"Your hair turned back to brown." Ron muttered to me as Hagrid passed us off.
"Thank you for telling me." I muttered back, managing to hear Hagrid call the stern face teacher Professor McGonagall.
She pulled the door wide, I saw the entranced hall and was amazed at the size of it, Harry was also staring at everything, turning his head this way and that to attempt to see everything. Professor McGonagall lead us across the stone floor, the stone wall reminding me off Gringotts. I heard a few gasps and turned my head to see what was going on when I saw that they were pointing at me.
"Ron, why are they looking at me?" I whispered.
Ron looked at me and gasped, "your hair is now pink!"
"Darn it! I thought I would get through this part without my hair changing!" I whispered sharply, my hair turning a more dark shade of pink.
When I looked up I saw a light underneath the door to the right.
"That's where the rest of the school must be." Harry whispered to us.
Ron and I nodded in agreement, following the crowd into a small empty chamber off the hall. We managed to crowd in, standing shoulder to shoulder.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room." Professor McGonagall folded her hands together and looked at each of us.
Ariel started to shiver and squirm in my arms. Trying to not be noticed, I crouched down and put her on the ground lightly, she gave herself a shake, sat down on her haunches and started to groom herself. Standing back up I saw McGonagall looking at me with her eyebrow raised. Giving a small smile I waved at her, my hair earning spots of a light green.
Raising both eyebrows she continued, "the four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while your are waiting." She looked at each of us once more.
"I shall return when we are ready for you, please wait quietly." She turned and left us.
Harry swallowed loudly and I gave a sigh relief. Looking down I saw that Ariel was still grooming herself so I turned to see that Neville had one of his clasps under his ear.
"Neville, let me help you." I said quietly, leaning over to fix his cloak so that it was proper.
"Th-thank you." He stuttered.
"It's no problem, I'm Cassie by the way." I smiled at him, leaning away when his cloak fastenings were fixed.
"H-hi Cassie." He blushed, looking away from me.
Giggling, I turned to Ron and saw that he still had dirt on his nose and Harry was attempting to flattening his hair.
"Harry your hair won't flatten, I think you should just leave it." I suggested, finding a wet spot on my cloak from Ariel and attempted to clean Ron's nose.
"What are you doing?" Ron tried to keep me away from his face.
"You still have dirt on your nose, do you want that to be people's first thought when they see you?" I snapped, grabbing his head and rubbing at his face.
He only grumbled as he finally stopped fighting me, I finally managed to clean the dirt off so I let him go and stuck my tongue out at him.
"How do you get Sorted, exactly?" Harry asked, helping me put on my own cloak.
"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." Ron shrugged.
I gave a sharp inhale and looked at Harry. He looked as terrified as I felt. Looking around I noticed that Hermione was the only one talking, even though she was only muttering something under her breath. Everyone else was to scared to say anything. I grabbed Harry and Ron's hands, squeezing them. Harry squeezed mine back but Ron sneered at me but gave my hand a squeeze before letting go. I put my head down and gave a secret smile to Ariel who was now focusing on her tail.
Suddenly Harry gasped beside me. Looking up I gave a gasp also. Ghosts had come through the walls! They were transparent and hardly glancing at us. Several in them appeared to be in conversation.
"Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance-" A fat monk was saying before he was interrupted by another.
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?"
Nobody wanted to answer, so I offered, "we're new students. We're waiting for Professor McGonagall to come back."
"New students! I hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house you know." The Friar said with a grin.
"Move along now!" McGonagall's sharp voice said. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
Slowly the ghosts floated through the opposite wall.
"Now form a line, and follow me." McGonagall turned around and lead us once more.
Picking up Ariel so that she wouldn't get trampled I managed to squeeze between Harry and Neville, Ron in front of Harry. We walked out of the chamber and through the doubles from earlier and into the Great Hall. It was beautiful. Thousands of lit candles were floating above us, four extremely long tables were in the Hall. Students were sitting at the tables with glittering goblets and plates shining like gold. At the far end of the hall was a fifth long table.
"I think those are the teachers." I whispered, not knowing if Harry or Neville heard me.
McGonagall lead us to the front and we ended up facing the students, with our backs to the teachers. The many faces of the students had me nervous, I heard a gasp as I looked up to see that the ceiling was black dotted with star.
"Cassie! Your hair is pink!" Neville whispered quite loudly into my ear.
Chuckles echoed through the Great Hall, noticing that my hair had turned an even lighter shade of pink I bowed my head. Feeling the blood rush to my face as well. Harry gave me what I thought to be a comforting nudge. I nodded to him but didn't dare raise my head until I felt the warmth leave my cheeks. I didn't hear what Hermione said but Ron gave a quiet groan.
Finally managing to look up I saw that McGonagall had placed a stool in front of us with a pointed hat on it.
"Do we have to try and pull a rabbit out of it?" Harry whispered to me.
I shrugged, dropping Ariel when she squirmed. Watching her weave her way through the first years, I kept an eye on her until she walked up to the Weasley twin's at the table on the far left. I think it was George who picked her up and placed her in his lap. Scratching her ears, I think he winked at me. I was to far away to really tell. Turning back to the Hat I noticed that everyone had gone quiet. Turning to the Hat, I saw it twitch.
"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 a 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 folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
Don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!
The hall burst into applause. I clapped more out of politeness than anything.
"So we've got try on the hat!" Ron whispered. "I'll kill Fred, we was going on about wrestling a troll!"
I smiled weakly at Harry who did the same to me. Trying on a hat was definitely better than wrestling a troll. McGonagall stepped forward while holding a long scroll of parchment. My stomach started to twist from nerves. Grabbing some hair to put it over my shoulder I saw it change from the pink to an ugly lime green.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be Sorted." She explained.
"Abbott, Hannah!" Was the first name to be called.
A pink-faced girl with her blonde hair in pigtails stumbled forward. She put on the hat, it fell over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's paused was required when-
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat had shouted.
The table to my right burst into cheers and clapped as Hannah went to join them. The Friar ghost waved merrily to her.
"Bones, Susan!"
"It's alphabetical order!" I groaned.
"What's wrong with that?" Harry whispered to me as the Hufflepuff table burst into cheers again.
"My name is Zwart, as in Z W A. I'm going to be the last one called, I'll be here all by myself!" I whispered back as a Boot, Terry was sorted into Ravenclaw.
"Oh... Well hopefully someone will have their last name starting wit or something." Harry whispered, trying to calm me down.
I gave a forced giggle but smiled at him anyway to show him I appreciated it. I was to nervous and really listen, the different table would burst into cheers and the group of first years started to dwindle. With my blood ringing in my ears, I didn't even realize that I was holding Harry's hand until he pulled away from me to sit on the stool. Holding my breath I watched him sit on the stool with the hat on his head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted.
I let out my breath and clapped with Gryffindor, Harry looked back after shaking hands with everyone and smiled at me and Ron. I shuffled closer to Ron and this time it was him who grabbed my hand. Squeezing it I tried to focus on the rest of the Sorting but my stomach was jumping and twisting. Finally Ron was called forward.
I gave his hand one last squeeze, "Good luck." I muttered.
Ron nodded at me, when he walked to the stool I noticed that it was just me and a dark skinned boy too. Shuffling closer to him he gave me a shaky nod. I gave him one too as we watched Ron set the hat on his head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Ron just about jumped a meter and shakily took off the hat and hurried to the Gryffindor table.
"Zabini, Blaise." Was called next.
The boy next to me took a step forward.
"Good luck to you." I whispered to him.
"And to you." He whispered back before walking the rest of the way to the hat.
"SLYTHERIN!" The Slytherin table erupted into cheers and welcomed him with open arms.
"Zwart, Cassiopeia!" I was the last one called.
Taking a deep shaking breath I walked to the stool. Picking up the hat I noticed that my hair had changed to shade of a boogie green. Disgusted with the shade I put the hat on and sat on the stool.
'Interesting mind, you have a block on your memories... I cannot reach it.'
'What?'
'This is powerful magic, Dumbledore must have placed it there. Only he could perform this strong of a memory charm.'
'What would he be blocking?'
'I don't know, but I see that you are quite the loyal person Hufflepuff would be the best place for you.'
'No! Please, put me in Gryffindor.'
'You are the third person to ask me for Gryffindor today.'
'Third?'
'Alright if you insist - GRYFFINDOR!" Rang through the hall.
With a sigh of relief I handed the hat to McGonagall who gave me a kind smile. I rushed over to the table and gave a relieved hug to Harry and Ron who were laughing as the table cheered.
"Cassie, congratulations!" I heard a twin say.
"Thank you, and thank you for watching Ariel." I thanked, taking Ariel who was handed over the table to me by Fred.
"No problem." He smiled sitting down.
I smiled widely, also sitting down with Ariel in my lap, earning curious looks from the rest of the tables. Looking at the table my stomach stopped twisting and I realized I was hungry. The man at the center of the table in the front of the hall stood up.
He was beaming at us and had his arms wide out, "Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
He sat back down.
"Is he a bit mad?" Harry and I asked at the same time.
"Mad? He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes Harry?" The voice of Percy answered.
Harry's mouth dropped opened and I'm sure mine hit the table. The empty dishes in front of us were now filled with delicious smelling food. There were so many different kinds that I couldn't wait to try. Accepting the mashed potatoes from Harry I spooned some onto my plate and some roast beef. Cutting a little bit off I held some for Ariel who sniffed at it and pulled out of my fingers and dropped to the floor to eat it.
Putting some steamed carrots and peas onto my plate, I mixed them with my potatoes before cutting the roast beef into several pieces for Ariel and larger ones for me. Ariel would put her paw on my leg and I would drop some meat down for her.
"That does look good." A voice said from across the table.
Looking up I was surprised to see that Hermione and Neville had both also gotten into Gryffindor and were sitting next to a ghost.
"Can't you-?" Harry began.
"I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," the ghost interrupted. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."
"I know who you are!" Ron exclaimed from next to me, making me jump and almost choke on my meat.
Harry handed my goblet of pumpkin juice. Nodding my thanks to him I took a sip to chase my food down.
"My brothers told me about you. You're Nearly Headless Nick!" Ron pointed.
"I prefer Sir Nicholas de Mimsy -" He was cut off by a sandy haired boy.
"Nearly Headless?"
"I don't think-" I tried to interrupt, see Sir Nick getting miffed.
"How can you be Nearly Headless?" The boy continued.
"Maybe we shouldn't-" I tried to interrupt again but failed.
"Like this." Sir Nick said irritated.
He grabbed his left ear and pulled his whole head off, it swung and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a door hinge. I put my hand to my mouth trying to keep my dinner from coming back up. Pleased with our reactions, Sir Nick put his head back to shoulder and coughed.
"So new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable. He's the Slytherin Ghost."
I looked over to the Slytherin table and saw that Malfoy was not pleased to be sitting next to a gaunt ghost with robes stained with blood.
"How did he get covered in blood?" I asked, dropping another piece of meat for Ariel.
"I never asked." Sir Nick said delicately.
I nodded and went back to eating, there was conversation around me but I wasn't sure which one to join. Looking under the table I saw that Ariel was ready to jump back onto my lap. So I moved my napkin and she was back where she belonged. Giggling, I watched her sit down and poke her head over the edge of table, watching everyone as they talked.
"What's up with your cat?" Fred asked, using his knife to point at Ariel.
"She's got personality, and she's curious. This is also her first time at Hogwarts." I shrugged putting my silverware down and picking up my goblet to drink.
"I've never seen a cat so attached to their person." Hermione mentioned.
"Well just because cat's don't talk doesn't mean they don't speak. We all choose our friends, like how cats choose their person. She has chosen me and I'm sure once we're settled in she'll go off exploring and I won't see her for a few days at a time." I explained, kissing her head.
There was a chorus of awe's when she returned the kiss to my chin. I giggled and scratched her under her chin.
"Hey, how'd you learn to change your hair color?" Neville asked.
"I don't know, I woke up one day and saw that my hair had changed and I started changing my hair to different colors." I lied, not wanting to tell them about Gertrude.
"You must be a Metamorphmagus." Hermione said.
"A what?" Harry, Ron, and I asked.
"A Metamorphmagus, they can change their form at will." She explained, sniffing at our lack of knowledge.
"But she can only change her hair." Ron said skeptically.
"You really think so?" I turned to him, changing my face to look like his.
He was so surprised that he squeaked and fell backwards off the bench. The table laughed as I held my hand out to help him get back up on his feet. And the other tables were craning their necks to see what happened.
"Well now I know she can change her appearance." He grumbled, earning some chuckles.
"Oh this is going to be fun." I said in Dumbledore's voice.
"THIS IS SO COOL!" I shouted in Harry's voice this time.
"Look at me, I'm Ron Weasley and I'm Harry's best mate!" I said as I changed my appearance to that of Ron's and even changing my vocal cords to his.
"That's really freaky." Harry managed to say through his laughter.
With a grin I changed back to my appearance, using a spoon to make sure that I even changed my hair to the ugly brown color I had and that my scar may have magically healed. Sadly, the scar returned too. When I was done I realized that our plates were once again clean and sparkling and instead of the delicious foods from dinner, the food and changed to different desserts. Scooping some ice cream onto my plate I let Ariel sniffed it. She turned her nose up at it and I shrugged and started to eat it.
"I'm half and half." The sandy hair boy said in a Scottish accent, "Me dad's a muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."
We all laughed.
"What about you Neville?" I asked him.
"We'll, my gran brought me up and she's a witch, but the family thought I was all-muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me. He pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned. But nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and was hanging me out of the upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced all the way down the garden and into the road."
I gave a gasp at that.
"They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here, they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algue was so pleased he bought me my toad." He continued.
"What about you?" Ron asked me.
"I didn't know I had magic until the day before my birthday, that's when I found out about this." I changed my hair to a blue shade. "My mom was a witch though, my foster mom told me that; but we don't know who my father is though." I shrugged.
Conversations continued and I started to get sleepy. I put my head on Harry's shoulder and started to doze off. I don't know what happened but Harry jerked and it jarred my head.
"Ouch!" We both said, me rubbing the side of my head and Harry his forehead.
"What is it?" Percy asked, looking at the two of us.
"N-nothing." Harry said as I pointed at him.
"Who's the teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" Harry asked as I laid my head on Ron's shoulders this time.
"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to. Everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows a lot about the Dark Arts, Snape." Percy answered, pointing to the table.
I moved my head to look at the table and saw a man with greasy black hair and a hooked nose glaring over at us. There was another man with a purple turban turned to Snape.
"Which one's which?" I asked, moving my head when Ron kept jerking his shoulder.
"Black hair is Snape, turban is Quirrell." Harry answered.
I nodded and continued to watch the teachers socialize with each other.
Finally the desserts disappeared and Dumbledore got to his feet once again. I sat up and faced him, Ariel still on my lap.
"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." He turned to face Gryffindor and I looked back to see the twins smirking, George gave me a wink.
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a painful death."
Harry laughed but he was one of the few who did. I tilted my head to the side, curiosity already filling my mind.
"He's not serious?" I heard Harry mutter to Percy.
"Must be," Percy answered, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere. The forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might've told us prefects, at least."
I shrugged when Harry looked at me.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore cried out.
I saw that the other teachers at the table had now forced smiles on their faces. Dumbledore gave his wand a flick and a long ribbon flew out of it. It rose above the tables and twisted itself into words. I could only gape in horror and slammed my jaw shut.
"Everyone pick your favorite tune, and here we go!" Dumbledore said with excitement in his voice.
The school bellowed out the song but I only listened to it.
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."
Everyone finished at different times, I gave a giggle when it was just the Weasely twins left. They had chosen a slow funeral march kind of tune. Dumbledore conducted them until they finished.
"Why didn't you sing?" Ron asked me.
"I have a horrible singing voice." I answered bluntly.
"I don't think you do." Harry said.
"That's nice of you to say Harry, but you haven't heard it yet." I said giving him smirk.
The hall finally clapped when Fred and George were done singing.
"Ah music," Dumbledore wiped his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! Off you trot!"
We stood up and followed Percy out of the Great Hall. I was holding a protesting Ariel when we walked up a marbled staircase. I had to weave my arm through Harry's because he looked to tired to be keeping up. The portraits were moving and they were pointing at us.
"Harry! The pictures move!" I tried to shake him awake but he just nodded his head and followed the crowd.
I got lost going through hidden passageways and behind tapestries. I was grateful that Ariel jumped out of my arms and managed to stay by my side without getting trampled. I noticed that we all stopped, looking over the sandy blonde boy I saw that there were walking sticks tossing themselves at Percy.
"Peeves, a poltergeist." Percy whispered to us.
"Peeves, show yourself!" Percy shouted.
A raspberry was blown but nothing else happened.
"Do you want me to get the Bloody Baron?" Percy threatened.
There was a pop over our heads and I saw a man with dark eyes a wide mouth was grinning wickedly at us.
"Oooooh ickle firsties! What fun!" He cackled.
He swooped at us and we all ducked, Ariel hissed at him.
"Go away Peeves or the Baron will hear about this!" Percy barked.
Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks he had on Neville. I heard him zoom away, rattling the coats of armor he passed.
"You want to watch for Peeves, the Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are." Percy explained as we stopped in front of a portrait of a very fat lady in a pink silk dress.
"Password?" She asked.
"Caput Draconis." Percy answered and the portrait swung forward to reveal a hole in the wall.
We all went in, Ron and Harry had to help Neville up, and I looked around in awe. The walls and furniture were all red and gold to match Gryffindor's colors I guess. Percy directed the girls through one door and the boys through another.
"Good night." I said to Harry and Ron.
"Good night." They answered, following Percy.
I ended up walking with Hermione and two other girls into our dormitory. It said first years on the door. When one of the girls opened it I was awed once again at the four poster canopy beds. I found my trunk and Ariel's cage by one bed that was next to Hermione's bed. The other two girls were on the other side of the room
"I can't wait for tomorrow, I'm excited about Transfiguration. I wonder what we'll be doing first..." Hermione was attempting to talk to me as we changed into our pajamas.
"I don't know, I think I'm more looking forward to Charms." I replied, climbing into the bed while Ariel jumped up and made herself comfortable on a pillow.
The two girls were sitting on their beds and talking and giggling away. I rolled my eyes as I yawned.
"Hey, Zwart?" A voice asked.
"Cassie." I answered, looking at the two girls.
"Um, Cassie. Where did you get that scar?" The Indian one asked, pointing to my face.
"I woke up with it one morning." I answered, turning to Hermione.
"Good night." I said, closing the curtains.
"Good night." I heard three voices respond.
I didn't hear what the two girls started whispering, I was asleep the minute my head hit the pillow.