Early Autumn. Hogwarts, Sorting Ceremony, 1991.
Hogwarts 'was wearing' its holiday cloak as it were 1st September again and the castle had to welcome home a new big number of young witches and wizards, who received that year their Hogwarts Acceptance Letter.
The first year students entered the Great Hall of Hogwarts being greeted with applause by their elder fellows. Hermione was looking with much astonishment at the magical ceiling of the big hall. She was surprised to see the floating candles around and the appearance of a night beautiful sky above her head. As she was walking and looking around she stepped on someone's robe by mistake. Hermione heared a dissatisfied voice exlaming: "Aw, look after your feet, you're not flying on a broomstick!". The boy whose voice ashamed Hermione turned back and looked at her. She met his beautiful grey eyes and felt something like a cool air passing with a great speed through her veins. She mumbled a 'sorry' and slipped forward following her fellows. The blonde boy looked behind her thinking: "Nice girl!".
Professor McGonagall introduced the children with the meaning of Sorting Ceremony and began to call students according to the list written on the parchment she was holding in her hand. Hermione was watching at the happy faces of fresh-sorted Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Slytherins reminding the information she read about the four houses, when an old memory appeared violently in her mind…
Summer. The house of Lestrange family, Prague, 1989.
"I have just finished to read the book about Hogwarts, I'm so agog to study there; I think I will be sorted in Ravenclaw, for I read so many books, or in Gryffindor, because I have no fears…", said Hermione dreaming with her eyes opened.
"Gryffindor, are you crazy?! You have to be sorted in Slytherin, only Slytherin! Is it clear?!", Bellatrix looked at the girl with a menacing face.
"But why? I'm sure that I'm not a Slytherin, and green colour doesn't suit me, I don't want to be in Slytherin!", objected Hermione.
"I am a Slytherin, your father is a Slytherin, the majority of our relatives are Slytherins and you must be a Slytherin too! Don't think only about you, our family will loose its respect in the wizarding society if you are sorted in Gryffindor or any other house! Do you, little girl, understand this?!", Bellatix was losing her calm.
"But the Sorting Hat chooses the house for every student…".
"The Sorting Hat listens to the desire of the students, so you will implore that idiot hat to sort you in Slytherin!", said Bellatrix with the same menacing face.
There was a moment of silence and after that Hermione asked:"And though, what if I am sorted in another house?".
"Do what you want, but I want you to be a Slytherin! Otherwise I'll enroll you in a muggle school here in Prague and you will live all your life being surrounded by muggles! Am I clear?!", Bellatrix said this looking with her big eyes at poor Hermione, who was just ready to burst into tears.
"Yes! I'll tell the hat to sort me in Slytherin.", answered the girl looking down and ran away from there already crying.
"Draco Malfoy!", Hermione heared as she collected herself from the unpleasant memory.
The blonde boy with silver-grey eyes, on whose robe stepped Hermione earlier came in front and sat down on the chair for sorting. Professor McGonagall put the Sorting Hat on his head and it pronounced:"Ambitious, impulsive, but clever…you must be in Slytherin, silver boy!".
Draco stood up with a large smile and went to the Slytherin table, where he was greeted with applause and shouts by his Slytherin fellows. Hermione was looking at Draco when she was called by her name:"Hermione Lestrange!". She was the last who had to be sorted, so the whole attention was on her, as students from all four houses were waiting the last freshman to be sorted in their house. Hermione came in front and sat down on the chair. She was a little agitated and a little afraid of Sorting Hat. When the old witch put the hat on Hermione's head she started to mumble:"Slytherin, please, sort me in Slytherin!". The Sorting Hat said musingly:"Hm, wisdom, temperance, big heart…she could be a perfect Ravenclaw! But this brown-haired beauty wants to be a snake, so let it be Slytherin!". Hermione breathed freely while all the Slytherins were shouting being happy to know that the last student was sorted in their house. Hermione stood up and professor McGonagall asked for silence in the hall and said:"This young witch lives in Prague with her family and had the courage to request to study Hogwarts classes by herself, so she was accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry but will study at home. Miss Hermione Lestrange showed that she is able and enough clever to study by herself being supervised by her parents. However, she is your fellow, so don't hesitate to become her friends. Good luck, miss Lestrange!". Hermione went to Slytherin table and then students were allowed to eat. Draco was looking at her and his grey eyes met her brown ones…