Chapter 2: Come and Join Us
Well I heard you were looking for a place to fit in
Full of adherent people with the same objective
A family to cling to and call brethren
Come and join us
Standing in the shadows just beyond the door, waiting to greet them, is a tall, stern looking woman in emerald-green robes. With a quiet squeak, Daphne shifts closer to Glory's side. Glory gives the younger girl's shoulder a quick squeeze and whispers a few reassuring words to her new friends as Hagrid passes the crowd of new students off to the black-haired witch.
Keeping close together, the group follows her into the large entrance hall, brightly lit from within by the burning torches on the stone walls. The woman leads them across the flagged stone floor and passed a door that the low buzz of conversation can be heard behind. She directs the crowd into a smaller room just off the hall instead. When they are all settled inside, she speaks.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall says. "In a few moments the start of term banquet will begin but before you may take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses." Glory tunes out, only half listening to the rest of the speech, studying the paintings adorning the walls of the chamber instead. She finds herself of the receiving end of a few curious looks from the figures, a few of who move into other portraits to get a better look at her. One clever-looking wizard watches her through a set of shrewd, narrow eyes, even more closely than the rest of the portraits. He studies her as if seeing someone familiar, but he cannot remember who or from where.
"Glory Roman-Saul," her eyes snap quickly away from the wizard towards the professor who has just called her name.
"Yes, Professor McGonagall?" she answers quickly, taking a quick peek at the first years congregating around the door before meeting the professor's probing look.
"The Headmaster has requested that you wait outside the hall until after the Sorting Ceremony for the first years is completed," the stern witch replies after a moment spent studying the young witch who looks so familiar. She holds her hand up, forestalling the comment Glory is about to make. "He would like to make a special announcement regarding your situation and felt it would be better to wait until the other students are sorted." Glory nods slowly in understanding, and Professor McGonagall turns to lead the new students out through the entrance hall and into the Great Hall. With one last quick glance at the portraits, Glory follows behind them.
"Professor," Glory calls out urgently, and the older witch pauses with her hand on the door. "May I at least watch the Sorting Ceremony from the doorway?" Professor McGonagall turns her head to meet the piercing green eyes and gives her a faint smile.
"I don't think that would be a problem, Ms. Roman-Saul," she says kindly. "As long as you stay out of sight until it is your turn." Glory smiles gratefully, and she sees Mira shooting her a thumbs up from the edge of the crowd.
"Thank you, Professor," with a short nod, Professor McGonagall opens the door and leads the first years out for their first look at the Great Hall. Glory steps up quickly and catches the door before it closes, settling herself as comfortably as possible to watch her new friends being sorted through the slight gap.
"I wish they would hurry up the sorting so we could eat," Ron Weasley whinges, holding his rumbling stomach. "I'm hungry! What?" he demands, looking between his friends, who alternately give him looks of amusement and exasperation.
"You're always hungry Ron," Hermione says tersely, her head buried in a copy of the Daily Prophet. Ginny giggles as Ron pulls a face behind Hermione's back and Harry turns in his seat to give himself a better view of the doors where the new students will enter from. He grins, remembering the unexpected surprise he received on the train that afternoon. He starts slightly when he realises Ginny is talking to him.
"Sorry, what?" he shakes his head, clearing his thoughts and bringing himself back into the present. Ginny roles her eyes at him and repeats her question.
"I asked why you are grinning like that," Ron and Neville stare at him with looks of interest and Hermione peeks out at him over the top edge of her paper.
"Yes, do tell Harry," Ron grins and wiggles him eyebrows. Harry shakes his head at his friends' behaviour, flushing slightly at what Ron seems to be implying.
"You'll find out soon enough," he answers, looking to the other tables, the enchanted ceiling, anywhere but at his friends curious, probing stares.
"Oh you don't think we're going to let you get away with that as an answer, do you?" Ginny nudges him with her shoulder and shoots him a wicked grin. After a quiet moment, Harry returns Ginny's grin, motioning towards the back of the hall as the large doors open and Professor McGonagall leads the first years between the tables.
"Looks like you don't have much of a choice anymore," he replies quickly, closing his mouth at the frown and low warning he receives from Hermione. Ginny shakes her head at him, giving him a look that clearly says, 'this discussion is far from over'. He shoots her a quick wink before turning to watch the first years begin to line up in the front. Harry glances around confused as a couple of them risk quick smiles and waves in his direction. Other students around the hall begin to mutter and point at him but pause when Ginny grins and waves back at the nervous first years, who look much relieved at her response.
"Who're they?" Ron demands staring back and forth between his younger sister and the new students, looking for an answer and even forgetting his hunger in favour of his curiosity. Ginny rolls her eyes at him.
"Those are the ones I was telling you about earlier," she tells him quietly, earning a sharp look from Hermione for not paying attention. "The ones I was with when Neville found me on the train," her cheeks redden slightly as she recalls the circumstances once again. Neville snickers quietly at Ginny's reaction, correctly guessing what she is thinking.
"Shh," Hermione hisses as the Hat is brought out. Harry smiles at his friends antics as Ron continues to send doubtful looks between Ginny and the younger students, while Ginny sticks her tongue out at Hermione, who doesn't notice a thing. A few of the first years jump as a wide rip at the brim opens and the Sorting Hat begins to sing:
Of all the worlds great mysteries,
And magics to be seen,
Another hat as wise as me
Has yet there never been.
Four wizards came together,
1000 years ago
Great friends so wise and powerful
United in a common goal.
To build a place the young could come
To learn the Magic Arts,
A school away from prying eyes
Where their training starts.
So teach they did for many years
In peace and harmony,
Taking on those students
With whom their ideals did agree.
For Hufflepuff's hardworking lot
Is where the loyal dwell;
And Ravenclaw is the best choice
For the clever to do well;
In Slytherin ambitious ones
Will find themselves at home;
And bravery for Gryffindors
Decide where they will roam.
Create me did the Founders Four,
That when they all were gone,
Their choices of each student's house
In me would still live on.
So step right up and put me on,
And let me tell you true,
That I will search your mind and pick
The house that's best for you!
Applause echoes throughout the entire hall as the hat bows to each of the tables in turn, then becomes still once more. Professor McGonagall begins to explain the sorting process to the first years.
"When I call out your name, you will come up, sit on the stool and put on the hat to be sorted," she unrolls the long parchment scroll containing the names, in alphabetical order, of the students standing in front of her. As Professor McGonagall reads the first name out, the whole hall pays close attention while 'Aston, Tara' becomes the newest member of Hufflepuff.
"Augustus, Shelby!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
The table to the far right of the hall bursts into cheers and applause this time, causing a few of the more nervous first years to jump at the commotion. Near the front, Seth grabs a hold of Daphne's hand as Mira and Cassie exchange amused looks. Demetrius buries his head against Cassie's shoulder, trying to hide his laughter from everyone, especially Professor McGonagall who is close enough to hear him and gives him a stern look.
"Ballantyne, Craig!"
A moment's pause before–
"RAVENCLAW!"
The table second from the left claps, shifting around to make room for it's newest member as he runs over to join them. A few of the older students reach over to pat him on the back or shake his hand, welcoming him into the fold.
Next the Hufflepuff table erupts into cheers as 'Berlin, Drusilla' joins them, quietly sitting next to Tara. The students at the Gryffindor table clap politely again, but remain mostly silent as 'Cavanaugh', 'Danforth', and 'Doyle' are sorted into the other houses. Seamus and Dean exchange curious looks at the lack of new Gryffindors so far.
"Edgecombe, Demetrius!"
Suddenly looking a little nervous, Demetrius pauses to look at his friends for a moment. Mira pushes him lightly towards the stool, and he grins to see Cassie giving him the thumbs up. He relaxes (mostly) and as he climbs onto the stool, he glances around the hall, seeing a few recognisable faces before his eyes come to a rest on Ginny, seeing her and the people she's sitting with looking deep in conversation. Just before the hat drops over his eyes and blocks everything out, Demetrius sees his name passing Ginny's lips.
"You don't think he's related to that sneak from last year, do you?" Ron looks outraged as he stares angrily up at the boy being sorted. Harry frowns and looks to Ginny.
"With a name like Edgecombe, it's probably likely they are somehow," Ginny sighs, keeping her eyes on Demetrius, waiting to see where the hat will put him. "But what has that got to do with anything? Even if they are, it doesn't mean he's a bad guy." Ron turns his open mouthed stare to Ginny as if to say 'I told you so' as the hat finally decides.
"SLYTHERIN!"
Demetrius tugs the hat off his head, and takes a last glance at Ginny, who is trading dark looks with her brother, before heading over to the cheering Slytherin table.
"Oh would you two just stop," Hermione hisses at them as 'Fenris, Cassidy' becomes a Ravenclaw. "You're missing the sorting. Deal with it later," she turns back in time for them to join in on cheering the newest member of Gryffindor house, 'Fier, Dustin'. He is the first new Gryffindor of the new school year.
"Fitzroy, Keplar!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Ron continues to sulk as two more students, 'Germain, Claudia' and 'Gyger, Ciaran' join the Ravenclaw table. By the time the Hufflepuff table cheers as 'Halliwell, Rowena' joins, Harry decides he's had enough.
"Oh would you give it a rest already, Ron," Harry whispers sharply, and even Hermione turns to look at him. "Ginny's right, related or not, it doesn't mean he's anything like her."
"Halthom, Rhett!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"How can you say that, Harry?" Clapping half-heartedly, Ron's face clearly shows his feelings of betrayal that Harry isn't siding with him. Harry shakes his head as 'Hanson, Artemis' is welcomed by the Slytherins.
"Houston, Seth!" Harry opens his mouth with a sharp retort for Ron, but is cut off by Ginny placing a hand over his mouth.
"I want to hear this," she turns back to face the hat quickly, ignoring the shocked looks her friends turn to her. (All except Neville, that is, who fights to keep his laughter silent).
The pale, dark haired first year gives a final squeeze to his companions hand and steps forward, smiling as the twins pat him on the back when he passes by them. As he sits, his eyes stay focused on the large doors at the back of the hall, as the Sorting Hat is lowered onto his head. The hall falls silent as the hat takes a few moments to decide.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
The table cheers loudly, and Seth jumps down from the stool, anxious to get out of the public eye. He blushes as he sits with the other first years at the Hufflepuff table and Tara leans over to give him a hug while some of the older students call out greetings to him.
"Ok, now what was it you were saying?" Ginny giggles softly at Harry's expression of slight exasperation. He rolls his eyes and sighs, clapping as 'Johnson, Rayne' (Angelina's little sister, Harry hears someone comment from farther down the table) and 'Kincade, Beck' receive boisterous greetings as they join the others first years at the Gryffindor table.
"What I was trying to say," Harry keeps his voice low as he turns to face Ron, picking up the conversation where it was broken off earlier. "Even if the kid is related to that sneak, it doesn't mean that he's the same as her. I mean, look at what I'm related to, and I'm nothing like them." Ron doesn't say anything, but his slight wince is noticeable.
"Knightly, Phyllip!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"And you're not above such a comparison either, Ronald Weasley," Ginny adds quietly between the other tables cheering, watching as her brother's ears turn red. "Look at all the stuff Percy has done."
"Kynan, Chase!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Ron mutters something under his breath that everyone assumes is an acceptance of the situation, as his ears turn an even darker shade of red.
"Luther, Quinton!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
The students begin to shift restlessly in their seats as the sorting seems to drag on and on. Whispered conversations begin to break out among the hungry students at the tables as they wait for the feast to begin, but the cheering remains as loud as ever as 'Maddock, Aislinn' joins Ravenclaw and 'McGuire, Heather' becomes a Hufflepuff.
"Is it just me, or are there a lot more first years this time around," Neville whispers across the table to Harry, who nods as he studies the still fairly large crowd gathered at the front. Next to Neville, Ron's stomach growls louder than ever. Ginny giggles quietly, as much at Ron's expression as at Hermione's scolding look, but stops to pay close attention to the next name off the list.
"Meadowes, Cassiopeia!"
The crowd hushes slightly as the young brunette steps up to take her turn, and as the hat is lowered onto her head a few of the students, as well as many of the staff exchange looks of shock.
"Is she related to –?"
"Did you know –?"
"Have to pass this along –"
Harry exchanges looks with his friends as the murmurs are silenced by a stern glance from Professor McGonagall. And within the crowd of first years, Mira glances around grimly. Daphne rests a reassuring hand on her shoulder as the rip in the hat's brim opens and it shouts:
"GRYFFINDOR!"
There is a moment of silence before the Gryffindor table erupts into the loudest bout of cheering yet. Cassie pulls the hat off quickly and hands it back to Professor McGonagall, before turning to grin down at her twin, who can't help but grin back at her. Many of the onlookers swap amused looks as the energetic girl practically bounces to an empty seat next to the other first years, waving at Ginny as she goes. She turns back to face the front quickly as Mira is called up next.
It doesn't take nearly as long for the hat to come to a decision on where to place Mira. Only a few moments after the hat is placed upon her head it pronounces her as another new member of Slytherin house. Many intrigued looks are exchanged at such an interesting split up of a pair of twins. Not even the oldest members of the staff can recall such a thing having happened before. Mira, with more composure than her sister, makes her way to the cheering Slytherin table, where Demetrius has cleared a space next to him.
'Noble' …, 'O'Keefe' …, 'Ossia' …, 'Pallas' …, 'Patterson' …, 'Perry' … the long list of names getting ever shorter as the crowd at the front shrinks. By now even the Professors are starting to look anxious for the sorting to end, and Professor McGonagall's voice begins to sound more scratchy than usual, as if she is beginning to lose her voice with the amount of talking she's done.
"Prewett, Daphne!"
The petite blonde steps forward confidently, ignoring the whispers that buzz around the hall at the mention of her name. She smiles brightly at Professor McGonagall and at each of her friends before the hat is lowered, covering her cerulean eyes.
"RAVENCLAW!" the hat calls out quickly, almost as quickly as the choice for Mira earlier. As she makes her way to an empty seat, Daphne blushes slightly at the wolf whistles Demetrius echoes through the hall. A few people nearby laugh as it earns him a light smack from Mira and he answers her back with an innocent look.
'Rider, Laina' and 'Riorden, Caoimhín' join the Gryffindor table as 'Riotta, Carver' and 'Sellines Regan' are welcomed with loud cheers by the Slytherins.
'Steele'…, 'Stuart' …, 'Talbot' …, 'Tremayne' …, 'Trevelyan' …, only five more students left, and a collective sigh of relief sounds throughout the hall as 'Truman, Noah', 'Van Bürin, Ivan', 'Warner, Tristan', and 'Williams, Bellona' are sorted quite quickly and a great cheer rings out from all of the house tables as 'Zamora, Kelly' the final student, joins the Ravenclaw table. Professor McGonagall rolls up her scroll, but to the surprise of most of the hall, does not remove the hat as she usually does after the sorting. The whispers begin anew as the students wonder about what is going on.
From their place at the Gryffindor table, three students turn away from the hat and the staff table and instead begin to glance around the hall, searching fruitlessly for a face among the crowds. Noticing Harry's wandering gaze, Ginny pauses in her own, instead preparing to ask him about it before her attention, and everyone else's, is drawn back to the front. The hall goes silent once more as the headmaster stands and begins to speak.
"Welcome back to another year. Now I'm sure you are all anxiously awaiting the feast," at this his ever twinkling eyes pause to rest on the Gryffindor table, and those nearby shoot grins and bursts of silent giggles at Ron's reddening ears. "But before we start eating, there is one last special announcement I must make." The crowd sits up straighter, paying close attention to this announcement that is keeping them from their food.
"This year we have a new student joining us, transferring in all the way from the New Camelot Academy of Magic," he waits for the buzz to die down and the hall to be silenced again before he continues. "She is joining us here at the start of her sixth year of schooling, and I hope that you will all show her the same welcome you would any other new addition to the Hogwarts family." His twinkling gazes takes in the different reactions around the hall: the shocked expressions, the excited grins, as well as a few scowls and discontented murmurs.
"Ms. Glory Roman-Saul," he extends a hand towards the door where Glory is waiting to make her appearance and motions for her to come forward. She jumps back slightly to avoid being hit as the door swings past her and slides open all the way. With a last quick glance around her, Glory steps thru the shadows and out into the bright hall silently and swiftly, seemingly ignoring the murmurs that travel thru the assembled crowd. Robes fluttering about her slightly, she makes her way towards the front of the hall to where Professor McGonagall waits with the hat.
As she passes between the tables, Glory covertly observes the whispering students, her eyes seeking out the familiar faces in the crowd. She gives a slight, hardly noticeable, smile to each as she passes by them, and for good measure shoots the shadow of a wink to the grinning Boy-Who-Lived in his seat at the Gryffindor table. Pausing before the head table, she turns to fully face the professors, bowing her head in respect with a look that encompasses them all. Dumbledore smiles and nods his head as the rest of the staff trade questioning looks with each other. Turning again, Glory makes her way to the stool and Professor McGonagall. Bowing her head to the Professor, Glory settles herself lightly onto the stool and feels the Sorting Hat being lowered onto her head. Folding her hands together in her lap, she waits for her sorting to begin as the whole hall watches on.
"Well, well," a small voice whispers in her ear. "It has been quite some time since one of you, has passed beneath my watch. Of either side, as I now see. And this one quite as challenging as the last I perceive." Glory raises an eyebrow at the comment, much to the shock of the rest of the students, unused to being able to see the faces of those being sorted, as the hat usually drops too low. It's a little unnerving for them to watch her slightly glazed eyes scanning the tables as the Sorting Hat searches through her head.
"Now I suppose I should decide where to put you. I can see that you are loyal, undeniably, and courageous, without a doubt. Ambitious, you certainly are; and a strong mind, oh my goodness yes! You are a very difficult one, and quite stubborn as well it seems. Quite well suited for any of the houses, and…" It hesitates a moment as her lips begin to twitch. Around the hall, the avidly watching students trade bemused looks at the action. "Hmmm, isn't this interesting? You have no intention of listening to my choice, do you? You have already made up your mind on which house you want to be in. Even more like your father and…"
'Meaning no offence to you or your duty,' Glory interrupts quickly, her hands clenching in her lap as her thoughts come out sharp. 'But that is the kind of thing that you will not repeat to anyone, not even the Headmaster.' Her eyes darken and her knuckles turn white. Peripherally, Glory notices the students in front of her beginning to shift about restlessly at the length of time it is taking for the hat to decide on a place for her. Already it has been far longer than for any of the first years.
"And who are you to say what I can and cannot tell anyone?" the voice whispers in her ear again, a little harsher than before. Glory begins tapping her left foot lightly against the floor and a slight, peculiar smile appears on her face. She tilts her head to the side slightly, as if listening to something that no one else can hear.
'I am the keeper of many secrets that are not ready to be revealed by the likes of you,' her thoughts hiss quietly, menacingly. 'And believe me when I tell you, if I find that you've let anything you've seen in my head slip, to anyone, not even the Founders magic will be able to protect you from what I will do to you.' Glory allows her smile to grow a bit wider as the hat trembles slightly. 'You know exactly what I'm capable of, and it is far better for everyone right now if you just let all of this pass by without another thought and keep it quiet for me. You're reasonable enough for me not to have to use any spells to prevent anything from slipping, aren't you?' A long pause follows this comment as the hat does a little more digging and considers everything. Next to them, Professor McGonagall shifts nervously on her feet, sending a questioning glance back to Professor Dumbledore. His look is contemplative as he studies Glory, but he quickly sends Professor McGonagall a reassuring smile when he notices her watching him.
"I see your point and will honour your wishes to keep your secrets safe," the hat whispers once more, sounding slightly annoyed, but compliant. Ignoring the soft thanks, the hat returns to business. "And since you are determined to have your own way, you may as well pick your own damned house while you are at it. So which one will it be: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin?" Glory bites her bottom lip in an effort to keep from laughing, as much at the hat's words as at its almost sulking tone.
Glancing around the hall once more, she studies each of the tables, taking in the people and weighing her options thoroughly and carefully. As her eyes come to rest on Harry, sitting with his friends at the Gryffindor table, she knows what her decision will be.
'I'd like to join Gryffindor house, please,' she thinks as her eyes shift from Harry and his friends to where Cassie is sitting with her fingers crossed. Many perplexed looks from around the hall are sent in her direction as Glory audibly giggles as the hat grumbles something that sounds remarkably like 'Slytherin' and 'Potter'. Biting her lip again to try and stop her laughter, Glory can't help but add one more comment.
'You seem a little grumpy tonight,' she adds, thinking in her most innocent tone. 'Perhaps you should ask the Headmaster if you could take a vacation and work on improving your disposition.' The hat gives one extremely tight, almost painful, squeeze on Glory's head before shouting out the house of choice:
"GRYFFINDOR!"
With another quick thank you, Glory reaches up and pulls the hat off her head, handing it back to Professor McGonagall. The hall finally comes out of its shocked silence at the longest individual sorting any of them can recall, (well over 15 minutes for the mysterious Ms. Roman-Saul), and the Gryffindor table bursts out into cheers and clapping as, with a nod of her head, Glory turns and lightly glides down the step with a grin and towards the Gryffindor table.
There are many sounds of confusion as she passes by the empty spaces near the end of the table with the first years and instead walks farther up towards the middle of the table, where Harry Potter has risen to his feet. Glory's pace quicken as she sees Harry step out from the table, grinning, and she flings herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and pulling him into a bear hug. His arms instinctively encircle her waist and keep them both from toppling over as he lifts her right off the floor and swings them both around in a circle once. It is quite the interesting sight, this feat, her being taller than him by a good two inches or so at the very least. Hermione and Ginny exchange flabbergasted looks and Ron's jaw drops. Lavender and Parvati begin to whisper excitedly while Dean and Seamus glance at each other curiously, wondering what's going on with Harry and how does he know the new girl. Neville just watches the proceedings silently with an enigmatic smile.
Laughing happily, Harry sets Glory down on her feet, grinning so big it almost makes ones face hurt to even look at it. Then, as if suddenly realising where he is, Harry blushes slightly, noticing the attention of the entire hall now focused on them both. He tries to step away and crawl back into his seat at the table, but Glory throws her head back and laughs out loud, holding him in place. She lifts her hand to rest on one of his burning cheeks and leans slightly to kiss his other.
"Well aren't you just the cutest," she coos and pinches his cheek lightly, giggling as he blushes an even deeper red. Feeling confidant that he is suitably and properly embarrassed, she lets him go and allows him to pull her towards the empty space Ginny has managed to clear for her at the table in the meantime. With a grin, Glory nods to Ginny and sends a wink across the table to Neville, who stares at her with a knowing look. With one last quick glance at the staff table and Professor Dumbledore, who for whatever reason looks completely unsurprised by what has just happened, Glory takes her seat and the feast officially begins.