Chapter 2: Phariah, Animagi, and the Sorting.
As all of the first year students waited outside the great hall an American pit bull terrier waved in and out through all of them sniffing the hands of the students as if trying to find some morsel of meat hidden in them. Some of the students where afraid of the dog and even pointed their newly acquired wands at him as if they were being hounded by some dark wizard. When the pit bull came to Albus it stood their as if smelling for a long time and began licking the hand in a friendly manor in which Albus lightly returned by patting the pup on the head.
In the center stood a man dressed in dark clothing with pale blue eyes that seemed almost to border the line of becoming albino. His hair was in complete contrast though as it was short and the color of deepest midnight. His appearance may be slightly shocking but there was also kindness to his face and also the sense of grief.
"Good evening everyone. To those that will be joining us this year I am Morris Validus, head of Slytherin house and as our headmaster Inimicus Occultus is fallen ill during this time I have taken the task of sorting the first year students." He said with a deep voice that though the teacher had been there many years spoke with an American accent and only looked to be in his mid twenties.
"Now as many of you know we shall be taking in five students from the States they will be sorted by our special guest Dr. Gregory Smith the principal of the Institute of Magic afterwards." Morris said as he got out the scroll with the names of the first years. "Allen, Leslie."
A small blond headed girl then walked forward and sat in a chair next to Morris as he placed the sorting hat on her head. The hat has taken more damage along the years including burn marks and the point of the hat seemed to be torn completely but it still had the incredible energy and with a booming voice the hay screamed out, "Ravenclaw!"
Morris and the hat continued to sort the students until they reached the boy Al, Rose and Scorpius met on the boats. "Lovegood, Volubilis." Morris said as they noticed a woman with pale platinum blonde hair rose from the faculty and began clapping with all of her might. This was the boy's mother Luna Lovegood who started this year as the professor of Care of Magical creatures.
Morris placed the hat atop of Volubilis' head who for the first time Albus had seen him gave a full toothy grin. "Hmmm a very odd mind indeed. Strong yet open to so many ideas. You must be Luna's boy."
"Yes it's very nice to meet you." Volubilis said awkwardly.
"You to my boy upon first impressions I would have placed you in your mother's house. But aside from your sadness I feel a kind heart and a strong will... Hufflepuff!" The Hat said as Volubilis joined the other Hufflepuffs at their table.
"Malfoy, Scorpius." Morris said as the blonde boy quietly moved forward and took the same spot as Volubilis sat before him.
"Oh I remember your father but your heart is somewhat of a different creature... Gryfindor!" The hat said as Scorpius joined the Gryfindor table which seemed to shock many on the table.
Many other names had passed as Morris went from the M's to the P's. With each declaration from the sorting hat a pound shook Albus to his toes. He could imagine his parents chagrin if he was placed in Slytherin and Scorpius Malfoy the son of his father's rival be placed in Gryfindor in his place.
Finally the hat got to his name and Morris said, "Potter, Albus."
Al moved sheepishly and quickly to the chair as he received a questioning look from Volubilis and a clap from most of the school. The hat was placed on his head as Morris tried to settle down the group.
"You really want to be in Gryffindor?" The hat asked him.
"I do."
"Well in some ways you are a toss up Potter but I can assure you right now that you do not belong in Slytherin... Gryfindor!" The hat screamed as Al let out a sigh of relief.
Rose was the last of the first years to be sorted as all of the American students where second and third years. She started to walk up before Morris even began to speak her name she then stopped herself and closed her eyes as the echoes hallowed with chuckles and whispers.
"Weasley, Rose." Morris said with a small smile.
She then walked the remaining steps to the seat and sat timidly as the sorting hat was placed on her head. "Well, well another Weasley. Oh but besides the long line of Gryfindors there is yet another reason to be placed there. Who am I to get in the way of puppy love. Gryfindor!"
"You know sometimes you should keep your nose out of other people's business." Rose huffed as she joined the Gryfindor table.
"Everyone I now turn your attentions to Dr. Gregory Smith for the sorting of his students." Morris said as a bald man with a bulging stomach and an even more bulging nose.
"My name is Dr. Gregory Smith and five students from my school will be matriculating into your school. At my school students for the most part study one form of magic or one might say a particular skill. So as each of my students are placed into one of your houses they will demonstrate their abilities." Dr. Smith said as he got a scroll out. "Our twelve year old Animagus, Jamieson Dursley."
The same pit bull that had been nice to Al previously then leapt onto the chair but in mid flight a slightly chubby boy with blonde hair short hair appeared in it's place and the tables roared with clapping and laughter and as the hat was placed on his head the hat roared, "Hufflepuff!"
"Giovanni Fredole Our very own expert arithmatist." Smith said as a dark spiky haired boy appeared along with a curbrisx, a small magical cube that explodes if one doesn't solve it in time. The boy twisted it matching different numbers together till the cube turned green and faded from site.
"Gryffindor!" The hat screamed as the American boy took his place next to Rose.
"Rosaline Muntz a quarter banshee with a mighty voice." Smith said with a chuckle as a girl of African decent came upon the stand and before she sat down she let out a loud cry that made a faint crake in one of the windows.
"Ravenclaw!"
"Jasmine Olivine has a very rare and powerful ability she is a Phariah a witch or wizard with the ability to create and manipulate lightning." Smith said as a brunette girl came forward she had two tufts of hair that struck straight up at the crown of her head.
She did not sit down right away but instead she stood in front of everyone and closed her eyes. The small hairs on everyone's neck began to tickle and straighten up and the popping and cracking one hears after rubbing ones feet against the carpet. These sensations increased before they built up to a high intensity. Then Jasmine clapped her hands and blues sparks shot out of them like fireworks coming out of a fountain. They did not touch anyone because before they did they seemed to be whipped into the ground by a bout of Jasmine's will until all of them grounded themselves when she sat herself as if she had done nothing more than a standard cartwheel in front of her fellow students.
"Slytherin!" The hat said as Al seemed to look at her with surprise.
"The last student from my school... well it would be for the most part better if no one looked at her directly.. Durinda Roberts." Smith said as even a part of his bald head began to grow pale as a blonde girl with long blonde hair stood on the stage.
She was a few years older than the rest of the American students at least fourteen years old. Unlike the other students she look unpleased to be there. Here eyes where a deep brown but it wasn't a pleasant shade as they where so dark they seemed to be of crimson.
"Slytherin." The hat said shaking even before it was picked up to be placed on her head and the girl walked to the table of the other students who seemed distressed as to have the girl at their table.
"Well I guess that's that everyone enjoy your feast." Smith said as he joined the staff table still shaking.
"No one ever said what her power was." Al peeped up breaking the silence on the Gryfindor table.
"Perhaps you know Giovanni." Rose asked the American boy.
"Well like Rosaline she isn't all human, she isn't taught by Dr. Smith or any of our other teachers. Some of us see her coming out of her classroom followed by a man in a dark cloak none of us have ever seen his or her face but whenever we are in the same room as Durinda a sudden dread comes over us. Many of us think that she is being taught dark magics." Giovanni said so quietly that it could barely be heard over the roars of laughter and the conversations that filled the great hall.
"Perhaps she is part Dementor?" Al suggested.
"Please Albus, there have been no documented cases of a Dementor and a human being bearing children. A Dementor would sooner suck a person's soul out than fall in love with them." Rose said with a snap in her voice.
"Besides due to the muggles searching for gold most of the Dementors were destroyed by explosives in their nesting caves." Giovanni added.
"I don't know there is something that frightens me about her." Scorpius shuddered.
"Well lets not think about it. So Giovanni why don't you tell us all about arithmancy." Hermione said with a gleam in her eye that seemed to bug Scorpius very much.