CHAPTER ELEVEN
When Malefic felt Hogwarts' Magick reach out to her she returned the gesture without a second thought (she was riding one of the boats on the lake but clearly Hogwarts' Magick reached beyond the castle that was in view.)
This proved to be a mistake because the sentient Magick was an overwhelming wave of Borne Magick, so unlike the familiar sentient Death Magick of the Mansion, and it caused Malefic to let out a startled hiss.
Both Heirs Nott and Zabini glanced to her at the near silent sound but she made no effort to acknowledge them as she was too busy attempting to regain her bearings.
She felt Hogwarts' Magick caress at her as if attempting to apologize. So comforting. So soft. So unlike what she was used to. With this in mind she did not reach out again, Hogwarts was friendly, too friendly for her tastes and she would wait before she allowed herself to become comfortable in this unfamiliar territory.
"Do you think that anyone's drowned in this lake before?" Heir Nott asked after a few moments of silence.
"No, Mother's asked. Apparently the merfolk that live beneath these depths have a treaty with the Headmaster to aid those that need it," Heir Zabini answered.
"How boring," Malefic hummed and dipped her fingers into the water of the lake they rode on. "Do you think if I write my own treaty with them it will cancel out the Headmaster's?"
Heir Zabini thought it over. "I suppose it could, for the right price. Do you have any offerings in mind, Lady Addams?" He added the last bit with a smirk in her direction.
Malefic responded with a smirk of her own. "A lady never bribes where there are eyes and ears Heir Zabini."
"What deity did I anger to get trapped on a boat with three Slytherins?" The fourth passenger of the boat muttered, speaking for the first time since boarding. She gave the three Slytherins a blinding grin. "Susan Bones, Heiress of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Bones. Well met," she introduce herself, the smile never leaving her face.
Malefic did not return the grin however she was the first to respond. "Malefic Addams, Lady to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Addams. Well met."
Heirs Nott and Zabini quickly followed with greetings of their own to which Heiress Bones gave a, if possible, larger grin to.
"You're the ward and niece to Madam Bones," Heir Zabini stated.
Heiress Bones rolled her eyes. "Slytherins, always looking for connections. Yes, I'm her niece and I don't appreciate being used as some sort of means to an end."
Malefic eyed Heiress Bones carefully. "I'll keep that in mind, Heiress Bones." The boat lurched slightly as they reached a kind of underground harbour. "It's been a pleasure," she added then swiftly moved to join the group of first years that were gathered behind the large man who was checking the boats as people climbed out, Heirs Nott and Zabini trailed behind her.
"Oh, you there! Is this your toad?" the large man said.
"Trevor!" cried a round faced boy who had asked about his toad on the train, holding out his hands.
The first years then clambered up a passageway after the large man's lamp, coming out at last on to smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.
They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.
"Everyone here?" the large man asked. "You there, still got yer road?"
The large man raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
The door swung open at once. A tall, black haired woman in emerald green robes stood before on the other side. She had a very stern face and Malefic instantly knew that she would either hate this woman or like her very much.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said the large man.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
She pulled the door wide and the first years filtered in. They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor.
There was the drone of hundreds of voices that could be heard from a doorway to the right but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they usually would have done (here, Malefic took a step back from the group) and peering around nervously.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
Her eyes lingered on a few students' attire for a moment. "I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."
She left the chamber.
There was quiet whispering and shuffling and then several people screamed.
Students around Malefic gasped and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes, had they never seen ghosts before.
The ghosts seemed to be arguing. A man that looked like a monk was saying, "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance — "
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?"
A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.
"We're new students," Malefic responded. "And we're awaiting the Sorting Ceremony."
The ghost stared at her with their mouths slightly agape, no doubt they could feel the Death Magick on her.
"I say..." the friar started in awe. "Are you a —?"
"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite hall, each one's eyes lingering on Malefic.
Malefic got in line behind Heiress Greengrass, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.
The hall was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Malefic looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.
She heard someone whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."
Malefic looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty, it seemed like something that belonged in Pugsley's room.
For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffis are true And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. Personally, Malefic hadn't found it all too impressive, the hat's pitch had been very off and she missed Uncle Fester's throat screeching practices for a moment.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah."
Abbott ended up in Hufflepuff who cheered and clapped for her as she went to sit down.*
"Addams, Malefic."
As she moved to sit down Malefic took a moment to recall the conversation she had had with her mother in regards to her name on the school records. While the initial name down for Hogwarts was Maya Potter they had responded to the school with the name Malefic Addams and Magick would recognise her true name and use that name in place of Maya.
"Though," Morticia had said, "with Maya Potter being famous I have no doubt that they'll try to locate her or rather you using that name."
"Maya Potter, eh?" said a small voice in Malefic's ears.
'Yes,' Malefic thought in response, 'and if you disclose that information I will personally sacrifice you to Lady Magick.'
"Hmm, feisty one. Hard to tell if that's from Gryffindor spirit or Slytherin plotting," the hat said.
'Please,' Malefic all but snorted in her head. 'You know exactly where to put me.'
"Patience Lady Addams, you hold the qualities of each house. The fire of the lions, the hard work of the badgers, the brains of the raven and the cunning of the snakes. It is not as easy as putting you where you think you belong."
'Is it not?' Malefic thought dryly.
The hat paused. "I suppose it is," it conceded. "Very well. SLYTHERIN!"
-
LAST EDITED: 01/10/2022
-
* Most of this chapter is derived directly from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, all rights go to JK Rowling.