I do not own Harry Potter
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Chapter 8
Anya had her blue eyes locked onto the passing scenery, ignoring the others sitting around her. She wasn't interested in starting conversations with them. She was only here because she was forced to be. Her time would be spent learning everything she could about the time she was in and about her father's whereabouts.
She vaguely heard the others conversing but didn't pay much attention to what they were saying, until she saw the blonde girl staring at her. She met her eyes steadily, showing that she was unafraid of the unbroken eye contact most people would shy away from.
They kept eye contact for a few tense minutes, before Luna turned her eyes towards Potter and the nervous boy. Anya rolled her eyes and once again looked out the window, trying to lose herself in her thoughts.
She couldn't help the shocked the gasp coming from her lips when she felt something hot splash onto the back of her head. She immediately whipped around with her wand in her hand, ready to retaliate against whatever had attacked her. When she didn't see anyone else with their wands pointed towards her, she noticed there was a thick, green, horrid smelling liquid that covered the compartment.
Ginny had only gotten some in her hair, Luna manage to escape most of it as well while Potter and Longbottom seemed to have gotten the worst, with their faces full of the mysterious liquid.
"What the hell?" Anya spat at Neville, who was holding onto a plant and had a rather guilty expression on his face.
"I-I'm sorry! I haven't tried it before! I didn't think it would explode the way it did! It's only a Stinksap, so it's not poisonous." He quickly explained, while Potter spit a mouthful onto the floor.
Anya was ready to hex him when the compartment door opened. "Oh…hello, Harry. Is it a bad time?" A dark-haired girl was standing at the door, a nervous expression on her pale face. Anya briefly acknowledge the girl's presence before she waved her wand to clean herself, Ginny, Luna and the compartment of the stinky mess, leaving the boys still covered in it.
Harry switched the toad he was holding into one hand and used his now empty one to clean his glasses before responding, "Oh…hi."
"Um…well just thought I'd say hello… bye, then" She closed the door and quickly departed. Anya scuffed and turned to face Ginny with an unimpressed look on her face.
"Are all of you Hogwarts students so nervous? I've met two now outside of your family that have the demeanor of a dandelion." She said with a pointed look in Neville's direction, causing a blush to erupt on his cheeks.
"That's Cho Change, she's only like that because she's got a crush on Harry. Be nice to Neville though, he means well." Ginny scolded Anya with a slight giggle.
Harry seemed to finally realize that him and Neville were the only one's still covered in the Stinksap, and he looked around confused. "Where'd it all goes? Why is it still on us?"
"I scourgified it. I didn't feel like cleaning the two of you though, figured you could do it yourselves." Anya said with a hint of attitude, causing Harry to glare at the girl.
Before he could open his mouth to respond, Ginny spoke, "Never mind that. Look, I can clean it off easily. Scourgify!"
"Sorry" Neville once again apologized quietly. Anya rolled her eyes and went back to ignoring the others sitting around her. It was nearly an hour before the compartment was opened again, this time it being Ron and Hermione.
Ron placed Pigwidgeon on the rack next to Hedwig, before throwing himself into the seat between Harry and Anya, resulting the girl's shoulder being shoved into the wall. She scowled at the red head but decided to save herself an argument and turned to face Hermione who had sat between Ginny and the wall closest to the door.
"Guess who the Slytherin prefect is?" Ron said, with his eyes closed.
"Malfoy," Harry replied quickly.
"'Course," Ron responded bitterly, eating a chocolate frog that had been given to him.
Anya raised her eyebrow at the name. Malfoy? They were some of her father's supporters in England. Maybe they could be allies to her? However, she remembered that they were never open about their support; the Blacks easily overshadowed them when it came to acknowledging her father's efforts.
"And that complete cow Pansy Parkinson," Hermione added viciously. "How she got to be a prefect when she's thicker than a concussed troll…"
"What's a prefect?" Anya added before they could keep going on about Malfoy and Parkinson. Everyone turned to look at her. Luna only glanced before turning to her magazine, Ginny looked like she was going to giggle, Hermione looked affronted and Ron and Harry looked at her like she was a complete idiot, Neville kept his eyes away from Anya's direction.
"You don't know what a prefect is? How thick are you?" Ron asked nastily, causing Anya to shoot him a cold glare. "In case you forgot, Weasley. I was homeschooled." Her voice was cold and sharp.
"Should have probably stayed that way…" He muttered, turning away from her.
"Ronald!" Hermione snapped at the boy before turning to look at Anya. "Prefects are fifth years that are given responsibilities by their Heads of Houses. We get some authority over other students who are breaking the rules. One boy and one girl get chosen from every house."
Anya nodded, showing that she understood. Before she could turn away again, Hermione's cat jumped from the curly haired girl's lap and into Anya's. Anya was quick to pet the cat and wrap him in her arms. She had grown close to the orange feline during her stay at Grimmauld place.
"Who's Hufflepuff?" Harry asked, starting up the conversation from where it had left off.
"Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott," Ron said.
"And Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil for Ravenclaw," Hermione said.
"You went to the Yule Ball with Padma Patil," Luna's breathy voiced added. Her eyes were locked onto Ron who was eating another frog.
"Yeah, I know I did," He said with a surprised look on his face. "She didn't enjoy it very much," Luna informed him. "She doesn't think you treated her very well, because you wouldn't dance with her. I don't think I'd have minded; I don't like dancing very much."
She went back to reading The Quibbler again, leaving Ron with his mouth open and then looking towards his sister for an explanation, only to be met with her giggles.
Anya snorted in amusement, but he actively ignored her which she didn't mind. He checked his watch before speaking again. "We're supposed to patrol the corridors every so often," He informed the boys sitting next to him, "and we can give out punishments if people are misbehaving. I can't wait to get Crabbe and Goyle for something…"
"You're not supposed to abuse your position, Ron!" Hermione said sharply.
"Yeah, right, because Malfoy won't abuse it at all," said Ron sarcastically.
"So, you're going to descend to his level?"
"No, I'm just going to make sure I get his mates before he gets mine."
"For heaven's sake, Ron—"
"I'll make Goyle do lines, it'll kill him, he hates writing," said Ron with a smile. He lowered his voice into a low grunt, imitating this Goyle they talked about, Anya assumed.
"I… must…not…look…like...a…baboon's…. backside…"
Everyone around Anya laughed, and she had to fight a smile herself. Luna seemed to be the one who laughed the hardest, which caused Hedwig to wake up and start flapping her wings and Crookshanks hissed from his place on Anya's lap.
Luna's magazine fell from her lap onto the floor as she wrapped her arms around her stomach. "That was funny!"
Ron was looking at her oddly, off put by her prolonged laughter. "Are you mocking me?" Ron asked with a frown.
"Baboon's…backside!" She choked out.
Everyone was staring at the cackling girl, but it didn't escape Anya's eyes how Harry have dived and quickly grabbed with magazine Luna had dropped.
"Can I have a look at this?" Harry asked the blonde who was calming down from her laughter. Harry seemed to be engrossed in whatever he was reading, but Anya was unable to get a glance at it, and she was too proud to ask if she could look.
"Anything good in there?" Ron asked as Harry closed the magazine. "Of course not," Hermione said scathingly, "The Quibbler's rubbish, everyone knows that."
"Excuse me," Luna said sharply, "My father's the editor."
"I— oh," Hermione's cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Well… it's got some interesting… I mean, it's quite…" She stumbled over her words, unable to come up with something to say to make up for her previous insult.
"I'll have it back, thank you," Luna said coldly, before snatching it out of Harry's grip. She opened it, turned it upside down once more and was once again lost in the text.
"The compartment door opened for a third time, and Anya was starting to get annoyed with the constant visits. Would this be another spineless student as well?
A tall, blonde male was standing in the doorway. He was thin looking but had broad shoulders. His face was pale, and his features were sharp. Anya couldn't help the small eyebrow raise when she looked at him, he was attractive. The same couldn't be said for the two giants, oaf looking boys standing behind him, however.
"What?" Harry spat before the blonde could open his mouth.
"Manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention," drawled the boy. "You see, I, unlike you, have been made a prefect, which mean that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments."
"Yeah, but you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone." Harry said.
Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville all laughed as the boy's lips curled into a sneer.
"Tell me, how does it feel to being second-best to Weasley, Potter?" the boy asked.
"Shut up, Malfoy," Hermione spat.
"I seem to have touched a nerve," the blonde, who Anya now knew as Malfoy said with a smirk. "Well, just watch yourself, Potter, because I'll be dogging your footsteps in case you step out of line."
"You Brits sure are proud of this prefect status." Anya interjected. Malfoy's eyes sharply looked at her and his face was suddenly filled with interest.
"Oh? I don't think I've seen you around before. I'm Draco Malfoy" He took a step into the compartment and held out a hand. Anya stood gracefully and reached to take his hand in a firm shake.
"Anastasia Rosier."
Malfoy's blonde brow cocked arrogantly. "Rosier? What's a pureblood like you doing sitting with these Gryffindor rift-raft? You're too pretty to be sitting here, you should join my friends and I in my compartment."
Anya tried to pull her hand away from his, but he had a firm grasp on it. "My stuff is already situated in here. I don't feel like moving all of it. Besides, the girls aren't so bad to be around." Anya said blankly.
Malfoy's lips turned to a sneer once more, some confusion lacing his eyes. "You're okay sitting with a Weasley and a Mudblood? Are you sure you're a Rosier?"
"Mudblood? You're one of those types? What a waste. Magical blood is magical blood, no matter where it comes from." She responded.
Malfoy released her hand and took a step back. "I'm sure your mind will change once you are sorted into Slytherin with your fellow purebloods. I'll be seeing you around Rosier." Malfoy left with one last glare at the others sitting in the compartment, while Anya retook her seat.
Everyone stared at her with varied looks of confusion. She raised a brow and couldn't help but ask, "Why are you all staring at me?"
Hermione was the first to speak up, "You defended me against being called a Mudblood. Why?"
Anya rolled her eyes and crossed her legs. "You're a witch, are you not? It doesn't matter what your blood status is so long as you have magic. Papa always said magic blooms in those with special souls. Why deny a potential ally because of something as petty as blood? It's a waste of time and a bad strategy." She reasoned.
"Most Rosier's are pretty big on the blood supremacy here, I'm surprised your parents weren't." Ginny said.
"My mother was a Rosier and was a supporter of blood supremacy. I take my views after my father."
"Who was your father?" Hermione asked.
Anya shrugged in response, refusing to answer verbally.
"You'll probably end up in Slytherin anyways. Your personality screams Slytherin." Ron said with a frown.
"You have spoken only a few sentences from me. That's hardly enough for you to understand my personality. But perhaps, I will be Slytherin. Is that so bad?" Anya asked, the corner of her lips tilting down.
"Yeah, it is. Slytherin is full of gits and their families are all followers of You-Know-Who. Anyone who gets sorted into Slytherin is evil." Ron spat.
"I doubt that a school would sort kids into an 'evil' house. It's likely a matter of different perspectives" Anya argued.
Before Ron could continue the argument, Hermione cleared her throat and sent Ron a withering look, causing him to slump into his seat and turned to Harry.
"Chuck me another Frog." Still pouting as he opened the newly caught chocolate frog and moodily biting into it. Anya rolled her eyes before once again turning to stare out the window.
It was raining now; unlike the sunny weather it had been when they first boarded that morning. Anya had always enjoyed the rain growing up. Her Papa would sometimes take her outside and let her chase him through the rain when he had the rare moment to spare. Her mother always hated it when Anya would come back inside wherever they had been stationed at, with soaking wet hair, and clothes covered in mud.
It rained for an hour, before the sun managed to break through the clouds and graced the sprawling land with bright afternoon light for a few moments, before the clouds covered it once more.
The others had been chatting quietly to each other and had left Anya alone for the most part. Ginny had tried to involve the girl into some conversation, but Anya would only respond with short answers, or not at all.
"We'd better get changed," Hermione said, addressing everyone. Because there were more girls in the compartment, the boys agreed to let the girls use room to change while they went to the restroom.
Anya found the uniform unflattering but not uncomfortable. She had never been one for skirts, finding pants always easier to maneuver in. Her mother always complained about how unlady-like Anya was, but her Papa had always put down any arguments on the matter. He knew it was more practical for her to wear pants, and always encouraged it. Often getting her clothes tailored in similar styles as his own.
When the boys returned, Hermione and Ron pinned their new prefect badges. Ron taking the chance to admire it in the window's reflection.
Finally, the train started to slow down, and Anya felt the unfamiliar nervous flutter in her stomach. She tried to fight down the feeling, remembering the lessons her father gave her. He always spoke about how a leader should never show their nervousness, they had to show a strong face to prove to others that they were not someone to underestimate, but they should never look arrogant.
She took a deep breath and followed the others out of the compartment and down the narrow hallways of the train, fighting against the other students trying to make their way out. Hermione and Ron were quickly lost from the group, not that Anya was worried. The only one she was concerned with keeping in her sight was Ginny. They had subsequently left their pets in the care of the group, and Anya was quick to take hold of Crookshanks.
"I'll carry that owl, if you like," Luna said to Harry, reaching for the brown owl that belonged to the Weasley's.
"Oh, thanks," He said, handing over the cage and adjusting his own cage higher in his arms.
Ginny grabbed Anya's empty hand, causing Anya to jump and look at the girl weirdly. Ginny giggled at the look before speaking.
"If you get lost, who knows where you will end up. You will want to get there in time for the sorting!"
Anya nodded and their group walked off the train, the scent of pine and fresh air hit Anya immediately and she couldn't help but relax her shoulders at the calming smell of nature.
"First years line up over here, please! All first years to me!" A brisk, female voice broke through some of the commotion, a lantern light coming from where the voice came from.
"Where's Hagrid?" Harry asked.
"I don't know," Ginny responded, "but we'd better get out of the way, we're blocking the door."
"Oh yeah…"
Ginny turned to Anya, "You might want to talk to Grubbly-Plank since even though you aren't a first year, its still technically your first year. She might let you ride the boats across the lake."
Anya shook her head, "No, thanks. I'd prefer to stay with you." Ginny smiled and dragged her along the platform, stopping to say 'hello' to people she knew. Ginny would briefly introduce Anya, but she was only met with odd looks.
The soon made it off the platform and saw the trio in front of them. They were standing in front of carriages with Thestrals hooked to them. Anya had always found the creatures to be fascinating with their strange looks. They had dragonish heads, their eyes were pure white with no pupil, and their wings were black and leathery like a bat. She had only seen them in person once before, when her and her Papa had come across them in the woods surrounding their stronghold. All the other times, she had seen the ghostly figure of them as her Papa's Patronus.
As they got closer to the trio, Crookshanks squirmed a bit in Anya's arms, wanting to be in Hermione's hold again. Hermione took the ginger cat from Anya gratefully with a quick "thanks."
"Come on, let's get a carriage together before they all fill up…"
"I haven't got Pig yet!" Ron said, but Hermione was already walking to the nearest unoccupied coach with Ginny and Anya. The boys and Luna joined them moments later, Harry with a peculiar look on his face. Anya was curious as to what might have caused the boy to have such a look, but she didn't feel like causing a possible argument with the boy by asking.
"Did everyone see that Grubbly-Plank woman?" asked Ginny. "What's she doing back here? Hagrid can't have left, can he?"
"I'll be quite glad if he has," Luna responded. "He isn't a very good teacher, is he?"
"Yes, he is!" Harry, Ron and Ginny all spat angrily.
Hermione's reluctant agreement joining when Harry shot her sharp look.
"Well, we think he's a bit of a joke in Ravenclaw," Luna said simply, unfazed by their anger.
"You've got a rubbish sense of humor then," Ron snapped as the carriage started moving.
Luna started at him for a few moments, before humming and opening her magazine. Anya found the sway of the carriage calming, staring into the darkness of the forest around them.
They passed stone pillars that were crumbled and some toppled, before the castle loomed over them. Anya had seen the castle once before, when she had first been sent her by her father, but this time she was truly able to acknowledge the beauty the old structure held.
It was a magnificent structure, its stone walls and high pointed roofs reminded her of the storybook castles she would see in books. Its thousands of windows were lit with golden light, looking like stars against the dark night.
The carriages halted near stone steps, leading to the large oak doors Anya had walked through covered in mud, earlier in the summer. The group started to file out of the carriage, while Harry stared off into the distance.
"Are you coming or what?" Ron asked as he went to follow the girls out.
"Oh…yeah" Harry said, and they all hurried into the castle.
The entrance hall was full of torches and the echoes of footsteps was almost deafening to Anya's ears. How many students attended this school?
Before the group could enter a large dinning hall, they were stopped by McGonagall's voice calling for Anya.
"Rosier!"
The girl in question turned to where the older woman was briskly walking towards them, her face in a stern frown.
Anya nodded her head in a polite greeting as McGonagall stopped before her.
"You will be the first sorted. Its unprecedented to have a student join Hogwarts so late in their school years, but your case is an exception. If you will follow me." McGonagall said, motioning for the girl.
Anya nodded before letting go of Ginny's hand and walking behind the woman with her head held high.
"I hope to see you in Gryffindor Anya!" Ginny shouted from behind.
The hall was lined with four grand, wooden tables. Each with their respective House banners hanging above them. The celling was one of the most gorgeous sights Anya had ever seen. It was bewitched to look like the night sky, with a scattering of wispy clouds and glittering starts. Amongst the starts were thousands of floating candles that provided the hall with light.
At the very front of the room, was another long table set upon a dais. There were multiple adults sitting along the table, some of which she recognized from Grimmauld's Place. She met the bright blue eyes of Dumbledore in the center, and she couldn't help but straighten her back, keeping eye contact the whole way she followed McGonagall to the front.
The stopped in front of the first years, Anya assumed. The eleven-year olds were gathered in between the two center tables near the front.
Anya observed that most of them were pale in, what should only assume was fear or nervousness. Would she have been a fearful child if she would have attended school? These children were so…normal. She would never change her upbringing, but she couldn't help the fleeting curiosity as to what life might have been like if she would have attended Hogwarts like any other witch.
McGonagall left Anya, before walking up the steps to the dais, placing a three-legged stool in the center with a very old, and ragged hat perched upon it.
Anya looked at the hat, trying to find a reason as to why it was important, before to her astonishment, it grew a face and started to sing.
"In times of old when I was new
And Hogwarts barely started
The founders of our noble school
Thought never to be parted;
United by a common goal,
They had the selfsame yearning,
To make the world's best magic school
And pass along their learning.
"Together we will build and teach!"
The four good friends decided
And never did they dream that they
Might someday be divided,
For were there such friends anywhere
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?
So how could it have gone so wrong?
How could such friendships fail?
Why, I was there and so can tell
The whole sad, sorry tale.
Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those
Whose ancestry is purest."
Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose
Intelligence is surest."
Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those
With brave deeds to their name,"
Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot,
And treat them just the same."
These differences caused little strife
When first they came to light,
For each of the four founders had
A House in which they might
Take only those they wanted, so,
For Instance, Slytherin
Took only pure-blood wizards
Of great cunning, just like him,
And only those of sharpest mind
Were taught by Ravenclaw
While the bravest and the boldest
Went to daring Gryffindor.
Good Hufflepuff she took the rest,
And taught them all she knew,
Thus, the Houses and their founders
Retained friendships firm and true.
So, Hogwarts worked in harmony
For several happy years,
But then discord crept among us
Feeding on our faults and fears.
The Houses that, like pillars four,
Had once help up our school,
Now turned up our school,
Now turned upon each other and,
Divided, sought to rule.
And for a while it seemed the school
Must meet and early end,
What with dueling and with fighting
And the clash of friend on friend
And at last there came a morning
When old Slytherin departed
And though the fighting then died out
He left us quite downhearted.
And never since the founders four
Were whittled down to three
Have the Houses been united?
As they were once meant to be.
And now the Sorting Hat is here
And you all know the score;
I sort you into Houses
Because that is what I'm for,
But this year I'll go further,
Listen closely to my song;
Though condemned I am to split you
Still I worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fulfill my duty
And must quarter every year
Still I wonder whether sorting
May not bring the end, I fear.
Oh, know the peril, read the signs,
The warning history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external, deadly foes
And we must unit inside her
Or we'll crumble from within.
I have told you; I have warned you…
Let the Sorting now begin."
Anya raised a brow at the song the old hat had just sung. Did Hogwarts always start its years with such ominous words? Anya decided to tuck the song in her head, the lyrics leaving an unsettling feeling deep in her gut. Her mind remembering the little bit of information she had been told by the Order about Voldemort and his followers. Was this hat warning them all about him?
Dumbledore stood and raised a hand to silence the whispers that filled the hall about the old hat's song.
"Before Professor McGonagall begins reading the names of the first years, our Sorting Ceremony will be slightly different. This year, we have a late student joining us. She was home-schooled before this, but she is now joining us here at Hogwarts as a fifth year. I hope you all will make her feel welcomed. Miss. Anastasia Rosier, if you would." He said, and smiled at the girl, motioning towards the stool.
She took confident steps up the dais and walked with pride. She could hear the whispers and confusion amongst the students.
"A fifth-year?"
"Has Hogwarts ever had a student join late before?"
"She looks mean"
"She is so pretty!"
Anya turned sharply on her heel as she reached the stool, before gracefully sitting on it with perfect posture. She kept her eyes locked on the doors, not letting her nerves show on her face. She was determined to hold strong and show everyone the imagine of the leader her Papa had taught her to be.
McGonagall placed the hat onto Anya's head, and the brim just barely covered her vision. Anya could feel her breath stop as its voice echoed in her head.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Annnnnndddddd I just did that, I'm so sorry!
I feel like a nice cliffhanger is nice occasionally. I already have the next chapter started so it should be posted within a week of this once. I won't make you all wait months again, especially when you are all about to find out what house she is going to be sorted into! I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!