FINALLY at Hogwarts. God it took a while for Kat to get there, right? Remember to review! Your opinions mean more to me than you know!!!

Disclaimer: Unnecessary at this point, I think.

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Chapter 10

Dumbledore followed my gaze, a small smile playing on his lips.

I scowled. Of course he thought it was funny now…

"Just wait," I promised, shaking my head.

He sat in the middle of the staff table, his chair slightly higher than all the others. I only had time to glance around the room a few more moments before someone nudged me forward.

I turned to Professor McGonagall, who wore an irritated look on her face.

"Did your uncle not inform you where to go? Hagrid was supposed to collect you along with the rest of the first years. No matter," she added at my questioning look.

It was then that it registered.

"Oh no," I said, staring at the gaggling first years up at the front of the hall. As we passed the Gryffindor table, Fred smirked at my panicked expression. Harry raised his eyebrows slightly as Hermione passed me an encouraging look.

"Please don't make me get sorted in front of the entire school," I pleaded.

Most of the other students were still talking amongst themselves, making greetings that they hadn't gotten a chance to make on the train, and only a few glanced our way. I still blushed, mortified at being the random old student…

"The headmaster said that you were to enter as though you were a first year. That means that you will be treated like one. And you will of course show the proper respect to your fellow peers." McGonagall had taken on a tone of finality that, despite my fear, I was unwilling to challenge.

We reached the first years, and one red-headed girl in the crowd picked her nose.

I grimaced. "You're serious."

McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "Quite."

And she left me there, alone, in the front of the Great Hall.

Perfect.

One boy stared up at me, his jaw open slightly.

"You're not eleven," he said. His high voice reminded me just how young he was...

I crossed my arms, slouching slightly. "Yeah, well, special circumstances and all."

"What kind of circumstances?"

I glanced up towards Snape who, despite all of his stoic blankness, seemed to be repressing a smile as he watched me.

"The kind that you don't have to worry about," I grumbled, thankful when McGonagall set the hat down on the three-legged stool in front of us.

It sang out a tune, warning about house unity and such. I could barely listen to it; instead I scanned the students and teachers, especially Umbridge. She wore a fake smile that really did remind me of a toad. Staring attentively at the hat, she applauded politely at the end of its song.

Then it started.

"Adams, Patricia," McGonagall called out.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" And of course, the Hufflepuff table broke into applause. And so it went. I waited for my name to be called after, "Down, Logan," but she skipped right to, "Endelson, Ulrich."

Maybe I wouldn't have to be sorted? But right after, "Zimmerman, Kisha," Dumbledore stood, the hat remaining firmly in its place.

I gulped.

"It is good to see so many familiar faces, especially in times such as these," he started, and it seemed as though Umbridge's smile faltered just a little bit. "But tonight, we also have a few new ones. Let me first introduce you to my granddaughter, Katarina Dumbledore," he gestured in my direction.

I smiled weakly as McGonagall waved me forwards.

"While she is the age of a typical seventh year, she has been unable to attend Hogwarts until now, due to special circumstances." He paused then, glancing at me with a small smile. "She will begin as a first year, and will be sorted just as the others have been. I hope that you all welcome her with open arms."

He stood back for a moment as people applauded (I heard a few whoops from the Gryffindor table), and McGonagall set the hat on my head. I took a deep, calming breath that only came out as a shaking exhale, and waited.

Ah, look at this! A Dumbledore! And a child of Rose and Henry, no less!

I flinched as I heard my parents' names. Could you please just get this over with? I pleaded.

Of course, of course. But a sorting such as this should not be taken lightly. In fact, this particular decision is a difficult one for me to make. You are cunning, and ambitious, wonderful traits for Slytherin, your mother's house. Yet you are also brave, and unwaveringly loyal. Admirable in a Gryffindor, your father's house. The question is, which one do you belong in?

I sighed. I know which one I'd like to belong in. And I know that my life here would be a lot easier if you put me in that one.

If it is your wish…

Yeah!

"GRYFFINDOR!" it shouted, and I stood up, hastily taking off the hat and nearly throwing it into McGonagall's arms as Fred and George slid over so I could sit between Fred and Ginny.

"Good on ya!" Fred said, patting my back.

"Thanks," I said, smiling brightly.

The others started to congratulate me, but I knew I didn't have much time to celebrate as Dumbledore continued.

"Also new to Hogwarts this year, to take up the post of defense against the dark arts, is Professor Dolores Umbridge." Everyone clapped politely.

Well, except for me. I watched my uncle with amusement as he forced out three tired claps, then I waited for Umbridge to interrupt Dumbledore.

Sure enough, she cleared her throat, sure to look polite and simpering. Hermione frowned as Dumbledore continued.

Again, that bat cleared her throat with a little "ahem."

This time he turned around, and mistaking the questioning gesture as an invitation, Umbridge stood and made her long, boring speech.

I tuned out within seconds, as did Harry, Ron, Ginny, the twins, and the rest of the student body. Hermione seemed the only one still listening. The teachers, though, looked highly interested in what she was saying. McGonagall, in particular, had narrowed her eyes into small slits.

"What was she goin' on about?" Ron asked, frowning as Dumbledore started what turned into a very weak round of applause.

Hermione raised her eyebrows as food blossomed onto plates. "Were you even listening?"

Ron and Harry had already dug into the food, as had I. It smelled too good to resist, and I couldn't help but notice the plate of burgers that only sat at the Gryffindor table. There were also fries, pizza, and mozzarella sticks—my favorite.

"No," Ron said through a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

"I mean, we have you," Harry pointed out. "Which is why we never bothered to read Hogwarts, a History."

She bristled a little more before saying simply, "When she said something about progress for progress' sake—"

"It means the ministry is interfering at Hogwarts," I said simply.

"In not so many words, I suppose," she said, irritated that I'd interrupted her.

"Sorry," I said, reaching for the soda (again, something that hadn't popped up at any of the other tables).

Soon, dinner was over and I realized that I had no idea where I'd be sleeping. Once again I headed back up to the staff table, unsurprised to find Dumbledore already gone. Snape hadn't even stood up yet, as though he'd anticipated my presence.

"So, does the humiliation continue with me sleeping in the first years girls' dorm?"

He stood, shaking his head. "Your grandfather and I have decided that you will sleep with the seventh years, so you may socialize with those your own age."

"Ok," I said, blinking tiredly. "And are there any more surprises waiting for me, or are you two really just winging it like I think you are?"

"First of all," he said, taking off towards the Gryffindor table where the twins and Ginny had hung back. The rest of the Gryffindors had taken off, led by a disgruntled Ron and enthusiastic Hermione towards the tower. "We had more important things to worry about this summer than the technicalities of your status at Hogwarts."

Shame sparked inside me as I followed him.

"Secondly, you will receive your schedule tomorrow morning at breakfast from your head of house. Your teachers will speak with you individually after class about the conditions of skipping years, so I highly suggest you give them more respect than you have given your grandfather and myself. And keep in mind," he said, pausing right in front of the twins, "that here, you are a student. If you mouth off to me at all, I will take disciplinary action."

"Thanks," I said sarcastically.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor for the sarcasm." I opened my mouth to protest, but he'd already turned around. "Goodnight Katarina," he called over his shoulder, walking away briskly.

The twins glared at him for a moment as I stared, open-mouthed.

"Don't mind him, he's a git," Ginny muttered, grabbing my hand as we started towards Gryffindor tower.

"Yeah, don't be surprised if he takes points tomorrow because you bothered to wake up," Fred said scathingly.

We climbed what seemed like an endless amount of stairs before reaching the portrait of the fat lady.

"G'night Kat," the twins said in unison, tiredly making their way up the stairs to the boys' dormitory.

Ginny and I parted ways at the fourth year girls' dorm, and I awkwardly climbed the rest of the dark stone stairs alone, nerves consuming me as I opened the door to the seventh year girls' dorm.

Five beds sat in a circle around the room, dark red curtains over them while a trunk sat at the end of each one. The floor was stone, but an intricately woven yellow-red rug covered most of it.

Soft snores came from one bed while another's curtains were drawn. Two girls sat on one bed whispering to each other and giggling, but they stopped as soon as I walked in. One girl with cinnamon skin stood up with a bright smile, kissing me on the cheek.

"Angelina Johnson," she said.

The other girl waved from the bed. "Alicia Spinnet."

"Nice to meet you," I said, heading for my bed, which apparently sat between theirs.

"If you need anything, just let one of us know," Alicia said, closing what looked like a normal magazine, except that the woman on the cover moved. "It's hard your first year, and Hogwarts can be more than a little hard to navigate."

I yawned. "Thanks," I said. "What time is it?"

"Around one," Alicia said.

"We were waiting up for you," Angelina explained, changing into a deep blue nightgown.

I picked up my Gryffindor tie and caressed it lightly, then opened my trunk to find my pajama bottoms.

"Sorry," I said. "I had to figure out where I was sleeping. My uncle doesn't really tell me much, so I had to find out after the feast."

"Yeah, so you're Snape's niece?" Alicia started.

Angelina shot her a glare as I shrugged.

"So I've been told."

"We really should get to bed," Angelina said, yawning for emphasis.

"Oy, Kat," she said, once we'd all lain down to sleep.

"Yeah?" I whispered, staring up at the top of the canopy.

"You any good at Quidditch?"

I frowned. "Dunno."

"We'll have to find out then," she said, a note of excitement in her voice.

I smiled fleetingly before turning over; there was no point in me trying to sleep when adrenaline rushed through my body. So I waited until I was sure that everyone had fallen asleep, then dragged a few textbooks from my trunk and crept down to the common room, taking the best armchair by the fire and preparing for my first day of classes.

Hermione would be proud.

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