September – Sorting

After a long summer, Minerva was glad to be back in Hogwarts. She arrived home to the open arms of her parents and brothers before being sat down my her mother who demanded that she told her every single detail about her much-missed world. Minerva emptied her pockets of wizarding sweets, odd notes about spells or wand movements and dug out an issue of the Daily Prophet from her trunk.

She had expected that her brothers would be the ones who would want to know every single detail but shockingly, Minerva's mother was on the edge of her seat and listening carefully to Minerva's tales. Over the summer, she would find her mother flickering through her spell books, muttering the words to herself or tracing the illustrations with her finger. She found Minerva's wizard chess set and the two spent the entire evening playing. Now and again, she would steal one of Minerva's Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Bean and either swallow it happily or spit it out in disgust. One time, she even pulled out her wand and attempted the Patronus Charm, with Minerva's instructions.

Minerva's father had recovered from the Patronus shock in May and even laughed it off. Despite not liking magic, he still listened to Minerva as she told him about her time at Hogwarts. Pallas the cat was amazed by magic; he chased after Mrs McGonagall's owl patronus, he attempted to open Minerva's chocolate frogs with his claws and stared at the moving pictures in Minerva's books.

Eventually, Minerva asked if she could take Pallas to Hogwarts with her. Her father had been hesitant hat first, worried for the cat's safety but Minerva' mother allowed her to take him, knowing that the cat would be perfectly safe.

"Don't worry, Robert." She claimed. "I took a cat with me to Hogwarts and she was perfectly fine."

Minerva's younger brothers, Malcolm and Robert Junior, desperately wanted to know how their sister's new school was like. She described the castle to them: the tall towers, the mysterious Forbidden Forest, the fantastic Quidditch pitch, the amazing library, the interesting classes, etc. She explained them everything in great detail, from the subjects to their teachers, from staff to students.

"I can't wait to go to Hogwarts, Minerva." Whined Malcolm. Minerva chuckled and tousled his hair.

"Next year, Malcolm, just wait!" She told him, thankful that she got to go to Hogwarts first and wasn't tortured by the fact she'd have to wait until she attended.

Robert Junior frowned. "I have to wait another three years." He grumbled and crossed his arms in frustration.

Tears were unshed the day Minerva left to Kings Cross. Taking public transport, Minerva and her mother travelled to London after a teary goodbye to her brothers and father. Minerva had already read half of her new books and kept her nose stuck in A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, Part II while her mother read over her shoulder.

It had been a long summer, full of laughter and lazy days, and finally, Minerva was back at Hogwarts. She sat at Gryffindor table with her best friend, Jason Naugts, and a new friend, Tessie Davis. Excited about the new year, and partly glad they weren't the babies of the school anymore, they chatted to each other about Quidditch.

"My mother's given me her old one, the one she rode when she was in the Holyhead Harpies. It's brilliant!" He exclaimed. "I'm thinking about signing up for the Quidditch team, maybe a chaser. I've heard they've got a spot open because Elliot Saunders has gone now but they might choose an older student instead."

"You should still go for it," Tessie insisted.

Silence fell upon the Great Hall as the first years were marched through the doors, led by Professor Dumbledore, and up to the old stool in the front of the room. Minerva remembered her Sorting; she spent five and a half minutes with the dusty, ancient hat on her head, whispering into her ear. She was nervous, felt sick and frightened and wished nothing more than to leave it behind and hurry to her house.

Dumbledore unrolled the scroll and started calling out the names of the new students. Sirius Black became the first Slytherin, followed by two Ravenclaws Louise Bones and William Carmack. Michael Finnigan became the first Gryffindor, followed by Jessica Grimms who became the first Hufflepuff. The list continued:

"Grotto, Harold." "Ravenclaw!"

"Goyle, Peter." "Slytherin!"

"Hark, Thomas." "Slytherin!"

"Hooksman, Katie." "Gryffindor!"

Minerva cheered with the rest of her table as the new students joined their house. The list continued on, from Law to Lestrange, from Malfoy to Prewett, until it came down to one boy.

"Riddle, Tom."

A small, skinny boy stepped up to the stool. His black hair was slick back, his face pointed but ignorant. His robes weren't new and slightly oversized. He turned and sat on the stool, letting Minerva get a glimpse of his dark, intense eyes. The hat touched his head before it screamed out:

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table erupted in loud, welcoming their newest student. Minerva's eyes followed the strange boy, his face smug and delighted at the same time. She stared at him through the whole sorting, interested in his inhumane eyes. She had to admit, he was handsome but his eyes were cold and unloving.

Food appeared on the silver platters before Minerva could even register that the sorting was over. She snapped out of her trance and quickly ate, trying to ignore the strange Slytherin boy. As soon as she turned her head to her food, Riddle's eyes shot up and stared at her silky hair.