Chapter 8
Home away from home

They landed smoothly on the castle grounds and stepped out in to the warm night and fresh breeze. Soraya took in everything from the forest to the castle walls. Then her eyes finally rested on Hagrid's house.

Then Hagrid himself came and took their trunks to a nearby boat.

"Oh...um Dumbledore ordered tha' you should stick with tradition." Soraya and Amily looked at Hagrid very puzzled. So he sighed and told them all about the first years having to go in to Hogwarts by boat as there was some sort of small port underneath it. "We usually do this when all the other firs' years are here. But since you are here now Dumbledore said it would be best to do it now. Then you can explore the castle. Come on then you two...'op aboard." So Amily and Soraya walked down to the boat and climbed in.

As soon as they sat down the boat started to move towards the school. They cruised silently and magically over the dark and glassy water. The stars were shining like diamonds against the night sky and the lighted windows made the journey even more spectacular. Soraya couldn't see what they were being pulled by and didn't much care. She just enjoyed the ride and gasped at the site of Hogwarts going over their heads. Soraya tried to imagine what it would have been like to do this with a load of other little boats beside theirs. Soraya put her head back and saw the magnificent castle passing right over their heads. She could feel magnificence radiating from every inch of this place and tried to imagine how ancient this spectacular place is.

When they stopped Hagrid told them to get out first as he had to carry the trunks out of the boats. So the girls ran up the stairs as Hagrid was right behind them carrying the trunks. They opened the doors as wide as they could so Hagrid had enough room to get him and the trunks through the doorway. He thanked them as he past and placed their trunks next to the others in the entrance hall. Then Soraya and Amily followed him to the great hall.

There were two tables laid with golden plates and goblets in front of them, and everyone was sitting round them. There were two other tables at the sides of the great hall. But they were pushed to the wall and no one was sitting round them. Snape and the Slytherins sat at the Hufflepuff table whilst the Griffindors sat at their own table. Dumbledore sat at the Griffindor table and stood up to greet the girls. They came in with awed expressions on their faces. They took a long look at the roof as they came in and then stopped before the tables. Dumbledore then spoke to them with a huge grin upon his face.

"So tell me. What do you think?" Soraya and Amily turned towards each other and grinned.

"Magic!" Some people laughed and others smiled; only Snape and the Slytherins had no trace of a smile upon their faces as usual.

Soraya and Amily sat at the Griffindor table as most of their friends were already there anyway. Then a small feast appeared out of thin air.

"Wow that's so cool!"

"That's only one of the great things about this place. Just you wait until the first day, Halloween and Christmas feats." Ron said with a great big smile on his face as he dove in to his steak pie. After the dinner vanished deserts appeared and Amily tried a little of each. Soraya laughed at Amily as she was well known for her sweet tooth.

Then when everyone had eaten their fill the deserts vanished and the plates were as clean as ever. Dumbledore stood up and addressed everyone with his usual smile.

"Now since our two new students to be haven't been sorted yet they have the choice of where they sleep until the sorting. So tell me girls, in which house would you two like to sleep?" Soraya looked at Amily, they signed quickly to one another so as to not hold everyone up.

"Griffindor?"

"Definitely!"

"We decided we would like to stay in Griffindor."

"Hmmm. Thought so. You will find your luggage in the girl's dorm with Miss. Grangers luggage." Soraya looked quickly to where the trunks had been a few moments before. They had indeed gone to their new location.

Soraya and Amily followed Neville, Dean and Harry to Griffindor tower.

"Password?"

"Oh, where are Ron and Hermione?"

"Gone to get the password from Dumbledore."

Just then Ron and Hermione came round the corner with broad grins on their faces.

"The password is: new comers." The fat lady in the pink dress swung open to reveal a big hole in the wall leading in to the Griffindor common room. Soraya felt safe and warm when they entered the room. It looked very cosy and welcoming so she entered the room with a light heart.

But then a thought struck Soraya.

"Hold on Ron, how is Amily supposed to get in here? She can't say the password!"

"Don't worry Dumbledore saw to that already."

"How?"

"Follow me and do exactly as I say." Soraya and Amily followed him with very confused looks on their faces. Harry followed looking very puzzled himself. They stepped back out in front of the fat lady and Ron smiled kindly at Amily. The portrait of the fat lady had now closed behind them.

"Ok now say the password as though you were able to speak." Amily gave Ron a very odd look as she didn't believe what he was saying. So she mouthed the password in front of the fat lady. For a second or two nothing happened and then like always she swung open to reveal the common room. They walked back in with stunned looks on their faces.

"Dumbledore used a spell so the fat lady can now read lips without speech."

"Nice one, I will have to thank him for that." Amily was grateful too and bounced on the balls of her feet for the rest of the night.

The next morning came and Soraya rushed up to Dumbledore before everyone left.

"Professor Dumbledore sir I want to thank you for what you did for my sister. She wouldn't have been able to get in Griffindor tower without speech so...thank you sir."

"That's quite all right, and the spell is simple enough. I knew of the implications of Amily before I saw you two so I looked it up and that is the end result." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled behind his glasses and Soraya smiled back. She walked away happily with Amily by her side.

The next few days were so happy and free that Soraya almost forgot what feeling like this was. Their friends gave them a guided tour of the castle from the dungeons to the towers. Soraya was particularly interested in the room of requirement that Harry showed her. They made sure no one else was around and stepped in to the room. He told her he was a substitute in practical Defence against the dark arts last year.

"Was Professor Umbridge really that bad?"

"Worse! But I think the centaurs showed her a few things about respecting hybrids."

Next she was shown where all the doors that don't open were. Then of the trick stair that makes you sink in to it until someone eventually pulls you out. Soraya like everyone else didn't like Filch. He complained about a lot of new people having to be taught the rules. He nearly yelled at Amily when a drop of ink hit the floor, and from then on she was very careful to keep her ink on the parchment.

Soraya loved the stair cases when they moved from one side of the castle to the other. Soraya said they were fun and could be very handy when you wanted to get away from someone.

On the day before the sorting they showed her the quidditch pitch. They did a little training as well, but under the watchful eye of Madam Hooch nonetheless. When they went back in to the castle Ron and Harry groaned as they could hear Peeves coming their way. So they ducked in to a nearby empty classroom. Soraya was so used to seeing ghosts that she didn't even flinch when she saw him whizzing by cackling madly. Filch was chasing after Peeves yelling his head off and covered in some sort of slime. Soraya had never seen Peeves and thought he was very different compared to the other ghosts. They were proper and finicky about how a ghost should behave and were a boring grey colour. Peeves on the other hand had bright colours all over from his belled hat to his turned up shoes. Only the bloody baron could keep him under control as Peeves feared him. She had to hold back a laugh when she ran in to him. She saw him saluting a small patch of green swamp in a corridor. She couldn't hold it back when Ron and Harry told her the reason behind it.

She stayed up at night to read her books in the common room or outside in the sun. She was reading her magical drafts and potions book when a shadow stepped behind her and blocked out the sunlight. She could tell who it was by his shadow and she sighed.

"Yes sir?"

"What are you reading?" She just showed him the cover over her shoulder and he made a sound of recognition behind her.

Soraya didn't want to know what was coming next but knew what was coming anyway. He stood beside her and asked her a series of questions from the book. He asked one after the other and she felt like hitting him over the head with it. He stopped when she couldn't answer the last one.

"I don't know sir; I haven't got that far in the book yet."

"Well keep reading as I want to see this knowledge used in my potions classes. Because if you are not up to it then I will kick you out so fast your feet won't touch the ground. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir. Crystal clear." Soraya was so angry when he left that she pounded the ground. She showed up at lunch with bruised and grazed knuckles. Anger was still running through her entire body. So much so that she had a hard time keeping her voice steady when she spoke to her friends.

"Soraya how did you do that?"

"Don't ask!"

"But..."

"I don't want to talk about it!" For the rest of the day Soraya stayed with her friends so as not to be cornered by Snape again.

Then finally the day of the sorting came, Soraya and Amily were very nervous. The day past painfully slowly and Soraya's nerves were fit to burst when she saw all the other students before her coming in to the school. She watched from a window as the first years entered the school by boat. Then stood with Amily in front of the tables before the sorting hat. Then all the other first years filed in. Soraya and Amily joined them and waited for their names to be called. Soraya felt stupid as she was much taller than the first years. She could feel everyone's eyes on her as she stood with them before the sorting hat. But thought nothing of it as the teachers didn't take any notice.

Then the sorting hat started to sing. But Soraya's nerves were so frayed that she didn't pay much attention. When the hat finally finished his song the whole great hall broke in to applause. Then each name was being called one after the other.

"Amily Hung."

"GRIFFONDOR!"

"Denise Charlton."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Gregory Rightworthy."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Mark Delaqui."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Seline Parker."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Soraya Grif..."

McGonagall stopped and turned to Dumbledore as Soraya came half way up the stairs. Then she too stopped in her tracks and her heart started pounding. McGonagall had a bit of a confused look on her face and spoke quietly to Dumbledore. But unfortunately Soraya was close enough to hear what she was saying.

"Albus...is this correct?" Dumbledore nodded and McGonagall turned back round with a quite bewildered look on her face.

"S-Soraya Snape?" Soraya's mouth dropped and her stomach vanished. She looked at Snape with a puzzled look on her face. But he on the other hand was avoiding her eyes all together and busied himself with an invisible hair on his robes. Soraya's heart sank. 'I am bound to be in Slytherin...oh god help me what can I do now?'

So she stepped to the stool and turned round. Everyone could she a mixed look of shock, horror and grief on Soraya's face. She could see the same looks on her friend's faces before McGonagall planted the hat on Soraya's head. She waited and waited for the hat to say the terrible name Slytherin. But nothing happened and it was taking longer with her than any other student.

Then the hat spoke aloud but it did not call the name of any house. But instead it spoke like any normal person would have done to an audience.

"I do not know where this child goes."

"But she does belong here?"

"Yes headmaster there is absolutely no doubt about that. It's just I can't seem to place her. She has the equal strengths to all houses. The courage of Godric Griffindor, the loyalty of Helga Hufflepuff, the cleverness of Rowena Ravenclaw and the cunning of Salazar Slytherin. Her gifts will not be accounted for of course but I cannot place her. The prophesised child is here so I need help from the founders. Put me back on the stool girl I need to be empty to do this."

Soraya proceeded to put the hat back on the stool and turned to Dumbledore to look in his eyes. She was thinking this must be some kind of joke. But he didn't blink and looked as confused as she did and stared at the hat. Snape was staring right at her and he wasn't blinking either. She could feel everyone's eyes on her and she didn't like it. When she turned round she wished she hadn't. Because every set of eyes on the tables were looking right at her. Soraya closed her eyes and moved them back down behind the hat. She wished she was sitting at the Griffindor table right now with Dean and watching everyone else get sorted in to their houses.

Just then the sorting hat glowed light blue and sang an incantation instead of a song.

"O founders of Hogwarts here my cry. I have found the child you all wanted to see before you died. Griffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin come down here and help me out. To put this here child in the right house."

For a few seconds nothing happened, and then four balls of light appeared on stage. They floated in front of the sorting in mid air. These then moulded themselves in to four colourful ghosts. The grey ghosts of Hogwarts merely started at them and stopped to watch the show. The hat then stopped glowing and the founders looked at the shocked faces of the students and smiled. Then they turned towards the hat and Soraya who seemed more shocked than anyone here. But that passed when they spoke to her in a friendly and calm sort of way. Even Slytherin seemed strangely friendly.

They were all wearing robes in their house colours, and then Hufflepuff spoke to her.

"So this is the child? Come here girl no need to be frightened." Soraya took a few steps towards the founders and Griffindor spoke to her calmly but firmly.

"Now speak up and tell us your name young lady."

"My name is Soraya sir."

"You have much power girl?" It was Slytherin who spoke and his voice sounded as oily as his hair. There was a slight tinge of a thirst in his voice but for what Soraya didn't know.

"I don't know sir."

"Oh Salazar stop thinking about power all the time. Now then do you have a good mind and memory?"

"I have a photographic memory ma'am." The questions ceased when Godric announced that they would know when she sits back on the stool. So Soraya complied and sat back down. Griffindor placed his hand on her head. It felt strangely warm and pleasant, not cold at all like the other ghosts in Hogwarts. Then he nodded and smiled as he removed his hand.

"Yes...this child is as brave as I, maybe even more so." As each founder took it in turns to touch the Soraya's head they all nodded and said the same thing. But stating their own strengths as they went along.

"Now Soraya I want you to put my hat back on your head. Good, now stand up and walk over to the Slytherin table first and place your hand on it." Soraya did as she was told without any more fear and went over to the Slytherin table. Her hand was a foot away from the table when the hat screamed.

"I THINK NOT!"

Everyone jumped as the hat shouted. Soraya especially as the hat was on her head and nearly burst her ear drums. Snape looked very angry and strangely disappointed for a couple of seconds before putting his old face back on.

So she went to the Ravenclaw table next and this time the hat spoke much softer but loud enough for all to hear. "Hmmm...very close but no cigar!"

Soraya went to Griffindor next and placed her hand on the table, a golden glow appeared where her hand lay. She drew it back quickly but found the glow was only slightly warm. She felt the warmth spread thorough her and she felt strangely safe.

"Go to the Hufflepuff table anyway just in case." Griffindor said with a grin on his face.

"Hmmm...nice community but we all know where you belong now." Soraya went back to the stool, turned round and the hat yelled.

"GRIFFINDOR!" The Griffindor table erupted with cheers; everyone still looked stunned but pleased none the less. Godric was clapping very loudly and so were the other founders. Salazar and Snape on the other hand looked very sour but followed everyone else and clapped. (For a shorter time than anyone else that is.).

Then each of the founders said something to her in turn.

"Have a good year and courage."

"Open your heart and have faith in others."

"Broaden your mind."

"Use your cunning to survive fatal situations."

Then they vanished and left a slightly confused Soraya behind. Dumbledore came out from behind the teachers table and removed the hat from Soraya's head. He put it back on the stool and escorted Soraya in to a back room behind the teachers table.

When the door closed Soraya could hear the sorting continuing. She was steered in to a chair by the fire. Her heart was pounding in her ears and didn't know whether she was in trouble or not. She collapsed in to the chair and took a few steady breaths. Then very slowly looked up at Dumbledore's face. He looked no wiser than she did and just stared in to the fire.

She could smell the feast and her stomach rumbled. Soraya turned a deep shade of red but Dumbledore just smiled. He conjured up some sandwiches and pumpkin juice on the small table in front of them. The portraits were whispering and staring at Soraya. It would have seemed eerie and almost creepy if Dumbledore hadn't been there. He just seemed to take the creepiness out of the room. After they ate their fill Soraya turned to Dumbledore.

"No mean to be rude sir but what the hell just happened?"

"I have no idea." He said with a big grin on his face and Soraya can't help but feel at ease.

"I hate to sound weak but I am really, really scared right now!" Dumbledore leaned forward and took her hand and patted it slightly.

"It's Ok to be scared, I wasn't so sure what happened today myself. So you could say I was slightly scared too."

"I'm glad I wasn't the only one then." Soraya started to feel better with Dumbledore around. Her nerves steadied as she proceeded to talk about today's event with him.

They both had a slight grin on their faces when suddenly the door burst open and Snape came in. He still had the same peculiar look on his face when Soraya turned to look at him in the sorting. She looked at him for a second and then stared angrily in to the fire.

"You said I should come when the feast is over and everyone else has gone Dumbledore. I could not find any spell or charm being played on the hat. So this is most definitely real." Dumbledore sighed and stepped in front of Soraya. Noticing through her anger she saw cast in shadow she looked up at him. She was very puzzled and so was he.

"Soraya you are a very special person. Did Lei or Luna tell you where you were born?"

"No sir."

"You were born here at Hogwarts. As there was no where else for your mother to go she came here and gave birth to you. In the very ward here at Hogwarts." Soraya just looked completely and utterly amazed, and had no way to answer that. So she just sat there in silence. Dumbledore sighed again and looked back in to the fire.

Snape moved in to the shadows and sat on a stool in a corner of the small room. He placed his head in to his hands where his greasy hair covered them from sight. He sighed tiredly and looked as though he had a headache. The silence lasted for a while until Dumbledore spoke again.

"Soraya have you had any strange dreams at all?" Soraya tried to think of what to say to that and just looked up in to his eyes as they scanned her again. She definitely couldn't hide anything from him and nodded.

"Care to share?"

Soraya couldn't find a reason not to and began to tell Dumbledore her dreams. "There is one where I am a baby. A green light smashed a statue and I was transported or something to Lei's house. I also saw a person with a black cloak who looked like they were in a lot of pain writhing about on the floor. I couldn't see their face as the hood on their black cloak was covering it." Snape suddenly looked up very interested all of sudden. But he was cast in too much shadow to be seen and Soraya's eyes were fixed on Dumbledore's. "Another one where I am in a long grey corridor and there's a room at the end. Another cloaked black figure was inside the room and was looking right at me."

"Any more you could tell us?"

"Yes but this was more fantasy than reality...I am in a black room and a golden light hits me. Then I wake up...and that's pretty much it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. But sir how did you know I am having strange dreams?"

"That is for another time Soraya and it's getting late. So I think you should go and rest for tomorrow your lessons start. We shall discuss what to do with this information in the future." As if on cue she yawned as she got up out of the chair. She then proceeded to the door. Soraya left Snape and Dumbledore in the room behind her without so much as a glance over her shoulder.

She was just coming out of the great hall when she could hear someone running towards her and calling her name. It was Dean, and he had a stunned look on his face when he saw her.

"Soraya! Can you please tell me what happened back there? It was so weird; I have never seen anything like that at the sorting before."

"I agree with you it was very weird. But I can't answer questions I don't even know the answers to. I want some answered myself and Dumbledore...wise though he maybe. Doesn't seem to have them either." They didn't talk for the rest of the journey to Griffindor tower. She stopped outside the fat lady and the password had been changed.

"Password?"

"The founders." Soraya was so glad to see the common room was empty and everyone had gone to bed. So she said goodnight to Dean and went up to the girl's dorm. She was greeted by a worried looking Amily who ran up to Soraya and hugged her.

"Sorry if I worried you Amily."

Soraya was now very tired and all she wanted was to go to sleep. But Hermione asked her about tonight before she could even draw the hangings around her bed.

"Hermione your guess is as good as mine. I didn't even know I was related to Snape until tonight, and I really hate that guy! I don't want any of you to hate me because I am related to that greasy git! Because I'd rather hug a cactus than for that guy to be my uncle." Hermione laughed at Soraya's plea and smiled.

"Don't worry; none of your friends are that shallow. I think Snape's the only person in this school... apart from some of the Slytherins who are that petty. You will still have all your friends in the morning. So sleep easy as you will have a long day tomorrow."

"Phew! Thanks Hermione and good night."

"Good night Soraya." Soraya's head barely touched the pillows when she got in to bed. She fell asleep straight away in to a long, and one of the deepest and most restful sleeps she had ever had.

*** This chapters done.