A/N: Wow. I've gotten so much more interest on this story than any of the others I've written. Twelve reviews for a single chapter is my new bast. I'm flattered and marveled at you guys. And, to say thanks, I'll leave you another chapter way earlier than planned.
Following the advice of a very nice guest, I read this one backwards, one sentence at the time, so I could catch the mistakes. Hope I actually caught all the mistakes.
I own nothing.
Chapter Seven – The Sorting
"Free at last!" Hermione cried dramatically as she launched herself at the comfy seat. To think she had dreaded to leave the Manor! Besides her Neville snorted in amusement as Ginny giggled and the redheaded twins smirked at her.
"Who would have thought being a Potter would be so hard on our Maya?" George, using his brother's blue robes, said.
Hermione whined at the loud laugh that comment prompted from her compartment companions and decided to ignore them until all their party arrived. For the last month and a half of the summer holidays things got pretty sad for the tiny witch, who, no matter how hard they tried, could not gain weight or grow taller. Lily and James had finally taken her to a Healer when August started and she was declared fit for a ten year old, even if she was short and was as light as a feather.
Her relationship with Harry and Sony was at its worst as Lily got more and more 'Molly Weasley' as the time for her to go to Hogwarts approached. The two boys now openly glared at her and made her feel out of her comfort zone if they were around and Neville had been of no use as he and his family had gone on a three weeks' vacation to Italy for most of August, leaving her at her mother and brother's mercy. James was oblivious at all this as he was at work more often than not working the Tournament security details and when he was home he enjoyed playing with the boys more than her, which was fine because they loved playing Quidditch and no matter how hard he tried, she would not join them.
The Potters had planned to go to the Quidditch World Cup, but she had gotten ill before the last match and this had forced the whole family to stay with her, getting Harry and Sony angrier at her, not that it was her fault, and making her parents a little relieved when the attack happened. Apparently, Sony and Harry had sneaked some meat in her usually meatless soup and a little of milk in the almond one she drank and not only had she discovered the wizarding world had no potions to cure her allergy, but she had met for the first time in this life time who would later become her Godfather.
Severus was his usual self, snarky and a little on the intimidating side, but he had been able to stabilize her enough so she could sleep her sickness away and avoid going to a Muggle hospital. He had also managed to talk to her and tell her the Fight was still strong at school and that they would meet at a later time so they could come up with a plan as he could feel his Dark Mark darkening more and more each day. At the ceremony in which he and Minerva had been appointed as her Godparents, just a week after the attack at the World Cup, they had been unable to talk, but she was certain they would as soon as she have her first Potion class or, if she could get away with it, she was sorted in his House.
So for the last month Winky and Crookshanks were the only ones she could relax around. She loved Lily with all her heart, and she could not stop loving Harry, even if he was not her Harry, but knowing the interaction she was going to have with them was going to be greatly reduced lifted her spirits more than it should.
September first could have not gotten there soon enough; no matter they all had been so busy checking last minute things for school that her parents had forgotten her birthday. Truthfully, the best gift she could have was to see Luna again and put a little space between Lily and her. She and her brothers had been accompanied to the station by their father as their mother needed to be at school to finish the last 'start of term' preparations and would be welcoming them in the castle after the Sorting Ceremony. James was if not a practical man, he had taken them to the train ten minutes before departure and had hugged and slapped the boy's backs and kissed her in the head before sending them to their marry way. He did not even wait for the train to leave before him himself left.
Harry and Sony wasted no time to hurry and find their friends, leaving her alone and a little overwhelmed in the platform until the Weasley twins had noticed her and rescued her, taking her to the compartment Neville had chosen for them and where Ginny was already seated.
It had been decided via owl and elf that two representatives of each House would come and meet her so she could picture what Hogwarts could offer her this time around. So, a few minutes after the train started his trek to Scotland, it was no surprise that the compartment door opened more than once to let the steady group of people enter it.
Ginny and George were standing for Gryffindor, Fred and Susan for Ravenclaw, Neville and Hannah for Hufflepuff and Draco and Daphne for Slytherin. There were no signs of her Luna.
The meeting went well, as well as a meeting with nine people in a secluded space could go. She learnt that they kept recruiting people in all the houses, and they had some ready to receive the Star as soon as possible. Not talking about the Fight did not mean not talking about Voldemort and his return and this time around, the students were not afraid to fight. This was both shocking and relieving.
She had learnt that they could not use the tattoo to communicate; apparently all of them had tried and were unable to use it as Hermione had done in their past lives. A quick try with her coatl wand on her own tattoo and the short message of 'Maya is back' proved that she was the only one able to communicate with them via the Star of Bethlehem. She smiled, now all of those who bore the mark would know to expect her to summon them sooner or later.
All of them had woken up on April the 17 five years ago, some months before the twins were to start Hogwarts, allowing them to choose different Houses. And all of them remembered being in some place warm and safe and Luna going to them to ask if they wanted to return and help defeat Voldemort or they would rather be reborn. Other than that, they knew nothing of why they were able to retain their memories and power. Thanks to them the learning curve of their years was now more pronounced than last time and all of them were top of their classes. It made for Harry and Ron to study harder this time, not that they did not need it.
Spirits were high now that she was back, even if she was small and so cute, as the girls present declared, and she was the only firstie among them. The leader of the Fight was back and that was the only thing that mattered.
As all were leaving after the meeting, Draco asked for a private word. Following the blond wizard to the back of the train were he had a small compartment free she did not notice Harry watching her with concerned eyes or Sony trying to follow them just to be stopped by Crabbe and Goyle, who, while not part of the Fight, were always loyal to Malfoy and looked out after him.
"Luna asked me to talk to you." He said as soon as they were alone and a private ward had been set. "She knows you are back but is too angry to try and meet you without killing you. What did you do?"
Hermione sighed. "I need to talk to her first, Drake, before I tell all of you what I did." She paused a second. "Do you think she'll forgive me?"
Draco hummed. He had got to know Luna better this time around, and had always been a good friend, if distant, of Hermione. But, even so, he felt ill prepared to answer that question. "Tell me, what you did was worse than that time you got into your head to ambush that Death Eater camp alone, with just a dozen Muggle grenades and your wand?"
The brunette winced. That had not been a good idea as it had been the direct result of a panic attack and the utter desperation she had felt after Harry had died. She had miraculously managed to kill them all and suffer just a few scratches in return, but the way Luna had exploded in her face had left her wishing she had died in the battlefield. Not only had she beaten the magic out of her, she had stop talking to her for weeks until yet another brush with death had managed to melt the blonde's heart and allowed her to forgive her. By that time they had been dating for five years and their lover quarrels were legend in their ranks, not only were they all bright and colorful thanks to the several spells that were exchanged, but because all the new words they all learnt when those two fought.
"I think I did something more stupid." She mumbled the confession.
Draco echoed her pained wince. "Because of you we came back, right? You did something extremely moronic for us to come back."
"Yes."
"No wonder she is such a bitch when your name comes up." Draco sighed. "I don't know if she'll forgive you, but I guess you are ready to take your punishment, right?"
Hermione gulped. She was not entirely sure if this body would be able to stand against Luna's curses and punches. Then again, they all agreed she was a cute little thing… maybe she could have some sympathy points, right?
XxXxX
"Firs'-years, firs'-years over here!"
Hagrid's loud voice made her cringe, she had forgotten she needed to go with him and her stupid body was starting to feel the stress of being with so many, if somewhat familiar, strange faces.
Neville briefly hugged her. "I can't go with you, but Tori is in your year, go look for her and stay near her, she's been instructed to not leave you alone until you are Sorted."
Hermione huffed, with so many people around she could not chance talking but she really wanted to comment in what a poor case of a leader she was if she could not face a mob of students on her own. On the other hand, that mob was being cared by Hagrid and he was not known of being neither gentle nor really mindful of his charges.
"Firs'-years, firs'-years over here!" With a quick kiss to his cheek, the tiny brunette was off. Her small body darted and dodged the larger students with ease and soon she found herself surrounded by kids with no colors in their uniforms.
"Maya!" Someone called to her and she turned in time to brace herself to the blonde girl that suddenly attached to her, not that it was the blonde she had wanted. "Daph said you can't talk, but I'm glad you are here."
Hermione smiled at Astoria and took her hand, just barely registering that Kim was looking at her with her mouth hanging open. Apparently she had been of the idea she could not make friends… how right she was. Astoria was friendly, yes, but she was still her bodyguard for the night. The blonde was easily eight inches taller than her and she could see was more muscular than her, also, as her, she was wearing her wand in a holster, ready to use if the case was needed.
"C'mon, follow me – any more firs'-years?" Hagrid's voice boomed. "Mind yer step, now! Firs'-years, follow me!"
They followed the giant down the steep, narrow and dark path to where the two 'time travelers' knew the boats awaited them. It was as slippery as their first time, but the awed 'Ohh!'s of their fellow first years were the same as always. For Hermione, she just smiled at the sight and sighed. The Castle was still standing and she was going to meet her professors again, and maybe Luna would finally talk to her. That was all that mattered.
They climbed into the boats, Tori and her sharing one with Kim and a dark-haired girl Neville's sister had met on the train, her name was Maeve and was hoping to be a Gryffindor as she kept telling everyone near her.
"Everyone in?" Hagrid shouted at them from his own boat. "Right then, FORWARD!"
"And you?" Maeve asked Hermione just a minute in the ride. "What House do you want in?"
Tori smiled for both of them as Hermione was looking around for the Giant Squid… she had liked that beast most than she cared to admit and had been crushed when it had been killed as soon as Voldemort took possession of the school. "Well, my big sis's in Slytherin, but I guess I'll be happy in any House." Hermione snorted beside her, Daph had told them Tori had decided to go to Ravenclaw because she did not like the dungeons and was not being a Lion for all the gold in Gringotts. "And Maya here is a mystery, I guess she'll cause havoc in any House, really."
"Maya?"
"Oh, sorry, my name is Astoria Greengrass, this is Hermione Potter." She introduced themselves with a dazzling smile that remembered Hermione of yet another blonde, jut not her blonde.
"Potter?!" Maeve squealed exited. "As in the Boy-Who-Lived Potter?"
Kim finally decided to intervene. "She's the adopted little sister of Harold and Hudson Potter." Her tone was a little chilly and it made the rest of the boat freeze. She did not dislike Hermione, but she did like Sony, and Sony did not like her, so she was not liking her either from now on. Besides, she was been friendly with a soon to be Snake, that was just not right. She was a Potter, even if fake, and Potters hated Slytherins.
Tori's eyebrow rose at that tone and turned to see a pale tiny brunette, she looked on the verge of tears. "Can I hex her?" She asked seriously, making the other two girls pale too.
Hermione snorted amused at the way the other two were scared. She shook her head, she did not want to explain to Neville why he was short a sister.
"Spoilsport." The blonde muttered as they were told to duck the ivy curtain, Hermione being the only one who did not need to bend her head much to Tori's amusement.
The boats finally anchored into the small deck beneath the castle and Kim and Maeve returned to be awed instead of scared. Taking again Astoria hand, Hermione climbed out the boat and followed the line of eleven years old as they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming up to the lovely green grass Hermione had missed so much after her last year on Hogwarts on her sixth year.
They walked up a flight of stone stairs and crowed around the huge, oak front door.
"Everyone here?" The Keeper of Keys Grounds asked them in his loud voice before raising his fist and knocked the door three firm times.
The door opened at once, and out came a tall, dark-haired witch dressed in rich emerald robes. Her face was hard and Hermione wondered why on Merlin's name had Lily chosen her to be her Godmother… she understood why Severus had been chosen, but Minerva really did not seem like one to like kids outside her classroom. Not even in her last time life Hermione had managed to melt the stern witch and she had tried until the older witch had been killed.
"The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall." Said Hagrid.
"Thank you Hagrid, I'll take them from here."
She opened the door wide and they entered the ancient castle. Hermione smiled, remembering better times running across the gigantic Entrance Hall, only lit with the ever burning flaming torches, and the so high ceiling that was impossible to actually see it. Astoria and the brunette shared a small grin at the moving staircases that, no matter the school had not even started yet, were putting on a show for the first years.
They could hear the murmur of thousands of voices as they were led to a side chamber, Astoria and Hermione remaining just before the door, not quite entering as they knew the 'Speech' already and had no want to actually hear it again. The rest crowded together, all of them nervous, all surely imagining the feats and trials they would need to do to be properly sorted.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall…"
Hermione stopped hearing her Godmother's voice as she looked around all the first years. They were more than the time she had been sorted the first time, presumably because by the time they were born the war had been over for some years. Kim and Maeve were almost at the front of the small mob, eager to learn everything from the Deputy Head.
She observed the rest, all of them paying attention to Minerva, and all of them strangers to her. By the time this wizards and witches had been sorted in her original timeline she had been a busy fourth year and had no time or inclination to meet the firties, especially as most her time had been consumed by helping Harry stay alive in the Tournament. Something she needed to change this time around, hopefully.
Her plans for this year were simple and at the same time complicated. She was going to enter her name in the Goblet and was going to be the Hogwarts Champion, no matter what kind of obstacles she needed to overcome to achieve that. With any luck, she would be replacing Harry in the Tournament, and if she was not as lucky as she was hoping, at least she would be there to help with in the Third Task.
"Maya!" Astoria whispered to her harshly and she was brought back to the moment. "McG's calling you front!"
Hermione blinked owlishly, sure enough, the Transfiguration Professor was glaring at her with her patented frown and an impatient stare. Gulping, she quickly went to her, not knowing what she wanted but feeling the eyes of all the soon-to-be Sorted kids on her.
"Daydreaming is not a habit I'll recommend you practicing, Miss Potter." She was scolded much to the wincing sympathy of all the gathered. "Take this before going in the Great Hall, you look like you need it." She was passed a small vial of red liquid that she had no trouble identifying as Pepper-Up.
Nodding her thanks she returned to where Tori was waiting, she was feeling tired already and it would be still some hours before she could go to bed. She gulped down the spicy potion, steam leaving her ears just a second later aweing some of the kids, which, she considered, were probably Muggleborn. She pocketed the empty vial as the older witch told them to wait and left them on their own.
"Already receiving preferential treatment?" Kim's cold voice echoed in the small chamber. "No wonder why you are with a Snake."
Hermione frowned. What had happened to the calm, if brash, girl she had first met? Kim was acting as if she wanted to pick a fight with her at the drop of a hat.
"Leave her alone, Longbottom. She's done nothing wrong." Astoria's glare was as cold as her sister's, who did not go answering to the name of Ice Mistress for nothing.
Kim scoffed. "Says the little Snake. Tell me, planning on going to the Pit tonight?" Some kids, probably ones who wanted to go to Slytherin, frowned at the obvious hate behind her words. Not even Sorted and she was already creating factions between the first years.
Astoria shrugged. "I don't know and I really don't care. I know all the Houses have good and bad people, as does the real world."
Maeve laughed at that. "All the evil wizards come from Slytherin, you Snake."
By that point it was painfully obvious the first years were divided already. A third of the kids had gathered around Kim and Maeve, while half was a little closer to Astoria and Hermione, maybe not as close as the ones 'pro-Gryffindor', but close enough to be understood what they thought. The few that remained, the ones that had been marveled at the Pepper-Up secondary reactions, were looking between them, not understanding what was happening.
"Ah, but you forget Merlin was a Slytherin and he was the greatest wizard of all. Besides, I know of a Gryffindor that was as evil as they come."
"Yeah, right," A boy next to Kim said. "Who?"
"Peter Pettigrew."
Most of the kids gasped, that name was almost as taboo as Voldemort was as he was the one to lead the Dark Lord to the Potter's house.
"You-you liar!" The same boy shouted.
Astoria simply shook her head sadly. Youth was becoming stupider as time went by. Turning to the Muggleborns, she gently commented. "I know you are not born in the Wizarding world, but I'd like for you to remember that we have centuries of traditions and more often than not we are set in our ways. Please, don't judge us and try to have a clear head when someone tells you something. Listen to all but make the decision of what to believe and what not. I'll be around to help you if you need, but also reach out for others, and try to not to take my views as a fact, either."
The lost wizards and witches nodded their thanks as Kim laughed coldly. "Yeah, right, a Snake wanting to help Muggleborns."
Astoria smiled pained. "Muggleborns, Half-Blood and Purebloods are all the same. We are all witches and wizards, no matter our origin." It had taken her years of suffering to finally understand that simple and real fact.
"Yeah, right." Maeve scoffed. "We are different."
Hermione touched Astoria's hand, knowing the blonde could launch herself into a philosophical and biological explanation no one apart from her could understand and that would just make obvious that the Gryffindors were as hardheaded this time around as the last. She shook her head to the other girl's inquiring stare just in time to McGonagall to return and heard them to the Great Hall.
The Sorting was about to start.
XxXxX
Lily wriggled in her seat between Severus and Sirius, nervous for nothing and everything.
"Calm down, woman." Severus whispered to her as the seats in the Great Hall started filling with the second years onwards, three of the Houses leaving the very end of their tables empty for the new kids.
She watched as Harry entered with Ron and Padma, laughing and grinning happily, seating in between Ron and George, or maybe Fred, with the Indian witch sitting in front him, speaking to him harshly, probably scolding him about his summer work. Sony, on the other hand, entered with Colin and Romilda and sat between the two. The dark haired girl ogling her son with barely disguised attraction and making her just a tad more nervous.
She watched as Neville entered the room, really close to Hannah Abbot and, amazingly enough, Draco Malfoy and Luna Lovegood. The willowy blonde looked as if she was telling the two Puffs something as she received what looked like a small bottle from Hannah before she went to the center of the Slytherin table and sat between Draco and Daphne Greengrass, her view free for the Sorting as no one sat in the five spaces in front of her, something that was repeated at either side of Daphne and Draco, those were the seats for the Slytherin first years, a measure that had been in motion over the last year.
"Why do they do that?" Lily asked Severus for the first time, not that it was the first time she had wondered.
Snape followed her line of vision and smiled. "The first years should feel welcome in their House, our Snake Princess believed a fine way of showing we care was to welcome them since the first feast. This allows the firsties to get to know people from other grades, not only the first."
Sirius scoffed besides Lily. "And just by sitting in the middle of the table they can accomplish that?"
Severus smiled. "The Royal Court agreed that having them in the middle of the table, with the rest of the House surrounding them to care for them and protect them, with one Slytherin accompany them to the Hat to the table, was not only a way of showing that we indeed care, but that we will always protect them. See those four students at the very beginning of the table, those are Rosemary, Edgar, Olive and Reuben. They are not Prefects but their job tonight is to accompany the first years to the bathroom through the night, and, if the case is needed, run to the kitchen to fetch something that the elves missed. Notice the students at either side and in front the seat for the firsties. Their job is to make sure they are well fed and have everything they need during the feast and to instruct them on how Hogwarts works."
The DADA Professor snorted. The Royal Court was the name the Slytherin Trio had adopted, being made up of the Snake Princess, the Ice Mistress and the Dragon Prince, all of them acting the part of Royalty and practically governing inside Slytherin. So much different from his favorite Golden Trio, that was always around enjoying the fine pleasures of life and actually having a life. "And having the House do that once is enough to have them welcome?" He asked rather sarcastically.
The Slytherin Head of House smirked. "I know you don't know this, with you being all Gryffindor and all, but historically the Slytherin dorms house only two students per room. Up until two years ago classmates from the same year used to room together, or, in very rare cases, siblings would be allowed to room together. However, at the Royal Court suggestion, now a first year rooms with a fourth year, who is responsible of the younger student as they will always room together until the first year reach the fourth year, in which point they will then become responsible of a first year. This leaves the younger years taken care of by the older and the seventh years free to room together as it was traditionally to dedicate their time to NEWT's studies."
Lily and Sirius, as the rest of the Staff body that had eavesdropped were left stunned. That was a rather fine working plan. "Wow," Lily whispered. "So that's why Slytherin is in the top of each class."
Severus' smirk widened into a grin so out of character for him. "Not quite. Have you notice there are no Snakes goofing around the halls or the Quidditch Pitch between the end of classes and dinner?" At the redhead's nod, he continued. "Well, that is mandatory Slytherin Homework time. My students gather at the Common Room or the library to do their homework, always assisted by either they own classmates or an older student. Everybody is required to study or do homework in that time and to help whoever needs a hand."
Sirius blinked at that, he surely would have better grades if Gryffindor had had a system like that. "And that is also part of the Royal Court's changes in your House?"
"No, that had been into motion ever since I started as Head of House. Yet, it wasn't until the Snake Princess arrived that my Snakes actually started helping each other. That's why she is the Snake Princess, because she managed to unite them all."
Lily shook her head at the way her friend kept repeating the Lovegood child's 'title'. "Why such emphasis in that name? She is not even a Lady."
Severus face hardened. He knew too well Luna was not liked by the Potters, something that would create havoc once Hermione 'came out the closet' dating Luna, again. "She is royalty to the Snakes, all three of them are. They are the ones that can make things happen in the House and that control it when I'm not around. I trust them with my life and the lives of my Snakes, they will never prove me wrong. They are, for that, the Royal Court."
Sirius sniffed. "What a pitiful Court then, without a King or a Queen."
Snape simply allow himself one last grin. "That's because our Queen has yet to arrive."
Lily's question to that statement was cut short as McGonagall entered the Great Hall followed by two lines of kids, all of them ready to be Sorted. She frowned when she saw her little girl entering at the hand of a blonde girl that could only be the younger Greengrass. The Staff and students saw how the Deputy Head put the Hat on its stool, and, like all years, listened to it sing its song, which, for her, was a little too dark and creepy this time around… Maybe even the Hat knew there were rumors in the air about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The applause after the song was not strong, and the Slytherin table did not even fake they were clapping as most of the students were.
XxXxX
"Now then," Minerva said to the youngsters after the shocking song. "When I call your name, you will put on the Hat and sit on the stool to be Sorted. Ackerley, Steward!"
A scrawny brown haired boy went to the Hat and, doing as they were told, put in on his head as he sat on the stool. A few seconds passed before it shouted: "Ravenclaw!"
The table in question applauded and he merrily went to it to sit down.
"Bates, Maeve."
The Hat was on the dark haired girl a second before it declared: "Gryffindor!"
The Sorting proceeded as normal and soon it was Astoria's turn. She squeezed Hermione's hand briefly before going to the stool. The Hat was on her head for about a minute before declaring her a Ravenclaw. A handful of names later it was Kim the one being Sorted and she got her wish to be a Gryffindor and run to join Sony and Maeve.
Six names latter, McGonagall voice called her: "Potter, Hermione."
The tiny brunette winced at the silence that followed. Apparently, news of her adoption had not been quite as spread as she had believed. Murmurs started when she approached, some of them wondering if she simply was lucky to have that name or if their Muggle Studies' Professor indeed had a daughter. All in all, she could feel the eyes of everyone in her and, as she was getting comfortable in the stool, she could not help but notice pale grey eyes that were watching her with a little too much intensity from the Snakes' table.
So far, only four Slytherins had been sorted, all of them accompanied to the table by an older student and showed where to sit. She held Luna's gaze for a second or two before she groaned in frustration when she discovered the Hat was big enough to completely engulf her head.
"Well, well, well," The deep voice in her head was far too amused for her liking. "Miss Maya has returned!"
Hermione sighed. "Why am I not surprised you too came back?" She asked the Hat.
"Well, Miss Maya, I did not 'come back', I simply know all about you and your Fight as I've see all your minds."
"Do you know how they were sent back, Erasmo?"
"That, Miss Maya, is something to ask you better half."
She groaned and the Hat chuckled in her head. Some years after Hogwarts was taken they had come across Erasmo in the Black Forest as they were trying to see if they could save the school. The Hat was almost scrap by that point, full of shreds and holes after having the Death Eaters trying to extract the Gryffindor Sword by force for years. It had taken Luna, her, and a team of witches to sew it back together and, practically, infuse life to it again. He was great for when anybody in the Fight needed counseling or needed to talk to somebody without being too judged. He was also great for witty combats, something Hermione often did when the stress of leading the resistance became too great.
"Now," Erasmo said to her still laughing. "Where to put you?"
"Slytherin." Hermione immediately said.
"No, Miss Maya, I don't think a little Muggleborn like you should be in the Snakes' Pit." He said to her in a condescending voice that held just a bit too much of mocking. "I think you'll do great with your brothers in the Lions' Den."
"Erasmo, please, just put me in Slytherin."
"But Miss Maya!" He imitated the high pitch of her voice she quite could not control. "Being a Lion is fun! They charge without thinking!"
"Erasmo…" She groaned at the stupid Hat.
"If I put you in Slytherin, what's in for me?"
Hermione huffed and crossed her arms, no doubt the rest of the school was laughing at the funny sight she was, a tiny witch with an enormous hat on the head and crossing her arms in irritation. "Erasmo, remember I know how to sew you, so I know how to unstitch you."
"I cannot remember something that had not happen yet, Miss Maya."
"Erasmo!" She finally whined like the little girl she was.
The Hat laughed, and, if what she was hearing was any true, he was laughing out loud to the whole Hall. He took a minute to compose himself before he shouted in a voice still full of mirth: "Slytherin!"
"Thank you." She sniffed to him in a very Malfoy-like indignant way.
"If you want to continue our witty chats, Miss Maya, all you need to do is ask." He told her. "It is rather lonely in the Headmaster's office… Between you and me, Fawkes is not a great conversationalist."
"I'll think about it." She replied with a tiny chuckle as she finally took the heavy thing out her head.
She was not really prepared, however, for the shocked pale face that met her just inches from her own.
A/N: So, I tweaked a bit (a lot) the Quidditch's Cup Final's date. Instead of being held on August 22, 1994, it was held at the beginning of August, leaving our favorite Potter boys more time to stew on their anger towards Hermione.
Those that said Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff for our girl, sorry guys, but no. I already have 25 chapters written of this beauty and the girl has already leave a mark on the House. If you want a list of the people going in Hermione's year let me now and I'll post it next chapter as an author note. I had fun playing around with the names and Houses.
For the next chapters, at least until the First Task, there's going to be some text borrowed directly form the books, specially the 'wrong' speech of some characters. I cannot write Madame Maxime's broken English or Hagrid's way of talking, so I'm rather copying them from our Queen JK Rowling, as I'll do with some speeches given by Dumbledore and Bagman. :D
On another none related note, remember my first language is not English, so, if you find an error, please inform me. It helps me improve my English and take batter care later on in the proof-reading.
And talking about languages, I have a question for whomever want to answer: When talking about 'staff', staff as in the weapon not the person, which is the proper plural of the word? Staffs or staves? If you'd help me I'd appreciate it immensely.
Please leave a review and let me bask in them.
