Wow, okay, since many reviewed, I have been inspired to write the next chapter! That and I watch the two movies I mentioned. Okay, many thanks to Sweet Tooth (please keep waiting, it will be on the ninth chapter, approximately!) Lishel Fracrium ( I will get more up soon!), Saturnian Blonde (yeah, could they be anymore stupid?), and HermioneGMalfoy (reviewed your story, I hope you get more out soon!). Okay, now here is the Sorting Ceremony, be kind and rewind ~~~whoa, where did that come from? Anyway, here's chapter 7!
Chapter 7: The Sorting Ceremony
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They made their way up to the castle and to the Great Hall. It was already filled with students anxiously waiting for the feast to begin. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville took seats at the Gryffindor table. Hermione and Neville were soon engaged in a deep conversation about Transfiguration and Ron became amused with his fork. Harry scanned the Staff Table. There were some empty seats. Professor Sprout was talking to Professor Flitwick. Professor Dumbledore was staring up the ceiling. On the other side of the table, to his surprise, was Briana. He tapped Ron on the shoulders and pointed.
"Look, she's our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher again! And she wouldn't tell me if she will come back or not!" exclaimed Harry.
"Yeah. I guess the job wasn't jinxed after all. But who is the lady she's talking to?" asked Ron.
Right next to Briana was a new teacher, a lady of Briana's age with dark red hair. Harry watched as she tossed her head as she laughed at something Briana had said. And, as if she felt Harry staring, she turned around and smiled right at Harry! Harry, who was very frightened, dropped his gaze.
Meanwhile…Back at the Staff Table…
Lily Potter turned back to her best friend, who was drinking from her goblet. She stared at her.
"Annie? Is-is that him? Is that Harry?" She finally had the courage to ask. Briana glanced at the Gryffindor table.
"Him? The one next to the red-headed boy?" she nodded her head in the Gryffindor direction.
"Yes, the one next to a Weasley," said Lily, with a hint of impatient in her voice. She hated Briana keeping things from her.
"Well, let's see…Dark hair, round glasses, and from here, he has green eyes? What do you think Lily?" she asked with a smirk on her face.
"My boy," Lily whispered, her eyes misty. "My little boy."
"He's not a little boy, anymore, Lils. He's almost a full-fledge man. And he is turning into such a fine young man. Besides, Carrots, it's not like I'm not going to teach him the ways of a Raider. God knows he needs that side of ours. Being a Marauder is a great disgrace."
"You're right, Featherhawke. That's why I'm here, I think." She thought for a moment. "Is this why I'm here? You know, I hate when your uncle leaves us the bits of information we need. James and I really need to know why we're here."
"Lils, didn't you hear him? He said he doesn't know why on earth you are here. Besides, if he did, I'm sure he wouldn't hold it against you."
"I'm sure he wouldn't," muttered Lily dryly. At the moment, Professor Mcgonagall came in with the first years for the Sorting Ceremony. She placed the hat on the stool and explained the procedures to the very uneasy first years. "Remember when our sorting, Annie?"
"Remember? How can I not? You called Severus Snape an oily git," whispered Briana. Lily smiled as she watched the hat sing its inevitable sorting song. As it ended, Professor Mcgonagall called out the names.
"Ackley, Stephen!" The hat waited for a few moments and then yelled,
"Hufflepuff!" Cheers came from the Hufflepuffs as he sat down with them. Back at the Gryffindor table, Harry noticed a girl who looked like Cedric Diggory. She had the same gray eyes (which right now, looked very nervous).
"Ron, who do you reckon is that?"
"I don't know. Boy, am I hungry. They really need to shorten this ceremony to about five minutes," he said as "Bernard, Sandra!" became a Gryffindor.
"Ron, am I going to have to tell you this every year? The Sorting is a very essential part of the feast," said Hermione, very annoyed. "It's not the food that's important." She gave him an annoyed look.
"Coolstone, Megara!"
"Slytherin!"
"It's a feast, isn't it? I think that the food is quite as essential as the sorting!" said Ron indignantly.
"Ssh!" said Harry absent-mindedly as Professor Mcgonagall called out the next person.
"Diggory, Cordelia!"
Practically the whole Hall became silent as the girl with light brown hair and gray eyes approached the hat. She calmly put it on while many of the students were trying to get a better look at her.
"Is that really Cedric's younger sister?" asked Seamus Finnigan.
"I didn't know he had a sister," said Neville.
"Well, it's obvious he does, doesn't he?" said Hermione.
At long last, the hat yelled, "Hufflepuff!"
Harry watched her as she walked toward the Hufflepuff table. The Sorting soon finished.
"Great, it's done. Now, it's time to eat," said Ron. But he was wrong. Professor Dumbledore got up and cleared his throat. "Oh, no, what now?"
"As I know many of you are eager to eat, but I have few announcements to be made before we eat. More than ever, the Forbidden Forest is strictly off-limits to everyone. There will be no magic used around the corridors," he looked around the faces of the students. "As you all can see, we are missing an old face tonight but gained a new one. Our Professor Severus Snape is on a, er, holiday. So, our old Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher has kindly taken up the post for a couple of months till Professor Snape come back. Our temporary Potions Mistress, Professor Sullivan."
Briana gave a wave and a small smile. Harry and Ron looked at each other.
"No way. Snape gone for a while? This is great!" said Dean.
"I hope she's going to be really nice to us," said Neville.
Professor Dumbledore waited until the murmurs died down. He cleared his throat once again and continued, "And since our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be doing something else, I have taken into consideration of finding a temporary teacher for it. So our new, or should I say temporary, Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Lillian Evans."
There came a small murmur throughout the Hall as Professor Evans stood up and gave a small bow.
"Another female Defense professor? I hope she will be as nice as Professor Sullivan," said Hermione.
"Yeah, I hope," murmured Harry. There was just something about her that Harry couldn't understand.
"Well, I hope you treat Professor Evans with the right respect she deserves. Now, without further ado, let us eat!"
Food appeared suddenly in front of their eyes. As they were eating, Professor Flitwick came up to them and said, "Professor Mcgonagall told me to tell you that your password for the Gryffindor Tower is Twinkle Toes. Well, good luck!"
After the feast, Harry and Ron helped lead the first years to the Gryffindor Tower.
"This way, and watch out for the stairs. They can be tricky," explained Harry.
"Yeah, don't be like Neville. Always tripping," chuckled Ron.
They finally reached the tower. Ron gave the password and Harry directed them to their dormitories.
"Girls on the right and boys on the left. Yeah, I guess that's it. Good luck," said Harry.
As they were going up to their own dormitory, Ron sighed, "It's good to be a prefect."
"Yeah, you got that right," chuckled Harry.
Okay, that was short and fast and straightforward. Well, I guess that's it. Ummmmm….MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!! I don't own anything (maybe some things). Be on the lookout of the next chapter! ~villageidiot333~
