Disclaimer: Not mine, I only own the plot of this fanfic and Carya, some parts are copied from the book, you might notice that some people got into different houses than in the books by JKR; this has only minor reasons, but I need them to be where they are now ^_^
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Chapter 05 - The Sorting
Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. /Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house,/ Harry thought and suddenly Carya stared at him.
Her eyes widened a bit and she tried something. /Harry? Do you hear me? Did you just think about Aunt Petunia?/ she thought. Now it was Harry's turn to look surprised but then he nodded and they both started grinning slightly. When Draco looked at them quizzically Harry mouthed 'Tell you later!'
/Maybe we have to try and get a rabbit out of it,/ Harry thought. /Harry, that's ... Don't try and make me laugh tonight. Not until we've figured out how this works, okay? I certainly don't want to look like a fool and I'm sure you wouldn't want to either,/ Carya told him. Noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, they stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth -- and the hat began to sing:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.
"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Draco whispered to Harry. "I'll kill my father, he was being so very secretive about this, damn."
Harry smiled at him and even Carya couldn't suppress a smirk. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than anything they'd imagined. Behind them they could hear Ron Weasley talking about how his twin-brothers had told him they would've to wrestle a troll. At this they just had to snicker a bit.
It was hilarious. As if anyone would allow the first years to get killed on their first evening at school. They just couldn't believe that anyone would fall for THAT. But then again, Ron Weasley seemed to be the type. Professor McGonagall now 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. "Hannah Abbott!"
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause -- "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.
The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.
"Susan Bones!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.
"Terry Boot!"
"RAVENCLAW!" The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.
"Mandy Brocklehurst" went to Ravenclaw too.
But then "Lavender Brown" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers.
"Millicent Bulstrode"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Vincent Crabbe!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Justin Finch-Fletchley!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide.
"Seamus Finnigan," the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a GRYFFINDOR.
"Gregory Goyle!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Hermione Granger!" Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.
"Ah, very clever one you are. And you don't mind hard work, yes, there's only one place for you - RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat.
When "Neville Longbottom", was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a very long time to decide with Neville.
When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to the next student.
"Morag MacDougal."
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Ernie McMillan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Draco Malfoy!" Draco swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once.
The hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"
Draco Malfoy went to join his fellow housemates, looking pleased with himself. There weren't many people left now. He suddenly looked uncertain at the twins. The boy was sure they would be in Gryffindor like their parents had been.
His father had told them about that time. Although he had already been a third year when Potter, Evans, Black, Lupin and Snape had started Hogwarts he always knew what was going on. Lucius Malfoy had told him to watch the twins.
The elder Malfoy was absolutely sure they would end up in Gryffindor and Draco didn't exactly feel very good then. He wanted them to stay as his friends. They had gotten along so well. Even if his father disapproved of that relationship.
He wanted to have them in Slytherin but that was unlikely ... if anyone had taken bets, the majority would have laid theirs onto Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.
"Pansy Parkinson"
"SLYTHERIN!"
Then a pair of twin girls, "Padma Patil"
"RAVENCLAW!"
and "Parvati Patil"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Then finally "Carya Potter!" As Carya stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like small hissing fires all over the hall.
"Potter, did she say?"
"The Potters?"
"Hmm," said a little voice inside Carya's head once she had put the head on. "This is difficult. You have courage, yes, and quite talented and smart too. Oh, interesting - you want to prove yourself, show them what you're able to. Very ambitious and powerful are you, right dear? So, where to put you?"
Carya chuckled inside and thought 'That might sum it up, doesn't it. But you find me difficult? Then better wait for my twin brother. He'll be even more interesting I think.' She smirked inwardly and heard the hat chuckling slightly.
"I know now, yes, it shall be SLYTHERIN!"
When the hat shouted this there were a few gasps and whispers heard and even more people had shocked looks on their faces; especially the Professors McGonagall and Snape, both for different reasons. But in one point they would've agreed.
They just couldn't believe that a Potter was actually sorted into Slytherin. While they were wondering about that Carya joined Draco at the Slytherin table and turned to watch the rest of the sorting. McGonagall quickly composed herself and continued.
Draco was happy. Half of his wish was fulfilled. Only one thing was left. And he hoped that since they were twins they would end up in the same house. Just like the Weasley twins and not like the Patil's who were in Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.
The next to be sorted was of course:
"Harry Potter!" Most people were looking at him expectantly now. So Harry was glad when the hat dropped over his eyes.
"Oh, the second Potter. Very much like your sister, hmm? Yes, that's obvious. Strong are you and courageous, not a bad mind either..."
But Harry cut him short with thinking angrily 'Oh, hurry up, but whatever you decide – just, make sure you put that git Ron Weasley somewhere else than me!'
"No need to be rude, dear," the hat continued, "Now I think I know where to put you. It certainly has to be SLYTHERIN!"
Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. When he took off the hat he was greeted with silence. Everyone stared at him as if he had grown a second head. He started to glare at them and slowly began to walk towards the Slytherins. Suddenly there were whispers all over the Great Hall. They accompanied the shocked faces of almost everyone in there.
If the people had been slightly confused when Carya was sorted into Slytherin then they were outright shocked now. The famous Harry Potter a Slytherin!? Never ever had anyone expected THAT. Only Ron Weasley looked a bit as if he might have guessed since he already had his experiences with the Potters on the train. And everyone who heard about that encounter was shocked. In fact most of them were so shocked that they didn't dare to go near Carya's and Harry's compartment.
The teachers were speechless, including McGonagall and Snape. Even Dumbledore looked shocked though he did a good job at hiding this. This was unexpected. Everyone had thought that Harry AND Carya would go to Gryffindor just like their parents. Never ever would've anyone imagined that they even might get sorted into Slytherin. That was just not right they thought.
Harry sat down and didn't look up. Dumbledore coughed politely and that brought Professor McGonagall back to reality and the sorting continued. Harry decided to look up again. He could see the High Table properly now.
At the end nearest him sat Hagrid, who caught his eye and then looked away quickly. He seemed unable to look straight at Harry. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognised him at once from the card he'd gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train.
Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. Harry spotted Professor Snape but said Professor just gave him a quizzical look which changed into a scowl and then looked at the sorting once again.
Right next to Snape was another teacher. He was wearing lilac robes and a matching turban. Said teacher was talking to Snape. Carya noticed her brother staring at the head table and looked into the same direction. That moment the Professor which they would get to know as Professor Quirrell looked straight at them. Suddenly a jolt of pain surged through Harry's and Carya's scars.
Harry absently rubbed his forehead while Carya just flinched a bit. No one seemed to have noticed that but one person did - Snape. He looked from the twins towards Quirrell and back. His expression was absolutely unreadable.
The only one who didn't seem to mind them being Slytherins at all was Draco. He was grinning madly at the two Potters and almost laughed when Carya and Harry raised an eyebrow each and at the same time too.
'Must be a twin thing. I wish I had siblings like that. Being an only child is quite boring sometimes. And I wonder why they are like this when they've grown up with muggles ...' Draco mused and then turned his attention back to the sorting.
Now there were only five people left to be sorted.
"Dean Thomas," a boy even taller than Harry, joined the Gryffindor table.
"Lisa Turpin," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. His face was pale green by now.
Harry smirked and noticed Carya and Draco doing the same. /Coward,/ he thought and got an approving reply from his sister. They had agreed to explore this new ability of communication over the next few days.
And a minute later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" Harry was elated that this Weasley wasn't in his house..
The next one was the red haired girl who had shared the boat with Harry, Carya and Draco. It became obvious that Draco's guess had been right when McGonagall called
"Virginia Weasley!" to be sorted.
"Ah another Weasley, now you're different from your brothers. Quite ambitious you are. Don't want to stand in their shadows, hmm? Want to be free of their influence in your life? Yes, yes, I know what to do with you", after a few moments the hat shouted: "SLYTHERIN!" and again there were quite a few gasps.
The girl looked a bit unsure when she took off the hat but Carya beckoned her over to the seat on her left. At first Ron and three other boys who looked very much like him went white as snow but then they turned purple and looked as if they wanted to kill someone.
The teachers looked as if the world had been turned upside down (A/N: which wasn't that wrong because no one ever had expected to have a Potter or a Weasley in Slytherin since it had never occurred before). The Potter twins and the youngest of the Weasleys in Slytherin – that was quite a headline.
Soon Professor McGonagall called "Blaise Zabini," who was the last one to be sorted.
She was made a "SLYTHERIN!"
McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. As soon as they all sat at their respective house tables the feast began. Ginny introduced herself and then she, Carya, Harry and Draco talked. But only after Carya had made it crystal clear that Ginny was truly one of them and that there was nothing wrong with her because of her family name since she and her twin were in Slytherin, too.
"Hi, I'm Virginia Weasley but please call me Ginny, okay?" the girl introduced herself and Carya took the offered hand.
Harry nodded but Draco started sneering. That got him a death glare from Carya.
"Draco ...," she started, "is something wrong with you?"
"No, I only wouldn't have thought that a muggle-lover like Weasley would get into Slytherin," the young Malfoy answered.
Ginny looked hurt and Harry was unsure what to say but Carya's temper had already decided the course of action.
"Draco Malfoy! You're not above others, you know? If you don't stop this childish behaviour I'm going to hex you until you can barely walk, is that clear? I don't make threats Draco, this ...," she paused a moment and then continued in a menacing and quiet voice, "This, my dear friend, is a promise!"
Harry gulped. Carya rarely used such threats. And he worriedly looked at Draco who didn't know what to say next. And when Carya had decided that his time for thinking was over she told him her exact opinion.
"Ginny here was sorted into Slytherin. That means an authority older than thousand years deemed her worthy of being in this house. Who are you that you dare the sorting hats decision, eh? Harry and I are Slytherins too, in case you haven't noticed. Both our parents have been Gryffindors.
As far as I know we are the first Potters who have been Slytherins since ever! So quit acting like a git and try to behave like you have grown up in a wellmannered home. I don't care about prejudices like that because if I did I would have to kick myself. That is one of the things I'd never ever do, Mr. Malfoy!" she told her friend.
"Eh, well ... I think, it's okay then. I'm ... Welcome to Slytherin Virginia," Draco said and shook Ginny's hand too.
Their housemates had witnessed Carya's whole speech and they were impressed by her ability to convince even a Malfoy that there was no room for any argument against her opinion. This was what got her the respect that she would have throughout her years at Hogwarts.
The Slytherins didn't notice the looks everyone else in the Great Hall gave Harry, Ginny, and Carya. The ones directed at the twins were confusion, anger from the students and confusion and worry from the teachers. Ginny was looked at with curious glances since everyone had seen her brothers reactions and was waiting what would happen next.
It was a short, harsh and rather one-sided argumentation between Draco and her. Carya gave him an ear-full and almost started threatening to hex him. She finally won without hexing Draco. Ever since then Ginny Weasley was a fully accepted member of Slytherin House. But the remaining Weasley in the Great Hall looked as if Ginny was something unworthy and ugly.
After the feast the prefects led their houses to the common rooms and showed the First Years their dormitories. The twins, Ginny and Draco said "Good Night" to each other and retreated to their rooms.
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@George Weasley : Glad you like it ^_^
Please Read AND Review.
Thx ^_^,
Carya
