Reliability's Path

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the characters used within this story. All rights and ownership go to J.K. Rowling.

A/N: I had a fun time writing certain parts of this chapter, mostly certain dialogue pieces that made me love James and Fred more and makes me want to write about them more, too. I also slipped in a little quote that some of you might recognize. Also, I did have a hard time with a certain part of this chapter, but eh.


Chapter Three:
The Sorting Ceremony

"They're a bit weird, Lucy." Muttered Louis as the two cousins walked up the steps towards the giant castle that was Hogwarts. The two had shared a boat with the Scamander twins, and had watched as some poor soul fell into the water after leaning over the boat too far, and experienced a few more adventurous and imaginative stories that their parents had told them that they completely believed. For Lucy, it had been quite entertaining, but for Louis it was a little bit bizarre.

"I know, but their stories are pretty interesting..." Lucy whispered back, looking up at the looming castle as Louis, looking up too, trembled and grabbed hold of his best friends hand. The doors would soon open, and they would enter what would be their second, or technically third if you counted The Burrow, home. Louis swallowed a lump in his throat.

"I wonder how many Nargles live in here?" A voice came up from behind them. Louis groaned quietly when he realised who it was, though Lucy didn't seem to mind too much. She had grown accustomed to their weirdness pretty quickly, it seemed.

"I don't think that you should be worrying about Nargles right now..." Louis muttered, but it was barely audible so only Lucy could hear. Sighing, she turned to look at the twins who were now standing behind her. Giving them a reassuring smile and Louis' hand a gentle squeeze, she spoke to three of them, trying to keep her voice as calm as she could despite the nerves that were building up inside of her at that very moment.

"I wonder what the Sorting Hat will say? Apparently it talks to you to try and find out where you want to go." She said, watching as the doors befoe them slowly began to open, and everyone filed in after the teacher who was leading them towards the castle and into the warmth that the open doors brought along with the welcoming light. Louis bit his lip as he pressed closer to Lucy, their clasped hands hidden beneath their cloaks.

"He'll probably say you're brave, Lucy... and perfect for Gryffindor. You've always been brave, just like everyone else." He said back, but Lucy could only look ahead. She didn't agree with him, of course she didn't... she wasn't like everyone else. They were all brave and confident. The only reason why Louis thought that she was brave was because he looked up to her, and because she wanted him to think that she was brave.

But the Sorting Hat would know otherwise, wouldn't it? The Sorting Hat knew what others didn't.

"So are you though, Louis." She whispered, trying to reassure him. "We'll both be in Gryffindor, together, right?" She then smiled as she squeezed his hand gently again before they finally stepped through the large oak doors that lead them into Hogwarts Castle...

x-x-x-x

Entering the Castle had only been the first part of the nerve-wracking experience the fresh batch of first years were experiencing; being sorted was the second part. Standing beside each other, still holding onto each other tightly, were Lucy and Louis, who searched the halls for their many cousins and siblings that were sat at the Gryffindor table. From where they stood, it looked like a good majority was made up of their family for that one house.

Suddenly, being sorted became even more daunting. Their cousins were watching... and so would everyone else.

"Lucy... what if I get put in Slytherin?" Louis whisper sounded frightened. Lucy could only squeeze his hand and speak to him as names were called out for the Sorting, and one by one the frightened first year students were relieved of their fear, and put in their respective houses.

"You'll be okay, no matter what house you get put in... Promise. I promise."

"You won't hate me if we get sorted differently?" He asked her. She shook her head and squeezed his hand again. She so badly wanted it to be over with, if only for her best friends sake.

"I could never hate you, Louis. Even if you are a Slytherin... you'll be the best Slytherin ever." She returned her cousins gaze as he nodded slowly and smiled, thankful that he was there with Lucy. She always reassured him and made sure that he was alright, no matter what.

"Scamander, Lorcan!" The teacher calling out the register cried, is beady eyes watching as Lorcan passed through the remnants of what was once a bustling line of new students. There were few left to be sorted, Lucy noted, and it seemed quite scarce now.

Both Lucy and Louis watched as Lorcan Scamander was called up to the sorting hat. Watching him stride towards the front, the two Weasley's noticed that he seemed quite at ease. Then again, both the Scamander twins seemed to be quite at ease with everything they did. Even in the boat they weren't fretting over the fact that the Giant Squid could eat them.

Lucy could only guess that it was because they kept at their own pace and didn't really care about much other than Nargles and other weird creatures.

They watched as the hat was settled on Lorcan's head, and after a moments pause and a still silence from the Great Hall, the hat finally called out...

"HUFFELPUFF!"

The room burst into cheers from where the Huffelpuff table sat, and Lorcan, looking pretty pleased with himself, walked towards the table where he was welcomed by his fellow students and new housemates.

"Ah, I hear that Huffelpuff's are great finders." Lysander said from behind Lucy and Louis. They both nodded, though they were not too sure about the Huffelpuff house traits, though they knew one or two from what their family had told them. Of course the one that they knew the most just so happened to be Gryffindor, but then again all the Weasley's were in that house...

"Scamander, Lysander!" The teacher calling the register boomed. Lucy turned to see that Lysander had a smile on his face as he walked past her, a little wave following suit as she waved back. She wondered to herself if he would be placed in Hufflepuff alongside his brother...

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat cried out, surprising both Lucy and Louis as the Ravenclaw table burst into cheers and applause. The cousins both knew that it wasn't exactly uncommon for siblings to be placed separately, but they knew that in general, family members were placed together (as such with their own family), so it was curious to them both that the twins were separated into different houses. This, however, seemed to not faze Lysander in the least, as he was beaming as he made his way to his new house table.

"Is he really that smart?" Louis muttered to himself more than anyone, but Lucy heard it and tried to stop a chuckle. She knew that she was never meant to judge a book by its cover, her mother had always taught her that, but she knew where Louis was coming from; the Scamander twins seemed a bit dotty and more air-headed than they did smart.

"Weasley, Louis!" Unaware that their names had come up, and that the line had dwindled some more, Louis stiffened by Lucy's side as she stared at him. He was scared, she knew he was, but he needed to be sorted. So she pushed him towards the front, and let go of his hand despite knowing that he was terrified.

"Go on Louis... you can do it. You'll be okay." She encouraged, whispering to him as she pushed him forwards some more. Whilst she did so, the two youngest Weasley cousins could hear the cheers from the Gryffindor table that were those of their own cousins, encouraging Louis to get sorted.

"Yeah, Louis! That's my man there, YEAH!" Lucy swore that was Fred crying out proudly. There was then a bang of what she could only guess was silverware against silverware, and another cry of appreciation.

"Weasley pride! Come on son, get Sorted!" That had to be James, Lucy thought to herself. What an idiot.

But thankfully, it seemed to work, because Louis was going to the stool on his own, and though he was stumbling a lot, he finally managed to sit himself down on the stool and the hat was placed on top of his head.

To Lucy, it felt like a lifetime that the hat was on his head, but in reality it was only moments before the hat cried out...

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Lucy felt her stomach drop as she heard the eruption of cheers from the Gryffindor table and the Weasley-Potter clan cheer proudly and loudly. She wanted to cheer too, but she knew that she couldn't, not yet, because next up was...

"Weasley, Lucy!" The teacher boomed, and all eyes were now on her. She bit her lip. She didn't have Louis there to hold her hand and encourage her, she knew that, but she needed to be brave... she needed to be brave for Louis, and that was all that mattered...

"LUCY! Come on Lucy!" She could hear James and Fred chanting, and managing to coax the rest of their family into chanting too, as she walked towards the stool, calming her nerves as she did so. She needed to be brave, she needed to brave, she needed to be...

Her hands trembling, Lucy slowly sat herself on the stool once she had reached it, and felt the hat being placed on top of her head. The old, fraying fabric covered her eyes and encased her in darkness, completely shutting her away from the Great Hall. She couldn't see the faces of her family or anyone else. She was completely locked out.

"Well well well... another Weasley I see... how interesting. Your family never fails to deliver, do they?" A gentle, silky voice reached her ears. She stiffened at what it said, though she knew it was true; there were so many of them.

"Well, this is interesting... a Weasley at war with oneself. Brave to a degree, that is very true, though also doubtful of your own abilities... you also want to be different. Not an unreasonable trait, given the amount of family you have, however you also seem to be at war with yourself. To be different, or follow in your families footsteps and be just like them? Well now, this is a difficult situation. Not your typical Weasley..."

Lucy felt her stomach turn, wondering what was going on. Where would the hat place her if she was at war with herself?

"Mind you, you would make a great Gryffindor you know? You are quite chivalrous, though your loyalty greatly outweighs that... but then there is that... ah, yes, well then it has to be..."

Lucy felt her breathing quicken as she waited, anticipation, fear and excitement rising as she awaited the words that the Hat would cry out. The house she would be in, where she would be placed for the rest of her time at Hogwarts. She would be in...

"RAVENCLAW!"

Lucy could hear the screams from the Ravenclaw table as the hat was pulled off her head, her cheeks red from the growing anticipation and fear she had felt. Looking around the hall, she saw that the Ravenclaw table were standing, cheering and clapping... for her. Because she was placed in Ravenclaw. Other tables were clapping too, like they had with previous students.

But what about her cousins? Looking around, Lucy found them. Her family were there, applauding with everyone else, smiling as she stepped down from the stall and made her way to the Ravenclaw table, trembling and smiling as she did so. She could see Molly, crying, as she applauded her little sister getting into Ravenclaw. Even thought she wasn't in Gryffindor, they were all proud of her.

But once all the congratulations were finished, the pats on the backs and handshakes given, Lucy sat down beside Lysander Scamander as he smiled proudly, and as the last few students were sorted into their respective houses, she could not help but realize that the only person who did not look happy for her placement was Louis...


A/N: "...Huffelpuff's are great finders..." - Lysander is a quote from A Very Potter Musical and I love it. I had to use it! I do not own this quote (disclaimer whooo!)

Next up:

When I was writing out what the Sorting Hat was saying to Lucy, I felt a bit lost with where to put her. My original idea, which actually still stands, was to put her in Ravenclaw, however when I was figuring out the reasons why she would be in a different house, I came to realise that Lucy seemed to have the qualities of a Hufflepuff as well. She is extremely loyal to Louis, one of the reasons why she wanted to be with him so much regardless of their house statuses, however she also wanted to different to the rest of her family and break away from the mold that had been fitted for the Weasley-Potter clan. When looking at the qualities of each house, I realised that Lucy, whilst loyal, had a strong desire to be different, an individual in a sea of red and black haired family members. She is also smart, being the daughter of Percy Weasley and all, so I finally felt that I was putting her in the right place, somewhere where she could be an individual rather than like the rest of her family. I also think that her sudden sorting into Ravenclaw possibly had something to do with what Louis wanted when he was sorted, though that is a totally different matter...

Random authors note out of the way, thank you for reading this chapter and even bothering to look at the story! Also, this is the penultimate (second before last) chapter in this story. It's so short, my goodness! Anyway, thank you once again!