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Chapter 3: Resorted and Shocked
Hermione was still looking at the letter, blocking out the voices of Harry and Ron and their talk of Quidditch. Changes. Dumbledore had said there would be many changes. Hermione hated changes. Most changes in her life were bad. Except for when she found out she was a witch. That was the only change in her life that she did not regret. Her most regretted change was her sudden feelings for the bad boy, Malfoy.
There was a light knock on the compartment door. Harry, Ron, and even Hermione looked up to see who it was and was surprised to see Professor McGonagall standing before them, when the compartment door had opened.
"Ms. Granger, you do know that you are supposed to be in the Heads Compartment, don't you?" She said in her poised manner.
Hermione nodded and stood up, "Sorry Professor. I just wanted to spend a little time with Harry and Ron, before I made my way to the Heads Compartment."
Professor McGonagall smiled, "Well, I'll walk you then."
"That's very generous." She told the Transfiguration Teacher. Looking at Harry and Ron she said, "I'll see you once we get to Hogwarts." And with a smile she let Professor McGonagall lead her out.
Silence bestowed upon both of them while they walked down the corridor and to a compartment Hermione had never noticed before. It surely wasn't the Heads Compartment, for she had seen that when she had first boarded the train, "Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak with you first." McGonagall said and then left down the opposite side of the corridor.
Hermione stared at the door for a moment, fear flooded her of why Dumbledore had needed to speak to her, fear of what he might say. She took a deep breath and lightly knock on the door.
"Enter" said the humble voice of Albus Dumbledore. Hermione let out the breath she had been holding and walked into the compartment, which wasn't in fact a compartment at all, but Dumbledore office at Hogwarts.
Walking into the room and closing the door behind her, she walked in a little way and looked up to see Dumbledore writing on a piece of parchment at his desk; the sorting hat right in front of him.
"Please, sit down Ms. Granger." He said without looking up from whatever he was writing. Hermione walked over and sat in one of the new deep purple satin chairs. Quietly fidgeting with her fingers, waiting for Dumbledore to speak.
Seconds later Dumbledore put down his quill and looked up at Hermione. The twinkle in his eye present. He smiled, "First off, I'd like to congratulate you on becoming Head Girl. You certainly deserved it," At that Hermione smiled, "Secondly, I know how much of a nuisance Draco Malfoy being Head Boy must be for you, but he has also deserved it, for his great intelligence, just like yourself." Dumbledore smiled, but Hermione's face was expressionless. "Thirdly, I know how much you enjoy being a Gryffindor, but I have come to acknowledge that you have changed a great deal from your first year. You are still courageous as ever, but still...You have changed." Hermione watched as Dumbledore got up taking the sorting hat into his hands and walking towards her.
Hermione was scared of what he saying. 'Surely I'm not going to be resorted' she thought to herself.
"Doubts of Gryffindor being your true house have come across me and many of your Professors." Dumbledore said. Hermione just stared up at him in disbelief. She had been a Gryffindor for six years. And for her last year she would become something else? Hufflepuff? Ravenclaw? Slytherin? Hermione thought she might be sick. "I'm going to put the sorting hat on your head, now if you are resorted back into Gryffindor, you will stay forever and always a Gryffindor and if you are resorted into any other house, you will stay in that house, may it be Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin for your last year."
"You have to be joking." Hermione said in barely a whisper.
"I'm afraid I am not." He said and sat the sorting hat on her head.
'Well as least he could have warned be, before doing it,' she thought.
"Hmmm... Ms. Granger...Again. It's a pleasure. But, I don't see why your being resor...aw.. yes! Now I see it, the reason for you resorting." The sorting hat spoke. "Changes...many of them in this little head."
'Damn change,' Hermione's mind cringed.
"It's gonna have to be!..." The sorting hat began to call out, 'please not Slytherin' Hermione thought. "SLYTHERIN!" The sorting hat bellowed.
Hermione's eyes widened, she wanted to cry, yell, throw a tantrum. Kick Dumbledore for making her be resorted. Why Slytherin? Why did she even need to be resorted? She didn't understand. She HATED changes. Hated them with a fiery vengeance. The crying never came, she never yelled, and she surely didn't throw any tantrum. Her eyes just bugged out. She was shocked. She couldn't believe it. She was no longer a daughter of Godric Gryffindor, but a daughter to Salazar Slytherin.
In the time of her speechlessness, the sorting hat was removed from her head and her school robes had automatically changed, from red and gold to green and silver. Not of Dumbledore's doing, but of the charm cast upon the school robes. If you were a Ravenclaw you wore the Ravenclaw colors and if you were a Hufflepuff the same thing, along with Gryffindor and Slytherin.
"Now, since that in done Ms. Granger. You should be getting back to the train. You have about an hour until you arrive back here." Dumbledore stated and Hermione only nodded, still completely shocked. She walked back to the door that stood in the middle of Dumbledore's office and opened it. "See you soon Ms. Granger." He said and she walked back onto the Hogwarts Express.
Closing the door and turning around she saw that Professor McGonagall was there. She gave Hermione a remorseful look and then guided her to the Heads Compartment.