You hear voices around you, whispering.
"D'ya think we should wake her?"
"Wouldn't it be kind of awkward, I mean- we've only just met her!"
"Shhhhh, you two! You'll wake her weather you want to or not if you keep talking like that! For goodness sake, we're near to Hogwarts- I'll wake her up!" Says Hermione, she manages to put just the right amount of bossy authority into her voice, but not so loud as to supposedly 'wake you'. She shakes you gently.
"Amilie- wake up! We're really near to Hogwarts," she says. You (being the great actress you are) stir, yawning and sit up, smiling. Harry grins at you from across the compartment, your stomach jolts and your smile wavers. His smile- it was so like Sirius. You couldn't help but whisper his name, the grief rising in you.
"Sirius,"
"What did you say?" Harry demands, looking distressed, angry and confused all at once. But the jolt of the train coming to a halt and the Porter crying out 'Hogesmeade Station' gave you the excuse to get lost in the bustle of everyone else. Out on the platform, as you lugg your trunk to one of the carriages, Harry's hand snakes up your arm and grips it tightly.
"What did you say." He demands, his face close to yours.
"I, er…"
"Come on mate! The carriages are leaving!" Yells ron, hanging out of one. You jump away from Harry and scurry off to Ron and Hermione, closely followed by a confused Harry.
As you pulled round to final corner, you stick your head out of the window- just as you had every time before. The wind gently tickles your face as you gaze at the breath-taking sight. Hogwarts framed against the night sky. As you get out of the carriage, you stop to stare, taking it all in, maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
"Gorgeous, isn't it? The first time I saw it, I was just like you to." Hermione says, standing next to you. You burst to tell her that you had been here before…you want to tell her everything, want to let out all the pain, memories, experiances and thoughts of past friends bottled up inside you. Instead you just sigh, link arms with her andgo through to the great hall to face the sorting hat… again.
"By the way, what house are you three in?" you ask, wondering if you would be put in the same house again, Gryffindor.
"Oh, all three of us are in Gryffindor." She answers as you walk through the double doors. "You have to go wait, to be sorted- see ya later- Good luck!" She gave your arm a squeeze and you stood to wait with the first years. A buzz of chatter and footsteps signalled the entrance of the rest of the school. You watch them all- summing them up. A thing youare particularly good. To you first impressions mean everything. One boy struts in surrounded by other guys. He lolls down at the Slytherin Table and glances up arrogantly, he sees you and does a double take. A small, leering grin spreads across his face. Everything about him was Slytherin, everything about him repulses you, just like his father had done. When your eyes meet, he slowly licks his lips. You roll your eyes and turn to try and find Hermione, Ron and Harry. You see them at the Gyffindor table. Hermione waves excitedly, Ron smiles goofily, but harry just stares- a long, hard, calculating stare that reaches to your soul. You turn away and shiver, knowing you will have to face him sometime. You scan the teachers table, Dumbledore winks at you and stands up.
"Today, we have a new student joining us, may I present Mademoiselle Amilie de Mingtot. She will be entering the sixth year and I hope you will all try and make her feel as welcome as possible." Thereis scattered applause. The professor by the sorting hat beckons you forward. You sit down and the sorting hatis placed on your head.
"Oh! Mademoiselle!"a shrill voice screechsin your ear, "Never did I expect, never was I consulted!"
"Is there a problem?" You think.
"Too right there's a problem!" He says angrily "Never have I been asked to place a student twice! It is an outrage! Doubting my judgment first time round!"
Ah! So that was the problem- you had heard the hat could be quite temperamental, and it was bound to get a bit confused, as it was thousands of years old! Time to put your magnificent improvisational skills to the test. Flattery is the only option.
"Oh, but, your sooo good at it, I thought I'd give it another go!" you think.
"Well I am rather!" He says smugly, "Although I sense, in way, you have grown up far more than you seem, and seen more than your age requires, I stand by what I said before… GRYFFINDOR!"