Chapter 18 Hogwarts

AN: These students that are being sorted are NOT first years, they have been home-educated right the way through to the beginning of 5th year.

Ginny's point of view

My godparents started living separate lives.

Shane and Richie lived with Aunt Linda. Steph and I lived with Uncle Vince. Uncle Vince hired a housekeeper since he can't cook or operate machines. Her name was Ms Dorothy Zbornak.

She was a retired schoolteacher searching for a challenging career which meant that she could support her elderly mother who resided in a care home called Shady Pines. Her hair was thick, silvery-white and rather curly. Her eyes were brown. She frequently spoke her mind. She was nice to us but she told Uncle Vince what she thought, whether it was what he wanted to hear or not.

Steph, Shane, Richie, Tony, Jay, Bruce, Clint, Wanda, Pietro and I homeschooled together. We took turns hosting our 3 Cooperative sessions a week. Mrs Zbornak taught when Aunt Linda couldn't.

Tony's point of view

All too soon, it was time for us to go on a plane to London and then get on the Hogwarts Express to school.

We'd been on the Hogwarts Express for a while when Severus said,

"I am going to go to the bathroom. Does anyone else need to go?"

"No,"

"OK, I won't be long."

25 minutes later, Severus still hadn't returned.
We drew Exploding Snap cards to see which two of us should go. Jay and I both had the cards blow up in our faces. We went into the corridor and there, standing yelling at some kids, who were picking on Severus, was Ginny. She was brandishing a pepper spray bottle in the face of one of the bully kids.

"IF I CATCH YOU PICKING ON THIS BOY AGAIN THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY! YOU WAIT TILL I TELL PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES!" she yelled.

"Go on a date with me Potts, then we'll see," sneered one of the kids

"I WOULDN'T DATE AN IMMATURE STUPID IDIOT LIKE YOU IF YOU WERE THE LAST BOY ON EARTH JAMES POTTER ASIDE FROM WHICH I'M ALREADY DATING SOMEONE!" watching her handle those bullies was mesmerising.

"Thank you," said Severus.

"Dude! Are you OK?"

"Yeah"

We got to talk about our families.

"My mother and father are muggles, my godmother was a witch. A very powerful witch at that. She died when I was 5."

"I'm adopted, my godparents brought me up because my mother was an unfit parent and my father has been in jail since 9 weeks before I was born. My mother died when I was 6. She was a witch. My father is a muggle. Both my godparents have magic. My Godfather doesn't use magic as much as my godmother though… I think he's afraid of it."

Severus went chalk white. Sirius patted him lightly on the shoulder.

"Are you OK dude?"
He sighed "I just miss my mother that's all"

"I know… don't worry, we'll keep Potter and the others well away from you."

"I know"

"How about we play exploding snap while we get to know each other?"
"OK"

Severus said

"Just so that you know. My mother died 3 months ago, she was a witch, she died when my father threw her down the stairs backwards, and she broke her neck. My father is muggle, he's in a psychiatric hospital. He was forced to give up parental rights. I was adopted by the Malfoys. Lucius is a 5th year prefect, he's in Slytherin. Uncle Abraxas expects me to go to Ravenclaw or Slytherin. I'm not sure what would happen if I got Hufflepuff, but he'll disown me if I get Gryffindor! To be honest, I wouldn't blame him if he did because Gryffindor is the worst of the four houses."

"You can come and stay with us Sev," said Sirius

"Thanks Sirius,"

"Severus, father won't disown you if you get Gryffindor, so you can stop proselytising yourself into an anxiety attack OK?" said a voice

"You would have better luck attempting to baptise a cat, Lucius..." Severus muttered.

Lucius chuckled

"Listen to me, Sev, even if you get Gryffindor, Father will not disown you. I made him promise he won't. He knows I don't want to go back to being an only child."

"OK,"

"I'll come and join you and your friends shortly, I'm going to patrol,"

"Prefect Malfoy?"

"Yes?"

"James Potter and his goon squad were calling Severus names earlier,"

"Were they now?"

"Yes sir, they were."

"Thank you for informing me, Miss..."

"Potts sir,"

"Miss Potts, I will ensure that 10 points go to the house that you go to... I despise bullies,"

"So do I. I thought a warning from a prefect would straighten them out. I brandished my bottle of Pepper spray at them - but I didn't spray any on them. Next time I won't be quite that kind."

"I shall speak with them. I will be back. Severus, don't worry ok?"

"OK,"

"I don't understand, what's so wrong with Gryffindor?" I said as Lucius was about to leave. He turned back and with a smile, he said,

"That's the house Dumbledore was in. No one with an ounce of sense likes that man... or trusts him."

"Really? Why?"

"Because he is phony... anyone who likes him and is on his side is in Gryffindor, he is incredibly biased towards them."

"Oh...Thank you, Prefect Malfoy,"

"My pleasure. Now I really do have to go and patrol. I'll be back to check in later."

Ginny and I went for a walk by ourselves.

"Gin?"
"Yeah?"
"I thought of another nickname for you"
"Go on?"
"Pepper"
"Because I almost pepper-sprayed those bullies?"
"Yeah and because like a pepper you're smokin' hot"
"Awww… I like it."

We stood by the door of a carriage that was almost empty and kissed…

"Love you"
"Love you too"

We walked back to the carriage we had been sitting in with the others.

"Guys, Ginny is my girlfriend and I just gave her a new nickname…"
"Pepper"

When we arrived at Hogwarts, a large friendly man with a huge bushy beard took us across the lake to the castle. Professor McGonagall was waiting for us. There was an unhappiness in her eyes.

"In a few moments you will step through the doors into the great hall and you will be sorted into your houses, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Gryffindor. your house will be like your family, triumphs will earn you points, rule breaking will lose you points. I suggest you straighten yourselves up while you are waiting here quietly."

Professor McGonagall went through the doors into The Great Hall. A few minutes later, she returned

"We are ready for you now. Please line up quietly,"

We moved into a line...

"Hello new students, my name is Professor Riddle, I am deputy head of this school and head of Slytherin, I teach Defence against the Dark Arts. All right, when Professor McGonagall calls your name, step up and sit on the stool and the hat will tell you which house you belong in. The table on the far left is Gryffindor, the table next to it is Hufflepuff, then there's Slytherin and then finally, Ravenclaw. Good luck,"

"Stark, Bruce"
"RAVENCLAW

"Stark, James,"

"RAVENCLAW,"

"Stark, Anthony,"

"Hello" said the Hat

"Hello" I replied politely

"Wow... you are a genius... you are loyal to your best friend... you don't tolerate bullying... of anyone... you could really go to any house, so where do you want to go?"

"Ravenclaw. At least I'll have a friend there,"

"Very well,"

"Can you do me a favour?"

"It depends,"

"You see that beautiful girl with the long red hair and bright blue eyes?"

"Yes,"

"Can you make her Ravenclaw too? Please?"

"We'll see,"

"RAVENCLAW" cried the hat.

"Potts, Virginia,"

"RAVENCLAW,"

I let out a sigh of relief and slid up the bench a little to make space for Pepper to sit beside me, which she did. I slid my arm around her and she reciprocated.

"Stark, Wanda"
"RAVENCLAW"
"Stark, Pietro"
"RAVENCLAW"

"McMahon, Shane"
"SLYTHERIN"

"McMahon, Richard"
"SLYTHERIN"
"McMahon, Stephanie"
"RAVENCLAW"
"Levesque, Paul"
"SLYTHERIN"
"Hickenbottom, Michael"
"SLYTHERIN"

"Snape, Severus"
"RAVENCLAW"

"Black, Sirius"
"RAVENCLAW"
"Lupin, Remus"
"RAVENCLAW"
"Longbottom, Frank"
"HUFFLEPUFF"
"Hobson, Alice"
"HUFFLEPUFF"

"Prewett, Maleficent"
"GRYFFINDOR"
"Prewett, Gideon"
"RAVENCLAW"
"Prewett, Fabian"
"RAVENCLAW"

"Weasley, Arthur"
"HUFFLEPUFF"
"Pettigrew, Peter"
"GRYFFINDOR"
"Potter, James"
"GRYFFINDOR"
"Evans, Lilian"
"GRYFFINDOR"
"Evans, Petunia"
"RAVENCLAW"

The sorting ended,

Professor Flitwick — our head of house — told us that Prefects get their own dorms… Pepper and I had rooms side by side. We took it in turns spending the night, doing nothing more than cuddling and sleeping, of course.

Unfortunately the battle that broke out between Gryffindor and the rest of the school became an all out war. Maleficent Prewett, Lilian Evans and James Potter were the masterminds behind the war