Ch. 2: Sorting
The train came to a shuddering halt and Ix felt as if her heart had stopped with it. As the entire student body pushed it's way out of the Hogwarts Express Ixana could feel panic start to build up in her chest. She was clutching poor Sam so tightly that he had to resort to scratching her and jumping free from her arms. Luckily Ginny felt Ixana's distress and she lightly squeezed her hand.
"You'll be fine." She whispered giving Ix a smile and a push in the right direction, "say 'Hi' to Hagrid for me."
Ixana looked to where Ginny had pointed and saw an enormous man holding a lantern. Ginny waved to him and he waved back at her, the lantern light twinkling brightly in his small beetle black eyes and bushy beard twitching slightly in a grin.
"Firs' years! Firs' years," he called to the crowd, beckoning the little students forward, "An' you too Ms. Mage." Hagrid added smiling at Ixana.
Ginny gave Ixana another small push forward and then turned to go with the others. Ixana found herself alone with the group of first years and Hagrid. She felt distinctly out of place.
"All righ' there firs' years?" Hagrid asked looking around the group, "let's go then!"
Hagrid led them through a dark and winding path. Finally it opened up to reveal the breathtaking view of Hogwarts castle twinkling across the clear lake that mirrored the star-strewn sky. As they crossed the lake in their little boats, Ixana felt as if she were floating in space with stars all around. She sighed and gazed at the beckoning warm light that shone from Hogwarts' many windows. Tara had had an unearthly, almost unbearable beauty, but the lights of Hogwarts made you feel like you were coming home.
All too soon the journey across the lake was over and Hagrid was leading them to the great front doors of the castle. Ixana's nervousness returned as Hagrid knocked and the doors opened to reveal a stern looking woman. Ixana suddenly remembered having dropped Sam and was soothed slightly to find him by her ankles as usual. She picked him up, but was careful not to squeeze him.
"Thank you Hagrid, I'll take it from here." The woman said curtly. Hagrid nodded and left, the woman turned and led the children into a classroom.
Before Ixana could go in, Professor McGonagal stopped her.
"Ms. Mage, you are not a first year, but you will still be sorted into a house. I know it is awkward for you to be sorted with the first years, but it is the tradition to be sorted in front of the whole school."
Ixana nodded swallowing. IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE SCHOOL! AGAIN? She thought. She had, of course, been sorted at Tara, and the experience had been slightly humiliating. At Tara, the new students had to place their hands on to the ancient king's stone. When touched, the stone (which was pure white) turned the colour of your aura. Depending on what colour your aura was you would be sorted intone of the six houses (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple) but Ixana's had been so dark that everyone had thought it was black and couldn't figure out where to place her. Eventually they had realized that her aura was actually an extremely dark red and had sorted her accordingly, but the incident had still left scars: nobody wanted to associate with the girl with the "black" aura.
Ix was shaken from her rememberings when she noticed the other students filing back out of the classroom.
Professor McGonagal led them into the Great Hall and along the raised dias in front of the teacher's table. Uncle Jo waved at her and smiled encouragingly. Ixana could feel the answering smile spread across her face. She grinned at him and put her two thumbs up. Jo always made her feel braver. It was one of his talents.
Once the children were lined up, Professor McGonagal took out a stool and placed it in front of the wide-eyed students. On it was a tattered, bedraggled wizard's hat. Ixana stared at it. What would she have to do with the hat? Was it going to predict her aura too? She felt a knot constrict in her stomach. What if they couldn't tell the difference between the colour of her aura and the natural black of the hat? What if- What if...?
A tear near the brim of the hat opened, and the hat began to sing.
"Welcome young and welcome old To a story that's many times been told I shall tell you an interesting story About four men and four qualities
Ravenclaw was smart and quick So youngens, I am going to pick The ones who are sharp and quick of wit When danger stirs, they do not sit.
Hufflepuff was a very good woman She's an extra leg, if you need help to stand Hufflepuffs are loyal to their friends, And stick with it until the end.
Slytherin was like a snake Sly and smart, not tolerant of mistakes So if you are in the Slytherin house You have presence, not like a mouse.
Gryffindor was good and proud Gryffindors do not hide, they're somewhat loud. Courageous and bold, but sometimes hasty They always put up a fight; they are good, and feisty.
So now I will sort each into the clans And you will live in the house for the span Of your high school years Making enemies and friends of peers
So come and sit under me It's not so stressful, you will see So I will leave you from my rhymes, All I have to say is have a good time!"
The four tables of students erupted into cheers once the hat finished its song. Professor McGonagal waited impatiently for the noise to die down holding a roll of parchment
"Ixana Mage." She read.
Ixana's eyes darted around the room. Everyone was staring at her intently. She didn't know what they expected her to do. So she did the most logical thing she could think of: She sat on the stool and put on the hat.
The hat fell to just below her eyes and she could still see out the bottom if she strained.
"Now what?" Ixana thought.
"Hmm..." said a voice inside her ear. Ixana almost knocked over her chair in surprise. "Don't be frightened Ixana Mage, I'm just a hat."
Ixana's eyes widened and she stared at the inside of the hat.
"Definitely a Gryffindor." the hat said.
"What?!" Ixana asked the hat. If she remembered correctly, the song had said that Gryffindors were courageous. "And you aren't brave?" The Hat asked Ixana. Ixana shook her head, how could someone as shy as her be brave? She'd never been brave enough to maker her own friends. Would she have been less lonely, had she been brave?
"No, you had the courage to stand alone." The hat told her, and deep down, Ixana had to acknowledge that. It hadn't been entirely that she had been shunned or that she hadn't been courageous enough to make friends; She hadn't wanted to make friends. Not with people who would judge her by something as stupid as the colour of her aura, or her last name...
Ixana smiled at the hat.
"See," it said, "I told you, you were a GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted out this last word for everyone to hear.
The Gryffindor table erupted into cheers. Ixana grinned and shakily made her way to the table where her new friends waited. Ron clapped her on the shoulder, and Ginny hugged her briefly, Hermione grinned at her, Harry gave her thumbs up, and Neville smiled. The Creevy brothers shook her hand enthusiastically, introducing themselves. Ixana couldn't help but grin like a maniac. She hadn't felt this happy in five years, except for the time when she was thirteen and had spent the summer with Uncle Jo and his best friend Tom in Montreal; and even that time had been tainted with the knowledge that she'd have to return to Tara.
Ixana glanced up at the Teacher's table. Uncle Jo was beaming at her proudly. He winked at her and she gave him the victory sign.
Ron nudged Ginny and Seamus who were sitting on either side of him.
"Hey, check out the blonde!" he grinned nodding towards a blonde woman sitting next to Snape. She was smiling at him and talking. Snape was scowling ever so slightly back.
"Oh!" Ixana said in surprise, "That's Jen!"
"Who?" Everyone asked, turning to Ix.
"Umm...She worked with my uncle in Montreal. I wonder why she's here too?" Ixana explained.
"What's her name?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Jen, uh, Jenya Lefay."
"Lefay? You don't mean...?" Ron asked, glancing at Hermione.
"She must be. No one else would have the last name Lefay." Hermione said somewhat disdainfully.
"What?" Asked Harry, glancing between them, "I'm feeling out of the loop again..."
"She's descended from Morgan Lefay." Hermione explained. Harry still looked baffled.
"King Arthur's sister? The priestess of Avalon?" Hermione prompted.
"Ooooh..." Harry said slowly, glancing at the blonde woman with a bit more respect.
But then she giggled. A clear, tinkling, silvery giggle. Harry and Hermione frowned at her.
"Shh! The Sorting's over." Ginny hissed.
Dumbledore rose and beamed at the assembled students. Ixana liked him immediately.
"Please enjoy." he said simply. He then sat down once more and started to take food from the platters that had suddenly appeared before them.
Meanwhile, Jen had turned her attention from the surely Professor Snape to Jo.
"What's the matter Jo?" She asked cheerfully, "You look odd."
Jo seemed startled to be spoken to. He glanced at Jen and gave her a small smile.
"Oh it's nothing..." Jo said, starting to load his plate with food, "I was just missing Tom."
"I swear," Jen sighed, rolling her eyes, "it's like you two are married. Though I'll admit it *is* strange to see you here without him."
Jo smiled again, a little ruefully this time, "I was just thinking that if he were here, he'd be making elaborate plans on climbing to the ceiling of his hall."
" And why on Earth would he want to do such a thing?" Snape sneered.
Jo shrugged, "Just because. That's how Tom is."
"Well, I'm glad he isn't here then." Snape said, "A teacher like that would have a very bad influence on some of the students. It would be just like Potter and his gang to actually try to carry out a scheme like that."
Jo chuckled. "I suppose he would be, at that. He was quite the rebel in high school. I wont even *tell* you the story of how Tom got the Key." "Don't ask!" Jen warned Snape, rolling her eyes, "It's Jo's favourite story. He tells it over and over again."
Eventually, even Ron could eat no more. At this point the plates disappeared and Dumbledore once more rose to speak.
He began with his usual list of regulations and the additions to Filche's banned objects, and then finally came to the new teachers.
"And now it is my very great pleasure to introduce to you the new members of our staff who have both come all the way from Canada in order to have the pleasure of teaching you. First of all, please give a warm welcome to your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Jenya Lefay." Everyone clapped as Jen stood and smiled brilliantly to the crowd. Harry noticed in slight amusement that it was mostly the male students who were clapping hardest, but still anyone was better than Umbridge! He admitted that professor Lefay, was very pretty, but blondes weren't his type.
The clapping died down and Dumbledore continued.
"Next, I would like you all to welcome your new History of Magic teacher, Jorin Mage." Again the clapping was enthusiastic. At least professor Mage was ALIVE! He was bound to be more interesting than professor Binns.
Once again the clapping died down and Dumbledore looked around at his students.
"This year," he said, "is going to be a challenge. Besides the regular challenges of getting good grades and winning house points and Quidditch matches, you will also have the challenge of having two new teachers. As well, soon, I believe, the entire wizarding community will have the challenge of Voldemort on their hands." Dumbledore gazed warmly at his students, "but for hundreds of years Hogwarts has stood the test of many, more difficult challenges. I have faith in Hogwarts, and I have faith in you. Now have a good night, and may you wake full of the vigour and determination that makes Hogwarts strong."
And with those solemn words, the students left the Great Hall.
The train came to a shuddering halt and Ix felt as if her heart had stopped with it. As the entire student body pushed it's way out of the Hogwarts Express Ixana could feel panic start to build up in her chest. She was clutching poor Sam so tightly that he had to resort to scratching her and jumping free from her arms. Luckily Ginny felt Ixana's distress and she lightly squeezed her hand.
"You'll be fine." She whispered giving Ix a smile and a push in the right direction, "say 'Hi' to Hagrid for me."
Ixana looked to where Ginny had pointed and saw an enormous man holding a lantern. Ginny waved to him and he waved back at her, the lantern light twinkling brightly in his small beetle black eyes and bushy beard twitching slightly in a grin.
"Firs' years! Firs' years," he called to the crowd, beckoning the little students forward, "An' you too Ms. Mage." Hagrid added smiling at Ixana.
Ginny gave Ixana another small push forward and then turned to go with the others. Ixana found herself alone with the group of first years and Hagrid. She felt distinctly out of place.
"All righ' there firs' years?" Hagrid asked looking around the group, "let's go then!"
Hagrid led them through a dark and winding path. Finally it opened up to reveal the breathtaking view of Hogwarts castle twinkling across the clear lake that mirrored the star-strewn sky. As they crossed the lake in their little boats, Ixana felt as if she were floating in space with stars all around. She sighed and gazed at the beckoning warm light that shone from Hogwarts' many windows. Tara had had an unearthly, almost unbearable beauty, but the lights of Hogwarts made you feel like you were coming home.
All too soon the journey across the lake was over and Hagrid was leading them to the great front doors of the castle. Ixana's nervousness returned as Hagrid knocked and the doors opened to reveal a stern looking woman. Ixana suddenly remembered having dropped Sam and was soothed slightly to find him by her ankles as usual. She picked him up, but was careful not to squeeze him.
"Thank you Hagrid, I'll take it from here." The woman said curtly. Hagrid nodded and left, the woman turned and led the children into a classroom.
Before Ixana could go in, Professor McGonagal stopped her.
"Ms. Mage, you are not a first year, but you will still be sorted into a house. I know it is awkward for you to be sorted with the first years, but it is the tradition to be sorted in front of the whole school."
Ixana nodded swallowing. IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE SCHOOL! AGAIN? She thought. She had, of course, been sorted at Tara, and the experience had been slightly humiliating. At Tara, the new students had to place their hands on to the ancient king's stone. When touched, the stone (which was pure white) turned the colour of your aura. Depending on what colour your aura was you would be sorted intone of the six houses (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple) but Ixana's had been so dark that everyone had thought it was black and couldn't figure out where to place her. Eventually they had realized that her aura was actually an extremely dark red and had sorted her accordingly, but the incident had still left scars: nobody wanted to associate with the girl with the "black" aura.
Ix was shaken from her rememberings when she noticed the other students filing back out of the classroom.
Professor McGonagal led them into the Great Hall and along the raised dias in front of the teacher's table. Uncle Jo waved at her and smiled encouragingly. Ixana could feel the answering smile spread across her face. She grinned at him and put her two thumbs up. Jo always made her feel braver. It was one of his talents.
Once the children were lined up, Professor McGonagal took out a stool and placed it in front of the wide-eyed students. On it was a tattered, bedraggled wizard's hat. Ixana stared at it. What would she have to do with the hat? Was it going to predict her aura too? She felt a knot constrict in her stomach. What if they couldn't tell the difference between the colour of her aura and the natural black of the hat? What if- What if...?
A tear near the brim of the hat opened, and the hat began to sing.
"Welcome young and welcome old To a story that's many times been told I shall tell you an interesting story About four men and four qualities
Ravenclaw was smart and quick So youngens, I am going to pick The ones who are sharp and quick of wit When danger stirs, they do not sit.
Hufflepuff was a very good woman She's an extra leg, if you need help to stand Hufflepuffs are loyal to their friends, And stick with it until the end.
Slytherin was like a snake Sly and smart, not tolerant of mistakes So if you are in the Slytherin house You have presence, not like a mouse.
Gryffindor was good and proud Gryffindors do not hide, they're somewhat loud. Courageous and bold, but sometimes hasty They always put up a fight; they are good, and feisty.
So now I will sort each into the clans And you will live in the house for the span Of your high school years Making enemies and friends of peers
So come and sit under me It's not so stressful, you will see So I will leave you from my rhymes, All I have to say is have a good time!"
The four tables of students erupted into cheers once the hat finished its song. Professor McGonagal waited impatiently for the noise to die down holding a roll of parchment
"Ixana Mage." She read.
Ixana's eyes darted around the room. Everyone was staring at her intently. She didn't know what they expected her to do. So she did the most logical thing she could think of: She sat on the stool and put on the hat.
The hat fell to just below her eyes and she could still see out the bottom if she strained.
"Now what?" Ixana thought.
"Hmm..." said a voice inside her ear. Ixana almost knocked over her chair in surprise. "Don't be frightened Ixana Mage, I'm just a hat."
Ixana's eyes widened and she stared at the inside of the hat.
"Definitely a Gryffindor." the hat said.
"What?!" Ixana asked the hat. If she remembered correctly, the song had said that Gryffindors were courageous. "And you aren't brave?" The Hat asked Ixana. Ixana shook her head, how could someone as shy as her be brave? She'd never been brave enough to maker her own friends. Would she have been less lonely, had she been brave?
"No, you had the courage to stand alone." The hat told her, and deep down, Ixana had to acknowledge that. It hadn't been entirely that she had been shunned or that she hadn't been courageous enough to make friends; She hadn't wanted to make friends. Not with people who would judge her by something as stupid as the colour of her aura, or her last name...
Ixana smiled at the hat.
"See," it said, "I told you, you were a GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted out this last word for everyone to hear.
The Gryffindor table erupted into cheers. Ixana grinned and shakily made her way to the table where her new friends waited. Ron clapped her on the shoulder, and Ginny hugged her briefly, Hermione grinned at her, Harry gave her thumbs up, and Neville smiled. The Creevy brothers shook her hand enthusiastically, introducing themselves. Ixana couldn't help but grin like a maniac. She hadn't felt this happy in five years, except for the time when she was thirteen and had spent the summer with Uncle Jo and his best friend Tom in Montreal; and even that time had been tainted with the knowledge that she'd have to return to Tara.
Ixana glanced up at the Teacher's table. Uncle Jo was beaming at her proudly. He winked at her and she gave him the victory sign.
Ron nudged Ginny and Seamus who were sitting on either side of him.
"Hey, check out the blonde!" he grinned nodding towards a blonde woman sitting next to Snape. She was smiling at him and talking. Snape was scowling ever so slightly back.
"Oh!" Ixana said in surprise, "That's Jen!"
"Who?" Everyone asked, turning to Ix.
"Umm...She worked with my uncle in Montreal. I wonder why she's here too?" Ixana explained.
"What's her name?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Jen, uh, Jenya Lefay."
"Lefay? You don't mean...?" Ron asked, glancing at Hermione.
"She must be. No one else would have the last name Lefay." Hermione said somewhat disdainfully.
"What?" Asked Harry, glancing between them, "I'm feeling out of the loop again..."
"She's descended from Morgan Lefay." Hermione explained. Harry still looked baffled.
"King Arthur's sister? The priestess of Avalon?" Hermione prompted.
"Ooooh..." Harry said slowly, glancing at the blonde woman with a bit more respect.
But then she giggled. A clear, tinkling, silvery giggle. Harry and Hermione frowned at her.
"Shh! The Sorting's over." Ginny hissed.
Dumbledore rose and beamed at the assembled students. Ixana liked him immediately.
"Please enjoy." he said simply. He then sat down once more and started to take food from the platters that had suddenly appeared before them.
Meanwhile, Jen had turned her attention from the surely Professor Snape to Jo.
"What's the matter Jo?" She asked cheerfully, "You look odd."
Jo seemed startled to be spoken to. He glanced at Jen and gave her a small smile.
"Oh it's nothing..." Jo said, starting to load his plate with food, "I was just missing Tom."
"I swear," Jen sighed, rolling her eyes, "it's like you two are married. Though I'll admit it *is* strange to see you here without him."
Jo smiled again, a little ruefully this time, "I was just thinking that if he were here, he'd be making elaborate plans on climbing to the ceiling of his hall."
" And why on Earth would he want to do such a thing?" Snape sneered.
Jo shrugged, "Just because. That's how Tom is."
"Well, I'm glad he isn't here then." Snape said, "A teacher like that would have a very bad influence on some of the students. It would be just like Potter and his gang to actually try to carry out a scheme like that."
Jo chuckled. "I suppose he would be, at that. He was quite the rebel in high school. I wont even *tell* you the story of how Tom got the Key." "Don't ask!" Jen warned Snape, rolling her eyes, "It's Jo's favourite story. He tells it over and over again."
Eventually, even Ron could eat no more. At this point the plates disappeared and Dumbledore once more rose to speak.
He began with his usual list of regulations and the additions to Filche's banned objects, and then finally came to the new teachers.
"And now it is my very great pleasure to introduce to you the new members of our staff who have both come all the way from Canada in order to have the pleasure of teaching you. First of all, please give a warm welcome to your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Jenya Lefay." Everyone clapped as Jen stood and smiled brilliantly to the crowd. Harry noticed in slight amusement that it was mostly the male students who were clapping hardest, but still anyone was better than Umbridge! He admitted that professor Lefay, was very pretty, but blondes weren't his type.
The clapping died down and Dumbledore continued.
"Next, I would like you all to welcome your new History of Magic teacher, Jorin Mage." Again the clapping was enthusiastic. At least professor Mage was ALIVE! He was bound to be more interesting than professor Binns.
Once again the clapping died down and Dumbledore looked around at his students.
"This year," he said, "is going to be a challenge. Besides the regular challenges of getting good grades and winning house points and Quidditch matches, you will also have the challenge of having two new teachers. As well, soon, I believe, the entire wizarding community will have the challenge of Voldemort on their hands." Dumbledore gazed warmly at his students, "but for hundreds of years Hogwarts has stood the test of many, more difficult challenges. I have faith in Hogwarts, and I have faith in you. Now have a good night, and may you wake full of the vigour and determination that makes Hogwarts strong."
And with those solemn words, the students left the Great Hall.