"I almost forgot!" The girl pulled out a notebook and a pen from her bag.
While looking at the window, she writes something down:
•If you added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood, it will make powerful sleeping potion also known as Draught of Living Death.
•A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat, it can also save you from most poisons.
•For the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane, there are none. They are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite.
She ripped the page from the notebook, folded it, and handed it to Harry.
"What is this?" He's about to unfold the paper when the girl slapped his hand.
"Hey!" He cried.
"Don't open that until after the feast." She looked him dead in the eye.
"Okayy.." he watched as the girl slid the door open while the train slows down.
"Let's go with Ron, or just you. I want to make more friends to make up for earlier."
"What do you mean?" asked Harry.
"Because of the incident earlier with Malfoy, we already got enemies. I'd rather make alliances with others than talk to be in good-terms with that blonde prat." She sneered, smiled at the boy and left.
A voice echoed through the train saying, "we will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your trunk on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."
"Catherine!" He yelled through the corridors. She looked back and responded, "what?" He showed the tiny trunk on his hand, "my trunk!" She walked a little closer and saw, "oh."
The girl came back and enlarged the trunk, she did the same for her stuff and also left the bag she was wearing.
"And call me Kate." She winked.
When she left again, Harry went back to Ron and sees him in his robes almost done cleaning up.
As the train slows down, Catherine searched throughout the compartments to find Hermione and Neville. She still haven't found them but the train is already stopping, she gave up and waited near the exit until the train completely stopped.
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?" She heard the half-giant yell while towering over the students. "Hagrid!"
"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" They followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."
At the edge of the great black lake, everyone looked amazed by the view. There was an enormous castle with numerous amount of towers, its windows glimmering in the starry night granting it a more magical appearance.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid exclaimed while pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.
Catherine boarded the closest empty boat, she was then followed by a trio of girls. One girl has short black hair with a fringe, the other one has long blonde hair, and the last girl has medium-length dark brown hair.
Catherine saw Hermione, Neville, Harry, and Ron together just done getting in a boat. "Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid.
Nobody replied, all of them are just excited to enter Hogwarts. "Right then— FORWARD!" The boats started gliding on top of the water without anyone paddling.
Catherine checked the others with her, they were really quiet, but the girl wanted to know their names. "Should I greet them? Who the hell are these girls and why can't I remember them."
"Er— hello, what house would you want to be sorted in?" She asked.
"Slytherin, of course!" Said the girl with the short hair proudly.
"Wait.. is this Pansy Parkinson? Yeah.. I think this is her."
"My parents told me that I must be in Slytherin and be the perfect pureblood witch along with my younger sister." The blonde haired girl said. Catherine nodded.
"This must be Daphne Greengrass!"
"I'm only a half-blood but I'd like to be in Slytherin." The brunette said. Catherine smiled awkwardly.
"Half-blood in Slytherin? OH! Tracey Davis."
"What about you?" The certainly Tracey Davis asked.
"What should I say? If I say Hufflepuff, they'll probably bully me."
"I think I'll be in Ravenclaw, but Slytherin could be nice." She sighed. "I'm lucky they didn't ask about heritage."
"Have you all heard about heir Malfoy?" said Pansy.
"Yes, because of his previous actions he became a disgrace from the purebloods." Daphne sneered.
"Girl, chill— he's going to marry your sister in the future, but you're right though."
"You can't say that to Draco Malfoy!"
"I can, and I'm just speaking the truth."
"Even in our compartment, these two were fighting." Tracey whispered to Catherine ear. "Oh." She nodded in understanding.
Pansy and Daphne kept exchanging opinions for the rest of the ride (with Catherine agreeing on Daphne's remarks more) until Tracey asked Catherine a question,"what's your name, by the way?"
"I— uh— Catherine.."
"Hm?"
"Catherine Clifford."
"That sounds like a royal name."
"I get that a lot."
"I'm Tracey—"
"Catherine CLIFFORD? That's a muggle name!" Pansy interrupted
"Okay? I'm a muggleborn, that's why." Pansy had started to piss Catherine off.
"Ugh, a mudblood." She rolled her eyes.
"Pansy! Why did you said that word?!" Tracey yelled.
"You and the Malfoy heir is the reason why people think of us purebloods as scary, vile, and unprofessional instead of being high-class, proper and respected." Daphne snickered, "because of you, people don't respect us."
Pansy rolled her eyes, "people are meant to be scared of us, we are superior and they're not."
Daphne scoffed. "Pathetic!" She turns to Catherine and says. "Don't worry?"
"Catherine."
"Catherine.. not all of us act like that, my family rarely interferes with people like them and find much better allies."
"Right.. thanks."
Tracey spoke and said, "but if you did get sorted in Slytherin, make sure to always protect yourself because a lot in there are like them." The brunette secretly points at Pansy who was crossing her arms.
"Oh, don't worry. I only said Slytherin, because all of you wanted to be one, and I'm kind of scared that you might bully me.. sorry."
"See?" Daphne directed to Pansy.
"And I don't possess the traits of a Slytherin." Catherine added.
"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the boats in front (including the boat Catherine was in) reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face.
The boats kept moving straight into the dark tunnel, they were likely underneath the very castle at this point. When they reached the sort of underground harbour, the students climbed out.
Hagrid continued to lead the way for the students, they walked up a stone staircase and crowded around the huge oak door.
"Everyone here?" Hagrid raised his gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
The door opened, and there was a tall witch with greying-hair in emerald-green robes standing. "Professor McGonagall!"
She had a very stern face and Catherine thought of Harry's first thought about her how she was not someone to cross, he was right. She already met her but she was a bit more serious inside the school premises rather than outside.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid introduced.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
She pulled the door wide and revealed the entrance hall, they walked through the stone floors and followed the Professor. McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.
Hermione, Neville, Harry, and Ron have managed to stand near Catherine and the three girls she was with, they were on the very front. With Pansy standing farthest away from Catherine, Hermione stood behind her. Daphne was beside Pansy, and Neville was the one behind her. On Daphne's other side, there was Tracey with Ron standing behind her. Finally, on the other end of the line, there was Catherine with Harry behind her.
Harry wanted to be close with Catherine but he realised that it was a bad idea, he was short and she was tall, he couldn't see anything beside her hair tied in a low ponytail. The boy switched with Ron because the brunette in front of him is as short as him, the red haired boy didn't have a problem since he was also tall.
The old witch spoke, "Welcome to Hog—" but Neville interrupted. "Trevor!" He pushed the blonde girl away to pick up the toad, he looked up and there's McGonagall looking down at him. "I'm sorry, Professor. My toad tried jumping away from me again." He tried to walk back to his previous spot but they already adjusted, leaving him to stand in front of them all.
Because of the adjustment, two Indian girls were now standing on Neville's spot, Pansy slightly moved forward because 'she's important', so Ron had no choice but to stand beside the tall girl. Harry is becoming unlucky, two tall people is know towering in front of him. However, he couldn't escape the fact that Kate and Ron standing beside each other with their tall heights made them look good.. together.. and it makes him upset.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
She looked at each of the students, when Catherine appeared in her gaze she tried hiding her smile.
"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."
Then she left the chamber.
Harry swallowed and asked, "How exactly do they sort us into houses?"
Ron looked back and said, "Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."
While waiting for the Professor to return, several people behind Catherine screamed.
"What the—?" She heard Harry cut-off.
Everyone gasped, a bunch of ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Like the ghosts she knew from home or the ghosts in the actual film from her previous life, they are pearly-white and slightly transparent. They glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. The ghost of Hufflepuff or should we call Fat Friar said, "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance —"
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?"
The ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years that was watching and listening to them the whole time.
"New students!" said the Fat Friar. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?" A few people nodded mutely.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know." Catherine lit up at the mention of her dream house.
"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.
"Now, form a line, and follow me." She continued.
They followed McGonagall out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of huge double doors into the Great Hall.
Catherine stared astounded at the view of the great hall, who knew it'll look better and bigger in-person than the film or her imaginations.
As they walk through the great hall, the older students watched them and thought how couldnthey look so tiny, except for some tall ones like Catherine and Ronald. "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." Hermione whispered rather loudly to the girl in front of her, Pansy.
The Professor silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years, on top of it she placed the sorting hat. After waiting a few minutes, the hat twitched and a rip near the brim opened wide taking the form of a mouth, then it began singing.
"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!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and became still again.
Catherine heard Ron beside him whisper something to Harry. "So we've just got to try on the hat!" She lightly chuckled, "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll." The last part didn't sound like a whisper but more like an actual exclamation.
Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said.
"Abbott, Hannah!" The blonde girl she saw in Gringotts stepped forward, put on the hat, and sat on the stool. Moments later, the hat shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!" Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table as the crowd cheered for her. The Fat Friar waved merrily at her and the sorting continues.
"Bailey, Leanne!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The Hufflepuff table cheered again while another girl went to sit with them. Catherine was now getting more excited to be sorted in Hufflepuff and to sit with the already sorted girls.
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted again, Susan sat at the table, it made the Hufflepuff table cheer like it's the happiest they have been.
"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!" This time, the Ravenclaw table cheered the loudest, Terry went to sit with them.
"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"
"RAVENCLAW!" Another Ravenclaw.
"Brown, Lavender!"
"GRYFFINDOR!" The Gryffindor went loud to a huge applause for their first student, some even stood up.
"Bulstrode, Milicent!"
"SLYTHERIN!" At the Slytherin table, they lightly cheered for their first student.
"Clifford, Catherine!" When Kate heard McGonagall call her name, she went still. "Good luck." A voice beside her slightly lessened the tense she was feeling, she looked at the source and saw Ron smiling awkwardly, "thank you, you too." Catherine smiled back and nervously walked towards the front. McGonagall placed the hat on top of her head as she sat on the stool.
Behind Kate and Ron before she went upfront, there was Harry unknowingly glaring.
"A reborn, I see.." the hat said in her mind, Catherine widened her eyes and became more nervous, how the hell did the hat knew?
"I heard that you know, let's say we're talking in your mind." The hat said once again.
"Okay.. are you a legilimens?" She asked.
"I suppose you could say that, how else would I sort fairly?"
"Yeah, you can say that, but can you please not tell anyone!"
"Of course.. of course, now for your house.. Hufflepuff huh? A house you've been longing to be in since your past life."
"I mean— yeah. I'm a Hufflepuff, I even took the Pot—" she suddenly covered her mouth even though she was speaking in her mind, her action confused the people in front of her.
"I know everything, child. You meant to say Pottermore web-site.. what is that? A place for spiders owned by the Potter Family or some group of potters?"
"It's uh.. forget it, it's from the future."
"Rebirth from the future, reincarnation is rare but it's always from the past, not the future."
"I don't really know what happened. I just died then I'm suddenly born in 1980, it's when mama was born." She physically sighed. Mama is not her mummy or mum, it's simply not Charlotte, mama is her previous mother when she was still a Filipino.
"What's taking her so long?" Asked Ron.
"I believe it will be a hatstall, I'm sure you know that." Tracey answered.
"A hatstall?" This time, Harry asked.
"You don't know? Well.." Tracey looked down then nudged the blonde girl beside her. "Pst! Daphne, can you explain what a hatstall is?"
"You don't know?" She asked. "No! I know, but I don't know how to explain it to this boy." The brunette pointed at Harry.
"This boy? Really, Tracey. Okay fine." Daphne turned to Harry. "What's your name?"
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
"I-I'm Harry."
"Okay, Harry.." she wanted to know if he was the Harry Potter or if he was just lying about his name, but she realised that as soon as a name was called and he steps in front, it would confirm her suspicion. "A Hatstall, is when a student's sorting would take up to 5 minutes. When the 5 minutes have passed, the sorting hat would make the student choose between the choices the hat couldn't decide from." She explained.
The black haired boy nodded, Daphne assumed that he understood and turned her attention back to Catherine who was still sitting on the stool.
"Can you just sort me into Hufflepuff? I don't want anyone to wait, I think it has been a minute and a half since I sat here on my arse and I don't want it to be a hatstall." Said Catherine.
"But Ravenclaw is perfect! You have a creative and open mind, full of wit, and very competitive."
She gasped, "I'm not competitive!" She managed to scream out loud, frightening the students and professors. Catherine looked around and realised what she did, she felt embarrassed.
"She's arguing with the hat!" Pansy exclaimed.
"Is that even possible?" Neville asked. The two girls who took his place behind Daphne shrugged.
"I think it's turning into a hatstall." Said Hermione.
"Based on your experiences in competitions, you are quite competitive. And you have a powerful sense of opinion, but it sometimes make you a little— judgemental." The hat said.
"I'm not—!" She physically yelled again, but she managed to shut up and scream in her mind instead, "—judgemental!"
"But you're a perfect Ravenclaw! Imagine all the things you can do in the house of the intelligence!"
Catherine thought about it, "I— I— I don't know! I want to be in Hufflepuff, I'm fit to be a Badger too, right?"
"You are loyal, yes. With your strong sense of opinion, you too have a strong sense of justice. But you're impatient, you don't work hard, instead you work smart. You don't trust anyone easily, you're confident, and you're not the nicest person towards different kinds of people."
"Well, I don't want to be nice towards shitty people, take Draco Malfoy for an example. Wait.. being nice in Hufflepuff is a stereotype, not all Hufflepuffs are nice, and everyone even Slytherins if you believe in stereotypes could be nice. Are you serious? You're the sorting hat! Didn't you just said that Badgers tend to have a strong sense of justice? So they will treat people how they think they should be treated, if a member of the house gets hurt they will surely hurt the culprit back."
"See? You showered me with facts and opinions about a house even though I'm undeniably the sorting hat, that proves your strong sense of opinion, your thirst for knowledge, and your competitiveness."
"Wow.. that actually makes sense."
"You're acceptance proves another trait, open-mindedness. Others would beg me to sort them into the house they want even after a full lecture why they shouldn't be in that house and why they should be in another house."
"Then.. I'm a Ravenclaw? I've always thought I'm a Hufflepuff."
"You may be a Hufflepuff in your past life, but now, it's clear that you're a Ravenclaw."
"Well then, fine. It's almost five minutes, you don't want this to be a hatstall and make me choose between Ravenclaw and the house I want, don't you?"
"Of course, now better be.. RAVENCLAW!" The Ravenclaw table burst into applause, a student nearly being a hatstall became theirs. The friends she just made congratulated her from afar even though four of them will be Gryffindors and two of them would be Slytherins.
A part of Catherine's robe turned into blue, a Ravenclaw patch magically appeared on her robe, and her tie and some linings on her uniform changed from black and grey to blue and bronze, the Ravenclaw house colours.
The sorting continued after the girl sat on the Ravenclaw table beside Mandy, she shook hands with the girl, the other first year or Terry, Cho, the strawberry blonde haired girl she was with in the broom shop who introduced herself as Marietta, and the rest of the Eagles close to her.
"Corner, Michael!"
"RAVENCLAW!" Another Ravenclaw, he sat next to Terry.
"Crabbe, Vincent!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Davis, Tracey!" She heard Tracey's name and gave her attention.
"SLYTHERIN!" Her sorting went quite long too but not as long as Catherine's almost hatstall, she congratulated the girl.
"Dunbar, Fay!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Entwhistle, Kevin!"
"RAVENCLAW!" He sat next to Michael.
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!" Minerva called, "he really looks smug." Catherine thought to herself.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Finnigan, Seamus!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"It feels boring when I already know their houses even before the sorting hat shouts it out loud." She randomly thought.
"Goldstein, Anthony!"
"RAVENCLAW!" He went to sit with the other first year boys.
"Goyle, Gregory!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Granger, Hermione!" Catherine tensed up again, another friend was called though she knows it'll be Gryffindor.
"GRYFFINDOR!" She clapped and congratulated the girl.
"Greengrass, Daphne!"
"SLYTHERIN!" Like Tracey, she congratulated the girl for being sorted in the house she wanted.
"Hopkins, Wayne!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Jones, Megan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Li, Sue!"
"RAVENCLAW!" The Chinese girl sat beside Catherine and shook her hand.
"Longbottom, Neville!" Catherine remembered what she told Neville about him being a great Lion, she thinks it will change his view of himself even a little.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"MacDougal, Isobel!"
"RAVENCLAW!" She sat next to Sue.
"MacDougal, Morag!"
"RAVENCLAW!" She sat next to her supposed sister.
"Macmillan, Ernest!" The blonde boy from Gringotts with Hannah stepped in front.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Malfoy, Draco!" He strutted towards the stool and sat. Like she knows or like you know, the hat didn't even touched his head when it shouted.
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Moon, Lily!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Nott, Theodore!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Patil, Padma!" One of the girls who took Neville's spot stepped upfront.
"RAVENCLAW!" She sat next to Isobel.
"Patil, Parvati!" The other twin stepped forward.
"GRYFFINDOR!" She looked happy and sad at the same time, maybe because she's proud to be in Gryffindor but far from her twin sister.
"Parkinson, Pansy!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Perks, Sally-Anne!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Before McGonagall calls Harry, Catherine got ready for the thing that will happen next.
"Potter, Harry!" The name caught the students off-guard.
"Potter, did she say?"
"The Harry Potter?"
When Harry stepped forward, Daphne confirmed her assumption, he was indeed the Harry Potter.
The students including the first years she was sitting with craned to get a good look at him, they all looked like weirdos according to Catherine.
After a few seconds, maybe a minute or more, the hat shouted.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
When Harry went to the Gryffindor table, Percy the Prefect began shaking his hand vigorously. The Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"
He looked at Catherine and saw her smiling and giving him an applause.
"Smith, Zacharias!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Thomas, Dean!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Turpin, Lisa!"
"RAVENCLAW!" She sat next to Padma.
"Weasley, Ronald!" It was finally Ron's turn, she gave him a thumbs up when he turned his gaze to the Ravenclaw table, he smiled at her before the hat shouted.
"GRYFFINDOR!" He smiled wide before collapsing into the chair next to Harry.
"Zabini, Blaise!"
"SLYTHERIN!" The last student was finally sorted.
Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.
Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there. "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!" He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered.
Mountains of food appeared on the dishes in front of Catherine, she piled up her golden plate with all the tasty looking food. All of them are tasty looking so she just filled her plate a small serving each.
While eating, a female ghost's upper body gracefully appeared on the Ravenclaw table and watched them eat. Catherine stared at the dead woman, wondering what's in her ghost mind. The ghost completely showed her full body and introduced herself to the first years as the Grey Lady.
"The Grey Lady.. SO YOU'RE HE—" the girl immediately closed her mouth, Mandy whose beside her looked confused, "she's what?"
"Oh, it's nothing, I thought she was someone else from a muggle film." Catherine answered.
"I wish my mum told me more about her world, the muggle world. I'm a half-blood you see, and my mum's a muggleborn." Mandy shared.
"I'm the same as your mother, I'm a muggleborn!" She smiled, the other girl smiled back.
The Grey Lady sensed something suspicious about the girl, named Catherine. She was about to say something about her, but stopped, it's like she knows a huge secret of hers. She glided above the piles of food towards Catherine, she didn't looked happy, sad, nor angry but the look on the girl's face clearly shows that she's a little afraid.
"It's nice to meet you, Catherine Clifford." Said Helena.
"It's nice to meet you too, miss—? I— uh— miss grey?" She stuttered. "I didn't even watch the 50 shades Trilogy, just my old parents but miss grey reminds me of Anastasia Grey, eugh!"
The older Ravenclaw students curiously watched, the Grey Lady rarely speaks with anyone, let one start a conversation.
"It's okay.. I like Ms. Grey, it's ideal for formalities." She stayed with the serious face. "Can I talk to you?"
"I mean— we're already talking but if you meant a different thing." The girl nervously answered.
"I meant in private, if that's okay?" Her soft but deep voice made Catherine shudder.
"I— It's okay." The Grey Lady flew away straight to Professor Flitwick, Catherine saw her telling her Head of House about something. The girl looked away and continued eating her dinner, the girl from her other side nudged her.
"What?" She looked beside her.
"What you did was so cool! The House ghost already got an interest in you, you're so special." Sue commented.
Catherine sighed, "I'm not special, maybe she just wanted to know about the thing I was about to say, the muggle reference thing."
"Yeah, maybe, but according to the older students, it's very rare." Isobel barged in.
"You've already talked with the older students?" Kate asked.
"No, my sister just told me." She explained.
"Yeah, I told her, but Padma's the one who talked with the older students." Morag reminded.
"Hey! I did no such thing, my sister's the one who loves talking but not me!" Padma exclaimed.
"Sorry! I thought it was you, so who actually did?" Morag asked.
"The boys." Lisa whose sitting on the end of the table spoke.
"Oh." All the first year girls synchronised as they turned their gazes towards the first year Ravenclaw boys who looked like they were caught in the act of mischief.
"Anthony said it to me because he overheard Kevin, Michael, and Terry talking with the older students, he did not want to join because.." Lisa explained.
"Because the food was too delicious!" Anthony exclaimed, they all laughed.
After they finished, the Grey Lady came back with Professor Flitwick, he silently incanted a muffling charm or Muffliato to give the ghost and the girl privacy in the middle of a feast in the great hall, he greeted the students especially the first years before heading back to the Professors' table.
The others including students from the different houses became too curious, first a small talk, now a private conversation involving a professor casting the Muffliato charm, what could be so special about the topic.
"What was the thing you were about to say about me?" Helena normally spoke.
"Ms. Grey, it's just a reference from a muggle TV show I watched when I was—"
"Don't turn this into a joke, this is serious! I know that you know something about me, a secret of mine."
"Fine.. I know your real name, Helena Ravenclaw." The woman looked taken aback, she knew the girl knew a secret but knowing her real name is too much.
"How did you know?! I SHOULDN'T HAVE TRUSTED THAT BOY! First the diadem, now my name!"
"I— I guessed it! I'm not even sure! According to the History of Magic, Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter ran away and went missing. Then the Ravenclaw House Ghost happens to be a nameless dead woman, not entirely because people call you the Grey Lady but that's just a made up name."
"Is that really it? Or a man told you?"
"Why would a man tell me about you? If it's such a secret, how would a random man know?" Catherine remarked.
"Because he's not a normal man, he's a charmer, a manipulator, he persuaded me, but all that only for him to TRICK ME!"
"So Tom Riddle huh, or Moldy Voldy." She internally rolled her eyes.
"Then, he or any man or woman did not told me anything. I'm a muggleborn and did not met with old wizards or witches without my parents. I just thought it was more than a coincidence so I went with it."
"But don't tell anyone. I want to trust you for keeping my name known as little as possible, It being a secret was long gone."
Catherine nodded and promised to keep it to herself only, she did not ask more questions about the man or simply just Tom Riddle nor the diadem which the ghost mentioned.
Helena called for Flitwick to cancel the charm, after doing so, all the leftovers disappeared from the dishes. The used plates were now squeaky clean, moments later it was filled up again, this time it was now desserts.
"I'm sort of thankful that Miss Grey interrupted my eating, I would've been too full to eat dessert if that wasn't the case." Catherine vocally said to herself.
"Miss Grey?" They all asked totally in confusion.
"Oh— I'm talking about the Grey Lady."
"Why Miss Grey?" Mandy asked, but everyone else nodded because they too wanted the answer.
"Because calling her the Grey Lady in a conversation feels weird and kind of disrespectful, so I decided on miss because she's not married and grey 'cause well she's the Grey Lady."
They all nodded in understanding, but Cho spoke. "I think you're the only one that'll be using that term, Catherine."
"Yeah, because nobody speaks or have spoken with the Grey Lady except you, she's too quiet, shy, or scary." Marietta added.
"Well in that case, we should all just enjoy these desserts." The girl said.
After clearing her mind with the help of ice cream, she went back to thinking about her sorting. "I still can't believe I'm a Ravenclaw and not a Hufflepuff. If I were a Hufflepuff, I wouldn't be talking with Terry, Mandy, Michael, Kevin, Anthony, Sue, Isobel, Morag, Padma, and Lisa. Instead I'll be talking with Hannah, Leanne, Susan, Justin, Wayne, Megan, Ernie, and Zacharias." She thought of them while looking one by one.
She went to eat more desserts, like cakes and tarts. Her mind went to thinking about people who were once Ravenclaws, "Professor Flitwick is obviously a Ravenclaw, Ollivander is also a Ravenclaw, Sybill Trelawney, THE ASTRONOMY PROFESSOR! Aurora Sinistra, ugh Lockhart was also a Ravenclaw, but there's another one!" She kept thinking but couldn't, who could be the other former Ravenclaw?
With the caffeine from the chocolates she ate, Catherine became more awake. She glanced at the Gryffindor table to look at her friends, Hermione was enjoying a chat with Fay and Neville was minding his own business eating a red velvet cake. She and Ron didn't have a proper introduction, so she wouldn't call him a friend yet, either way she saw him shoving spoonfuls of desserts in his mouth like the usual. When Harry caught her attention, she saw him glaring at the two Professors, Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell. She understood right away, but it gave her reminders; first, Quirinus Quirrell is the other former Ravenclaw; second, she's a rebirth for a reason, she knows that Quirrell is hiding the most feared wizard today behind his turban; she will catch him, and prevent every future traumatic thing from happening.
Catherine didn't notice the leftovers of the desserts vanish, she just snapped from her thought, and there's Dumbledore already standing and gaining the utmost attention of everyone.
"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.. 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."
Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.
"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. 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."
Catherine laughed, along with Lisa and a few who thought of it as a joke.
"Wait, he's not kidding?" Lisa asked.
"I don't think the Headmaster would joke something about that in front of the whole school." Morag commented.
"You thought it was a joke too, right Catherine?" Lisa called for the girl.
"Actually, I believe whatever Dumbledore have said."
"But you laughed.. ?" Mandy said beside her.
"I just thought it was funny."
"How is a very painful death funny?" Sue asked.
"The thing he said wasn't funny, but it's ridiculous how he reminded a school full of curious teenagers about a dangerous but exciting thing. He could've not said a thing about it, but maybe it's just how the Headmaster works."
"That actually makes sense." Isobel remarked.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore.
"Lol, the school song." Catherine rolled her eyes.
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.
"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"
Of course, Catherine chose the tune of the Hogwarts song from the deleted scene in the Goblet of Fire film.
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees, Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."
Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.
"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
"The tune you used, It's good and it actually fits with the song." Cho said to Catherine.
The Ravenclaw first years followed a female prefect with long curly blonde hair, she introduced herself as Penelope "Penny" Clearwater. Penny lead them to the west side of Hogwarts where the Ravenclaw tower is located, the high spiral staircase is their only way to go to the Ravenclaw common room. They tiredly climbed every steps, passing through multiple windows showing the view indicating that they're very high up.
When they reached the highest floor, they saw a large door with no doorknob or keyhole, only a bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle. Penelope faced the first years and started speaking, "to enter the common room, knock on this eagle knocker and answer the riddle, but it must be correct unless you want to stay outside or wait for someone who knows the correct answer." She turned back to the door and knocked three times, the metal eagle came to life and started speaking.
"Only those of quick wit and mind are permitted to enter. If you wish to join your peers, you must prove yourself."
The first years looked at each other with nervous faces. "Since this is your first time in here, I will let you answer the riddles." The prefect smirked.
Now they're really scared that they might answer it wrong.
"I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains, but no trees. I have water, but no fish. What am I?" The eagle spoke.
"Err—" they all said in different tones.
"I heard this before, from my previous life. It's sort of a thing like a direction something? Paper? M.. AHA! A map!" Said Catherine.
"Correct! Now you may enter." The eagle said as it turns back into a hard bronze eagle.
"Wow, you figured it out that fast!" Padma exclaimed.
The Prefect along with the first years walked in, they stopped and stared at the beauty of the common room and the moonlight lighting the whole room up. It all consists of blues, bronze accents, and black walnut wood. It smells like ink from a new pen and the yellowish smell from old books, it also smells like rain or the cool northerly breeze; the Ravenclaw common room has basically the same vibes as an old local library in a rainy day.
Penelope toured them around, she pointed at things and explained the purpose. They walked down the stairs and got a clearer view of Rowena Ravenclaw's statue. The Prefect directed them at the library area just below the entrance door, she revealed the secret entrance to the dormitory which is a tall bookshelf that smoothly opens like a door, one each for the girls and boys. A couple of woah's and ooh's by the first years silently filled up the common room.
"This room is HUGE!"
"Professors said that the Ravenclaw common room is the most beautiful and spacious out of all the houses, but they wouldn't tell it to students from the other houses to avoid jealousy." Explained Penelope.
"Woahh.. we have so many tables!"
"We do, Ravenclaw students really do value studying. Therefore, tables inside our common room would avoid distractions.. from the other houses." Penelope explained once more.
"The moon is so bright and beautiful, I could clearly see it just standing from here." This time, Catherine spoke.
"Well, the Ravenclaw common room is the highest out of all the houses, opposite to the Slytherin common room located deep in the dungeons. The Ravenclaw tower is higher than the Gryffindor tower, and the Hufflepuff common room is located near the kitchens."
"Near the kitchens? Lucky." Anthony remarked as the first years laughed.
"Our common room is the most beautiful, most spacious, highest, and we have our own library. Then Hufflepuffs are lucky because they're near the kitchen?" Kevin asked.
"Yes." Anthony grinned.
Penelope finally told them to enter their dorms, they did what they're told and said their good nights to the Prefect.
They walked down another spiral staircase and found the dorms for the first years. The dormitory is a lot better than Catherine expected, and it's surely way better than the Gryffindor, in her opinion.
There are four beds sitting in the nooks in the walls where they stick out from the tower, each has a wardrobe on one side and a desk on the other. They also have a window each bed, and the nooks where the beds sit can be closed off by a heavy blue curtain.
"Wow.."
They realised that they were lacking three beds, there are seven of them, probably a lot for a group of one gender in a single house in one batch. So the girls checked the names and the trunks to see who owns the four beds, "Brocklehurst.. Mandy, this is yours!" Lisa pointed at the first bed, Mandy got closer and confirmed that it was her trunk.
"I think it's alphabetical, this is yours Catherine, it says your name." Padma pointed at the next bed, same as Mandy, Catherine went closer and confirmed that she owns the luggage sitting near the bed.
"Then are those Sue and Isobel's?" Catherine pointed at the last two beds.
"Could be, but let's check." Mandy went closer to the last two unoccupied beds. "This one is indeed Sue's bed, but this one is Padma's."
"How could they skip over Isobel and Morag?" Padma asked as she went to confirm her trunk.
"Maybe 'cause they're sisters and that they should be together?" Sue guessed, already sitting on her bed holding a bombay cat (a type of black cat).
"Awww!! That's your pet?" Lisa squealed.
"Yeah! His name is Henry." Sue replied.
"Your cat reminds me of someone.." Catherine strokes her non-existent beard.
"How does a cat remind you of someone?" Mandy laughed.
"It's possible, Isobel and I each got a cat, my cat's hair colour is the same as my sister's which is like a red orange." Morag said.
"That's true! My cat's hair colour is deep red, like my sister's. Our cats are sisters too, the only difference is that they are cats and they both have green eyes, we're humans and we have blue eyes." Isobel added.
"That's so cool.." Lisa widened her eyes.
"So Catherine, who reminds you of Sue's cat?" Mandy reminded.
"Oh, right. Henry, your cat reminds me of Harry." Catherine confessed.
"Harry? Harry Potter? You knew him?!" Morag exclaimed.
"Not that I knew him, he's not a stranger to me that I previously knew. Actually, we just met at the train and became friends. I studied him and drew him while we're in the compartment, not knowing that he's a celebrity in the wizarding world. I actually thought his last name was familiar because of his possible grandfather." Catherine explained.
The six girls listened carefully, "who's his possible grandfather?" Lisa asked.
"Fleamont Potter, the inventor of the Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. I found it in the books of potions.. let's just go back to the cat." The girl turned her focus to Henry.
"Okay, but why Harry Potter?" Lisa asked again.
"First, the cat's hair is black, same as Harry's. Second, the cat's eyes are green, same like Harry. Third, the cat's name is Henry, similar to 'Harry'. Wait.. did you did that on purpose or it was just a huge coincidence?" Catherine asked the girl holding the cat.
"Okay, okay.. I had a HUGE crush on Harry Potter when I was younger, because of the stories about him. So when mum wanted to buy me a cat, I specifically requested a male black cat with green eyes, since most black cats are green eyed, mum didn't had a hard time finding. Then I named him Henry, so it wouldn't be too weird but still having a connection to Harry. Ugh, I don't have a crush on Harry Potter anymore, I just couldn't change Henry's name because it's the only name he answers." Sue ranted.
"It's fine, mate. We totally understand.." Catherine pats Sue on the shoulder while she gives her an understanding smile plus a nod.
"If we're talking about Sue's pet, we should talk about our pets too!" Isobel requested.
"That's a great idea!" Mandy replied. "Me first, 'cause alphabetical." They laughed.
"My pet is a barn owl, and she's also my mummy's
pet. So like a family pet, but we change her name every generation." Mandy reveals a beautiful barn owl inside a cage, hiding from her back. "Her name is Freya, because she looks intimidating and that name kind of sounds intimidating, so I just thought it fits."
"It totally fits, she definitely looks like a Freya to me." Sue commented.
"Here to say the same thing." Isobel followed.
A couple of 'same's are heard from the rest of the girls as Mandy opens the cage and introduces Freya to the girls. After greeting the owl, she opens the window of her bed and frees her. "Okay, my turn is done. You're next, Catherine."
"I don't know if I should call this animal a pet.." she opens her magical trunk and searches for something.
"Uh oh, it's one of her quirks again." Lisa nervously said.
"Okay, found the compartment. So this animal is my familiar, crazy to think but when I was looking for a pet, this animal called for me and signalled our bond." She says while sinking deeper inside her trunk. "The shopkeeper gave us a discount because it was a bond and familiar bonds are rare they said."
"A familiar?! That's very rare!" Morag exclaimed.
"Yeah, I kinda wished to be normal but now I'm the weirdest one out here." They could hear her yell from inside the trunk, she came back up and revealed a very large eagle.
"WHAT?!" They synchronised.
"Yes, a freaking Philippine Eagle. It's the largest species of all eagles, and I'm surprised to find one waiting for a familiar in a pet shop in England." Catherine explained like it was a normal thing.
"Is that even allowed?" Padma asked, still shocked about seeing a large eagle.
"I have so many questions right now; first, how did you managed to brought an eagle to Hogwarts even though our school only allows owls, cats, and toads; second, how did the familiar bonding felt? Third, how in the Merlin did your trunk do that?!" Mandy exclaimed.
"I have many more questions than that, but there's so much going on. It feels weird when you're a muggleborn, but it feels weirder when another muggleborn started the weird things." Lisa said, exhausted.
Catherine felt embarrassed, "so muggleborns need assistance when we buy our requirements in Diagon Alley, Professor McGonagall was the one that guided my family. So she saw the bonding happened, and explained that eagles are allowed if they are licensed. But I didn't need it because the eagle is my familiar." She stroked the feathers of her eagle. "The magical bonding felt weirdly good and relaxing, but it's still surprising. Then lastly, my trunk could do that because it's a magical trunk."
"Aren't those kinds of trunks very expensive?" Padma asked.
"Yes, but my parents insisted on buying it, plus we had the money so I couldn't really say no." Catherine answered.
"So lucky.." said Padma.
"So what's he— his? Her? Ugh, What's the eagle's name and gender?" Lisa irritatedly asked.
"Laya is a female, she's a very independent woman, and I love her so much." Catherine replied, she also freed her bird out the window like what Mandy did. "Who's next? Right, Sue but you already introduced your cat, then.. Isobel, just introduce your cat more."
"Okay! Since my cat is not here and probably sticking by my missing trunk and never leaving it, I will just show you this picture." She showed a moving picture of her cat. "Her name is Garren, because it sounds similar to Morag's name in reverse." Isobel explained. "It's a lot more fun if our cats are actually here like Sue's, but whatever, it's your turn sis."
"Like my sister's, my cat's name is similar to my sister's name in reverse." She also showed a moving picture of her cat. "Her name is Leibucy, but I sometimes call her Lucy."
"That's a very creative name." Catherine said.
"I was so proud of it, and I still am." She chuckled. "So, your turn, Padma."
"Er— I don't really have a pet, my maa bought me Screech owl and I named it Ullu. He's a male owl, but he's more of a mail owl than a pet." She opened the cage with a Screech owl and frees is to her window.
"Does Ullu have a meaning?" Asked Isobel.
"Yeah, actually. It means owl in Hindi, or that's what my dadi said."
"Maa? Dadi?"
"Oh, maa is what I call my mum, and dadi is what I call my paternal grandma." She explained as they nodded in understanding. "Your turn, Lisa."
"I had this pet since I was a little girl, but he wasn't allowed in Hogwarts." She shows a picture of a Corgi. "Toby is a Welsh Corgi, he's cute and he's a very good boy."
"Aww!! That dog is so cute! Too bad you can't bring him to Hogwarts." Sue commented.
"Yeah.. we're not rich muggles like Catherine so buying a license is very expensive for us." She sighed.
"What if we all collected money for the license? So Lisa could bring her dog the next time she comes back from home." Catherin suggested.
"That's a great idea!" Mandy exclaimed.
"You don't have to do it guys." Lisa softly rubbed the back of her hand.
"We want to do it, because we want to help you, and we want to see your dog." Morag cheekily smiled, Lisa sighed but also smiled.
"So how much is the license?" Catherine asked.
"It's 20 galleons." Told Morag.
"Expensive for some wizards and witches and crazy expensive for me." Lisa said.
"That's like 99 pounds and 59 pence!" Catherine widened her eyes.
"Wow, that's really expensive, and that's coming from a pureblood." Padma rested her head on her desk.
"All I can give you are 2 galleons, I'm sorry." Mandy grabbed 2 golden coins from her pouch and handed it to Lisa. "It's okay, this is already a huge help." She replied.
"We can give you 4 galleons each!" Isobel nudged her sister and they both gave Lisa a total of 8 golden coins.
"That's 10 galleons, already! Thank you so much!" Lisa placed the collected galleons inside a separate pouch.
"I can also give you 4 galleons." Padma handed out 4 golden coins to Lisa as the girl slides it in he separate pouch. "I can't thank you all enough."
Catherine grabbed her vault pouch and picked up 6 golden coins, "this is for you Lisa, that's a total of 20 galleons." She said as she pours the coins into Lisa's separate pouch.
"Oh my, Catherine. Thank you so much! I will send a letter to my parents tomorrow, saying how you all helped me." They all smiled, but remembered Isobel, Morag, and Lisa's missing bed.
"Okay, where will we sleep?" Isobel asked.
"Us three should leave and go the second years." Isobel requested.
The three said good bye to the four girls and was about to leave, when the door opened and a panting Penelope met with them. "I forgot to tell you! The dormitory is expandable."
"Why wasn't it extended before we got in?" Morag asked.
"I'm supposed to show you." Penelope brought out her wand and incanted a spell neither one of the girls knew. "Excitant extensio." She whispered. Catherine knew that she just said the phrase 'activate extension' in Latin, because it's too obvious but she haven't read about or seen the actual spell.
After the incantation the dormitory started expanding and revealed another bed with Lisa's belongings, like how Grimmauld place appeared.
"This is my trunk!" Lisa shouted as she checked for her name, "this is my name!"
"Now where is Isobel and Morag's bed?" Catherine asked.
"And what did that spell meant?" Mandy added.
"Er— okay, since Isobel and Morag are sisters and there are only three second year girls, they will stay there." Penelope explained.
"So for the rest of our years in Hogwarts, we will stay in the dormitory of the batch a year older than us?" Isobel asked.
"I'm afraid to say that it's true, but it wouldn't be a very huge deal. Because based on my experience, Ravenclaws only use dorms for private study times and for getting ready, but most of the time we hang out in the common room. Besides, whatever your year is, as long as you're a Ravenclaw girl, you can join the Ravenclaw women's group." Penelope explained once more.
"Ooohh.." all the girls nodded in understanding at the same time.
"Hurry up now! The second year girls are waiting for the two of you." The Prefect smiled.
"Hey! How about my question?" Mandy called.
"Oh— right, sorry! The spell's purpose is to activate the enchantments that are reserved, it changes depending on what kind of enchantment are being activated."
"You can reserve enchantments?" Asked Sue.
"Yes, you can. Enchantment reservation is commonly used in entertainments and shows."
They all nodded in understanding again.
"Actually, the incantation of the spell is just the phrase 'activate extension' translated to Latin, so if the enchantment is about making a space smaller like the opposite of extension, will it be called activate reduction or 'excitant reductionem'?" Catherine asked.
They all stared at her, she felt like she was giving too much information that she's starting to sound like a know-it-all. "Uhhh.. what should I do, this is so embarrassing!" But they smiled.
"That's so smart of you, Catherine! Professor Flitwick actually told me how to activate the reserved counter enchantment, and it's exactly what you said! Or guessed if I'm right. I wish I could give you points, but it's too early for now. Anyways, come with me MacDougal sisters."
They said good bye to the sisters and closed the door.
Lisa: "Wow, that's so cool!"
Padma: "You're so cool!"
"Come on guys, it's just a lucky guess or I'm just lucky to know a little about Latin."
Mandy: "You're humbling yourself too much, have some confidence!"
Sue: "She's right."
"Well.. you don't really know me yet, I mean we all just met. I'm actually a very confident and a little competitive person, I'm just a little shy right now."
Lisa: "So the hat is right."
"What? What do you mean?"
Lisa: "The hat is right that you're competitive when you said you're not." She grinned.
"Oh that, yeah." She chuckled.
"Okay, since we'll be staying with each other for the next 7 years. What should we call each other? Or our names are fine?" Mandy requested.
"Our names are fine, especially mine.." said Sue. "But Catherine though." She added.
They all looked at her. "What?!"
"It's your name, it's too.. long." Padma said.
"So a nickname is great, if that's okay?" Mandy said.
"It's okay."
"What should we call you? Cath? Cathy? Katy? Katie!" Lisa exclaimed.
"I don't think Katie is a great nickname, I mean— I think there's already a Katie here in Hogwarts, I kind of like heard it. Besides, I already have a nickname, what my friends from home or my parent's call me."
"You're muggle friends?" Padma asked.
"Yes.. my nickname is Kate."
"Woah, that's a pretty nickname!" Lisa complimented.
"Thanks." Catherine tucked her hair behind her ear.
"We should better change, I'm starting to feel really tired after eating those huge amount of food and climbing the stairs." Mandy requested.
The girls agreed, they finally went to their respective areas and changed into their pyjamas. The dormitory lights faded and the night engulfed them into their sleep.
Before sleeping, Catherine thought of something, "ahh.. so this is the beginning." Before closing her eyes and finally passing out.
