I hold my head at an angle, wracking the side of it in a futile attempt to dislodge the water from my ear.
The other students who had the horrible luck of end up in the same boat as me seem to be having even worse luck drying themselves off. Will oddly resembles a soggy kitten with his pouting expression and strangely luminescent blonde hair covering his eyes, which he to no luck attempts to blow out of his eyes.
Apparently Poseindon is not willing to look past me entering his realm, despite the other mortals on the boat. Let's just say the Giant squid almost had a very large and tasty dinner.
""The firs' years, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid announces, leading us towards a stern women wearing dark green robes and a wide brimmed witch's hat, covering her tight black bun. Professor
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here. "McGonagall replies, studying us like a hawk, raising a singular eyebrow at the state of myself, Will, the Pavarti twins and Draco Malfoy, who despite not being on our boat had also been tossed in, I suspect by the smirking blonde who had been on his boat.
With a quick wave of McGonagall's wand our robes and hair seem to instantly dry, the loose water left on our skin evaporating to nothing.
She then turned towards the large door, pulling them open to reveal a large entry hall.
While following after the Professor, I could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway. Professor McGonagall leads us into empty chamber near the sound of chatter.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall tells us, turning to survey our group. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. "The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards."
A thought suddenly occurs to me. What if I don't belong in any house? I didn't belong anywhere at Camp Half Blood. I was an outsider, I doubt that's changed.
"While you're at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. "Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, on the rumpled robes and hair of those who had fallen in and on Ron's smudged nose.
"I shall return when we are ready for you." Professor McGonagall tells us. "Please wait quietly." With that she left the chamber, leaving us to frantically whisper between ourselves.
I sigh. I've only been here five seconds and I already regret coming here.
"How do you think they'll sort us?" Will whisper to me.
"I don't know nor care." I reply, nervously twisting my ring.
"Of course you care. The sorting decides how you're going to be spending the next seven years of your life, that is huge." He tells me.
I almost snort at the idea. How could one by a bunch of teachers in ridiculous hats define my life? I probably won't stay here a month, yet alone seven years. I probably won't even survive the next seven years.
"I don't give a fuck." I tell him plainly.
"Mannners!" he squeaks.
"I kindly must deny your advice and wish you inform you that the fucks I give have departed on broomsticks." I tell him in a mockingly polite tone. "Is that better?"
A few people around us let out amused chuckles.
Will just huffs, crossing his arms and pouting like a child.
I felt a chill in my stomach, causing me to jump as if my sense had suddenly been turned on.
Suddenly several slightly transparent pearl-white forms drifted inside, talking amongst themselves.
With a few muttered curses I find myself moving towards the wall, wrapping the shadows around myself. What the Hades are spirits doing outside of the underworld?
To my relief none of the ghosts seem to notice me. Being recognised as the ghost king wouldn't be a very good first impression.
"Move along now." A voice in the doorway says sharply "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start.
At the words of the strict professor, one by one the ghosts floated by one,
"Now, form a line and follow me" Professor McGonagall tells us.
Thankfully nobody notices me as I pull myself from the shadows, lining up behind a nervous red haired girl with a handsome dark skinned boy behind me.
We follow after the professor through the corridor and through a large set of door to reveal the Great Hall.
Everyone in the line lets out loud gasps when we see the stunning hall with architecture that would have Annabeth drooling, candles magically floating above the tables with gold shimmery plates. The most spectacular sight had to be the open ceiling, revealing the clear night sky.
"My Aunt mentioned the ceiling." The red haired girl whispers. "It's enchanted to look like the night sky."
We're lead up next to the Professors table where we stop, standing in a line to face the other students.
I nervously twist my ring, randomly diverting my gaze to avoid making any awkward eye contact with anyone.
Eventually I focus my attention on McGonagall placing a shabby old hat on a stool. What does a hat have to do with sorting us? If they expect me to pull a rabbit out of it then I will pull a baby hellhound out of the shadows and sick it on them. I am not a magician at a sixth birthday party.
The hat then twitches, before tearing itself so that it oddly resembles a mouth. The mouth then opened up and a loud voice filled the hall
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty, But don't judge on what you see, I'll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat than me. You can keep your bowlers black, your top hats sleek and tall, For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat and I can cap them all. There's nothing hidden in your head the Sorting Hat can't see, So try me on and I will tell you where you ought to be. You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;You might belong in Hufflepuff, Where they are just and loyal, Those patient Hufflepuff is are true And unafraid of toil; Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind, Where those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind;Or perhaps in SlytherinYou'll make your real friends, Those cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends. So put me on! Don't be afraid! And don't get in a flap! You're in safe hands (though I have none)For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
I groan. I would have rather wrestled a troll. Allowing some shabby hat to see into my mind? No thank you! I have far too much to hide.
You were right. A voice whispers in my ear. You won't belong in any of the houses, you're not brave, you're not just and loyal, you're not that intelligent and you're not cunning. You're probably not even a real wizard. I dismiss that thought, instead deciding to focus on the issue at hand.
Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." she explains, before beginning to call the names.
Student after student are calling, all nervously making their way towards the hat before placing it on their head. The hat usually called out a house fairly quickly, only with the occasional long period of thoughtful hums.
Hermione, the bushy haired girl from the train is sorted into Gryffindor as well as Neville. The proud grin on his face was almost enough to make me smile. Almost.
The blonde girl that had thrown a book at me in Diagon Alley, who I suspect is also the one who threw Malfoy in the lake is then called forward, storming towards the hat with a determined look in her steely grey eyes that reminded me far too much of Annabeth.
After almost a minute of thoughtful hums from the hat and exasperated sighs from the girl, the hat finally makes his decision. "HUFFLEPUFF!"
With a happy shrug the girl then skips towards the cheering table of yellow and black.
Next the first Pavarti twins are sent towards the table of blue and white. Her sister is then send towards Gryffindor, sending a sad look in her sister's direction.
I feel a pang in my chest remembering how Bianca decided to join the Hunters, separating us. I try to remind myself the situation is completely different but the memory is still there.
The red haired girl in front of me then joins the blonde girl in Hufflepuff.
"Di Angelo, Nico." McGonagall calls, making me freeze. If I had anything if my stomach I probably wouldn't anymore.
I force my suddenly heavy legs to walk towards the shabby hat, forcing myself to sit on the stool, anxiously awaiting the inevitable yells to get out, that I don't belong here.
I take a deep breath as the hat Is placed on my head, my eyes already scanning the hall for the darkest corners to escape through. Out of the corner of my eye I notice a man with a long silvery beard who I assume to be the headmaster, his eyes fixed on me with a curious expression.
"Ah what do we have here? I haven't sorted a demigod in quite some time." A voice rings in my ears.
I'm not the only one? I can't help but think, trying not to jump at the voice in my head.
"No, of course not." The voice replies. "Hmm your mind truly is fascinating. So much potential, yet so much darkness."
I grit my teeth. Just tell me a house already!
"You're definitely impatient enough to be a Slytherin, but you don't have a selfish bone in your body, or at least not when it comes to yourself. Cunning perhaps but you lack any ambition. You don't seem to care what happens to you, do you?" The hat tells me, his voice turning sad.
Get on with it!
"Fine, not Slytherin then. You're definitely bright, but not quite a Ravenclaw and you're dyslexia and ADHD may get in the way."
Is the commentary necessary?
"Touchy aren't you. My you have been through a lot for someone of your age." He comments.
"Technically I'm in my eighties so I think I've actually had very limited life experience." I add.
"True, true. Entering the Labyrinth in hope of saving your sister was quite brave, but you've also allowed fear to rule your life."
I grit my teeth. I don't have another choice.
"It is understandable considering your past, but still. Quite honourable I must say, giving up getting your sister back and forgiving Percy, I see a lot of good in you, though you are sometimes blinded by your loyalty to those you love.
Thanks?
"Anyway as I said before you're incredibly loyal and have a good sense of right and wrong, but not particularly friendly are you?"
He's right, but I don't even need to be rude for people to think I'm a bad person though, they just assume it.
"You're right." He tells me in a soft tone. "And you used to be quite friendly to everybody, honestly you practically had Hufflepuff written on your forehead." The hat chuckles.
Oh gods, what kind of sick world do I live in where I would be stuck in somewhere with the name Hufflepuff?
"No need to be rude. Hufflepuff would do you good, you need more unconditionally kind people in your life that won't judge you."
Unlikely…
Before I could argue more the hat called out "HUFFLEPUFF!"
The hall was silent, hundreds of wide eyes focused on me me, several jaws hitting the table.
"That kid in Hufflepuff?"
"Is the hat joking?"
"I LOST THE BET!"
"HA! Hand over your galleons!"
Finally the Hufflepuffs start cheering.
McGonagall removes the hat from my head, signalling for me to join the table in yellow.
Oh Hades, please tell me I don't have to wear that.
By the time I have sat down, everyone's eyes were still fixed on me.
Do I really stand out that much?
I look up to High Table where Hagrid was smiling at me, as well as Professor Quirrell the man from the Leaky Cauldron. In the centre's an old man with long silver hair and beard wearing peculiar robes, with eyes so twinkly I can see them from my seat.
"Hey you're that grumpy kid from the bookstore I almost killed?" The surprisingly violent blonde girl greets, playing with her hair.
"You couldn't kill me if you tried." I grumble.
"Fine, maimed. I'm Kat by the way." She tells me, putting out her hand to shake mine.
"Nico." I say ignoring her outstretched hand.
"I see you're embracing the Hufflepuff friendliness we're famous for." She replies.
"Please be quiet." One of the older Hufflepuffs tells us
"Zambini, Blaise." McGonagall calls and the boy that had been behind me makes his way to the hat, which quickly calls out. "SLYTHERIN!"
I look back to the sorting to see a small dark skinned girl whose hair seems to be cycling through the rainbow walking nervously towards the hat.
I notice a pink haired girl a few seats down muttering "Hufflepuff" over and over again in silent hope.
During the several minutes of waiting to be sorted the girl's hair seems to speed up. Eventually the hat yells out Ravenclaw, causing the girl to grin, her hair to pausing in a shade of dark blue, before skipping towards the Ravenclaw table. The pink haired girl seems to deflate.
"Don't worry, Tonks you can still talk to her." the handsome boy sitting across from her tells her.
"Don't encourage her. We don't need another Nymphadora running around." A blonde girl snorts kind heartedly.
I ignore the girls protests at the name, instead returning my attention to the magic hat.
After a few more people are sorted Malfoy is called. It had barely touched his head before calling out "SLYTHERIN!"
"That won't help with the evil stereotype." I mutter
"Solace, William."
Will (POV)
I make my way towards the hat, my hands shaking ith nerves. I almost trip over my new robes, causing several people to chuckle and my face to heat up in embarrassment.
"A good mind." A voice tells me, once I had taken my seat.
I jump, almost falling off of the stool.
"It's alright. Now where were we, ah yes you definitely have the intelligence for a Ravenclaw. Very kind as well, sometimes more than others deserve... You are ambitious, but far from cunning, so not Slytherin."
"Very brave, though sometimes that is more pure stubbornness than anything." The hat mutters.
HEY!
"You would do well in Hufflepuff." The hat mutters thoughtfully.
Hufflepuff? That's the yellow one right? It is my favourite colour, and it would be nice to be with Nico…
"Unconditionally kind and selfless with strong morals. You're quite loyal, especially towards your mother even if she does little to deserve it."
Can we not talk about that?
"Alright then." The hat sighs "Definitely a lot of loyalty and kindness in you, also quite hard working and honest…" The hat says thoughtfully.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat declares.
The hall erupts into half-hearted cheers, especially from the table of yellow and black, who I quickly make my way towards, taking a seat by Nico.
"Welcome to the Mallow puffs!" The blonde girl across from Nico greets.
"Oh Hades, If you're going to call us that all year I'm getting transferred." Nico mutters gloomily.
"You'd miss us too much." I tease, sitting next to him.
He glares at me.
I smile, hoping he's kidding. I'm not just annoying him am I?
"Blondie has a point." The girl says, grinning.
"You're even blonder than I am." I point out "I'm Will, by the way."
"No way, you're like a walking sun. " she argues, before adding. "I'm Kat."
"Potter, Harry." McGonagall calls, gaining everyone's attention.
A dark skinned boy with a bush of uncontrollable messy hair makes his way to the hat, nervously attempting to pat down his hair.
After several minutes of whispers from the crowd, Harry nervously tapping his foot the hat calls out "GRYFFINDOR!"
There's a loud cheer from the table of red and gold. The Weasley twins cheering "WE GOT POTTER! WE GOT POTTER!"
Even once Harry had taken his seat, all attention was focused on him, only to be dragged away when Professor McGonagall returns to the sorting.
Once the rest of the students had been sorted, Professor McGonagall removes the hat and stool from the hall before taking a seat up front next to Dumbledore.
The twinkly eyed man I recognise from the every flavour bean card as Headmaster Dumbledore gets to his feet. He beams at us, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could please him more than to see us all there.
"Welcome!" he exclaims. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" He sits back down.
I join everyone in cheering.
I laugh. None of my principles at muggle school had even been so… odd
"I'm started to understand why his eyes are so twinkly?" Kat whispers, causing me to laugh and Nico to roll his eyes.
When I divert my attention back to the table I notice that it is suddenly littered with more foods than I can name: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and a weird candy I've never seen before.
I begin filling my plate with a healthy mixture of meat, carbohydrates and vegetables, ensuring I get all of the necessary nutrients, before turning to see Nico's piled high with fries.
"THAT'S NOT HEALTHY!"I screech.
"No, but it is delicious." Nico argues, placing a single fry in his mouth
"There's no vegetables!" I argue.
"Technically potato is a vegetable."
"Even I'm being healthier than you." Kat tells him, stuffing her mouth with roast potatoes.
I turn his attention to her plate which is made up of roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and the strange lollies.
"Aren't either of you eating any meat?! And Yorkshire pudding is practically battered oil!" I sigh.
"I'm a vegetarian so hell no." Kat tells us, before drizzling more butter and salt on her potatoes."
"Well then at least have some peas and carrots." I sigh, filling her plate with vegetables, making her groan.
I notice Nico giving what I assume is his version of a smirk at her, before shoving more fries into his mouth.
"Don't be so happy, Nico." I tell him before filling his plate with vegies as well. "And since I doubt you're a vegetarian." I add before placing a few slices of roast beef onto his plate.
He groans and reluctantly starts eating, still glaring at me.
"Hello, I'm Susan Bones." The red head girl next to Kat tells us.
"I'm Katerina Williams, call me Kat." Kat says, eagerly shaking her hand.
"Justin Finch Fletchly" A boy with curly brown hair tells us.
"My name is Ernie Macmillian."
"Zacharias Smith."
"I'm Hannah Abbott."
"Will Solace." I greet cheerfully.
"Did you all grow up in the wizard world?" Justin asks.
"Nope." I say. "I'm a muggle-born."
'Same as Blondie here." Kat says, not waiting until she's finished eating one of candies.
I consider once again pointing out she's also blonde, but decide it's pointless.
Justin smiles. "My parents almost died of shock when the owl came."
"I almost died of happiness. One of the owls almost gouging my foster mother's eyes out helped."
We all look at her in horror, well all of us except Nico who laughs.
"Foster mother?" I ask, ignoring the violent image.
"Yep." She answers "Her names Miss Hannigan, or at least that's what I call her. Honestly I can't remember her real name."
Everyone bursts into laughter, especially the muggleborns.
"What does foster mother mean?" Hannah asks.
"Someone who takes care of you when you don't have parents." Kat explains, making Nico and Susan look down at their plates.
"I don't have any parents either." Susan tells us. "But I've always had my Aunt to take care of me."
Nico seems to become even more awkward at this. "My family was all magic." Nico says "But I'm not from England so I'm new to most of this as well."
"Was?" Hannah asks cautiously.
Nico gives her a warning look, but otherwise ignores the question. He instead chooses to awkwardly stir around his food with his fork.
'Well I was sure it was a prank when the owl came." I say, attempting to draw attention away from the clearly uncomfortable Nico.
"I told Miss Hannigan it was. Apparently I'm attending a boarding school for troubled orphans." Kat chuckles.
Once everyone had eaten as much as they could, the leftover food vanishes from the plates, leaving them once again sparkling clean. A moment later the desserts appear. Blocks of ice cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O and rice pudding.
I take an éclair and a tiny bit of rice pudding. Kat on the other hand thought it was necessary to eat large quantities of everything.
"That looks delicious." The fat silvery ghost wearing monk robes tells us, staring dreamily at Kat's plate.
"It is." She replies, shoving another spoonful into her mouth.
I notice Nico who had been already been quiet, sinking down into his chair.
"I don't believe I've introduced myself? They call me the Fat Friar!" He greets cheerfully, obviously not bothered by the name. "I'm Hufflepuff's resident ghost."
"Resident Ghost?" Nico asks, finally speaking up "Shouldn't you be in the underworld?" he asks, his voice gaining a frightening tone.
The Friar turns even whiter than I thought possible. "N-n-no your majesty, w-w-e h-have permission to be here. I swear!" He stutters.
Nico gives him a glare that even made me a little nervous. "I'm be sure to check that out" he tells him, before noticing the looks the rest of us are giving him. "I don't see why you're so scared though. I'm just another first year." He lies, unconvincingly.
Kat just raises her eyebrow, giving him a sceptical look.
"Anyway are you really going to eat all that?" Nico asks in an obvious attempt to change the topic.
I note that the Friar had fled almost as soon as Nico's attention left him.
Once everyone was finished eating (even Kat who looks like she's about to vomit) Dumbledore stood up, gaining everyone's attention.
"Ahern, just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins. "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. "Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
A few people laughed, but most of the hall was silent.
"That's odd." A seventh year girl with pink spiky hair mutters. "He usually tells us why we're not allowed somewhere… I'll have to investigate." She adds with a mischievous smile.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore cries. I notice the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed. Dumbledore gives his wand a small flick, as if he is trying to get a fly off the end. A long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words. "Everyone pick their favourite tune." Dumbledore tells us, "and off we go!"
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, Teach us something please, Whether we be old and bald Or young with scabby knees, Our heads could do with filling with some interesting stuff, For now they're bare and full of air, Dead flies and bits of fluff, So teach us things worth knowing, Bring back what we've forgot, just do your best, we'll do the rest, And learn until our brains all rot
I sing cheerfully (probably deafening Nico next to me)
Everybody finishes the song at different times. Finally, only the Weasley twins are left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducts our last few lines with his wand and when we have finished he's the one clapping the loudest.
"Ah, music." he sigh joyfully, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
I follow Nico and the other Hufflepuff's down the hall. Along the way several of the portraits smile at us, calling out welcomes. After only a couple minutes we stopped in front of a large pile of barrels.
"I GOT THIS!" The pink haired seventh year announces, almost tripping over the other students.
"Are you a Prefect?" I ask.
She laughs. "Nah, apparently I'm too troublesome. I'm Tonks by the way."
She starts tapping on the second barrel from the bottom in the middle of the second row.
"You just need to tap Helga Hufflepuff and VALA!" she explains, as the barrels disappear revealing an archway into a large cosy wooded round room with low ceilings. Everything in the room is warm earthy colours, with plants scattered all over, which seem to droop when Nico gets too close.
"Why aren't the prefects helping us?" Susan asks.
Tonks grins. "Because they're off making out." When everyone seemed confused she added, winking Hufflepuffs can be very friendly."
"NYMPHADORA!" One of the seniors screeched, making the pink haired girl glare.
"Boys to the ring, girls to the left, and as our head of house Ms Sprout would say…" Tonks began before she turned into a small little witch with short wavy grey hair. "I'd like to welcome you all to Hufflepuff! And the gardening club is always looking for new members!"
The first years were all silent, marvelling at her, wondering how she did it, and if they could too. The other years groaned.
"Show off." A handsome boy with dark hair and bright grey eyes chuckles.
"Something you would know all about, Diggory." Tonks replies, transforming back.
"What's the wifi password?" Kat asks.
"What's wifi?" Tonks asks innocently, making all the muggle-borns look petrified.
"You don't have wifi?" I squeak.
Tonks shakes her head, smirking.
The muggleborns start hyperventilating.
"What about the internet cable thing? Or Dial Up? Data?" Kat asks, looking terrified.
"I'M KIDDING!" Tonks laughs, making me sigh with relief. "I do know what it is, but we don't have any internet."
I feel myself pale. No internet?
The other muggle-raised first years look ready to faint.
"Anyway, off to your burrows, badgers!" she says, before skipping up the girls stairs.
"If you can't find me in the morning I climbed to the roof of one of the towers to find a signal and fell to my doom." Kat tells us with a serious expression, before following Tonks and the other girls upstairs.
Along with Justin Finch Fletchly, Ernie Macmilllion and Zacharias Smith we made our way down a wooded tunnel to a similar wooded room with five soft looking circular-beds spread around the room with different warm coloured bed spreads, small circular windows at the top of the walls and a roaring fireplace. All of our suitcases were at the ends of the beds along with our ties and the rest of the Hufflepuff uniform.
I jump onto the closest bed, almost being swallowed by it.
I turn to see Nico had found a bed in the darkest corner of the room and collapsed, without even bothering to change.