"Houses of Hogwarts!" Albus Dumbledore stood up, immediately claiming the
attention of all. "I have an announcement to make. Tonight, we will be
welcoming a new student."
These words sent a flurry of whispers throughout the Great Hall. A new student? In the middle of the year?
"Oh I hope it's a boy." A young Gryffindor sighed. "All the cute guys are either dead or they've graduated. Except for Malfoy." She added as an afterthought, glancing toward the Slytherin table across the hall.
"Carrie!" her friend exclaimed, shocked. "He's a Slytherin!"
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he isn't cute." Carrie shot back. "Besides, what's wrong with saying so? It's not like I'm gonna date him or anything." she said calmly, her eyes locked on the blonde boy directly across from her.
Her friend opened her mouth to comment, but was cut off by a sharp pinging noise from the head table. Professor Minerva McGonagall was rapping sharply on her glass for the student's attention.
"Thank you, Minerva." Professor Dumbledore beamed at her, then turned his smile back to the students.
"There is more to be said. Our new student arrived earlier this morning to be sorted, only to deliver a shock. Apparently, she belongs to a house called 'Gryslynclawff'. Unfortunately, as we had no founder named Gryslynclawff, that house shall have to be built." His eyes laughed along with the room as he paused, encouraging the titters until they died away.
"Until then," he continued, "she shall be staying a week within each of your esteemed Houses and brought back to the Sorting Hat to see which of her, ah, attributes - if any - have been strengthened. Out of her strongest, she will continue to alternate between those two Houses for three to four months, depending on our staff's decision. Then, she will return yet again to the Sorting Hat for the final decision."
Intrigued by this girl who had confused even the legendary Sorting Hat, all leaned forward in their seats - even the Professors - waiting for Dumbledore to continue.
"As she has been tested for magical ability and placed in sixth year, she will have to make up her O.W.L. 's, so I implore each of you from every House to help her in any way - besides, of course, cheating." He added, eyes twinkling.
"Now, may I present - who her guardians so graciously gave up - Kit." All were busy craning their necks to catch a glimpse of this mysterious girl - so few noticed Dumbledore's lack of surname, besides the teachers and a few sharp eared students. They looked questioningly at Dumbledore who just gave a slight shake of his head before retiring to his seat.
The repeated rise of whispers drew all eyes toward the archway beyond the tables. Standing there was a petite figure who hesitantly stepped through the huge doors. Her black hair was roped down her back and swayed with her every move as she walked up to the High Table where Dumbledore was waiting. Her skin was smooth and pale, an ivory that contrasted sharply with her midnight hair. A slight curl fell gently over the right side of her face, shading her eyes from view.
The room's occupants seemed to hold their breath as the girl stepped gracefully up to Dumbledore before turning around. He pointed to each table, saying, "Ravenclaws rise. Hufflepuffs, rise. Gryffindors, rise. Slytherins, rise." At the Slytherin table, silver latched onto silver and the room surrounding the pair dissolved. The two stared at each other intently, not coldly but aloof, as if measuring the other.
*It's like staring into a broken mirror,* the new girl thought.
*She's got my eyes in her face.* was Draco's immediate thought.
The real world came back as Dumbledore said, "Kit will be attending first Hufflepuff, the Slytherin, followed by Gryffindor, and lastly - but not least - Ravenclaw. Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbot, as Prefects you two will be her first set of, ah, shall we say, guardians. Show her the ropes and help ease her workload when possible. Welcome, Kit, to Hogwarts! Goodnight, all!"
And with that, the Houses stood and ambled off to their common rooms, Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbot weaving their way across the flow of people to reach the stranded girl.
"Hello, I'm Ernie and this is Hannah. Just follow us for the next week." Kit greeted them both and looked them over briefly before turning her gaze back to the glacier eyed boy. Consequently, he was watching her as well. As the two were shoved and prodded forward in the wave of students, one thought soared through the two's minds as they offered each other a brief nod of acknowledgement before being swept away; *see you next week.*
These words sent a flurry of whispers throughout the Great Hall. A new student? In the middle of the year?
"Oh I hope it's a boy." A young Gryffindor sighed. "All the cute guys are either dead or they've graduated. Except for Malfoy." She added as an afterthought, glancing toward the Slytherin table across the hall.
"Carrie!" her friend exclaimed, shocked. "He's a Slytherin!"
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he isn't cute." Carrie shot back. "Besides, what's wrong with saying so? It's not like I'm gonna date him or anything." she said calmly, her eyes locked on the blonde boy directly across from her.
Her friend opened her mouth to comment, but was cut off by a sharp pinging noise from the head table. Professor Minerva McGonagall was rapping sharply on her glass for the student's attention.
"Thank you, Minerva." Professor Dumbledore beamed at her, then turned his smile back to the students.
"There is more to be said. Our new student arrived earlier this morning to be sorted, only to deliver a shock. Apparently, she belongs to a house called 'Gryslynclawff'. Unfortunately, as we had no founder named Gryslynclawff, that house shall have to be built." His eyes laughed along with the room as he paused, encouraging the titters until they died away.
"Until then," he continued, "she shall be staying a week within each of your esteemed Houses and brought back to the Sorting Hat to see which of her, ah, attributes - if any - have been strengthened. Out of her strongest, she will continue to alternate between those two Houses for three to four months, depending on our staff's decision. Then, she will return yet again to the Sorting Hat for the final decision."
Intrigued by this girl who had confused even the legendary Sorting Hat, all leaned forward in their seats - even the Professors - waiting for Dumbledore to continue.
"As she has been tested for magical ability and placed in sixth year, she will have to make up her O.W.L. 's, so I implore each of you from every House to help her in any way - besides, of course, cheating." He added, eyes twinkling.
"Now, may I present - who her guardians so graciously gave up - Kit." All were busy craning their necks to catch a glimpse of this mysterious girl - so few noticed Dumbledore's lack of surname, besides the teachers and a few sharp eared students. They looked questioningly at Dumbledore who just gave a slight shake of his head before retiring to his seat.
The repeated rise of whispers drew all eyes toward the archway beyond the tables. Standing there was a petite figure who hesitantly stepped through the huge doors. Her black hair was roped down her back and swayed with her every move as she walked up to the High Table where Dumbledore was waiting. Her skin was smooth and pale, an ivory that contrasted sharply with her midnight hair. A slight curl fell gently over the right side of her face, shading her eyes from view.
The room's occupants seemed to hold their breath as the girl stepped gracefully up to Dumbledore before turning around. He pointed to each table, saying, "Ravenclaws rise. Hufflepuffs, rise. Gryffindors, rise. Slytherins, rise." At the Slytherin table, silver latched onto silver and the room surrounding the pair dissolved. The two stared at each other intently, not coldly but aloof, as if measuring the other.
*It's like staring into a broken mirror,* the new girl thought.
*She's got my eyes in her face.* was Draco's immediate thought.
The real world came back as Dumbledore said, "Kit will be attending first Hufflepuff, the Slytherin, followed by Gryffindor, and lastly - but not least - Ravenclaw. Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbot, as Prefects you two will be her first set of, ah, shall we say, guardians. Show her the ropes and help ease her workload when possible. Welcome, Kit, to Hogwarts! Goodnight, all!"
And with that, the Houses stood and ambled off to their common rooms, Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbot weaving their way across the flow of people to reach the stranded girl.
"Hello, I'm Ernie and this is Hannah. Just follow us for the next week." Kit greeted them both and looked them over briefly before turning her gaze back to the glacier eyed boy. Consequently, he was watching her as well. As the two were shoved and prodded forward in the wave of students, one thought soared through the two's minds as they offered each other a brief nod of acknowledgement before being swept away; *see you next week.*