AN: Sorry for not updating sooner! Please R&R! Thank you for reading!
Victoire fingered her necklace chain. She would never have admitted it, but she was starting to get nervous.
The necklace, a heart-shaped silver locket, had been an eleventh birthday present from her mother, who had said it was a good-luck charm.
Victoire was hoping that it was lucky enough to keep her out of Slytherin. She wanted to prove that she really belonged at Hogwarts, not Beaxbatons, and, like a great many Weasleys before her, felt that being placed in Slytherin was as bad as being told she had no place at all.
"Vine, Elizabeth!"
Victoire jumped. They were already on the V's. W's would be next. She watched anxiously as the Sorting Hat was placed on the head of Elizabeth Vine, a pretty girl with dark ringlets and blue eyes. The hat sat there for several minutes before finally shouting "Slytherin!"
Victoire was trembling. Stop, she commanded herself.
"Weasley, Victoire!"
I'm sure everyone can see me shaking, she thought, as she sat down on the stool. She had no way of knowing that everyone in the Great Hall was at that moment noticing how calm and composed she looked.
The hat slipped over her eyes.
"Oh no, another Weasley," said the Sorting Hat. "Dear, dear, does it never end? Well, let's see. Certainly daring… but rather clever, too… tricky, very tricky. I can already tell you're adamantly opposed to Slytherin… well, well, well. You're a sharp girl. You know how to put knowledge to your use. Better go with RAVENCLAW!"
The last word had been spoken out loud. Victoire lifted the hat off her head and saw that the Ravenclaw table was cheering loudly. Smiling, she hurried down and joined her new table. She noticed Teddy Lupin watching from the Gryffindor table and felt the smallest twinge of regret.
After the last few students were sorted, Headmaster Longbottom stood up. "Welcome!" he said. "Welcome, new and returning students. I know you're all very hungry, but there are a few things I would like to say."
His voice became slightly more serious. "First, I would like to remind you that there are several new House Unity activities every year. As of this year, starting today, students may enter the common rooms of houses that are not their own, if they are with a student that belongs to that house. Second, every first-year student will be assigned a class partner. You and your class partner will have all of your classes and do all of your school assignments together. Third, points will be taken off whenever you show discrimination or prejudice. That is all. Let the feast begin!"
Victoire helped herself to food and began to eat and chat with two other first-year Ravenclaw girls, Lakshmi Patil and Lien Corner.
"I wonder how we find out who our class partner is," wondered Victoire.
"The list will be posted in our dormitory," said Lien. "A prefect told me."
"So," said Lakshmi, "have you two always known you were witches?"
Victoire nodded.
"Yeah," said Lien. "My parents are both half-bloods."
"I'd never been to Diagon Alley, though," said Victoire. "My mum would never take me."
"Mine either!" exclaimed Lakshmi. "She said it would ruin the Hogwarts experience."
"I live in Diagon Alley," said Lien. "My mum and dad own a bookstore there, and we live above it."
"Cool!" said Victoire. "What bookstore?"
The rest of the meal passed by in a flurry of conversation. Finally, dinner was over. The three new friends followed a prefect up flight after flight of stairs, until, finally, they reached the Ravenclaw tower.
Victoire loved the Ravenclaw common room immediately. It was cool, calm, and beautiful, with deep blue walls, a view of the distant mountains, small tables that looked perfect for studying at, and several bookshelves filled with thick volumes.
Along with Lakshmi, Lien, and another girl named Ella, Victoire headed into her dormitory. The windows had an even better view of the mountains, and there were four loft beds, each with a desk , a lamp, and a bookshelf, tucked underneath.
"Look!" said Ella. "The list of class partners!"
They hurried over to check it. Victoire quickly found her name. Apparently, she had been paired with Elizabeth Vine, who, she remembered, was the dark-haired girl who had been placed in Slytherin.
Suddenly exhausted, Victoire climbed the ladder of her loft bed.
Fingers curled around the silver locket, she drifted off to sleep.