Chapter Three
~~~
"Tarantallegra!" He called and a blue jet of light left his wand
tip headed for Roz's body at an amazing speed. She only just dodged it but she
fell to the floor in the process of doing so. She picked herself up quickly
glad she was unhurt. Luke drew his wand and shot a threatening look at Matt. A
loud, booming voice turned the student's heads in the direction of the owner. The giant outline of a man came striding forwards.
"Whatcha
think yer doin'?" he asked seeing their wands out. "Put them away, don't wanna
get inta trouble first day back do yer?"
"Hi
Hagrid," Meg greeted, "They were just playing," she said leading Roz, who was
glaring avidly at Malfoy, towards the end of the platform where a hundred
carriages were waiting to pick up the waiting students.
"Nice to
know yer stayin' outta trouble, Meg, for a change" the half-giant chuckled before
yelling into the crowds, "First Years, first years follow me this way…"
While Meg,
Roz, Alex and Tim climbed into one carriage, Charlotte, Luke, Skye and Shadow
went into the one behind them.
"We weren't
the ones causing trouble," Roz exclaimed as the carriages set of to take them
up the track to the great castle of Hogwarts School.
"Well, you
were sort … I mean, I know, but like Hagrid said we best to stay out of trouble
on the first day back," Tim answered.
"Ugh, but
it was …"
"Matt
Malfoy." Alex supplied.
"…Matt
Malfoy's fault. Who does he think he is anyway?"
"Matt's a
Slytherin, his father's Draco Malfoy. Their family has power, connections and
riches in the Wizarding world which is why Matt thinks he can get away with
anything," Alex began to explain.
"But he
doesn't at Hogwarts, mind you," Tim continued. "Most people know that the
Malfoy's are supporters of the Dark Arts too, and a supporter of the Dark Lord,
Voldemort before Harry Potter banished him in his Seventh year of Hogwarts
about twenty years ago."
"He likes
to pick on people younger than him or those who seem weaker, especially when
teachers aren't around," Meg added as the coaches entered through the gates of
Hogwarts. "It's best to leave him alone though … hey there's Hogwarts," she
said pointing out the carriage window.
Pressing
against the window, Roz looked out at the darken outline of the castle, the
lighted windows glowing against the dark blue sky. As the carriages drew to the
entrance Roz, Meg, Alex and Tim climbed out the carriage joining Charlotte,
Shadow, Skye and Luke to stand in front of the stone steps leading up to the
giant oak doors. A tall, dark haired witch in black robes stood at the doorway
with a hook-nosed wizard, ushering First Years in.
"You know Professor McGonagall," Meg whispered, "That's
Professor Snape next to her, watch out for him, he … doesn't like students too
much."
"That's the understatement of the century," Tim murmured to
Roz.
As they walked past the two teachers, Professor McGonagall
called to Roz, "Dumbledore would like to see you in my office, follow me this
way please." Roz nodded and followed.
"See
you later," Alex called out.
As
Professor McGonagall led Roz up to her office, on the way Roz swore she saw
several of the people in the paintings that were hanging on the stonewalls
move. There was one particular witch she thought she saw in every painting but
on a closer glance, the witch wasn't there.
"Wait in
there," Professor McGonagall said pointing to her office, "I'll go get
Dumbledore and we'll sort you and Ilana before you two enter the Great Hall."
Before Roz
could ask any questions Professor McGonagall had left. 'Sort me? And who is
Ilana?' she wondered to herself and pushed open the office door. Once
inside she saw the back of a girl with long jet-black hair standing near a
fire, which provided the light for the small room, "Hi," Roz said giving her
influential grin.
The girl
turned round quickly in surprise, and then seeing Roz she smiled back, "Hi,"
she said, her lilac eyes glowing from the firelight. "Are you Rosalyn?"
Roz nodded,
"Call me Roz," she answered.
"I'm
Ilana," the girl replied, "Ilana Caitlin Flamel."
"How did you know my name?" Roz asked, 'Are
witches psychic?' she wondered, but not aloud. She seemed to be doing a lot
of that recently, wondering.
"Dumbledore said that there were two new students entering
fourth year. I assumed you were the other," Ilana paused as if considering
something then she smiled and added, "It was also written on the parchment over
on Professor McGonagall's desk." Biting her lower lip, she asks, "Were you home
schooled too?"
"No, no, I wasn't… It's a long story," Roz began when the
door opened again. In came a wizard with a white beard, long enough so that it
just about swept the ground. He had grin on his face and a twinkle in his eyes
could be seen as he peered at the two girls through his half moon shaped
glasses.
"Ah, Rosalyn Gregson and Ilana Flamel," he said as he sat
down behind the desk. The two girls could only nod as he continued, "Since we
do not have many students who join in the fourth year, or any year other than
first, I'd thought you would like to be sorted here rather than be embarrassed
in front of the entire school." The girls nodded again, they both felt somewhat
afraid of this unknown man. "So who would like to go first?" The pair looked at
each other. Each wondered if the other knew what the sorting involved, neither
did.
"I'm sorry, sir, but what exactly is the sorting?" Roz
spoke up. The headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, leant back in his chair and
gave soft laugh. The two girls felt much more relaxed at the sound and both
began to again smile.
"Why, you need to be given a house. And to ensure you are
placed in the correct house we sort you," he explained, "using magic." Roz had
seen little magic performed, she knew little about it, whereas Ilana had been
educated in the magical arts from a small age. It had been decided that she
would join Hogwarts at the age of fifteen so she would be able to gain the
nationally accepted certificates known as O.W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts.
"How are you going to sort us, Professor?" Ilana asked.
Though she knew magic, she did not know of Hogwarts and its ways.
"Ah,
as soon as Professor McGonagall comes back you will see," he replied and no
sooner as he said the sentence, the witch in talking knocked on the door and
walked in placing an oversized, ragged hat onto the desk.
"Thank you, Minerva," Dumbledore said. "We'll be down
shortly," he added as Professor McGonagall left.
"Is
it bewitched?" Ilana asked, looking at the hat.
"I guess you could say that," was Professor Dumbledore's
reply to Ilana's query. "It has something of all four founder's of Hogwarts in
it. A part of them, it can think as all four did."
The
origins of the hat were hard to understand; even harder was the way it
operated. "The four founders," Dumbledore continued, "each had different views
on how the school should be run and which qualities were best in the students.
They now each have their own house named after them. The four houses are
Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. The Sorting Hat decides which
virtues you have and places you in the appropriate house. I'm sure it will tell
you itself of each house's preferred attributes."
"How does it decide?" All this confused Roz, she recognised
the names of the four houses from the coach journey. She hoped she was placed
in the same house as some of the others, in Gryffindor with Shadow, Luke, Tim
and Alex, in Ravenclaw with Meg and Charlotte or in Hufflepuff with Skye. Any
house other than Slytherin, that was the house Matt was in. Already Roz
disliked him.
"You just put it on, wear it, place it on your head. It
will do the rest." Came the reply from the smiling professor.
"If
it's that easy, I'll go first." Roz stepped forward. Dumbledore held a hand in
front of her stopping her.
"But
first, it will sing." Her told her watching the hat on the desk. Ilana looked
at it now and saw that a large tear had opened across the hat, next to other
odd patches, marks and rips it looked similar to the mouth of a face, shown on
the hat. Everyone remained silent as the hat took a deep breath and began to
sing in a most tuneful voice.
"Years
ago, before you or I,
Lived
the Great Hogwarts Four:
Gryffindor
and Hufflepuff,
Slytherin
and Ravenclaw.
Away
from prying Muggle eyes
This
School they did create,
For
Witches and Wizards
They
wished to educate.
Now
every student who was taught
Found
that they could always spend,
Time
within a specific house
With
each of every newfound friend.
Now
you may be placed in Hufflepuff
Where
you'll see the true and fair,
In this house you will always find
For you - a friend that's always there.
Ravenclaw
is a house of smarts,
They
welcome all who wish to learn,
Here
you'll find friends like no other,
Deserving
every grade they earn.
Perhaps
you'll be in the house
Which
holds the brave at heart and sure,
In
there you may find your kind
In
the house of Gryffindor.
Last
of all are the Slytherins,
Full
of ambition and fulfilling dreams,
To
achieve all their wanted ends
They'll
use any plot of schemes.
Now
since the Hogwarts four are gone,
I'm
the Sorting Hat to find
Which
house you will be placed in
By
looking into your heart and mind."
Roz
felt the hat deserved applause and joined in as Dumbledore led the clapping.
"Marvellous,
marvellous!" He exclaimed. "Do you know, that song is different even to the one
he sang to the entire school for the sorting of this year's first years? You've
outdone yourself this year, my old hat. Two songs he has devised in one year.
Simply marvellous!" When the clapping had subsided Professor Dumbledore turned
his gaze to the girls. "Well, normally we sort students in alphabetical order
but since Miss Gregson has volunteered to be the first to be sorted we will
proceed with her sorting. Agreed?"
Roz
who was beginning to regret her decision nodded her head slowly. "Splendid, step
forward then Rosalyn." Roz did so after turning to look at Ilana who smiled
encouragingly at her, secretly glad Roz had opted to go first. Both girls knew
it was neither dangerous nor difficult to be sorted; it was the idea that the
hat could see what they were really like inside that made them hesitate.
"Okay,
I guess." Roz sat on Professor McGonagall's chair behind her desk. "Just put it
on, right?" She picked up the hat gingerly and looked at Professor Dumbledore
who nodded approvingly. Roz took a deep breath and placed the hat on her head.
It was slightly too large for her and she could barely see under the rim.
"Well
let's see, who do we have here?" A voice said in her head, she presumed it was
the hat but the sudden sound made her jump and the hat fell lower on her head
and covered her eyes completely. Even with her eyes open she could see only
black ness. The voice sighed and continued. "Ah, Miss Rosalyn Gregson. Not a
difficult choice. A good mind, you know little about magic but you have the ability
to pick things up easily, an excellent candidate for joining Hogwarts late.
Very selfless, easy to anger, indeed I can sense a quick temper and a bold
streak of aggression in your surface emotions. Increased in intensity perhaps
by your impatience and stubbornness."
'Get to the point.' Roz
thought intolerantly illustrating the hat's point nicely.
"The
capability to be malicious with little remorse, not a good point. However, you are
very loyal and courageous, that may redeem you aided by the fact you can heal
emotional wounds well, even if you did inflict them." Roz cringed inwardly.
"There is also an element of mischief and cunning quite prominent. Still, as I
said, an easy choice. You shall be placed in…" Roz became tense and she gripped
the arms of the chair she was sitting on, "…GRYFFINDOR."
The
sound of the house's name being yelled into the quiet room shocked Roz again
and her hands flew instantly to the hat's brim taking it off her head.
"I'm
glad that's over." She smiled at the room, placing the hat on the desk. "That
was so daunting, I feel much more relaxed now, much calmer. Good luck, Ilana."
She grinned positively at Ilana as she moved to her previous position standing
near the fire. Ilana moved toward the hat and picked it up tentatively.
'Roz
survived.' She reminded herself and she put the on as she sat back in the
plush armchair that was behind Professor McGonagall's desk.
"Another
one!" She could hear the surprised voice of the hat in her head. "My, my, two
late starters. I knew about you both of course, but it is very rare for
Hogwarts. Time to sort you, Miss Ilana Kaitlyn Flamel." The hat was silent for
some time, saying nothing but a few calculating sounds could be heard. Ilana
was unsure whether they came from the hat or from Roz and Dumbledore.
'Well?
What's wrong?' She frowned into the darkness that was the inside of the
hat. 'What house am I in?' The hat shuddered on her head suddenly as if
a cold shiver had run through it.
"It
is very hard to decide," it finally said. "Very honest and fair, perhaps
Hufflepuff? Though, you are another mischievous one, reliable but maybe not
always as confident as a Gryffindor can be. It also seems, that you have a good
capacity for learning and are well prepared, perfect for Ravenclaw, indeed you
already know a lot about many magical ways already. Not a born-leader, but you
have the capability to be when it is needed, like a Slytherin. Strange, very
strange, you have abilities of all four houses though they seem to overlap each
other and cancel the other virtues out."
There
was another long pause, when the hat finally seemed to decide it yelled out:
"Dumbledore!"
~~~~~
Okay, that was it, the big changeover finished! Don't be
afraid to tell us what you think (be afraid of what we'll do if you don't). See
this little form below this? Fill it in, simple as that.
We'd better take the opportunity now to thank Jess and
Marci who's characters' we have used in this fan-fic (Meg and Alex,
respectively). They gave us their permission to use their characters and we
waited until they had both read it before posting.
Disclaimer: As you probably know, most of the
environment this story takes place in was created by J.K. Rowling and therefore
belongs to her. The characters and the plot and a few other features are the
only things in this story that belong to us, plus some of the ideas (and a lot
of the creative grammar).
