A/N I do not own Harry Potter, and I got the wand descriptions from Pottermore.
Water, Wands and Sorting
As they got out of the train and onto the platform, they heard a loud voice call "Firs' years over here!"
They moved towards the voice and saw an enormous man with brown bushy hair. Al grinned and ran over to him shouting "Hagrid!" Al hugged Hagrid around the middle and Hagrid in turned beamed down at him.
Mia stood shyly behind Al, not quite sure what to do.
Finally, when all of the first years had gathered, Hagrid took them to the lake, on the way telling them about the traditional boat ride that the first years took on their first day of school.
At the mention of this Mia stopped still, turning pale. Albus, realising that Mia was no longer walking beside him turned around. When he saw how pale she was, Albus became really concerned.
"Are you alright Mia?" He asked. "You look really pale…"
"Did he say we were going to go on a boat ride? Across a lake? In small boats?" Mia asked in a small voice.
"Yes…" said Al unsurely.
"I can't do it. I thought it would be no problem, seeing as there wasn't much cause for going near large bodies of water in a boarding school!" panicked Mia.
"Are you afraid of water?" asked Al.
"I can't stand large bodies of water. They look so deep and there may be loads of things in them – not even nice creatures. And I've read Hogwarts: a History so I know there are some really horrible creatures in there and I can't do it. Plus water is so wet and cold and makes you feel heavy and it wants to drown you…" she trailed off, looking embarrassed.
Al didn't laugh. He knew what it was like to have a crippling fear. But it was strange to see Mia looking anything less than perfectly composed.
"The boats are charmed to move really smoothly, so if you close your eyes it's almost like you're not on a boat. How about you do that and I'll go in the boat with you so you have someone you can trust to make sure you're all right." Al decided not to mention the story about Dennis Creevy and the giant squid that his dad had told him.
Mia looked marginally happier and agreed to do as Al had suggested.
They got to the other side without a problem and Mia laughed in relief and gave Al a hug saying "Thanks so much Al, what would I have done without you."
"You wouldn't have made it to Hogwarts, that's what." Al deadpanned.
Mia shoved him and then looked horrified at herself for the mild violence. Al just laughed at her, glad that she was loosening up a bit.
When they finally arrived in the Entrance Hall, they all gasped at the size and grandeur of the place. Professor McGonagall came and welcomed them and then lead them into the Great Hall. All of the first years were too nervous thinking about the sorting ahead of them to actually look around and observe the Hall itself.
Professor McGonagall called their names out in alphabetical order. The names all passed by in a blur to Mia, until she heard a very familiar one.
"Malfoy, Scorpius." McGonagall called.
The blonde haired boy walked up to the stool and put the hat onto his head. She didn't have long to wait before the sorting hat announced "Slytherin!"
Not sure whether to be disappointed or glad, she waited for Al's name to be called, since his was before hers in the alphabet.
She gave Al's hand a squeeze as his name was called and watched as he put the hat on. The hat was on his head for a long while before she heard it shout "Gryffindor!"
A great noise erupted from the Gryffindor table, and Mia saw several red haired people standing up and cheering. She assumed that they were Al's family, as he had told her on the train that almost all of his cousins had red hair and that they took up half of Gryffindor table. Mia had taken this as a bit of an exaggeration, but there were indeed a lot of them.
Finally it was Mia's turn. She heard her name called; "Rodwins, Emilia!" and made her way to the front; just like everyone else.
When the hat had been placed on her head, she heard a voice talking to her. She was pretty sure the hat was speaking to only her, since she didn't remember hearing the hat's voice at any other time apart from when it announced the house. From this she concluded that the hat was speaking in er mind. She wondered idly how that worked.
Her musings were interrupted by the hat, which had raised its internal voice, somehow aware that it wasn't being listened to and a bit miffed about it.
I see we have a thinker here. It said. That would suggest that you should go in Ravenclaw. Eager to learn… But what have we here? Loyalty so strong that you don't want to go into the obvious house for you? That would suggest Hufflepuff, but your friend is in Gryffindor. Hmmm, what a conundrum.
The hat laughed out loud and Mia could practically feel the astonished gaze of everyone at this curious phenomenon. The object in question paid no notice however and continued evaluating Mia.
But you do have qualities of a Gryffindor. You overcame a deep fear, stood up to someone… and all because of your friend. You appear to work well together so I think I have to say... "Gryffindor!"
Mia let out the breath she had been holding and walked over to where Al had sat down, having remembered to put the hat back down on the stool. She didn't even look over at the Slytherin table where a blonde boy was looking over at her with barely concealed disappointment.
Al gave her a hug as she sat down and asked her about what the hat had said to her to make it take so long, and to make it laugh. Mia repeated what the hat had said, leaving Al feeling slightly embarrassed, but glad that they were in the same house.
A girl with orange bushy hair then leaned over Al and said "Hi I'm Rose. The hat considered putting me in Ravenclaw too. I'm not even sure why it put me in Gryffindor in the end. Force of habit I suppose. Not one Weasley has ever been in anything but Gryffindor. I was almost looking forward to being the first."
Her speech was cut off as the headmistress Professor McGonagall stood up. The whole hall was suddenly quiet as she gave the start of term notices about the usual things – confiscated items, forbidden places and a new one which was that, as it had been raised as an issue the previous year, she had decided to make official.
"Students are permitted to sit at any table they choose for mealtimes – except for feasts." Professor McGonagall, satisfied that she had said everything that she need to then said, "Now, enjoy the feast!"
Whilst they were eating, it was discovered that Rose knew a lot about wand lore. "Mia, what is your wand? You know, wood and core?"
Mia replied cautiously, unsure as to what to expect. "It is elm with unicorn hair, 11 inches. What does that mean?"
"Ooh, you've got a good one!" said Rose excitedly. "In short it means that your wand is consistent and loyal, produces the fewest accidents, the least foolish errors, and the most elegant charms and spells. It is a very sophisticated wand that is capable of very advanced magic. It also reveals a bit of your own character. Want to hear it? Of course you do!" said Rose without even waiting for a reply. "Elm wands prefer owners with presence, magical dexterity and a certain native dignity. I think that suits you really well!"
Mia got the impression that Rose could talk a lot. But she liked the other girl already, for her bubbliness and for including Mia without even having to be told by Al.
Al looked at Mia apologetically, and was surprised to see her face lit up. He shrugged and continued attacking his food.
After dinner, the prefects came and gathered the first years in their respective houses. They were to lead the first years to their dormitories. As their group approached the entrance to the hall, so too did the Slytherin group.
Scorpius Malfoy made his way over to Mia, but before he could say anything, he was swept away with the other Slytherins.
Albus looked at Mia in confusion. She looked as though she had known him. He wasn't so shocked that it was Malfoy she knew, but how they could know each other puzzled him a great deal. After all, she was a muggle born and he most certainly wasn't. Adding this to the list of things that confused him about Mia, he resolved to ask her about them tomorrow, when they weren't all so tired.
They made their way up to the Gryffindor Common Room in silence, both of them tired and lost in thought.
Once they had arrived at the portrait that guarded the common room, one of the prefects said the new password of the year – Buckbeak, which for some reason made Rose and Albus smile.
Albus said good night to Mia at the bottom of the stairs and they made their way to their separate bedrooms. Mia didn't even look around the room. She just changed into her pajamas and got into bed. She was too tired even to brush her teeth.
A/N I hope many of you are wondering what is Mia's connection with Scorpius. I know I am! Joking. If you have a guess feel free to post a review.