An Elemental Destiny
Following Snape, Serena idly wondered if he used magic to make his robes billow like that or if it was just because of how quickly he stormed along. Stormed was definitely the right word because she couldn't see this man walking anywhere.
"Excuse me? Professor?" She asked, breaking a rather lengthy silence. He glanced over his shoulder.
"Yes?" he replied in an icily civil tone.
"What exactly is a Potions Master?"
"Probably someone who makes potion, Sere." Amara interrupted. Serena glared.
"I figured as much, but what kinds of potions?"
Snape looked at them for a moment. The taller girl would make a good Slytherin. The other one…well, she was a bit more challenging. Not quite apathetic enough to be Hufflepuff…perhaps Gryfinndor, he thought with an internal grimace. Turning around, he started walking again.
"Potions are an age old art, as old as the first magic. During the Middle Ages, fiefdoms rose and fell because of Potions. There are potions that can befuddle, bewitch, give life or take it."
Serena stared at him, wide-eyed and Amara whistled softly under her breath, before asking,
"You give that speech a lot, don't you?"
Snape nearly halted, as a chuckle tried to force it's way out. Yes, that one would definitely be Slytherin material. Pity they weren't going to be sorted.
"Yes, every year."
Both girls laughed slightly.
"Makes you think twice about your average cup of tea, huh Sere?"
"Actually," Snape continued, "it is a lot like making a good cup of tea. You need the right ingredients, amounts, concentrations, and that certain knack for knowing when it's done."
Both girls nodded as they came to the top of a hill. A giant castle lay before them, a large lake in front of it.
"Nice place." Amara commented. Serena nodded, her jaw slightly agape. Snape waited a moment before starting down the hill.
"Hurry up. Dumbledore is expecting you."
Both girls were slightly taken aback at the sudden sharpness that had reentered his voice. Serena glanced over at Amara who gave her a look that clearly said, 'How am I supposed to know?'
Reaching the lake, they stood waiting while Snape pulled out a long thin, stick from his sleeve.
"Oh great," Serena whispered. "What are we supposed to do? Float across on the stick?"
"It's a wand." Amara hissed back.
"Why don't we have one?"
"Do we need one?"
"Good point."
Amara rolled her eyes and looked back at Snape. He was muttering something under his breath.
"What's he saying?"
Amara shrugged.
"Got me. Sounded like Accio something."
Serena looked confused.
"Accio? Is that even a word?"
"Apparently. It sounds Latin. Hey look, there's a boat headed this way."
Both girls watched the boat glide towards them and stop at the edge of the lake. Snape stepped into it and motioned for them to follow. They dumped their bags in front and clambered in.
~*~
The trip to the castle was uneventful and Snape seemed to have little more to say. They landed in a shallow bay and were gathering their bags when an overly cheerful voice called out.
"Hullo! Hullo over there! Ah! Professor, I'll take these two young celebrities to Dumbledore now! After all, we celebrities must stick together!"
Serena and Amara looked at the blonde man that grinned at them and slowly backed away. They kept going until they felt the lake lap against their ankles.
"Amara? What is that?" Serena whispered, "Because a smile that wide is definitely not natural."
"I'm not sure…proceed with caution, soldier."
The man looked at them quizzically before bursting into an annoying laugh.
"How silly of me! Come now, no need to be shy! You've been living in the Muggle world. It's no fault of your own that you don't know who I am. Have no fear; your time in the desert of deprivation is over. I am Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. I teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. As it is the first time we've met…here." He said, handing them each a piece of paper. They turned them over to find a smiling and waving Lockhart.
"Um…thanks." Serena managed. Amara held hers out at an arms length, staring at it suspiciously. Serena adopted a similar pose. A slight snort caught her attention and she turned her head to see Snape trying to repress a laugh. She smiled back at him. Suddenly, she yelped in surprise as the picture in her hand burst into flames. Dropping it, she quickly turned to the lake, using her magic to draw out a tendril of water. She guided it till it hovered above the flaming photo before 'letting it go'. The flames sputtered and went out. She looked up to find Lockhart staring at her, open mouthed.
"Uh…oops?" she managed, turning several shades of pink. It didn't help that both Amara and Snape were looking highly amused. After a moment, Lockhart recovered himself.
"That's…quite all right…I'm sure it was just an accident…no reflection on your personal feelings of course."
Serena had stopped blushing and was now staring at Lockhart incredulously.
"Oh, of course not." Amara drawled sarcastically. She wanted to tell Lockhart exactly where he could shove his photograph, but the idiot was so dense that there just wasn't any fun in it.
"Ah, well, then your journey with Professor Snape here," he said, jovially throwing an arm around Snapes shoulders, while Snape looked like he wanted to rip said arm off, "is over and you'll be coming with me."
"Actually Lockhart, they won't."
Lockhart looked at Snape, surprised.
"Why, I thought that I'd just take the responsibility since you have so many classes to prepare for…"
"That's the problem. You thought. Don't try it again. You might hurt yourself. And on another note, you have just as many classes to prepare for as I do."
"But…"
"AND I have specific orders from Dumbledore. They are not to leave my supervision, under any circumstances. Now get your bloody arm off me." Snape growled the last sentence, disdainfully shrugging off Lockhart's arm. He motioned for the girls to follow. The girls glanced at each other and shifted their bags before following the Potions master. Serena glanced back once to find that Lockhart was still standing there. He waved cheerily when he noticed her gaze and she swiftly turned her face away. That man, she decided, was a prime candidate for a "love me" jacket.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
A while later, the girls found themselves standing beside a stone gargoyle. They had ended up there after a dizzying walk through the many corridors, and were now thoroughly confused as to where they were. Snape paused and spoke to the gargoyle, but neither girl could here what he said. His secrecy was wasted however, as nothing happened. Glaring, he repeated what he had previously said, a little louder.
"Gum Drops." Nothing.
Amara, who was standing closer to him, could hear him cursing fluently under his breath, lapsing into a myriad of languages. Just when it seemed that the man would use physical force on the gargoyle, a woman breezed around the corner, a tall, pointed hat upon her head. Her hair was pulled back into a strict bun and her face was angular. Snape seemed to recognize the woman and his cursing increased as she drew nearer.
"Professor Snape."
His teeth were set as he answered with a coolly civil nod.
"Professor McGonagall."
She glanced at Amara and Serena, before returning her attention to Snape.
"Am I right in assuming that these two girls are the Headmasters guests?"
"You are."
She nodded briskly, before sweeping past him. She paused at the gargoyle.
"Licorice."
The gargoyle slid aside, revealing a doorway and behind it, a cheerfully lit room. The two professors entered and the girls followed them.
Serena held back to urge to let her mouth hang open as she gazed about the room. Old books were everywhere, with incredible titles. One Hundred and Two Creatures , Witches and Wizards Through History, Quidditch Through the Ages, and (the last made her laugh to herself) Knitting for Beginners. Those were just a few of the subjects that she could see. And then there were the knick-knacks that cluttered the desk and every other available space. A sudden loud squawk startled her and she yelped. Whirling about, she nearly yelled again when she came face to face with a boldly red bird who was closely regarding her.
"I see you've met Faulkes." An amused voice said.
Amara, who had been equally enthralled with the room, turned to face an old man, with a long white beard. He was clad in royal blue robes with silver and gold stars and moons on it. His blue eyes twinkled merrily and a slight smile pulled at the edge of his mouth.
Serena, who had also turned, started once more when she felt a slight pressure on her shoulder. Faulkes had decided to try climbing up on her shoulder and already had one foot on it. She glanced back at the man, her eyes wide in confusion.
The man chuckled lightly and bowed his head.
"I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts and on behalf of the school and staff, let me welcome you."
"So you're Albus Dumbledore?" Amara interrupted.
He nodded, not offended by her interruption.
"So….why did you invite us here?"
"For the exact reasons stated in your letters. You are both possessors of an unknown magic and for the sake of the magic community, it would be best for the both of you to stay here for a while."
"Wait a minute," Serena said with a frown, "What do you mean "for the sake of the magic community? We've never hurt anyone."
Dumbledores' smile faded slightly.
"What you both have is a rare gift and one to be treasured. Sadly, not everyone sees or would see things in that way. Had you not come to our attention, it is extremely likely that the Ministry of Magic would have taken things into their own hands."
"Who's the Ministry of Magic?"
"A gaggle of meddling fools." Snape growled under his breath.
"Severus…" Dumbledore said in a warning tone, " The Ministry monitors the use of magic, to make sure that it isn't abused."
"If the Ministry isn't really anything to be worried about," Amara began, "Then why the need to bring us here."
"Let us just say that while the Ministry does it's job…" A snort from Snape was heard, " they aren't always particularly careful in their methods. Were you to fall into their hands, there is a chance that your magic could be completely wiped out. With such a gift, it would be a shame to eradicate it."
"In other words, we're here for our own protection, so that the FBI of the wizarding world can't get their hands on us?" Amara asked.
"In a word, yes."
Amara turned to Serena, pulling her to the side.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"Do we stay?"
"Since when do I make the decisions?"
"Since now."
"Why not? Maybe they're right. It can't hurt us if we do stay for a while."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Besides, it could be fun."
"Alright."
She turned to face Dumbledore.
"We'll stay. But only on one condition."
"And that is?"
"We can leave whenever we want."
" Agreed. Now, if this order of business is complete, I believe there is a Sorting ceremony to attend. Would you care to attend?"
Serena glanced at Amara, who shrugged.
"Why not?" she said.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Which was how the girls found themselves, twenty minutes later, sitting at the head table in the Great Hall. They were aware of the stares that their robeless figures were receiving. At one point, Serena caught sight of Draco sitting a few tables away and smiled slightly at him. He gave her a cool nod in return, before turning back to his tablemates.
"Hey, Sere? Isn't that the guy you ran into at the station?" Amara whispered, pointing down one of the tables. Serena looked in the direction she was pointing and smiled.
"Yeah, that's him. His name's Darien. And that's Rei down by him." She waved when Rei turned and met her eyes. The black haired girl smiled back and nudged Darien, pointing up at them. He looked up puzzled for a moment, before he realized that she wasn't pointing at the professors, but at the two girls sitting with them, and smiled. Serena suddenly had to fight down an unexpected blush and quickly looked away. Amara noticed her discomfiture and grinned evilly.
"You know, Sere, he is awfully cute." She said in Japanese.
"Shut up, Amara." Serena replied, also in Japanese.
"Why should I?"
"Because I'd have a really hard time explaining why I was forced to kill one of the "rare" magic holders."
"Yeah…right." Was Amara's sarcastic reply.
They both stopped talking as Professor McGonagall stood up and walked over to a stool where an old, ratty hat was placed. Picking up the hat, she began to call out names. One by one, the students came forward and had the hat placed upon their heads. After a moment or two, the hat would yell out one of the four houses. Amara was slightly surprised. Then again, everything here seemed a bit off centered, she thought, so maybe this wasn't so odd.
The ceremony was drawing to a close, and soon the last student was sorted. Professor McGonagall began to set down the hat when it suddenly yelled out.
"WAIT!"
Startled, she nearly dropped it. The entire hall turned and stared.
"YOU'VE FORGOTTEN TWO."
The girls felt a sudden start of realization. The hat was talking about them! They glanced at each other, unsure of what to do.
"SERENA TSUKINO! APPROACH!"
Nervously, Serena stood up. She started to walk forward when Amara grabbed her wrist. She looked down, startled.
"Don't."
Serena shook her head.
"No, this feels right. I'm going to do it."
Amara unwillingly let up her grip on the other girls wrist. Her common sense told her to not get drawn into something she knew next to nothing about. However, neither hers, nor Serena's instincts had ever steered them wrong when they listened to them. Generally, not following them led to disaster.
Serena slowly made her way to the stool. She quickly met McGonagall's eyes before sitting down on the stool, gripping the edges. A brief moment later, she felt the hat settling over her head, covering her eyes. She bit back a scream when a voice suddenly spoke, almost directly in her head it seemed.
'Hm…an interesting one, you are...as a matter of fact, if it wasn't for the way things are going right now, I might have to consider taking more time…that narrows it down somewhat though…'
'What do you mean? What's happening?'
' Don't you worry your head about it. You'll know what to do when the time comes. Now let's see…plenty of power, obviously. I wouldn't have even considered you two if that wasn't there…not really ambitious…but stubborn…hmm, yes…a need to prove yourself, but at the same time, a satisfaction with yourself…my, you are a walking contradiction…but that loyalty to your friends…an open loyalty at that. Yes, I think that clinches it. You'll be in…'
"GRYFYINNDOR!"
The Sorting Hat was taken off her head and Serena shakily slid off the chair. There was a moment of silence before the Gryfinndor burst into cheers. Serena numbly walked over to the table, her thoughts still a whirl.
"AMARA TEN'OU!"
Amara rose slowly and warily made her way to the stool where the hat rested. With a suspicious glare, she picked it up and sat down, placing it on her head.
'Well?'
'You certainly catch on quickly. It's no problem seeing where you'll be at home. It's strangely amusing you know…'
'What's amusing?'
'That the two of you are friends. You're such obvious opposites in life, and now you'll have to be opposites here as well…'
'What the Hell are you talking about?'
'Temper, temper…well, it's no trouble placing you. You're nature should be perfectly at home in…'
"SLYTHERIN!"
Following Snape, Serena idly wondered if he used magic to make his robes billow like that or if it was just because of how quickly he stormed along. Stormed was definitely the right word because she couldn't see this man walking anywhere.
"Excuse me? Professor?" She asked, breaking a rather lengthy silence. He glanced over his shoulder.
"Yes?" he replied in an icily civil tone.
"What exactly is a Potions Master?"
"Probably someone who makes potion, Sere." Amara interrupted. Serena glared.
"I figured as much, but what kinds of potions?"
Snape looked at them for a moment. The taller girl would make a good Slytherin. The other one…well, she was a bit more challenging. Not quite apathetic enough to be Hufflepuff…perhaps Gryfinndor, he thought with an internal grimace. Turning around, he started walking again.
"Potions are an age old art, as old as the first magic. During the Middle Ages, fiefdoms rose and fell because of Potions. There are potions that can befuddle, bewitch, give life or take it."
Serena stared at him, wide-eyed and Amara whistled softly under her breath, before asking,
"You give that speech a lot, don't you?"
Snape nearly halted, as a chuckle tried to force it's way out. Yes, that one would definitely be Slytherin material. Pity they weren't going to be sorted.
"Yes, every year."
Both girls laughed slightly.
"Makes you think twice about your average cup of tea, huh Sere?"
"Actually," Snape continued, "it is a lot like making a good cup of tea. You need the right ingredients, amounts, concentrations, and that certain knack for knowing when it's done."
Both girls nodded as they came to the top of a hill. A giant castle lay before them, a large lake in front of it.
"Nice place." Amara commented. Serena nodded, her jaw slightly agape. Snape waited a moment before starting down the hill.
"Hurry up. Dumbledore is expecting you."
Both girls were slightly taken aback at the sudden sharpness that had reentered his voice. Serena glanced over at Amara who gave her a look that clearly said, 'How am I supposed to know?'
Reaching the lake, they stood waiting while Snape pulled out a long thin, stick from his sleeve.
"Oh great," Serena whispered. "What are we supposed to do? Float across on the stick?"
"It's a wand." Amara hissed back.
"Why don't we have one?"
"Do we need one?"
"Good point."
Amara rolled her eyes and looked back at Snape. He was muttering something under his breath.
"What's he saying?"
Amara shrugged.
"Got me. Sounded like Accio something."
Serena looked confused.
"Accio? Is that even a word?"
"Apparently. It sounds Latin. Hey look, there's a boat headed this way."
Both girls watched the boat glide towards them and stop at the edge of the lake. Snape stepped into it and motioned for them to follow. They dumped their bags in front and clambered in.
~*~
The trip to the castle was uneventful and Snape seemed to have little more to say. They landed in a shallow bay and were gathering their bags when an overly cheerful voice called out.
"Hullo! Hullo over there! Ah! Professor, I'll take these two young celebrities to Dumbledore now! After all, we celebrities must stick together!"
Serena and Amara looked at the blonde man that grinned at them and slowly backed away. They kept going until they felt the lake lap against their ankles.
"Amara? What is that?" Serena whispered, "Because a smile that wide is definitely not natural."
"I'm not sure…proceed with caution, soldier."
The man looked at them quizzically before bursting into an annoying laugh.
"How silly of me! Come now, no need to be shy! You've been living in the Muggle world. It's no fault of your own that you don't know who I am. Have no fear; your time in the desert of deprivation is over. I am Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. I teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. As it is the first time we've met…here." He said, handing them each a piece of paper. They turned them over to find a smiling and waving Lockhart.
"Um…thanks." Serena managed. Amara held hers out at an arms length, staring at it suspiciously. Serena adopted a similar pose. A slight snort caught her attention and she turned her head to see Snape trying to repress a laugh. She smiled back at him. Suddenly, she yelped in surprise as the picture in her hand burst into flames. Dropping it, she quickly turned to the lake, using her magic to draw out a tendril of water. She guided it till it hovered above the flaming photo before 'letting it go'. The flames sputtered and went out. She looked up to find Lockhart staring at her, open mouthed.
"Uh…oops?" she managed, turning several shades of pink. It didn't help that both Amara and Snape were looking highly amused. After a moment, Lockhart recovered himself.
"That's…quite all right…I'm sure it was just an accident…no reflection on your personal feelings of course."
Serena had stopped blushing and was now staring at Lockhart incredulously.
"Oh, of course not." Amara drawled sarcastically. She wanted to tell Lockhart exactly where he could shove his photograph, but the idiot was so dense that there just wasn't any fun in it.
"Ah, well, then your journey with Professor Snape here," he said, jovially throwing an arm around Snapes shoulders, while Snape looked like he wanted to rip said arm off, "is over and you'll be coming with me."
"Actually Lockhart, they won't."
Lockhart looked at Snape, surprised.
"Why, I thought that I'd just take the responsibility since you have so many classes to prepare for…"
"That's the problem. You thought. Don't try it again. You might hurt yourself. And on another note, you have just as many classes to prepare for as I do."
"But…"
"AND I have specific orders from Dumbledore. They are not to leave my supervision, under any circumstances. Now get your bloody arm off me." Snape growled the last sentence, disdainfully shrugging off Lockhart's arm. He motioned for the girls to follow. The girls glanced at each other and shifted their bags before following the Potions master. Serena glanced back once to find that Lockhart was still standing there. He waved cheerily when he noticed her gaze and she swiftly turned her face away. That man, she decided, was a prime candidate for a "love me" jacket.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
A while later, the girls found themselves standing beside a stone gargoyle. They had ended up there after a dizzying walk through the many corridors, and were now thoroughly confused as to where they were. Snape paused and spoke to the gargoyle, but neither girl could here what he said. His secrecy was wasted however, as nothing happened. Glaring, he repeated what he had previously said, a little louder.
"Gum Drops." Nothing.
Amara, who was standing closer to him, could hear him cursing fluently under his breath, lapsing into a myriad of languages. Just when it seemed that the man would use physical force on the gargoyle, a woman breezed around the corner, a tall, pointed hat upon her head. Her hair was pulled back into a strict bun and her face was angular. Snape seemed to recognize the woman and his cursing increased as she drew nearer.
"Professor Snape."
His teeth were set as he answered with a coolly civil nod.
"Professor McGonagall."
She glanced at Amara and Serena, before returning her attention to Snape.
"Am I right in assuming that these two girls are the Headmasters guests?"
"You are."
She nodded briskly, before sweeping past him. She paused at the gargoyle.
"Licorice."
The gargoyle slid aside, revealing a doorway and behind it, a cheerfully lit room. The two professors entered and the girls followed them.
Serena held back to urge to let her mouth hang open as she gazed about the room. Old books were everywhere, with incredible titles. One Hundred and Two Creatures , Witches and Wizards Through History, Quidditch Through the Ages, and (the last made her laugh to herself) Knitting for Beginners. Those were just a few of the subjects that she could see. And then there were the knick-knacks that cluttered the desk and every other available space. A sudden loud squawk startled her and she yelped. Whirling about, she nearly yelled again when she came face to face with a boldly red bird who was closely regarding her.
"I see you've met Faulkes." An amused voice said.
Amara, who had been equally enthralled with the room, turned to face an old man, with a long white beard. He was clad in royal blue robes with silver and gold stars and moons on it. His blue eyes twinkled merrily and a slight smile pulled at the edge of his mouth.
Serena, who had also turned, started once more when she felt a slight pressure on her shoulder. Faulkes had decided to try climbing up on her shoulder and already had one foot on it. She glanced back at the man, her eyes wide in confusion.
The man chuckled lightly and bowed his head.
"I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts and on behalf of the school and staff, let me welcome you."
"So you're Albus Dumbledore?" Amara interrupted.
He nodded, not offended by her interruption.
"So….why did you invite us here?"
"For the exact reasons stated in your letters. You are both possessors of an unknown magic and for the sake of the magic community, it would be best for the both of you to stay here for a while."
"Wait a minute," Serena said with a frown, "What do you mean "for the sake of the magic community? We've never hurt anyone."
Dumbledores' smile faded slightly.
"What you both have is a rare gift and one to be treasured. Sadly, not everyone sees or would see things in that way. Had you not come to our attention, it is extremely likely that the Ministry of Magic would have taken things into their own hands."
"Who's the Ministry of Magic?"
"A gaggle of meddling fools." Snape growled under his breath.
"Severus…" Dumbledore said in a warning tone, " The Ministry monitors the use of magic, to make sure that it isn't abused."
"If the Ministry isn't really anything to be worried about," Amara began, "Then why the need to bring us here."
"Let us just say that while the Ministry does it's job…" A snort from Snape was heard, " they aren't always particularly careful in their methods. Were you to fall into their hands, there is a chance that your magic could be completely wiped out. With such a gift, it would be a shame to eradicate it."
"In other words, we're here for our own protection, so that the FBI of the wizarding world can't get their hands on us?" Amara asked.
"In a word, yes."
Amara turned to Serena, pulling her to the side.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"Do we stay?"
"Since when do I make the decisions?"
"Since now."
"Why not? Maybe they're right. It can't hurt us if we do stay for a while."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Besides, it could be fun."
"Alright."
She turned to face Dumbledore.
"We'll stay. But only on one condition."
"And that is?"
"We can leave whenever we want."
" Agreed. Now, if this order of business is complete, I believe there is a Sorting ceremony to attend. Would you care to attend?"
Serena glanced at Amara, who shrugged.
"Why not?" she said.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Which was how the girls found themselves, twenty minutes later, sitting at the head table in the Great Hall. They were aware of the stares that their robeless figures were receiving. At one point, Serena caught sight of Draco sitting a few tables away and smiled slightly at him. He gave her a cool nod in return, before turning back to his tablemates.
"Hey, Sere? Isn't that the guy you ran into at the station?" Amara whispered, pointing down one of the tables. Serena looked in the direction she was pointing and smiled.
"Yeah, that's him. His name's Darien. And that's Rei down by him." She waved when Rei turned and met her eyes. The black haired girl smiled back and nudged Darien, pointing up at them. He looked up puzzled for a moment, before he realized that she wasn't pointing at the professors, but at the two girls sitting with them, and smiled. Serena suddenly had to fight down an unexpected blush and quickly looked away. Amara noticed her discomfiture and grinned evilly.
"You know, Sere, he is awfully cute." She said in Japanese.
"Shut up, Amara." Serena replied, also in Japanese.
"Why should I?"
"Because I'd have a really hard time explaining why I was forced to kill one of the "rare" magic holders."
"Yeah…right." Was Amara's sarcastic reply.
They both stopped talking as Professor McGonagall stood up and walked over to a stool where an old, ratty hat was placed. Picking up the hat, she began to call out names. One by one, the students came forward and had the hat placed upon their heads. After a moment or two, the hat would yell out one of the four houses. Amara was slightly surprised. Then again, everything here seemed a bit off centered, she thought, so maybe this wasn't so odd.
The ceremony was drawing to a close, and soon the last student was sorted. Professor McGonagall began to set down the hat when it suddenly yelled out.
"WAIT!"
Startled, she nearly dropped it. The entire hall turned and stared.
"YOU'VE FORGOTTEN TWO."
The girls felt a sudden start of realization. The hat was talking about them! They glanced at each other, unsure of what to do.
"SERENA TSUKINO! APPROACH!"
Nervously, Serena stood up. She started to walk forward when Amara grabbed her wrist. She looked down, startled.
"Don't."
Serena shook her head.
"No, this feels right. I'm going to do it."
Amara unwillingly let up her grip on the other girls wrist. Her common sense told her to not get drawn into something she knew next to nothing about. However, neither hers, nor Serena's instincts had ever steered them wrong when they listened to them. Generally, not following them led to disaster.
Serena slowly made her way to the stool. She quickly met McGonagall's eyes before sitting down on the stool, gripping the edges. A brief moment later, she felt the hat settling over her head, covering her eyes. She bit back a scream when a voice suddenly spoke, almost directly in her head it seemed.
'Hm…an interesting one, you are...as a matter of fact, if it wasn't for the way things are going right now, I might have to consider taking more time…that narrows it down somewhat though…'
'What do you mean? What's happening?'
' Don't you worry your head about it. You'll know what to do when the time comes. Now let's see…plenty of power, obviously. I wouldn't have even considered you two if that wasn't there…not really ambitious…but stubborn…hmm, yes…a need to prove yourself, but at the same time, a satisfaction with yourself…my, you are a walking contradiction…but that loyalty to your friends…an open loyalty at that. Yes, I think that clinches it. You'll be in…'
"GRYFYINNDOR!"
The Sorting Hat was taken off her head and Serena shakily slid off the chair. There was a moment of silence before the Gryfinndor burst into cheers. Serena numbly walked over to the table, her thoughts still a whirl.
"AMARA TEN'OU!"
Amara rose slowly and warily made her way to the stool where the hat rested. With a suspicious glare, she picked it up and sat down, placing it on her head.
'Well?'
'You certainly catch on quickly. It's no problem seeing where you'll be at home. It's strangely amusing you know…'
'What's amusing?'
'That the two of you are friends. You're such obvious opposites in life, and now you'll have to be opposites here as well…'
'What the Hell are you talking about?'
'Temper, temper…well, it's no trouble placing you. You're nature should be perfectly at home in…'
"SLYTHERIN!"