Chapter 8 : The Sorting
Harry and Elise got off the train. The last bit of sunlight had retreated and the station lamp posts all turned on. Elise turned around to face Harry and reached for his face to his surprise.
"I may have straightened out your nose but the blood is still there" she said, using her sleeve to rub his face.
"Hey! I can do it myself" Harry said furrowing his eyebrows and trying to shake her off.
"Hold. Still." The sternness of her tone had Harry stand still and straighten up his posture. He closed his eyes as she wiped off the remnants of the fight.
"Does it hurt?" she asked softly.
"Just my pride" Harry sighed. When he was met with silence, he opened his eyes to see Elise frowning at his scar.
"Oh that, some days it hurts more than others" he said. Normally he'd shake people off when he caught them staring. Under the lamppost Harry could clearly see her expression but he couldn't quite explain it. She didn't look at him with pity, nor fear or curiosity. Behind her thick rimmed glasses he could see her eyes looked angry.
"What's wrong?" Harry started to ask. The sound of heavy boots jogging towards them broke their gaze.
"HARRY!" The two looked off at the end of the train station to see a bundle of faded pink hair.
Seeing the leather jacket, ripped jeans and t-shirt. Harry broke out into a smile. "Tonks, it's so good to see you". He went in for a hug but was greeted with a flick to the forehead instead.
"Ow!"
"Tell me why it's my turn to patrol Hogsmeade and I get notified by Professor McGonagall that you are not in the castle and nowhere to be found?" Tonks said with her arms crossed over her chest.
"But luckily you were the one to find me." Harry said, rubbing his head. "It all worked out". Looking at his friend, Harry couldn't help but stare. Tonks had lost a lot of weight, she looked ill. Dark circles underneath her eyes and faded orange eyes.
As if noticing his concerned stare, Tonks gave a forced smile before grabbing Harry into a headlock and giving his hair a good ruffle.
"You little shit. Damn right you're lucky it was me."
Hearing a laugh to the side, she pushed off Harry to the side and cleared her throat. "Sorry about that, My name as you've heard is Tonks. Nice to meet you…"
"Elise Blanchette, new student. Nice to meet you too"
"Well welcome! So sorry you got wrapped up with trouble on your first day". Tonks said, eyeing the invisibility cloak in Harry's hand and shook her head. "You'd best put that cloak back on and we can walk up to the castle".
As the three made their way through the woods, Tonks made small chat with Elise about Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Harry couldn't help but walk behind and stare at Tonk's Patronus as it lit up the way for them forward. Tonks original Patronus was a jackrabbit but the Patronus Harry witnessed now was a large, shaggy wolf. Perhaps she too was reliving Sirius's death so much so it had changed her appearance and Patronus. He knew that feeling all too well.
The three entered through the back door of the castle only to be met with a thin man with an all too familiar sneer.
"You're late" the man in flowing black robes said menacingly.
Tonks stepped up in front of Harry and Elise protectively. "Apologies Severus, I took a detour to show the new student around."
The unamused man scoffed "I suppose if it weren't for you Tonks, our self proclaimed chosen one would have wanted to make an entrance himself. Was bursting into the Great Hall during the feast your idea of a dramatic start to the new year, Mr. Potter?"
"Hey just a minute-" Tonks began to argue.
"I'll take it from here. Tonks you may leave us be and go back to your post in Hogsmeade" Severus said, waving her off.
Tonk's hair started to turn red and Harry's fists clenched as he took a step forward.
"Professor it was all my fault" Elise said, placing a hand on her colleagues shoulders as if telling them to stand down. "I had fallen asleep on the train and was lost wandering the station. Tonks and Harry were so kind to help me and deal with all my questions as it's my first day here".
Elise gently nudged Tonks and mouthed "We will be okay".
Harry nodded begrudgingly in slight agreement. Tonks sighed and looked apologetically at Elise and Harry.
"Come visit me during my Hogsmeade patrol…and good luck" she said going out the backdoor again. Not leaving before she glared at the professor.
"Miss Blanchette, is it? The new transfer student" the professor clicked his tongue. "I am Professor Snape. If you weren't house-less at the moment. I'd have taken 10 points from you".
"Potter" he spat out. "You don't have that luxury. 10 points from Gryffindor. Shame, I don't remember the last time a House started the year with negative points' 'Snape said tauntingly.
Harry grit his teeth and bit his tongue. Elise squeezed his shoulder. The two followed behind Professor Snape in tense silence.
Entering the main corridors of the castle Katherine's eyes widened at the stunning interior of the castle. Gleaming marble floors led to vast staircases, impossibly high ceilings, white stone walls covered with cloves and portraits of Hogwarts alumni. She could feel the magic emanating from the castle.
They stopped in front of the closed large doors leading to the Great Hall. Severus without the slightest of a smile explained to her to walk to the front of the hall to get Sorted. Harry gave her a nod of encouragement before the grand doors were thrown open for them.
"Hogwarts was some of the happiest years of my life. Second to you of course."
Katherine rolled her eyes. "Happiest years for you. Years of hell for your teachers I'm sure."
She smiled as she recalled Sirius's telling her about his mischievous adventures in these very halls. Though she was here for a mission, perhaps even she could find some solace in the castle.
The opening of the hall doors caused the Feast chattering and excitement to come to a halt. As Harry left to sit at the Gryffindor table, Katherine walked alongside Severus alone. She could hear the quiet mutterings of confusion and curiosity regarding a new face.
Walking to the front she looked across the long horizontal table before her and made eye contact with the twinkling eyes of the headmaster. Next to him, a lady in emerald green robes stood up with a stern look on her face.
"Professor McGonagall, we have one more to be sorted," Severus said annoyingly and left the student's side without sparing her another glance.
Severus, you are doing a really good job at being the least liked Professor to exist, she thought. Even as your friend you could almost have me convinced of your horrible personality.
With McGonagall's pointed black hat to one side she walked across and stood next to a wooden stool with a frayed hat in her hand. Katherine stopped in front of the stool and turned to face the rest of the students. Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a piece of parchment and yelled out
"ELISE BLANCHETTE"
Though prim looking, the woman's voice was much louder and clearer than one would have expected. The hall grew quiet.
"I am Professor McGonagall. Welcome to Hogwarts" the older woman said softly to Katherine. "Take a seat on this stool behind you. There are four houses. Your house is your family while you are here at Hogwarts. Each house has its own noble history and merits. Your success will win you points but any rule breaking will cost your house to lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. May you grow and succeed in whichever house you are sorted in."
She felt the large black hat placed on her head, its frayed ends covering her eyes.
"Ah, yes…. An older student have we…..at least pretending to be a student, aren't you? Oh, what's this, yet another Riddle" said a small voice in her ear.
"what to do with you? Hm..very complicated. Given your bloodline, you could excel in Slytherin. You have a sly mind, you're a quick thinker. You have ambition. You could follow family tradition and achieve greatness there, you know…
Katherine went rigid on the stool. NO! Listen here, I am my own person.
Hmm, and yet you have the similar level of ambition and eagerness for power, The hat mused.
She shook her head. I will never walk that path again. Place me in Gryffindor so I can protect Harry, please I beg you.
"Fine, I will abide by your request. Let us see if you can make your own path.".
"Better be - GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled out and the large applause followed. With the flick of Professor McGonagall's wand her robes became decorated with gold and red.
Sighing with relief, she hopped off the stool after what seemed like an eternity though it had only been a mere pause of time and headed to the her house table.
She sat down next to Neville as he welcomed her, moving over to make room for her at the long table as the plate in front of her began magically filling with piles of food. As she looked down the table, she gave a small wave to Harry.
And so it begins