Every week for the next term I went to the headmaster's office and sat underneath the hat. The same thing happened every week. I sat for an hour under the hat while he and I decided my fate. "You have courage and you are sly. You are loyal but also smart. You are still loyal to the house that let you down but your family are still not accepting that you weren't housed their first." I lower my head.
Still the only one without a house I belong nowhere. When I did something right I was awarded no house points because what house would they go too? I couldn't join clubs because what team would I be on. Even quidditch, something that caused me to go to such lengths, I wasn't allowed to join a team because it would be 'unfair' to other teams. I was lost. Eventually I was told I couldn't continue staying at Gryffindor tower as the first years were moving into my room. so Angelina bunked in with some other girls in her year and I was left with a privet room with no common room full of people, a spare teacher's room. McGonagall had apologised over and over again. "I'm sorry you're stuck here Allison. I know you'd rather be there but I can't risk looking like I'm playing favourites." I had nodded. The room was by the charms classroom on the east tower. It was a small simple room, just a four poster double bed, a small desk, a dresser and a bookshelf. "I convinced the headmaster to let you have a double bed, I know I'm not playing favourites but I thought a little luxury might be good for you." I smiled at her. The walls were a marble of purple and grey, the beds curtains were deep purple. "We wasn't sure on a theme to give you." I turned to her quickly. "No I love it thank you. I'm assuming there are rules to this?" she bowed her head. "Unfortunately there are. Same rules such as curfew will be the same as everyone else but due to you being so isolated you may have guests over during the day, to study, socialise and such. If you should need assistance or feel you need help I give you this." she hands me a small orb. "Tap your wand to this and I shall be notified and come get you." I nod. "Why have you done all this for me?" I look at her and she smiles softly. "No child should feel neglected. We're still looking into your parents." I nod again sadly. She pulls me into a hug. "I also feel very responsible for you." She pulls away. "I know the end of your first year is coming up and your anxious to speak to your parents but please trust me to figure it out for you." I nod. "I trust you Minnie." She pulls away. "I'll let you get settled in." she smiles and leaves me to it. I notice McGonagall had selected all the reading material for my second year and place them on my bookshelf along with a note. 'if you fancy getting a head start on your second year. Plus some books I thought you may like.' I look at the other books like; 'Fantastic beats and where to find them.', 'Hogwarts a History.' And a book I didn't recognise. A purple textbook with silver lettering on the front which read 'Transfiguration: Animagus, Metamorphmagus and Human Transfiguration.' I open the first page and read 'Personal Property of Minerva McGonagall.' in big swirly sliver letters. I turn the pages and find the spells, potions and other useful transforming spells. I pop the book back on It's shelve and pop open my trunk. I add a few of my first year books to the bookshelf and add my photo album. I pop all my clothes in the dresser and look around. I slip into my pyjamas and climb into bed. Then I realise I can't sleep. I toss and turn but sleep doesn't come. Finally I get up and grab the purple book once more. I jump back into bed and read it.
I awaken to find the purple book upon on my night stand. I stretch out of bed and grab my uniform. Black robes, black tie and still no house. I pop down to breakfast and slump into a seat next to Fred and George. The talking stops. "Hey guys." Nobody says anything. Fred, George and a few others sat with us look at each other. "What?" George sighs. "nothing." Everyone continues eating food. I feel left out. "Fine." I stand up and exit. "Alice wait, please!" George shouts. I hear him stand up and begin following me. I head up the stairs back to my room. He catches up with me quickly. "Alice it's nothing we heard you'd been kicked out or you'd left and then you just show up. Like you haven't been back to the tower we just assumed and then there's what the other houses had been saying." We get to the top of the tower and he gentle grabs my hand. "Please Alice, talk to me." I shake him off. "If you guys wanna gossip about me fine, just don't pretend to be my friend after." I step into my room and slam the door. He knocks "what are you doing in there?" I sigh and open the door. "This is my room, this is where I've been because they think me spending time at the tower is why i can't pick a house. the hat thinks I share too many traits with the houses. McGonagall was worried me being here would Isolate me. I didn't think much of that comment until this morning. I thought Gryffindors had each other's backs. Turns out your all just like Slytherin's, a bunch of snakes." I shut the door once more. He doesn't bother knocking again. I slide down the door and cry. I feel like I need a friend, someone to talk too. I get up, wipe my tears and leave my room. I head for the owlery. I see George heading out the flying lesson. He sees me and stops. Katie bell stops and notices me too. I keep walking and head up the cold steps. I sit on the roof and stare out into the sky. "What are you waiting for?" I don't have to turn to see who it is. "What do you want?" I pull my knees up too my chest. "We're all sorry. I don't want us to fight." I look out and see that he's missing his lesson to check on me. "You should get back." He shakes his head. "Katie and Fred will cover for me, they saw you head up here. It's not safe on this roof." I shrug. "I'm waiting for my letter." I say answering his question finally. "A letter from your parents?" I nod. "I send them updates every day, what I learnt, that I have no house and that I'm now living apart from the school. Minnie is looking into it but I don't know if I want to know." he looks confused. "Minnie? McGonagall?" I nod. "She's been quite the help this week. She gave me a bunch of books for my room and she talked Dumbledore into letting me have a double bed." I shiver. "Come on, let's go inside." he holds his hand out to me. "Please Alice, I'm your friend." I nod. "I know. I just didn't expect this from you all." I stand up and I reach out for his hand. I slip slightly and catch myself I laugh out loud a little. "Alice that's not funny give me your hand." He says sternly. I nod "you do care." I give him my hand and I step over to him slightly with my left foot. Time seemed to slow down. That's when I heard the creak. The roof tile that I had stood with my right foot on was loose. Suddenly George's eyes went wide. "ALICE!" he jumped forward and grabbed my hand tighter. I was falling. I hung over the edge screaming. I look up at him, at his face, the worry. "Don't let go Alice!" I feel my arm pop out of my socket. I scream again. "My arm!" suddenly I realise he can't pull me up. I look down at the lakes waters crashing against the tower. I look up at George, close my eyes and let go.