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"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!"
Maurice grabbed Roger's hand again, noting that he didn't flinch away from the touch this time. As silly as it sounded, he really didn't want to get separated from Roger. Draco and Jack and the others were nice, but they were second years, and, to be honest, Maurice didn't want to get shoved around with a bunch of people he didn't know. Maurice was outgoing, but he'd prefer being around a friend.
They followed the giant – Maurice seriously doubted that this guy was an actual giant, that's just what Ernie had said – down to the lake. Maurice tried to keep himself and Roger away from the edge; Ernie had said there was a giant squid in there. Maurice didn't know about Roger, but he sure didn't want to get eaten by a giant squid.
The giant looked impatient. "Well? What're ye waitin' for? Get in the boats!"
Just then Maurice noticed the boats. He'd have to get near the water after all. Roger twisted out of his grip. "You're cutting off circulation," he hissed. Maurice smirked a little.
"Sorry."
They ended up sitting in a boat with two girls. Maurice wondered briefly if they were purebloods.
That thought was blown away, however, once he saw the castle. He was pretty sure the only reason first years went across in the boats was so that they could see this beautiful view. It looked kind of scary, sure, but beautiful all the same. Ernie hadn't been exaggerating.
They were going to be sorted soon, weren't they? Maurice swallowed, already a little nervous. It was too much for him to hope to be in Slytherin, like all of his new friends. He'd probably be stuck in Hufflepuff like Ernie.
Not that he knew for sure what house Roger'd be in. But he'd put money on Slytherin.
"Coming?" Roger asked, breaking into his thoughts. Maurice shook his head free and grinned.
"Sorry. Wow, I apologize a lot, don't I?" he remarked, springing out of the boat and onto the shore. Roger rolled his eyes and the two walked up to the castle.
They were met by a very strict-looking woman. Maurice gulped. She didn't look happy.
"First years," she said, nodding. "You shall be sorted in a few minutes. Now, there are four houses you could be sorted into – Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. Please do not make a fuss if you do not get into the house you wanted, clearly, you entered the house best for you. Wait here, and please do not make too much noise."
With a swirl of her emerald cloak, she was gone. Maurice blinked. "Who's that?" he hissed to no-one in particular. Nobody knew; or if they did, they didn't feel like telling him.
He was pretty sure something at least slightly exciting would have happened had the woman not come back at that very moment. "We are ready."
Ernie hadn't been exaggerating when he talked about the Great Hall, either. It was amazingly huge, with candles and people everywhere. Maurice sought out the Slytherin table and caught Jack's eye. Jack nodded to him, and Maurice grinned back.
They stopped just before the head table. The woman stood with a long scroll. "Now, when I call your name, you are to come and sit on the stool. I will rest the hat on your head and it will call out your house."
Maurice wondered how they were supposed to know which table was for their house. Well, Slytherin was green… Hufflepuff was yellow… Ravenclaw was blue… Gryffindor was red… he'd have to look at the ties.
He drifted in and out of daydreaming, occasionally hearing the woman call out a name. She'd probably introduced herself at some point, but he couldn't remember when for the life of him.
"Creevy, Colin!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Drake, Simon!"
Simon sat on the stool for a while, swinging his feet and looking out on the Hall. Maurice felt slightly unnerved when the boy's bright green eyes passed over him. Eventually, the hat decided on "RAVENCLAW!"
"Greyback, Roger!"
The hall went silent as Roger climbed the stairs to sit on the stool. The hat had barely touched his head before it shouted out, with complete certainty, "SLYTHERIN!"
"Figures," a boy near Maurice muttered. Maurice looked at him.
"Why?"
"Well, he's a Greyback, isn't he?" the boy said, curling his lip in disgust. "They're like… werewolves."
"I think he's nice," Maurice said, then continued watching the sorting.
A set of twins was the next group Maurice paid attention to. Both were sorted into Gryffindor. Right after them was one of the girls they'd ridden a boat with.
"Lovegood, Luna!" was her name. She was pronounced a "RAVENCLAW!"
"Macmillan, Maurice!"
Oh, that was him! He bounded up the stairs and sat on the stool, grinning and trying his best to think evil thoughts. Thoughts like 'filthy mudbloods' and 'I want to eat these people and drink their blood.'
'You're certainly an odd one.' Maurice jumped, not expecting the hat's voice in his head. The hat chuckled. 'You'd do well in any house, I believe. A jack of all trades.'
Please, please go Slytherin, Maurice thought, crossing his fingers. All of my new friends are there! And it's okay if I go there, I'm a pureblood. We can trace our ancestry back-
'Yeah, yeah, nine generations, I sorted your brother last year,' the hat said. 'Well, if you insist…'
Maurice grinned as the hat shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" He waited for the woman to take the hat off of his head and went to go sit beside Roger, who had a rare smile on his face. "I made it!" he said. "The hat didn't know where to put me!"
"Really?" Roger asked.
"He said I'd 'do well in any house,'" Maurice said, nodding. "How'd your conversation with the thing go?"
"There wasn't one," Roger said, switching his glance from Maurice to the last girl being sorted. Her name was, "Weasley, Ginevra" and, in true Weasley fashion, she was a Gryffindor. After her was one more boy – who was sorted into their house – and then it was over.
To be honest, Maurice didn't really pay attention to anything the Headmaster said in his speech. He probably should have been, but he did pay attention at the important part – when the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was announced.
"And, lastly, I would like to introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher – Gilderoy Lockhart!"
Maurice gasped. Gilderoy Lockhart? Of course; that would explain all of the Lockhart books on the list! Roger looked at him.
"Are you okay?" he asked. Maurice nodded.
"Gilderoy Lockhart is-"
"An idiot? Creepy? Self-absorbed?" Roger suggested. Maurice shook his head.
"The greatest wizard of this age," he said. Jack snorted.
"Just keep thinking that," he said. Draco looked over.
"What are you talking about?"
"Maurice is a Lockhart fangirl," Jack said. Maurice frowned.
"I am not," he muttered, turning his attention to the food. Most everyone had started eating already, and Maurice wasted no time in filling his plate. Jack was picking at his food. "Not hungry?"
Jack shook his head, and Maurice reached over Roger's plate to snag a drumstick from Jack's plate. Jack just looked at him. "There's more-"
"Shut up."
This one's a little short as well, but they do get longer. The next Maurice chapter is twice the size of this one. :D Next chapter we meet lots of LotF characters!