08/14/04
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
A/N: Hey everyone! Soooooooo sorry for the delay, but my comp got a virus and I had to rewrite this entire chapter! Eurgh...... Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, as it's the one where they get to Hogwarts! Read and review, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Six
By the time they reached the Hogsmeade station, Abi, Seb, and Ian had gotten to know each other. They exited the train to see a giant of a man walking along the platform.
"Firs' years! Firs' year, over here! Is tha' everyone? I'm Hagrid, Keeper of Keys, Groundsmaster, and Care of Magical Creatures professor. Everyone here? Right then, follow me!" He led them to a cache of small boats.
Emma, Marie, and Cina climbed in one. Seb, Abi, and Ian in another. Alex, Mallory, James, and Frank in the last boat.
Halfway across the lake, a giant tentacle rocked Emma's boat. She screamed, and grabbed Cina for support.
"It's all right," Hagrid called back, in a tone that was meant to be reassuring. "It's just the giant squid. Don' worry, he's jus' playin' with you." They were approaching a wall of ivy. "All right, everyone, three, two, on, DUCK!" They ducked, and the ivy swept over their prone forms. When they looked up again, they were in a large cave of some nature.
The boats grounded themselves, and the first years leapt out of them. Hagrid walked over to a giant—even bigger than him—door in the wall, and knocked three times.
Upon the ending of the third knock, the door swung open. An older witch, with her gray-streaked black hair back in a tight bun stood in the doorway. She had on loose green robes and he mouth was pinched tight. Abi noticed a gold band on left-hand ring finger.
Hagrid drew himself up, a bit huffy. "The firs' year, Professor McGonagall," he said.
"Thank you, Hagrid," said the witch. She moved so he could pass through the doorway. "Albus told me to tell you to go on to the feast immediately." Hagrid nodded, and left, with one last wave to the first years. Professor McGonagall regarded them with a stern eye. "Follow me." And she turned and walked through the doorway without another word.
The first years were not only comprised of the children of Draco and Hermione's children and friend's children. In fact, there were fourteen others. Five purebloods, five Muggleborns, and four Halfbloods. But, they were all exchanging nervous glances as they followed the professor to a chamber off the Entrance Hall.
When they had all entered the chamber, the door swung shut behind them, causing one girl to let out a small sound of surprise.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," the professor started, making eye contact with each new student. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly. But before you can join you classmates, you must be sorted into your Houses." Her eyes met Abi's. "While you are here, your House is like your family. You will have classes with you Housemates, sleep in your House dormitories, eat at your House table, and spend your free time in your House common room.
"The four Houses of Hogwarts are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Each House has it's own noble history, and has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are here, your triumphs will earn you House points, and any rule-breaking will loose you points. And, at the end of the year, the House with the most points will win the House Cup.
"The Sorting Ceremony will begin in a few minutes. Until then, wait here. When we are ready for you, I will come get you." At this, Professor McGonagall left the room, robes sweeping behind her.
"I'm so, so, so, so nervous," Emma proclaimed.
"I know what you mean," Marie said, thinking.
Abi looked at Seb. "I think McGonagall was trying to tell me something."
Seb's eyebrows went up. "How so?"
"Well, she looked at me longer than anyone in the room." Abi's voice was a little fretful.
"It'll be OK," Ian said, grinning. "I don't think she liked me. Know's who my dad is. Probably didn't like him after what he did to your mum."
"And why would that be?" Abi asked Ian, a little indignant.
"Because everyone knows that Hermione Granger was Minerva McGonagall's favorite pupil," Ian explained. "Or, almost everyone."
"Huh," Abi remarked before the door swung open again.
The professor surveyed them like a hawk. "We are ready for you now," she said, beckoning them forward.
McGonagall led them to a giant door, which she pushed open lightly. Abi sucked in her breath. The Great Hall was magnificent. The way her parents had explained it didn't do it enough justice. She didn't, however, get a chance to look at it much, as the first years were shepherded to the front of the room. In front of who could only be Albus Dumbledore, there was a small three-legged stool, with an old, dirty, dusty—and a bit ratty, I might add—wizard's hat. Alex peered at it, and could almost make out a face.
Professor McGonagall silenced the Hall of students with one "do as I tell you, or else" look, and turned her gaze sharply to the first years. "When I call your name," she said. "Come, sit on the seat, and you will be sorted." She looked at a scroll she was holding. "Gabrielle Anystine."
A somewhat snobby-looking girl, with long black hair, made her way to the front. She sat on the stool, smirk in place. The hat barely touched her head when it yelled out: "SLYTHERIN!" Gabielle's face broke into a malicious grin, and practically skipped to the Slytherin table, which was cheering.
Professor McGonagall called two more people—a boy, who was sorted into Hufflepuff, and a girl who was sorted into Ravenclaw—before she called Emma's name. "Emma Finch-Fetchley."
Emma's name did cause a bit of a stir. Every fashionable girl in the school knew the name of Lavender Finch-Fetchley, and her partner, Parvati Longbottom. Emma, who was already somewhat of a Drama Queen, not unlike her mother and aunt, flounced up to the stool, put the hat on, and sat for a few moments until: "HUFFLEPUFF!" yelled the hat. What you could see of Emma's face—before she tore the hat off—was taken up by a large grin. She walked calmly—which you could see was forced—to the Hufflepuff table and was immediately asked questions about her mom and aunt.
McGonagall glanced at the list and called, "Mallory Hopkins."
Mallory got a grin from Alex. She put on a brave face, and went to sit on the stool. Hat on, she wait tensely for a few minutes. Time seemed to tick away until the hat reached its verdict. "RAVENCLAW!" it yelled. Mallory's face was light up by a huge smile as she made her way to the Ravenclaw table.
"Frank Longbottom."
Frank gulped nervously. His entire family on his father's side had been in either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. His father, accident-prone Neville Longbottom, had been in Gryffindor! If he didn't make it... Frank sat on the stool and jammed the hat over his eyes, not wanting to face his friends when he was sorted into Hufflepuff. Two and a half minutes ticked away before the hat decided. "GRYFFINDOR!" Frank practically fainted with relief. Not Hufflepuff! He walked to his House table almost white, but grinning ear to ear.
"Cina MacMillian."
Cina gulped hard. This was it; she was going to be sorted. Either Slytherin or Hufflepuff. Neither horrible, but one worse than the other. The hat slipped comfortably over her head and eyes, and sat for a few moments. "HUFFLEPUFF!" Cina grinned. Hufflepuff! The House she had wanted! Yes! She went over and squealed with Emma about this.
"Abigail Malfoy."
The talking—even the chit-chat—ceased in the Great Hall. Everyone knew Draco and Hermione Malfoy. War heros, poster couple, Quidditch Seeker for Wales, and head of S.P.E.W. And this was their oldest daughter. Abi looked remarkable like her mother, minus the protruding front teeth. But she had her father's white-blonde hair, which was flowing over her black-cloaked shoulders at that moment. Her face was caught up in a glare at the students staring at the famous little girl and said before the hat dropped over her head, "Yeah, so my mum and dad are famous. I'm not them, get over it." Under the hat, she blushed furiously, hoping that her little display wouldn't earn her Slytherin. She sat in fear for a few more seconds before she heard the verdict. "GRYFFINDOR!" The hat came off—she'd nearly thrown it into Professor Dumbledore's soup—and she went over to the Gryffindor table grinning so hard her cheeks hurt all the next day.
"Alexander Malfoy."
Alex, who was less forward than his sister looked out at his fellow students. "What she said," he said, nodding towards his sister, before he jammed the hat firmly onto his head. He blinked, just getting used to the darkness surrounding them when the hat yelled out: "RAVENCLAW!" Alex pulled the hat off, handed it to Professor McGonagall, grinning, and went to sit by Mallory.
"Ian McAlpin."
Ian was more nervous than any of his classmates combined. If he went into the wrong House, there was no telling what his father would say. He quietly walked to the stool, put the hat on, and waited solemnly. "RAVENCLAW!" he heard the hat yell. Ian grinned at Alex and Mallory as he sat across from them.
"James Potter."
Those two words evoked complete and total silence upon their utterance. Like Alex and Abi's parents, his were famous. But, unlike Abi and Alex's parents, he was the Son-of-The-Man-Who-Lived. That rested heavily on his shoulders. He scowled, his features—so like the ones of the grandfather he was named after—twisting unpleasantly. He, like his father, disliked fame. He pushed a lock of raven-black hair out of his eyes, and sat on the stool. He let McGonagall put the hat on, and sat poker-straight as it made its judgment. "GRYFFINDOR!" the hat bellowed. James flinched, the hat had yelled directly into his ear.
As James made his way over to the Gryffindor table—which was the first on your right as you walked into the Great Hall—a pair of twins that resembled Fred and George Weasley remarkably were audible above the explosion of noise and were yelling, "WE'VE GOT A POTTER! WE'VE GOT A POTTER!" It took a few orange firecrackers from Professor Dumbledore's wand to quiet Gryffindor table. Not to mention Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, who were relieved to find that James wasn't in Slytherin.
Casting a baleful eye on her students, Professor McGonagall continued. "Sebastian Snape."
Severus and Sybill Snape leaned forward in their seats as their oldest son made his way through the lessened crowd of first years. He gave his parents a small smile before sitting facing the other students, and putting on the hat. After ten agonizingly long minutes, the hat reached a decision. "GRYFFINDOR!" The first thing Seb did after taking off the hat—besides grinning at Abi—was turn to see how his father was taking it. Severus Snape was about ten shades paler than usual, and was not looking at all well. His wife was speaking into his ear in a low tone—Most likely about how this was an omen, Seb thought—and upon feeling her son's gaze, she looked up and smiled broadly at him. Seb grinned, knowing somehow that it would be all right, and made his way over to the Gryffindor table, sitting next to and hugging Abi.
The last two people in between Seb and Marie were sorted. Both were girls, and one went into Hufflepuff and the other into Slytherin.
Marie stood, cursing her family for having such an inconveint last name, and waited to be called. The last to be sorted.
"Marina Weasley."
Marie walked up to the stool, sat, and put the hat on and tried to concentrate on something besides the obvious. She heard a niggling in the back of her mind, and she heard it speak. Another Weasley, eh? the hat said. My how quickly you breed. It seemed like yesterday that your father was sitting here, ready to be sorted. The hat's tone was a little dry. But, my dear, rest assured I know just what to do with you. "GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled, before Marie could ask it what, exactly, was that? Marie grinned, and sat across from Abi and Seb, happy that she wasn't in Hufflepuff.
The sorting now over, Professor McGonagall cleared away the stool and hat. She cleared her throat, and gave a short announcement. "Professor Dumbledore will now speak."
Albus Dumbledore, snowy white bead now past his feet, but still tucked into his belt, stood, and smiled at his students. "Welcome, first years, welcome," he said, a broad smile spreading over his features. "Now, may I remind the older and instruct the new students that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden." He glanced at the Fred and George look-a-likes over his half-moon glasses. "Also, all Weasley's Wizarding Wheeze's products that blow up, make a gooey mess or liquefy anything have been added to the extremely long list of forbidden items. The list, which now contains four hundred some items, can be viewed in its entirety in our caretaker, Mr. Harold Filch's, office. Now, let the feast begin!"
All manners of food appeared on the House tables. Alex grinned at Mallory and Ian as he put some of everything on his plate.
"Hold on now, there," said a voice to his left. Alex looked up and saw a rather large second year holding something out to him. "You should try more of this. It's delicious."
"Thanks," Alex said, scooping some of the brown goop on his plate. "Excuse me, I don't believe I caught your name."
"Oh," the second year said, smacking his forehead, "of course. I'm Barnaby Watson. You are?"
Alex looked amused. "So, you were off in a dream world when I was sorted, then?" Barnaby grinned. "Alex Malfoy, it's a pleasure to meet you."
"Malfoy, eh?" Barnaby asked, amusement glinting in his eye.
"Yeah, my mum and dad are a bit famous," Alex said, grinning back. "This is Mallory Hopkins. We've just met on the train a while ago. Mallory, this is Baraby Watson."
"Pleased to meet your acquaintance," Mallory said, offering the two fingers that weren't busy building a mashed potato skyscraper.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
At the Gryffindor table, Abi, Seb, and Ian were eating a bit of something. None of them had the same thing on their plates, but they were tasting each other's meals.
"Oi! You!" called one redheaded twin from across the table. Abi looked up.
"Yes?" she said.
"Can you pass that blue stuff?" the red head asked.
"What's the magic word?" Abi asked, holding the blue goo just out of reach.
The twin glared at her. "Please." She handed him the bowl, and he took it far too quickly, causing some to splash on the table. "Who're you, anyway?" he asked, rather disgruntled.
"Abi. Abi Malfoy," she replied, cutting something off of one of Seb's chicken pieces. "And you are?"
"Ry. Ry Weasley," said the red head.
"Weasley?" Abi asked, confused. "I don't know you."
"Which branch of the Weasley's do you know?" Ry asked impatiently.
"Um...Arthur's," Abi responded.
"Well, there you go," Ry said, waving the spoon he was using flamboyantly. "My branch is Arthur's brother Arnold. Maire," he pointed to Marie, who was decidedly ignoring him, "is my second cousin."
"So, Ry," said his twin, who had finished with another conversation, who's this?"
"Abi Malfoy," Abi said, introducing herself. "And you?"
"Conner," said the other twin, smiling. "So, you're friends with Maire, eh?" He lowered his voice. "She doesn't like us since we transfigured her bunny slippers into alligator slippers."
"Poor Marie," Abi said, trying not to laugh. "Just a few weeks ago, my brother, James, and Frank turned her hair lime green!"
"Really?" Ry asked, interested. "Where could I meet your brother, James, and Frank?"
"Well, James and Frank are sitting right over there," Abi pointed to them, "but Lex was put into Ravenclaw, and he's," she turned, and craned her neck, "—over there, next to that girl with the auburn hair." She frowned. What was Lex doing with a girl?
"Where? Oh, I see them. They're sitting with Bigbe," Conner said. Ry nodded, acknowledging what his brother said.
"'Bigbe'?" Abi asked. "What kind of name is 'Bigbe'?"
"Well," started Ry. "His name is Barnaby, but he's big for his age, so people started to call him Big B. It eventually morphed into Bigbe. He rather likes it, though he still introduces himself as Barnaby."
"Ah..." Abi said. "I see."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
After an hour passed, the tables were cleared away magically and Professor Dumbledore told the Prefects to take the new students to their dormitories.
The Gryffindors and the Ravenclaw walked together for a little while. While they were, Abi drifted over to Alex, took his hand, and leaned her head on his shoulder. Alex smiled, and put his arm around her shoulders, tipping his head onto hers.
When the two Houses took leave of each other, Abi kissed his cheek and grinned at him.
"It's going to be all right, isn't Lex?" she said.
"Of course, Abbs," he replied. "Would I ever let you down?"
"No, Lex. G'night."
"G'night."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
A/N: All right, then. Did you like it? Just in case you had trouble keeping straight who's in what House, here's a list:
Abi: Gryffindor
Alex: Ravenclaw
Seb: Gryffindor
Frank: Gryffindor
Cina: Hufflepuff
Ian: Gryffindor
Mallory: Ravenclaw
James: Gryffindor
Emma: Hufflepuff
Marie: Gryffindor
OK, so that's everyone. If you have trouble remembering, just look back at this list. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, please review!!!!!!!!!!!!!
