Teddy
"Come on Teddy! How can you be studying for a class we haven't even taken yet?" Whined Albus on our carriage ride back to the castle that would be our home for the next few months. I closed my Transfiguration book and placed it on the seat beside me as I glared at my two friends who were sitting across from me.
"Classes are going to be starting sooner than we think," I said "I need to get all the study time in that I can. I never know when you guys are going to throw an emergency meeting in the Roo-ouch!"
I had forgotten that Albus' cousins Rose and Victoire were in the carriage with us. Albus decided to help me remember by kicking me in the shin before I could say Room of Requirement, which is where Scorpius, Albus and I met to plan future pranks away from the prying eyes of Mr. Filch.
"Anyway …" I continued, "who's excited for classes?" I asked while rubbing my shin. When nobody answered I looked up and over to where Victoire and Rose were sitting on the bench next to me. They were trying hard not to laugh and looking across the carriage, where Albus and Scorpius were sitting. Scorpius and Albus were giving me an "are you kidding" look, apparently my cover up wasn't up to par for them.
I wasn't excited for classes at all. Every year Scorpius and Albus had every class together, and I only got to see them when the Ravenclaws had a class with the Slytherins. This year I only had four classes with them, Defense against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Potions and History of Magic. The rest of the time I had class with the Hufflepuffs.
I felt the carriage jerk slightly which prompted me to look out the window, we were almost to the front gates. Everyone started to pack up their belongings. When the carriage stopped, Rose and Victoire were the first ones out. They started to walk towards the Great Hall together, arm and arm. Scorpius, Albus and I weren't too far behind. Albus started telling me about his Uncle George's newest invention when he stopped suddenly having seen Scorpius stop suddenly. I didn't see him stop so I ran right into him.
"What the heck Scorp?" I exclaimed.
"Don't call me Scorp." He said as he started walking again.
I glanced at Albus for an explanation to why Scorpius was acting so weird. He wiggled his eyebrows and shot a look into a crowd of Gryffindors. Rose was in the center watching Scorpius walk over to the Slytherin table, a small smile on her lips and a blush as red as her hair.
"Geez! When is Scorpius going to just tell her that he likes her?" I asked Albus.
"You don't tell a girl you like her," he explained, "It makes you look like an idiot." Albus winked and then jogged to catch up with Scorpius, as I walked over to the Ravenclaw table. I sat in the middle of the table facing the Slytherins, while Albus and Scorpius sat opposite of me at their table.
"Hello Teddy!" I looked up in surprise to see three pretty Ravenclaw girls walk past me. I waved back as they giggled. When I turned back around in my seat, I could see Albus and Scorpius waving their hands in the air with looks of desperation on their faces.
"What?" I mouthed.
Scorpius pointed at the Ravenclaw girls that had just passed me and made a gesture for me to get up and talk to them. My hair turned pink and I shook my head. No way. They had to have been at least sixth years! I couldn't even imagine how they even knew my name, everyone knew the Potters and the Weasleys, and of course they knew the Malfoys, but hardly anyone ever noticed me. Albus laughed and shoved Scorpius lightly, probably trying to figure out when would be the best time for them to make their move since they knew I wouldn't be making mine any time soon.
Apparently they were going to have to wait, because Professor McGonagall stood up at that moment and put her wand to her throat to amplify her voice.
"The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin." She announced as she gestured for Professor Longbottom to lead the first years into the Great Hall.
Everyone turned to watch the first years walking in single file down the center aisle. I found Albus' sister Lilly and his cousin Hugo almost immediately. They both had the same fiery red hair as the rest of the Weasley family and were very easy to find in a crowd. Scorpius' little brother Corvus was only a few people behind them.
"Alright, come on now. There is nothing to worry about. I just need all of you to stand up front here. Professor McGonagall has just a few things to say before the Sorting Ceremony begins." Professor Longbottom stated. Professor McGonagall stood and started to address the Great Hall.
"I will make this short and sweet. Students please note that the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students. Mr. Filch would also like me to remind the students of the curfew. All 4th year students and below are not be out of their dormitories past 9:00 pm. All students 5th year and above are not be out of their dormitories past 10:00 pm. Now, let us continue with the Sorting Ceremony."
Professor Longbottom started his small speech about what was going to happen to the first years. "When I call your name, please come and sit on the stool. I will place the Sorting Hat on your head, and it will decide which house you are to be in."
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Albus sneakily wet his thumb and pointer finger and reach over to Scorpius, who is holding something in his hand right under the table. Suddenly Scorpius' arm jerks back and something is thrown down the aisle towards the teacher's table. Seconds later there is a flash of bright colors and a loud bang only a little further away from where Scorpius had thrown the object, which I now can tell is a wet start. Fireworks are shooting towards the ceiling as I groan inwardly. The whole hall turns and looks in the direction of Albus and Scorpius to see Scorpius point an accusing finger in Albus' direction and Albus stand on the bench and yell,
"WELCOME TO HOGWARTS!"
I looked around the room and noticed James hiding under his arms. I'm sure he was just about ready to strangle Albus about now. At the teacher's table I see Professor Longbottom's wife, Luna, giving an airy look at the Fireworks above her head. Sitting next to her was the Head of House for Slytherin, Professor Malone. If looks could kill, then Albus and Scorpius would be dead and buried. Professor McGonagall was shook her head disapprovingly before nodding for Professor Longbottom to continue.
"Alright …" Professor Longbottom said. "When I call your name, come up to the stool to be sorted. Abrams, Kevin." A tall, pale, skinny boy with jet black hair that hung in his eyes walked up to the stool and waited for the Hat to be placed on his head. After a small pause the hat shouted,
"GRYFFINDOR!"
I looked over to the Gryffindor table to see James and the other Gryffindors congratulating Kevin as he took a seat at the front of the table.
"Arber, Victoria."
A tall slender girl walked up to the stool and waited for the Sorting Hat to be placed on her head, but she didn't have to wait long for the Hat to make its decision.
"SLYTHERIN!"
I glanced at my two friends at the Slytherin table to see them mock polite clapping, like a golf clap I had seen on Aunt Hermione's muggle television. Malone gave them a steely glare to warn them to stop, but they didn't. This year was off to a good start.
If they were going to be in detention for the first few weeks, then maybe we shouldn't do the prank that we were planning just yet. It might be a safer bet to hold off on the prank until they were finished with the detentions they would be receiving first.
"RAVENCLAW!" The Hat exclaims.
"Crap! How long have I zoned out? Wait … was that the first Ravenclaw?" The girl stepped down from the stool and gave the Sorting Hat back to Professor Longbottom. She was short in stature, with dark brown, pin straight hair that went all the way down her back. She had bright blue eyes and seemed to have an air of confidence circling her. I turned to the boy that was sitting next to me. He was a second year with mousy brown hair and freckles.
"What is her name?" I asked, pointing to the girl who was sitting next to a few girls down the bench from us.
"I think they said her name was Shayna. Shayna Mac." The boy said. I nodded and turned back towards the front of the Great Hall as Professor Longbottom called the next name.
"Malfoy, Corvus." I looked at the Slytherin table to see Scorpius get tense as his little brother walked up to the stool to have the hat placed on his head. I see Albus lean over and whisper something into Scorpius' ear. He seems to relax a little bit, until…
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Oh my God…
The Great Hall suddenly became silent, as Corvus started to get off of the stool. I began to hear some of the students whisper.
"A Malfoy in Hufflepuff?"
I felt someone looking at me and looked back at the Slytherin table, mostly to make sure that Scorpius was still breathing. It didn't look like he was; he was as still as a statue and burning a hole into the Sorting Hat with a glare. Next to him, Albus was nodding his head. Something tells me that he had a feeling that Corvus was going to be in Hufflepuff. We shared a look and we both immediately started clapping. The Hufflepuffs eventually picked it up and Corvus actually started to smile. Cosmo and Alice, the Longbottom's children who are also in Hufflepuff, scooted over to make room for Corvus at the Hufflepuff table.
As the surprise and shock started to wear off, Professor Longbottom cleared his throat and read from the scroll.
"Mattis, Margaret."
I didn't actually hear which house Margaret was sorted into. I was too busy worrying about the mental health of one of my Slytherin friends. Scorpius wasn't as rigid as he was a few minutes ago, but as he reached for his cup I could tell that he was shaking. I knew that Scorpius had a lot of pressure on him to take care of his little brother while they were at Hogwarts. I couldn't imagine how Scorpius' father would react to this. Every member of the Malfoy family had been in Slytherin, and I didn't think that anyone ever thought that a Malfoy would ever be a Hufflepuff.
"Owens, Brandt."
I looked up to see a tall boy with dark skin walk up to the stool. I had never heard of the name Owens, in the wizarding world. He must be a Muggle Born or a Half Blood. I watched as the Sorting Hat was placed on his head. He squirmed under the Hat, as the rest of the Great Hall waited patiently to hear which house he would be sorted into. Finally the Sorting Hat spoke.
"GRYFFINDOR!" It said. Brandt stood from the stool and marched over to the Gryffindor table, obviously proud that he was sorted into the Gryffindor house.
I decided I should probably pay some attention, considering I had probably missed the sorting of at least half of the first year class. There had to have been at least six or seven first years that I had missed because I was off in my own world. I had to pay attention.
"Parkinson, Derik." A boy with wide, dark eyes, and even darker hair sauntered up to the stool and waited for the Sorting Hat to be placed on his head. He seemed to know which house he was going to be sorted into.
"SLYTHERIN!"
Oh wait. I know that name. Parkinson. I'm pretty sure that they are a family friend of the Malfoys.
As he walked over to the Slytherin table I saw him stop and talk to Scorpius. Scorpius gave him a tight smile and stiffly patted him on the back in congratulations.
"Perks, Taylor." Professor Longbottom stated.
A tall lanky boy ambled up to the stool, nearly tripping on his way up. Professor Longbottom caught him by his elbow before he could fall on his face, and Taylor sat shakily on the stool. After a few moments the Hat yelled out.
"RAVENCLAW!"
The poor kid was really skittish. When the Sorting Hat yelled which house he was going to be placed in he jumped off the stool and landed in an undignified heap on the floor. Professor Longbottom helped the boy up and he started walking over to the Ravenclaw table. As the laughter died down Professor Longbottom continued.
"Potter, Lilly."
Lilly walked confidently up to the stool and sat with her legs crossed with her back as straight as a board. She smiled as the Hat was placed on her head and the rest of the Great Hall waited patiently to see which house Lilly would be placed in. I was hoping that she would be placed in Slytherin with Albus, because I knew how great of a relationship they had, but I knew that Lilly would not fit into the Slytherin house. She was not sneaky, at least not in the Slytherin way. Lilly was brave and confident and loyal to everyone she loved. She was going to be sorted into Gryffindor, and Albus was never going to hear the end of James' teasing for being the black sheep of the Potter residence. The only Potter not in…
"GRYFFINDOR!"
I watched as Lilly went to sit next to her oldest brother James. James pulled Lilly into a quick hug and ruffled her hair. Lilly smoothed her hair and then glanced across the hall towards the Slytherin table. I followed her look and saw Albus raising his pumpkin juice and smiling at her. She returned the smile and then looked back at the front of the Great Hall where Professor Longbottom was calling the next name.
"Pruett, Caprice." A short girl with curly strawberry blonde hair skiped up to the stool. As the Hat slid over her eyes I looked back over to the Gryffindor table to see James smirking in the direction that Lilly had been a few minutes before. I looked back over to Albus to see him rolling his eyes. Albus might act like James didn't bug him, but Scorpius and I both knew how much they hated each other. They didn't talk to each other unless they absolutely needed to, and if they did talk they normally ended up screaming. They both always ended up with a black eye or broken nose. Thankfully magic makes everything heal quicker. Scorpius looked up quickly to see that James was still smirking at Albus, and gave James a glare that only the Slytherin prince could produce. James rolled his eyes and looked back to the front after the Hufflepuff table stopped clapping for their newest first year, Caprice.
The next first year called was Kayleigh Shorter. She had dark rimmed glasses that were as thick as matchbooks, and bleached blonde hair, that would rival any Malfoy. The hat quickly proclaimed her house.
"RAVENCLAW!" I clapped as she came to sit next to me, since most of the other seats on the benches were getting kind of crowded.
"I like your hair." She said.
"Thank you." I replied as I change my hair from turquois to the same bleached blonde as the hair on her head. She giggled and turned back towards the front of the Hall, still smiling.
I looked up to see Albus and Scorpius watching me talk to Kayleigh, and then elbow each other in the ribs. I shook my head and blushed as Albus wiggled his eyebrows and looks pointedly at Kayleigh. Scorpius smiled and gave me thumbs up. I rolled my eyes and changed my hair back to its normal color, turquois, quickly and self-consciously.
"Last but not least," Professor Longbottom called, "Weasley, Hugo."
The last first year standing in the front of the Great Hall walked up to the stool and sat down waiting to be sorted. Rose and the rest of the Weasley's who were all in Gryffindor, waited and watched patiently for Hugo to be sorted. Finally the Sorting Hat decided.
"GRYFFINDOR!" As the news slowly started to sink in the Weasley clan began to cheer with as much vigor as usual.
"Let the feast begin!" Professor McGonagall said.
The feast continued without any more interruptions from the Slytherin table. Finally Professor McGonagall told the Prefects to take their students to their common rooms. I saw James stand up and gather the first years that were sorted into Gryffindor. After he was sure that he had all of the first years he turned and briskly started to walk towards the Gryffindor Common Room and dormitories.
As I stood up I saw Professor Malone pull Albus and Scorpius aside to talk to them. I rolled my eyes and continued towards my Ravenclaw tower. This year was definitely going to be interesting.