As always, thank you to my beta FalconHonour! Edited on 1/15/2021
Dusk was settling upon the Scotland countryside when the train pulled into Hogsmeade Station. Clambering off the train, Hermione heard a deep voice yelling, "Firs' years over here!" and turned to see a man around eight feet tall.
"That must be Hagrid, then," Hermione whispered to Daphne.
"Unless they make a habit of employing half-giants," Daphne murmured back.
"I've never really understood when and why you guys do the whole fake snooty thing," Hannah frowned, "You guys let it down when it's either in a setting with people you know, or when you're out on your own, but when you're out with your parents, you're all doing the mask thing. Why do you have to do it as a family, but not when you're on your own?"
"When we're out as a family, we need to look like a unit and uphold the family image," Hermione explained
"But when we're separate, we don't have to do that, as long as we don't act foolishly or do something stupid," finished Daphne.
"What about Pansy then?" Hannah asked.
"I've got an RBF," Pansy said slyly.
Hannah scrunched her nose. "What's an RBF?"
Pansy smirked. "Resting Bitch Face."
Hannah swatted Pansy's arm-"Language!"-before her face cracked into a grin and giggles spilled from her.
The four followed the groundskeeper to the lake, where boats were waiting. "No more'n four'n a boat!" the half-giant boomed. Hermione gathered her robes into her hands so they wouldn't touch the dark water, and stepped into a boat. She gave Daphne a hand to help her on, while Hannah scrambled to the front of the boat and Pansy took the back. Once all of them were sitting down, their boat started to move slowly off of the shore. Hermione squinted through the dusky darkness to find Draco and Theo in a boat with Vincent and Greg.
The girls spoke in hushed whispers until the castle came into view. Hannah gaped openly, and, despite themselves, Hermione and Daphne weren't much better. Pansy sat in the back examining her nails. "What? We've all seen castles before. Honestly, I think the ones in Germany that we saw a few weeks back on the girls trip were prettier," she said snidely, but the small gleam in her eyes betrayed her. Hermione felt a short bump as the boat made landfall, and Hannah jumped out of the boat, only just restraining herself from dancing around in excitement. Hermione exchanged an amused glance with Daphne, before following her ecstatic friend up to the castle as Pansy fell into step beside her.
"Haven't seen Han this excited since we went to the Weird Sisters concert," Pansy snorted.
Once they reached the doors to Hogwarts, Hagrid knocked thrice on the castle door, and the doors swung open. Professor McGonagall stood in the entryway; Hermione had seen her a few times at various Ministry Gatherings, usually the ones that had to do with education. She was rather distinguished in appearance-and in demeanor, if the stories her cousin Emmeline had told her were true. If that was the case, Hermione thought she rather admired the woman. The half-giant and the witch seemed to be talking about something, but Hermione didn't particularly care what. What she did care about was where Draco was, and currently, that was with Theo, right next to Harry Potter and a red-head, who must've been a Weasley, offering his hand in friendship, she supposed.
"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, Malfoy, thanks," the dark-haired wizarding phenomenon glared. To his credit, Draco's face didn't fall, but she could see the flush of pink in his cheeks at the public rejection. Before he could respond, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and started talking about the Houses of Hogwarts. Draco and Theo discreetly wove their way through the crowd to where the four girls were standing.
"Don't worry about it Drake, he's a right prat," Hermione muttered.
"To be so blunt in public though? Has he no manners?" Draco asked, a bit bewildered.
"Of course he doesn't. I told you, he's a Gryffindor without anything else in him. All foolhardy bravery without the brains to back it up," said Pansy.
"Hear hear," Daphne murmured.
McGonagall's speech ended and she turned around, leaving the chamber, as everyone broke into whispers of how they would be sorted. Hermione refrained from rolling her eyes. Did their parents not tell them? All because it was tradition to be surprised? It was trying on a bloody thousand-year-old hat! And even if they didn't know, it wouldn't be anything dangerous-they weren't even supposed to know magic yet! Key words being supposed to, Hermione snickered inwardly. Most Purebloods and Half-bloods already knew their fair share of magic, from Herbology to Potions to Basic Defence-come on, who didn't teach their children how to defend themselves with a wand as soon as they got their hands on one? There were some families, Hermione supposed, who might not know that the Trace was linked to location, and in a magical household, who knew who was casting what? And anyway, even if she, Daphne or Astoria did set the Trace off, Father would just hire the family lawyer or move some money around and it wouldn't even go on their record. No big deal.
Pansy snickered, "Did you just hear that?" Hermione shook her head. "The Weasley in our year - Merlin knows how they could afford to send him, but that's beside the point - he thinks when we get sorted, it'll hurt. How dumb can you get?"
Daphne nodded, "And get this. One of his brothers told him. I don't even know the Weasley kids, but I'm well aware that the pair of twins are known for being pranksters. Emmeline thinks they're really annoying. So, I know that, and I've not met them, and he's known them his whole life and still takes their words at face value? Merlin above, he's an idiot."
Daphne turned to Hannah, who said, "I hope he's not a Hufflepuff. Some people say that Hufflepuff will take dumb people who don't fit in anywhere else.I don't want that to be true, I want people to be Puffs because they're nice and what Helga Hufflepuff would've wanted her house to be like."
"Don't worry," Hermione soothed, "Weasleys are always Gryffindors."
"How red do you think his face would go if he got sorted somewhere else?" Draco wondered aloud, "Maybe the same color as his hair?"
"Not possible," Pansy rolled her eyes, "The house thing, not the hair. I think that'll be my own personal project for the next year. He's not smart enough to be in Ravenclaw, not if what we've seen so far is any indication. No Weasley is loyal enough for Hufflepuff. And there's no way he would be a Slytherin. So that leaves Gryffindor."
"I think it's a bit unfair, categorising all the Weasleys to be bad just because their father or grandfather was," Hannah admitted.
"That's because you're too nice, Hannah. Guilty until proven innocent, I say," Daphne sniffed, "It's not like they ever make an effort to change the way people think of them."
"And I don't think the apple falls far from the tree. Father says Arthur Weasley is dimmer than a Deluminator and Molly Weasley is about as nasty as they come. I met her once and that was more than enough for me," Draco's nose twitched.
"You'll have to tell me that story sometime," Hermione flashed Draco a surprised look, "But Hannah is a little right I guess." At everyone's looks she threw her hands in the air, "I'm just saying, if a Weasley got sorted into Slytherin, I'd bet they'd at least be a little alright. Or even just not a complete berk. There's got to be some decent people in there, right? The exceptions who prove the rule?"
Draco shrugged and Pansy looked thoughtful. Hermione was about to gauge Daphne's expression when she heard several shrieks behind her. The group turned around to see a myriad of ghosts gliding through the chamber.
"Merlin, Circe and Morgana help me!" Pansy rolled her eyes, "I recognize every single person freaking out over the ghost. That means none of them are Muggleborn. If the Muggleborns, who are quite new to this world and have very much never seen a ghost before, or a half-giant, or self-moving magical boats, can keep themselves from screaming and freaking out, you'd think Mr. My-Family's-Been-Pure-For-Nine-Generations-Ernie-MacMillan, could maybe, just maybe, calm the hell down?"
"Language, Pans," Hannah nudged her, "But you're right. I think he's maybe doing it to freak out the Muggleborns. Or maybe he's just seeking attention."
Professor McGonagall's voice interrupted their thoughts, as she called for people to form a line. Once it was formed, they started shuffling forward. They walked into the Great Hall, where hundreds of faces were staring at the line of kids. Hermione sought out Emmeline, and caught her eye. Her cousin winked and mouthed 'good luck!'. Hermione smiled, and continued to scan the hall, taking in everyone's faces, if she knew them, what family they were from, and what they were doing. Her prestigious memory was working overtime, filing away information, all in the blink of an eye. She returned her eyes to Professor McGonagall, who was setting up the Sorting Hat on a table that was next to a stool. The Sorting Hat came to life and began to sing.
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
Hermione thought it was cute, if rather cheesy and she clapped along with everyone else. Professor McGonagall stepped forward and said "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. Abbott, Hannah!"
Hannah blanched at having to go first. She stepped out of the line, a bit wobbly in the knees, and Hermione squeezed her shoulder. She put on the hat, and after a brief pause, the hat called out "HUFFLEPUFF!" Hermione clapped as loudly as she could and beamed at Hannah. The Sorting continued in alphabetical order and Hermione took mental notes as to where everyone was placed. The first Slytherin was Millicent Bulstrode, a Half-blood, and one she knew well enough she supposed. Tracey Davis, another acquaintance-Half-blood-, also went to Slytherin. Vincent Crabbe went to Slytherin, which didn't surprise Hermione in the slightest. Justin Finch-Fletchey-a Hufflepuff - was the first person Hermione didn't know, so he was either a non-influential Half-blood or a Muggleborn.
"Greengrass, Daphne!" Professor McGonagall called out. Daphne walked up to the hat gracefully, and put it on as delicately as one would a crown. Hermione held her breath.
"SLYTHERIN!" cried out the hat. Slytherin it is then, Hermione thought to herself.
"Greengrass, Hermione!" She walked up to the stool and sat down primly, crossing her ankles, and placing the hat on her head with as much poise as she could muster. This would be the first impression she made on some people, so it had to be a good one.
She heard a small voice in her ear, and almost jumped. "Ah, you're an interesting one, aren't you? You have the nerve of a Gryffindor, the brains of a Ravenclaw, the diligence of a Hufflepuff, and yet you are as cunning as a Slytherin and just as ambitious as one too! Now where to put you?"
Put me with my sister, Hermione thought.
"Well, then-SLYTHERIN!" the hat cried out to the Hall. Hermione took the hat off her head, smiling inwardly at the applause, and noting the beam in her sister's eye, before she joined her at the Slytherin table. Daphne squeezed her hand tightly and whispered in her ear,
"I'm really glad you're with me."
"Me too," Hermione whispered back.
She looked back up at the hat to see Gregory Goyle join the Slytherin table, and continued mentally categorizing each Sorting.
Neville Longbottom, a boy Hermione had had interesting conversations about plants with at a few parties, went to Gryffindor - shame, thought Hermione, but she wasn't about to let that stop her from retaining her acquaintance with the boy, or from starting one with Lavender Brown, whom she hadn't ever spoken to, but had seen at least a handful of times.
"Malfoy, Draco!" Professor McGonagall said.
Draco swaggered towards the stool, and put the hat on. It was on for maybe a second or two, if that, before shouting out "SLYTHERIN!" Hermione cheered him, and he grinned as he sat down.
"Come on, as if there were ever any doubt."
After Lily Moon went to Gryffindor, Theo was called.
"Slytherin, Slytherin, come on, Slytherin," Daphne whispered to herself, as she closed her eyes and crossed her fingers.
"SLYTHERIN!"
Daphne was probably the loudest cheerer for Theo as he sat down at the table across from her, next to Draco.
"Parkinson, Pansy!" The group looked up at Pansy who was walking up to the stool. She met their eyes and rolled her own before placing the hat on her head. It cried out Slytherin, and as she lifted the hat off her head, she winked at her friends waiting in Slytherin.
"Well, that's all of us," she said as she sat down next to Hermione, "I wish Hannah was with us, but she doesn't have a Slytherin bone in her body." Pansy smiled broadly at Hannah who gave two thumbs up and mouthed 'I'm ok!' before gesturing towards Susan Bones, her cousin, who was sitting next to her.
"It's good that Hannah has Susan with her," Daphne said, "I know they're pretty tight, so she'll be alright in the classes that Hufflepuff doesn't have with Slytherin."
"Potter, Harry!" was called out, as the boy walked towards the hat. After a few seconds pause, he was made a Gryffindor.
"Wow," said Theo. Pansy looked at him incredulously, and Theo put his hands up, "I thought it was going to be instantaneous. He screams Gryffindor."
"Maybe the Hat was saying it was going to put him in Slytherin," Hermione said, as all eyes turned to her, "Hey, if I was a dusty old hat that was a thousand years old, and the only thing that I ever did was sort a bunch of kids into four houses every year, I know I'd mess with them-it'd be funny! I mean these are the only conversations he gets, like, ever. He's got to have a sense of humour."
The table burst into laughter, and Hermione smiled inwardly as she noticed that several of her older housemates sitting near her that had overheard were laughing too. She looked over to the Gryffindor table to see absolute pandemonium. Some people were chanting "We got Potter," like it was some big prize or even like it was a surprise he would go to Gryffindor. You didn't have to be a seer to see that one coming. When the hall finally settled down, the sorting continued with Dean Thomas, another Gryffindor. Lisa Turpin became a Ravenclaw, and Ronald Weasley-"so that's his name," Theo whispered-went to, big shock, Gryffindor, and sat next to Potter. Draco rolled his eyes. Finally, a dark-skinned boy-Blaise Zabini, came to Slytherin.
Hermione looked up at the High Table, where Dumbledore was standing now.
"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"
"Ha ha," Pansy deadpanned.
Then the food arrived, and Hermione surveyed the food with distaste, before her eyes landed on a plate of salmon, which she grabbed, as well as some corn and carrots. Daphne grabbed the plate of salmon when Hermione was done taking some of the fish off of it.
The girls looked at each other knowingly. "This is… fattening," Pansy managed to say.
Tracey Davis, a tall girl with chestnut colored hair and brown eyes, was a seat or two down nodded, "Tell me about it. You're telling me we have three different cuts of pig meat, but no pasta whatsoever, or sushi, or soup?" The girl flushed, "I'm Tracey Davis by the way."
Millicent Bulstrode, a girl with dark hair and blue eyes and wide shoulders, offered a smile, "I'm Millicent Bulstrode, but everyone just calls me Millie. I'm not exactly sure what to do-I'm vegetarian so other than potatoes there's not really anything that's like an actual dinner that I can even have."
Pansy groaned, "Hannah's vegetarian and she hates potatoes. Merlin, I hope she has something to eat." Hermione looked at Hannah who was staring down at her plate and pushing around some vegetables around her plate a bit dejectedly. She looked up to meet the Slytherins' gaze and scrunched up her face, mouthing 'What am I supposed to eat?' Hermione looked up at the High Table, where all of the teachers were invested in eating and their conversation, although Professor Snape was looking around at the hallway. He met the eyes of Hermione and raised an eyebrow. Hermione gestured to Hannah and Millie. The professor grimaced.
"Here, we can figure it out with Professor Snape tonight?" Hermione suggested, "I'm Hermione Greengrass by the way. That's my twin, Daphne, and this is Pansy Parkinson. Theodore Nott is the boy with the dark curly hair currently engaged with Draco Malfoy, the platinum-blond across from me, in a fascinating quidditch debate. Vincent Crabbe is sitting on the other side of Draco and Gregory Goyle is next to him, but everyone just calls him Greg."
Draco and Theo looked up in response to their names.
"Quidditch is fascinating," Draco protested.
"Eh," Hermione shrugged.
Draco looked affronted, "Are you not going to go to the Quidditch Matches?"
"Well," Hermione said, "The ones Slytherin plays. House Pride and all that."
"Would you come for me if I played for the team?" asked Draco.
"Well, duh, of course I would. But it's not like you're going to be on the team this year, first years aren't even allowed their own brooms, and who'd want to try out on a school broom? You know what horror stories Emmeline's told us about those"
"You know," Daphne said, "Emmeline said she's going to try out for Beater this year. She's in third year and she's got a Nimbus 1999, not to mention she's really good.. I think she'll make it."
About twenty minutes later, the dinners were replaced by desserts. Hermione saw Hannah look relieved, and she took a large slice of a peach pie.
"Hey, Millie," Hermione said, "Maybe you can have a really big slice of one of the fruit pies to fill you up? I mean it's dessert, not dinner, but it's only for one night, and you really ought to eat something."
"Thanks, Hermione," Millie smiled.
Daphne took a slice of chocolate cake, Draco was chewing on one of four chocolate eclairs, Pansy was popping macrons in her mouth, and Theo was eating a jellied doughnut. Hermione took some of the strawberry ice cream, and started working on getting through that. Once everyone was finished, the desserts disappeared, and Dumbledore, once again, rose to his feet.
"I hope this speech is better than the other one was," Hermione murmured.
"I hope it's just as short if not shorter, I don't really care about the content. Not like I'm going to care about what Dumbledore says," snorted Draco.
"Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you," began Dumbledore, "First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well. I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors." Pansy and Draco both made a show of rolling their eyes. "Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their House teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
"Circe, why would he say that? That's like putting a sign over it saying, Harry Potter and Gryffindors, enter here!" Daphne pinched the bridge of her nose, "And look at Potter! He's laughing!" Sure enough, the Gryffindor had let out a laugh at Dumbledore's words.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore said. Hermione noted that the Professors' smiles had become strained, as Dumbledore cast a ribbon into the air to display the words. "Everyone pick their favorite tune, and off we go!"
Hermione looked around wildly, and noticed nobody at the Slytherin table was singing, just mouthing the words, if at all. At least half of the Ravenclaws were doing the same, and even some of the Hufflepuffs. The Gryffindors, though, were all singing along, rather loudly. The Weasley twins were the last to finish, singing to the tune of a funeral march-that was to say, exacerbating slowly.
"Ah music," said Dumbledore, "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
"What are we, horses?" asked Theo.
"First years, this way!" a girl with long dark curly hair called out. The group of first years crowded around her and another boy, both wearing prefixes badges. "Follow me," said the girl, speaking rapidly, as she led them through the Great Hall and down a staircase. "I'm Carrine Perot, the fifth year Slytherin prefect. This is Thomas Yaxley," she said, gesturing at the boy by her side, "Fifth year prefects are in charge of the first years, so we'll be your year's prefects up until you start your fourth year, when we will have graduated, and you will be enjoying the last year before you have to worry about OWLs. The ghost that you probably saw pass by our table is the Bloody Baron. Don't let the blood and expression scare you, he's really rather nice to Slytherins. He's really good at History of Magic and he also knows a lot about Astronomy, so if you need tutoring or help in those subjects, go to him and he'll be happy to help you. He's also great at scaring Peeves off-he's the poltergeist-so if you ever have to deal with Peeves like ever, just threaten him with the Bloody Baron and he'll know to leave you be from then on. He usually leaves Slytherins alone because he doesn't want to set off the Bloody Baron, but sometimes he forgets or he fancies himself brave enough and thinks we're stupid enough to not know how to get rid of him."
"We're going to go over house rules and some fun Slytherin tips and tricks when we get to the common room, Professor Snape, our Head of House will be there too, so he'll probably say a few words," Thomas added "In the meantime, just pay attention to where we're going, so you don't get too lost. If you do, ask a nearby Slytherin for help. Students in other houses might send you in the wrong direction, but Slytherins always help other Slytherins."