After getting off the boats that led to Hogwarts and inside a room, which Astra soon learned was the waiting room, after a while.
There was a hat perched innocently on the stool, which suddenly jumped up and had a ripping sound coming from it.
Astra, who had been staring at the stars on the ceiling, jumped a bit at the noise.
Madeline had just hugged herself closer, while the other eleven-year-olds had similar reactions, while the hat started to sing:
(I got this from Parsley the Lion. I did not write this [since I'm not creative at all])
Be you short or tall,
Large or small;
I am the hat
That is here to sort you all.
I am here to choose the table
Where you will be sat,
I am the Hogwarts Sorting Hat!
If you are academically able,
Hardworking, wise, and smart,
Ravenclaw is where you fit the part.
If you are crafty and sly;
Always willing to reach for the sky:
Slytherin is where your loyalties lie.
If you are friendly, loyal and true;
Hufflepuff is the place for you.
If you are brave
And adventure is the home of such a knave.
So put me on and meet your fate.
Make haste; don't be late.
Take care
And begin this adventure if you dare...
"Abbot, Jennifer,"
A blonde-haired blue-eyed girl who wore her hair in a braid stepped up.
A few seconds later, the hat yelled, "HUFFLEPUFF!" after a few seconds.
"Bell, Michael,"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Black, Regulus!"
The boy with black hair and grey eyes straightened his posture and confidently walked up to the stool, placing the Sorting Hat on his head. Only years of Occlumensy could notice the way how he dug his fingers into the palm of his hand to prevent any movement, and how his eyes had moved briefly over to the Gryffindor table.
Deciding to look at what he was looking at, her eyes wandered over to the table, where one of the inhabitants looked nearly identical to the boy at the stool.
This must be the runaway Black, Astra mused. There had been an uproar at the pureblood gatherings, when a Black had been placed somewhere other than Slytherin, Gryffindor no less. It was a rumor that the boy had been kicked out of his house by his mother, Walburga Black, and had stayed at Potter Manor for the rest of the summer.
She was thankful she was not born a Black. At least she got to choose who she wanted to marry (if her father was alive until she was seventeen). Unlike the three Black sister, Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa. Though she had a feeling that not all of them would be marrying a stuck-up pureblood.
Bellatrix was the eldest, four years older than her Gryffindor cousin, and in Slytherin. Her sanity was certainly questionable, and had dark curly brown hair that reached her past her waist, as well as heavy lidded brown eyes. They were currently staring at her youngest cousin intently.
Andromeda was the middle child and two years below her Bellatrix. She looked like a carbon copy of her older sister, yet her caramel eyes held a certain kindness to it while Bellatrix had madness in hers. She treated every witch or wizard she met with kindness.
Narcissa was the youngest child of Druella Black née Rosier and Cygnus Black. She was one year below Andromeda and one year above Sirius. She was the Slytherin Gossip Princess, and exchanged daily gossip with Carolina, who soon insisted she call Carly. Narcissa allowed her to call her Cissa or Cissy afterwards. Her looks, as well as attitude, were different from her sisters as well.
While both Bellatrix and Andromeda had (almost untamable) curly brown hair and caramel brown eyes, Narcissa had wavy blonde curls and bright icy blue eyes.
In public, Narcissa as cold and dismissive. In private, she was warm and affectionate, just like many other purebloods.
The Sorting Hat's shout of , "SLYTHERIN!" brought Astra out of her thoughts.
Glancing at the Gryffindor table, she saw that the boy (Sirius) staring in a betrayed sort of way at the younger Black. The Slytherin table, on the other hand, burst into quiet applauds, and remained blank faced, while some had smirks on their faces. Astra mentally rolled her eyes. The elder Black wasn't that dense, was he? That his younger brother would follow him to Gryffindor? The poor boy didn't look like he would survive his parents if he did.
She zoned out the sorting until she heard Professor McGonagall call out, "October, Nadeline,"
The dirty blonde haired girl took shy steps towards the stool, looking very awkward as she waited for the Professor to put the Hat on her head.
Four minutes had passed, and people were starting to chat among themselves, wondering why it was taking so long. Astra could see Nadeline getting more and more anxious, before the hat finally called out, "RAVENCLAW!"
Astra could see the relief of her face as she joined the table, picking her head shyly downwards and sitting alone at the table edge. Her cousin, Lucius, who was a fifth-year Slytherin Prefect, looked a bit disappointed.
Glancing at the Ravenclaw table, she could see Nadeline chatting with a girl with orange hair and brown eyes, before turning away to look at Astra, staring at her in a hopeful looking way.
When her name was called, Astra confidently walked up to the stool and stared at the crowd until something was put over her head, covering her vision.
'I hope this does not get in my hair,' Astra thought disgustedly.
'It doesn't, do not worry,' a voice chuckled in her head.
Almost jumping at the sudden voice in her head, she caught herself before she did so.
The Hat sighed, muttering about, 'stuffy purebloods' in her head.
Looking offended, she snapped, 'Just sort me already, you bloody Hat!'
The Hat ignored her words, and just chuckled. 'You have the loyalty of a Hufflepuff, and patient of one, if you're not annoyed. Hungry for all knowledge, you could be a Ravenclaw. As daring as a Gryffindor, and with that ambition, you could be a Slytherin. In other words, you can fit in any House you want. What do you want?'
'Ravenclaw,', Astra mentally repeated, 'Ravenclaw. Put me in Ravenclaw, Hat, or I'll burn you. Ravenclaw. Put me in-'
'Are you sure? Slytherin could help you achieve great things, Ms. White.'
'No,' She was determined, 'Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw, Raven-'
Before she could finish her chant, the Hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW!", much to her relief.
Taking the Hat off her head, Astra placed it on top of the stool she recently sat for the next student, as her tie and uniform turned into blue & bronze, with the Ravenclaw crest on it.
Walking down towards the Ravenclaw table, she headed towards the end of the table, where Nadeline sat.
"Hey," Nadeline smiled in relief at a familiar face, before patting her hand at the open space next to her.
Astra couldn't help but smile back, sitting down. Merlin, her smiles were contagious.
"Hi to yourself, too," She joked, her smile turning into a grin.
Nadeline let out a tiny huff of laughter, and was about to reply, when a man with a silver long silver beard and white hair smile started to speak.
"Welcome back, to our old students, and, THE S welcome, to our new ones," The old man had a grandfatherly smile on his face and his eyes twinkled. "My name is Professor Dumbledore, and I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts, the school you are now attending for the next seven years, unless you decide to transfer or expelled.
Chuckling merrily, Dumbledore spoke a few more words, before the students in the Hall began to sing the school song:
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty
Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Wether be old or bald,
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling,
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things with knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."
Astra rolled her eyes at the sheer ridiculousness of it, while two boys at the Gryffindor table, Black and Potter, were still singing.
When they were finished, Dumbledore dismissed them, and Astra began to follow the Ravenclaw Prefects.
Arriving at the entrance of Ravenclaw Tower, there was an eagle statue.
"What occurs once every minute, twice every moment, and never in a thousand years?" The statue asked melodiously.
The female Ravenclaw fifth-year perfect turned to look at the group of first years. "In Ravenclaw, we do not have passwords, like the other Houses, to get into the common room. To enter, you must solve a riddle, given to you by the statue. If you cannot, then someone else may try, and another may join, until you solve it. This is the only way to get into the common room."
"The answer is the letter M," She declared loudly, and the knocker stepped aside.
The group of first years walked in the common room, gazing at the books and furniture at the wall in awe and amazement. Astra and Nadeline were no exception, though they both resisted the urge to gape, unlike others.
"Now, I know you are all tired and sleepy, but in Ravenclaw, we value knowledge above all. We have a reputation to uphold as the most intelligent House, so do your best," She concluded.
The male Prefect began to give directions. "Girls on the left, boys on the right," He spoke loudly, "You will see your names on the dormitories and there will be two witches/wizards per dormitory," He dismissed them.
Astra walked to the left side of the tower, before walking to one of the dormitories that had a sigh labeled: Astra White and Nadeline October. Hearing a quiet gasp, she turned around to see Nadeline look shyly and hopeful at her. Allowing a kind smile to grace her face, she beckoned the blonde haired witch towards their shared dormitory, falling asleep not moments after.
