill me) I need to look after you so that's why I want to live so badly. I'm sure Minerva will be looking after you, you see I dropped by her house when you were with Luna during the summer holidays and I asked her to keep an eye on you, please don't get embarrassed! If you need to speak to an adult I'm sure Minerva will talk with you, just remember she is a teacher not a councillor. I am keeping in touch with the order of the phoenix just in case anything happens such as we go and fight! I won't be back until you-know-who is gone or if we're fighting. I know that sounds like I'm a coward but believe me nevi, I'm not, I'm just getting old.

Remember I love you no matter what happens, be strong, be brave Neville gran loves you! I know this isn't a long letter. To be honest I don't know what to say, I thinking of you all the time. When I can I'll send you an owl, and I won't sign it from gran, I'll sign it from A.L, just so they don't know it's me. Love you lots and lots

Gran

Xxxxxxxx

I finish reading and I am so touched that she talked to McGonagall worried that I won't have anyone to talk to.
"I love you to Gran!" I whisper, and then I get dressed into my PJ's and I fall asleep.