Here's Chapter 2 for you, let me know what you think :) As usual I don't own the characters.
Chapter 2 – The Sorting Ceremony
The train ride was uneventful, just students passing comments about which house they might be in and what they think Dumbledore looked like. I kept to myself staying in the compartment with Fred and George, all the strange looks people were giving me were starting to annoy me.
"It'll pass Mickey don't worry" Fred reassured me as he opened a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans. He took a couple before offering me one, to which I politely declined. Now when it says every flavour it really does mean very flavour. One-year Molly bought us a box each for Christmas and we would spend hours playing bean roulette. It was safe to say she end up with three very poorly kids and wasn't particularly happy about it. We learnt our lesson after that, but every now and again one of the twins would try to catch me out.
"So why are we not calling you Potter again?" George asked as he attempted to catch a chocolate frog.
"Dumbledore thinks it will be safe for both Harry and I if I didn't" I mumbled flipping a page of the book I was reading, something to do with the history of magic.
"We'll have to start calling you Evans then" he grinned "Damn it I got Dumbledore again". I smiled and bit my lip looking out the window at the countryside flowing past.
"Dad used to call Mum that at school or so Uncle Lupin tells me" I sighed placing a piece of parchment between the pages as a bookmark.
"So why do you call him Uncle when he isn't your Uncle?" Fred passed me a pumpkin pasty, which I took without argument.
"It never felt right to call him Remus and he would tell me stories of how Sirius, Dad and Remus would create the most daring of pranks and were in a sense brothers, so I started calling him Uncle" I twirled the pasty between my fingers as I spoke. If anyone else had asked me I would've shrugged it off and told them to leave me alone, but as it was Fred and George, I could tell them anything. It made me think of how lucky I was compared to Harry who had to grow up with the Dursleys. From what I'd heard they weren't genuinely nice people and treated him poorly, making him sleep in a tiny cupboard under their stairs and making him do everything for them. Whereas I had grown up with a loving family and a place I could actually call home. A number of times I had considered writing to him, but Mr Weasley advised me against it, he said the muggles wouldn't understand.
"There it is!" George exclaimed fighting his way through all the sweets to reach the window. Fred and I joined him to see the magnificent castle we would call our home for the next year. It was every bit as magical as Bill and Charlie had described, from the turrets to the brickwork.
"Wow" we all stared in awe. The closer we got to the castle the more I felt at home. I mean yes, The Burrow was home as well but I felt like I belonged at Hogwarts.
As the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station the nervousness began to creep in again and I grabbed my rucksack with shaky hands. We had changed into our robes a few moments before and I couldn't help but giggled at how alike we looked. The red hair, grey jumpers and black robes, the only difference being I wore a skirt. I kept close to the twins as we made our way off the train once again feeling the weight of the stares. It had never really bothered me before, people staring at my scars but for some reason it was making my skin crawl.
"First years this way please" a deep gruff voice boomed over the excited chatter. I lifted my head to see a tall man, with long bushy hair and a beard to match.
"That must be Hagrid" Fred whispered to me, keeping a comforting hand on my shoulder as we made our way over to him. There must've been a hundred if nor more first years all bundled in a group in front of the half giant, while the other students made their own way towards the castle in a flurry of green, red, blue and yellow.
"If everyone would like to follow me to the boats" Hagrid grumbled pulling a lantern from one of the stands nearby before turning towards a path. We all followed him, some speaking in hushed whispers, others like myself and the twins sticking together as not to get lost.
The short trip in the boats towards the castle made me wonder more about the world of magic and the many possibilities it held. We didn't need oars as the boats sailed themselves and I watched as the other students looked around in awe. When we reached the castle we were lead through a set of giant wooden doors and up a winding staircase. At the top lay another set of doors and a quite scary looking woman in front of them. She wore long green robes and a pointed witch's hat to match. On the end of her nose sat a pair of glasses, over which a pair of piercing green eyes observed us all.
"Welcome Students to your first year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry" Her voice was gravelly and quite sharp "My name is Professor McGonagall, and I am the head of Gryffindor house".
"Before you can join your fellow students you first be sorted into one of the four houses, they are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin, while you are here your house will be like your family" She spoke with a practiced ease, one that would reassure the most nervous of people. Fred squeezed the hand that he hand begun holding the minute we entered the castle. I gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand in return.
"In a few moments you will walk through these doors and be sorted" McGonagall glanced over us all before turning and making her way into what I assumed was the great hall.
"Charlie did say she seemed very strict" George muttered trying to diffuse the tension. I bit my lip to hold in the giggle that was brewing. A few moments later McGonagall reappeared and began ushering us into the great hall. As we walked through the doors, I could hear the gasps as eyes fell upon the ceiling or lack thereof. Where the ceiling should've been was a clear starry night and floating candles. Down the length of the hall lay four tables, one for each house, with another table at the end for the teachers. A small stool sat just in front of the professor's table, atop it slay a rather battered looking hat. The first year's group came to a stop just before the steps that led up to the stool and we all watched nervously as Professor McGonagall pulled a roll of parchment from her robes.
"In no particular order I will read out each of your names, you will sit on the stool and I will place the sorting hat on your head, once its decision has been made please make your way to the table of your house" She spoke clearly and definitively.
"Here we go" Fred muttered, and I couldn't help but feel my stomach begin to twist once again with nervousness.
"Angelina Johnson" A small olive-skinned girl with black hair made her way towards the stool carefully sitting down as McGonagall placed the hat on her head.
"Hmm, I sense bravery and cleverness in you, must be…Gryffindor!" the voice of the sorting hat shocked us all, it was deep and rough. The ceremony carried on for another half an hour before Fred's name was called.
"Fred Weasley" McGonagall eyed him as he made his way to the stool. I heard Charlie cheer and whistle as the hat was placed on Fred's head.
"Ah another Weasley, I know where to put you…. Gryffindor!" Fred's face split into a grin as he half ran to the Gryffindor table, meeting Charlie with a massive hug. He winked at me and I felt my cheeks glow red as I grinned back at him.
"Michelle Evans" I heard my name and gulped. I was excited yet nervous at the same time, excited to be sorted yet nervous as to which house the hat would place me in. The twins and I had talked about being in Gryffindor all the time, what with both our families being in that house. I took a deep breath and made my way up the small set of stares, the whispers of 'why does she have scars' ringing in my ears. I tried to filter them out as McGonagall placed the sorting hat on my head, concentrating on what it was saying.
"Hmm I sense loyalty and kindness in you, better be…Hufflepuff!" I felt my eyes widen and I looked up at McGonagall. She gave me a small smile and nodded towards the end table on the left. As I made my way towards them, I glanced back at Fred to see he was smiling and cheering.
"You'll be okay" He mouthed and gave me a thumbs up. I smiled back and gave him a little nod before joining my housemates.
"Welcome to Hufflepuff, I'm Cedric" A lanky brunette boy stood to meet me, holding out his hand.
"Michelle" I shook his hand before taking a seat next to him. A few of the others congratulated me on making it in to Hufflepuff before we turned to watch the rest of the ceremony. Once everyone had been sorted a man with long white hair and matching beard made his way to a golden pulpit. I watched as an owl spread its wings creating a cradle for the pieces of parchment, he had placed there.
"Welcome everyone to another year at Hogwarts, my name is Albus Dumbledore and I am your headmaster" he looked over the half-moon glasses that were perched on the tip of his nose. "First years should you need anything you can go to your prefects or heads of houses, schedules will be handed out when you head back to your dormitories" every student was listening with great intent, hanging onto every word that he said. He finished speaking a few minutes later announcing that he feast had begun. I frowned before I noticed the once empty tables now filled with varieties of food.
"Dig in" Cedric smiled crookedly at me as he nodded his head towards the food. Everyone began helping themselves, piling their plates high with whatever they could get their hands on. I on the other chose a few foods and began picking at them. After the feast we were allowed to find our friends to congratulate them before the prefects took us back to our dorms. I made my way out of the great hall, looking every which way trying to spot Fred, George or Charlie.
"Michelle over here" Fred called my name as he waved me over to them. I breathed a sigh of relief and half ran to them laughing as all three of them pulled me into a hug. It was from then on I decided that it didn't matter what house I was in, as long as I had these three as my friends.