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Exceptions include original characters such as Melvin Aguillard, and other characters not affiliated with the original works of the Harry Potter series. We do not claim any further ownership, nor do we intend to profit from our limited ownership
Chapter 8
The Sorting Ceremony
Harry and Cosette made their way off the train and into the small country side train station. The crowd was very thick and Ron was keeping close behind Harry which annoyed Cosette slightly. Harry was wondering where he, Cosette and Ron should go when he heard a familiar voice call through the night air.
"Firs' years, this way!" the familiar voice called. "All firs' years come with me!"
Cosette recognized the voice and turned sharply in the direction of its source. Easily distinguishable from the rest of the crowd was the enormous figure of Rubeus Hagrid. Both Harry and Cosette were glad to see a familiar face and the two of them made their way towards Hagrid.
"Woah!" Ron said in amazement to Harry as he eyed the giant.
"He has got to be the largest man I ever saw…" Ron said.
Harry let go of his sister's hand and turned to Ron as they walked.
"That's Hagrid!" Harry said smiling slightly. "He's the groundskeeper at Hogwarts."
"You know him?" Ron asked somewhat impressed.
"Yeah, he brought me to Diagon Alley to get my school stuff about a month ago," Harry said. "And my sister."
"He's really nice despite how intimidating he might look," Harry continued while his sister eyed both him and Ron rather venomously, though Harry didn't seem to notice.
Ron was silent as he simply gawked at the giant who shot Harry a beaming smile. A tight group had formed all around Hagrid made up of the other first year students, all of them around Harry's age. The round faced boy, Neville, from earlier was there quietly sobbing over his toad. Draco Malfoy and his two body guards were staring at Hagrid with rather dismayed expressions. Hermione Granger was at the front of the crowd looking quite rigid and ready to kiss up to the nearest teacher. Hagrid surveyed the group twice, and continued to call. He then surveyed the other groups of older students as the crowd of first years thickened more.
"All right, this way to the boats!" Hagrid called. "Follow me!"
The group of first years seemed somewhat daunted by Hagrid and they nervously made to follow him as he turned around and led to a dirt path at the edge of the station. Hagrid was holding lantern high above his head making him easy to spot through the darkness. The only sound was the many footsteps of the children and crickets quietly chirping. The summer's warmth had yet to vanquish with the recent change of the month. The path they were on was very short; it led to a short flight of stone steps which after descending, the group found themselves at the shore of a large lake. Docked on the shore were many large rowboats. Cosette gave a sharp intake of breath and tapped Harry's shoulder.
"What?" Harry asked somewhat annoyed, he had been chatting with Ron the whole time.
Cosette looked deeply abashed to be addressed this way by her brother and gave a response with much less excitement than her prior mood.
"Across the lake…" she said sounding almost close to tears.
It was Harry's turn to be abashed, he didn't mean to sound so mean to Cosette but after looking across the lake as Cosette said, this incident was pushed to the back of his mind. Mounted atop a cliff face on the opposite side of the lake was an enormous castle. Tall towers circled around a large cathedral like structure. A stone bridge led across a treacherous looking ravine to another similar cluster of towers, however the cathedral like structure these towers circled was much smaller and so were the towers. Battlements and walls circled the castle, complete with many grotesques. The castle had a distinct medieval look to it. The windows speckled every surface on the castles outer walls and through each of them poured golden light which dazzled them like stars. Other students seemed to be busy admiring the castle because it took a while before everyone realized that Hagrid was instructing them to get in the boats.
"Only six people per boat if yeh don' mind," he announced from his own, slightly larger boat with his lantern mounted on its stern.
Harry, Ron, and a very deadpanned silent Cosette made their way into the nearest boat to them where they were shortly followed by Neville, Hermione, and a pale boy with jet black hair who introduced himself as Seamus Finnigan.
"Alright, everyone situated?" Hagrid called.
When no one called back "no" Hagrid turned around and sat himself down in his own boat. He pulled out his pink umbrella and pointed it to the castle and yelled out.
"Cast off!"
The boats began to shift and move on their own, forming into a fleet like formation as they made their way from the shore. Everyone watched the castle in silence as the boats slowly brought them closer. The castle loomed ominously over them and soon it was practically on top of them. Harry dropped his gaze in front of them and saw that they were entering the ravine that the stone bridge passed over. He was rather relieved because he thought that it looked as though they were headed for the rocky cliff face. The boats entered a large cavern near the mouth of the ravine, where there was a small lantern on a gravel shore revealing a place to dock the boats as well as a large door revealing a flight of stairs.
Throughout the short trip, Cosette had looked rather dismayed, and once again Harry felt a small amount of guilt. She was nervously wringing her hands, as if she wasn't sure if she should hold his hand like she would normally do when scared. He put it in his mind to apologize to her later, seeing as Ron was animatedly talking with him about Hogwarts.
When they docked, Cosette was the first to exit, standing just next to the boat and waiting for her brother. Harry got out and gave her a small smile, which she did not return. Her eyes were trained at the floor. All the voices of excited first years echoed in the cavern as Hagrid rounded them up again.
"Hey there, this yer toad?"
Neville's face sprang to life with relief as Hagrid presented him with his pet after checking all the boats.
"Trevor!" he yelled joyously, his voice bouncing off the walls.
He quickly snatched his pet from Hagrid's hand and nearly squeezed the toad until its eyes bulged.
"Well, if that be all, let's go!"
Hagrid led all the first years up the stone steps starting at the door way. Holding the lantern rather awkwardly at his side as there was no room for him to carry it above his head like earlier, despite how large the marble staircase was, Hagrid still managed to fill most of it up. They finally arrived on a landing in what seemed to be a worn down shed. Hagrid didn't spend any time on this landing and led them out onto a quiet garden with a twisted tree growing in the center. Harry gave a quick look at his surroundings and saw that they were in a walled in area, with breezeways on every side with the exception of the door they had just exited.
Hagrid then led them across the garden to the breeze-way to the left. Harry couldn't believe it, he had finally made it. Away from the Dursleys to a wizarding school that was nothing less of a castle. He would be walking in soon, nothing could describe Harry's excitement at that moment. They were greeted by a stern looking woman in emerald robes by the threshold of the breezeway. Her face was slightly withered with age as she seemed to be about fifty and she wore a pointed witch's hat that concealed her graying hair which she seemed to keep in a tight bun atop her head. Harry and Cosette's first reaction to the woman was that she was one of the last people you would want to cross.
"There all yers, P'rfesser McGonagall," Hagrid waved at the students.
"Thank you Hagrid," McGonagall said giving a curt nod as the oak door closed behind Hagrid.
All of them stared expectantly at the professor.
"Greetings, and welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "I am Professor McGonagall. The start of term feast will begin momentarily. Before it can begin, you will be sorted into your houses. During your stay, your housemates will be like your family. You will eat and study with your housemates. Good behavior will merit your house earning House Points; any rule breaking will lose you points. At the end of the year, the calculated points will award the house with the highest points the House Cup."
Her eyes once again searched the group before her. No one dared say anything; the woman's aura seemed to demand respect.
"The four houses are; Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Each of these houses hold a history at Hogwarts and each favor different traits and each has produced many talented witches and wizards."
She once again surveyed the group, giving each new student a wary gaze. Many students shifted uncomfortably as her gaze seemed to make one feel like they were in some form of trouble and were nervously awaiting their punishment as the teacher sized them up.
"I trust all of you will be a great merit to whichever house you are sorted into. The Sorting Ceremony will begin in a few minutes. I suggest you all smarten up before entering the Great Hall." Her eyes narrowed on the students, and quite a few of them began tugging at their robes and patting their hair.
Harry had never felt the need to comb his hair more than at that moment.
"I will return when we are ready for you," her eyes cast one last glance. "Please, do wait quietly."
With that she was gone. Her robes twisted as she walked down the breeze-way and around a corner. The minute she left, the first years began buzzing with conversation.
"How exactly are we sorted?" Harry asked, hoping that Ron would know the answer.
Unfortunately, Ron merely shrugged, looking confused.
"I don't know. Fred says it's some sort of test. He says it's painful… I don't know if I believe him though."
Cosette looked suddenly unsure. Painful? She doubted any harm would come to them, but what sort of test would it be? She didn't know any magic. Would they sit her in front of everyone and ask her questions about her books? She suddenly wished she had studied them more, for she couldn't recall anything with enough capability. Surely everyone would laugh at her. She eyed the other students and saw many of them had her same fear, all except that bushy headed girl from the train, who was rattling off at someone about how many spells she knew. Cosette wanted nothing more at that moment then to shrivel up and disappear from the castle.
Harry nervously fidgeted where he stood. Surely they weren't expected to produce magic in front of the other students, right? He didn't know any spells yet, and he couldn't have been alone. He was terrified that once he got up there and they asked him to perform a spell, he'd mess up and be sent back to the Dursleys, telling him they made a mistake and he wasn't cut out to be a wizard. He looked over at Cosette and noticed her shoulders were hunched over.
He was disturbed from his musings by the sound of voices in the distance. As they came closer, he could pick up their words.
"—And I say, I only asked the Grey Lady for one dance, one dance!"
Everyone turned and there were a few shrieks in terror as twenty or so pearlescent, floating, transparent things were approaching them. The one who was talking, which looked like a rather fat monk, turned at the distressing sound and eyed the students, a smile bursting on his face.
"Why, first years!" he called joyously. "Waiting to be sorted, no doubt."
Everyone stared at the ghosts silently. Cosette, once again, clung to Harry.
"Well, I hope to see some of you at the Hufflepuff table!" the Fat Friar beamed before he and the rest of them floated through the wall.
"Was that… are they…?" Cosette gulped. Harry could only nod.
"Ghosts," Ron piped up.
"Pay them no mind," came a strict voice.
Everyone turned to see that Professor McGonagall had returned.
"We are ready for you; please follow me into the Great Hall."
She turned and in a straight line, the students followed her. The "Great Hall" was the biggest understatement either twin had ever heard. The room was large enough to fit several houses in. Intricately carved statuettes adorned the walls. Harry gasped as he looked up at the ceiling, or was it a ceiling? Harry couldn't tell for it looked as though the roof just opened up to the night's sky. The sky also seemed magnified somehow as if the ceiling of the Great Hall had its own sky inside somehow. The stars sparkled and shone brighter than ever in here. Five long tables lined the interior, four of which had large banners hanging over them. The fifth standing horizontally and acted as the teacher's table. The tables with the banners hanging above them were adorned with different colors and coat-of-arms though Harry couldn't make out what the coats were as they passed. Stained-glass windows closely decorated the room next to jutting columns, and tall windows. Candles seemed to be suspended within thin air, floating and flickering about. As the professor led them up, they noted the tables were filled with students who were barely paying them any mind, talking idly amongst themselves, as if completely used to the extravagance of their surroundings. Each of their tables was lined with several large golden platters and goblets.
"The ceiling is only bewitched to look like the night's sky. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." Harry heard Hermione tell a sandy-haired kid who was gazing at the ceiling.
Professor McGonagall turned once she reached the head of the room. Next to her stood a stool, on which rested a rather rumpled looking old witch's hat. Was this the test? Did he have to pull a rabbit out of it? Though, as corny as it sounded, it felt oddly in place with his surroundings in mind. The place had suddenly quieted down and everyone was staring expectantly at the hat. Harry gulped down the sudden queasiness of nerves he felt.
Before he could gather what exactly was happening, he saw the tattered hat begin to move. Its wrinkled edges seemed to waver and curves shifted, almost until the creases resembled a vague outline of a mouth. What happened next took Harry several seconds to swallow. The hat's creasing mouth grew wider and then a voice broke out through the silence as it began to sing. The hat was singing.
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 Hufflepuffs 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 Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks 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!
Everyone clapped at the end of the song, and Harry found himself incapable of stopping himself from doing the same.
"We just put on a hat!" Ron grumbled, crossing his arms. "I'm going to kill Fred. He made it sound like we had to wrestle a troll…"
Harry wanted to laugh off his paranoia, but inwardly felt queasy again at the prospect of having to answer questions in front of the whole school. What if he answered something stupid? What if the hat laughed at him? He didn't think he had any of the traits that the hat was talking about.
McGonagall cleared her throat and unraveled a long sheet of parchment in her hands.
"When I call your name, you are to sit on the stool. I will place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your house. You are then to go to your House Table," she instructed the new first years.
After a brief pause she held the parchment at arm's length with the Sorting Hat in her other hand. She cleared her throat and began to read down the list.
"Abbott, Hannah!"
A girl with little blonde pigtails sheepishly approached the stool. When the hat was perched on her head, it sunk until over her eyes. It began to murmur things Harry couldn't hear. Then, after a few seconds, the hat stiffened before belting loudly–
"Hufflepuff!"
There was applause that followed, and the girl, smiling and red, turned to scamper off to her table.
"Bones, Susan!"
Another girl approached, and once again the hat belted.
"Hufflepuff!"
The girl hastily ran down the aisles of tables before sitting next to Abbott.
"Boot, Terry!"
"Ravenclaw!"
Several more names were called. There was another Ravenclaw by the name of Brockelhurst, a rather thick jawed heavy girl named Bullstrode put in Slytherin, and a miss Brown the first new Gryffindor, who was welcomed by the Weasley twins with loud whistling and cat-calling. As the list of names began to shorten, Harry was positive he was sick. He was anxious to get it over with, but would have much preferred to be sorted in private, away from prying eyes. He sister had taken to latching onto his upper arm almost painfully, but he ignored it, knowing she was just as nervous as he was.
"Granger, Hermione!"
"Gryffindor!"
Harry heard Ron groan as if in pain as he watched the bushy-haired girl smile brightly and trot over to the Gryffindor's applauding table.
Harry watched at Neville approached the stool, and the boy looked beyond nervous. He was almost shaking where he stood, and when the hat was placed on his head and began to speak, he jumped and nearly yelped.
"Gryffindor!" Neville had jumped off the stool and went running towards the right table, before he remembered to take off the Sorting Hat.
McGonagall gave him a stern glare as his peers laughed.
When Harry heard the name "Malfoy," a spiteful thought entered his mind that he hoped that he would be sorted into Slytherin, the house that only seemed to accept the nasty kids. He was not disappointed, for before the hat even touched his slicked blonde head, the hat bellowed loudly –
"Slytherin!"
The boy seemed to swagger over to the table, a wide, pleased grin on his face.
The list was shortening. There were calls from Moon and Nott, Parkinson, a pair of Patil twins and Perks…
Cosette was visibly paling as the list dwindled down. She had a death grip on Harry's arm, and wondered if she was hurting him. The edges of her eyes began to get fuzzy and black, and she momentarily felt like she was going to collapse if it not for her brother's support.
"Potter, Cosette!"
She froze where she stood, unable to move. She wasn't sure if she was capable of movement. She didn't notice as people started to look around for her after her prolonged absence from the stool. She also didn't hear McGonagall call a second time. It wasn't until her brother pushed her slightly towards the front did she move. Her whole body felt like ice as she dragged herself up to the stool, feet feeling like lead.
Harry watched with concern. Her shoulders were tight and tense, head downcast to stare at her feet in such a way that it made her hair tumble into her face, hiding it completely. There were a few snickers at the sight, and the protective part of Harry yearned to find whoever was laughing and teach them a lesson. Sure, his sister looked rather thin and small for her age and her hair had never seen a brush before, making it messy and knotted, but that gave them no right to judge. It wasn't her fault she was malnourished and that made her so gaunt. Harry frowned at his classmates, but made himself focus on his sister, who shakily sat on the stool.
Cosette could feel her heart thumping wildly in her chest. She could hear the laughing behind her, and wondered if she had already done something stupid. Did she forget something? Was she mistaken and they called someone else's name? Professor McGonagall didn't object as she sat down however, and soon she felt the Sorting Hat on her head. It sunk down over her eyes, blotting out the school from her view. All of a sudden, she felt something pricking into her mind, as if she felt no longer alone inside her own head. Immediately she tensed and her breathing picked up as she tried to control her thoughts.
Oh, edgy here I see! She heard a voice. Don't worry child, I only want a look around…
Cosette didn't like the sound of that, and hardly wanted a hat to have access to her most personal thoughts, so she immediately began thinking of memories she felt might scare away the hat. Images of Vernon Dursley came to mind, of him spanking her and her brother with a belt, of having her arm twisted and yanked, her being flung about. She heard the hat laugh, laugh at her, and she felt her resolve crumble.
Trying to fight me, I see! Don't fight my dear child. You have nothing to fear! The hat said. My, you are determined, I'll give you that. So much like your mother…
At the mention of her mother, Cosette brightened a little. The reminder that her own parents went through this same thing gave her a little strength.
Where should I put you then, eh? Gryffindor, like your parents?
Here Cosette shrunk somewhat. The hat said itself that people were sorted based on their traits. What would it mean then, if she was merely placed in a house simply because her parents were put in there? Did that mean she had no other real traits? She didn't want that to be the reason. She wanted to succeed. She wanted to prove to everyone, the Dursleys, the school… the world, that she could be someone. That she wasn't just a regular, boring, stupid girl. She wanted to make it in life.
Not Gryffindor , eh? Yes… I believe you are right. You'd do well there, but I see a thirst in you, for knowledge…yes… and, my, you desperately want to prove yourself, don't you! Ambition– it is a great thing. Best not let not an old hat like me get in your way then. I know just the place to help you reach your goals!
"Slytherin!"
There was some clapping, and Cosette felt professor McGonagall remove the hat, giving her sight once again. The immediate brightness caused her eyes to sting slightly as she hopped off the stool. She briefly caught her brother's shocked face as she was ushered towards the Slytherin table where the students sitting there were cheering for her.
Harry was floored by what the hat said. Had it really just sorted his sister into that house? His gaze followed Cosette as she walked down the table. The rest of the Slytherins nodded at her, but did little else in welcoming her other than clap as she sat at the back of the table. He looked over her housemates, and found none of them looking at all pleasant, rather, they all looked as mean as that Malfoy boy. The hat clearly made a mistake; his sister wasn't one of them!
"Potter, Harry!"
The sound of his name stole his attention, and whatever resonating clapping for his sister died immediately, pushed away by the sudden onslaught of hushed murmurs and whispers.
"Harry Potter?" someone said from the Gryffindor table.
"The Harry Potter?"
"Can you see his scar?" a Hufflepuff girl whispered.
"He'll be in our house, for sure!" someone from Ravenclaw said.
"Wait, wasn't that other girl a Potter, too?"
Harry gulped as he approached McGonagall. Nervously he took a seat on the stool and the hat was placed on his head. His sight disappeared under the hat. He felt something prodding his mind, and curiously waited.
Difficult…very difficult. Plenty of Courage I see, not a bad mind, either, plenty of talent, too. And, ah! A thirst to prove yourself, just like your sister! How interesting, I know you'll both do well in Slytherin…
"No," Harry whispered.
Not Slytherin. As much as he wanted to be there for Cosette, he didn't want to be sorted into that house.
Not Slytherin, eh? The Hat said. Harry gripped the edges of the stool so tightly, his fingers turned white. He couldn't be sorted into that house. He knew deep down that he belonged somewhere else. Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.
Are you sure? Slytherin will make you great you know, that's why I put your sister there. She wanted to succeed…she has great plans ahead of her… Slytherin will help you on your way there.
"No," he murmured.
Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin.
The hat looked disgruntled. Why are both you and your twin so stubborn about which house is best for you? I'm the Sorting Hat! I know what's best for you!
After several long seconds, the hat heaved a sigh in forfeit, before bellowing loudly –
"Gryffindor!"
The applause that followed was louder than any previous. The whole of Gryffindor table stood up, cheering wildly. The two Weasley twins had begun dancing around the table, singing merrily, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" and blowing raspberries at the neighboring tables.
Shakily, the hat was removed and he made his way over to the boisterous table. Prefect Percy smiled at him, patting his back as he sat down. He was then assaulted by the remainder of his house; all wanting to shake his hand and congratulate him.
Cosette watched her brother's sorting, desperately wishing that the hat would put them in the same house. They couldn't be separated, right? They were twins! She began ringing her fingers again as she watched. The hat was taking surprisingly long to sort her brother, and it was doing nothing but strengthening her anxiety. Finally, the hat stiffened, and for a second, all was quiet. Cosette held her breath.
"Gryffindor!"
Cosette's heart sank. Her face bent into a miserable frown as she watched her brother go off to the table on the far opposite of her own. Everyone was cheering so loudly for him, and Cosette had to cover her ears. She should have known her brother would have been given a standing ovation. This whole world seemed to idolize him for some reason.
Miserably, Cosette fell back on her bench. It took the teachers several minutes to quiet down the school enough to continue the sorting, which Cosette barely paid attention to. She only registered that Harry's new friend, the Weasley boy, was sorted into Gryffindor as well. She had made sure she sat on the end of the table to avoid all the other kids. While a group of them surely didn't look friendly, it was more out of her own self-consciousness. She huddled by herself, staring down at the golden dish in front of her, wishing for the world to just disappear.
Being as his sister chose to sit the farthest away, Harry couldn't find her after the commotion was taken under control. Ron was sitting next to him, and so he busied himself to talking to him and looking at the Head table. It was lined with the professors, and in the middle rested an elderly wizard that Harry recognized immediately as Albus Dumbledore from the Chocolate Frog's card. The man had a twinkle in his eye when their eyes met, and Harry gave a broad grin. Going down the table he also spotted Professor Quirrell, who was feverishly messing with the purple turban on his head. When the last boy was called –one Slytherin by the name Blaise Zabini, Professor McGonagall rolled up the parchment, and took the empty seat next to Dumbledore who rose from his own.
The man's white beard nearly reached his plate, and his robes were a bright vibrant purple color. He was smiling over at all the students and he gently opened his arms wide.
"Welcome to Hogwarts!" Dumbledore announced. "Before we begin with the banquet, I have a few words that I'd like to say, and they are: Bouffant! Mukluk! Foible! Tuberculosis!"
Harry blinked.
"That is all, thank you!"
As he sat down, Harry was left to stare in bewilderment.
"Is he…mad?" he asked Percy.
"Professor Dumbledore is a genius! Best Wizard in the world…but maybe a tad bit mad," Percy shrugged. "Potatoes?"
Harry thought for a split second that Percy had to have been infected with whatever disease made Dumbledore spout out random words before he noticed the piles of food that now filled the once empty golden trays. His eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. His eyes scanned over the crowning plates of food. Mountains of potatoes sprinkled with parsley followed next to a plate of steaming roasted chicken, skin baked a golden brown. There were plates of beef, roasted and ground, and salads in bowls large enough to fit a ham.
Harry, who had been starved most of his life, eagerly tucked in. He had never been allowed to eat much of anything, and the sights before him made him eager to try everything.
"That does look awfully good," said a voice to Harry's left.
He turned to see one of the ghosts ogling his plate, and Harry was sure that if it were possible for ghosts, he would be drooling.
"Erm… do you want any…?" Harry asked sheepishly, unsure if it was even possible, but feeling politeness required it.
The ghost wistfully looked at the food before shaking his head.
"Ghosts can't eat. I haven't tasted food for a long time. I do miss it, though," he sighed.
"Forgive me; My name is Sir Nicholas, de Mimsy-porpington, resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower, at your service." He gave a slight bow, and Harry watched amazed as his upper torso slipped through the table as he bowed.
"I know who you are!" Ron brightened.
His face was caked with grease and his mouth was full of chicken, as he had two drumsticks in both his hands.
"My brother's told me about you, you're Nearly Headless Nick!"
Sir Nichols looked miffed by this comment, and he gave an undignified sniff.
"I prefer the name Sir Nicholas –"
"Nearly Headless?" said a voice from a student at the upper end of the table. "How can you be nearly headless?"
Sir Nicholas gave a tight frown.
"Like this," here he grabbed hold of the side of his head and pulled.
Without so much as a squelching sound, his head rolled to the side as if on a hinge, held together simply by a flap of skin. He flashed the students a plain view of what exactly the inside of your neck looks like. Many students shrieked and gasped, and quite a few choruses of "Ewww…" were given. Unperturbed, Sir Nicholas jerked his translucent body in such a way that it cause his head to fly back into place.
"So tell me, Gryffindors! Are you going to help win back the Cup this year? I have to tell you I am awfully tired to seeing it resting in the Slytherin's clutches; they've had it for six years. I tell you, the Bloody Baron is always flying about looking so smug about it!"
Harry, at the mention of Slytherin, turned his head in order to find this "Bloody Baron" ghost. It didn't take long to spot the translucent silhouette of the Slytherin ghost. He was vested like a royal, only his face was gaunt and sunken in and his robes were covered in a silvery spray of ghostly blood. With a bit of mirth, Harry noted that he had taken roost right next to Draco Malfoy, who looked less that pleased with the seating arrangement.
"How did he get covered in blood?" Seamus asked curiously.
Sir Nicholas took on a serious expression.
"I don't know, I've never heard him speak before in the five-hundred seventy-one years of being here."
When the food had appeared on the table magically, Cosette nearly jumped out of her skin. After the Headmaster had spoken the most ridiculous spout of nonsense she had ever heard, the food had suddenly filled the tables. It all looked so good, and Cosette was half afraid it was all a mirage, that if she reached out for something, it would vanish. It was similar to the times when Cosette was given food at the Dursleys, only to have Dudley yank it from her hands and laugh at her while he stuffed it into his own face.
She wasted no time in piling food on her plate, wanting to try everything, and hoping against all odds that none of it was magical like the candies on the train. She really didn't feel in the mood to deal with it if her chicken suddenly came to life and berated her for eating its left leg.
The meal had gone by slowly for her, as when she realized the food wasn't going anywhere (nor would it talk to her), she began to gorge herself, having been starved half her life. She was eating very quickly and heavily in a very un-lady-like manner, though she could hardly be blamed, she still received several stares from her neighbors at the table. When she realized the stares she was receiving she stopped eating in this fashion immediately, turning quite red. She put down her food and wiped her hands and face on her napkin and began instead to eat in a more docile matter that was even slower than anyone else was eating. She was just about to dig into her vegetables, when she heard the unmistakable sound of someone sitting down next to her. Hesitantly she turned her head to look at who was sitting next to her, careful to make sure that her hair was still firmly in place to hide her face.
The boy next to her was unquestionably older then her, maybe one or two years. He was much taller and had rather long straight blonde hair which he kept in a ponytail. His features were decidedly handsome, high cheekbones and a prominent widow's peak, but it was his smile that made her tense. His grin was rather wide. He had nice, bright white teeth and as he stared at her she couldn't help but think that he smiled in an uncanny way that reminded Cosette of the Cheshire cat from a book she once read. It had a sort of manic gleam to it, though friendly, it looked more than a bit insane.
"Hi…" he drawled out, blue eyes flashing.
"Um… hi," she said meekly, and then hastily turned back to her dinner, trying to ignore the creepy older boy.
She scooted farther away from him. There was silence for several minutes, and Cosette wondered if she had successfully scared him away. None of the other kids had bothered to come over and talk to her, so she wondered why this boy was suddenly an exception. He sighed overdramatically after a while, and a chance look let her know he was still grinning at her.
"Man, its suure nice being anti-social," his eyes danced up onto the ceiling, as if something infinitely interesting was taking place.
She took a glance at it just to make sure, but there wasn't anything there that warranted his contemplative look.
"I like being anti-social. It's… quiet," he said wistfully. "Wanna be anti-social together?"
Cosette had no idea what he wanted from her. Her brows creased as she observed the kid. Was everyone at this school crazy?
"So, yeah…" he turned to look at her; he raised an eyebrow quite charmingly. "So, what's your name then, oh fellow anti-social one?"
Cosette didn't really want to talk to this boy anymore for he was severely creeping her out. She wished that he would just leave her alone, but doubted he would do so unless she answered his question first.
"Cosette," she barely whispered out, hoping that this would be enough to ward him off.
He nodded his head, bright toothy smile grinning.
"That's awesome," he said for no reason.
What was awesome? Her name? He didn't elaborate however, only nodded his head as if her reply answered every question in the world.
"You want to know my name?" he asked, and Cosette didn't know what to answer.
On the one hand, she didn't want to have any more to do with this boy, on the other; at least she would have a name to the ridiculously strange boy.
She watched as he cleared his throat loudly, apparently not needing an answer to his question.
"Brujon Alajandro De-la Vega Ingvar Bandeaux Esquire IV." Cosette stared at the boy, blinking. Unsure what she was supposed to say to that.
Before she could even think of something to say, he quickly added, "But you can call me Melvin."
She continued to stare at him as if he had just landed from another planet. What was wrong with this kid? This kid had to have had a screw loose. Cosette found herself once again slowly inching away from him.
"Well, anyway, bye!"
Just like that, in a flurry of green robes and perfect hair, he was gone. Back down the table he pranced until he disappeared from her view in the sea of black robes. It was quiet around her, and Cosette didn't know whether it was a blessing or a curse. Silently she went back to her food, picking at it nervously, every now and then giving the empty seat next to her a nervous look, like another crazy person would strike up the nerve to talk to her. What made him approach anyway? Was it because she was secluding herself? Whatever the case may be, if this was what her housemates would be like, she was starting to regret not letting the hat put her in Gryffindor.
The feast progressed at a slow pleasant pace. Harry and Ron chatted cheerfully and the plates that food was placed on seemed to periodically refill itself. Fred and George sat down on either side of Harry and Ron while Percy shot an occasional disapproving glare at his brothers as Fred and George performed some form of a party trick every now and then.
"Say Harry, I have a question," Fred asked somewhat suddenly interrupting the line of conversation.
Harry turned to Fred curious to hear the question.
"That girl that was sorted into Slytherin earlier, she was on the train with you and she has the same last name."
Harry knew what Fred's question was and it made him feel somewhat ashamed because he had completely forgot about Cosette as soon as the food had appeared. He answered Fred's unasked question and turned guiltily back to his food.
"Yeah, she's my twin sister…"
Harry was glad that the Weasley twins noticed his change in mood and decided to try lightening the atmosphere.
"You have a twin?" George said in an over dramatic way.
"Crikey mate that's awesome, sometimes I wonder what it's like to have a twin…" Fred said equally as dramatic.
At this George responded pretending to be deeply hurt and angry.
"What am I then?" he asked Fred.
Fred looked at George as if he had just noticed him.
"Who the hell are you?"
Harry didn't catch the rest of what they said because he still felt rather guilty. Not only had he not protested her sorting, he hadn't made any attempt to save her from the Slytherins. He strained his neck around trying to see where she was, who knew what could happen to her at a table full of the most rotten kids in the school without Harry there to protect her. He felt himself regretting not letting the Sorting Hat sort him into Slytherin… No he was sorted into the right house, there was just a mistake when Cosette was sorted, he was sure of it.
Harry stood up out of his seat to see if he could get a better view of the opposite side of the hall. It was only then that Ron noticed something was up with Harry and he paused from gorging himself briefly.
"Something wrong Harry?" Ron asked licking grease off his hand.
He was lucky to be wearing hand-me-downs because the stains he had already sustained on his clothes would have been extremely offensive on new robes.
"I'm just wondering if my sister is alright."
Ron gazed at Harry awkwardly before responding.
"She'll be fine… I mean I know all the Slytherin's are a bad lot but if she's related to you I think she'll have the sense to stay away from them."
Harry finally spotted his sister and felt that Ron must be right for she was sitting a great distance away from the rest of the house. With the exception of a blond haired boy who was boisterously laughing almost uncontrollably. He seemed like a cheery enough person though he seemed to be unnerving to his sister. He decided that he should go over, take her from the table and go directly to one of the professors to ask for a private resorting. Although this resolve seemed a bit ridiculous, he could at least for now ask the boy sitting next to her to leave his sister alone. So, unsure of what he was going to do, he began to make his way across the hall.
"Where are you going?" Ron asked in mild alarm.
"Don't worry; I'll be back in a minute."
Without anything to say, Ron simply watched as Harry made his way over to the Slytherin table. People peered and watched as Harry walked, Harry started to feel rather uncomfortable as several people strained their necks to try and see his scar. Harry felt less confidant about whatever he was about to do as he reached the Slytherin table. He was about to address the blond boy next to his sister but before he could the boy jumped up and half ran around the table.
"Eya! You're that snot-nosed famous kid that was sorted into Gryffindor!"
Harry looked at him perturbed.
"My name's Melvin, how the hell are ya?" he said outstretching his hand to shake it. Many people at the Slytherin table shot the pair of them icy glares while those at the neighboring Ravenclaw table watched curiously.
"Er- yeah…" Harry said not exactly sure what conversation with this person entailed. "Listen, I was wondering if you could leave my sister alone for a bit."
Melvin blinked, his gaze shifted back towards Cosette who was fidgeting nervously in her seat. With his hand still outstretched, he grinned widely.
"Why? We're being unsociable together," he paused for a second, eyebrows waggling, and then asked as an afterthought, "Hey! You wanna be anti-social with us?"
Harry furrowed his brows and stared at Melvin.
"No, I er… Cosette…?" he looked over at his sister, who was nervously shifting her eyes between the two.
With the sound of her name, Cosette perked up and opened her mouth as if to speak, but another voice cut in.
"Potter! What are you doing on this side of the Great Hall?" the sneering voice of Draco Malfoy soon came into the mix as he sauntered up to the table, his two lackeys behind him. "In case you haven't noticed, this is the Slytherin table. We have no use for your kind here."
Malfoy's face had broken into an arrogant smirk, as if his comment was a very satisfying comeback. Harry glared at the boy, shifting his attention from Melvin to Malfoy.
"Not that it's your business, but I'm just talking to my sister."
At this, Malfoy's brow rose clear up to his hairline.
"Sister?"
All sets of eyes fell onto Cosette, who was trying as hard as she could to shrink away. Malfoy's eyes shifted briefly towards her, their eyes locked and Cosette quickly looked away.
"Sorted into Slytherin, was she? Well, at least one of the members of your family has some class. Not that the same can be said about you."
The two boys were still glaring murderously at each other, when Melvin thought this is be the perfect time to introduce himself.
"Hi, my name is Melvin, how the hell are ya?"
Malfoy had switched his gaze to the grinning blonde, and his angry expression changed to one of confusion, as if he hadn't noticed the kid was standing there. He quickly darted his eyes from head to toe, before sneering.
"Is there a problem here?"
All of them had jumped slightly at the new voice, one that seemed to come from over them. Harry's eyes flickered to the source and he felt like shrinking back. The voice belongs to a tall, rail thin man with pale skin and greasy black hair. His black eyes were glaring at all of them with unhidden irritation, and when his eyes met Harry, they seemed to narrow.
Draco turned fully around, eyes growing wide, but quickly he wiped the expression of his face and smirked.
"No, Professor Snape. We were just getting a few things straightened out."
"Then you won't mind returning to you seat then, Mr. Malfoy…?"
The man's bitter gaze hadn't lifted from Harry, and he was under the distinct notion that the teacher didn't like him very much. There seemed to be something about this professor that set off warning bells inside his head. His glare caused him to shiver.
Malfoy turned to leave, throwing a nasty smirk over his shoulder to Harry as he left.
"See you in class," he sneered before he and his gang left. The two remaining boys stood there in silence, as Snape continued to glare from under his large, hooked nose. A sneer curled on his lips.
"The school year hasn't even started yet, and already you feel the need to cause trouble? Last I checked, Mr. Potter, the Gryffindor Table was on the other side of the room. Surely someone with your great talent hasn't lost their way."
"No…" Harry cleared his throat, not understanding this teacher's malice towards him. "No sir, I was just seeing my sister." Harry darted his eyes across the table, where his sister was almost hidden under the table.
Harry watched as the professor's eyes flickered towards his sister, but they didn't stay long. In a second, his eyes were back to glaring at him. If Harry had blinked, he would have completely missed the exchange. Snape rose a brow at Harry, and he quickly ascertained that he should return to his own seat at Gryffindor—and fast.
"I'll see you later, Cosette," Harry said regretfully. He wanted to sit down and actually talk to his sister, but with the menacing glower from Professor Snape, he was sure he wouldn't be able to. Cosette gave him a slight nod and Harry turned to walk back to his table.
Left standing there was Melvin. Cosette sat there wondering what the boy would do now that the intimidating Professor was standing there and glaring at the back of her brother's head. She didn't know why exactly the kid liked to have the most inopportune times to make his presence known, or if he had a secret death wish –but right as Harry disappeared, he spun on his heel, grinning from ear to ear and stuck out his still outstretched hand to the professor.
"Hi, my name is Melvin –"
The professor immediately shifted his eyes to Melvin, where they narrowed with a familiar irritation.
"Sit down, Mr. Aguillard!"
Unperturbed, Melvin turned and pranced up the table, thankfully away from her. The menacing professor then turned and marched back up towards the Head table, not even giving Cosette a backwards glance, his black robes billowing behind him. She wondered if perhaps she had offended him in some way for him to brush her off, but quickly determined that this was definitely preferable to inferring the wrath of Professor Snape.
Harry took his previous seat across from Ron who was pale beyond comparison.
"What happened?" he asked in a hushed whisper.
Harry quickly recounted the events the occurred by the Slytherin table. He put particular emphasis on the professor's menacing glare that he did not abate towards him.
"Blimey mate, you're lucky. My brothers told me about that professor."
"Who is he?" Harry asked.
"I think that's Professor Snape, though I could be wrong. I never saw him before."
"I think you're right, that's what Malfoy called him."
Ron nodded pointedly.
"I don't think he likes me very much," Harry added.
"Don't worry, from what my brothers have told me, well besides Percy, Snape doesn't like anyone. I don't think that grease ball even cares if you're famous."
Fred and George sat down on either side of Harry. They were red in the face and fairly sweaty, as if they had been running very fast.
"Where did you two go off two?" Ron asked looking somewhat annoyed.
Fred smirked and looked over at Ron.
"Sorry, we had important business to attend to; we couldn't find a babysitter for you in time."
"Don't worry though, we'll hold your hand if you need to use the bathroom or something," George added dismissively.
Ron's ears went very red and he returned furiously to his food, his head downcast.
"Shut up…" he murmured back at them but neither took much notice.
Instead their attention turned to Harry, who they were looking at rather expectantly.
"So what happened over at the Slytherin table?"
Harry recounted the events for a second time to the twins who eagerly listened.
"Ah, I wouldn't worry about Snape, he doesn't like anyone."
"Well anyone except us," George added.
"Well our natural charisma overpowers everyone," Fred agreed. "But you don't have that natural advantage, Harry. Anyway, he teaches potions, but everyone knows it's the Defense Against the Dark Arts position he's after. "
"I just hope Cosette's okay…" Harry said.
"Wasn't she the reason you went over there?"
"Yeah, she was being bothered by this other Slytherin kid."
"What was he doing?" George inquired.
"…I really… don't know…"
Harry again retold the events that occurred over at the Slytherin table this time adding in what Melvin had done and said.
"Wonder what that kid was playing at," Fred asked rhetorically.
George looked as though he was about to say something when somewhat suddenly the food in front of them vanished and was replaced with many different delicious looking desserts. There was everything here that could possibly please anyone's cravings. There was fruit and custard trifle, many different types of shortcakes, red jelly in impressive towers surrounded by grapes at the base, treacle tarts with clotted cream, chocolate pudding, as well as Scottish shortbread and ice cream aplenty. The smell was wonderful, and made one feel full and happy before having even eaten anything.
Despite all this Harry did not seem as keenly interested in the desserts that had materialized in front of him as Ron did. Ron proceeded to gorge himself on all the desserts within reach as he had done with the actual meal. After several long moments Ron seemed to notice Harry's prolonged silence and paused in his eating, struggling to swallow the food in his mouth for a moment.
"What's wrong Harry?" he asked some food still in his mouth.
"Do you think I should have just left my sister there like that? You know, with those people?"
Ron looked at Harry, a rather puzzled look on his face before he gave his answer.
"Well it's not like there is much you can do, can you?" Ron said. "Like you said, Snape didn't seem to like you very much."
"You said that he doesn't like anyone."
"Well yeah, but you said yourself that Snape didn't seem to like you in particular."
Harry was silent for a moment.
"I think your sister will be fine, I mean that kid from earlier is leaving her alone now."
Harry turned and saw that Ron was indeed right. His sister was sitting by her lonesome self carefully inspecting the desserts that had just appeared before her.
"Really Harry, I mean do you really want to make sure you get on Snape's bad side on the first day of school?"
There was a long pause and finally Harry nodded and said.
"Yeah I guess you're right."
Ron gave Harry a relieved look as he offered him some treacle tart which he accepted gratefully. Slowly the tension eased and thoughts of Cosette were pushed to the back of Harry's head.
