Chapter 3: Under a Roof & Into a House



Huddled among the first years, Delilah gazed up...and up at the man who was calling to make sure everyone was ready. She had never in her life seen anyone so huge! Her stepfather was a large man, but this man dwarfed him! The man saw her staring at him & gave her a smile almost as big as her head. His eyes twinkled with a kindness she hadn't seen from anyone since her Mum had died. Suddenly, she felt a bit safer & began to relax.

The large man, who someone called Hagrid, began showing first years onto small boats that would take them across the lake & to Hogwarts. When all but one of the boats were full, he put Delilah & two others on that one, then hopped aboard himself. Suddenly, the boats began to move. Delilah looked around her. No one was rowing & she didn't hear any motors! Well, if she really was going to learn magic, she had better get used to seeing it in action.

As the boat moved silently across the dark water, Delilah tried, as inconspicuously as she could to wash a little of the dirt off her face with a small handkerchief she found in a pocket of her robe. Over & over she dipped it into the water & scrubbed at her face & hands. By the time they left the boat, she looked nearly sunburnt. Hagrid looked at her again & chuckled slightly.

"Oy, child! Ye look like ye've been on the beach at noon, not on a boat near midnight!" Delilah turned a shade redder from embarrassment as Hagrid motioned to a tall lady standing by the doors of the school. She came over, a look of disapproval on her face. Hagrid motioned to Delilah, & the woman's expression lost some of its heaviness.

"What have you done, child?" Then she saw the wet handkerchief still in her hands. "Oh, never mind. I think I understand. Well, you can't go to the sorting looking like that." The woman waved her wand a bit & Delilah's face felt a bit cooler & less raw. Then the woman made a quick job of trying to tame the girl's hair before turning back to the rest of the first years & telling them to line up for their sorting. Delilah was too embarrassed to listen. Everything she did seemed wrong. She was trying so hard to blend in that she kept making herself stick out worse.

The first year students began moving single file into the Great Hall. Delilah felt that the name wasn't enough to describe the room they were entering. She had never seen anything so immense & beautiful in her whole life. It was like all the churches in England combined, as far as space went. She felt swallowed, but at the same time enfolded within the smiles of the people the passed; older students sitting at their house tables. As she passed one table, she saw Leon giving her a thumbs up & she smiled back at him, grateful for at least one familiar face.

Lining up in front of everyone in the hall, just in front of the head table, the first years looked nervous. Up & down the line, girls & boys were fidgeting; shuffling their feet & gazing around nervously. Some smiled shyly at an older student who resembled them, probably an older brother or sister. Delilah wished she had family here. Delilah wished she had family anywhere for the matter. The lady who had cooled her face (what had she done?) stood before everyone as a small stool & an old hat were set down beside her. Delilah remembered Leon & the others telling her about the Sorting Hat, but she still was a little scared. She watched as, one by one, names were called & first years were sorted. As a student would head to their house table, cheers would greet them & they would be pulled into a seat, automatically looking as if they belonged there.

"Finch, Arland"

Delilah watched the small boy with a snide look sit down on the stool & smash the hat down on his head. He was so tiny that it went fully over his face & with little hesitation the hat called out "Slytherin!" Delilah nodded. He looked like the other people at that table. Determined...maybe a bit too determined. A few more names were called as she pondered the different houses, wondering where she would belong.

Grater, Delilah"

Delilah jumped as her name was called & walked toward the stool. She picked the hat up gingerly & laid it on her head. It slid down over her eyes so that she couldn't see the hall anymore. Then she heard a voice.

"You are a tough one."

"Huh?" Delilah hoped she hadn't spoken out loud. Everyone would think she was nuts.

"Don't worry...just think your answers. Why do you want to learn magic?"

"Um...well...so that my stepfather can't hurt me anymore."

"You want to get him back, do you?"

"Yes. Of course I do. He's horrible! What else do I have to do? He has to pay for making me & my Mum unhappy. He has to!" Delilah squirmed in her seat. Every time she thought about him, she got angry. She wanted him to hurt the way he had hurt her.

"Then you make the choice for me." The voice sounded almost sad. "You would have made a great Ravenclaw, though."

Then Delilah heard the voice boom out, "Slytherin!" She took off the hat, shocked. Slytherin? Slytherin? Why? She walked over to the table, let the cheering crowd settle her in a chair. Her feet felt like lead, so she was thankful for the help. She looked back across at Leon. He wasn't smiling quite so brightly at her now. He has told her on the Express what he thought of Slytherin.

"They're not all bad, now. I'm not saying that. But I've never had a Slytherin do anything nice for me. And I've taken more harm than good from them. That's all." His voice sounded in her head. As the Sorting continued, she found herself quietly answering questions being tossed at her from the other members of Slytherin; of her house. She had to remember that now. This was her house. She belonged here. Despite her shock, she still felt a little glow of happiness. At least now she belonged somewhere. She looked around & smiled at her housemates.