Aurora Black and the sorcerer's Stone

by Phoenixgrl15

Aurora has always known she was odd, but she never thought she was a witch. At least not until a professor from a school she has never heard about tells her she is. Now she is meeting a family she never knew she had and making friends with a boy with scar on his forehead, a girl with bushy hair, and a red head who is a master chess player. How will Hogwarts survive?

9. IX

The Sorting

The rest of the train ride went by smoothly, or it would have if Draco would have stayed away. But then, when has he ever done what Aurora wanted him to do, she thought with an eye roll.

While the boys were discussing Quidditch, something Ron was very distressed to learn Harry knew nothing about, the compartment doors opened with a bang. Aurora was very annoyed to find that Draco was standing in the doorway with his two buffoons.

He looked around the compartment stepping fully inside when he noticed Aurora.

"I guess you finally found a way to make father happy, haven't you?" Draco smirked at her before looking at Harry, "So it's you, is it? Harry Potter? Everyone is saying that Harry Potter is in this compartment."

Harry looked between Draco and Aurora before answering, "yes,"

"What are you doing here Draco?" Aurora asked highly bothered that he was there. He was for sure going to ruin everything and make Harry and Ron hate her if they found out how horrid her family really is.

"Introducing myself, dear cousin." He replied with a sneer, "Even you should know about proper manners considering your upbringing." Turing back to Harry he continued, "My name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy and these are Crabbe and Goyle."

Ron snorted when he heard Draco's name and Aurora saw her cousin's neck turn red. "Think my name is funny do you? No need to ask yours, red hair and secondhand robes, you must be a Weasley." Looking back at Harry he continued, "You'll soon find out some families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort, I can help you there." Draco held put a hand to Harry to shake.

Harry looked at Aurora's worried face and Ron's offended one and simply said, "I think I can tell who the wrong sort is myself, thanks"

Aurora beamed at Harry giggling when the red on Draco's neck spread to his cheeks.

"You'll do well to mind yourself Potter, your parents didn't know what was good for them either and look where they ended up."

Harry, Ron, and Aurora leapt from their seats anger shining form their eyes.

"How dare you!" Aurora hissed striding forward to be face to face with her cousin.

"Watch yourself cousin, you wouldn't want me to talk to Father about your disgraceful behavior now would you, I'm sure he would be most displeased." Draco hissed back glaring at her.

"Tell him whatever you want you prat, you have no right to mention his parents like that. They were heroes and the most your parents can brag about is knowing the right people at the right time!"

"You should show some more respect Aurora." Draco growled taking a step closer to Aurora, "My parents took you in when they could have left you rotting with some filthy muggles. Maybe they will put you back, it's not like there is anyone who would care if they did, it's not like your parents cared enough about you keep you in the first place."

Aurora flinched back at his words; they may have fought many times before, but never had Draco ever spoken to her with such contempt.

"Leave her alone" Harry said moving to stand with Aurora.

"Why, are you going to defend her honor Potter, going to fight me now?" Draco laughed

"Unless you leave now," Ron said his face as red as his hair, he to moving to stand besides Aurora making it so she had someone on either side of her. Aurora was astonished, she never has anyone stand with her to fight her battles before.

"But we don't feel like leaving do we boys?" Draco said laughing with a sneer, "After all, you have so many sweets, surely you can share." Just as Goyle was moving to reach for a sweet and Ron and Harry moved to stop him Goyle let out a very loud and high-pitched scream. Sometime, during the confrontation Scrubbers must have woken up from his nap and gone looking for food. Goyle's finger got in the way of the search.

Goyle's scream scared Draco and Crabbe so much they rushed to leave the compartment with Goyle quickly following after he shook of Scrubbers. Aurora, Harry, and Ron were dying laughing the entire time and Aurora moved forward to give Harry and Ron a hug as soon as she could breath.

"Thank you, you two!" Aurora said still giggling, "Draco can be horrid at times but I'm glad I didn't have to deal with him alone this time."

"No worries," Ron said cheeks blushing, "He's a prat, worse than Percy and I never thought I would say that."

"Yeah, we can't pick our families so don't worry about it." Harry said moving clutter from his previous seat.

"What has been going on!?" Hermione Granger exclaimed coming into the compartment again like she owned it. "

"Why are you here?" Aurora asked rolling her eyes, she never would have guessed a train ride would be so exciting.

"I could hear a ruckus all the way down the train," Hermione explained.

"Is Scrubbers ok?" Harry asked Ron when he saw Ron picking up his rat.

"I think he's knocked out… wait, no, I don't believe it! He went back to sleep!"

Aurora and Hermione looked at one another with a grimace, somehow Aurora couldn't find it in herself to care about the rat and she could tell Hermione wasn't too fond of it either. Maybe she wasn't so bad.

"Have you met my cousin before Harry?" Aurora asked turning back to Harry.

"I met him in Diagon Ally," Harry explained what had happen in the robe shop. This must have been what Draco had been talking about whenever he began to complain about some strange boy in Diagon.

"I've heard all about the Malfoy family," Ron said darkly, "They were one of the first people to come back to our side when You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they were bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it, says the Malfoy family didn't need an excuse to go to the dark side."

Aurora listened to everything Ron said with frown. Why would Dumbledore put her with a family that worked with Voldemort? Her parents were against him, died fighting the dark side. It didn't make any sense, but one thing Aurora did know was that she was not going to let the Malfoy's control her or her life.

"Can we help you?" Ron asked Hermione interrupting her thoughts.

"You haven't been fighting have you? You'll get in trouble before we even get to Hogwarts!"

"We haven't been fighting! Scrubbers has!"

Before anyone could say anything else a voice echoed through the train "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time, please leave all belongings in your compartments, they will be moved separately."

All four kids looked at each other wide eyed. They were finally here!

Five minutes later, all four stepped out of the compartment and saw that it was a mess of kids moving about trying to get off the train and find their friends.

"Where should we go?" Aurora asked in a whisper,

Almost in response they heard a voice boom out, Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

"That's Hagrid!" Harry exclaimed sounding relived. Aurora, Ron, and Hermione followed Harry to the biggest person Aurora had ever seen. He was huge with a massive beard covering the lower half of his face. But his eyes were deepest of browns and were twinkling as they landed on Harry.

"Harry! All right there?" Hagrid boomed, "Firs' years over here! Follow me!" An entire group of frightened looking children clustered around Hagrid.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight of Hogwarts in a moment!" After walking a little further, the group turned a corner and suddenly the breath was stolen from Aurora. A castle was shining from behind an enormous black lake. Once Aurora laid on the castle, she was hit with the strongest feeling of belonging and longing she has ever had. It was like a warm blanket was wrapped around her and she could feel everything. It was like in Ollivanders when her hand was hovering over the wand, the castle was speaking to her. She didn't know what it was saying, and it was almost overwhelming to feel so much magic at once but it also amazing. Aurora knew, right then, that Hogwarts was her home. She had finally come home.

"No more than four to a boat" Hagrid called out shaking Aurora from the feelings that were overtaking her. She blinked and it was like the night came alive with color. Everyone around her shined with light and the castle glowed a brilliant white that almost burned to look at. It hurt Aurora to keep her eyes open, she had to shut them, and her head throbbed with pain as it all became too much.

"Aurora?" A voice called her, it seemed so far away, and it only added to the pain going through her mind.
"Aurora," Another voice called to her, this one much closer than the last. "Aurora don't be afraid. Do not fight it. Let it flow through you."

"Was going on?" A load voice echoed through her mind…

"It will stop soon child, magic is welcoming you"

Almost as soon as it all started, it stopped.

"Are you ok?" Harry asked frantic as he looked her over, she didn't seem to be hurt but she had stopped walking all of a sudden and then dropped to the floor.

"Rora! Wa happened?" Hagrid said sounding anxious.

Aurora blinked, the colors that had blinded her before had dulled allowing her to see clearly, but they were still there. The pain in her head that seemed endless had stopped and in fact she felt refreshed almost like she had gotten a great night's sleep. She couldn't explain it to herself, let alone anyone else. But as she sat up, she noticed everyone staring her and felt mortified. She quickly stood up and dusted off her robes.

"I'm fine, I'm sorry, I don't know what happened but I'm ok." Aurora rushed out.

"Ma'be we should take ya to da infirmary" Hagrid said looking unsure.

"No!" Aurora exclaimed, "Please, I'm ok I promise. I want to be sorted with my friends!" Aurora looked close to tears as she thought about having to miss the most important moment of her life.

Hagrid looked unsure but nodded and said, "I'll hav ta talk to Dumbledore bout this, bu you can join ya friends in the boats."

"Thank you, Hagrid!" Aurora called hugging the gentle giant in her excitement.

"Are you sure you're ok Aurora?" Harry asked sounding worried for his new friend.

"Yes, I'm sure. I want to go to the sorting with everyone else." Aurora said moving past her friends and cousin to the boats. Draco moved to follow her, but Crabbe called his name making him hesitate and Harry, Ron, and Hermione went to join Aurora in the boat. Hagrid had one to himself and once he said, "Forward!" the boats started to drift forward towards the castle.

"What happened back there?" Ron asked holding on to the edge of the boat.

"I-I don't know exactly," Aurora answered avoiding everyone's eye, "but its over and I don't think it will happen again so its fine. Lets just focus on the sorting for now."

As the boat drifted slowly toward the castle, everyone in the boats stopped worrying about what happened to Aurora and started to worry about what was coming. Hogwarts loomed over their heads as they moved from the boats to some large double doors that lead to a woman in an emerald cloak with a stern face.

"You're late Hagrid," She said without welcome.

"Sorry bout that Professor McGonagall, slight trouble at da docks' bu I'll explain later." Hagrid answered before leaving the kids with Professor McGonagall.

Everyone moved deeper into the entrance hall where the professor was waiting. She then walked across the hall closer to where loud voices could be heard towards a small room just off another large set of doubles doors. Once everyone squeezed into the room, Professor McGonagall began speaking,

""Welcome to Hogwarts," She said before continuing, "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. 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 your house 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 you are waiting." At this point she stopped to stare at the dark mark on Ron's noise and the untucked shirts some of the other kids had. However, she did smile at Aurora and gave her an approving nod before saying, "I will return for you when we are ready," and leaving.

"How do they sort us exactly?" Harry asked nervously.

Aurora was about to answer when Ron cut her off and said in a rush, "I think it's a test, Fred told me that we might have to wrestle a troll."

"A troll?!" Aurora asked not knowing if she should laugh or correct him. Aurora figured if she let everyone worry about how they were going to be sorted they wouldn't think about what happened with her by the boats. 'best to let them worry, they'll find out soon enough anyways,' she thought.

"How are we going to beat a troll?" Harry asked again looking a little green. No one said anything, well no one but Hermione who was talking a mile a minute going over different spells and trying to figure out which one she would need.

Just then out of nowhere something happened that made several people scream and Aurora gasp in surprise. About twenty ghosts appeared from the far end in the room arguing about someone named "Peeves" but what more surprising to Aurora (other than seeing dead people) was that the light that she sees from everyone around her, was not present in the ghost. They were pearly-white and slightly transparent but there was no glow to them that Aurora has attributed to wizards and witches.

But she didn't have much time to ponder why they were different, they were dead after all, when Professor McGonagall came back and said the most frightening words she had ever heard.

"They are ready for you now."

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

Aurora stood between Harry and Ron and was barely breathing when they stepped foot into the great hall. There were four long tables where the older students sat, each table was decorated in either green, blue, red, or yellow and each was impressive in their own right. At the end of the hall stood a magnificent table where the staff sat, and in the center of the table Dumbledore sat looking at the first years as they marveled. What was most amazing was the ceiling of the room that was dotted with stars. Aurora could hear Hermione whispering to another girl, ""Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

Just as the group of first years reached the staffs table Aurora noticed a stool being placed in front of their line and Professor McGonagall placing an old and ratty wizards hats on the stool. "That must be the sorting hat," Aurora thought anxiously. She knew what was expected of her. She knew that the Malfoy's wanted her to be placed in Slytherin, but she didn't want that. But how could she make the hat place her in a different house? As the seconds ticked by Aurora grew more and more anxious.

Just then, a rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:

"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 folk 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 entire room erupted into applause for the hat's song. Ron glared cross the room at the table decorated in red, "I'm goanna kill Fred!" he muttered to Harry.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!" pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause —

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

It's going in alphabetical order, thought Aurora, that means,

"Black, Aurora!"

Aurora gasp out loud and she could feel all the blood leaving her face making her pale. Harry nudged her gently towards the chair and she took a deep breath before walking forward. She could feel the stares of the entire school and could feel the tension in the air her name had caused. People were whispering to their neighbors,

"Black did she say?"

"Why would Dumbledore let in their lot, do you think?"

"Think she's related to that Black?"

As she reached the stool she turned and sat down and had only a moment to see the faces of her fellow classmates when the hat was placed over her face. It was so big on her that is went down to the top of her chin.

"Well, well, well," Aurora heard a voice whisper in her ear, "It's been many a year since I've had the privilege to sort someone from your linage my lady,"

"Are you the hat?" Aurora thought.

"Yes," came the instant reply, "It is my duty to sort all who sit beneath me into the Hogwarts house that most suites them based on their character."

"How do you sort people, if you don't mind me asking?" Aurora questioned hoping to understand how she could avoid going to Slytherin. For while she felt she owed a lot to the Malfoy family for taking her in, she would NOT disgrace her parents by joining the house that Voldemort came from.

"You see, My Lady, everyone has certain attributes that determine their actions. It could be ambition that drives you to lead nations, it could be loyalty that makes you stand besides your friends to the end, or it could be a quick wit that prevents you from falling into danger. My job is to find this dominate attribute and to sort you correctly.

"What happens if you have more than one attribute?"

"I have never not been able to sort someone however difficult they may be. For while everyone may have multiple attributes there is always one that stands above all others."

"Which is mine?" She asked nervously,

"Ahh, you, My Lady, are quite difficult," the hat trilled, not unlike the way Ollivander did when she couldn't find her wand. "You have a great sense of loyalty to those you wish to give it to that would lead me to think of Hufflepuff, but you are not afraid to fight for what you want, sometimes at the expense of others which is a characteristic of Slytherin through and through. Yet there is no malice in your heart, no, if you fight it is because you truly believe it is the right thing to do, Godric would have loved to teach you the art of the duel. And while you hunger for knowledge, it is not because of a pure love of it but because you wish to learn of your family and why it is that you are so different even among magic folk."

"So where does that leave me?"

"My Lady, I am the sorting hat, but it is not my place to sort you. Your magic is supreme and mine cannot dictate where it would grow best. You decide and know that whichever house you choose, it will gain a wise, loyal, ambitious, and brave new member."

Aurora didn't know what to do. She had to pick, but the only place she had any knowledge of was Slytherin. Then, almost in desperation, she asked, "What house were my parents in?"

"My Lady, both your mother and Father were in Gryffindor."

"Well then, that's it. My house shall be-

Gryffindor"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

---

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I got some time off work and was able to write this chapter in a couple of days, the fastest I've been able to write in a long while! Anyways I hope you are all safe and able to spend the holiday with your family.

I'm excited that we are finally at Hogwarts and things can finally begin to happen! Aurora is in for a wild ride this year between helping Harry figure out the mystery of the sorcerer's stone and learning that even among wizards she is very different. Now because I know people will be wondering, yes I use some direct quotes from the book, HOWEVER this is Aurora's story and will therefore differ as her presence changes events and even people around her. While major plot lines will not change Aurora has her own journey to follow along side Harry.

Please review!