Chapter 2: The Sorting Hat's Song
As I stared out the window into the countryside, I couldn't help but think what would happen if Carson's parents could actually bring You-Know-Who back from the dead. Right now, all we could do was hope.
"Hogsmeade!" the conductor announced.
"Finally," Carson said, standing up and yawning,"I was getting bored."
"God, you get bored so easily," Paige said,"How could you possibly be bored when you have a trunk full of Grade Four books?"
"Oh, right," Carson said, yawning for the third time,"How could I have possibly forgotten?"
"I have no idea," she responded.
"School hasn't even started yet," he said.
"Oh stop bickering," I said,"And let's get off the train."
And I walked away. They obviously followed; I'm pretty sure you could hear Carson grunting to annoy Paige a mile away.
"You're not a troll," I said,"Stop acting like one."
"I heard the gamekeeper calling for the first years, and saw some people walking towards him, looking slightly nervous. Paige waved at her brother, who was walking over to the gamekeeper. We continued on to the carriages. I gave the thestral a pat before I got in.
I can see the thestrals because when I was five, my brother died right in front of me. That was when I lived in America. After my parents finished at Hogwarts, they moved to America. When my brother died, he was about to go away to Ilvermorny. My parents moved away from America to get away from death. I obviously came with them.
The carriage lurched and we were moving through the gate to Hogwarts. No one else was in the carriage except for the three of us.
"What if my parents are right?" Carson asked, voicing my own worries.
"Right about what?" Paige asked.
"His parents think that they can bring back You-Know-Who." I said.
"Oh gosh," she said,"They definitely are insane."
"Yes they are," Carson said,"But you never answered my question."
"I don't think that they can," she said,"But with the Ministry changing the spells to Latin, they might be able to. Remember, the only registered spells are in the books. People make up spells all the time. Even we do."
A decade ago, the Ministry of Magic change all the spells to Latin. All you had to do was say something in Latin with a wand in your hand and it would probably happen. But they did outlaw some things. Like bringing people back from the dead. Everyone's wand had a tracker on it to know what spells they use. So no one has tried anything stupid. Yet.
"Oh, great," Carson said,"That just makes my life a lot easier."
"Don't worry about it," Paige said,"If they do that they'll just arrest your parents and catch You-Know-Who. Probably kill him."
"Yeah," Carson said,"I guess."
The carriage suddenly stopped. I got up and looked out the window.
"It doesn't usually stop this fast," Paige said.
"Yeah, well we're at the castle. Let's get out," I said.
We jumped out of the carriage and into the dark night.
"I'm starving," Carson said.
"We all are," I said,"but remember, the first years have to get sorted first."
"Oh the pain of waiting," Carson moaned.
"Shut up and walk," Paige said.
"Yes ma'am," Carson said.
Paige just glared at him. I snorted when I saw her face.
"It's not that big of a deal," I said.
"I know," she replied,"But it's just so much fun to glare at Carson."
"That is a very good point," I laughed.
The Great Hall's ceiling was very cloudy tonight. We took a seat at the Ravenclaw table. I was thinking about that sorting. I wondered how many new Ravenclaws there would be. And then I remembered that older kids had said that before my year had gotten to first year, the Sorting Hat had given a prophecy. A very dark prophecy.
"Welcome to Hogwarts!" Professor Ashford, the headmaster said.
This earned a cheer that was quickly silenced by the gray/black-haired headmaster's hand.
"Before we get to the feast, we have to have the sorting! First years, come on in!" he continued.
The door in the side of the Great Hall flew open and the first years filed in. Professor Beckett, the transfiguration teacher and head of Ravenclaw house handed Ashford the Sorting Hat, which was then placed on a stool. I looked at the first years and wondered how I could ever have been that small.
The Sorting Hat seemed to come to life and said,
Hogwarts, Hogwarts. What a great school. Filled with wonderful people.
Rowena Ravenclaw's house, the wise
Helga Hufflepuff's house, the loyal
Salazar Slytherin's house, the shrewd
And Godric Gryffindor's house, the brave
When something threatens them, will they stand together,
Or will they fall apart under the stress and pressure?
This year, we will most definitely find out.
The crowd started murmuring. All this did was confirm my fear. Voldemort was going to rise again. And Carson's parents would probably do it.