~Chapter Four- The Sorting of Lindsey Wormtongue ~
Fifteen letters later, Lindsey stood awkwardly at the front of the line. At the echoing sound of the name Lindsey Wormtongue, she skulked towards the stool. About half way there she caught her foot on the hem of her outrageously long robes and nearly did a face plant. Laughter from the tables ensued causing a touch of color to very nearly come to her pallid face. She sat quickly and gracelessly onto the stool and yanked the Sorting Hat onto her head, covering her eyes. Snape was caught between his common derisive laughter and pity. Although pity was highly out of character for him, there was something about this girl that reminded him uncannily of a younger version of himself…
* * *
Lindsey jumped and gave a slight gasp as a voice sounded suddenly in her head. The voice chuckled slightly, then began to speak.
"Well, no question, I'd definitely say you were a Slytherin". A pause. "Yes, no doubt about it, SL-"
The hat had just been about to yell the House name out for all to hear when Lindsey frantically thought, Oh no, no, please not there!
To her surprise the Sorting Hat stopped and said, "Not there, ey? Where would you choose instead then, I wonder…"
Lindsey squeezed her eyes shut, hoping with all her might. Ravenclaw, please, please, Ravenclaw! she begged inwardly.
"Ravenclaw…? Ah, so you're the friend our other new student was thinking of. Well, if you really want it that badly; you'd make a marvelous Slytherin, you know…"
Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw…
"Alright, alright, I heard you the first time. RAVENCLAW!"
Lindsey practically melted with relief. She took off the hat and bounded unceremoniously towards the uproarious Ravenclaw tables where Cari was already shoving people aside to make room for her. But before she sat down she did happen to glance up and catch a brief shadow of disappointment cross the dark professor's face, although most everyone else missed it. However she did not get to ponder this for long as she was swept up in a big hug from Cari.
* * *
Snape had been quite confident he would be gaining a Slytherin, and felt a slight twinge of disappointment at the sound of "Ravenclaw!" What did he care whether this no-account girl was in his House or not? He really didn't know… or did he?
* * *
Cari and Lindsey were quite nearly overwhelmed by all the excited chatter greeting them at the Ravenclaw table. A tall, strong girl with straw-blonde hair took it upon herself to take charge.
"I'm Kristin Applegate," she said with a smile, shaking both Cari and Lindsey's hands each in turn. "I'm a seventh year here. Over there are Pippy Monaghan and Rachel Benjamin." Kristin indicated a quiet-looking girl with a kind smile and another with long, wavy blonde hair.
"Rachel's a sixth year," Kristin went on. "You guys are fifth years, aren't you? Really? Wow, I guessed right… Well, Pippy's a fifth year, and so is Lisa over here; this is Lisa Turpin." Here Kristin indicated a spunky-looking girl with a boyish haircut and a very artistic air who waved and smiled.
Kristin seemed about ready to start in again when a sudden hush fell over the Hall. All eyes turned to the platform where Dumbledore stood, waiting to speak. As soon as everyone was silent he began.
"The first thing I'd like to say to you all is welcome; welcome back, or welcome to your first year here at Hogwarts. Now, seeing as all I'd really like to do right now is eat, I'm just going to say two things.
"The first, as I'm sure you've noticed, are our two new fifth year students just sorted into Ravenclaw, Cari Green and Lindsey Wormtongue. They have both moved here from America quite recently, and I know you'll all do your best to help acclimate them."
Nearly all eyes in the Hall had turned to them now. Cari met them all while Lindsey shrank slightly, although not as much as if Cari hadn't been beside her.
Dumbledore cleared his throat slightly and continued, "The second item: your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Balbossa!"
At this a young and quite charming man at the end of the table stood and bowed extravagantly, then smiled the most mischievous smile anyone had ever seen a teacher give. Lindsey fleetingly saw the dark professor roll his eyes with marked annoyance, and just barely stifled a laugh. All the other female students in the Hall exchanged glances with her friends and not a giggle or two before Dumbledore finished with:
"And now I believe you have everything you need to know right now so… dig in!"
At these last words the tables in the Hall creaked under the sudden weight of thousands of plates brimming with food.
"Are you sure this is Hogwarts, Cari?" Lindsey asked, eyes wide and staring at the huge amount of sustenance.
"What are you talking about?" Cari asked confusedly, digging into some chicken. "Of course this is Hogwarts, crazy!"
"Really? Because it feels like I've died and gone to Heaven."