Chapter 4: Destined to Ruin the Blood
After bidding her mum goodbye and being warned to behave, Shyla sat on the train with Ali, Justin and Thomas.
"I can't wait to be sorted!" Thomas shouted. "I know all Weasleys get sorted into Gryffindor, but still, won't it be so exciting?"
Ali grinned. "Oh, yes! My Dad told me that even if you desire to be in one house, the hat knows your true self and will put you where it sees fit. Even if for some reason I don't get Gryffindor, I would be happy in Ravenclaw."
Justin smiled. "My mum was in Ravenclaw." He let his shaggy red hair fall into his eyes. "It's days like this I really miss her."
Ali smiled at Justin reasuringly. "My mum really adored your mum. They were good friends."
"I met a girl at Flourish and Blotts," Shyla said, changing the subject. "Her name's Eva Malfoy and she said that Malfoys always get into Slytherin. But she seemed cool."
Ali shook her head. "The older cousins said to stay away from Slytherins. Said they are only trouble."
Shyla shrugged and smirked, "I like trouble."
"Shy, if you get detention, Aunt Hermione is going to kill you!" Ali reminded.
"Mum said that Dad and Uncle Fred were loads of trouble in school! Dad promised me that he would tell me all of his secrets when I get older," Thomas said enthusiastically.
The four chattered laughed together, and made plans to have an amazing first year. Talking about the idea of seeing a real Quidditch match, and the classes they would take.
"My mum said that she met Uncle Harry, and my dad on the train in their first year." Shyla said quietly. It was a surreal feeling to realize that her own mother was once the same age as she was. "I'm so glad I grew up with magic, and knowing about it. Could you imagine not knowing? You would think that they would have to go into a preliminary school, to at least get caught up with the rest of us."
"Shyla, don't talk that way." Justin warned.
"Why not? I just think they should know more than 'oh hey! I'm a witch!' before coming to our school!" Shyla challenged.
for quite some time before their cousin Chloe came in. "Better get your robes on. Once you get off the train, you'll meet Hagrid, he'll take you across the lake and to the castle. Good luck."
Shyla liked the way she felt in robes, they flattered her well, too. As they left the train, a large and very hairy man, well over 8 feet tall, was calling the first years over. "First years! This way! Watch your step!"
"You must be Hagrid!" Thomas cried out.
"More Weasley children?" the man called Hagrid replied.
Ali giggled. "I'm Fred's daughter and Thomas is George's son! They said to tell you hello! But... then they laughed." she shrugged and grinned up at the graying man.
Hagrid cringed, but smiled politely. "I will tell you kids once, and ONLY once: leave the lake monster alone, stay out of the forbidden forest, and don't go snooping around!"
Thomas became elated, "I almost forgot! The lake monster! Dad said that he prefers cupcakes!"
"And cheese!" Ali joined in.
Justin smiled softly, he was far more of a bookworm than his fellow first years. Shyla laughed as she climbed into the boats lining the edge of the lake, she was sure she would love Hogwarts.
Hagrid sighed. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
"Hagrid, my mum said to say hello to you. It's been a long while since we've seen you," Shyla said,warmly. She liked Hagrid, he was fun. "Besides, Ali is too much of a scaredy cat to get into any real trouble," she teased, sticking her tongue out at her cousin.
Hagrid's dark eyes glistened in the moonlight. "Thank you, Shyla. I have been meaning to visit your mum for some time now. I will be sure to send her an owl." He turned back to Ali and Thomas, "Just know that you both are already on the 'keep an eye on' list. The children of Hogwarts' biggest trouble makers? You better believe it!" His voice was gruff, giving him a sense of authority.
After all the first years were situated into the boats, Hagrid untied the robes, and climbed into his own, rather large, boat. The lake was like liquid glass. Only rippling as the boats carried along by magic. The lights of the castle on the other side of the lake shone through the night. It was beautiful and mysterious. There wasn't a single first year student who was not excited.
Once the boats reached the other side of the lake, a short, stout professor with a heart shaped face and short brown hair, was waiting for the first year students. "My name is Professor Ralonius. I will be leading you to the Great Hall, where you will be sorted into your respective houses. Please wait here quietly while I see if Headmistress McGonagall is ready for you."
Ali gripped Shyla's hand in nervous anticipation. Shyla glanced around at the other first years;about 40 in all were to be sorted that year. She saw Eva Malfoy standing towards the front. Seeing as they were bound to be in such different houses, she saw no use in saying hello.
"Come now!" Professor Ralonius shouted, directing the first years to the hall. "Make way to the front, you will wait until your name is called."Shyla's eyes scanned the Great Hall. She saw Professor Malfoy sitting at the the front, amongst the other professors. Sitting next to Malfoy was her uncle, Neville Longbottom, and next to Hagrid on the other side was her mother's dear friend, Luna Lovegood.
Professor Ralonius held open a scroll as she called the first name. "Cerys Andrews."
Cerys gave a small smile to the Professor and sat herself on the stool. Her mousy brown hair was barely touching her hunched shoulders. Shyla intently watched, not because she found Cerys to be interesting, but because she was the first student to be sorted. It didn't take long before the sorting hat shouted, "Ravenclaw!" Cerys smiled proudly, and quickly joined the table that was cheering for her.
Next was a small boy by the name of "August Collins." His dark blonde hair flopped into his eyes, and he gave a flip of his head as the hat was set. The sorting hat seemed to have difficulty sorting August as he sat there for a good minute. Finally it announced, "Slytherin!"
August gave a bored shrug and walked to his new table with his hands stuffed into his pockets. Shyla instinctively looked to the cheering table. They all had a sense of superiority it seemed. She looked back to the Gryffindors who rolled their eyes at the Slytherin boy. Such different houses, it was obvious.
"Ashley Darwin." Ashley had long dark brown hair, that curled at the ends, and tanned skin. "Gryffindor!" The hat called loudly. Shyla couldn't help but wonder if they would be in the same house, and if they would even become friends. The Gryffindor's cheered, with the first sorting of the new year.
"Keelee Devode." This girl was tall with long brown hair. She had an airof pride and troubleabout her. Shyla liked her already. Quickly the hat yelled, "Slytherin!" It was almost an urgent yell, as if there was no doubt in it's strange mind. Keelee was a Slytherin, no question to it.
"Harrison Fox." It didn't take long before the plain looking boy was sorted into Hufflepuff. Shyla took a deep breath, realizing that her name would soon be called.
"Shyla Granger." Professor Ralonius looked at Shyla casually and smiled as she took her place on the dreaded stool. It looked so innocent, sitting there in front of everyone. But once she sat on it, it felt like a spotlight had been set, and all eyes were on her. She swallowed heavily, and as the hat was placed on her head, she was really glad her hair looked perfect today. She would have felt her world ending if it hadn't. The sorting hat felt heavy.
"Cunning, and poised, there is definite class to you," she heard the hat whispering in her ear. "I sense a conflict of interest. A desire to be in Gryffindor, eh? Is that really true to yourself, though? Well, really, it is your own desires that guide you. A personality that allows you to succeed anywhere you go. Your blood, it is a conflict of interest over one house. But, I suppose it will have to be..."
"Slytherin!" The hat shouted to the school. Shyla's heart dropped into her stomach. She felt the color from her skin drain. Her eyes flicked back to her uncle, Neville, who was sitting next to Professor Malfoy. Malfoy smirked as Neville turned his eyes away from Shyla. She wanted to protest, she wanted to cry out, 'No! You're wrong!' but the words never came. She felt a knot in her throat as her cousins at the Gryffindor table stared in shock. She stared back at them, wanting to ignore the hat, and join the cousins that expected her. The cheering from the Slytherin table, not even registering to her ears.
"What... What did it say?" Shyla managed to choke out in question. There were whispers coming from the Gryffindor table. Strangely, they sounded louder than the clapping.
Professor Ralonius smiled gently. "The Slytherin table is that way, dear. Please join your new housemates."
Shyla slipped off the stool in a complete daze. Quickly she found an open seat at the Slytherin table, between Keelee and August. She felt her heart beating a million times a minute. Her stomach turning from the confusion that plagued her mind.
"Katia Livingston" was the name called next, as if Shyla's world hadn't just ended. A small girl with auburn hair sat on the stool. "Hufflepuff!" Katia smiled softly as she skipped to her house.
"Evangeline Malfoy." The small blonde sat on the stool proudly. As the hat touched her hair it shouted "Slytherin!" Eva looked at her father proudly and went to her table. Eva was welcomed warmly, as if she already belonged. "Move." The girl ordered August, who slid down the best he could. Eva's eye's turned to Shyla. "I'm surprised, Granger. I was sure you said you were a Weasley."
"I am." Shyla managed to choke out.
Eva laughed lightly, "Obviously not nearly as much as you thought." She smirked and turned her attention back to the sorting.
The next few names flew by, being sorted into various houses. A couple more girls to Slytherin, several students to Ravenclaw, and the occassional Hufflepuff. Shyla took note of the Gryffindors that were sorted though. At one point, she managed to catch Ali's eye, and smiled sadly, in a way, apologizing. Shyla felt like she had ruined their chance at an amazing year together.
"Alisera Weasley!" Professor Ralonius finally called. Ali glanced at Shyla nervously. Shyla truly believed that Ali was destined to be in Gryffindor. And the sorting hat quickly proved it. "Gryffindor!" it shouted. Ali was ecstatic, seemingly forgetting about Shyla's position.
Next was "Justin Weasley."
She eyed her cousin cautiously. She secretly hoped he wouldn't get into Gryffindor either, thinking maybe it would take some of the pressure off of her. But she knew better. Justin was a Weasley. But so was she... Shyla's head flooded with sat there for over a minute. "Must be a complicated boy," a Slytherin laughed, "but Weasleys always get into Gryffindor." Shyla looked away.
"Ravenclaw!" the hat said,firmly.
"What?" Shouts were heard from the Gryffindor table. Shyla breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't the only one who ruined the bloodline. This made her happy in a twisted way. Justin even looked happy in a sense. 'Did he really want to be in his mother's house that badly?' Shyla asked herself. Justin walked to his fellow Ravenclaws and sat with them. He smiled softly at Shyla. It was almost a sure bet that he was glad that Shyla wasn't sorted into Gryffindor either.
And lastly, "Thomas Weasley." was called. There was no chance that Thomas wouldn't be a Gryffindor. Both of his parents were Gryffindors, same as Ali's.
Thomas grinned a toothy smile as he sat on the stool in front of the rest of the school. His red hair flopped into his dark eyes."Honestly, how many Weasley's are there?" Eva laughed.
Thomas was there a mere ten seconds before the hat shouted, "Gryffindor!" The Gryffindor table cheered, along with Ali. Justin clapped politely. Thomas smiled even broader as he walked to his new housemates and greeted by his cousins.
Once the sorting was finished the headmistress, Professor McGonagall, rose and stood in front of the students. "To our first years, welcome to Hogwarts! And to our returning students, welcome back." She smiled softly and continued. "Our caretaker, Argus Filch would like me to remind you that if any student is caught in the Forbidden Forest, there will be severe punishment. Please also remember to respect the castle. It is your home for the next 10 months, and for some, the next 7 years. Study hard, but remember to enjoy your time at Hogwarts. Now, please enjoy the feast that has been prepared for you."
Piles of food appeared in front of the students. It was a feast that would fit a king. Shyla eyed the bowl of mashed potatoes and took a large scoop. They were always her weakness. Once students were casually eating and chit-chatting, Eva turned to Shyla. "So tell me, I thought you said that all Weasleys got into Gryffindor. What makes you so special?"
Shyla cringed, placing down her spoon. "They did... Until me... and Justin. My grandmum is going to be pissed!"
The girl called Keelee laughed. "You're a Weasley?"
Shyla shrugged. "My father was... My last name is Granger, though."
"Hon' you look nothing like a Weasley," Keelee giggled. "Trust me, that is such a good thing!"
Shyla laughed a little, trying to fit in. "I know. That was one thing I was always glad of."
"So... is your family, like, going to disown you now?" Eva asked.
Shyla shrugged. "I don't think so... After all, Justin got into a different house too. Maybe they'll just realize that not everything is about getting into Gryffindor... I think my mum will be disappointed though. All she talked about after I got my letter was how great Gryffindor was."
The boy across from Shyla scoffed. "Gryffindor is full of goody-goodies who think they're better than the rest of us. I would rather be sorted into Hufflepuff than into that house."
Shyla looked to her cousins at the Gryffindor table. They seemed to have forgotten about the sorting and were happily enjoying their meal. Justin was too. He was chatting with the Ravenclaws like they were old friends. Then again, maybe they were. The only other children Shyla grew up with were the Weasleys. She and her mother lived in a small apartment. Hermione found no use for a large house with just the two of them. And most of their neighbors were elderly witches and wizards, who had retired. Sometimes their grandchildren visited, but for some reason, unknown to Shyla, they weren't allowed to play with her.
"You know, I don't care that I wasn't sorted into Gryffindor. They can have their red and gold. I always preferred green anyways," Shyla stated defiantly. Her light blue eyes fixed on the Weasleys for a moment more and then she cast her eyes away for the remainder of the feast, allowing herself to enjoy the company of her fellow Slytherins.
A/N: Thank you SO MUCH to SlytherinTribute12, for letting me know that I slipped up, and Shyla accidentally called Ron her Uncle. WOOPS! But it is fixed now!
~PurplePygmypuff