Chapter 4 is here at last! I will try to get a few chapters up as I start my new job soon so won't be able to update as often, but that doesn't mean I will be abandoning this. I love writing this so will try and allocate a day a week to update it. Don't panic if I don't, it just means 2 chapters will get posted the next time.
(Amendments have been made)
Disclaimer: Still don't own Harry Potter. I wish I did though! Casey remains the only the character I own.
Following the other students off of the train and onto the platform, felt very strange to Casey. His legs were heavy which made walking difficult. Judging from the way Ron was walking, he was starting to feel as nervous as he was. He spotted Hagrid surrounded by a group of small children, who he presumed were his fellow classmates.
Casey led Harry and Ron over to Hagrid, who beamed at them when they joined him and the others. "Ok firs' years, now that we're all here, follow me an' I'll take you to the boats that'll take you to school"
Casey shared a look with Harry and Ron before moving along with the others. The three boys climbed into the same boat, as did two girls who looked as though they would be sick if they opened their mouths. The short journey to the school wasn't as bad as they thought, it wasn't until they climbed out of the boat, that Casey had to quickly move away from one of the girls who was sick all over her shoes. After checking she was alright, Hagrid led them to the entrance hall and up a small staircase, where a woman with spectacles and a pointed hat was waiting for them at the top.
"Good evening" she said "My name is Professor McGonagall and in a moment I shall take you all to the Great Hall, where you will be sorted into your houses. Your house will be like your family, good behaviour will win your house points, any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year the house with the most points will win the house cup" she explained, looking around at them all. "Now there are four houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin and you will each be sorted into one. Now please wait here while I make sure everyone is ready for you" she then turned and went through the double doors behind her.
Casey was about to speak to Harry when another voice spoke first. "So, it's true what they are saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts"
Casey and Harry whipped their heads round, and Casey saw the blond boy from Diagon Alley. He stepped onto the step above them, his eyes fixed on Harry, who glared at him defiantly.
"That's Crabbe and Goyle" he said indicating to two larger boys. "And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy"
Ron gave a loud snort of laughter and Casey couldn't help but laugh too. Malfoy rounded on them with cold eyes. "Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask you yours. Red hair and hand me down robes? You must be a Weasley"
Ron's eyes started to go red and Casey glared at the blond, daring him to insult him but the other boy didn't, he turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter" he shot a nasty look at Ron "I can help you there" he held out a hand to Harry.
Harry glanced down at the offered hand and then back at Draco. "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself thanks" he said coldly.
Casey smirked at Ron who looked at Harry in admiration. Any retort Draco had was stopped by Professor McGonagall who tapped him on the shoulder with her parchment. He glared at the three of them before re-joining his friends.
"We're ready for you now, follow me" she said and led them through the double doors.
It was the biggest hall Casey had ever seen; there were four long tables for each house and there were even candles floating in the air. He looked up at the ceiling and saw it was the darkest blue, almost black. He heard Hermione telling someone that it was bewitched to look like the night sky, but it didn't make it any less amazing to him.
They all gathered around a stool that had an old hat on it and Casey saw that he wasn't the only one confused, as each face had a different level of confusion on them. Professor McGonagall unrolled her scroll of parchment and spoke to them. "Now when I call your name, you will come forth and place the Sorting Hat on your head and you will be sorted into a house"
Casey felt his stomach clench with nerves and he heard Ron gulp and even heard Hermione mumbling to herself. He watched as a boy was sorted into Ravenclaw. He was just beginning to calm down a little when McGonagall called "Casey Black"
He stumbled towards the stool after Harry and given him a light nudge and whispered "Good luck"
He sat down facing everyone, very conscious of everyone staring at him; he felt the hat being put on his head. "It's been a long time since I've had to sort a Black" said a voice in his ear "Sorting you should be so simple, but you have something your predecessors did not. Very well, better be…GRYFFINDOR!"
Casey felt the relief wash over him and as he placed the hat back on the wooden stool he grinned at Ron and Harry before joining the table that had the loudest applause coming from it. He sat down and immediately had two older students with the same flaming red hair as Ron introduce themselves. "Fred and George Weasley, nice to meet you" they said, shaking his hand.
To Casey's horror, Hermione was sorted into Gryffindor too, followed by a dozen more. The came Harry's sorting and he noticed everyone went quiet. Casey watched as the hat spoke to him and heard him say "Not Slytherin? But Slytherin could help you on the way to greatness!"
'Don't put him in Slytherin' Casey thought desperately
"Well if you're sure, better be…"
Casey clenched his hands in his robes and knew that everyone in the room was holding their breath.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Casey clapped loudly with the rest of his new house mates and clapped Harry on the back as he sat next to him. After everyone settled back down, the two friends waited in anticipation for Ron to be sorted. They had no reason to worry, the hat barely touched his head when the hat screamed "GRYFFINDOR" once again and Ron sat opposite Casey and Harry.
After the sorting had finished, Professor Dumbledore stood. "Let the feast begin" he said then clapped his hands.
The empty table filled with more food than Casey had ever seen. He helped himself to pork chops and potatoes and listened to the conversations around him. The talk had turned to families and he discovered that Ron was one of seven children and from one of the oldest Pure-blood families.
"What about you?" Seamus Finnigan asked Casey
"Well my Dad was in Hufflepuff, the same as my sister. My mum was in Slytherin" he explained
Ron looked surprised at that but didn't say anything. Casey wasn't surprised by his reaction; people from Slytherin didn't usually associate themselves with anyone less than pure-blood let alone marry one.
After having two servings of treacle tart and custard, Casey and the other first years followed Percy the prefect to their common room. Percy told them where everything was and where they would be sleeping and after climbing the spiral stair case with his friends, Casey was glad to be able to climb into a warm bed. He was more tired than he realised and as soon as his head hit the pillow, he felt himself drift off to the blissful land of sleep.