AN: Hey everyone! Hope you're enjoying my story! I won't be posting again for at least a wek and a half becuase I'm going on two consecutive vacations and can't take my computer. Feel free to LEAVE ME A REVIEW and I'll reply ASAP. Thanks!
Disclaimer: Have you all been confunded? Otherwise I'm pretty sure you'd know by now that I am not J.K. Rowling, nor do I own HP!
Chapter 4: The Sorting Hat
We finally reach Hogwarts. I can't see the castle from the Hogsmeade station, but I envision it to be a large, old-looking building with several towers and lights in the windows. A little too welcoming for my personal taste.
We climb out of the train car and into the sea of students. I see a beacon of light and hear a gruff voice calling "Firs' years! Firs' years, over here!"
Hermione grabs my arm, pulling me along as we snake through the many students. Soon, we reach a long line of carriages pulled by... thestrals? This place is getting weirder by the minute.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I all sit together in one carriage, which starts heading toward the castle as soon as we were all seated.
"If you were a first year, you would go to Hogwarts by boat with Hagrid, the groundskeeper and Care of Magical Creatures professor, but for now, you can stick with us. All the other students take the carriages." Hermione explains.
"Why are your carriages pulled by thestrals?" I ask, curiously glancing behind my back to catch another glimpse of the strange beasts.
"Pulled by what? The carriages pull themselves, like always." Ron says, giving my a strange look.
"No, Ron, there is definitely something pulling this carriage. Can't you see it?"
"No...," he says, turning to stare at what he saw as an empty space in front of the carriage. "Can you see it, mate?" he asks Harry.
"Wait a second... I can! Those things are weird! Since when have they been there?"
"I don't know. I don't see anything, Harry," Hermione replies, just as confused as Ron.
"How can you not see them? They're right there!" Harry says, standing up and pointing straight at them. Ron and Hermione look more and more confused.
"Harry, there's nothing there. Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Hermione asked, placing her hand tenderly on his shoulder. He brushes it away quickly.
"Yes, Hermione, I'm fine! And I'm not the only one who can see them! Elizabeth can, too!" Harry sighs angrily, running his hands through his messy black hair.
"Ron, Hermione, I don't know why you can't see them, but there are definitely thestrals pulling this carriage. Harry and I aren't crazy. Besides, we're almost there. Look!" I say, pointing toward the huge building we are approaching. It is larger than I'd imagined, but still warmly lit and welcoming. We quickly hop out and head through some of the largest double doors I've ever seen.
Inside, the castle is warm. The old stone walls are covered from floor to ceiling with paintings. Moving, talking paintings. I've only seen one other painting that could move, in the Malfoy's manor. There are so many here. I make a small turn, trying to total them all up in my head, but there are too many to count!
"C'mon! We'll be late for the feast!" Harry cries, pulling me away from the paintings and into the Great Hall.
The Great Hall is huge: four long tables are set across the room, a crested banner hanging above each one. Another table is set at the head of the room, filled with all the professors. Hundreds of candles levitate up above, giving the room an inviting glow. The ceiling seems to be filled with stars.
"Miss Sparrow!" I hear a shrill voice call. I turn to see an older woman, hair back in a tight bun, horn-rimmed glasses on the tip of her nose, dressed in long, dark green robes.
"Miss Sparrow, I am Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House and professor of Transfiguration, as well as Deputy Headmistress. Please wait with me while the rest of the students arrive. Then, we'll sort you before we sort the first years," she says cordially.
We stand in the corner and watch as the rest of the students finally file in. My mind is on the Sorting Hat the whole time. The beginning event may prove to be on of the most challenging of my entire assignment. In order to be successful in my mission, I need to be placed in Gryffindor, but naturally, I would be a Slytherin. I mean, deceitful and cunning are practically my middle names. So, I have to trick it. Which is nearly impossible. I should be able to manage it by placing all my memories associated with bravery and honesty, the good guy stuff, at the front of my mind, where the Sorting Hat can easily see it, and locking the bad stuff away using Occlumency. I don't have too many good memories, but I've created some specifically for Elizabeth using a rather complicated spell and a stolen Penseive. Now, I can only hope that it works. If I'm put in Slytherin, or even Ravenclaw of Hufflepuff, my mission will be hugely compromised if not failed. The result of this mission rests solely on my abilities and the Sorting Hat.
I listen as Dumbledore welcomes the students and makes some routine announcements. He introduces the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Dolores Umbridge. I guess Draco succeeded in his mission, I think. I would kind of like the woman if she wasn't so darn smiley all the time. That stupid giggle of hers makes me want to hurl. He then introduces me, appropriately explaining my situation. Then Professor McGonagall leads me to the front of the Hall, sits me on a wooden stool, and places the Sorting Hat on my head.
"Hmm..."the Hat says. I hope no one else could hear it. "That's interesting... I see the courage, but I sense something else...hmm...something I can't get to..."
I concentrate on the happy memories, hoping my Occlumency skills pay off. Not Slytherin, Not Slytherin, I chant silently in my head. Maybe that will help it's decision.
"Not Slytherin...hmm...OK then...must be... GRYFFINDOR!"it cries. The Gryffindor table erupts into cheering. I smile as I see Harry, Ron, and Hermione clapping loudly, giving the occasional whoop of excitement. I carefully take the Hat off my head and place it back on the stool. I give it a little smirk as if to say, 'got you this time!' before heading to the happy table.
As I sit down next to Ron, I notice the Gryffindor crest appear magically on my robes. I smirk to myself, relieved that I have succeeded. Now, the mission would be smooth sailing. Getting these Gryffindor fruit cakes to trust me would be all too simple.