MERCY
Act I
ELEVEN | Sorting Hat
"I'd rather stick pins in my eyes."
TABITHA'S STOMACH LURCHED WITH NERVES as the train came to a stop. Even Harry and Ron looked pale. The boys crammed their pockets with their remaining sweets while Tabitha fiddled with her fingers, looking out at the dark platform that they had pulled up to.
Together they melded in with the thick throng of students that piled out into the cold. Tabitha pulled her robes tighter around her shivering frame. She huddled close to her brother. Students pushed their way across the platform with ease that Tabitha hoped to one day have.
Hagrid's face popped up above the crowd. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"
Harry slipped his hand around his sister's. He tugged her along gently and acted as a buffer between her and the other students. Hagrid spotted them being jostled around amongst their new peers and called out to the twins joyously. The familiarity comforted Tabitha enough for the lump constricting her throat to dwindle to the size of a pebble.
Slipping and stumbling, the first years followed Hagrid down a steep, narrow path lined with thick trees. Nobody spoke much once the platform vanished behind them and they separated from the older students. The silence did little to calm her lingering anxiety as it allowed her mind to start wandering.
Her fingers curled tighter around Harry's hand.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwars in a sec," announced Hagrid, "jus' round this bend here."
Tabitha felt her jaw slacken as the narrow path opened up onto the shore of a lake with water so dark it appeared black underneath the starry sky. Perched atop a high mountain on the opposite side sat an ornate castle with multiple towers and turrets. It conjured up mental depictions of fictitious castles which Tabitha had imagined when reading fairy tales. Buckingham Palace paled in comparison to the beauty of Hogwarts.
Hagrid pointed them towards a fleet of boats sitting in the water. The twins climbed into the first empty one they came across, with Ron and Hermione following suit. Tabitha found the motion of the idle bobbing a sour reminder of when Uncle Vernon had dragged them out to that wretched shack, how the waves had been so violent that night in the approaching storm that their boat had nearly capsized.
She swallowed down the encroaching nausea and focused on the castle as the boats glided across the glassy water on their own.
"I can't stop admiring it." The lights of the castle sparkled in the reflection of her eyes.
"It's so beautiful," agreed Hermione, "like something out of a fairy tale."
The fleet carried them through a curtain of ivy acting as a threshold to a dark tunnel. It opened up to some sort of underground harbor. Rocks and pebbles slipped and rolled beneath their feet as the first years climbed out of their respective boats. The passageway they clambered up next proved to be just as challenging.
Hagrid's lamp then led them out onto a smooth, damp area of grass directly in the castle's shadow. Tabitha craned her neck back to look up at it in awe. It looked much larger now, and she felt herself getting a little dizzy taking in the height of the towers and turrets. She rubbed her fingers against her robes nervously and lowered her focus to the flight of stone steps they walked up.
"Everyone here?" asked Hagrid.
He glanced at all of the young faces before raising a gigantic fist and knocking three times on the huge oak door. It swung open at once to reveal a tall witch with dark hair and a stern expression. Tabitha detected a warmth in her gaze that remained obscured behind their square lenses. While she knew immediately that this was not a woman to cross, she didn't feel nervous in her presence.
Hagrid grinned. "The firs' years, Professor McGonagall."
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
She pulled the door wide to reveal an entrance hall unlike anything the Potter twins had ever seen before. Flaming torches lit up the stone walls, the ceiling was too high up for them to even make out, and a magnificent marble staircase gave them access to the upper levels.
The first years followed the professor across the flagged stone floor. It sounded like the door to their right sheltered the rest of the school as nearly a hundred jovial voices seemed to carry out to them. Instead of joining them, they crowded into a small chamber off the hall, standing closer than normal as they all peered about nervously.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your Houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Now while you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you house points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup."
"Trevor!"
A boy with a round face and prominent ears jumped forward. He bent down and scooped up a toad that had been sitting at Professor McGonagall's feet. Tabitha presumed this was Neville, the boy that Hermione had been helping look for his toad on the Hogwarts Express. Professor McGonagall merely stared down at him disapprovingly while some of the other students laughed.
Neville apologized meekly and melted back into the crowd.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place momentarily in the Great Hall," said Professor McGonagall. "I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
Her gaze seemed to linger for a moment on the dirt smudged on Ron's nose before turning to the Potter twins. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair. Tabitha worried that she might have something on her face and rubbed at her cheeks, feeling the heat rising beneath the skin.
"I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."
Professor McGonagall left the chamber. A low murmur rumbled amongst the first years. The excitement and anticipation was palpable. Tabitha wished she could shove her nerves down far enough to where she could share in it, but the more her stomach twisted, the more she realized that she was lucky just to keep its contents down.
She pressed a hand against her stomach. The pressure, though faint, seemed to help calm the churning of her insides just enough for her to keep the bile from rising up the back of her throat.
Smoothing down the frizz of her hair, Hermione turned to her with a tentative smile. "Nervous?"
"Is it that noticeable?" Tabitha felt her lips curl up in a grimace.
"Just a bit. I'm a bit nervous myself. I've spent all summer preparing, of course; I've read through all of the material already. It's all quite fascinating."
Listening to Hermione ramble helped take the Potter girl's mind off of the ill thoughts. She felt comforted as she learned more about her peer. Part of her wondered if perhaps she was already making a friend—she'd never had a friend before, aside from Harry.
A boy with platinum hair and sharp features pushed his way through to the front of the crowd. Tabitha recognized him easily as the boy they had come across at Madam Malkin's in Diagon Alley. The two boys flanking either side were bigger than most of the first years in the crowd and had disdainful expressions.
"So it's true then, what they're saying on the train. Harry and Tabitha Potter have come to Hogwarts." The boy turned to face the twins as whispers erupted amongst the group. "This is Crabbe and Goyle. And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."
Ron snickered, and Draco immediately turned his icy gaze onto the gangly boy with a nasty sneer.
"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask yours. Red hair and a hand-me-down robe? You must be a Weasley." Draco turned his nose up at Ron and turned his attention back to the twins, both of whom regarded him coolly. "You both will soon find that some Wizarding families are better than others. Don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."
He extended his hand. Neither twin made a move to accept the offer.
Tabitha felt her skin crawl at the uncanny resemblance this boy had to their cousin. Arrogant and entitled with a superiority complex. She found herself wishing that they wouldn't be sorted into the same House as him or his friends. Ten years spent with Dudley tormenting her and her brother was more than enough punishment for whatever it was they had done in a past life.
"I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks," said Harry.
"I'd rather stick pins in my eyes," said Tabitha.
Draco's glare pierced through them as he dropped his hand. Professor McGonagall approached behind him. Her eyes took in the scene briefly before she tapped his shoulder with rolled up parchment. He left them with one final glare that had Tabitha rolling her eyes. It seemed he was just as childish as Dudley too.
"We're ready for you now," said the professor. "Follow me."
She led them through the double doors into the Great Hall. It was lit by thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables that were occupied by the other students. At the front was a fifth long table where the professors were sitting. The ceiling above mimicked the night sky. Tabitha stared up at the stars in awe to avoid looking at the hundreds of eyes focused on them as they made their way towards a stool. On top of the stool was a raggedy wizard's hat that was patched and frayed and seemed extremely dirty.
Aunt Petunia wouldn't have ever let such a thing near the house.
"It's not real, the ceiling," whispered Hermione. "It's just bewitched to look like the night sky."
Tabitha vaguely remembered reading something about that. She tore her eyes away from the velvety blackness stretched out above the Great Hall and glanced at the bushy-haired girl.
"Hogwarts: A History, right?" Hermione nodded and smiled, and it was then that Tabitha realized how large her front teeth were. "Well, it's still lovely to look at."
"I agree."
Professor McGonagall stepped up to stand beside the stool, leaving their group to stay standing in front of it. A long moment passed before the hat twitched and a rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth.
Then, it 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 hall burst into a round of thunderous applause as the hat finished its song.
"So we've just got to try on the hat!" whispered Ron. "I'm gonna kill Fred—he said we'd have to wrestle a troll!"
Harry smiled weakly. He felt the hat seemed to be asking an awful lot out of him. He didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at that moment. What would happen if the hat couldn't place him? Would they send him back home with the Dursleys? And what about Tabitha?
Sensing her brother's rising anxiety, Tabitha grabbed his hand comfortingly like he so often did for her. She squeezed it gently and gave him a small smile. Despite the gesture, Harry could still see her own nerves swirling within the depths of her dark green eyes, mixing with the anticipation to create a muddy pool of uncertainty.
Even in the midst of her own inner turmoil, she still tried to comfort him. Harry appreciated how she could drop anything she had going on just to make sure he was okay. Her concern for him rivaled his for her. They never would have made it this far without each other, and neither of them wanted to be separated; they needed each other.
Professor McGonagall held 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!"
A pink-faced girl stumbled up to the stool, put on the hat, and sat down. A moment passed as the hat fell over her eyes, and then—
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.
The yellow table to their right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Susan scuttled to sit next to Hannah.
"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
The blue table second from the left clapped; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.
Mandy Brocklehurst was the next Ravenclaw. Lavender Brown became the first Gryffindor of the year, and the red table on the far left exploded with cheers. Ron's twin brothers catcalled as Lavender found a seat next to the older students. Millicent Bulstrode was inducted as the first Slytherin. She went to join the green table at the far right.
The more names that were called out, the sicker that Harry and Tabitha both felt to their stomachs. Neither of them had ever been first choice when on teams in school. Dudley had their peers scared to think that anyone liked the Potter twins.
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Fighting down the urge to vomit, Tabitha barely noticed how the hat sometimes seemed to take a moment to think before sorting a student while it sorted others as soon as the hat touched their heads. It took a whole minute for Seamus Finnigan to be sorted into Gryffindor.
"Granger, Hermione!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Neville Longbottom joined Hermione at the Gryffindor table. Draco Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called, and the hat had barely touched his head before sorting him into Slytherin with his friends Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.
A few more names were called before it was Harry's turn. Tabitha gave his hand one last squeeze and offered him a smile she hoped was encouraging. He nodded briefly as he took a deep breath. As he stepped forward, whispers broke out across the hall.
Her heart fluttered like a hummingbird as they waited for the verdict.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The Gryffindor table burst out in the loudest cheer yet. Fred and George Weasley could be heard chanting, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"
Harry lifted the sorting hat off of his head and set it back down on the stool. His eyes found his sister's at the front of the crowd, and he could see how her anxiety elevated not having him at her side. He walked shakily towards the table and only removed his gaze from her when Percy Weasley shook his hand vigorously.
"Potter, Tabitha!"
The young witch let out a shaky breath before making her way up to the stool weakly. She felt the weight of everyone's eyes on her and heard the whispers speaking her name much like they had her brother's. Her palms sweated terribly, and it felt like she had been doused in icy water.
The last thing she saw before the hat dropped over her eyes was a hall full of students craning their necks to get a good look at her. For a long second, all she was met with was the blackness of the interior of the hat. She wasn't sure what to expect and nearly jumped when she heard a small voice inside her ear.
"Interesting. Very difficult as well, just like your brother. Even more so, I daresay. Let's see here . . . You have a brilliant mind, Miss Potter. Ravenclaw would suit you well. You're also kind and fiercely loyal, but you have a temper on you, don't you? Perhaps too much of one for you to thrive in Hufflepuff."
Tabitha shut her eyes tightly and pleaded silently to be placed with her brother.
"So you wish to be with your brother, You certainly possess the courage of a Gryffindor, but you are also headstrong, cunning even. You have a thirst to prove yourself, to prove your worth. You're destined for great things, Miss Potter. Now where to put you?"
Her hands wrung together nervously on her lap the longer the hat debated on where to put her. She swallowed around her dry mouth. Though glad she was not able to see all the students looking at her, she could still feel their eyes on her and hear their whispers.
"You will accomplish great things here at Hogwarts. It is just a matter of placing you in the right House for you to thrive. Better be—
"SLYTHERIN!"
Reviews
Kms1010
Thank you so much for thinking that Tabby is an interesting character. I hope that I can keep her interesting as the years go on (and there is so much more to her character that has not yet been discovered). Her story is definitely going to be different, and I do want her presence to have an impact on the events, though I only have a couple ideas so far for what I want to happen differently.
LairaCapulet
Yeah, I consulted the books for that time jump. It just makes more sense to at least mention the time between Diagon Alley and going to Hogwarts. Thank you for the input last time, really. I try to take all input and feedback into consideration. I hope that you can still find interest in this story.
Author's Note
I'm back! At least for right now. I know it's been months since I've updated, but my life has been sort of chaotic, for lack of a better word. Between work and battling with various mental illnesses, I haven't had the inspiration to continue this story. But I didn't want to abandon it all together. Thank you so much for everyone who has commented over the past few months. I hope that you all will still look forward to updates, and I apologize if I've let anyone down with the lack of updates. I don't want to abandon this story. I do want to finish it and show you all Tabitha's journey.
Please don't take offense if I do not address your review. I appreciate every one I get, and I often go back and reread all of them. I just don't know how to answer every single one without repeating myself consistently. I prefer to thank each and every one of you through these notes. That being said, don't be afraid to continue to leave reviews, even if it's just to tell me that you didn't like the chapter or if you have any suggestions for how I can improve.