Fabrications of the Mind

Ch 4: The Sorting

Siren slips on the hat.

"Interesting indeed. Hogwarts has not received any exchange students for centuries and surely none like your self… Is that what you think of me? Well, I am flattered. Most students that put me on are still a wee bit unsure of things to form such opinions. Not even Harry Potter thought much of me when he put me on the second time, however I see he was quite thankful at the end of the third one. Now let's see…

"Your mind is sharp. Your loyalties, however interesting, are strong. Your bravery is unparalleled in anyone I have ever laid upon, but that is due to a reasoning that only Headmaster Dumbledore would ever come up with... HA! Yes the house that that Virtual Hogwarts sight made up for Halloween would fit you well… Ah, you are quite cunning! And your search for power is strong, but it is still hard to discern between Gryffindor and Slytherin. You could do great things in Slytherin, but your heart lies in a place you may never return. What do you think?"

"If you can see into my head, wouldn't you know?"

"I cannot see what you have not thought of. What I see is a girl who is torn between houses. Right now you have yet to think of it, but in the past I see many possibilities. Mostly you have wished to be Slytherin, but you do not deny that you would have fun as a Hufflepuff. You also think you would be good in Ravenclaw, but you know you wouldn't be able to stand it."

"Well, I guess I would still like to be Slytherin, but I know Lilly will get Gryffindor and we ought to stick together, for she is my friend. Plus, it would be fun to be with the HP gang. However, I really would like to be in Slytherin so I could bug the Hell out of them. I know I would have a lot of fun and I bet even then I could make some good friends…hmm… You know I've always found it funny when I pause to think and just end up going 'hmm'… Gryffindor! That is were I should go, but do you think you could say something nifty so they get the idea I'm not as Gryffindorish as they might think?"

He bursts out laughing so the whole school can hear. "That is the most Slytherin reason I have ever heard to be in any house. GRYFFINDOR!"

Normally the Gryffindor table would have cheered right away, but both them and the Slytherins were completely caught off guard. Some of the Slytherins had even bolted up to cheer for her thinking that she was going to be a Slytherin. It took the Gryffindors a while to respond because they were relaxing; also thinking she was going to be a Slytherin. Meanwhile, she set the hat down and gave it a little bow in thanks. It wasn't until she started to walk down that they began to cheer and she took a spot next to Ron with a satisfied smile.

"The most Slytherin reason he has ever heard and you join our table?" Ron whispers to her.

"Eh." She shrugs.

"What was it?"

"Sore wa himitsu desu."

McGonagall's voice rises again. "Jinx, Lilliana."

Lilly nearly skips to the hat, whisks it right up and plops it on her head, and then sits down to hear what it has to say.

"You two sure enjoy your names, Jaime. Your world is quite interesting. Never have I had the pleasure of seeing into minds who see so clearly of the Muggle world. Most are too young to pay attention to such details of that in which does not have to do with themselves. Very impressionable souls they are, as you and your friend truly know. I must say that those Internet sorting hats are quite interesting. To think that I have become such a sought after item is quite heartwarming, even if they are no where near my caliber… hmm…

"Plenty of bravery,

Chivalry and nerve,

I see you would make a good Gryffindor.

You are a very good worker,

Brave and loyal I see.

So a Hufflepuff you could also be.

You're a fast learner,

You have plenty of wit,

So into Ravenclaw you just might fit.

But you also use trickery and cunning means,

To get the things you need,

As we have seen,

So into Slytherin you may succeed.

Now here's the problem,

And I do not jest,

Where in Hogwarts would you fit best?"

"You got that from one of my fan-fics!" Lilly says out loud and crosses her arms and while she can't hear them, all of the school is snickering.

"Did I?"

"Yes. And after five minutes you should say:

Albus Dumbledoree,

I cannot decide,

In which of the houses,

This girl should reside.

In the hundreds of years,

Since I was made,

Not one child has stumped me,

Like this one today.

So I shall suggest,

If we're to be fair,

She needs time to learn,

Then she can choose where."

"But, that is not true. You know were you want to go, don't you?"

"Well, I've thought of it in the past, but I'm not sure anymore."

"I can see what is in your past. Gryffindor seems to fit you well and Hufflepuff does not stand too far behind. You are smarter then you think, but as I said you use trickery and cunning means to get the things you need, so into Slytherin you may succeed."

"I would like to be in Slytherin because I think it would be fun and Malfoy seems interesting, but Siren and Harry Potter are in Gryffindor. Dumbledore says it wouldn't be good if Siren and I were separated and I couldn't leave her there alone, so I guess Gryffindor is the best choice."

"You know what is written and what you will write. Be weary of truth and truthful of lies. Innocents and corruption may not be what they seem, but be careful corruption and innocents for they may become what they've been. You have opened the book that lays in your hearts, but can you live it without breaking apart." He gives her a moment to think about this. Then right as she is about to ask her question, he yells out. "GRYFFINDOR!"

All of the Gryffindors stand up and cheer. At least this time they weren't caught off guard by witty retorts, Lilly bounds up to take a spot next to Harry. "Hiya!"

Dumbledore stands and the room goes quiet again. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. Newer to some of you then others, but all with great hopes. Before we start the banquet I want to make sure you remember one thing: Wash behind your nose to keep your toes from becoming poles.

"Thank you."

Just as the food appeared Siren cried out so only there little group could hear her. "Oh, no! Cover Lilly's eyes! Cover them quick!"

Everyone looks at her like a mad woman and Lilly wears a look of 'why'.

"If she sees all of this great food she will pull a 'Lina Inverse' on us and we won't get anything to eat ourselves."

At that Lilly swiftly picks up a spoonful of potatoes and flings them at Siren before she could think any better.

Siren ducks, fully prepared for retaliation, then turns around to see were it went freezing in astonishment. The potatoes had flown through the Bloody Baron and into Malfoy's face. "Now I didn't expect that to happen. Sorry Mr. Baron… I'm really sorry Malfoy." As good as she tried she couldn't keep herself from smirking.

Lilly was wide eyed with the spoon still in hand pointing at the back of Siren's head. All of the Gryffindors and Slytherin in that area of the tables were either staring or holding back giggles.

Malfoy stood up in anger staring at Siren. "Woman! You have defaced me!"

Siren roles her eyes. "If you are a Slytherin, shouldn't you be able to replace it as quickly as it's taken. You wouldn't want to loose yourself in an accident. Now would you?"

"If you knew so much about Slytherins why weren't you chosen to be one yourself?"

"My dear friend—"

"I am not your friend!"

"Well, I don't consider you as not one and if you were my enemy I would still consider you as one for it makes thins so much more interesting. Either way my choices are my choices." She had fun putting emphasis on choices as she watched his face contort.

Malfoy stood there trying to pierce into her with his eyes, wishing with all of his might that he could say that he was her enemy, but he could see through her trick this time and was not going to fall for it.

The Baron looks from one to another. "Malfoy, if you can be out spoken by a Gryffindor, I suggest you sit down."

Siren bows to the Baron. "Thank you my lord."

"Your welcome my lady."

Malfoy let's his eyes drift to Lilly (still holding the spoon) and they soften before he violently wipes off the potatoes and sits down.

Siren turns back around to see Fred and George staring wide-eyed at her. "What? You look like you've never seen a ghost before."

"The Bloody Baron never talks to anyone but Slytherin unless it is in anger and even that is rare." They said in unison.

"You do realize he's still right behind me and probably listening to our conversation. I know I was listening to theirs. I found it quite interesting in fact and it had some really good points."

"But they weren't talking." Ron pointed out.

"Ah, so you were listening in too."

"WHAT?"

"Hahahaha. Your so cute Ron. Too bad you're taken."

"I am not."

"Oh, then do you want me to take you?"

"No!"

"Well, Hermione would kill me anyways."

Hermione's head shot to look at them. "I would what?"

"You would kill her if she took away your Ron." Lilly smiles at her, after finally having put down the spoon and starting to eat.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you like each other."

"No we don't?!" They said simultaneously.

Hermione spouts in anger, "He's my friend, but he's… so him."

"She so pushy and acts like all that matters is books."

"Well, you hardly even read any books. If you did you wouldn't have to study so hard when finals come around."

"At least I don't end up studying for two years in advance."

Lilly sighs in amusement. "Such a cute couple."

"We are not CUTE." They stare each other down.

"How would you know that they like each other?" Harry cut into the silence.

Both stopped arguing. "Yeah, how would you know we liked each other?"

All three of then looked at Siren. She was playing with her drink, taking sips now and then. 'Because you just said so' was at the tip of her tongue, but that would have been to mean. "Isn't it obvious?"

"NO!"

"She read you like a book." Lilly said while Siren took a big drink to spit it out again.

"Ak! Wrong pipe." Siren coughed.

"She read us like a book?"

"Yeah, come on, you sit next to each other all the time and get a weird look on your faces when someone of the opposite sex gives the other too much attention." Lilly goes back to her own food.

"No we don't."

"Not to mention talking in unison."

"Lets get off this subject." Hermione waved the conversation away. "How about you two tell us about where you went to school before this?"

Siren sits back in her chair. "Lilly, it's no secret that they like each other, so there's no reason why we can't tell them what clued us in" Lilly shot her a stern look. "I can see things like the future and every once in a while, when I'm bored, I will get out my Tarot cards for fun and ask questions. Lilly and I were doing that last night to get a lil' insight on things."

"What? That's absurd. Being such an educated person as yourself I wouldn't have thought you would get pulled into such things." Hermione admonishes.

"What things?"

"Fortune telling. Divination. You can't actually believe those?"

"It's for fun, then I just learned that I am a lil' better then others so I make educated guesses. Wouldn't have said anything if you didn't show the signs that Lilly was talking about."

"What can you learn from Divination? All it teaches you is how to cheat people out of time and money."

Ron leans over and whispers to Siren. "She doesn't like the Divination teacher because she kept on predicting Harry's death."

"It's not that I don't like her, it's just that anyone could do what she does. All it is is guess work. It wasn't even accurate."

Siren looks around. It was still dinner, but desert looked to be coming soon as people were dwindling on the cuisine and saving up for sweets. There was still too much time left before the banquet was over. "Okay, how about I show you?"

"Show me?"

"Yes, I can read the reflection in a cup of pumpkin juice and tell you about the person. How about Ron's cu—?"

"Okay, here's my cup." Hermione shoves her cup into Sirens face.

"I'm sorry, but you don't have an open mind. There's too much of a risk that you will refute what I say because you don't want to admit I'm right. Of course I can't do Lilly's or Harry's because Lilly is my best friend and Harry is too popular. It has to be Ron's."

"Very well." She grabs Ron's cup in mid-drink and hands it to Siren.

Siren looks deep into the cup.

"Anything yet?"

"You have got to give me at least a little time… I see a rat. An old friend I believe, back from the dead. Two years since Ron has last seen him. Not a confident fellow, not entirely bad, but he is very swayed by his present company. Harry seems to be the focus of that little rift now. Let's see if I can change it so it's a little more Ron oriented." She swishes the cup. "Okay. I see your brothers and sister. Ginny holds within her a darkness, a tainted past. Fred and George had a little money problem, but Harry helped them on that. You have another brother I do not know. Likes to write papers. Up tight character that spends most of his time working. A brother older then him has something to do with dragons… Oo! I know this one. I got it when my dad went to Egypt. That is where your other brother is. Not the one that has to do with dragons or the up tight one, but the one with the ponytail. He's cute. Now does that satisfy you?"

"Anyone could have known all of that. His family picture was in the Daily Prophet when they won money and went to Egypt. Plus you went to his house, you could have easily learned the rest of that." Hermione frowned.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but I live in a Muggle family so we don't get the paper and Remus didn't want us staying too long."

Ron looked at Hermione. "Come on, how could she know about the money Harry gave Fred and George or Wormtail."

"That could have been guess work. She probably knew your family was poor and that Harry—"

"Okay, I will do yours. Maybe then you will believe me." She didn't like were that almost went. This was getting into too much of a fight. They didn't even seem to notice that desert had come. She takes Hermione's cup. "… Hmm… That's odd I see two of you. About two years ago, the same time Ron lost his rat, two of you were going to this school. It was leading you into a nervous break down. Maybe a Doppelganger of some sort? Oh, and if your basing part of your dislike on the thing that Harry and Ron did last year with their homework that had something to do with stars, I too get the feeling that the teacher was an idiot."

"Okay, you've said enough. I get it now. You can see into the past, but that doesn't mean you can see into the future."

"HA! Do you know how hard it is to see into the future? It's always changing. That's why I do it for fun. The idea of being able to see the future is so you can change it or at least be prepared and I'm sure you would agree with me when I say that if you change the future you technically never saw it."

After that they started desert, once again talking about different sweets they have had, when they were done all the food disappeared and they went up to the dorms for sleep. Once they got the password, however, Lilly and Siren said they had forgotten to talk to McGonagall about something and disappeared into a deserted corridor.

"I can't believe you said all of that about Ron and Hermione." Lilly pulled Siren to the side.

"Well, I'm sorry Lilly, but our plan was clearly going down the tube. I had to keep her from asking questions without raising suspicion. I couldn't just say 'let's talk about Quidditch instead'. Plus, I knew she would forget about her question if I brought up Divination."

"At least now it's over. With school, they should forget all about how little they know about us." Lilly sighed.

"True. It should be fun being in all of the same classes as them. Can't wait until Magical Critters class." Siren said sarcastically.

"Ah! What will Hagrid throw at us this year?"

"It's so nice to be in the wizarding world, as long as it doesn't kill us, they can revive us. But then again… We technically don't exist, so if something happens to us, all they have to say is we went home."

"… Let's go back now I don't want to think about that." Lilly's face went serious again.

"What? It was just a joke."

"And Draco's father is a desk clerk. The Death Eaters are after us and who knows how much of the Ministry is corrupted. Only Dumbledore would know the difference, but he wouldn't be able to prove anything because we wouldn't technically be missing if we don't technically exist."

"Now you are scaring me."

"How am I scaring you?"

"You sound like me."

"I scare myself."