Lina Inverse and the World of Cliché Wizardry
Chapter 4
Notes: Let's pretend its somewhere remotely close to Christmas, just for a bit. I promised my friend I'd give her some updates for Christmas, but she had to get online and remind me to write it.
Well, now she did. So here you go. Maybe if I throw enough of these out there, she'll get bored and leave me alone.
And maybe even unchain me from my computer.
Also, do recall that neither Amelia, Xellos, or Gourry have mentioned their last names to Dumbledore, nor has he pressed the matter, given the circumstances. That is why he will call some of them by their first names, although it's not something he tends to do.
Lina stared at the tattered hat dubiously, her hand running unconsciously through her wealth of red hair.
"You want me to put that greasy old thing on my head?" she asked, arching her brow dangerously.
"Yes, please," Dumbledore said, his blue eyes twinkling merrily.
Lina looked like she was about to say something until a rather hard stone foot slammed onto her boot. Her expression turned into a grimace of pain as she shot Zelgadis a glare, one he returned with a sharp look that clearly said "just do it!"
Making a sweeping gesture across her neck and giving Zelgadis a meaningful final glance, Lina grabbed the hat from Dumbledore's hands and put it on her head.
"My my, you're a devious child," a hoarse voice croaked into her ear.
"Naturally," Lina murmured back.
"You're not the most courageous though, and definitely a bit bratty. It seems like you only stand up for what you know needs to be done when backed into a wall, which isn't terribly admirable," the hat replied.
"I could end you with a flick of my finger," Lina hissed, her expression darkening.
"SLYTHERIN!"
Dumbledore exchanged a sidelong glance with the stone-faced Professor Snape, who had been standing in the corner, almost invisible in his unobtrusiveness. Snape appeared rather unsettled at the idea of his newest house member.
"Miss Amelia, if you would step forward please," Dumbledore said kindly.
Amelia walked forward tentatively, and Dumbledore carefully placed the hat on her head.
"You're a rather brash young lady aren't you?" the hat asked. Amelia nearly jumped. "Definitely the courageous sort, although you could probably stand to learn a bit of restraint. Definitely… GRYFFINDOR!"
Dumbledore removed the hat and Amelia slid away, looking at the hat with mistrust. Dumbledore beckoned Zelgadis forward next.
Zelgadis accepted the hat with ease, completely unconcerned.
"You've got quite the mind, haven't you? Intelligent, crafty and creative, definitely a good mind to work with. You aren't too afraid of standing up for yourself either? Tough, tough decision. However, right now you thirst for knowledge. Knowledge to fix yourself. Thus, it can only be… RAVENCLAW!"
Zelgadis walked back to where he was standing as Dumbledore removed the hat and gestured Xellos forward. Before he even got within five feet of the hat, however, its mouth opened wide.
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Thank you, old friend," Dumbledore said to the hat as he placed it back on the desk.
"So what the hell was that about?" Lina asked impatiently.
"There are four dormitories within Hogwarts," Dumbledore explained. "They are akin to a student's second family while they are here. You will be integrated into the houses you've been sorted into. Most classes will be taken with members of the same house, although a few classes will be integrated with other houses. At dinner, you will eat with your house, and your actions will earn or lose points for your house, which can hinder or aid your house in achieving the house cup at the end of the year."
Lina waved her hand dismissively.
"I don't really care about that," she said. "Anyway, are we done here?"
"One moment," Dumbledore said. "Severus, would you please go fetch Minerva and Professor Flitwick?"
"Of course, Headmaster," Snape said in a slightly chilled voice as he left.
Within a few minutes, Snape returned with the older woman who had drawn her wand earlier and an extremely short, balding older man close behind him.
"Thank you for coming, my friends," Dumbledore said. "I've just sorted these newcomers into their respective houses. Minerva, would you please take Miss Amelia to the Gryffindor dormitories? After that, take Mr. Gourry to Hagrid. Professor Flitwick, Mr. Graywards to the Ravenclaw dormitories. Severus, please take Miss Inverse and Mr. Xellos to the Slytherin dormitories. After that, I would like all of you to return here, we have much to discuss."
"Yes Headmaster," the three said, nearly in unison. As they turned to leave, however, Gourry suddenly stopped them.
"Wait, why aren't I going with Lina?"
"You don't have any magic," Dumbledore replied kindly. "I'm sending you to live with our Groundskeeper, he'll give you a place to stay and you'll be able to do work that you should find more suited to your skills."
"But I'm supposed to stay with Lina!" Gourry protested. "She'll get in trouble without me!"
Dumbledore pursed his lips, but before he could say anything Lina, whose face had momentarily turned a brighter shade of red than her hair, interjected.
"Gourry just go with them," she snapped, her voice slightly shrill.
"But Lina…" Gourry began before she cut him off, her eyes flashing.
"Just do what they say! I'll be fine without you!" She paused for a minute, before speaking again, her voice softer.
"It'll be fine, don't worry about it. Go meet this Hagrid guy, I'll see you later."
"If you say so, Lina," Gourry said dubiously.
Dumbledore returned to his desk and leaned into the chair with a sigh.
"Well, now that that's taken care of, off with you. We'll discuss these matters later, Miss Inverse, I imagine you and your companions are quite weary and would like to sleep."
"Don't think we won't," Lina snarled as the five were led off by their prospective professors.
In spite of himself, Dumbledore chuckled. "I look forward to it, Miss Inverse," he said to the now-empty room.