~An-I feel so redundant right now. xD anyway, I only own Half credit for the story, Promise, and my kinda poor editing skills. XD healthy criticism encouraged~
Promise could tell by their expressions who was thinking what when she looked about her, making mental notes of who to...'take care of', when Promise's head snapped to the hat, the voice boomed through the hall. "HUFFLEPUFF!"
The room stayed silent for a second.
Promise's shoulders dropped and sadness overwhelmed her body when a tear slid down her cheek. As she looked up, however, she saw something that made her jaw drop. Cedric, the boy who had returned Verity's chair, was leading a large group of older Hufflepuffs up to the front of the room. Promise sniffed and wiped her tears as she tried to believe what she was seeing. As she watched, Cedric and four other Hufflepuffs lifted Verity up and carried her proudly back to their table as if she were some amazing prize they had just won, or a princess that they loved and worshiped. The rest of the Hufflepuffs lifted and carried Verity's heavy chair back to their table.
And it was, at that very moment, when Promise was sure, absolutely dead certain, that verity was going to be ok. She owed that Cedric kid a shit-ton.
Verity seemed to be frozen, not believing what was going on around her. She had been separated from Promise, but had been put in a house that accepted her. She had just been carried to her seat like a... a... A PRINCESS! She smiled as she remembered what Cedric had said when he returned her chair. "... now our little princess is back in her throne where she belongs!" She was now being carried like one. She weeped tears of joy as they put her down again. Even if Promise wasn't with her, she had found her home!
Promise looked at her from across the tables and winked at her twin. She found her home. She was almost glad that she didn't get into Gryffindor; she needed a family that would treat her well, no matter what. And its not just Hufflepuff she has family with, there's also a few Gryffindors as well; all of that was more than enough to make Promise feel glad for her twin sister.
After the rest of the sorting, dinner was finally served. Verity was astonished by the amount of food. Promise scarfed down as much as her small gullet could be stuffed with. It was after one steak, and a mashed potato that desert was served when George said "I guess I'll have to eat this fudge cake all by myself..."
"There is ALWAYS. Room. For cake... Dumb-arse..." After desert, older years guided the young first year houses to their dorms, Promise was not at all sad that Verity was in a different house... She grinned at the goofy sight of the Hufflepuffs carrying her down the moving stairs. Promise was climbing between Harry and Ron; she wasn't paying attention to Ron as much as Harry, however. When they got to the end, they were met by a huge painting that asked who goes, Wood replied to her that she knew very well who he is, but said the password anyway. The sight before them was a beautiful lush lounge-room with two staircases on either side of the fireplace.
Verity fell asleep in Cedric's arms on the way to the common-room. He woke her up just long enough to learn how to get into the Common room, then let her drift back to her quiet slumber in his arms. He sat by the fire and held her. He was happy she had been put with them, but he felt sorry for her. She and her twin were separated from each other now. As Cedric thought about this, he swore to himself that he would do everything he could to help this poor little girl... Who he suddenly realized he didn't remember the name of! He racked his brain, trying to recall what the Professor had called her...
Valerie? No, Victory? V... Vvvv...Vvvvvvvvvv..VERITY! That was it! Verity Lovegood!
Cedric had made a cute scrunched up face as he was thinking, and smiled at verity, who was cuddled up so close to him. Cedric looked up at the clock. DEAR GODRIC! Was it really that late?! He should get Verity and himself up to bed. Seemingly sensing his thought, the bunch of girls came and picked her up off his lap. "We'll take care of her from here, Cedric. You should get some sleep!"
Meanwhile, in the Gryffindor common-room, Promise was sitting in front of the fire by herself. Promise was already beginning to wonder what her sister was up to... Sleeping, probably. Promise smiled warmly but couldn't ignore the hint of loneliness writhing in her heart... Verity was loved by nearly everyone who laid eyes on her, she was pretty and smart and kind... When I'm the complete opposite. I'm rude, brash, and tomboyish. And Promise felt guilty, but she envied her sister. She has a whole house and more of friends who love her, when I only have a select few, she thought to herself.
Promise didn't know it, but her sister felt the same envy she did towards her. Promise didn't always see the glares and stares Verity got, she didn't hear all of the insults; neither does Promise herself have to suffer through that torture. Verity most of all envied her sisters working legs. She had once love to run, jump rope, play hopscotch, and dance. She had loved going flying on the back of her father's broom. Now she couldn't do any of those things. She felt ashamed, not of her wheelchair it's self, but of the fact that people always had to take care of her.
Promise had remembered when back in grade-school when she had begun to tie her hair up because of all the fights she would get into for her sister. They were required to have class together, since they were so inseparable. But sometimes they didn't always have class together, and even if for just one minute, Promise would have her back turned and someone was either taunting Verity, or playing with her chair. Promise knew that she probably wouldn't ever know how bad it was for her twin... back then, they just looked so identical... Promise just felt like one of the only things that she could do to help her sister was to defend her...
Promise became so entranced in staring into the fire remembering her old school that she didn't hear someone coming down rickety stairs. A hand on her shoulder snapped Promise out of her train of thought; she had jumped slightly and turned around to see someone she didn't expect. "Do you mind if I join you?" Harry smiled down at her. Promise tried to return the smile, but it was weak. Harry sat down next to her, silence settling in. "Were you not able to sleep?" Promise asked.
"I tried," He said, "but then Neville told me you were still down here. Thought I'd check you were ok!"
Promise looked at Harry, gratitude in her eyes. Someone actually cared about how she was doing, not just shrugging it off saying she can take care of herself. Promise smiled a bit, but it trailed off into sadness.
"Must be hard for you," Harry said softly, "being away from her. Fred and George said they'd go bunkers if they weren't together. Then again, they already are pretty much bunkers!" Promise gave a laugh at that and gave a genuine smile before she said, ".. If it isn't much of a bother, um... Is it ok... If I tell you what's actually bothering me? Or are you tired for that rubbish,"
"I'm never tired of hearing you talk!" Harry said before he realized how cheesy that sounded. Promise gave a grin and a giggle at his cheesiness before pulling her knees up to her chin on the sofa, cuddling up closer to him. ".. I'm afraid that she'll forget about me."
"What!" Harry scoffed, "Unlikely! You remember that scene she pulled on the train? She was terrified of being away from you!"
".. I know.. And I know how ridiculous it sounds as well. It's... It's just that she has a whole new family that she can be with who treat her for what she's really worth. Im just afraid that... Through all that craziness.. She'll forget about or like totally lose interest in me.."
Harry was about to answer, when suddenly the portal swung open. Professor Mcgonigal and Madame Pomphree ran into the room. Promise grabs Harry's hand out of reflex and ask whats going on.
"Ms. Lovegood," Mcgonigal said calmly, "Would you know what I meant If I said that your sister had 'the nightmare and the accident'?" Promise didn't have a clue. "... Please tell me you mean that she had that dream about the fire imps and where she wet the bed..."
"Hardly!" Pomphree cried, "She was screaming in her sleep and in cold sweats. She injured three classmates before someone was able to wake her. Some people said that she was..."
