PART ONE

CHAPTER SIX: BETONY

Sorry, I made a mistake in updating; go to the previous chapter if you're looking for the new update.

Reviews:

qwerty1410: yeah... XD. Thanks for reviewing!

Guest: wonderful description—I can totally see that happening. Thanks for reviewing!

Word count: 1,461

ONTO THE NEXT CHAPTER!

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. Raven had to give it to the hat; it was quite good at singing.

Well, it was better than Teal, at least.

The hat bowed to each of the four tables and then became still again—although Raven was still wary that it would burst into verse once more. Once bitten, twice shy and all that.

But even though it was... strange, the singing hat had given Raven the basic idea of what was going to happen; she and the other first years would have to try the hat on, and somehow, the hat would decide their personality and place them in a house accordingly. It wasn't very worrisome.

At least, it wasn't to Raven; apparently, trying on hats was something that haunted humans in their sleep.

"This is so... so... so scary!" Hestia whispered to Raven, warm brown eyes wide with fear as she stared at the hat.

Raven raised an eyebrow at her. "Whatever you say, Gryffindor."

Hestia's cheeks colored pink at Raven's mocking words that might've been a little too harsh since they weren't friends. "It is!" she insisted, keeping her voice quiet. "I mean, this hat will be determining our future and who we're going to be spending our time with for the next seven years. How is that not stressful?"

Raven thought about that. Hestia had a point; even though wearing the hat didn't really seem like a big deal, the outcome would determine one's future. Assuming that they were human and not a heartless like Raven was, of course.

Then, Hestia added, "And what if your house members don't like you?"

This really took Raven by surprise. Hestia didn't think that the people into her house would like her? She didn't seem like the type to worry about that; she had just started... talking to Raven, back in the train. She didn't seem very hesitant at all.

But Raven didn't have a chance to respond; McGonagall stepped forward holding 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. "Acharya, Aavni!"

A girl with warm brown skin and long black hair froze up near the front of the line before scampering forward. She pulled the Sorting Hat over her head, and after a short pause—

"RAVENCLAW!"

The second from the left table that was decorated with blue and bronze burst into applause, and Acharya quickly grabbed the hat off and ran over. As soon as she sat down, she let out a noticeable exhale of relief.

"Bell, Quintin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Black, Sirius!"

A boy with black hair strutted over to the Sorting Hat with confidence, but the fear in his grey eyes gave away his true feelings.

Were all humans such cowards?

Well... probably.

But, seriously; what was so scary about putting on a hat?

The hat took longer for Black than it did for Acharya and Bell. It opened its "mouth" but immediately paused, as if it just realized something.

And then, after a very tense ten-to-fifteen-second pause, it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Unlike Acharya and Bell, the applause Black got wasn't immediate, and it was more muted, too. Everyone was whispering amongst themselves about this. But Black didn't look like he cared; in fact, he looked like he'd be jumping with joy if it wouldn't be absolutely humiliating.

"A Black in Gryffindor?" Raven heard Marlene murmur. When she looked to the beautiful girl, she saw that she was frowning. "No way."

"What's wrong with having a Black in Gryffindor?" Raven whispered her question to Marlene.

"The Blacks are an important, pureblood family," Marlene explained. "And they are... ah, incredibly old fashioned and traditional." She said "old fashioned and traditional" in a tone of voice that was better suited for a curse word. "In other words, they're horrible people. And they all went to Slytherin. Well, all except Mini Black, who went to Gryffindor, when Gryffindor and Slytherin are, like, enemy houses. Honestly, I'll be surprised if he's not disowned in a week. Hey, wanna bet on that?"

Raven felt her eyebrows raise. "So, the houses are really a big deal, huh?" If they were, that completely changed... well, a lot of things. For example, she was pretty sure the Blacks were one of those super important human families she was supposed to befriend by getting into Slytherin from the way Marlene was describing them. But if Sirius Black was a Gryffindor and Gryffindor and Slytherin were enemies, she would have to find a way to befriend him despite the rivalry.

"Yeah," Marlene confirmed. "But I'm serious; wanna bet?"

"Sure," Raven agreed distractedly. "What are we betting?"

Marlene hummed softly. "Well... What about five galleons?"

Raven nodded, barely realizing it.

The other first years went by without half as much drama as Sirius Black. Lily was sorted into Gryffindor, a boy called "Finch, Anthony!" became a Slytherin. Hestia became a Gryffindor—maybe to her dismay? Because if Raven was reading the subtle changes in her expression correctly, she was crestfallen.

Marlene was a Gryffindor, too; as she sat down, she gave Raven a wink, as if to say, "Told you so."

Expect... she had said nothing of the sort to her...

Marlene was strange.

"Mistral, Serafina!" became a Slytherin, and then McGonagall called, "Nightshade, Raven!"

Even though she did her best to ignore it, Raven could feel everyone's eyes on her like tiny needles. Thankfully, not even her hands quivered while walking towards the stool, like many others had. It would be stupid for her, of all the people, to tremble at the idea of putting on an old, frayed hat—especially after she mocked the other first years so extensively in her head.

When she pulled the hat over her head, it flopped down, obscuring most of her vision. She heard a voice say in her ear, "Well, well, well. This is interesting."

Raven felt herself stiffen. Was the... hat talking to her?

"My, what an observation!" the voice dryly commented. "I suppose you think you're a Ravenclaw, don't you?"

Was the hat the voice that was being so passive aggressive? If so, she was ready to set it on fire.

"And your patience! Astounding. Really. I've never had to sort a more patient person in my life—but then again, I've never had to sort a heartless, either..."

Raven thought she was stiff as a board before, but now, she stiffened even more. How did it know that? she wondered.

The hat chuckled, like it could hear her thoughts. Which... it probably could, now that she thought about it. How else would the hat be able to respond to her thoughts?

"Finally, a correct statement!" the hat jeered. "Yes, I can read your mind. How else am I supposed to sort you into a House?

"Now, let's see... You have an... all right mind, Miss Nightshade, but that's all for Ravenclaw. And as for Hufflepuff... no. Just no. And, yes, Miss Nightshade, Hufflepuff is the so-called "nice House." But... no, there isn't much ambition in your head... Then again, there isn't much of anything..."

At this point, Raven was getting pissed off. She was well aware of how long it was taking for her to be sorted (she was pretty sure the hat already knew which House she was going to be in, but was just taking its own sweet time for the sake of annoying her), and she wasn't really interested in getting insulted by ugly hat.

"You know, I was going to stop, but then you went and called me ugly..."

Raven gnashed her teeth. Just do your bloody job! She made sure to fill her thought with as much venom as possible.

The hat sighed—or, did whatever hats do when they want to sigh. "So impatient. All right, you want to go to Slytherin?"

Raven's heart soared. Finally, things were going her way!

Yes!

"If you insist. GRYFFINDOR!"

In the language of flowers, BETONIES represent surprise.

Questions:

1. Favorite quote from chapter six?

2. Which character from the canon plot do you think Raven is like the most?

And, remember; please review!.

~Sarcasticsnark13