Chapter 8 The Sorting Feast 1971

01st September 1971

They were walking into the waiting chamber for the great hall. James and Remus were walking in front of her and Sirius.

He looked at her nervously "I don't want to be in Slytherin." He told her quietly.

She squeezed Sirius's hand gently "the sorting hat will decide that for you" Rachele replied her cool mask of in difference firmly in place. She was just as nervous as Sirius.

Rachele dropped Sirius's hand as a tall woman with a severe bun walked to the chamber cutting their conversation short.

"In a line please. Single file. Welcome to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. I am Professor McGonagall I am the deputy headmistress and head of Gryffindor house. Stay in a line we will be going into the main hall for your sorting." The no nonsense professor told the group of eleven-year olds as the doors opened and they all filed into the great hall.

Rachele couldn't help but feel like there was something bad coming around the corner. She felt like there was some sort of crisis that she hadn't stopped from happening. She was so caught up in her worried thoughts she missed the first few to be sorted.

"BLACK, SIRIUS" Professor McGonagall called. They made a brief eye-contact. She knew now what the crisis was. Maybe she thought she should have put the hit out on Walburga before they left for Hogwarts. Sirius didn't want Slytherin, he wanted Gryffindor.

McGonagall played the hat on Sirius's head and she felt he blood run cold and a dread seep into her veins

"GRYFFINDOR" it called out. Sirius looked at her. He knew the same as she did. Walburga would go mental.

Rachele almost missed her name as McGonagall called it out, she was too busy going through contingence plans and was to stop Walburga from maiming Sirius when the git home. Rachele glided up to the stool and McGonagall placed the hat on her head.

"My, my, aren't you are an interesting one" the cap spoke into her head.

"Are you the sorting hat?" she asked it.

It let out what she considered to be a chuckle "I am look at you, enough cunning to be great in Slyth- "

"No!" she interrupted "Put me in Gryffindor with Sirius"

"Are you sure?" asked the hat "Slytherin or Hufflepuff would be a great fit, cunning enough for Slytherin, loyal enough for Hufflepuff"

"You are putting me in Gryffindor" she demanded.

"very well then it has to be GRYFFINDOR" called the hat out loud.

Rachele jumped of the chair and glided gracefully off to the Gryffindor table and sat next to Sirius, who immediately relaxed.

"My name is Lily Evans" said the girl with red hair opposite her, excitedly.

"A pleasure I am Rachele Montague" she replied coolly.

The rest of the feast went quietly. James and Remus were also sorted into Gryffindor along with a Peter Pettigrew whom Rachele wish she liked, but all her instincts told her to stay away from. The four dorm mates looked like they would become fast friends.

She would be sharing a dorm with Lily Evans, who James kept harassing. Alice Selwyn, a kind blond witch who had a smile on her face the entire feast. And a Marline McKinnon, a brunet that love to talk about muggle make up. She wondered if Lily knew she was the only muggle born in this year of Gryffindor. They were all engaged in a conversation about muggle makeup versus magical charms, that Rachele found she really wasn't interested in. Not that the girls were trying to include her.

-/-

02nd September 1971

Breakfast the following morning was a subdued affair. Sirius sat himself down next to Rachele with a quiet "morning". They both knew what was coming. Walburga would send a howler. Rachele wondered which of the spells Mamma had taught her would destroy the mail.

She saw one of the Black's owls arrive into the great hall and swoop down dropping the red envelope down on the table between them. She looked at Sirius and held his hand under table at the envelope came to like and Walburga shrill voice echoed in the now silent great hall.

"SIRUIS ORION BLACK,

HOW DARE YOU DISGRACE THE MOST ACIENENT AND NOBLE HOUSE OF BLACK BY BEING SORTED INTO GRYFFINDOR AND ASSOCIATING WITH MUDBLOODS AND BLOOD TRAITORS! I OUGHT DISOWN YOU THIS VERY MOMENT YOU HAVE BROUGHT NOTHING BUT SHAME TO THE GREAT HOUSE OF BLACK WHEN YOU COME HOME I WILL- "

"Incendio" the howler burst into flames and the table of Gryffindor's looked at Rachele who was still stood wand pointed at the now burning howler.

"She was putting me off my breakfast" she informed them coolly as the howler burnt into nothingness on Sirius's plate. Sirius shot her a grateful look. And when she sat squeezed her hand under the table as a thanks.

"where did you learn that? That wasn't a first-year spell" demanded Evans one of her room mates.

"I was tutored before Hogwarts. It was one of the spells I was taught then" she relied flippantly Evans looked at her distrustfully. Not believing her reply.

As they finished up with breakfast, McGonagall came around handing out the timetables for the year.