Chapter Three
"Hufflepuff!" Screamed the hat. A round of applause and cheers soon came after. The last first year slid off the stool, handed the hat to Professor McGonagall and scurried to his table.
Although that was the last first year to be sorted, the stool and hat remained in the hall. This was noted by the students who pointed and murmured to each other. Dumbledore held up his hand for silence and announced "Hogwarts has a guest from the east this year. I expect that each of you to treat him with respect." He gestured to the Great Hall doors.
They opened and Andrew stepped forward, his head held high and hair kept back in a low ponytail. The gold highlights peeked out from behind his back as he walked.
'He's still in those jeans' Cedric mused. 'Heh, those pants look perfect on him They hug his hips and show off those long legs…I want those jeans…wait. WHAT DID I JUST THINK?' Cedric berated himself in midthought. 'He's 14, he's 14, he's 14…' this would soon become his new mantra.
So? He's 14, big whoop. You're 16. Not that much a difference in age.
'ugh, not you again.'
And hello to you too.
Before Cedric could delve into another mental battle with himself, Dumbledore began to speak again. "This is Andrew Park." He laid his hand on the slightly shorter boy's shoulder. A flicker of disgust arose in the Asian's brown eyes but it soon disappeared. "He is from the Kanto School of Magic in Japan and will be staying with us for two terms. Hell shall be joining the third years."
If Andrew had any objections, he voiced none. He just glanced at the headmaster in disgust before sitting on the stool
'Well, well. Ahhh, why can't I get any easy people to sort anymore?' The hat questioned.
'Don't ask me' Andrew thought.
"Cheeky young lad eh? Well, you got the Gryffindor stubbornness and courage. Excellent mind I see…and unwavering loyalty. Hmmm….a sharp and calculating mind, but you have too much compassion to be a Slytherin. And what is this? Yes, lots of magical talent. And an ability very few have these days…and even fewer use…'
'Cut the crap and just sort me already!'
'And impatient I see.' The hat remarked. 'Well, I'll say...Gryffindor.'
Removing the hat and walked to the cheering table, Andrew spotted Cedric's chestnut mop of hair and was disappointed to see that the Hufflepuff table was the farthest from his.
Andrew didn't notice the outstretched leg from the Slytherin table until the last moment. But that didn't matter. After executing a roundoff from the falling motion, he grinned at the shocked Slytherin and remarked "You'll have to do better than that."
Sitting in-between a small redhead girl and a girl with curly brown hair, he shook the outstretched hand and was struck with a wave of greetings.
Harry shook Andrew's hand and introduced himself. "Nice to meet you." Came the cordial reply. Andrew continued to eat his mashed potatoes, noticing the raised eyebrows around him.
"You know who he is, right?" Asked George Weasley.
"Yep, Harry Potter. Big whoop, he defeated Voldemort." this caused many to flinch around him. "Stop that, it's stupid. Fear of a name only increases fear itself." At this point, Hermione smiled. "You expect me to get on my knees and kiss his shoes? I'll judge him when I get to know him, thank you very much." This remark made the Gryffindor table to look at the Asian with new respect. Some, however, we looking at him and muttering "Stupid wanker" under their breaths. If Andrew noticed, he didn't care.
Harry, on the other hand, was delighted to meet a new student who hadn't gasped, kiss his hand, stared at his scar, or asked for his autograph upon meeting. He noticed the cool ease and kind brown eyes the Japanese boy possessed.
Andrew suddenly looked up at Harry and their eyes met. 'OMG he has the most innocent green eyes…' AsAndrew was getting lost in Harry's eyes, Harry was getting lost in Andrew's.
'Whoa, he has nice eyes. Kinda cat-shaped, and they have a rich hazelnut colour…and really nice thick eyelashes…wait, nice EYELASHES? WHAT THE HELL HARRY. GET DOWN FROM GAHGAH LAND.'
Harry looked away and started to talk to Ron. Andrew looked over at Hermione who asked him why he gave a dirty look to Dumbledore.
"I'm fourteen." He replied, thinking that it would answer the question. When he noticed it didn't, he sighed and continued. "I'm supposed to be put in fourth year, but I think Dumbledore put me in 3rd year because of some sort of 'Curriculum Difference.'" He made quotation marks to accentuate his point, causing some to giggle. "I checked the textbooks and most of it is basically at the same level, so Dumbledore must be off his rocker. Whatever, it means I can slack off." The Gryffindor were laughing at this point, and they all laughed even harder when they saw the peeved expression on Hermione's face.
Andrew felt someone tapping his shoulder and he turned, to see the redhead giggling slightly. She was looking at someone from the Hufflepuff table and she discreetly pointed and said "He's been staring at you for most of dinner." Following the direction of her finger, Andrew's eyes met to Cedric Diggory's grey orbs. Noticing the heated look in the older boy's gaze, Andrew dropped his eyes to his plate, his cheeks flushing, earning new laughter from the redhead.
"Why were you looking at him hmmm?" he teased.
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Because I wanted to. But I guess I should stop…he's obviously yours." She laughed even more at the shocked expression on his face. "Ginny Weasley, second year." She stuck her hand out.
"Nice to meet you." He responded, smiling at her as he shook her hand.
"Andrew, do you like flying?" Harry cut in.
"YES, I LOVE flying." Surprised at the enthusiasm coming from the Asian, Harry chuckled.
"What do you fly on?" Asked one of the Weasley twins.
"A broom." He replied, earning laughter and bewildered expressions on Fred or George's face. "What, you expect me to fly on a cow or carpet?"
Both twins chuckled a this point.
"Oh, does anyone know where Professor Dumbledore's office is? And where the hospital wing is?"
"'Arry cam souuw ooo 'ere dat dis." Is Andrew was disgusted at all from Ron's eating habits concerning talking and chewing at the same time, he didn't show it.
"Sorry? I didn't catch that."
"He said, 'Harry can show you where that is.'" Andrew smiled at Hermione, thankful for the translation. When he turned to Harry, he didn't see Hermione give Ron a whack on the head with her spoon, or the whisper "RONALD, where are your manners?"
"Can you?" Andrew asked, his eyes pleading the younger boy.
Harry felt his cheeks flush slightly from seeing the brown orbs expression. "Ye-eah." He stuttered. 'Smooth Harry.' He thought. "After dinner, k?"
"Sure, thanks. Wait, why did Ron suggest you?"
"I've been to both places a lot more than anyone else. I think I should just rent a spot there with a sign that says 'reserved for Harry.'"
Both boys shared a laugh over this.