Sharp As A Spoon
Prologue
First years huddling in the rain, together in boats that seemed to row themselves towards the castle in the distance... Or were they simply too wet and cold to bother looking for those steering? As they entered the castle their clothes seemed to dry under a warm breeze and the chill left their bones, leaving the anxious anticipation of the ceremony to come. Oh, please don't put me in Slytherin, thought some of the children as they imagined the means of sorting. Some of the more confident ones smiled, sure they were going to be put in the house of their choice. After all, were they not worth it? Those children with older siblings already in the great hall knew of the sorting hat, and were wondering how a hat could determine their personality. A hat? Even in the wizarding world, it seemed a bit si-
"First years through here," came the commanding voice of Professor McGonagall. The great doors opened and the first years were shepherded into the great hall.
Five tables, four long ones with students, and one short one for the teachers, kept the room well occupied. Eyes swept in a wave towards the ceiling as they noticed the ceiling. Or was it the sky? They could see the rain as it flew mercilessly towards them, marvelling as it disappeared into oblivion. They were walking faster now, forming a line to a small podium in front of the teachers' table were an old, bedraggled hat and a vaguely crooked stool.
After a song from the hat, the students each began to sit on the stool and have the hat placed on their heads. After a moment, for most, or a long time, for some, the hat cried out a house name which startled the child to no end.
"Astarael Aardvark!" was first the first to be called up, amidst giggles and jeers at her name. The hat took it's time before calling out, "Gryffindor!"
"Rosie Fuentes!" was placed cheerfully into "Hufflepuff!"
Along it went from Vinca Jenkins in Slytherin to Mattie Sorovero in Gryffindor until, finally, Haruda Zen, in Ravenclaw.
The feast was, in a word, wonderful. From exotic dishes to Mums Own, just the way you like it, everything looked at tasted spectacular. Except the wobbly pink thing that had only one or two dents in it from the rather unlucky James Bindier. When everything was sufficiently diminished, and everyone's stomachs were full, the students filled out of the hall towards their common rooms and dormitories.
"First years this way," called a seventh year Gryffindor. She led them up towards the Fat Lady and the Gryffindors entered their common room.
"I call this bed!" Astarael Aardvark shouted as she jumped into a four- poster bed in the corner of her dorm. "Mmm, soft."
"Oi, gerroff! That's my bed, that is," Mattie Sorovero told another Gryffindor boy as they ventured to place their trunk beside the bed, laughing.
"That's my bed," Vinca Jenkins snarled at someone unwise enough to take the window bed in the Slytherin common room.
Haruda Zen waited until the last student had placed their trunk, and took the only bed still left. It had a hole on the end, but was otherwise just as decent as the rest. "Thank you," he said to no one in particular.
Rosie Fuentes took the bed alongside her friend Makiwi Purple in the Hufflepuff dorm and stayed up all night, talking.
Prologue
First years huddling in the rain, together in boats that seemed to row themselves towards the castle in the distance... Or were they simply too wet and cold to bother looking for those steering? As they entered the castle their clothes seemed to dry under a warm breeze and the chill left their bones, leaving the anxious anticipation of the ceremony to come. Oh, please don't put me in Slytherin, thought some of the children as they imagined the means of sorting. Some of the more confident ones smiled, sure they were going to be put in the house of their choice. After all, were they not worth it? Those children with older siblings already in the great hall knew of the sorting hat, and were wondering how a hat could determine their personality. A hat? Even in the wizarding world, it seemed a bit si-
"First years through here," came the commanding voice of Professor McGonagall. The great doors opened and the first years were shepherded into the great hall.
Five tables, four long ones with students, and one short one for the teachers, kept the room well occupied. Eyes swept in a wave towards the ceiling as they noticed the ceiling. Or was it the sky? They could see the rain as it flew mercilessly towards them, marvelling as it disappeared into oblivion. They were walking faster now, forming a line to a small podium in front of the teachers' table were an old, bedraggled hat and a vaguely crooked stool.
After a song from the hat, the students each began to sit on the stool and have the hat placed on their heads. After a moment, for most, or a long time, for some, the hat cried out a house name which startled the child to no end.
"Astarael Aardvark!" was first the first to be called up, amidst giggles and jeers at her name. The hat took it's time before calling out, "Gryffindor!"
"Rosie Fuentes!" was placed cheerfully into "Hufflepuff!"
Along it went from Vinca Jenkins in Slytherin to Mattie Sorovero in Gryffindor until, finally, Haruda Zen, in Ravenclaw.
The feast was, in a word, wonderful. From exotic dishes to Mums Own, just the way you like it, everything looked at tasted spectacular. Except the wobbly pink thing that had only one or two dents in it from the rather unlucky James Bindier. When everything was sufficiently diminished, and everyone's stomachs were full, the students filled out of the hall towards their common rooms and dormitories.
"First years this way," called a seventh year Gryffindor. She led them up towards the Fat Lady and the Gryffindors entered their common room.
"I call this bed!" Astarael Aardvark shouted as she jumped into a four- poster bed in the corner of her dorm. "Mmm, soft."
"Oi, gerroff! That's my bed, that is," Mattie Sorovero told another Gryffindor boy as they ventured to place their trunk beside the bed, laughing.
"That's my bed," Vinca Jenkins snarled at someone unwise enough to take the window bed in the Slytherin common room.
Haruda Zen waited until the last student had placed their trunk, and took the only bed still left. It had a hole on the end, but was otherwise just as decent as the rest. "Thank you," he said to no one in particular.
Rosie Fuentes took the bed alongside her friend Makiwi Purple in the Hufflepuff dorm and stayed up all night, talking.