During the course of the train ride, the four girls got to know one another rather well. Even Yunyun was drawn out of her shell enough to talk a little bit about herself and her interests. Though they were each rather different, all the girls had one thing in common: They were outcasts.
"I got bullied at my school too," Hermione told Yunyun after the other girl mentioned how no one would talk to her save for Megumin. "The other kids said I was the class pet, and called me Beaver. I tried to not be a suck up, but, well, I always knew all the answers."
"That is because most people are cretins with no appreciation for books or learning, despite those being key to unlocking your hidden potential," Megumin commiserated.
"Um, well...t-there's also my stutter," Yunyun admitted. "I, um...I get...nervous. O-other kids w-wouldn't talk to me, b-because of my eyes, a-and I'm not very good at making friends…"
"Well, you were in the muggle world. Red eyes aren't so strange here," Darkness told her with a shrug. "People will just think you have demi-human blood. Some may think less of you for it, but it's nothing to be ashamed of."
"Ha! I knew we were actually demon blooded!" Megumin cackled.
"Well, I've never heard of that, but, um...I didn't get out much," Darkness admitted. "I lived with my grandmother and only really saw relatives most of the time. It's...it's because…" She shifted uncomfortably, then sighed. "You heard those three idiots call me a squib?"
"Yes, I, um, I read about that," Hermione admitted. "I think...It means someone born to magical parents, but with no magic of their own, right?"
"Yes. I...I am not very magical. I do have magic! Just...not very much. Especially for a Longbottom." Darkness reached into her robes and pulled out a wand. "This was my mother's wand…" She ran a hand lovingly over the wood, then carefully held it up. She closed her eyes, then pronounced, "Lumos."
The tip of the wand glowed slightly, putting out a soft light.
"W-wow!" Yunyun gasped. "I...I haven't done...that is...it looks like magic to me."
"Let me try!" Megumin said eagerly.
"Um, um, m-maybe not!" Yunyun said desperately, blocking Megumin from climbing up to reach into her trunk. "W-why not Hermione? S-she said she's done some magic…"
"Hmph. Fine." Megumin nodded, and Hermione got out her own wand.
"Lumos!" This time, the light was a bright beam, as if from a pocket torch with fresh batteries.
"You see?" Darkness sighed. "That is why I train my body. I might not be much of a witch, but I will be an auror some day, and hunt down those who...who destroyed my family!"
"You should try to become a hybrid class, like a spellblade or a paladin," Megumin said seriously.
"A...what now?" Darkness asked, clearly baffled.
"Are you...are you talking about Dungeons and Dragons?" Hermione asked suspiciously.
"Of course! Yunyun and I have braved the perils of many an ancient tomb or dragon's hoard together!" Megumin bragged.
"I-it's fun!" Yunyun assured the others. "W-we just played together, b-but it would be fun with more f-friends…"
"You have defeated dragons?" Darkness asked, sounding impressed.
"It's just a game," Hermione said haughtily. "Not an actual dragon."
"It is good training for the day we truely face dragons, trolls, and other horrific monsters!" Megumin declared.
"I am interested in training," Darkness said eagerly. "Can you show me how?"
While it was soon obvious that Darkness had precisely zero clue what a tabletop game was, it was also soon clear that both she and Hermione were nearly as desperate as Yunyun for social interaction and friends no matter the context. The hours of the train ride slipped by with the four girls rolling up characters and creating detailed back stories, while sharing snacks bought from the trolley cart.
A knock came at the door, and a red haired older boy stuck his head in. "First years, get your robes on, the train will be arriving shortly."
"Thank you, we will," Darkness said, standing up.
"Well, I hope to see some of you in Gryffindor. I'm a prefect this year you know," the boy said, nose stuck in the air.
"Congratulations. Just, um, can you…" Darkness motioned for him to close the door.
Blushing, the boy nodded and hastily shut the door, and the girls set about changing into their robes.
Soon the train arrived, and everyone piled outside. Megumin and Yunyun both got a number of stares from the other new students, who were gazing at their impressive headwear.
"The list just said a plain black pointed cap!" Hermione chattered, fingering her own hat, which was a simple affair.
"Obviously, they meant a proper wizarding hat," Megumin sniffed. "This is my dungeon master hat. It is only proper that I wear it to school."
The hat in question was a classical wizard's hat, wide and floppy, with two sewn in red buttons for eyes and a border along the brim that was patterned in such a way that it resembled nothing so much as a monster bearing large red fangs. Yunyun's own hat was similar, though it's buttons and mouth somehow seemed to be smiling in a kindly rather than menacing fashion.
"Grandmother said it was alright for students to decorate their hats, but to wait until I had been sorted," Darkness admitted. She blushed and touched her own hat, which had a roaring crimson lion embroidered on it. "I...I know I shall be in Gryffindor, as my parents were!"
"Well, now I just feel underdressed," Hermione sighed.
"Here, you can have one of my extra eye patches," Megumin offered.
"I didn't see that in the school uniform at all," Hermione said, but she put on the eyepatch anyway.
"First years!" a familiar voice rumbled. "First years, over here! That means you, Megs. And what did you do to your hat?"
"This is the hat of a true Genius of the Crimson Demon clan!" Megumin cackled as she swaggered over to Hagrid.
"More like the hat of a proper tosser," a voice sniggered behind her.
She turned to see Kazuma, Draco, and Dust grinning at her. Growling, she lifted her robes to get a proper kick in, only for Hagrid's massive hand to descend and lift her up off her feet.
"Put me down! I must dispense justice upon these fools!" Megumin raged.
"None o' that. And you three! Behave yourselves," Hagrid ordered.
"We didn't do anything. She assaulted us earlier!" Kazuma said in a tone of wounded innocence.
"Well you probably deserved it. Now get in the bloody boats. Yunyun, try to keep Megs from capsizing, will you?" Hagrid said in a pleading tone.
Surrounded by so many strange children, Yunyun could only nod, and clutch at Megumin's hand, squeezing it tightly. Despite herself, Megumin found her cousin's presence reassuring. They had rarely been parted from one another since they were babes, and the truth was that while Megumin might bluster, she was just as much of a friendless outcast as Yunyun. Being in a strange place didn't feel so strange, so long as they were together.
The ride across the lake in the boats was breathtaking, with both girls gasping and pointing up at the illuminated castle above them. For some reason, Megumin felt a sense of deja-vu, and began to hum to herself, chanting,
"Bakuretsu, bakuretsu, la-la-la."
"What?" Yunyun asked, frowning as the boats drew closer to the other side.
"Nothing, I'm just happy to be here," Megumin replied.
"Oh, well, um...let's just...try to be normal?" Yunyun pleaded. "I...I want to make lots of friends here…"
"We already made two friends, and besides, this is a magic school. Who even knows what normal is to these people?" Megumin said with a shrug.
"Just...let's try to be in the same house, OK?" Yunyun pleaded.
"Well, I already said, we're going to be in-"
"First years, gather round," a stern voice interrupted. A woman stepped out in front of the cluster of forty or so children and smiled down at them. "I am Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall. In a moment, we will begin the Sorting Ceremony."
She ran through the explanation, then led the group of students through a large set of doors into a cavernous room. Megumin and Yunyun both stared around in astonishment, their mouths gaping open. Megumin tried to conceal her awe, but when she looked at Darkness the other girl was goggling at her surroundings as well, and felt a little better.
When a hat began to sing at the front of the room, Megumin took it all in stride. McGonagall came to the front, and began to call names. As such, Megumin began to plan her grand entrance, which would consist of a suitable pose and proclamation.
"Dursley, Yunyun."
Nervously, Yunyun crept forward, then let out a squeak when Megumin gave her a shove. She scurried up, climbing up on the stool, and putting the hat on her head. There had only been a few students sorted before her, and they had all gone very quickly. However, Yunyun sat still for one minute, then another. Excited murmurs began as the third, then the fourth minute ticked by. The older students seemed to be holding their breath, and the professors were looking on with interest as well. At last, the fifth minute ticked by, and someone shouted, "Hatstall!"
There was a great deal of shushing, and nearly another full minute passed. At last, the Hat shouted, "Hufflepuff!"
Despite the thunderous applause, Megumin felt shocked. She stared in disbelief at Yunyun, who sagged off of the stool. She met Megumin's eyes and smiled, then walked over to the yellow table with badger banners above it.
"But...but that's the NPC house!" Megumin whispered.
She was so distraught over this she barely even noticed when Hermione went to Gryffindor after three minutes, the second longest time. The hat barely touched Darkness' head (she winced when "Longbottom, Lalatina" was called) before it declared, "Gryffindor!"
"Potter, Megumin."
Megumin shook herself, and without even a pose or a speech, walked forward and stuck the hat on her own head, putting hers in her lap.
Well, well, well. Another one of you, eh? Now this is something.
"It is not every day the Foremost Genius of the Crimson Demon Clan and Bane of Voldemort arrive," Megumin said, half by reflex.
Foremost Genius? You do think rather highly of yourself, don't you. And, well, in this case, it may be justified. This is quite the mind you have here. Mad as a hatter, HA! But such a mind...you'd do well with the Eagles.
"I demand to be put in…" Megumin swallowed, looking over to where Yunyun was sitting. Her cousin smiled and looked anxious and hopeful. Could she go to another house? She'd always been with Yunyun. Always. They were always together, in all things.
Yes, I can see that. Bit co-dependant. I was fairly certain I wouldn't want you in the same house as that one. She needs room to grow, and so do you. But...well, your bond is rather special. Practically sisters, aren't you?
"She's my cousin, but we were raised together. She...she is my best friend," Megumin admitted.
And your only friend, at least until today. But, well, you mean that anyway. Hmm. And you are a hard worker. Very loyal too. But ah...your sense of fair play is rather lacking, and you're not much of one for waiting, are you?
"I am the best at waiting! Provided I can have whatever it is I want immediately."
Yes, well, that rather rules out Hufflepuff for you then.
"But...Yunyun…"
You don't really want to go there, do you? You want to be great. Ambitious, aren't you?
"Yes. I will be a hero of legend, and cast down the Dark Lord from his Dark Throne, seizing the One Ring for myself! Or a suitable replacement artefact."
Well, there's a place for those with ambition. Slytherin. You have the serpent's cunning, to be sure. And, well, you do rather believe the ends justify the means, don't you?
"Only the weak willed flinch from the path of destiny! But...what about Yunyun? Will she be OK without me?"
Hmm, hmm, you're making this harder. That's not a very Slytherin thing to say.
"Well, that's OK. I can talk to snakes already so I don't know what else they would have to teach me. Unless I intend to become the new Devil Queen of England. Or Dark Lord. Are there Sith here? Darth Vader was my favorite, especially in Splinter of the Mind's Eye! I will require a red lightsaber though."
...and on the other brim, that is an incredibly Slytherin thing to say. Not the red part though.
"Red is the objectively superior color of protagonists everywhere!"
Ah, yes. You see yourself as the hero of your story. And you've courage. At least, I think it's courage. You're not a fool as far as I can tell, though you seem to be practically fearless.
"Of course, I'm not afraid of anything!"
Except for losing your cousin, eh?
Megumin flinched, and though she didn't say anything, the hat seemed to know.
Ah. So that's what you fear. To lose your family, or at least, the one you know. You do love them, then.
"I never knew mum and dad," Megumin whispered. "I couldn't protect them. But I'll avenge them. And protect Yunyun, and Petunia and even Vernon!"
Ah, you've the spirit of a warrior.
"Don't be silly! I am going to be the greatest wizard to ever live, greater even than Gandalf the White or Sparrowhawk! I shall tame dragons, cast down demons, and unearth ancient and forgotten lore, writing my name in fire and legend across the heavens!"
Technically you're a witch, but my goodness this is a lot of muggle nonsense you have in here. Best friends were books, weren't they?
"No, Yunyun was. But we read a lot of books together."
Hmm. Well, I suppose I have to offer it. Gryffindor. Where the brave dwell. But I have to warn you: Gryffindor will not have much to teach you. And, well, frankly you need reigning in.
"I did want to be in Gryffindor. But you ruined everything and put Yunyun in Hufflepuff!"
Yes, but that's by far the house you are least suited for. I would happily put you in Ravenclaw, for you treasure knowledge and have quite the wit about you. You have plenty of cunning and enough ambition for a dozen people of your age. And, you do have true courage, and determination enough to topple mountains. So, it's from those three you must choose. What will you be? Scholar, villain, or hero?
Biting her lip, Megumin looked at Yunyun again. She didn't know it, but if she had demanded to be put with Yunyun again, destiny be damned, the Hat would have recognized her as a truly loyal Hufflepuff, and gladly placed her in that house.
But Megumin was not a true Hufflepuff. Nor was she really any of the other houses. For she was-
"BEHOLD!" Megumin roared, standing and ripping the hat off of her own head as she teetered atop the stool. She posed on one leg, her red eyes blazing with crimson fury as she put on her eye patch and wizard hat. "I AM MEGUMIN POTTER! FOREMOST GENIUS OF THE CRIMSON DEMON CLAN, AND SHE WHO WILL ONE DAY BECOME THE HERO OF LEGEND, AND BANISH THE DARK LORD VOLDEMORT FOR ALL TIME! MY SOUL BURNS CRIMSON, AND I SHALL BECOME THE MIGHTIEST OF HEROES! FOR THIS REASON, I JOIN GRYFFINDOR!"
For a moment, there was only shocked silence. Then, a dry chuckle could be heard. The Sorting Hat flopped forward, laughing and snorting. "Well, you heard the girl! She's a Gryffindor!"
"This is most irregular," McGonagall managed, scowling at Megumin. "Just what is the meaning of this, Hat?"
"No mere piece of headwear can choose MY destiny," Megumin huffled, hopping down off the stool. "My dark powers were too much for the Hat. But I see my way forward, and it is in the Lion's Den!"
"We got Potter!" one of the Gryffindor's shouted, and a moment later the Gryffindor table was bedlam as the other houses (except Slytherin) clapped politely. Megumin gave McGonagall a wicked grin, and strode over to take her seat beside Darkness and Hermione.
She did spare a glance for Yunyun, and the look of wounded trust on her cousin's face made Megumin blush and look away. But she had chosen her own destiny.