Chapter 4

Once all of the students had quickly and quietly got off the train, Harry and his friends began walking towards the self-driven carriages with the other returning students. Harry stopped Evalane, however, from following them. The boy who lived pointed towards the boats and a man larger than Evalane had ever seen in her life. He appeared to be nearing three meters tall, and the majority of his head was covered in thick and knotted hair. Though he was well aways from where they were, Evalane could tell the man lived a rather rustic lifestyle from the mud caked into his shoes and clothes.

"That's Rubeus Hagrid," Harry explained. "He's the Groundskeeper here. He takes the first years on the boats to the school, so they all stay together for the Sorting Ceremony. You should probably go with them; you won't believe the view. It's unbelievable."

Evalane nodded slowly, but she hesitated to go over to the large man. "Will he allow me onto the boats? I don't exactly look like an eleven year old…"

"Oh I wouldn't worry about Hagrid," Harry pushed her fear aside carelessly. "He's more excited about new students than anyone I know. Just tell him it's your first year, and I'm sure he will be more than happy to let you tag along." Without another word, Evalane pulled her brother into another embrace, and she quickly made her way to the boats and Hagrid.

Like he suspected, Hagrid barely allowed his sister to say her name before he nearly strangled her in a tight, bone-crushing hug, and he carefully guided this unknown first year onto the first boat. Harry watched the small boats slowly drift away before pulling himself into the carriage with his friends.

"Bloody hell, Harry," Ron slouched dramatically into the carriage as it carried them through the forest towards his true home. "A sister?"

"I know," sighing heavily, Harry agreed. Now that she was gone, the reality of Evalane's existence in his life was beginning to sink in...fast.

"Not just a sister, Ronald." Hermione eyes rolled at Ron's mouth once again moving faster than his brain. "The sister he had no idea even existed. When I said little was mentioned about Evalane, I mean next to nothing. Everyone either thought You-Know-Who killed her or she just disappeared, so no one really bothered talking about her. They were preoccupied with the victory against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and how…" Hermione stopped herself from finishing the thought, but Harry knew exactly what she was trying not to say. The entire Wizarding World knew his name: Harry James Potter, The Boy Who Lived. He was not the only one who lived, but his success lead his sister's name to fade into the darkness that nearly got her killed.

"I need answers," The school was finally in view of the Golden trio, but there was an uneasiness in the air that Harry never noticed before until now. "Now."

The past few hours without Evalane had been completely and utterly miserable. Sherlock could barely hold onto his sanity as he heard Mycroft once again bickering with their mother about one thing or another. Honestly, he never paid attention to what it was they argued about. It was pointless, all of it. That was life as a whole in the Holmes' household, constant and pointless bickering between three geniuses and their poor father, who always found himself stuck in the middle of every argument.

The thought of spending almost nine months facing the madness of his family alone made the young teen's stomach churn. Even if she could not direct help, Evalane would always be someone Sherlock could confide his troubles in. Now, life for him appeared rather bleak.

"Sherlock, why don't you stop moping, and help me with dinner." His mother's voice cut through his thoughts like a cleaver going through butter. "I'm tired of being the only person doing the daily chores around here. The least you can do is set the table."

"Why must we eat together anyway?" Mycroft groaned from his seat in the kitchen, as Sherlock dragged his heavy feet towards the table. "It's not like we talk anyway… Sherlock, have you solved that riddle yet?"

Shuffling the silverware in his hands, Sherlock shrugged his shoulders casually at his older brother. "Of course I have, painfully obvious actually."

"Well?"

Without missing a beat, Sherlock responded. "It was the maid, as the murder took place on a Sunday, and there is no post on Sundays."

"You solve that yourself, or did your little friend help you?" Mycroft chuckled to himself and took a generous sip of his wine.

"Don't you think you're a little old to still be living with Mummy?" SHerlock snapped back viciously through gritted teeth.

"That's enough you two!" Mrs. Holmes shouted at her sons with her back turned as she scrambled to finish the stew without completely burning it. "Mikey is welcome to stay as long as he needs to."

"Temporarily…" Another long swig of wine.

"Besides," Sherlock practically fell into his chair at the table. "Evalane went to some boarding school in Scotland this morning."

"I didn't know she was interested in boarding school?" Mr. Holmes Sr. made his way into the kitchen. "Or that her father would even allow her to go that far away? Isn't he overprotective over her?"

"He is," Sherlock replied to his father with a kinder tone than he would towards his brother or mother. "She got accepted into the school about four years ago, but she finally convinced him to let her go this year."

"That's lovely, dear," Mrs. Holmes began serving her stew to her family, not really paying attention to any of the conversation being exchanged between her husband and youngest son.

As a matter of fact, she never did pay attention to anything Sherlock had to say, neither did Mycroft really. His father would occasionally attempt to converse with him, but Sherlock would quickly find himself growing bored with the simple topics of conversation his father had to offer. It wasn't his fault, Sherlock knew that. Mr. Holmes would always be second best in his marriage, in terms of intelligence, but he would always try, much to Sherlock's appreciation. He decided that with Evalane gone, his father was his best option to keep from going mad, at least completely.

The Great Hall was beyond anything Evalane had ever imagined it to be. The books Hermione gave her robbed it of its true brilliance. Her breath was stolen from her chest as she admired the hand crafted wooden tables and the candles hanging from the ceiling. Wait...the candles weren't hanging. They were floating in the air. How was this possible?

I suppose magic, Evalane thought to herself. I better get used to using magic as an explanation.

Not only were candles floating freely, but the ceiling appeared to be an animated replication of the night sky. The stars were shining brighter than a new coin, and the moon had a brilliance that would put the sun itself to shame. Evalane's rational mind was moving faster than light and sound, trying to explain to herself how she managed to find herself here at this school full of magic. What Evalane failed to notice were the stares and whispers being exchanged amongst the Hogwarts' students. All Evalane saw was the Weasley's twins' frantically waving at her from what she assumed to be the Gryffindor table. She did not hesitate to return the wave and smile at her new friends, and she took notice of the isolation between all four houses.

Each of the four tables sat a house: Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and finally Gryffindor. While on the train, Evalane quickly skimmed over the history of the Hogwart's founders and their houses, and she was intrigued by the values of the houses. Once she understood Gryffindor and its encouragement of bravery, she knew Harry, the Weasley's, and even Hermione- though she believed Hermione would have done well in Ravenclaw as well -belonged in Gryffindor. The way the twins never hesitated to take her under their wing before they knew who she was; how Harry sat through Evalane's story and decided to trust her story and her word; how Ron would jump to defend his friends without thinking of himself or his own well-being; the way Hermione would never allow others to silence her because she was confident in her knowledge. All of them were waterfalls of Gryffindor, and Evalane was thrilled to have met them and have them in her life; however, she was not sure if she was a Gryffindor herself, and the obvious division between the houses were worrying her.

A witch stood in front of the first years with a large scroll in one hand and a beaten and worn wizard's hat in the other. Without a word, she placed the hat on the step stool, and the hat began to sing. This place was growing more strange by the second. The "Sorting Hat," as she had heard many students refer to it as, sang a chipper and light-hearted song about the houses, but Evalane only half-listened in order to have the song in her memory. She shifted her focus towards who she believed to be the professors of the school.

The witch standing before them had stiff posture but small wrinkles around her eyes and lips, so Evalane deduced that she must be one of the Heads of the four Houses because her posture suggested a position of authority and wrinkles that revealed an underlying kindness. Judging by the empty seat next to who she believed to be Dumbledore- a former Gryffindor -Evalane deduced that this must be Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor and Transfiguration Professor. Next, gleefully sat a dwarf dressed from head to toe in blue and was smiling from ear to ear at the new students. Evalane had no doubt in her mind that this was Professor Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw and Charms Professor. Naturally, the blue gave it away, and Evalane despised easy answers. Next to Professor Flitwick was a rather plump woman with wispy gray hair and a warm smile on her face. Though Evalane would have figured it was Professor Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff and Herbology Professor, the woman was covered in yellow. Damn, another easy one.

Evalane turned her head towards the end of the table to find a greasy looking man, completely dressed in black and wore a large, hook nose under his dark eyes. He slightly slouched over in his chair, giving away a troubled past and the frequency of being seen as lesser than those around him. He had an air of annoyance around him, like all of the festivities were a waste of his precious time. That was him. Professor Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin, Potions Professor, and the former friend of her mother. Evalane found it hard to believe that her mother would even willing breathe the same air as the miserable looking man, but she had no doubt in her mind that it was him. Without warning, the man's deep brown eyes met with Evalane's. She couldn't explain it, but the look he gave her

Suddenly, the Great Hall erupted in applause as the Sorting Hat's song came to an end. Professor McGonagall took the hat into her hand and spoke out to the young children. "When I call your name, please come forward to be Sorted."

The woman then proceeded to call out names, and one by one, the young boys and girls had the Sorting Hat placed on their heads. The Sorting Hat would be silent for a moment, but would quickly cry out one of the four houses in a booming voice that filled the entire room. The announced house would then cheer and welcome the new first year with open arms. The process was beautiful to Evalane. The older students accepted the new without hesitation and welcomed them into their family without knowing them at all.

Before she knew it, Evalane was the only one left standing in front of the Sorting Hat. The Great Hall was silent, and a wave of confusion swept through the minds of every witch and wizard in the room. "What was your name, dear?"

"Evalane Lily Potter, Ma'am." Ignoring the spurts of surprised whispers from the students, Professor McGonagall simply nodded her head towards the young girl and gestured for her to come sit on the small stool.

"It's good to see you again, Miss Potter," she murmured in her ear as she placed the old hat upon her head. Evalane smiled at the woman, quickly recalling her face from when she was as young as a few months old. She could barely remember her parents presenting her as a newborn, but even Evalane had trouble pulling up memories from infancy.

Ahhhh, another Potter. The hat murmured in her ear in a husky voice like it had been caked in dust. Wasn't expecting you when you're brother was the first to join us here at Hogwarts.

"Well I'm here now," Evalane snapped back. Even this damn hat knew about her existence but still no sign of remorse for never questioning why she had missed the last four years of schooling. "So, aren't you supposed to tell me where I am supposed to be?"

The hat chuckled softly. So quick to judge the situation without knowing all the facts. Yes, like your brother, I believe you will be difficult to place. You have the brave and protective instincts of a Gryffindor, the desire for knowledge like a Ravenclaw, the ambition and leadership skills of a Slytherin, and your loyalty in uncanny to those in Hufflepuff. Yes, very tricky indeed.

"Would you try to quicken your pace of thought at least?" Evalane nervously glanced around the room. "People are beginning to look at me as though I have grown a second nose."

Ah interesting, the hat mumbled, completely ignoring the girl's request as he scoured through her mind palace of memories. Evalane did not realize how long she had been sitting in front of the entire castle of strangers, but she began to notice that this should not be taking as long as it was. The other first years she had seen had sat with the Sorting Hat for at the most of four minutes. Her palms began to sweat excessively, but she resisted wiping them on her sides to avoid revealing how nervous she was beginning to get. Then it happened. The Sorting Hat finally spoke out in a loud voice with more confidence than any human sitting in the Great Hall.

"SLYTHERIN"

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in updates! I just finished up with college finals, so studying was taking up a majority of my free time. Thank you all SO much for following this story, and a special shoutout to the amazing padfootl0ve for the incredibly sweet review that absolutely made my day 3! Don't be shy to leave a review! I love the feedback! xx