Chapter Four

Kay tried to run quickly and quietly, imagining herself as light footed as a hart, but to no avail, her footsteps rang loudly in the chamber. Cringing at how much noise she was making, (did it have to be so bloody echo-y?!) she sped up, until at last the cool night air washed over her once more.

Skidding to a stop, she looked round. Chime could of gone anywhere. But this was a new place to both of them. Where would she go if she was running away? Kay spotted the huge dark shape to her left, and recognised it as the forest, like some werid, giant animal crouching low over the grounds. Chime wouldn't go there, not if she had half a brain.

Her eyes ran over the Lake. After their bad experience with the Squid, Chime would only go in there if she had a death wish or fancied a swim. Somehow, Kay doubted either.

"Come on Kay!" she muttered furiously, "Use your head, she can't of gone far! She doesn't have wings for Gods sake!" Striding purposfully forwards, her feet clacking softly against the path she sharply turned her head this way and that, hair tossing abruptly from one shoulder to the other.

"Dammit Chime, where are you?" she hissed under her breath. A cloud of starlings suddenly shot out from the trees, making her jump and swear violently. A strange, wavering animal call sounded from the heart of the forest, and she shivered, icy fingers trailing down her spine. From far off, a twig snapped. She jerked her head round, but there was nothing there. Wind moaned gently through the trees, making her suck her lip and look in front of her again. She would never admit it, but it was all starting to really creep her out. It made her wish she had Sarwin with her. But Sarwin was safe inside the castle, where she would be if it wasn't for stupid, stupid Chime!

"Chime!" she called faintly, her cracked voice flung upon the wind and blown away. She tried again. "Chime!!" she shouted, but all that answered her was the wind, now hissing as violently as a snake in the leaves.

Straining her eyes through the darkness, she thought she spotted movement, by the far side of the lake, in the shadow of the trees. She narrowed her eyes, heart thudding. Was it Chime? Or was it some beast from the forest, come to lure her away from grounds?

Merlin was on her side at that point. Just as she was contemplating going back to ask for help, the moon came out from behind a cloud, suddenly lighting up the grassy area slightly. It was enough. It was her.

Jogging over, she took in the blue black hair falling over arms wrapped around skinny legs. It was all she could see. Getting closer she realised how fast Chime must of ran, then she thought she must of slipped into the shadows, disturbing the birds that made her jump. It vaguely made sense.

Chime was looking at her as she came over, dark eyes two bottomless pits in her waxy-white face. Kay stopped as she came within three steps of her.

"Chime," she said softly, "What the hell are you afraid of?"

Silence. That was all that filled the air, aside from the muttering of the trees, making the hair rise on Kay's neck. Chime too looked uncomfortable, and she stood up, head hanging, causing her hair to swish over her face like a bizarre inky curtain. She brushed it impatiently behind her ears.

"C'mon Chime," she whispered, holding her hand instinctively in front of her, "Lets go back in." When Chime refused to acknowledge her, she added softly, "You don't get anywhere in life if you don't face things, you know."

She looked up when she said that. Eyes softening slightly. More accepting and understanding... it made quite a startling change.

Then her eyes changed. Kay tuned into it straight away. Frowning, she studied her dark, slitty eyes once more. She was no longer looking at her, gaze fixated on some point over the top of her head, and just as Kay was about to whip round, something clenched her shoulder.

She gasped, then struggled frantically away, panting as though in a race. Turning round she saw a man standing behind her, smooth young face set in very steely resolve, blue eyes creased into a deep frown.

"You two are in so much trouble," he whispered.

For a full moment she locked eyes with him, and heard Chime come forwards to stand firmly beside her. The wind roared, icy cold and bit into her skin. The man said no more, only simply barked, "Follow me!" and swung round, leading them away back to the Castle.

She didn't have to follow him. But then what choice did she have? Unless she ran into the forest, but that was plain stupid. She didn't have a death wish. Numbly, as though in a dream she followed after his striding footsteps, Chime keeping a steady pace with her. Al sorts of wild, half formed thoughts were flung through her head, would they be punished? Expelled? That would be great, she thought wryly, first student ever to be explelled on their first day. Chime's hand bumped aginst hers. At least they were in this together, she reasoned, and felt a little better. Up ahead, the man turned briefly to check they were following.

Once in the soft candle light of the Entrance Hall, he turned to face them. Now she could see him clearly. Blond hair whipped around chubby, good natured features, though this was barely noticeable with the grim look drilled into his face.

"What in Merlins name were you thinking of, running off like that?" he growled harshly, taking them in with cool eyes. "Do you realise just what could of happened to you out there? Right by the Forest?" He leant his face closer, so close Kay could of counted the lines on his forehead. "I'll tell you what. Killed! There are horrors in that forest still unknown to man, and there you are, ignorant as new born babies!" He took a deep breath, as though to calm his nerves, then glared at them. Hard.

"Normally I would keep you out here lecturing you for a very long time," he hissed, narrowing his sky blue eyes, "But as it happens, the idea bores me about as much as it bores you. And there are more important things to be done." He straightened up, then looked round, "The Sorting for one."

From somewhere to her right, Kay sensed Chime stiffen, clenching her fists into balls.

"I'll talk to you later," he finished sharply, then strode up to the wide open doors leading to the Hall. As they both scurried along in his wake, Kay heard the murmuring, cheerful sound of voices getting louder and louder. Briefly she glanced at Chime. She had turned an odd, sickly green colour, but on meeting Kay's eyes she nodded determindly. She was ready. They both were.

They stepped inside.

Warmth washed over Kay, making her eyes water and blink. Comforting light swam into their vision, and she walked forwards as though in a dream. Thousands and thousands of faces, merging into one black and flesh coloured blob stared her down, making her feel smaller and smaller with every step she took. Amused whispering broke out everywhere, making her cheeks flare up instantly. She felt as though she were on stage, the gaze of the entire student popultaion burning her neck. Clenching the inside of her cheek hard, she sped up her walk a little more, studying her shoes intently as she went.

The teacher was waiting for them some yards away, next to a raggedy old top hat. Kay looked at it in confusion. Where were the exam papers, the assault course, the trolls she had to wrestle? Maybe they were in some back room, ready to spring out, take her by suprise? Unconsciencely, she held her hand out, palm forwards, fingers splayed out. Who cared if her wand was in her suitcase? She had known wandless magic since she was an eight year old. The amused whispering grew stronger.

Something jolted in her mind. What the hell was she thinking? She had let her head become warped by Chime! Hastily she rolled up her fingers and tucked her hand into her pocket. As if they would spring a troll on them, for Gods sake!

They stood silently next to the blond teacher. Letting her eyes travel over the students heads, Kay picked up a technicolour blur in the back table. Squinting slightly, she realised it was the Proffesor who had shown them in originally. She caught Kays eye, and smiled cheerfully. Kay smiled weakly back.

The teacher looked down on them, then pulled out of his pocket a crumpled up piece of parchment. After running his finger down it a couple of times, he finally tapped two names.

"When I say your name," he said, a little awkwardly as though he wasn't used to doing this, "You must put on the hat, and it will say some, er, stuff, then it should call out a name. Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, you know the rest." Dull patches of red were rising in his cheeks.

"Right. Ok. Er, Granger, Kaytlin!"

Chime looked over at her, smirking slightly in spite of their situation. "Kaytlin?" she mouthed, and Kay scowled at her.

"Shut it!" she whispered back, then sat on the stool, pulling the hat firmly over her head. 'Load of bollocks anyway,' she thought, staring at the black inside of the hat, 'And the person this hat belongs to must have a bloody big head!'

What happened next made her jump so much she nearly fell off the stool in suprise, as a tiny, yet somewhat reproachful voice buzzed in her ear, "I'll have you know, Ms Granger, that my owner died thousands of years ago, and I'd like you to respect that."

'Oh dear God,' thought Kay, gripping the sides of the stool very hard. Was this supposed to happen?

"You bet its meant to happen."

'I'm sorry, I had no idea,' whispered Kay, thinking she may as well be respectful. Then, by way of politeness, she asked, 'Do you miss him much?'

"Very much so. He was a very intelligent man, you know, quite ingenius, but with the unfortunate habit of biting his nails. I believe there may even be an old nail rattling round in my brim still you know, he liked to keep them there for some reason."

Kay cringed. 'Thats disgusting!' she cried out mentally, unable to prevent a shudder.

"You think its disgusting? Try being me, the one who has to keep them! Why there was even one time... oh, listen to me, rabbiting away. I'm supposed to be sorting you into a house now, not discussing old times. Perhaps another time?"

'Uh, yeah," thought Kay, 'Maybe.'

"Hmmm. Lets have a look. Well, theres bravery... yes, sheesh, certainly that, my old master would be proud!... intelligence, pride, stubborness... well that doesn't narrow down much. Oh my goodness, theres kindness, bet you didn't know you had that did you? Calmness... but whats this? My dear, why do you have some part of your mind closed off? Secrecy, even from me. Where to put you? Where to put you..."

There was silence. Kay fidgeted. The voice took to muttering to itself, and every now and then she caught snatches of sentences, like, "Oh no, definatly not there," and "Yet another suprise!" or, "But if you take that into consideration..."

'Look,' Kay blurted out, getting impatient, 'Can you please hurry up and sort me already? I'm bored!'

"Fine," said the hat coldly, "I'll make a snap decision. Its been whittled down to two houses anyway."

'Well, go on then!'

"Very well... I place you in... GRYFFINDOR!"

000ooooooo000oooooo000

(Snigger) So you though she was a Slytherin, hmmm? Nah. Would a Slytherin run out into the night after someone they barely knew, at their own risk? Her rudeness and stubborness is her way of protecting herself. I know, we haven't solved some mysteries yet, (like, who IS the rainbow teacher exactly???) but they should be told in the next chapter, or next... I don't know. Thank you so much for those of you who reviewed? Sure, they wern't many, but (shrugs) with this story I'm not too bothered. Please review if you have read! Thanks! xxxxx