Disclaimer: I'm not J.K. Rowling so I don't own anything from her books. Just the things I make up.
Okay here is chapter nine I hope you like it!
Chapter Nine
The Sorting Hat
Alena and all of the other first years were shivering in a hall. They had just met Professor McGonagall. They were waiting for her to come back.
She was once again by Hermione's side. Hermione was talking about spells she had memorized. The boy who had lost his frog was listening to her like he could absorb her words.
Alena glanced around the room. Everyone was nervous. She caught sight of Harry and his red-haired friend. They both looked like ghosts.
They must not know that all we have to do is try on a hat. The thought made her smile a bit. Hermione looked at her like she was crazy.
The giant door opened revealing the strict looking Professor McGonagall.
"We're ready for you now. Line up single file and follow me."
Everyone moved silently into a line. She was in the middle of it behind Hermione's bushy hair.
They walked into the Great Hall. Hundreds of eyes flew to the line of first years.
Professor McGonagall disappeared and came back with a three legged chair and an old hat.
The first years all stared at her. She thought she heard someone mutter about trolls from behind her.
McGonagall placed the hat in the middle of the stool. If she hadn't been watching it she would have looked around the hall like some of the other students, looking for who was speaking.
The brim of the old hat was moving like a mouth, and it 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 want to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindor's 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!
The other students stood and cheered. The first years just looked petrified.
"Abbot, Hannah"
McGonagall continued calling names. The sorting hat would just shout names of the four Houses. Sometimes it took a second for the hat to decide, others it took much longer.
"Granger, Hermione."
Hermione stifled a nervous squeak. Alena watched her walk to the stool. The hat slipped over her eyes. She sat there for awhile. Then the hat shouted "Gryffindor!"
She clapped for her friend, but Alena was paralyzed. She was finally having doubts about what House she would be in. She just wanted to disappear and strongly considered it. But she was in a room full of people staring at her.
Her eyes flitted to the long table that the professors surrounded. Her eyes met with someone she hadn't noticed before. He wasn't paying attention to her. He was staring past her. But she felt something towards him. She felt hatred.
Alena was stunned. She didn't even feel this way about Heather. She stared at the greasy haired professor. She looked into his dark eyes. She concentrated. Whoever he was staring at behind her she felt sorry for.
"Macmillan, Ernie."
Alena jumped and tore her eyes from the teacher. They were already in the M's. She looked around and noticed for the first time that there were only two other people in front of her. She stared at the tables. A few people were staring back at her but most were staring behind her.
She concentrated a bit and realized that Harry Potter was a few people back.
One of the Patil twins tapped her on the shoulder.
"Eek I'm next!" she squeaked.
"Don't worry it will be okay," she whispered back.
"Patil, Padma."
So the one behind her was Parvarti.
Padma was soon sorted in to Ravenclaw while her twin sister Parvarti was sorted in to Gryffindor.
She felt bad for the sisters, being separated.
"Phillips, Alena."
She was suddenly stunned. She found herself moving towards the stool. McGonagall handed her that hat and she slipped it on her head. She caught a glimpse of everyone staring at her before the blackness of the inside of the hat took over.
"Hmm, you are a special one aren't you?"
If she hadn't been around so many strange things the past few weeks the voice she heard would have made her scream.
Ah, yes you are very interesting. So many things you can do.
So, isn't that what magic is?
Ah but your magic is almost unheard of.
Unheard of?
I see many things that you are capable of. They are extraordinary; I haven't seen the likeness of it before. You have a great destiny ahead of you.
Destiny? I'm only eleven what can I possibly do?
From the looks of your mind a lot.
What do you see?
Well for starters I see that you are quite brave, you are unafraid of a challenge. You are very independent. I've see that most clearly. Hmm.
Hmm what?
"Gryffindor!" the hat shouted to everyone.
Professor McGonagall lifted the hat from her head. She gave her a tight smile that looked like it took a lot of effort.
Alena looked and saw Hermione clapping. She was absolutely thrilled that she was in the same House as Hermione. But she was slightly annoyed that the hat hadn't answered her question.
She walked over and sat down next to Hermione.
"Yes Alena I knew you would be in this House!"
She smiled at her, "I'm so happy I'm not in Slytherin!"
"Yes that would be awful!" she said turning to stare at McGonagall.
She was holding the list and looked like she was waiting for everyone to get quiet.
"Potter, Harry."
Well that explains it.
The hall went quiet as the boy walked to the stool. Everyone was trying to get a good look at him. She actually saw some standing up to look. She felt bad for him.
Alena looked back up at the staff table. The teacher she didn't like was staring at Harry with loathsome eyes.
Guess that was who he was staring at.
Her eyes flipped to the turban wearing teacher. She didn't have the same feeling towards him as she did with the greasy haired one. Something about him just made her uneasy.
"Gryffindor!"
Her eyes flashed back to McGonagall. Harry was getting up and walking towards their table.
Everyone at the table was standing. They were clapping and screaming.
The loudest were twin red haired boys. They took up a chant as Harry made his way over, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"
She smiled, she didn't know why she was happy that her and Harry were in the same House.
He sat in the seat in front of her. She gave him a tiny smile he returned it. Then he was bombarded with people shaking his hand and just trying to talk to him.
A few more people were left. The red haired kid that Harry seemed to be friends with was now being sorted. His name was Ronald Weasley. He was then sorted to Gryffindor as well. The twin red terrors broke out in to loud applause again. When Ronald got to the table they and another red head congratulated him, they turned out to be his brothers.
When everyone was sorted Professor McGonagall took the stool and the hat and disappeared out the door at the end of the hall.
When she returned she took her seat next to Dumbledore.
He stood up and spoke but she barely heard anything. Her eyes were frozen on the turban teacher. He was constantly scanning his surroundings, like he was extremely nervous. She couldn't help but stare at him. She was for some reason frightened of him.
Before she realized people started grabbing food. She looked down and noticed that the table was burdened with tons of food. There was everything from roasted chicken to steak.
She didn't even think. She took a spoonful of mashed potatoes and some roasted chicken. It was the best thing she had ever tasted. She ate more than she usually did. Then there was dessert. She piled up the ice cream.
She slightly acknowledged the fact that Hermione was talking to her. She answered as best she could.
"So did you find out what House your mother was in?"
She choked on a bite of ice cream. She quickly swallowed. She noticed that Harry was giving her a sideways glance.
"Well?" persisted Hermione.
Now she was aware that Harry was listening. She wondered why she seemed so interesting. She wanted to probe his mind a bit but couldn't concentrate with Hermione's constant chatter.
"No, I never did."
"Well what was her name? Maybe I can find out."
She opened her mouth to speak. Her immediate response was going to be Addy Phillips. But that wasn't her mother's name. She didn't know her mothers maiden name, she wasn't even sure she knew her real name. Her father had only ever called her Addy. He hated talking about her.
"Uh, no that's okay. I'm going to talk to Professor McGonagall," she lied.
"Yeah she would probably know," Hermione said picking at her own dessert.
She looked down at her ice cream. She wasn't hungry anymore. She pushed it away and started twirling a piece of her hair.
Alena was disappointed in herself. How could she never once ask her father what her mother's maiden name was? She felt eyes on the back of her head. She shifted in her seat so she could glance behind her.
She was locked in a dark glare. The greasy haired teacher was looking at her like she was a science experiment. She immediately threw up as many barriers as possible in her head. It was instinct. He glared at her and turned to whisper something to Dumbledore.
She watched as Dumbledore nodded and shot a glance in her direction. She blushed and turned away. But she turned just in time to stare straight into Harry's emerald eyes.
He was watching her curiously and then stared over her shoulder. His hand shot to his forehead. His face grimaced like he was in pain.
Her brow furrowed, "You okay?"
"Yeah, just a headache," he said rubbing his forehead.
He turned to one of the red haired people. He had a badge on the front of his robe that said Prefect.
"Percy, who is that teacher talking to Professor Dumbledore?"
The red head named Percy looked up, "Oh that's Professor Snape the potions master. He's the head of Slytherin."
Alena didn't need to turn to know who they were talking about.
Someone cleared their throat. She turned to see Dumbledore was on his feet. He started talking. She felt lightheaded. She leaned against her arm.
"You okay?"
It was Hermione, "Yeah I just have a headache."
"Maybe you can go up to the Hospital Wing after this."
"No I'm fine," Alena answered lightly.
She closed her eyes and then was startled by movement. Her eyes flew open to see people starting to get up.
"Come on," Hermione urged.
She dragged her sleepy feet after bushy hair.
The Prefect named Percy led them through twists and turns. He even led them through a tapestry. Then they were at another set of stairs. Except this one they had to wait on. Apparently in the magical world staircases and portraits moved. Well at least the people in the portraits moved.
The walls were covered in paintings. They all smiled and waved at them as they walked by.
Finally Percy announced that they were at the last staircase. But this one was special. There was a trick stair you had to jump or you would sink in to it.
They walked in to a corridor and were attacked. Flying objects decided to lunge at them. She sensed someone was controlling them, they were just invisible. This was the first time she had this feeling. She knew exactly where the invisible attacker was. She stared straight at the spot.
"Peeves show yourself!" shouted Percy.
And Peeves did, exactly where Alena was staring.
"Peeves is a poltergeist," explained Percy.
Then he started an argument with the poltergeist that involved Peeves rushing off shouting swear words.
He led them down the corridor and towards a portrait of a woman in pink. She glanced over the group of students.
"Password?"
They can move and talk?
Alena was amazed at her new world.
"Caput Draconis," answered Percy clearly.
"You will need to remember this. It's the only thing that can get you into the common room."
While he was speaking the portrait swung open revealing a hole in the wall. Percy turned and climbed through it. Everyone followed.
"This is the Gryffindor common room. If you go up the stairs you will find the dormitories."
The dormitories sounded nice. She followed the steady march of students up the stairs. No one was going to stop and talk in the common room. They all had their first day of magic school tomorrow.
The split into girls and boys at the top of the stairs, a sign directed the girls into the right room.
Alena looked around. The room was circular and the four poster beds were aligned on the wall. She recognized her trunk on the floor. It was at the end of the bed by the window. Jayde's cage was sitting on top along with Jasper's. She walked to it. None of the other girls had owls. So she picked up the cage and put it on the window sill. Jayde meowed, she was not happy.
"Oh that's a beautiful cat!" cried Lavender.
Alena smiled at her, "Thank you."
"What color is that?"
"Tortoiseshell."
Alena turned to admire her cat. She was mostly black. But had patches of cream and orange, she had orange tabby stripes on her legs. She had bright green eyes and was smaller than most cats.
"What's her name?" cooed Parvarti.
"Jayde," Alena answered proudly.
"She's gorgeous," they said in unison.
Jayde meowed her thanks as Alena opened the carrier. She placed her on her bed so she could open her trunk. She shoved the carrier under her bed.
The girls went off to their own beds and Alena pulled her pajamas out.
She dressed quickly and snuggled into her new bed. It was much warmer than it looked.
Jayde snuggled under Alena's chin, she started purring almost immediately.
Alena heard Jasper ruffle his wings. She would have to remember to let him out in the morning.
She was asleep before she could remember what tomorrow was.
Wow that was a long chapter! Well I hoped you all liked it. This year is about to get interesting! So thanks for reading! Review!!!
