Chapter 11: The Sorting
"Charlie! What are you doing here," Ron shouted above the noise on the platform.
"That's Professor Weasley to you, sir," the older Weasley said, "I'll be teaching Care of Magical Creatures this term, in Professor Hagrid's stead. Move along, I'll see you up at the castle."
They gathered their things and hurried to get one of the still unoccupied carriages. Harry's heart leapt for joy as Ginny climbed, not into Dean's carriage, but into the one they had just entered. She was breathless and Harry figured she must have pushed her way past most of the students in order to reach them. She slammed the door closed to deter anyone who might try to join them, and immediately started talking, "Can you believe it? Why didn't Charlie tell us? This is gonna be great!"
"Yeah, it really will! I can wait to see Charlie put Malfoy in his place, just picture his face!" Ron started giggling, and only stopped when Hermione pinched him, hard.
He gave her an affronted look, and she sighed, "I'm sorry, but I just don't think now is the time for you to go floating off to the ceiling." Ron looked like he was going to protest, but then shrugged it off, obviously deciding that she was right.
He perked up again after several seconds, "Hey this means we will be getting top marks in two classes this year!"
"Ron! Harry is not going to give you top marks just because you're his friend!" Hermione was looking daggers at both Harry and Ron, and Harry wondered if she had been taking lessons from Mrs. Weasley.
"Ah, come on Harry, tell her," Ron turned to his friend for support.
Harry just raised his eyebrows and glanced at Ron, skeptically. Ron's face fell some but, he still had one class in which he would be getting top marks, or so he thought.
Ginny was the next to speak, "Ron, do you really think that Charlie is going to give you top marks if you don't deserve them? I, mean, you'll be lucky if he doesn't tell Mum every time you misbehave."
At her words Ron's face fell entirely, before he shot back with a smirk, "You're one to talk you get into as much trouble as we do! And at least when we are breaking rules it is to save the school, at the very least!"
Ginny glowered but did not say anything. The carriage had stopped and they climbed out, and headed into the feast. As they sat down at the Gryffindor table, they heard muttering all along the about the lack of a Defense Professor. The five Gryffindor's from Grimmauld Place looked at each other and smirked.
Dean looked at Ginny and asked, "You don't think Dumbledore's gone and given the Defense job to Snape, do you?" Harry did not hear he response, as he was fuming inwardly, and thinking 'it would serve you right, you rotten, girl stealing…' Unfortunately, he failed to get in to a good mental rant as he realized that Dean had not stolen Ginny, in fact he had started dating Ginny before Harry was even interested. This thought however did nothing to calm Harry's anger, but McGonagall had just entered carrying the Sorting Hat and leading the terrified looking first years. McGonagall placed the stool before them, and the Hat began to sing.
Every Year I sit before you and sing of the Houses four,
Great Gryffindor home of those daring and brave,
Renowned Ravenclaw where knowledge is King,
Shrewd Slytherin of those cunning and pure of blood,
Honored Hufflepuff for those pure of heart,
Into these Houses four do I divide you,
But I must caution you not to split our fair school in these dark days instead stand united,
And I must sort you anew,
For it is time for the Fifth House to rise,
This House in honor of Great Merlin himself,
Into this House be gathered those to lead the rest,
Those who honor all Houses best,
May they lead the rest onward in the light
So rise all to heed my call,
Are you to remain in the House where you now reside,
Or will the Wolf House call you forth and claim you.
A silence so pronounced fell over the Hall that almost no one even dared to breathe. There seemed to be a rush of air as all heads turned to the Headmaster. He rose slowly, and said, "An interesting turn of events, well everyone to the middle of the Hall, please, we will do as the Hat suggests." Dumbledore waved his wand clearing from the students' robes all traces of their current houses. "Don't fret, when you join a house your robes will take on their colors once again. Also as we do not know how many will be joining Merlin house I would ask that they come stand before the staff table."
When the Headmaster finished speaking, Professor McGonagall tapped her scroll with her wand and it became several times thicker. To Harry's right Ron let out a moan, "This is gonna take forever, when are we gonna get to eat." Harry laugh quietly but, quickly stifled it as McGonagall cleared her throat.
"Abbot, Hannah."
The sixth year girl approached the stool, sat and placed the hat on her head, she seemed greatly relieve when she was returned to Hufflepuff. The Sorting continued, each student being returned to their own House, and first years being divided among the original four houses, until Hermione Granger was called forward. She had barely lowered the Hat onto her head when it pronounced her a member of the Merlin House. She let out a small squeak, and moved to the front of the Hall.
The Sorting continued for some time, no one being sorted into the new House, until in rapid succession, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and Draco Malfoy were called to join Hermione, who was by that time looking very nervous, at the front of the Hall. There was much whispering when Malfoy was sorted, could he really be one of the school's leaders?
The silenced deepened when Harry Potter, was called forward and the Hat remained on his head for longer then all of the previous students combined. Just when they began to fear that the Hat would never place Harry, it shouted "Head of Merlin House." No one applauded; no one spoke as Harry slowly joined his housemates. Hermione and Ginny both studied Harry's face noticing a strange weariness behind his eyes, masked by fierce determination and Draco seemed unusually pensive. But seconds later they all doubted that they had seen it at all, as Harry's face became the stone mask it always was. After Zabini, Blaise was resorted into Slytherin, there were eight standing at front, Harry and the others had been joined by the two youngest Weasleys and a fifth year girl, formerly in Hufflepuff, Tuesday Smith, ironically she was born on a Saturday. Tuesday was a petite girl with deep blue eyes, and long, wavy black hair which she wore pulled into a tight braid.
Dumbledore rose again and conjured an octagonal table in the center of the hall, he flicked his wand at the group in front of him and their robes changed to be a deep, royal purple with copper trim. "Please take your seats, after the feast I will show you to your new dormitory." Ron's stomach let out a loud growl which could be heard through out the hall, and a smiling Dumbledore continued, "I will save announcements for after the feast, as I dare say some of you are hungry. Tuck in!" As he sat back down food appeared on the tables, students began filling their plates, wondering about the new House and the whereabouts of their new Defense Professor. Harry noticed that none of the teachers seemed to be touching their food, and none of his housemates were talking, or eating with much appetite, except for Ron, who was shoveling food like there was no tomorrow. Harry took a moment to introduce himself to Tuesday before lapsing once again into silence.
When even Ron could not eat anymore, the plates cleared and the Headmaster rose once more to address them all. Harry's stomach filled with butterflies not even realizing he had been dreading this moment. "As always I would advise you to check the list in Mr. Filch's office, detailing all of the items which are banned in the corridors between classes, you should note that it has been expanded to include all products manufactured by Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Magic is forbidden in the halls and the Forbidden Forest is just that, forbidden. Now I would like to introduce two new members of our staff, Professor Weasley will be taking Care of Magical Creatures, and…" he gave a dramatic pause, "Professor Harry Potter will be taking Defense Against the Dark Arts, as well as continuing his own studies." Dumbledore paused again, allowing the students time to gawk at Harry, and Harry time to enjoy the look on Snape's face. "The DA, will be reformed, as the Dueling Club, and will be led by Auror Tonks; it will only be open to students in years four, five, six and seven. You are dismissed first years; your house prefects will lead you to your dormitories. Good night, and welcome back."