Atlas' heart stopped.
A Black in Gryffindor was a shock, but a Black in Ravenclaw was unheard of.
Atlas slowly slid off the stool, and trekked over to the sea of blue. She tried ignore the stares as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. The various whispers only served to fuel her anxiety.
"Granger, Hermione."
Atlas tilted her head as she watched one of her new friends make their way up to the stool. The Ravenclaws around her continued to whisper about Atlas, but the girl was too busy entranced by Hermione's sorting to listen.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Hermione's face fell. She wouldn't be joining the house of the eagles with the ravenette, but rather she dragged her feet to the house of the lions.
Harry looked between Hermione and Atlas. Now he didn't know what house he wanted to be in. While he was leaning towards Gryffindor to be with his first friend, he was reluctant since Weasley was so sure he would end up there. Atlas seemed nice, even if her behaviour was confusing, so he wouldn't mind Ravenclaw. After watching Draco join the snakes, he wouldn't mind being placed there either.
"Potter, Harry."
Relief washed over Atlas, the student population finally stopped focusing on her.
"Hmm, very difficult," The hat started, "Very difficult, just like your godsister."
'Godsister?' HArry wondered, as his mind went haywire.
"You'll find out soon enough, my boy. Now where to put you. Oh I know!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry, Hermione, and Atlas were immensely relieved when Neville joined the lions, and Ron joined the snakes.
Ron looked at Dumbledore for help, but even the old wizard would not cross the Scott's temper.
"Join your house, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore instructed. Something isn't right here.
"Atlas!"
The young Ravenclaw was seated against one of the pillars in the courtyard. Braced against her knees was a copy of Ghouls, Goblins, and More by L. Luthor. She folded the book closed with a gentle hand as she watched the bushy haired girl approach.
"'Ello, Hermione," Atlas greeted, "Harry." She nodded to the messy haired boy behind Hermione.
"We're heading out to the fields for the flying lesson early. Do you want to walk with us?" Harry asked.
Atlas smiled with a nod. She slowly stood, her knees cracked as they expanded. She held out her arm for Hermione to take. "You look good in red, love," she whispered in Hermione's ear as they began to walk in the direction of the open field.
Hermione blushed, "Um, you, um. The, uh, blue brings out the blue in your eyes," She mumbled as she ducked her head and avoided all eye contact.
"You're adorable," Atlas said with a laugh.
Harry, who missed the interaction between his friends, spoke, "So how is Ravenclaw treating you, Atlas?"
Atlas shrugged, "They tend to ignore my existence. A couple of them whisper things about me being the spawn of a mass murdering death eater, but it's really nothing I am not use to."
Hermione paused mid-step with a gasp, "Atlas, that's terrible."
Atlas hung her head in shame, "That's my life, but at least I have you guys now."
Hermione tightened her grip on Atlas' arm.
"I'm fine Hermione, I swear; we should get to class before we're late," Atlas pulled her arm from Hermione's and quickly dashed towards the flying field.
"Atlas!" Harry and Hermione called after the girl.
The first years from all four houses were gathered in two lines on the field. They faced one another as they waited for the arrival of Madam Hooch.
Hermione kept sending glances at Atlas, who stood opposite of her and Harry.
The ravenette avoided all eye contact, and she hadn't spoken another word to the Gryffindors. With her head hung low, Atlas ignored her worrying friends.
None of the kids noticed the hawk-like woman approach. "Don't just stand there!" She yelled as she walked down the center of the students, "Put your hand over your broom and said 'up'!"
A chorus of 'up' rang from every but one. Atlas remained silent, with her hands shoved into her robe's pockets. Her broom remained unmoving on the ground.
"It seems like the murderer's spawn isn't capable of simple magic," Ron teased causing most of the Slytherins and Ravenclaws to laugh at Atlas' expense.
Hermione watched as Atlas' composer changed. The change was barely visible, but Hermione noticed the ravenette clench her fists at her side.
"Your father would be proud, his dumb squid daughter can't even summon a broom," Ron continued.
Hermione thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, while Atlas had her head hung low, and her jaw clenched; Hermione could have sworn Atlas' pupels were rimmed in a blood red.
A sharp growl escaped Atlas' lips as Ron continued his bantering.
"Atlas?" Hermione whispered as she tried to get her ravenclaw friend's attention.
Ever since meeting the youngest male Weasley, Hermione and Atlas had been mercilessly teased by the boy. Atlas usually kept her cool when she was Ron's target, but when he attacked Hermione… Ron might as well have punched himself in the face.
"Miss Black?" Madam Hooch called out.
Wordlessly, Atlas' hand shot out to hover over the broom, and less than a second later the broom snapped to her hand with a sickening crack.
Harry, and Hermione, along with a few other students gasped as a thin line of ruby red blood dribbled from Atlas's nose.
But the ravenette never wavered. Her eyes remained staring in front of, and her jaw remain clenched in anger.
Hooch clapped slowly, "Well done Miss Black," she praised, "But be aware, the extensive use of wordless magic at any age can be dangerous for your magical core."
Atlas' gaze snapped to Hooch, the red disappeared from her eyes, and she slowly raised her hand to her nose.
"Are you okay, Atlas?" Hermione called across the gap. Her voice was laced with concern.
Atlas nodded as she used her white sleeve to clean the blood off her face, much to Hermione's dismay.
"Alright everyone! Mount your brooms, and only hover a foot off the ground," Hooch instructed.
Neville was one of the first to mount his broom; unfortunately, due to the old, warn, and terrible quality of the brooms, Nevill lost control. He shakily began to rise over everyone's heads.
"Mr. Longbottom, get down this instant!" The teacher exclaimed.
It took only a split second for Atlas to gather herself and shoot after her friend. She leveled off as close to Neville as she could, before she spoke, "Neville, I need you to take a deep breath for me. Your nervous magic is causing the broom to go haywire."
"I'm trying," Neville cried.
"Remember what I told you on the train, Neville," Atlas kept her voice soft and even in hopes that it would help calm the boy. She followed his broom as it rose over the castle.
"I can't do it Atlas," Neville cried out as he rose higher and higher.
"Have faith in yourself and your abilities, and you can do anything," Atlas said, "You've got this Neville."
Neville lost his grip, and tumbled from his broom.
Lucky for Neville, Atlas had seeker-like reflexes. She flipped upside down, using her feet to lock herself in place, and grabbed Neville by his wrist.
"Miss Black! Get down this instant!" Hooch shrieked.
"I'm kind of busy at them moment," Atlas gritted her teeth in effort, "Nev, I'm going to need you to do something for me."
"Anything."
Atlas clenched her teeth as the red returned to her eyes, she used all her strength to pull Neville up high enough that the pudgy boy could wrap his hands around the splintering wood handle. "Hold on as tight as possible," She encouraged him, "I am going to slowly fly us over to a landing, and from there you can get on the back of the broom."
Neville eagerly nodded in agreement.
Atlas gave a stiff nod before she righted herself on the uncomfortable broom. She clasped her hands around Nevilles, and slowly flew the broom over to a section of semi-flat roofing.
Neville let out a loud sigh of relief as his feet touched a hard surface.
"We're not done yet, Nev," Atlas said as she hovered in front of the boy, "I need you to hop on so we can get to the ground."
Neville gulped, "It's not that I don't trust you Atlas, it's just, um, I'd rather wait here for a professor to come get me," he said as he nervously looked over the edge and down at the gathering below.
"Neville, I've got you. I won't let anything happen to you. We oddballs have to stick together," Atlas said as she reached out her hand, "Besides, it doesn't look like anyone is coming up here to get us."
Neville shook his head again, his eyes bulged at the sight of blood pooling on Atlas's palm.
"Oh, sorry," she wiped her hand on her cloak, "I didn't notice, it's probably from when I summoned the broom."
Neville peered down at the ground again.
"It's the only way down," Atlas said, "If you come down with me, I'll help you with that killer plant in the green houses you are so excited about."
"It's not killer," Neville huffed.
"It tried to bite my hand off, now get on."
Neville grumbled, "Well if you weren't poking it with your quill it wouldn't have had to defend itself," as he got on the back of Atlas' broom.
"You can close your eyes, I'll let you know when we get down," Atlas offered.
Neville eagerly nodded as he slammed his eyes shut and hid his face in the extra fabric that makes up the hood of Atlas' robes. His arms were wrapped tightly around Atlas as they began their descent.
"You can open your eyes now."
Neville cracked an eye open to see them hovering less than a foot off the ground. All the other first years were gathered around them, and chatted with each other.
"Miss Black! Mr. Longbottom! What on Earth do you two think you were doing?" Hooch screeched.
Atlas hung her head low as Madam Hooch yelled and berated her actions. She only looked up momentarily to see a swarm of bushy brown hair run into her arms.
"What were you thinking?" Hermione yelled, hitting Atlas repeatedly in the arm.
"I'm sorry," Atlas' voice cracked and was barely above a whisper.
"She saved me."
"Speak up boy," Hooch ordered.
"Atlas risked herself to save me. She shouldn't be yelled at when she did nothing wrong," Neville said, and for the first time, his classmates seen why he was placed in Gryffindor.
Hooch sighed, "Are either of you injured?"
Atlas shoved her hands into her robes pockets and avoided all eye contact.
"My wrist is a little sore, but I am fine," Neville explained, "Atlas cut her hand."
"What?" Hermione asked as she pulled Atlas' hands out of the girl's pockets. She ran her fingers gently over Atlas' palms with a furrow of her eyebrows.
There was nothing on Atlas' palm, but a few flecks of drying blood.
"But…? I saw… ." Neville trailled off.
Atlas shrugged, shoving her hands back into her pockets. She was looking at the relatively cloudless sky, to avoid looking at her friends.
Hermione pulled Atlas into another hug, "Don't you dare scare me like that again."
Atls tucked her face into Hermione's hair, "I'll try."
"Mr. Longbottom, Miss Black, to the hospital wing to be looked over," Hooch instructed. When no one made to move, she yelled, "Now!"
Chapter four notes: Hey guys! Here's another chapter, I hope you like it. I currently have a bandaid on my right ring finger from work, which makes typing an interesting feat. Anyways, as I only write on my days off, chapters will be randomly posted and i will not be able to keep a posting schedule.
Tell me what you think!
-TheAtlasBlack
