Chapter One: The Sorting
Great Hall, Hogwarts Castle
1 September 1890
Monday Evening
The Student was nervous.
He was one of the new fifth-year students attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Before the summer, he didn't even think magic was real or that he himself was a wizard capable of using very real magic. But he received an admittance letter to the school which he believed to be a poor joke until an actual professor, Eleazar Fig, arrived at his home and showed him how wrong he was. The explanation given when he asked why now was that there were often late bloomers. Now he stood outside the main doors to the Great Hall with two girls he was just introduced to only a moment ago…
Rose Potter and Alexandra Malfoy.
The short fifteen-year-old girl, Rose Potter, had white skin, medium messy black hair, and brown eyes behind black round glasses and the tall sixteen-year-old girl, Alexandra Malfoy, had white skin, long straight blonde hair, and blue eyes.
Both girls wore a long black hooded robe with gray lining and a black and gray embroidery of the Hogwarts coat of arms with a white H on the left breast, long sleeve white blouse, gray tie, black vest with the same Hogwarts coat of arms embroidery on the left breast, long black and gray tartan pattern skirts, long black socks, and black shoes. He wore a similar outfit but with a long sleeve white button shirt and short black pants.
He decided to ask the former clearly nervous girl to his left if she was nervous like him about attending Hogwarts late instead of the latter girl to his right considering she looked more annoyed than nervous…
"Yes… I am nervous…" Rose answered shyly. He told her he was nervous too. He also told her he didn't even know about magic until early summer.
"Wow… I've known about magic my entire life… My dad is a muggle and my mom is a witch… I… I just thought I'd be like my dad when my magic never came… And now I'm attending Hogwarts late… Sorry, I shouldn't have put that all on you…" Rose said quietly. But he told her it was okay that she did. He told her what they were currently going through was new for him too. He then told her they would be attending school late together so she wouldn't be alone and if she needed someone to talk to, she could always talk to him.
"But what if we're in different houses?" Rose asked despondently. He told her they could still be friends even if they ended up in different houses. He told her the color of her robes wouldn't stop him from saying hello or bring her friend.
"Thank you… You are very kind…" Rose gave him a small smile with a small blush… Wait, why was she blushing?
"Yes, he is very kind. Now stop being so nervous. You're making me nervous." Alexandra said, annoyed with narrowed eyes.
"Sorry…" Rose whispered shyly. Alexandra simply huffed quietly.
He glanced at the tall blonde girl and figured she wasn't really annoyed but uncomfortable with the new situation like Rose and him were. But he also knew they were just as excited as they were nervous. After all, they would be learning magic.
Magic…
Finally, the Great Hall main doors opened and they all took in the sight in front of them… He realized since his arrival how big Hogwarts Castle was… But that had been at a distance. Hogwarts Castle was massive.
Even the Great Hall.
The enchanted night sky ceiling was filled with stars and the floor was made of stone. Four pillars with statues of the four house animals held flaming pots. Hundreds of lit candles floated above. Four long wooden tables were seated by many students of various ages and filled with food and drinks over thin tablecloths that went off the ends. A staff table seated by the entire school staff was at the front and behind them were clear stained glass windows decorated with the four house animals.
The furthest table to the left of them was seated by house Slytherin and the tablecloth was decorated with the house colors green and silver and the house coat of arms with the house animal - a snake.
The next table to the left was seated by house Ravenclaw and the tablecloth was decorated with the house colors blue and bronze and the house coat of arms with the house animal - an eagle.
Then the table to the right was seated by house Hufflepuff and the tablecloth was decorated with the house colors yellow and black and the house coat of arms with the house animal - a badger.
Lastly, the furthest table to the right of them was seated by house Gryffindor and the tablecloth was decorated with the house colors scarlet and gold and the house coat of arms with the house animal - a lion.
They then walked forward and the chatter grew quiet as all the eyes in the Great Hall turned their attention to them. They stopped before the small stool for the sorting ceremony where Professor Matilda Weasley, who introduced herself to them earlier before the first-years were sorted, also stood with the old, worn, and patched brown Sorting Hat. The older woman had white wrinkled skin, graying ginger hair, and brown eyes behind half moon glasses.
"Ladies first." Professor Weasley smiled. He nodded with a small smile of his own.
"Alexandra Malfoy."
Gracefully, Alexandra walked forward with her head held high and sat on the stool with loosely folded hands… But Professor Weasley didn't even place the Sorting Hat entirely on her head before it called out…
"SLYTHERIN!"
Everyone in the Great Hall including Rose and him blinked… before everyone cheered loudly including them. Surprisingly, Alexandra gave them both a small nod of acknowledgement while attempting to keep her face blank. But anyone could see the small smile on her face… She then stood and Professor Weasley used her wand to transform some of the colors of her uniform. The lining of her robe turned green, her tie turned silver, and her vest turned green, and the Hogwarts coat of arms turned into the green and silver Slytherin coat of arms with the symbol of the snake. She then nodded her thanks politely to the smiling professor before once again walking gracefully to sit with the other fifth-years at the Slytherin table.
"Rose Potter."
The nervous and shy Rose walked forward and sat on the stool before the Sorting Hat fell onto her head… Half a minute passed before it called out…
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The Great Hall exploded into cheers again. But Rose only looked back at him with a wide smile, which he returned. She then stood and Professor Weasley transformed the colors of her uniform too. The lining of her robe turned scarlet, her tie turned gold, her vest turned scarlet, and the Hogwarts coat of arms turned into the scarlet and gold Gryffindor coat of arms with the symbol of the lion. She nodded her thanks happily to the beaming professor before walking to sit with the other fifth-years at the Gryffindor table.
Finally, his name was called.
Nervously, he walked forward and sat on the stool… He then felt the Sorting Hat fall onto his head…
Ah, yes - a bit older than the others too, aren't you? You come here with preferences and preconceptions - certain expectations… Yes… Yes… I think I know exactly where to put you… But wait… What's this… I sense a personal goal to do well at Hogwarts… No matter… You can do well… But… For now… For you… Better be -
The Student smiled from his house being called out and to the loud cheers that filled the Great Hall once again. But he thought about what the Sorting Hat said… And he decided that no matter what happened, he would do everything he could to truly do well at Hogwarts…
Oh boy, story time.
So I want to apologize to any of my followers or to those who have had to read the beginning of this story three times now because I was too indecisive. I'm willing to admit when I get ahead of myself without thinking and that results in a story I'm not entirely committed to for a variety of reasons. Originally, this was a self-insert story, then a crossover story, then I just gave up on trying. To put it simply, I had too many ideas and thankfully, I saw the bad that was doing for the story I actually WANTED to tell. So no self-insert, no crossover, etc. Just a simple story with a formula I've been starting to use a lot. A nameless, dialogue-less, and clueless main character being dragged along for a one of a kind adventure. I won't talk further about what I plan but those who already read this story (or the original first three chapters), you'll know I preferred Sebastian's story over the main story and THAT will be the main plot of this story. Or part of it... I won't say anymore but a new chapter will come two or three days from now so I can put out a better quality story instead of rushing like before.
Now onto the characters. I thought about making the main character either a Hufflepuff or a Ravenclaw but ultimately decided to leave his house ambiguous. Really, I thought some poor guy caught between a Gryffindor and a Slytherin would make for a humorous adventure. But I promise there will be some Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw love in this story with Poppy and Amit. As for Rose Potter and Alexandra Malfoy, this is not a time travel story. I've wanted to do a Girl-Who-Lived story for a long time now but couldn't decide on how to tell that and Alexandra Malfoy just kind of happened. But yes, both are distant relatives to their male counterparts in this universe. You will learn more about that as the story goes on... And they will grow as will the main character. The Student will grow to be adventurous, Rose will grow to be brave, and Alexandra will grow to be a better person... Anyway, the next chapter: The Classes, Part One