The Sorting
As Timothy was the youngest and clearly the most eager, the exorcists collectively allowed him to go first. Once he was sat comfortably on the chair, Minerva placed the hat on his head. Tim made a sound of surprise but seemed to converse internally with it.
"Gryffindor!" the hat announced and Tim grinned up at his 'could have been' head of house who rolled her eyes before giving him a smile. Alma sat on the chair next and seemed to converse with the hat for a long while before it finally said,
"Definitely Ravenclaw" Flitwick waited for him to move from the chair before giving him a quick handshake.
"Go on." Kanda pushed Lenalee in front, knowing the girl wanted to try but didn't want to intrude. She smiled back at him before taking her place on the chair.
The hat had barely touched her head before it cried out,
"Hufflepuff" Lenalee seemed a little put out that her fake head of house wasn't there but she took the quiet congratulations from Minerva and joined Alma and Tim by the Headmaster's desk. Allen and Kanda looked at each other before Kanda gestured for the fairer boy to go ahead. Allen nodded his thanks and sat down. The hat seemed to stay on his head for a while and Kanda watched Allen's face go from concerned, to at peace. The hat finally decided,
"Gryffindor"
Allen got up and shook Minerva's hand. Kanda finally took his turn on the seat and waited for a voice in his head.
"So, you are a complicated one" the hat spoke. Kanda tried to hide his flinch. It was so loud. He replied internally.
"Well thanks"
"Haha, it's not a slight against you. So, where to put you. You are definitely brave, and sometimes rash but prefer to slip in and out of situations with cunning. You do care for your friends but it does not define you. You value intelligence but know that you are not naturally studious. But you are ambitious and know how to keep a secret. Many secrets. You are someone who holds their cards close until the time comes. I know now where to put you. Slytherin"
The last part was announced to the room and Kanda looked up at Severus. The man looked surprised but, Kanda noticed, a little pleased.
"What a varied bunch we have" Dumbledore clapped, snapping Kanda out of his slight daze. "Come, I'll show you to your quarters" and he beckoned them to follow him out of the office, "You three can come too"
On their way back through the castle, Alma chatted excitedly with Flitwick while Allen, Timothy and Lenalee spoke with Minerva. Kanda and Severus walked behind in silence until Severus finally spoke.
"I wasn't expecting a Slytherin" he glanced at the man out of the corner of his eye. Kanda looked back.
"It gave legitimate reasons" Severus looked interested.
"Oh? Like what?"
"I have ambitions. And many secrets" His own existence had been a secret for years, and his origins even longer. His eyes grew dark. Snape coughed lightly,
"Just a warning as an honorary Slytherin." he started and Kanda walked closer so that they could whisper.
"Slytherin is not liked and many students have given our house a bad reputation. One of the darkest wizards of our generation was from our house and many of his followers." Severus seemed to brush his hand over his left arm briefly.
"And you were one of them" Severus' expression froze but Kanda's face held no malice, only interest.
"Perhaps" Kanda nodded and they spent the rest of the journey in silence.
"Here we are" Dumbledore announced as he stood in front of a large portrait of a Rococo woman.
"Both your living quarters and classroom are within this area. The password is Cross" and with the password, the portrait door swung open. Allen shuddered slightly at the password but they all stared at the room that it showed. A large common room filled with bookcases, desks and sofas was revealed, a large fireplace and wooden door lining one wall, a small kitchenette and stairs coming off the other.
"There are five bedrooms up the stairs so please decide between yourselves. They are all the same size. Your classroom is through the door next to the fireplace" Minerva told them.
"We will let you get settled in. We will be heading to London tomorrow for you to gather supplies so be up nice and early. The elves will bring you breakfast" she said before leaving the room, the two professors following behind her. The portrait swung shut. Timothy blinked,
"Elves?"
"Don't worry about it. It'll probably make sense tomorrow. Come on Tim, let's pick rooms" Allen patted the boy on the back and the pair headed up the stairs. Kanda watched them disappear and turned to see Alma already scanning the shelves of books and Lenalee open the door to the classroom.
"Wow" Kanda joined her at the doorway. There were cauldrons lining the back wall and jars seemed to fill the shelves above it. A giant chalkboard filled the front of the class and there were five tables with inbuilt inkwells, stacked parchment paper and whatever else they would need.
"Kanda, everything in here mentions a wand." Alma called from the common room. Kanda looked over his shoulder in confusion.
"I'm guessing we'll be getting them from London tomorrow," he told the man with a shrug.
Allen appeared at the stair entrance. "You guys gonna pick a room?" he asked the trio, grabbing a book and lounging across from Alma, whose nose had returned to its own tome.
"Let's go Kanda" Lenalee grasped his arm and led him up the stairs. The professor was right, all the rooms were basically the same. Allen had claimed the one furthest from the stairs, Tim the one next to the bathroom. Kanda picked the room by the stairs, the window overlooking the forest and Lenalee picked the one that looked at the training grounds, leaving Alma with a view of an old courtyard.
Each room had a single bed, a wardrobe, desk and shelves, and a trunk. Kanda dumped his things on the desk and fell back onto the bed. Tomorrow would be a long day and he wanted to get some rest. Without changing, he fell asleep on top of the covers, not noticing Lenalee and Alma looking in briefly to check on him, before closing the door.