Chapter 9: A Singing Hat Chooses My Dorm
Word Count: 3,908
Recap: You would think it'd be smooth sailing toward Hogwarts. Clearly that was not the case of the Griffin's claw mark on my shoulder could tell you anything.
Bu this just proves it'd be one hell of a year in Hogwarts with me around.
When the train finally shook to a stop, I was woken up by Lily's voice and her rough shaking. There was a look of glee on her that quickly switches to concern, and I knew I looked worse for wear despite resting up. Gazing down at my right shoulder, I was reminded that I had changed into my robes, concealing the fact I had been attacked by a homicidal greek monster.
"We're here, we're finally here!" Sev excitedly told us.
And indeed we're here. Stopping at a station where it was flooded with students. I found myself looking up at the sky and hitch a breath at how clear it was. I could see the blinking constellation of Heracles, who I scowled at the Jerk, at the unicorn, and even found Aquarius among the midst.
'But no Zoë...'
For a moment, that thought invited another wave of homesickness. I was reminded back of the New York's skyline and the high buildings that stretched all over the city, it's buzzing park, and the familiar scent of filthy rivers. Of my mom carrying my future sister inside her, of Paul who always seemed to believe that I'll come back, at my Father who felt further away from me than I ever. Not just because I was in the past, but because how I felt more lost of his invisible connection of the sea that seem to vibrates around me, telling me that he was always there.
It dawned on me how I was really on my own and tried to push aside that thought away.
Okay Percy, you know about this already and don't forget you have Hecate on your side so think positive!
We joined the crowd gushing through the corridor and out on a tiny dark platform. Day had turned to night and a voice was bellowing "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! Come along you lot!"
The three of us turned toward the voice and I choked at a giant! Well. . .a half giant size person hairy person perhaps because he was biggest person I've ever seen, but calling him giant might be too insulting. Though I wasn't sure if he was truly human.
"Mind yer step, now ev'ryone! C'mon, follow me, Firs' years follow me!"
Slipping and stumbling, we all followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was dark on either side that lily held on to both me and Sev for comfort. I confessed my gut was churning in unease, the trees were thick enough to cover our sight but I would go past them as if there were magical creatures or the like, just watching us out of sight.
Then the big hairy man bellowed once more, "Wel'ome to Hogwarts, my nem's Hagrid and I'm er Keeper o' keys and groundskeeper o' Hogwarts, nice to meet all of yeh. Now move along er lot of yeh or ye'll miss dinner!" and all that morbid thought was washed away at the sight I was seeing, a collective "ooooh" rang out around us as we eyed the vast castle with many turrets and towers perched on a mountain. My first thought would have been 'Annabeth would have killed to see this.' My second thought was something along the line of 'Whoa.'
Yeah, not a very intelligent response.
"No more'n four to a boat!" The hairy man called out. The three of us immediately got in the nearest empty boat, followed by one other kid. A girl with pale blonde hair tied in bun, she has hazel almond shaped eyes, and sharp nose.
Lily, who was still transfixed at the ever looming castle, first broke the silence out of the four of us. "This is amazing..." the girl looked up following Lily gaze.
"Definitely amazing up close" she softly agreed with her. Turning Lily's attention from the castle to her, and took her response probably as greenlight for making friends with her.
"You've been here?" Lily asked curiously.
"No, only ever looked from as far as Hogsmeade."
"Hog-where?" I asked the unknown girl.
"It's the place we arrive at Percy, honestly you should pay attention more," Sev answered for me with a typical eye-roll as follow up.
"Hey, ADHD remember?"
"So, what's your name?" Lily asked the newcomer, ignoring us as she always had most of the time.
The girl looked uneasily at me and Sev who are still bickering, "MG, just call me MG." She shook Lily's outstretched hand.
"Hi, my name is Lily, Lily Evans. These two are my friends, Percy Jackson and Severus Snape."
"MG. . .is that a nickname or initial?" I tried asking.
"The answer is none of your business." Ouch, grouchy, must have touched a sensitive subject. As curious as I am of the name, I guess I should stay away from that particular topic.
So, to lighten the mood, I would have changed the subject. But then we felt a nudge at our boat. The rocking wasn't rough so we weren't that surprised nor were we panicking, but we did start to look down at the jet black water, trying to find hints of any anything that could have rocked us.
"Did we hit anything?" MG asked, looking around with wary gaze.
"I don't think so," I answered. "Even if there is, we barely could see anythi...HELLO!" The rest of the three were surprised by my sudden outburst that almost made them jumped alongside of me.
"What...what's wrong?" Sev asked.
"I might either be either wrong or hallucinating," I admitted shakily.
"Huh, Percy what are you talking about?" Lily asked, worried etched on her face.
"Just tell us what you see!" MG demanded.
"It's. . . kind of hard to believe a school would think a kraken would make a good pet in their lake." Lily and Sev froze from my answer while MG still looked confused.
"Oh right, you don't know most Muggle Stories. Well to enlighten you, muggles have stories from the sea that often people took as fact or legends, one of those presume legends..." as if on cue, a 10 foot long tentacle shot out from the lake, causing screams from all the first years, "Is a giant squid capable of sinking down ships" I finished.
Lily, Sev, and MG began screaming their tops off that I felt my ears ringing. I had my fingertips touch the water and relay my thoughts through it. 'Thanks for that Greg, because that display you showed was just awesome!'
'To aid the son of the Sea Lord is nothing less than a pleasure, I wish you a safe year Young Demigod.'
'Thanks, but we both know that's just wishful thinking, also you can drop the formal act and and call me Percy.'
'Nonsense, it is disrespectful for calling you anything less formal then My Lord.'
'Okay...whatever you say Greg.'
The tentacle retracted just as quickly, and I had to put effort hiding my snigger, "Don' yeh firs' year worry yer little head off, that was just Greg the Giant Squid, he won' hur' a fly." The big hairy man informed us with a toothy smile.
The first years didn't look one bit convinced, which was hilarious to me. (Pshhhh… Son of Poseidon here! Oh right it's a secret.)
Once we arrived at shore, we walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door which the hairy man knocked three times. The door swung opened and there, standing upright waiting for us in a stern look that I had familiarize with my time from multiple schools, was a witch dressed in emerald robe that I knew was a teacher in first sight. I turned to my side to find MG being the only one who looked at her with conflicted look. I wasn't sure. She could have just been feeling nervous or troubled with the woman's particular character. Either way, she didn't look good seeing the black haired woman.
"Thank you as always Hagrid, First Years follow me!" said the stern woman. We followed her through the stone castle, despite having only a torches on the wall as the only source of light, the hall looked brighter, but not enough to not give off a goth vibe that Thalia would certainly have appreciated. What took my notice the longest, was that here was the old magic surrounding this castle that reminded me of the labyrinth. Not ancient magic like the gods had, but more of an old magic. I don't think I'd be surprised if they say the castle was alive!
Okay, maybe a bit surprised.
We crowded onto a an empty chamber where the woman began introducing herself as Professor McGonagall, she began explaining the sorting, houses, house points, it wasn't anything too different with how the camp works so I had began tuning her long speech. She then left us to our own advice until the sorting began where someone then yelled from behind me.
"YOU!" Sirius called out, loud enough to get the rest to look at the source and witness him pointing at me - or is it generally the three of us? I couldn't quite tell. He walked toward us with James on tow and I dread how this will work out.
I tried to feign ignorance by looking around and when they stopped short in front of me, I pointed at myself, "Me?"
Sirius looked like a flailing fish and wasn't sure what to say as he gestured to all three of us, "You...what did...how did...explain what happened!"
I wasn't sure what to say, I'm not the best liar and I doubt I could explain why griffin attack innocent first year like us, or more importantly how I was able to cut one of its leg off.
Fortunately I didn't need to, "Explain what?" Sev said with questioning tone. Lily and me turned to him with mix look of concern and confusion until the wink showed he knew what he was doing.
"What else? I'm talking about that griffin that attack us!" James voice caught the other kids lurking around us.
"Griffin? Did we by chance pass by a griffin Percy?" Sev asked 'innocently' then I knew where this was going and I had to hold back a smile.
"No, I don't think we did Severus." I shrugged 'helplessly'.
"That's a shame, I've always wanted to see one you know...being a muggleborn and all." Lily followed up, sighing forlornly.
The two douchebags was beginning to doubt himself from our words but they weren't through yet, "Bu...but...but you...don't play dumb you three, there was a griffin...it attacked us...and YOU!" Sirius pointed at me. "You cut its leg off!"
Us three exchanged concerned look and back to him. "So what you're saying is a regularly monitored beast by the ministry was on the loose, attacked our compartment without reason or anyone noticing on the train, and Percy here." Sev gestured his hand at me, "A half-blood on his first year that barely knew any spell somehow...cut a highly dangerous beast most adults have problem, is that right?"
When you say it like that, it does sound ridiculous. I heard snickering and whispering around us and the two boys were looking red but damn if they weren't persistent. "Shut up." James said, "We...we know what we saw, he was swinging a sword and he..." oh he tried to be sure of himself, but his tone weakened and sounded doubtful until Lily hammered the last nail.
"Then I'm not sure what to say other than you're dreaming or hallucinating because Percy here doesn't have a weapon and I don't think the teachers here would be happy if he was carrying a sharp object around school. Besides, there's no place for him to hide a sword around his uniform, yes?"
Both of them were at lost for words as no rebuttal was voiced out, Professor McGonagall then came in the right time to shut us all up and urged us to get in line. It took the three of us all 10 seconds before we silently broke out snickering between ourselves.
"Did you see the look on everyone's face? They all thought those two were mad!" Sev breathed out between choked laughter.
"And the look of those two, when we played innocent, oh god they were hilarious." Lily snickered back.
"I know, it was awesome, and thanks for backing me up Severus."
"And get them embarasses themselves? Anytime Percy."
Our snickering stopped short when we entered the Great Hall. I blinked in awe and I was half conscious that my mouth was gasping at the sight of hundreds of candles floating midair, glittering plates and goblet filled the four table where the rest of the students were and the table at the top of the hall. I then noticed sitting at the middle of the table was Professor Dumbledore, sitting with bemused smile and twinkling eyes as he combed his long silver beard with his hand.
Oh yeah, definitely related to Gandalf.
Professor McGonagall put a four legged stool in front of the first years and placed "A...hat?" I examined before I could hide my surprise. I mean, it's only a dirty, old, patched up wizard hat. Aren't we going to be sorted?
My question was answered when the hat twitched. Yes, twitched and I wasn't hallucinating, thankfully, then a rip near its beam opened wide and out of all things I could think the hat would say, singing was the middle thing I had in mind.
"Welcome young, welcome old
and listen to me closely.
You can try to search the end of earth-
But no hat will be as nosey.
Instead of covering your head
I will have your thoughts a'bare
But don't you worry, your secrets are with me
If you want your house declare.
Gryffindor you want to be
where courageous lions stand.
Audacious, daring they ought to be
and together they will band.
There's Hufflepuff you try to be,
where fair badgers smile.
You always find one true and loyal
just within a mile.
Then Slytherin you will be,
where ambitious snakes aim.
A crafty folk they strive to be,
and achieve anything they claim.
And Ravenclaw you would be,
where wise eagles lay.
Never think they think the same
with those cleverness they display.
Oh goodness me I had forgot!
You still don't know who I am,
Well put me on, I'm the Sorting Hat
And I'm anything but a sham."
The hall burst into applause and the hat bowed to each of the table, "Huh, a talking singing hat, that's new." I mumbled under my breath.
"When I call your name, you will sit on the stool and the hat will sort you!" Said the black haired professor. She unrolled a long parchment and began calling out their names.
"Avery, Johan."
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Beed, Angela"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Oh thank god we only need to try the hat, I thought we were going to have a test or something" Lily voiced out her thought with her hand on her chest. "Maybe like a job interview."
"Of course not, it's a wonder half the first years here know any decent spell, not everyone is as eager as you Lily." Sev said to her which made her smile in response and Sev blushed. I rolled my eyes fondly at my two friends, but frowned at the thought Lily would marry James in the future. He did seemed fine when we talked to each other at first, but why did his attitude change from the mention of Slytherin? They can't be all that bad.
I was suddenly reminded of Nico and his father, Hades. Hades was somewhat outcasted despite being an olympian just because he ruled over the dead. He didn't have a cabin then until the Oath, even though Hera had one despite being honorary and she was a maiden god!
The fact that Hades's children fatal flaw is holding a grudge didn't make things better.
I wonder if Slytherin had to suffer the same kind of treatment, I turned to Sev and hope beyond hoped nothing bad would happened to the kid if he was placed there.
"Black, Sirius"
I instinctively looked up at the familiar name, the slick haired boy got on the stool and wore the hat that almost obscure his eyes. "So he was from the Black Family" Sev mused softly.
"You know them?"
"Well yeah, they're part of the Sacred 28." He said it to me like I should know what it is, but seeing I knew my expression screamed confused without seeing, he began explaining it to me, "It's the 28 families in the wizarding world that still remain pure-blood by 1930, the Black family is one the few family that still is and there family all had Slytherin but..."
"GRYFFINDOR"
I hadn't pay the crowd attention much, but the crowd cheers were...dispersed. The Slytherin table had a half hearted clapping but mostly were whispering among themselves and the Gryffindor table where half clapping vigorously and half were clapping with bemused look. What got my attention most was Sirius, he himself was grinning ear to ear like he was given his first birthday present.
"Dawlish, John."
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Dearborn, Caradoc."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Hey Sev, what were you about to say before, about the Black Family?"
Sev blinked away from the Gryffindor table and back to me, "Ah, they're just rumour though, but I heard if someone from their family was placed other than Slytherin they'd get disowned."
My attention went back to Sirius, he didn't look like he was worried, he looked happy there even. Maybe Sev was wrong, maybe it really is just a rumour. I mean, I don't like the kid but no one deserve getting disown from their own family. Even the gods wouldn't go that far and he's still just a kid, surely his family aren't that extreme. That's just ridiculous.
For some reason, that last thought felt hollow to me.
"Evans, Lily."
Immediately both of us had our head snapped back front, Lily made one last look at us two and headed toward the stool. She wasn't hiding how nervous she look but after few words exchanged by the professor had somehow calmed her down. She put the hat down only for a moment before it shouted 'GRYFFINDOR!'
I clapped along with the other students now that she was sorted in her own house. I gave her a thumbs out when we locked eyes but her smile turned forced midway. I knew why so I couldn't help the sympathetic look I had toward Sev who looked miserable.
"Cheer up Sev, it's not the end of the world."
"But out of all houses Percy, it had to be Gryffindor!" He groaned out loud.
"Fawley, Gwendelyn."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
I turned to the newly dub Hufflepuff girl who ran and hug someone from the same table, possibly sisters. There were few other names called out like Greengrass, Hamsworth, Howard, until finally...
"Jackson, Perseus."
I gulped, and suddenly I felt an all too familiar churning deep down in my gut as I wondered where I'll be placed at, ideally being in the same house as Lily to have better watch on her, but the more my feet got closer to the hat, I was reminded of the first few days I had in camp. How edgy I was whether I'll fit in or not, the anxious thought whenever I'll get claimed by my dad or not, to find a place just for me. I sat on the stool and everything went dark with the hat over me.
'Well what'd you know, another demigod...I haven't seen another one of you in years!'
I jumped at the resounding voice in my head, I knew from the song he would read my mind or something of the like but this still feels weird. My thought went in panic mode and string out word of curses at myself that I didn't take it much thought and now my secret might be exposed.
'Oh calm your tits lad, I ain't going to blab your thoughts aloud. If you had noticed my sorting, I meant what I said in my song that not a soul but me would know you're from the future sent by the gods themselves to correct the past and that you've gone to...my word two Great Wars! I'm not sure if you're dastardly lucky to survive or not for getting involved'
'You and me both, so...just to be clear, if anyone found out and they got it from you, you'll do know I can make sure you could never sing a word again, capiche?'
'I know enough from your head you would follow your word.' The hat began to hummed in thought- or in my thought in this case.
'Hmm, an interesting case aren't you? Clever, but certainly not a Ravenclaw material. I could see you in Slytherin yes...you've fought many battles for someone so young with your cunning thought and resourcefulness, a lack of ambition but you'll do great there. Perhaps Gryffindor, your recklessness and bravery knows no bound you get all sorts of trouble with the lot, that I'm sure. Or Hufflepuff where one loyal and just as you would fit in, you brought fairness for all gods and demigods, my...Helga would be beaming to have you in her house'
'So. . .what's the verdict?'
The Hat hummed in thought, assessing me deeply 'I have to say you're one of the trickiest mind, especially when you're mentally seventeen, it gets harder when one thoughts became much more complex as they get older and you're one of the most complex one I knew. You may be Simple-minded Oaf at first glance…'
'Hey, I take offence to that!'
'...but you're more complicated than that. Oh yes, I see darkness stirring inside you. If left uncheck, then one wrong step out of line from anyone and you'll be no different to a storm hurricane to those around you.'
The hat's perception of me sent chills down my spine and I was about to retort with a laugh of how wrong he was about me but only managed an air choke, the corner of mind made cold whisper of agreement and I shook it off by diverting the subject.
'Can't you just put me with me Lily? At least I could run my quest easier that way.'
'Don't insult me boy! Whether you're a hero, a villain, a wizard or a muggle, do not tell me how to do my job I was made for, not even from the whim of a boy or by the gods.'
I took note of that, and realized what I asked may have been unreasonable. I'm not sure how he's made with magic, but he was created for the sole purpose of sorting and hundreds or maybe thousand of years he did that, so asking to place me out of convenience may have really been insulting.
'Right, sorry about that, carry on.'
'...I know just the place for you, oh yes you will be-'