Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters or concepts, blah blah blah – those belong to JK Rowling kthx (lucky bitch . ). I do, however, own Xanadu Severina.
Sarafina Radcliff is (c) Kiara Rae ), and Sanuya Kynnata is (c) Cy ). Any other characters belonging to people other than me will be duly credited. Thus far, every fan-created character I use and will use I have strict permission to use directly from their creator, so don't bust my ass about copyright infringements.
Enjoy!
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As they walked through the great wooden doors to the school, a wave of warmth and excitement washed over her. She could already hear the rest of the school inside what she knew to be the Great Hall, and every step she took deeper into the castle took her deeper into the heart of that excitement until she felt she was at the very center of it.
An older, rather distinguished looking teacher was awaiting them at the top of a set of stairs, her crimson and gold robes shimmering regally beneath the candlelight that illuminated the hallway. With a mere glance into the crowd of first years she was able to silence them all, and Xanadu could already tell she had a very powerful presence; she could feel her very aura reaching out and enveloping the whole room, washing over her own so that it felt like she had just stepped into a warm bath.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said, and the room went deathly quiet. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school." She then fixed Xanadu with her gaze, and her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Xanadu Severina, I presume?"
"Yeah," she replied, her heart pounding excitedly.
"You will be sorted first, since you are to be entering the fifth year class. When the meal is over, I would like you to wait outside the Great Hall; Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape and I will meet you there to discuss your schedule."
"Sounds peachy keen te me," she replied, grinning.
"Alright then, everyone, form a line and follow me. Remember, Xanadu should be at the front of the line. Ready? Let's go then."
While all of the first years broke out into hushed and worried chatter amongst themselves, Xanadu couldn't help but allow herself to be filled with a sense of excitement and pure adrenaline. She had a seriously good feeling about this professor, as well.
Professor McGonagall opened another set of doors which opened up into what must have been the Great Hall, and the noise that had once been almost deafening even from behind the heavy closed doors hushed to a sea of rolling whispers and probing stares, most of which were directed at Xanadu, who just grinning wider and continued on her way. She glanced up at the ceiling which her mother had told her was bewitched to always look like the sky outside, and gazed entranced at the thousands of glowing candles hovering above the four long tables on either side of them. Returning her gaze to the audience whose attention she had caught without even trying, and her eyes quickly found Sarafina's; she was seated at the table second from the left, surrounded by other students bedecked in blue and silver or blue and black. They exchanged devious grins before losing eye contact as Xanadu lost her in the sea of students.
She led the confused and awestruck line of first years up to the very front of the hall, where Professor McGonagall had them line up in front of the teachers so that they were facing the hall filled with students. Immediately before them was a single wooden stool, upon which a great black hat rested regally. Xanadu looked past it eagerly into the sea of faces, and spotted shimmering gray figures here and there that she recognized to be ghosts. She smiled, reminded of her grandfather back home.
While the anxiety level of the students around her increased, she found herself feeling surprisingly relaxed and confident. After all, her mother had told her all about the Sorting Hat the day before, and she was eagerly awaiting the moment when she would find out what house she was to be in.
At last – and it did seem they had waited an eternity – the hat twitched, and a rip near the brim opened widely like a mouth. Gasps erupted from the first years, but Xanadu simply grinned, staring at it in utter fascination. And then it began to sing.
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The room filled with applause, and the hat returned to its normal state as if nothing else could have been more normal. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, bringing silence instantly to the wide expanses of the room, and pulled a scroll seemingly from nowhere and unrolled it.
"Before I begin calling the first years to the Sorting Hat," she began, "I would like Miss Xanadu Severina to come forth and take a seat. Since she'll be entering her first year at Hogwarts as a fifth year, she will be sorted before the first years to avoid any confusion."
She motioned to Xanadu, who was quite enjoying herself despite all the curious, blinking eyes that were now focused entirely upon her. Xanadu skipped down to the hat, picked it up gingerly, and placed it firmly upon her head, letting it slip comfortably down her forehead.
My my my, what an interesting specimen! a voice declared inside her head. A fifth year, eh? Well, we'll just have to see where to put you. Hm...I see attitude and cunning, perfect for Slytherin, but there's also a soft heart and a brilliant mind...traits of a Ravenclaw, if I ever did see one! Oh, but what's this? Mm, yes, valor and a strong taste for adventure, I see. It chuckled. Ah, I know what to do with you.
"GRYFFINDOR!" it shouted out loud, and a great din erupted from the table to the far left.
Professor McGonagall smiled broadly at her and shook her hand, welcoming her to her house and wishing her well. She smiled graciously in return before heading on down the few steps so that she was level with the students. Grinning wildly, she raised her hands in a V, motioning for more cheers as she pranced over to her table and took her seat between a curly-haired brunette girl who looked to be about her age and a brown-haired boy of about the same age.
"Welcome to Gryffindor," he said in a thick Scottish accent. "I'm Oliver Wood, captain of Gryffindor's Quidditch team." He extended his hand, which she firmly shook. "Quite a grip ya got there, Xanadu. You'd do well as a beater on the Quidditch team, I bet," he added, grinning.
"Now Oliver, don't go ropin' the girl onto the team before she ever sets foot in the common room," a voice chided playfully from the other side of him, and a grinning face peered around his great shoulder, brilliant violet eyes twinkling out beneath tousled brown hair. "Tha name's Sanuya Kynnata, but you can call me San, if you'd like. I'm one of the Gryffindor beaters, and I'm not about to get my position given away anytime soon," she added, nudging Oliver playfully in the arm.
"Well, ye've got nothin' ter worry abou'," Xanadu replied genially. "I'm 'opin' to be a chaser, meself."
"Wicked!" Oliver replied, his eyes gleaming, but before he could launch into the rest of the conversation that Xanadu was sure he wanted to, McGonagall had silenced the room again and the Sorting Ceremony for the first years had begun.
For every first year that was sorted into Gryffindor, Xanadu practically rose right out of her seat she was cheering so loudly, and she even threw in a few cat calls when she felt so inclined. She was glad to see that the bratty blonde haired boy who had given her a hard time on the way there was sorted into Slytherin (how fitting, she thought to herself), but she didn't recognize anyone else, so everyone else received equal treatment.
When Professor McGonagall had finished off with "Zephyrus, Pietro," quiet once again blanketed the room, and as professor who could only have been the famed Albus Dumbledore pushed his seat back and stood up, arms raised in a V. His long white beard nearly found itself in his plate, and the twinkle in his bright blue eyes could be seen all the way at the back of the room. He was beaming proudly down at all of them, and his pure joy filled the room to the very corners with warmth and light.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" he declared brightly. "Let's hope this one is as filled with learning and adventure as the last, with a bit less of the latter than the former." Xanadu noticed his eyes flit to a boy about her age who was seated at the Gryffindor table, his overgrown scruffy black hair, round thin-framed glasses and barely concealed lightning shaped scar making him near impossible to recognize as the famed Harry Potter. Xanadu thought nothing of it and turned back to Dumbledore. "Now, without further ado, let the feasting begin!"
By the time Xanadu's clapping had tapered off with that of the rest of the Great Hall and she had returned her attention to the table, the plates had been filled with piles of all kinds of wonderful foods. A thousand delicious scents met her nose all at once, and her stomach rumbled loudly. As she was filling her plate hungrily with roasted lamb and boiled potatoes, Oliver started in again with the conversation he had been holding in for the past several minutes.
"I'm rather curious, Xanadu – how did you manage the whole...first year fifth year thing?"
Xanadu grinned at him and launched into a full explanation of her history for the past four years, which managed to attract the attention of most of the Gryffindors around her. When she was done, she half expected him to clap, he looked so thrilled. "Bloody brilliant!" he exclaimed, and she was reminded bemusedly of Sarafina's reaction to the tale. "Not about yer uncle dyin' or anythin', but the rest is-"
"A bit unusual?" Xanadu finished for him, shoveling lamb hungrily into her mouth, completely nonplussed.
"Exactly." She grinned.
Well, she thought to herself, this isn't turning out to be so bad. I think I'm actually gonna like it here.
