Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns everything.
Chapter 4:
Ava confidently strolled into the Great Hall with the rest of the first year students and took a deep breath. She was finally here, in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, where so many of her parents' adventures had been planned. She caught the eye of Selena sitting at the Gryffindor table and smiling at her younger cousin encouragingly. The first years lined up nervously next to the Head Table. Headmistress McGonagall stepped forward with the Sorting Hat, which she perched on a stool in the center of the Hall. As McGonagall began to read the names, Ava whispered to the tall boy standing next to her,
"Everyone in my family's been in Gryffindor you know." The boy looked at her uncertainly and mumbled something incoherently. Ava was disappointed with his lack of response, expecting him to be very impressed so she kept her mouth shut until her name was called.
"Weasley, Ava," McGonagall called with a hint of amusement. Yes, she certainly looked just like them, Ron's red hair and Hermione's tiny stature, McGonagall thought. Ava strutted forward towards the stool and sat down confidently. McGonagall slipped the Sorting Hat on to Ava's small red head.
"Ahhh yes. Another Weasley I see," the Hat spoke into Ava's ear, "but this one is quite different isn't she?" Ava began to feel uncomfortable. She willed the Hat to put her in Gryffindor like the rest of her family. "No no, I'm sorry dear, not Gryffindor for you. I think it'll be—SLYTHERIN!" The last word announced to the rest of the Hall. Ava's cousins, scattered along the Gryffindor glanced at each other very nervously. They always knew Ava was a bit spoiled, a bit annoying, but a Slytherin? They just couldn't believe it. Ava was still sitting on the stool, mouth hanging open.
"Miss Weasley, you can take your seat now," stunned, Ava started to wander towards the table where the rest of her family was sitting, but McGonagall grasped her shoulders to turn her in the other direction, "With the Slytherins Ava." Still unable to grasp the situation, Ava sat down amongst the Slytherins who all looked less than amused by the little red headed girl. The rest of the sorting passed in a blur, as did Professor McGonagall's welcome speech. When food appeared magically in front of her on the table, Ava did not even blink an eye, nor did she eat a bite. Ava scowled at the rest of her house who cast her curious glances from time to time. She did not belong in Slytherin. Perhaps, Ravenclaw, but certainly not Slytherin! Suddenly Ava felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked up into the shy eyes of Muriel Malfoy.
"Ava, everyone else is leaving now. We have to follow the prefects or else we'll be lost," Muriel said quietly, pulling at Ava's elbow. Ava resignedly followed Muriel to the Slytherin Common Room in the dungeons. She had been taught every short cut there was to the Gryffindor Common Room, but was clueless in regards to the Slytherin quarters.
Once they made it to the dungeons, Ava discovered that she was to share her room with three other first year Slytherins, Muriel included. While her dorm mates were unpacking, Ava sat on her bed with crossed arms.
"I'm not staying. This is only a temporary arrangement I'm sure," she informed them. They did not respond, as they were tired already of Ava.
The next morning Ava woke up extra early in order to get some very important matters taken care of. First she dashed up to the owlery to write her parents a letter:
Dear Mum and Dad,
There has been a horrible mistake. Don't worry I'm not hurt. I'm going to talk to Professor McGonagall right now. All my love,
Ava
Next she wandered through the halls in search of the gargoyle statue guarding the entrance to the Headmistress' office. Before finding it, she came across a professor. Though she was entirely unsure who he was or what he taught, she approached him eagerly.
"Excuse me, I'm in desperate need of some help. I must see Headmistress McGonagall immediately." The Professor looked at her skeptically but lead the way to McGonagall's office nonetheless. They rode together up the spiraling staircase and knocked upon the Headmistress' door. She answered immediately and peeked her head out the door.
"Ah hello Professor Adelaide, Miss Weasley. Do come in?" McGonagall said politely, opening the door to her guests.
"Actually I was just dropping this young lady off. She apparently has some very important matters to discuss with you," the young man said with a raised eyebrow. He backed out of the door with a slight bow. McGonagall turned to Ava with a small smile; she had a slight hunch what this was about.
"What can I do for you Miss Weasley?" She asked as she gestured to a chair in front of her desk for Ava to sit in. Ava did not waste anytime, but launched directly into an explanation.
"There seems to be some sort of problem with that, that Hat you've been using for your sortings. I'm not sure if he, er, it was aware of this, but I come from a long line of Gryffindors and I will not be the first to be sorted elsewhere, especially not Slytherin." After her speech, Ava folded her hands in her hands and looked at McGonagall primly.
"I'm afraid, Ava, that the Sorting Hat does not make mistakes. It saw in you something innately Slytherin," McGonagall replied, as gently as possible.
"But, but," Ava stuttered, trying to explain adequately, "Death Eaters come out of Slytherin!" She finally blurted out. A surprised expression leapt to the Headmistress' face.
"I imagine your parents have told you stories about their time in Hogwarts, their experiences with some rather unpleasant Slytherins?" McGonagall asked with a sigh. Ava shook her head excitedly, now she was getting somewhere. McGonagall continued, "Ava your parents went to school in a very different time than you are going to school in. Voldemort and his Death Eaters are no longer a threat to you and your classmates, all thanks to your Uncle Harry. When your parents attended Hogwarts, there was a horrible stigma attached to Slytherin. However, that is no longer the case. Many well respected wizards and witches have come out of Slytherin."
"You didn't! You were Head of Gryffindor. And so was Dumbledore," Ava protested adamantly.
"Dumbledore? You know about Dumbledore then?" Professor McGonagall said, biting her lip and looking in the direction of Albus' portrait on the wall, which was empty at the moment.
"Of course I do," Ava said pompously, "he is my guardian angel you know."
"Oh, my," McGonagall said, trying not to portray her amusement at this naïve statement, "yes, yes of course he is."
"Really my dear Headmistress, enough chit chat, how do I go about applying for a transfer?" Ava stated, ready to get down to business. Minerva tried to conceal a smile. Quite honestly, she found Ava's nerve endearing. She recognized a little of herself in this fiery little munchkin. However, McGonagall was beginning to worry the Professors would not find her nearly as amusing. Rather, they might find her behavior quite disrespectful. McGonagall made a mental note to send an owl to Ron and Hermione to ask them to come in and have a word about their daughter. In the meantime, she had the tough job of convincing Ava once and for all that she was now a Slytherin.
A/N: Hi everyone, hope you enjoy this chapter. Please please please let me know what you think! Thanks!