Chapter 21
September 1st, 1991-The Great Hall, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Somewhere in Scotland
Harry was less nervous than the people around him as he waited for his turn to be Sorted. He was too busy thinking about everything that Patricia had told him. Granted she had admitted herself that she didn't know much about his parents, but it was more than he had known before. He hadn't even known that his mother had red hair! What if he had gotten red hair? Maybe it would have behaved better than his hair did.
Hermione Granger, who had showed up at their compartment with Neville Longbottom about halfway through the trip looking for Neville's toad, was the first of the people Harry had met to be called up. She sat on the stool with the Sorting Hat over her eyes for almost a minute before the Hat yelled out, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry looked over at the Ravenclaw table. Patricia had been certain that Hermione would be in Ravenclaw. She looked shocked, but seemed to be clapping as loudly as she could.
Neville Longbottom was the next person Harry knew to be Sorted. He was on the stool for only a few seconds before the hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!" again. He stood up and appeared to be ready to run to the Gryffindor table with the Hat still on his head when the entire hall was filled with a hissing noise, like a snake. Hundreds of raspy voices spoke, ringing throughout the hall even though they sounded like they hadn't been used in years.
"Bane of the Heir, prepare!"
Then yells came from the Ravenclaw table as Patricia fell sideways out of her seat and hit her head on the floor.
September 2nd, 1991-The Hospital Wing, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Somewhere in Scotland
"Patricia Adhara Stimpson-Black, I swear if you do not wake up before Potions—"
Patricia pried her eyes open and muttered, "I'm awake, Grace. Don't yell."
She blinked and looked around. She was in the hospital wing. Great. Usually Fred and George were the first to have to be tended to by Madam Pomfrey, be it from Quidditch practice, fighting with Slytherins, or an experiment gone wrong. They would never let her live this down.
"What happened?"
Grace, Noe, and Violet looked at each other over Patricia's head.
"Professor Babbling said that it was a prophecy," Violet told her.
"That what was a prophecy?"
"What you said during the Sorting."
"What did I say?"
"'Bane of the Heir, prepare,'" Grace quoted.
"I don't remember that," Patricia said, scrunching her face. "Hang on, did you say during the Sorting? Did I miss Lisa and Harry getting Sorted?"
Her roommates nodded and Patricia groaned.
"Lisa's in Ravenclaw and Harry's in Gryffindor," Noe said helpfully.
"Professor Babbling said you probably wouldn't remember," Grace said. "She told us to tell you to go to her office as soon as Madam Pomfrey lets you out."
"So around Hallowe'en then?"
They all laughed. Grace rubbed her eyes and checked her watch. She frowned.
"We've got potions now. We're with Gryffindor this year, somehow."
"Maybe Professor Snape got tired of his classroom getting blown up," Patricia suggested.
"Who knows?"
Grace stood and Violet and Noe followed her lead. "We'll be back if you're not out by lunch," Grace promised.
Patricia nodded. "Tell the boys I say hi."
The minute her friends were gone, Madam Pomfrey swooped down on Patricia with a handful of potion bottles and sharp reprimands for landing in the Hospital Wing before the semester even started.
"I'll send for a House Elf to bring you breakfast," she said at last, "and then you must go to sleep. You need rest."
"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," Patricia said, knowing that there was no point arguing with the mediwitch.
"Blinky is bringing missy Patty her breakfast," Blinky the house-elf announced as she Apparated into the room. "The house-elves is wanting missy Patty to feel better soon."
Patricia smiled. "Thank you, Blinky. Does that have anything to do with keeping Fred and George under control?"
Blinky grinned. "Only a little, missy Patty. The Misters Weasley is already planning something big."
"Oh dear. Thank you for the warning, Blinky."
"Blinky is welcome. Blinky must be going back to the kitchens now. Nod will be coming to pick up missy Patty's dishes."
"See you later, Blinky."
The house-elf Disapparated and Patricia slowly ate the porridge she had brought. Then she put the bowl aside and almost immediately fell asleep.
A/n: I apologize for how short this is compared to normal, but A) I was feeling bad about not posting for so long and B) I'm having awful writer's block.
-Cynder2013