Chapter Four: At Hogwarts
August 1st, 1939: The Orphanage
"Tom, Sarah, get down here!" Mrs. Cole screamed from the stairwell, her voice was coarse as though she had been yelling all day. The two bolted down as fast as they could, trying not to anger her.
"What is it Mrs. Cole?" Tom asked. Sarah was close behind him with her head nodded downwards shyly.
"There is someone who wishes to see you both." She gestured for them to follow her to her office. Tom had to grab Sarah's hand to get her to follow him into the room. Inside stood a tall man with a long light brown colored beard and a bright green, pointed hat. Sarah and Tom could not help but stare at the strange man. He smiled and his eyes twinkled greatly behind his half-moon spectacles.
Mrs. Cole moved to her side of her desk and told the two kids to sit down in the chairs.
"Now, Mr. Dumb-bill-door, what is it you need from these two?" Mrs. Cole asked, businesslike.
"I am a deputy headmaster at a boarding school not too far from here. I am here to offer these two a scholarship to attend." Mrs. Cole, who was previously sipping on some coffee, spit it all out of her mouth in confusion.
"I beg your pardon, sir. These two haven't been enrolled in primary education since they were nine." Dumbledore nodded sadly. "I cannot see why these two orphans," she spat the word out venomously, "are worthy of such a scholarship."
"They have demonstrated abilities that show to me that they are capable of attending this school." Mrs. Cole looked at the stranger, trying to remember where she saw that face, but she still couldn't figure it out.
"I don't understand. How do you know them?" She began to lazily drink her coffee, whilst Tom and Sarah looked on at the stranger in amazement, wondering how their one wish was going to come true.
"The school that I teach at is called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and I know this because I am a wizard." Mrs. Cole nearly choked laughing.
"A wizard, aye?" She was still chuckling to herself. Tom and Sarah looked like their brains were ticking away with the possibilities. "And that explains why Sarah made the teacher float and Tommy hisses in his sleep." Tommy and Sarah's eyes were beaming with joy. It had to be the only explanation.
"You are correct, Mrs. Cole." Dumbledore was now smiling at the two children who looked about ready to cry. "Tommy is a wizard and Sarah is a witch. I would like it very much for them to attend our school."
Four weeks later their bags were packed and they were being dropped off at Kings Cross to take the Hogwarts Express off to their new home.
September 1st, 1939: The Great Hall
Tommy and Sarah were escorted through the long and winding halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to the Great Hall by Albus Dumbledore. Having already read all of their school books and few others that Professor Dumbledore had leant them, they watched as the students looked on amazed towards the ceiling.
"Wow! I wonder if it's really the sky." One girl with wavy blonde hair said to another with short brown hair.
"It's bewitched to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." Sarah said, thinking that she would be able to make more friends here because she was like everyone else for once in her life. The girl with the brown hair scowled at her.
"Aren't you Miss Know-it-all?" The blonde haired girl laughed and then they both turned away. Sarah turned around, sadness written on her face to see Tommy looking on with anger.
"They are just jealous." Tommy said.
"Thanks Tommy."
"No problem." Dumbledore stood before them holding on to a manky old hat. Sarah gasped, recognizing it as the sorting hat and pulled lightly at Tommy's sleeve.
"Tommy, I'm nervous. What if we don't get the same house?"
"We will still spend all of our time in the library; it's going to be great." She smiled half-heartedly, somehow knowing exactly how it was going to turn out.
"Asserby, Anastasia." Sarah watched as the blonde haired girl walked airily up to the stool and sat down. The hat contemplated for a while before shouting 'Hufflepuff!'
Tommy and Sarah both watched as their new classmates were being called up, one by one.
"Martin, Sarah." Throughout the crowd of people, there were many different whispers. Sarah heard the term 'muggle-born' as she walked through the crowd. She finally reached the stool and took a seat. The hat sat there for a good two minutes, reasoning inside her head.
"Gryffindor!" It finally shouted and stood from the stool and went back to her best friend Tommy.
"I told you so." He said when she reached him. She blushed slightly. "My little Lioness is in Gryffindor, no surprise to me." She swatted his arm playfully and continued through the crowd to go and sit with the rest of Gryffindor house.
"Riddle, Tom." Dumbledore finally called and once again, more whispers were heard. Tom elegantly placed himself onto the stool and before the hat even touched his head, it screamed "Slytherin!" He looked up at Dumbledore sadly and glanced at Sarah. She too had a sad expression on. He went over to his table, making sure that he had a clear view of his best friend and listened as the rest of the students were called off.
October 31st, 1939: Charms Class
"One of the most rudimentary powers of witches and wizards is levitation. Today we will be using the Wingardium Leviosa charm." Professor Dumbledore stood at the front of the class and demonstrated the perfect swish and flick method, causing a small white feather to float. Sarah, who was sitting next to Tommy, as always, looked at him annoyance.
When Dumbledore told them to try out the spell, both she and Tommy took a look at each other and cast the spell simply. Both of their feathers floated high above the class. The rest of students hadn't even come close to casting the spell. Dumbledore smiled inwardly and clapped his hands lightly.
"Ten points to Gryffindor and Slytherin. Well done Mr. Riddle, Miss Martin." They both held their heads up a little higher. When the class was over, they began their journey down to the dungeons to have classes with Professor Slughorn. Neither of them really enjoyed the dungeons. Tom, who was the social cast off of the Slytherins, as was Sarah of the Gryffindors, spent most of their time in the library and didn't really have many other friends besides each other.
They rounded the last corner and were about to reach the potions door when two students stepped out in front of them.
"Whatcha doin' there mudbloods?" Tom and Sarah glared at the two boys. Both were exceedingly large and were definitely Slytherins. Tom instinctively grabbed Sarah's hand. She instinctively grabbed her wand and stepped out in front of Tom. She waved it casually and both boys fell backwards frozen.
"Sarah! You are going to get us expelled." He said hastily. Professor Slughorn stepped out of the classroom to see what had happened.
"What's going on, Mr. Riddle, Miss Martin?"
"They were going to attack us, sir." Tom said modestly.
"Why isn't that a wonderfully cast Petrificus Totalus. You don't learn that spell until later this year." He stared on amusedly. Tom and Sarah were still worried that they would get sent home. "Well, I'll let you off the hook this time. You're a Slytherin, right?" He gestured to Tom and he nodded. "Hmm?" He twiddled his thumbs behind his back. "You're both muggleborns, correct?" They both nodded again. "Are you busy this Friday night?" And like that, both Tom and Sarah were admitted to the Slug Club.
AN: I will try to update often. Smiles.