When they were nearly at school, Kelsey excused herself to the bathroom to get changed into her school robes. She looked at herself in the mirror and decided that she didn't look too different. She wore a white collared shirt, grey sweater, a black skirt and shoes, as well as her black robe. And, most importantly, the black tie around her neck that would change to the house colors of wherever she belonged to when she got sorted.
She looked further up into her eyes, her father's eyes, Remus would always tell her. Not like anyone would notice under the rest of her looks that belonged to her mother. Even though she was her mother's daughter, Kelsey would sometimes wonder how some people could just overlook her eyes…
As she left the bathroom, she knocked heads with someone, making her fall backwards.
"Ow…" she said quietly, rubbing her head.
"Sorry about that, love." a boy's voice said.
When she finally opened her eyes, Kelsey was surprised at the grey eyes staring back at her. Different from her own, somehow lighter. Though she soon focused back at the worried look worn on his face.
"I'm alright." she said, only slightly louder than before.
He got up on his own before holding out his hand and helping her to her feet. This was when Kelsey noticed that he also had new robes; he was a first year, too.
"Cedric Diggory." he confidently introduced himself, shaking Kelsey's hand that he didn't let go of after helping her up.
"Kelsey Scott." she smiled, shyly.
He was different from Fred and George. She had only met a handful of people since she got on the train, but Cedric was certainly not one of the many Weasleys she had met today, and it wasn't because his hair was golden-brown.
The train started slowing down, which made Kelsey aware of how close the school now was.
"Well, see you around." he nodded in her direction as he turned as walked towards his own compartment.
"See you." she said quietly, a bit too late. What was his name again? Edward? No, didn't it start with a C?
Kelsey shook the thought from her mind and went back to her own train compartment. She opened the door to discover that the twins were missing. She was a bit concerned, but shrugged and decided that it didn't matter. After gathering all of her belongings, she looked out the window. She gasped in awe at the sight of the giant castle. It was breathtaking. There were towers that looked like they reached the sky, and so many of them! It looked like a castle out of a muggle fairytale book.
Her thoughts were soon interrupted by an explosion outside the corridor; a gross-looking green smoke now occupied the hall.
Two familiar redheads ran in the room quickly, trying to get the least amount of smoke in the room as possible. Even so, Kelsey soon caught a whiff of the disgusting smelling odor and opened the window.
"Yes!" they said, hi-fiving each other.
Kelsey raised her eyebrow at them before remembering what they had said before about pranking.
"If you two get in trouble, I don't know you." she said nervously.
"Relax, love." Fred said.
"No one would believe you did it anyway." George winked.
She knew they were right, even if pranking was somewhere in her blood.
The train finally came to a stop and Fred, George, and Kelsey maneuvered their way through the smoke and students before they finally made it off the train.
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"
Kelsey turned to see a very tall man. Was he a giant? Magic schools could have those, couldn't they? He had a lot of hair that covered most of his face and a long, messy beard. Although she was shocked by his height, somehow she could automatically tell that he was a friendly man.
"Hello," she said, smiling up at him. It was the only thing she's said confidently since she got on the train. Of course she was completely unaware of the twins unsure looks behind her.
"Well hello ther'. What's your name, lass?"
"Kelsey Scott." she smiled, holding out her hand. "And you?"
"Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds 'ere at Hogwarts." Hagrid took her hand gently, since it was so much smaller than his.
"Brilliant."
Hagrid smiled down at the young first year before he continued called all the first years over. The twins pulled her away.
"Are you mad?!" they asked.
She blinked. "Excuse me?"
"He's a bloody giant." George said.
"I mean, in case you haven't noticed." Fred continued.
"So? Your brother seems to be on good terms with him."
Fred and George turned around to see Charlie, who was pretty short compared to Hagrid, smiling as he shook his hand.
"Any more firs' years? Mind your step! C'mon, firs' years follow me!"
Kelsey got on a boat with Fred and George, but all she was really focused on was the bright castle in the near distance. This is the place she'll be spending the next nine months at. The next seven years at. She tried to fully take in every tower, but there were too many to just focus on one! And, for a split second, she worried about how she would find all of her classes.
When they got off the boats, the first years followed Hagrid to the castle. Professor McGonagall, the headmistress, led them into the castle and up the stairs and into the Great Hall.
Kelsey immediately felt overwhelmed, seeing so many students in one place. All sitting at their assigned table according to their house. Which house would she end up in?
After the sorting hat's song, Professor McGonagall started calling out names of students in alphabetical order."
"Adair, Jessica."
"Oh, that's me!"
Kelsey turned around to see a girl with short curly blonde hair and sea blue-green eyes.
"Excuse me, sorry," she said on her way up to the stool.
When she finally sat down, the hat was placed on her head. After about thirty-seconds the hat shouted "SLYTHERIN!"
The Slytherin table burst into applause, and Jessica bounced off the stool and towards her new table.
Kelsey waited patiently. With her new last name, she knew she'd be close to the end. She listened and, soon, there were first years in every house. Reid, Brenda was sorted into Slytherin.
"Scott, Kelsey." Professor McGonagall finally called.
Her heart pounded. As she made her way up to the stool in front of everyone. When she sat down, the hat was placed on top of her head.
"Hmm, another Black. Although you seem to be different from the others." a small voice said in her ear.
"Scott…ah yes, there you're similar. What a broad mind you have. Logical way of thinking, very creative, and even witty. But also very kind, hardworking at what you do, and extremely loyal to the people you care very much about. Now where to put you…"
Kelsey had been on the stool for a few minutes now, as the hat contemplated on what house to put her in. It kept going back and forth between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.
"Hmm…tricky you are, quite tricky. You would do very well in both houses. Hufflepuff would surround you with people who would show you the same loyalty you'd give them, while Ravenclaw would further challenge your mind to thinking in new and different ways. You're one of the few students I always find every year that I can never quite pinpoint one house…
Do you have a preference?"
Before Kelsey put the hat on, it didn't really matter to her what house she got into. But, now that she had been on the stool for quite some time and the hat was asking her opinion…
"It would be nice to be in the same house that my mum was in…" she thought.
"Then that settles it, good luck...RAVENCLAW!" only the last word was said for the entire hall to hear.
The Ravenclaw table burst into applause, and she finally got off the stool and went over to sit at her new table.
"Timothy Rogers." a hand was shoved at her. Kelsey recognized him as Charlie's friend from the train. "6th year, Ravenclaw prefect."
"Nice to meet you." she smiled quietly, taking his hand.
"Weasley, Fred."
Kelsey's head snapped back up to the front of the Hall just in time to see Fred get on the stool. When the hat was placed on his head, it took a few moments to think. This confused Kelsey, since the twins were so sure they would be in Gryffindor.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat finally shouted, and Fred took off the hat, smiling. He hi-fived George and headed straight for the applauding table.
"Weasley, George."
George ran up to the stool and sat down eagerly. When the hat was placed on his head, it took less time to decide for him than Fred.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted again.
George ran over to the table and sat next to Fred, the Gryffindor table excited for two new members in a row.
Kelsey sighed. She secretly wanted to end up in Gryffindor with them. She didn't know if she'd be able to talk to anyone else so casually. And what if they wouldn't be friends anymore now that they were in different houses?
After Yule, Benedict was sorted into Ravenclaw, an old wizard walked to the front of the Great Hall behind a podium. Kelsey recognized him immediately as Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, he was on her chocolate frog card.
"To all our first year students, welcome to Hogwarts! And, to all our returning students, welcome back. Let us begin our banquet!"
Almost immediately, the tables that were once empty were now covered with different foods. Some even Kelsey had never seen before. She was just about to take something to eat when her hand froze.
Is Uncle Moony eating tonight?
She couldn't bring herself to eat anything. At least, until Tim the Ravenclaw prefect noticed her.
"You going to eat anything tonight?" he leaned over and asked her.
She blushed, but took something randomly and put it on her plate, picking at bits of it to satisfy her elder. She figured that after tonight, she wouldn't have to come down for meals all the time, so she continued nibbling slowly on her chicken.
"Don't have much of an appetite, do you love?"
She looked up at the brunette boy across from her. Well, not like you could see much of it: most of the dark brown curls were hidden under a black beanie on his head.
"Not really." she answered quietly.
"That's alright, I was the same last year." he said cutting up more of the food on his plate. "My name's Galloway, Joseph Galloway. I'm a second year."
"Kelsey Scott." she said quietly.
"You sure spent a long time on that stool up there." he said, taking a bite out of his food.
"Is that a bad thing?" she asked, very wary about what students thought of her.
"No, not at all." he swallowed the food in his mouth. "There are always a couple near-hatstalls every year. It happened last year in my group of first years too."
"Hatstall?" she asked at the unknown word.
"Apparently, it's when a student spends more than five minutes with the hat. That hasn't happened in years. Anyway," he continued, clearly uninterested in what the first year asked. "I'm glad you ended up in Ravenclaw. It's a pretty decent house, if I do say so myself." he said, goofily adjusting the beanie on his head.
Kelsey giggled, suddenly the embarrassment of everyone's eyes on her much lessened.
"Hey, do you by any chance know Professor Snape?"
"Umm…" she was confused by the question but decided to look up towards the staff table anyway. "Which one's that?"
"Dark hair, crooked nose, dark robes."
Kelsey immediately found the teacher he was talking about. However, she didn't recognize him from anywhere else before.
"Guess not, he was givin' you a weird look when your name was called though. He's the potions teacher."
"A weird look?" she asked, looking back at the boy.
He shrugged. "Snape is quite a character. I wish you luck, with a look like that it seems like you've somehow already got on his bad side."
"Bad side?" she asked nervously.
"Snape is not someone to mess with. Not even if you're in Slytherin, and that's his favorite house."
"Well that seems unfair."
"Welcome to Hogwarts." he said, raising his cup at her, making her giggle.
The dinner soon cleared off and deserts were put on in their place. This time, Kelsey felt more comfortable not taking anything to eat. Who would force her to eat dessert? Instead, she turned her head around to take a peek at the twins at Gryffindor table. They were talking with other first years and seemed to be having a good time.
I guess it was true…she wouldn't be seeing the twins much anyway, but somehow this hurt her a lot.
After a few announcements from Dumbledore about Quidditch tryouts and rules and regulations for the school, the Ravenclaw prefects were calling all first years so they could show them the common room location. She glanced one more time over at the twins, catching one of their eyes. Because of the distance, she couldn't tell which one. Still, it made her blush, and she quickly got up and followed the other Ravenclaws out.