Chapter 3: Sorting

'Oh man. I am starving.' Ron said as he, Harry, Hermione and Elijah got off the train. 'I hope there aren't too many first years.' They all got in a carriage. But, there were already two people in it. And, unfortunately for Harry, he sat on one of them.

'My God, Harry! What the heck do you think you're doing!?!?!?!?!?!' came Courtney Granger's voice. 'Oh, man, you are heavy!'

Cedric, her twin brother, started to crack up. So did Ron. Those two sat next to each other and were laughing so hard they were practically crying. Hermione smiled and Elijah chuckled a little bit, but Harry and Courtney (especially Courtney) found it very unfunny.

'Oh, shut up, all of you.' They said at the same time. They stared at each other, then they shook their heads. Ron and Cedric kept on laughing.

'Harry,' Ron said between bursts of laughter, 'Did you think Courtney was Santa Claus?' and he Cedric started to laugh again.

'Ha ha, very funny,' Courtney said, 'Shut up.'

Cedric let out the laugh he was holding in. 'Yeah, Harry whaddya want for Christmas?' He gave Ron a high-five and collapsed.

'Oh, my God,' Courtney muttered so only Harry could hear. Then she smiled at him, turned to Elijah and said, 'So, Elijah, how are things in your world?'

He smiled at her. 'Just fine, thanks.' They continued talking up until they got to the school. Through the whole conversation, Ron and Cedric were laughing and Hermione kept on reading.

*~*~*

Ron and Cedric were still smiling as everybody sat down. They, Harry and Elijah talked together as Elisabeth, the twins' little sister joined the table. Lizzie and Hermione were really close because they read a lot. Courtney liked to hang out with the boys more than them.

Courtney wasn't really talking to anybody. She was waiting for Dumbledore's speech. When it did come along, she was surprised to see about 40 extra kids enter with the new first years.

Professor Dumbledore rose from his chair. 'Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. As usual, I have some announcements to make. Firstly, I would like to repeat that no student is allowed in the Forbidden Forest, hence the name. Secondly, I would like to welcome a new teacher to our staff, for Defense Against the Dark Arts: Professor Elijah Wood.' Elijah stood up and it mostly was the Muggle-borns who clapped for him. Draco Malfoy just glared at him.

'Thirdly,' Dumbledore continues as the clapping died down, 'we have more than just first years joining our school this year. We have students from other schools that have transferred. Those schools are Beauxbatons, Forest Glen School of Magic, Atlantis Institute of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Ohana Academy of Magic.' The Sorting Hat was brought out and the first years were called. There were only ten of them, so it didn't take long to Sort them. When they were finished, Dumbledore stood up again. 'The new students will be Sorted by schools. Would the Atlantis students step forward?'

Professor McGonagall took out a different scroll and started to call names.

'Cerulean, Neryssa.' An auburn-haired girl of 15 stepped forward and put the Sorting Hat on.

'Gryffindor!' The Gryffindors cheered as Neryssa beamed and joined the table.

'Darc, Maren.'

'Slytherin!'

'Delphine, Nyree.'

'Slytherin!'

'Felport, Chelsea.'

'Gryffindor!'

'Hinit, Blaine.'

'Ravenclaw!'

'McGuire, Dylan.'

'Gryffindor!' A boy with blue-streaked blonde hair walked toward the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Neryssa.

'Hermione!' Courtney squealed. 'Did you see him? Man, he's cute!'

Hermione stared at him with her mouth open, but didn't talk. McGonagall continued.

'Revere, Ria.'

'Ravenclaw!'

'Riddle, Veronica.'

Harry stared at this girl. 'Riddle?' he said to Courtney. 'Wasn't that Voldemort's real name?'

'Yeah. Tom Riddle. Hmm. Hey, if she's related to him, she'll be in Slytherin.' Courtney said reassuringly.

But then the Sorting Hat shouted, 'Gryffindor!'

'Or not,' Courtney and Cedric said at the same time.

'Okay, she's not related to him,' said a relieved Harry.

'Riddle, Viviana.' ('She has a twin?' Ron said to Harry. 'Dang!')

The Sorting hat shouted 'Gryffindor!' once again. Veronica clapped for her sister and they both gave each other evil grins.

'Roan, Innis.' The last boy from the Atlantis group stepped forward. 'Hufflepuff!'

Dumbledore stood up again. 'Beauxbatons is next.' 10 more children stepped forward. McGonagall took out another scroll and started reading.

'Centoire, Renee.'

'Gryffindor!'

'Degage, Joellyn.

'Slytherin!'

'Delacour, Faye.'

'Hufflepuff!'

'Hey, do you think that's Fleur's little sister, too?' Ron asked them. They all shrugged. 'She's pretty!' Everybody groaned.

'Elle, Tawny.'

'Hufflepuff!'

'Evelle, Cozette.'

'Slytherin!'

Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and his mouth fell open. 'You guys,' he hissed, 'Look at Malfoy!' Everybody glanced at Malfoy and started laughing. He was completely staring at Cozette. Like he was in love.

'OMG,' Courtney choked, 'The Mal-jerk actually has feelings?!?!?!?' And, as if drawn by their staring, Malfoy looked at them sniggering. He glared, but was blushing.

'Farae, Miette.'

'Hufflepuff!'

'L'Etoile, Lisette.'

'Gryffindor!'

'Mavier, Desiree.'

'Ravenclaw!'

'Meanoile, Yvonne.'

'Slytherin!'

The students from Beauxbatons were finished. There were twenty students left. Dumbledore called the Forest Glen students to come forward and McGonagall withdrew another scroll.

'Anastaz, Tatiana.'

'Gryffindor!' ('Yes!' Courtney whispered.)

'Beale, Drake.'

'Slytherin!' ('Crap!' Courtney whispered.)

'Desertt, Sahara.'

'Ravenclaw!'

'Edan, Brooke.'

'Slytherin!'

'Kells, Bradlee.'

'Hufflepuff!'

'Lian, Tamara.'

'Gryffindor!'

'Seraph, Arden.'

'Ravenclaw!'

'Tashri, Dawn.'

'Hufflepuff.'

'Vesmelle, Raven.'

'Ravenclaw!'

'Ha ha,' Ron snickered, 'that girl's name is Raven and she's in Ravenclaw!'

'Very funny,' Hermione said disapprovingly.

'Zappolla, Daphne.'

'Hufflepuff!' Forest Glen was done. McGonagall took out the last scroll, the one for Ohana Academy of Magic.

'Alii, Laurel.'

'Slytherin!' ('Poopy!' Cedric said to Courtney)

'Iolani, Kona.'

'Ravenclaw.'

'Meira, Lana.'

'Gryffindor!'

'Meira, Lara.' ('Twins?' Harry wondered.)

'Gryffindor!' ('Cool!' Ron said.)

'Meira, Lindsay.' ('Triplets?' they all wondered.)

'Gryffindor!'

'Boo yah!!' Courtney practically yelled. 'Pelekai, Nani.'

'Hufflepuff!'

'Shark, Mano.'

'Slytherin!'

'Waikiki, Mahina.'

'Hufflepuff!'

'Winia, Lilo.'

'Ravenclaw!' The last of all the students went to her seat. Then, the feast began. Ron automatically grabbed everything in sight. Harry kept on looking over toward the Riddle twins. Courtney noticed and said, 'Harry, what's the matter?'

Harry turned toward her and sighed. 'Those twins, they-they just give a bad feeling.' He and Courtney looked toward them and saw them get up and walk over toward the others. Then they sat down.

'Hi,' said the first one, 'I'm Viviana Riddle and this is my sister, Veronica. Or, you can call us Liv and Ronnie.'

Courtney stared long and hard at them. Nicknames? Already? I've known Harry for five years and he doesn't have a nickname for me, she thought. Harry was gaping open mouthed at them.

'Yeah, great,' Courtney said out loud. 'We have a question about your surname. Are-'

'You want to know if we are related to Tom Riddle, right?' Veronica interrupted. 'And, to answer your question, we are.'

At this remark, Ron, Cedric, Lizzie and Hermione turned toward them in horror. There were no words to describe Courtney and Harry's faces.