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Chapter Three- Many New Faces
Harry and his friends sat jovially at the crowded Gryffindor table, chattering about summer vacations and rumors of the school when Headmistress Minerva McGonagall tapped her wand against her goblet.
After a few moments, the ocean of students silenced and the Headmistress dove into her speech.
"Good evening, Hogwarts students! As you know, last year, we have tragically lost Headmaster Albus Dumbledore while battling He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Please, let us all have a moment of respect for our fallen leader of our beloved school…"
McGonagall lowered her head, as well as everyone in the Great Hall. After a few minutes of mournful silence, the elderly woman resumed speaking.
"But, Headmaster Dumbledore would not be pleased if we lose our hope; he would want us to fight harder. Anyway, without further ago, let the sorting ceremony begin!"
Applause erupted as the majestic doors opened. Argus Filch led the large group of nervous first years inside the Great Hall. Three figures stayed at the doors, shadows covering parts of their faces.
The first years timidly stood at the front of the room, staring fleetingly at McGonagall. She unrolled a long piece of aged parchment.
"First years, when I call your names, please come and sit on this stool. I will place the Sorting Hat on your head." McGonagall briskly explained as the old Sorting Hat sang its song.
After the applause died down, the Headmistress cleared her throat.
"Yakoff Allan."
"Gryffindor!"
"Sarah Barb."
"Hufflepuff!"
Everything went without a hitch until…
"Callista Newman."
A small girl with short blonde pigtails and big bambi-like eyes quietly stepped forward. She stared at the tall woman and the ratty hat in her hand. She abruptly spun around and ran to the doors where the mysterious trio perched. Everyone in the room shared faces of confusion.
The girl with the navy blue hat quickly kneeled and opened her arms.
Tears peeking out of her brown eyes, Callista ran into the stranger's arms. The woman's arms tightened around the child as Callista burrowed her head into the newcomer's shoulder.
"I'm so scared! I can't do this!" The child bawled out as the mysterious woman's pale hand stroked her sunny tresses.
"I know it's frightening, Callie! But, remember, my friends and I also have to do this as well! Just go on, and when you look back onto this particular evening, you'll mutter to yourself, "Why was I so scared?" Just go on…" The older girl whispered sagely as she gently wiped away Callista's tears and grabbed the girl's hand.
The female stranger rose to her full height and glanced at the man standing next to her.
With a radiant smile, he walked up to Callista's other side and entwined his long fingers with the little girl's other hand.
Together, the two teenagers and the young child strolled up to the wooden stool with the Sorting Hat.
The female picked up the Sorting Hat while the young man let go of Callista's hand and moved back to where their other companion waited.
Callista silently sat on the small chair, wringing her little hands nervously.
"Callista Newman." McGonagall called out again as the female stranger delicately placed the old cap on the girl's head. She walked to where her friends waited for her.
The hat scrunched up as it thought carefully.
"Hmmm… You are intelligent in others' emotions. You know an individual better than he or she knows themselves… You would make a fine individual among those with loyalty and patience…"
Callista glanced up at the ratty wizened object and then scanned the enormous dining room for her three older friends. They were at the back of the hall by the large doors.
The blonde girl stood between the dark-haired woman and the tall man, smiling encouragingly as she lowered the brim of her hat over her eyes. The brunette girl smirked as she dropped her face slightly. The man leisurely pulled off his glasses and pretended to clean the lenses, keeping his eyes concealed the entire time.
"Ah, although you have a timid appearance, there is a fire burning inside your beating heart. 'Tis a flame of chivalrous bravery that rests dormant, only to be released by believing in yourself. Perhaps you should reside and educate yourself in trusting those who are known for being the victorious knights and knightresses of the four houses of our school…"
The little girl's eyes closed as she listened to the hat's elderly voice echoing throughout her head.
"Hm! So it is decided!" Callista's brown eyes shot open as the hat announced the verdict. "GRYFINNDOR!"
All the tables applauded loudly as McGonagall plucked the hat off of the girl's head.
Callista smiled brightly as she spotted the blonde woman grinning proudly at her.
In an excited scurry, she pounced into the young woman's arms.
"Oh, thank you so much, Lise!" The child squealed joyfully as her small fingers unknowingly latched onto the older girl's blue hat.
"No, Callista, don't touch my hat…" The teenager begged weakly as she tried to hold on to her hat. But, she failed. Callista ripped the girl's hat from her head.
Long lustrous waves of white-gold flowed from the older girl's head.
Callista stumbled back at her friend's beauty.
When the woman looked up, everyone in the room grew quiet.
Her light azure irises just blew everyone away.
"Oh my, isn't that the Olivia?" Lavender Brown shouted out as various people started murmuring excitedly.
"Oh crap." The brunette girl whispered as Olivia blushed darkly.
The tall man sighed as he put away the glasses that he had used to disguise himself and opened his eyes. His eyes were a striking hazel-brown colour with flecks of gold sparkling in them.
The girl with the dark tresses groaned silently as she untied her hair from its unofficial prison. She smirked as some strands successfully hid the left side of her tan face. The rest of her hair cascaded down her back. When she glanced at the students, she frightened some of them with her almost black irises.
"Your name isn't Lise, is it?" The young girl muttered as she studied Olivia's sharp features.
Olivia heaved a sigh as she softly took her hat from the girl's hands.
"No, it's not." She admitted as she stood and leaned into the guy's shoulder.
McGonagall straightened and cleared her throat loudly.
"We have three transfer students this year. They have traveled a long way…" She was interrupted by a strong feminine voice.
"With all due respect, Professor McGonagall, I believe we can take it from here." Kiya proclaimed as she, accompanied by her two companions, sauntered to the front of the room.
The room was silent as everyone stared at the trio, anxious to witness what they would do next.
"We have, indeed, traveled far…" Kiya's regal voice echoed throughout the Great Hall.
"We are certain that you have heard many tales concerning us…" Olivia's soft and placid voice soothed the rough tension among the stunned crowd.
"And you probably wish to learn more about us…" Derek revealed as some of the older students started murmuring and nodding their heads hesitatingly.
"Well, you'll have the chance to do so this year. But first…" Kiya paused as the trio turned to look at McGonagall. "We wish to be sorted." She finished as McGonagall flashed a rare grin at the three and nodded her head warmly. The elder woman sobered immediately as she clutched the Sorting Hat in her hands.
"Ms. Olivia, please sit down…" The professor instructed coolly as the girl obeyed. McGonagall carefully positioned the talking hat upon the blonde's head.
The hat smiled wistfully.
"Ah, I have been waiting for you and your friends for quite some time…. Tell me, child, Beati pacifici," The girl's eyes widened with recognition as she heard the foreign words exit the cap's mouth. "What does that mean, child?" He whispered into her mind.
Olivia smiled.
"It means "Blessed are the peacemakers," She whispered out confidently and the hat smiled grotesquely.
He glanced at the Headmistress, who watched Olivia with piqued interest.
"You have had many losses throughout your short life. But you have survived by using your natural and unnatural abilities and the helpful aid of companionship… You would make a fine patron among those who continually exercise their skills and hone them…" Olivia nodded subtly as her sapphire orbs scanned the room.
She stopped suddenly at a pair of silvery-blue eyes, glaring at her like she was unworthy to even be in his presence. She shivered involuntarily as she quickly turned her head.
Derek noticed Olivia shaking and turning her head.
He looked at the mob of students and teachers, his amber irises watching everyone. He couldn't see what could have struck fear into her heart, but he didn't doubt her credibility.
He knew Olivia would never lie, to least to him. He smiled brightly as she turned and glanced at him.
She grinned back as her eyes twinkled brightly.
"I see that the loyalty and bravery within you is stronger! Therefore…… GRYFINDOR!"
Everyone in the Great Hall cheered loudly as the petite woman calmly removed the hat and handed it back to McGonagall. She moved back to Derek's side and beamed at him.
"Derek," McGonagall called and he quickly stepped forward and sat on the small chair.
He exhaled quietly as the hat was placed on top of his shaggy maple mane.
"Oh, you are fairly easy to figure out. "Difficile est longum subito deponere amorem.""
Derek's eyebrows knitted together with confusion as he heard the words. Maybe Olivia knew what it meant.
"Ah, I understand that you knew not what I said; I did not mean to offend you, Sir Knight… I see that you have also followed a cruel destiny. You almost lost someone that you cherished dearly. You have saved that particular individual from that famous "Light at the end of the tunnel"…"
Derek's heart leapt painfully into his throat as he realized who he was talking about.
He had almost lost her once emotionally and physically.
"There is no doubt; you are going to be in…. GRYFINDOR!"
Derek shakily smiled as he took off the Sorting Hat and gave him to the Headmistress. He walked back next to Olivia and enveloped her into a tight hug. Tears filled his eyes as he kissed her hairline, but they refused to fall.
Olivia slowly returned the hug, unsure what had exactly happened that made Derek behave like a waif who had lost everything in his life that held importance to him.
Kiya watched the two, concerned about why Derek was acting so emotional.
Did the Sorting Hat say something to him?
She felt an awful premonition.
"Kiya." McGonagall cawed out.
Kiya looked up and she inched to the stool. She gradually sat down as McGonagall plopped the Sorting Hat on her head.
"Crudelius est quam mori semper timere mortem. Do you know what that means?"
Kiya thought for a long time, and then impatiently shook her head.
The hat raised his velvet-like eyebrows as he smirked.
"Such a pity. I would have thought that you would know Latin like your little friend over there…"
Kiya's black eyes narrowed and she glared venomously at the pointed hat.
"What are you exactly implying?" Her voice lowered dangerously as her eyes glinted angrily.
"I was merely stating that you are different from the students I see…" He said evenly.
"Will you sort me already!?!" She loudly snapped.
The hat then curled up his brim and appeared to be deep in thought.
"You have led a legacy filled to the brim with unpredictable twists and turns… You are a willful being who has lost more than you have gained. Because of this fact, you have turned more to Evil instead of the side your companions are fighting on… You are cynical and secluded because you have witnessed many forms of deaths, torture, and mayhem. What nearly made you weakened was the near death of one of your closest companions. Although you were not mortally wounded, you were emotionally scarred. You would be a cunning member of the house that uses shrewdness before gallantry and devotion…" The hat unfurled slowly. "But you have the power to persevere! So, GRYFINDOR!"
Applause exploded throughout the hall as Kiya roughly handed the wise hat to the Headmistress and then joined her friends.
They walked to the Gryffindor table and sat down, with Olivia trapped in the middle, Kiya to her right and Derek at her left.
Headmistress McGonagall tightly rolled up her scroll and tucked it into her traditional emerald-tinted robes. She briskly moved back to her place at the podium near the teachers' table.
"And without further ago, let the…" The professor was interrupted by the large doors slamming open.
A young woman stormed ruthlessly inside the Great Hall, her soaked chrisom red robes billowing behind her as she marched. She had ravishing ebony hair that flowed down her back. The straight strands contrasted noticeably against her white skin. Her outfit was a sable miniskirt and a green sleeveless blouse that hugged her flawless hourglass figure.
She glared harshly at Professor McGonagall, a threatening snarl playing on her blood red lips.
"Wait, we are not finished yet! I was stuck out in the miserable rain until darling Mr. Filch opened the doors for me!"
Everyone flinched at the words that came from her mouth. McGonagall fixated her gaze at the gorgeous female.
"Ah, I apologize for the mistake of the Hogwarts Express embarking here with you, Ms…"
"Dilder, Cassandra M. Dilder." Cassandra primly introduced herself as she focused on her violet dagger-like nails and scowled irritably. "Great. I broke one of my beautiful fingernails because of this ordeal!" She growled loudly as her copper eyes narrowed at the Headmistress.
The elder woman just brushed the glare off. She grabbed the Sorting Hat and levitated it just mere centimeters above Cassandra's head.
"SLYTHERIN! She belongs in Slytherin!" The Hat shouted abruptly, startling everyone in the room except for Cassandra, who smirked smugly. McGonagall glanced at the floating object, which was curling its body up and shivering involuntarily.
Cassandra smirked again as she stood and with a flamboyant flip of her beautiful ebony strands, strode confidently to the Slytherin table.
All the Slytherin girls glowered at the voluptuous vixen as she sat between Draco Malfoy, who didn't even heed any mind to her, and a pouting Pansy Parkinson.
McGonagall put the Sorting Hat away and returned to the podium. She looked at the large student body in front of her.
She glanced at the "Golden Trio", where Harry Potter and Hermione Granger were shaking their heads at Ron Weasley, who was excitedly clutching a fork and knife in his freckled hands and grinning broadly.
Across from them, Kiya was tentatively smiling at the tall red-head while Derek entwined his long fingers with Olivia's. Both were grinning lovingly as they whispered flirtatiously in each other's ears while Derek's other hand played with her light tresses.
"Students, it appears that I was mistaken. It seems that we have four transfer students. Now, as I was saying before Ms. Dilder arrived unexpectedly, Let the feast begin."
And with a simple wave of her wand hand, food appeared on the five dining tables.
"Yay! Food, glorious food!" Ron shouted as he shoveled various types of food onto his plate. Kiya smiled again as she turned to Olivia and adopted a grim face.
"Olivia." Kiya muttered tersely and Olivia turned to Kiya.
"Kiya," Olivia said with a confused glow in her white-blue eyes. "Whatever's the matter?"
"Do you know what "Crudelius est quam mori semper timere mortem" means?"
The blonde tilted her head a bit, her long curls flowing over her shoulder.
"Yes, it means "It is more cruel to always fear death than to die." Wherever did you hear that?" Olivia queried as Kiya rapidly glanced over her shoulder and then looked back at Olivia.
"That damned hat said that to me while he was sorting me…" Kiya murmured as Derek placed his fork down on his gold plate.
"Yeah, the hat also said something to me in Latin… Something like "Difficile est longum subito deponere amorem"…"
Olivia's eyebrows furrowed.
"That's strange… It means "It is difficult to suddenly give up a lost love." That is very unusual, even for a talking hat to say…"
Kiya shrugged.
"Maybe we'll figure it out later this school year…" She reasoned as she looked up.
She noticed that a pair of silvery-blue irises was watching her intently from across the room.
She grinned shyly again as she averted her gaze at her plate.