"My parents were murdered by Grindelwald…"
The room filled with silence as the Headmaster gazed her with pity and shock. His face became pale and he seemed to be unable to say a word. Charlie looked over at Tom, almost making eye contact, yet not quite. He seemed to be trying to scan her for details again. His countenance altered into a one of reassurance and strode toward her, gently laying a hand on Charlie's shaking shoulder. She flinched back from his touch when the pale hand sent a cold shiver down her spine. His gaze rested on her for a while, until he broke the silence.
"Who were your parents Miss Key?" He questioned, his voice echoing power and demand. However, it was softer than Charlie expected. He was probably still trying to put up the 'I am amazing and good' act to the headmaster.
"Daniel and Mary Key," She answered in a small voice.
The headmaster looked up, not surprised by this information. "Ah, yes. I suspected as much. I recognized the last name, but I had to be sure," He explained to Tom, who looked like he already knew this information, judging by the bored look. "The Key family is a very famous bloodline, going back for centuries. They all died out except for your father who went against the family and married your mother, who I'm sure you know was a muggle," He gestured to Charlie. "Oh I completely forgot to introduce myself! I am Armando Dippet. Excuse my manners Miss. It is, after all, very late."
"Oh! It's fine, sir," Charlie said awkwardly. Charlie was taken aback by the politeness. Not that she thought Dippet was rude. Charlie had just kept the stigma that wasn't the nicest person in the world due to him not letting Tom spend the summer at the school. It was something that always irked Charlie. Dippet should have thought of a plan to keep the students in a safe and secure place during World War two and the War with Grindelwald. A worn down orphanage was obviously not the ideal place for a child, let alone a child under two wars.
Talking about her fake past was something Charlie wished to keep to a bare minimum, so she brought up the fact that she had gathered everything she needed for this year except for a wand. Before Dippit could ask where her wand disappeared to she interjected, "It broke when I tried to get away from Grindelwald's supporters," said Charlie. "I've heard stories of Ollivander's in America and I knew he most likely knew advanced magic. When I went to Diagon alley I saw some wizards and witches around my age talking about what to purchase. So I gathered my things, and sent out to transfer everything from American to Britain Gringotts. I knew that Ollivander, like most wandmakers, have a certain nack of reading people and I didn't want to take any chances of not being able to go to this school," She explained in a hurry.
This conversation was already bringing Charlie to her breaking point. As a fan, they only gets bits and pieces of background information about the world around them, plus any additional details that are uploaded to Pottermore. Charlie was having a difficult time trying to sort through information, not to mention she was never one to obsessively remember tiny details. Charlie may read it, but she never bothered to fully remember it. It was not like she actually thought she would be conversing with the characters she loved and despised face to face!
"I see," He said thoughtfully. "I will set up a date for you to visit Diagon Alley to buy your wand and any other supplies you may need with one of the professor's here-"
"Sir, I was wondering if I may take Miss Key to Diagon Alley, " Tom interrupted. Charlie's head swiveled over to where Tom stood. Charlie did not want to spend too much time with Riddle right off the bat! She needed to rest and get this whole ridiculous mess sorted before she ended up snapping at people. "The Professors do have classes to teach after all. Having anyone else do it would be highly inconvenient. I am sure I will be able to make up any work that I may owe and helping a fellow student is a great pleasure," He suggested using his sickly suck up voice.
While Charlie did not want to have to converse with Riddle any longer than necessary, she wasn't sure if she should speak up or not. The observer gave her a job to do. A job she realised once she came face to face with Tom Marvolo Riddle. Charlie just did not admit it to herself until now. There was a reason why she came to this time period specifically. She had to miraculously stop Tom Riddle from becoming Voldemort. Perhaps getting to know him would be the first step to the impossible. The whole idea sparked a whole new state of determination in Charlie, along with the blasing coldness of fear.
"Are you sure Riddle? You would after all be missing your prefect duties, but I assume helping a student would more than suffice,"
"I am sure, Sir."
"Well then," Started the Headmaster, " You will go to Diagon Alley as of tomorrow! But first, I must ask, do you know of the four Houses of Hogwarts?"
"Yes sir," stated Charlie.
"Brillant! Do you wish to be sorted now or after a nights rest? It would be easier to have you sorted now and Tom can take you to your common room, or we can fit you into one of the spare rooms in the castle?"
"I can do the sorting now sir," Charlie's mind quickly flashed to the pottermore quizes she had taken in her world. She has taken them many times and it always switched between houses. The ones that appeared the most was Ravenclaw and Slytherin though. Charlie honestly did not know what house she would appear in. She had the cunningness of Slytherin, but she would never sell out her friends for something she wanted. That was the morality of Gryffindor and the loyalty of Hufflepuff speaking. She also had a love for knowledge and books, however in her perspective, Slytherin would be better because they can use that knowledge to their advantage.
The headmaster strood over to a shelf where the ratty sorting hat rested, picked the magical hat up, and handed it to Charlie. Nervously, Charlie rested the sorting hat onto her brown hair.
A inner voice, very different from her own, filled her frantic mind. "Hmm, interesting… A girl from another world…" Charlie's heart spiked at the mention of her situation. "No need to worry, all the secrets of all students are safely stored into me, the sorting hat!"
The other two wizards contemplated Charlie. Dippet, Charlie wasn't as worried about, but she knew Tom was trying decipher what house she would be in, and any indications of her personality based on this hidden conversation. Charlie became self-aware of everything around her in an instant. The presence of the other two wizards nagged at her mind like having music stuck in her head, but more annoying.
"Interesting….," Stated the magical talking hat.
"What do you mean?" Thought Charlie.
"Students have many personalities, some are clear to decipher, while some take time. Hmmm…. I see many different sides in you. More than usual. Plenty of determination, and a thirst to prove yourself….However, sometimes not having the full courage to do so...however I do see plenty of courage at the same time… can be selfish, yet at the same time selfless...I can see you have a preference?"
"In the other world yes. I would like to be in Ravenclaw or Slytherin, but Slytherin would benefit me more in the current situation I'm in,"
"Yes, yes...Better be….SLYTHERIN!" The hat shouted out loud the name of the house so the other two people in the room could clearly hear.
Charlie's eyes instantly wandered over to Tom who was now staring even more intently at Charlie. He probably thought she would be in Gryffindor from the way she snapped at him when they first met. Now, however, he will be looking for fronts in her personally just like a typical Slytherin would do. At that moment she made a conscious decision to strengthen her masks as much as possible. Tom was not the only one who was concentrating on Charlie more than before. While the professor seemed to take a more interest in her now, he did not seem suspicious like Tom which was a relief.
"Now that your sorted and everything as been planned, I think it is time for the both of you to head to your dormitories," suggested the Headmaster. "Tom, would you please make sure Charlie is filled in with the rules and additional information regarding this school and lead her to the Slytherin common room?"
"Yes, sir. It would be my pleasure," said Tom.
Charlie and Tom started walking toward the door with Tom dragging her trunk with wheels across the floor, when Dippit interjected once more, "Oh! Miss Key, remember you are excused from classes for the next two days to get you adjusted to Hogwarts and tomorrow come up to my office to be taken to Diagon Alley by floo right after breakfast. Tom you are excused from classes until Ms. Key comes back from Diagon Alley,"
Charlie and Tom thanked the Headmaster with Charlie's gratitude more truthful than Tom's, and then they left the headmaster's office.