Author's note: I got reviews!!!!! Thank you so much to Saffarii-phoenix and David M. Potter for your reviews!!!! And don't worry Saffarii; another interesting character will be making her debut in a few chapters. I will try to get the next chapter up very soon and thanks again for your reviews!! And now I proudly present :
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Chapter 9 : The Start of Another Year
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When they entered the great hall, there was a great amount of noise coming from the conversations going on all around the room. By the time Celia and the others had arrived, Dumbledore was already up at the teacher's table at the head of all the other tables. Celia looked all around the great hall. It was amazing. She never thought she would be living and going to school in a castle, let alone a magical one. Above her, candles floated in mid air and above that, all she saw was the night sky.
"There's no roof!" She exclaimed looking up wildly.
"There's a roof." Hermione explained. "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside." Celia listened while gazing up.
"It's really great when there's a storm." Ron added from in front of her. "I imagine you'll have to be sorted now with the first years." He told her. "Do you think you can stand?" Celia took a few weak steps and stumbled a bit, but she caught herself and nodded.
"Yeah, I'll be alright, where do I have to go?"
"Just stand with that group of first years that's up there waiting." Ron told her. "We've got to head over to the Gryffindor table. Good luck Celia, I hope you get Gryffindor!"
The 5 of them headed to the table and sat down. Fred and George sat down next to Lee, who looked around a bit, then turned to her and yelled,
"Oi! We'll save a seat for you then!" He flashed her a large grin which she returned before turning to go join the first years to be sorted. A young girl about half her height addressed her.
"Are you the new girl that's dating Fred Weasley?" Celia had trouble hiding her surprise. 'Do things really get around that fast?' She thought.
"Where did you hear that?" Celia asked, trying not to give anything away.
"My big sister told me, she's in Slytherin. She says a boy named Draco Malfoy was fuming about it. I don't think you can be her though. My sister says she must be pretty ugly if she's going out with a Weasley, and I don't think you're ugly at all."
"Well, thank you!" Celia said genuinely, happy now that she didn't have to answer the question. 'I am definitely going to have a laugh about this later with Fred and George. I bet they've told Lee too.' She thought to herself.
At that moment, the elderly witch whom Celia had seen seated next to her uncle was standing in front of them holding a roll or parchment and asking for their attention. Behind her was a stool which held an old ratty pointed hat.
"May I have your attention please? It's time for our first years to be sorted, but before that we have a 5th year transfer student who must also be sorted. Now, while you're here, your house will be like your family…" Celia's eyes wandered to the Gryffindor table, the word family rang in her ears. As the witch, who Celia learned was Professor McGonagall, told them about how to gain points for their house, Celia prayed desperately that she would be in Gryffindor.
They were waiting now. Professor McGonagall had stepped aside and was watching the hat. As Celia turned toward it, the hat came to life and burst into song:
In the time when wizards freely roamed,
There was a group, who for a child they combed,
For in that time, there was a threat, a threat to all mankind,
And in this child, for whom they searched,
The strength to save them they would find.
At this point in the song, Celia noticed that most of the people in the room had turned to look at the Gryffindor table. Looking over to see what had happened, she saw the Gryffindors were now looking at Harry and Harry had a look of surprise on his face. Celia wondered why it was that he was now the center of attention.
Throughout the years, they searched the land,
Led by Godric's son,
Though to this day, no child was found,
And darkness still is at hand.
But do not fret, for legend holds for us this bit of hope;
When at last, the child is found, the Aude Arlene returns.
And on that day the world will know,
That when near love, hate burns.
The song had ended and there was applause throughout the hall. Celia thought about what the hat had said. Somehow, the song seemed to have more meaning than what it was on the surface. Professor McGonagall was talking again.
"Now, when I call your name, I want you to come up and sit on the stool, and then I will place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted. Celia looked again at the Gryffindor table where all her friends were smiling at her. She could see the gap across from the twins where they were saving her a seat.
"Alanus, Celia!"
Celia heard her name being called and approached Professor McGonagall still praying for Gryffindor. As she sat on the stool, Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head. All of a sudden, she heard a voice in her head.
"Well, lets see, where should we put you?
"Are you? You're the sorting hat?" Celia thought to the hat.
"That is correct." It said to her. Celia sat in shock. She was just spoken to by a hat. Recovering from her shock she began thinking to it.
"Can I ask, what was that legend? The one you were telling about in your song?" There was a long silence before the hat spoke again.
"In all my years at Hogwarts, never has a student thought to ask about my song." Celia waited. "If you want to know more about the legend, it would be wise of you to ask the oldest teacher at Hogwarts. He almost definitely will know all about The Legend of Alana." Celia took this in.
"The Legend of Alana, thank you." she thought.
"Now then!" The hat said. "Where to put you…"
"Oh Please! Please put me in Gryffindor!" The hat seemed to laugh.
"You don't know how often I am getting that these days." The hat told her. "You realize that you are more suited for Ravenclaw." Celia almost cried. "Relax girl I haven't decided yet. You realize that your house will be where you live for the next 2 years; this decision is not to be made lightly. Think now." Celia thought back to the description of Ravenclaw that she had been told. She always was a deep thinker, perhaps she would fit in better in Ravenclaw, but something in her heart told her to go to Gryffindor.
"Hang on, what was that?" The hat was saying. Celia wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew that she wanted to be in Gryffindor.
"I-I don't know why, I would be suited better for Ravenclaw, but my heart is telling me that I should go to Gryffindor. It may be a mistake, but I can live with it. I know I would regret not being in Gryffindor." Celia was so sure, that all her doubt disappeared.
"You listen to your heart before your mind?" The hat asked.
"And after," Celia answered. "I am willing to follow my heart on this, even if it makes no sense." The hat pondered this.
"In that case, it is in Gryffindor that you truly belong." Celia smiled as the sorting hat bellowed "GRYFFINDOR!" for the entire hall to hear. As the hat was lifted from her head, she heard the Gryffindor table explode with cheering. Fred, George and Lee were standing, as were Hermione, Harry, Ron and Ginny. Celia ran beaming to the Gryffindor table. On her way, she noticed the girl whose sister was in Slytherin and glanced up to see Malfoy scowling. Smirking to herself she ran up to Fred and threw her arms around him whispering,
"Check out Malfoy's face." to him and the rest of the Gryffindors that were watching. Fred, who had been thoroughly surprised, now hugged her back and glanced at the Slytherin table. The look on Malfoy's face was one of utter shock that sent the table into hysterics. The commotion had gathered the attention of other tables as well as people noticed Fred and Celia as she waved across the hall at Malfoy, who turned red and looked away, sitting noticeably lower in his seat.
Still laughing, Celia crossed to her seat next to Lee, and received a high five from George. She glanced up at her uncle who gave her a questioning look. In an answer to this silent questioning, Celia just shrugged and smiled innocently. Dumbledore smiled back amused and Celia settled in with the rest of the Gryffindors as the sorting continued.
When the sorting was complete, Dumbledore rose to start off the year.
"There is a time, and a place for speeches," He began, "And right now is neither one of them, so without further delay, it is time for the feast to begin!" At Dumbledore's words, the tables in front of them were filled with plates and plates of the most delicious looking food and drink Celia had ever seen.
"Wow, this is amazing!" She glanced at her uncle, who just winked at her. Smiling, she began to eat.
"So, what's the deal with Malfoy?" Hermione asked, Harry, Ron and Ginny also tuning in for the answer. Celia, Fred, and George snorted into their food.
"Well," Celia began, "we were getting my robes from Diagon Alley, and we ran into Malfoy outside." Celia turned to see that all the Gryffindors within earshot had turned to listen.
"So he sees Fred giving me my books back and he starts taunting us."
"Weasley's got a girlfriend?" George mocked. Celia giggled at his impersonation.
"Exactly." She said "So Fred," She continued turning to him.
"I wasn't about to let him get one on me so I grabbed Celia and said 'Yeah what of it?'"
Turning to Celia he added, "You have no idea how hard I was praying you wouldn't give me up."
"Well, I have to admit, you caught me off-guard." Celia told him. "But I figured you would explain later, so I went with it." She finished.
"She did a good job of it too." George was saying now. "The look on Malfoy's face was classic, the little git was literally speechless."
"Er- well, I'll see you in school." Celia mocked. The group of them laughed. "So anyway, while I was standing up there, this girl asked me if I was the one dating Fred Weasley. She told me that her sister is a Slytherin and told her that Malfoy had made a real stink about it. She said that she thought it couldn't be me because her sister said whoever it was had to be really ugly to be dating you, so when I saw them watching, I couldn't resist making a scene."
"It was worth it." Lee commented.
"Yeah, the look on his face will keep me happy through the dark times to come." Ron declared. Everyone laughed and continued happily eating. Celia was thrilled that she had been put into Gryffindor.
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Author's note: So what did you all think? I hope you enjoyed it! Coming soon in chapter 10 : 5th year is all about growing up, you take the O.W.L.s, you can be made a prefect, and you start to learn little matters about the heart. Next in chapter 10, the start of term notices are made…Is Dumbledore going to hide the truth like Fudge asked? Also, Hermione discovers the truth behind Celia's tears. Coming soon in Chapter 10 : The Time it Takes to Heal.
See you there! (Please review!!)