Chapter…5? — Sorting and
"Professor Dumbledore!" Lily called to the silver bearded headmaster. "We came straight to you. Where should we go?"
"Ms. Evans, go sit down, Silence, stand with her, please." Dumbledore requested and the girls went quickly to take their places as Dumbledore strode in behind. "Welcome, students!" He exclaimed to the group of kids. "Before we start our sorting we have a few replacements to announce! Professor Bursa, from Arithmacy, has retired, and Professor Evans will be taking over for her." He told them as Lily stood up, before sitting down. "Next, Professor Quirell was fired for inadequate teaching, and will be replaced by Professor Potter," More clapping, "Our Potions Master, Professor Slughorn, retired, to be replaced by Professor Snape!" Snape stood, scanning the students before sitting down. "And our Divination teacher has retired, and Professor Morison will take her post." He said. "May the sorting begin."
Professor McGonagall entered, leading a group of nervous eleven year olds. The hat sang it's song and Professor McGonagall conjured her scroll. "Allot, Brian (Slytherin), Brookshire, Wanda (Ravenclaw!)," And more were sorted. Finally, Glory was called to stumble up. The hat was set on her head, and it sat there for several minutes before finally proclaiming, "Gryffindor!" The sorting came to a stop and Dumbledore stood again.
"Before we continue with our feast, Professor Evans had a daughter who was too young to attend, so we thought long and hard about what to do, where she would eat, and we decided something. Surely, most of you have heard about squibs, and most of you know Argus Filtch as one. I have conducted a study and come to the conclusion that squibs can manage simple spells; nothing a wizard could do, but enough to protect themselves, and we decided that the age they would start at would be nine. Professor?" He asked, looking at McGonagall, who gestured for Silence to join her. She did, slowly, Professor McGonagall called in a new group of students, and Hagrid brought forward a new hat.
"Ms. Evans? Would you like to go first?" Professor McGonagall suggested, and Silence walked to the stool and sat. Professor McGonagall placed the brand new hat atop her head and waited.
'Hello, Silence.' The hat greeted quietly. 'I assume my brother already performed, the show off. I have a different way, so I will tell you and you can just walk there. I'll tell you quietly, of course. I was the quieter of the hats…yes, very smart, you like to read…very well…Ravenclaw.' The hat whispered, not raising his voice to shout his decision.
"Thank you." Silence said, lifting the hat off her head to the confusion to the students. She stood and strode quickly to the Ravenclaw table, and sat down beside Wanda Brookshire. "Hi."
"Hi." She said as the hat continued to sort silently, and two others, Sarah Marlow and Keltie Marlow, twins joined them.
"I'm Silence." Silence said at the friend's introductions.
"Well, well, well," Caitlin said, sauntering up to them and fixing her gaze on her sister. "A squib at school. Shame, what Hogwarts is coming to, isn't it, Sage."
Sarah and Keltie paled considerably as the girl nodded distastefully. "Is there a problem, girls?" Jessica asked, before sending the Gryffindors on their way. "Time to go up, girls. The prefects are ready to go."
"Are you Head of House, Professor?" Wanda asked. "You seem really nice."
"Thank you, Wanda. No, Professor Flitwick is your head. Go, or you won't get in."
The four girls stood and filed after the other Ravenclaw students. They walked to the Western Tower, and the Prefects stood at the portrait. "Ravenclaw student are smart students, therefore we don't have a password. You have to answer a riddle."
"What came first, the phoenix or the flame?" The portrait asked wisely.
Wanda raised her hand, and he pointed to her. "Neither, a circle has no beginning." She said hesitantly. The portrait swung open and Sarah smiled at her. The clambered in and took in the round common room, the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw, and two stairways leading up to the dormitories. They walked upstairs and entered the dorm inscribed, 'First Years'. There were two doors in the small area they were in, and each had names. 'Jana, Karla, Hannah, Paige', read the right door. 'Wanda, Sarah, Keltie, Silence', the left door read, and the friends went inside. "Wow!" Silence exclaimed, taking in the four-poster beds dressed in deep blue blankets, the neatly placed trunks, the elevated ceiling, and the warmth of the room. Silence observed where her stuff was, closest to the door.
"Hey, Sarah, want to switch beds?" She asked, and Sarah agreed readily, putting Silence in the back corner. She lifted her trunk and Night's cage and swapped it with Sarah stuff, sitting down on her new bed. "Nice room."
"Yeah." Wanda said, looking out the window. "Hey, Silence, what's in the cage?"
"My kitten, Night. She's so cute. I should take her out; she hates the cage." Silence said, opening the cage and lifting the small bundle out. Wanda lifted her large, fluffy red tabby cat out of its cage, and it walked over to the little black cat and started to play with it.
"Aw, our mum wouldn't let us get a pet!" Sarah complained, and Wanda and Silence laughed. "We were thinking of getting one in Hogsmeade, but she would hate it. I should ask her again, shouldn't I?" Sarah asked them, but rolled her hazel eyes when they didn't listen.
"So, Lily, James, Jessica, Severous, I take it you remember each other? Yes, good." Dumbledore said. "Lily, your quarters and on the second floor, by Charms. James, yours are beside Lily's on the left, Jessica's on the right. Severous, you have the rooms across from Jessica. Okay? You will set the password when you get there."
The four nodded, and they each stood and walked quickly to their respective rooms, lost in memories. "Name?" Lily's portrait asked; it was a lady sitting on a swing at the side of a beautiful valley.
"Lily Evans."
"Subject?"
"Arithmacy."
"Please set your password," The lady said, and Lily smiled, thinking.
"Truth." She said, glancing at James, who was standing there setting his password. The portrait swung the wooden door open and Lily walked in, carefully shutting the door behind her. The sitting area of her room was small, and quaint with a couch and a few chairs by a fire. There was a desk and a door leading to a bedroom with her possessions, and an owl perched on the end of her bed. Lily took the letter and opened it, giving the owl some water as she sat on a chair in the corner and read.
Lily,
I don't have much time; Sirius is taking me to dinner, but congratulations on you post as Arithmacy teacher, I hope you can handle all those kids. I'm sure you can though. You asked if I was pregnant, so I'm surprised you aren't teaching divination! We found out a few days ago, and we were meaning to tell you, but we didn't have time. I told my family, and they are happy and are getting annoying.
I told you James didn't understand why you left him, but with him being engaged I guess there is no changing anything. I just can't believe that he would get rid of you for that woman, if she's as awful as you think she is. Oh, I have to go, Lily. Owl me, okay?
Ama
PS: Jessica sounds nice. Tell her I say hi.
Lily laughed and set the letter on her bedside table, shooing the owl away, promising to send a letter with a school owl. She changed into her nightgown and slid under the warm maroon covers.
Silence lay in the comfortable Ravenclaw bed, but couldn't sleep. Her mother couldn't have forgiven James do quickly; there must still be some resentment to the fact that he was engaged to a muggle woman over her. "Wanda?" Silence whispered, closing her eyes, praying for an answer.
"Yeah?" The eleven year old asked, turning her head to face Silence.
"What's magic like?"
"Nice…I guess you'd feel free, but I don't know. I haven't performed magic, Silence. Now go to sleep."
Aw, Silence can go to school, and Wanda, Sarah, and Keltie seem nice, don't they? In addition, Lily forgave James, or did she, but what about Carol? Next Chapter: First day, and Lily and Jessica talk more, with James too.