DISCLAIMER:
I do not own, nor am I affiliated with the Harry Potter/Wizarding World universe. This is purely fan fiction, written for fun. All original and canon characters, events and places are owned by J K Rowling.
The Australian school, places and characters are of my own invention.
Witchery
Chapter 5 – The Sorting
"Is she really?" Arin asked, incredulously. "How do you know?"
"Well, Kendra isn't exactly shy as you may have noticed." Fae replied, "We have met her before at the Ministry offices when we've gone to work with our parents. She was more than happy to brag to anyone who would listen that her Great Grandfather Corben Gaunt was Voldemort's Grandfather's brother. That makes Kendra's father a first cousin and Kendra a second cousin."
"Or is it first cousin once removed?" Eddie wondered.
"So she's just saying that. There's no proof." Arin replied dismissively.
"There are no other Gaunts." Fae answered. "Kendra is the last one. So that makes her a big deal with the blood purists and doesn't she know it! She has to be telling truth."
"No wonder she's such a nasty piece of work if Voldemort's her cousin." Eddie grumbled.
Who's that?" Iris asked, curiously.
Fae and Eddie were both more than happy to fill Iris in on the epic story of how her famous cousin, Harry Potter, defeated one of the evillest wizards in wizarding history. It took quite some time, and Iris was enthralled. As they spoke, the bus finally left the city behind it and headed north, through acres of dry farmland dotted with trees, cattle and the occasional horse.
They paused their discussion when the lunch trolley came around, a sweet natured old witch pushing it along the bus aisle. Iris was keen to eat, she was famished. Instead of the meat pies, sausage rolls and curried-egg sandwiches she had half expected, she found the trolley laden with things like pumpkin pasties, turkey-and-cheese balls and roasted beetroot kebabs. She was also delighted to find the sweet treats were equally as interesting, from the chocolate koalas that would climb and hold your finger until you ate them to the Bertie Bots Every Flavour Beans which truly came in every flavour.
She particularly enjoyed the Gobstoppers that actually got larger as you sucked them, until they were so large you couldn't even open your mouth wide enough to spit them out before they suddenly vanished, leaving your mouth tingling with flavour. She had some wizarding money in her pocket which her parents had given to her to take to school and bought a variety of treats from the trolley.
Eddie took up the story again as they ate and both Fae and Arin supplied little details they knew. By the time they'd finished telling her all about Harry Potter's defeat of the Dark Lord, it was long past afternoon tea time and the shadows were beginning to lengthen.
The atmosphere on the bus was electric and people were getting wilder and more excited around them. Students ran up and down the aisle and switched seats often to talk to various friends. Sarissa walked by a few times, as did her fellow Prefects trying to keep some sort of order.
Iris looked out of the window to see they were now on a narrow, coastal road that wound its way around the hills, the ocean coming into view now and again and acres of low scrubby bushes spread as far as the eye could see.
"We're nearly there." Fae said, her face alight with excitement. "Let's get our robes on." and the four of them scrambled up and reached for their bags. They'd just pulled their lightweight robes over their heads and were straightening them and doing up their buttons when the bus driver announced they had reached the town of Woop Woop, and would be arriving at Nyambi very shortly.
Iris once again gazed out of the windows to see the low scrubby bushes giving way to an increasing number of trees and the occasional tin-roofed house. Soon they were right in town, and they were passing the oddest of homes. Some were very old fashioned, built of stone with tiny porches and neat gardens. Some houses were monstrosities of tin and brick, windows in odd places and one didn't even have a visible door.
One huge barn-like house had a platform built onto its second story. Eddie explained that it was a broomstick landing pad. Some were tiny cottages, some looked like almost ordinary homes. Some had neat garden beds, and some had wild, overgrown yards. Some had animal skulls and strange nets filled with bizarre objects hanging from the front verandas and one didn't even have a house, simply a mound of overgrown earth with a door in it leading to who-knew-what kind of underground dwelling.
As the bus rolled through the main street, Iris noted shopfronts just like the ones she'd seen in historical movies about little outback towns. Mostly pokey little buildings, each with a veranda and a weathered looking sign. A couple were quite brightly painted and had symbols painted in the front windows. The bus carried them out of town again, and up a narrow road that wound and climbed up a nearby hill.
When the bus stopped, everyone got up at once and began pulling down bags, catching pets and shuffling their way down the aisle to disembark. One or two older kids elbowed their way to the front.
One older boy roughly shoved his way through a pair of girls to get ahead of them in the queue, but regretted it at once when one of them drew her wand and muttered something under her breath. The boy at once froze in place, one foot in front of the other and a couple of people laughed as they edged their way around him. Iris noticed his eyes swivelling back and forth helplessly in his motionless face as the girls continued their way without a backward glance.
Once off the bus, Iris found herself standing among the hundreds of other students on a steep, dry grassy hillside overlooking the ocean behind them. An old, wide flight of stone steps continued up the steep hill before them.
"Don't worry about your trunks and things." Sarissa told a few younger students who had moved toward the storage compartment of the bus, "They get taken up separately."
Older students were already clambering up the steps chattering and laughing. Iris and the others followed with enthusiasm, excited to see what lay at the top. The steps were quite steep which left them all breathless and sweating by the time they got to the top.
Standing waiting to greet them was a stern looking witch with square spectacles, iron grey hair and smart navy robes. Professor Brocklehurst, their headmistress. Iris recognised her at once from the Orientation a few days before.
The older students greeted her as they passed, and the old witch nodded at them in return as they passed. She did smile on occasion, but she certainly didn't appear to be a particularly cheerful sort, unlike Professor Daku. Professor Brocklehurst turned her knowing, dark eyes on the Year 7 students who began to cluster uncertainly around her.
"Year 7's." she announced as the older students trailed away, "Welcome to Nyambi House." and she swept an arm toward the building before them. The students now stood on a large, rolling lawn, the hill dropping away behind them. Before them and across the lawn were a last, short flight of steps up onto the wide, sweeping veranda of a huge house. Iris only thought it was a house because it wasn't quite grand enough to be called a mansion.
At that moment, the boy who'd been jinxed and frozen in place on the bus hurried past them, trying to avoid Professor Brocklehurst's eye. She glared at him momentarily as he scuttled by but didn't say anything.
The huge building before them had large double doors now flung wide as students streamed inside. The windows were all huge, giving the massive place a very welcoming feel. The bushes and lawns around it were perfectly manicured and the walls were built of a dark reddish stone. It had a second story nestled far above them. the house stretched for meters and meters in either direction, Iris couldn't see most of it as gardens and trees obscured much of the building further along.
"Please follow me. You are to first be sorted into your House and then the start of term feast will begin." the Headmistress told them. She turned on her heel and strode away. The Year 7's hurried to keep up with her, all much too nervous to speak or to lag behind. They crossed the lawn and climbed the steps, most looking awed as they crossed the wide veranda and in through the wide double doors.
Inside, the entryway was a huge and sprawling room, plenty large enough for the entire year 7 cohort to stand in comfortably. The floors were a dark, polished wood, covered in the dusty footprints of the students who had come in ahead of them. Directly in front of them at the end of the entryway, two large staircases wrapped around the walls, twisting and turning up out of sight. The ceiling was high, and dark beams supported the chandelier above their heads.
Iris noticed a large fireplace, with strange pale blue and white flames crackling in the grate. A draft of cool air from the cold blue flames flowed over them, a relief from the lingering heat outside. Ahead, underneath the two staircases were another set of large double doors which were shut. To the left and right, more doors but propped open, offering a limited view of the passageways beyond.
Professor Brocklehurst turned and faced the group who all stopped immediately and gathered around. Iris could hear the noise of a crowd beyond the doors ahead of them and guessed that was where the rest of the students were.
"Allow me to be the first to welcome you to Nyambi School of Enchantment." she began, "We are all very pleased that you've joined us and we expect that each and every one of you will be an asset to our school. Here in the Entryway, you will notice that we keep the House scoreboard." she pointed upward and the students raised their eyes to see a large polished board hung on the wall high above them. There were four names etched in gleaming brass plaques on the board; Uluru, Kakadu, Wollumbin and Arnhem. Under each plaque was an empty column.
"While you are here, your House will be like your family. You will work together, eat together and your efforts will earn House points which will be recorded on the board. Should you break school rules or display poor behaviour, points will be detracted from your House score. At the end of the year, the House with the most points will be awarded the House Cup." Professor Brocklehurst explained.
"We will begin the sorting momentarily. Please follow me." she told them before turning and pushing open the large double doors ahead of her. The noise beyond hushed a little as they entered the huge room beyond. Iris and the other students found themselves walking between 4 rows of long benches in a great, high-ceiling Hall. There were several fireplaces either side, each filled with the cold blue flames to cool the room. The older students were already seated and watching them with interest. One or two waved or gave thumbs up to younger siblings in the Year 7 group.
Above each bench hung a large banner, each a different colour and showing a different silhouette. One showed a wedge-tailed eagle on a red banner lined with black trim, emblazoned with the word 'Uluru'. The next, an emu on a blue banner lined with silver which carried the word 'Kakadu'. A green banner lined with gold showed a kangaroo and the word 'Wollumbin' and the last banner showed a trotting dingo on a yellow background lined with brown which showed the word 'Arnhem'. Iris noticed that students sitting on the benches already had corresponding colours on the lining of their robes.
Professor Brocklehurst had the Year 7 group split in half, each turning to face the rest of the chattering students on the benches and the doors they had entered through. The Year 7's were directed to stand either side of the hall with a large gap between the 2 groups. Behind them was the staff table on a low dais, already filled with the Professors and associated staff members. The headmistress left them then, returning to her seat behind them. One of the other teachers stood and came forward to stand between the two groups of students, a plump witch Iris didn't recognise.
"Quiet please! It is time to begin the sorting!" she announced in a high but carrying voice. A hush fell over the Hall immediately and all eyes turned to the stout Professor. She unrolled a parchment and said "As I call your name, please come and stand in the Sorting Circle."
It was only then that Iris noticed the large circle that appeared to be burned into the wooden floorboards between the two groups of new students, right at the new teacher's feet. She barely had time to consider the strange but beautiful symbols within the circle before the first name was called.
"Arif, Mohammed!" the Professor called, and a short boy with dark hair hurried forward and hesitated only a moment before stepping into the circle. Nothing seemed to happen but the boy stared about himself in surprise. He looked around at something the rest could not see for a few moments, before the blue banner glowed brightly, showing which house he had been selected for. The older students on the bench below the Kakadu banner cheered and clapped loudly as the boy looked round at the Professor who urged him to join his new house with a nod and a gesture.
"Asten, Marcus!" she called, and the next boy stepped forward. The sorting was fairly rapid, usually a student stood in the sorting circle only a few short moments before one of the banners lit up. Marcus was quickly sorted into Wollumbin and 'Belcam, Frances' was sorted into Kakadu as well. 'Charles, Sonya' became the first Wollumbin student, and 'Dance, Kevin' soon became an Arnhem. Each time a banner lit up for a student, the older ones already sitting there cheered and applauded their newest member.
"Dursley, Iris!" When her own name was called, she started. Feeling the eyes of the entire school on her, Iris stumbled forward numbly and walked toward the circle. She noticed a few students widen their eyes and begin to whisper to one another. Hesitantly she stepped into the circle.
She didn't have to wait. Immediately, the symbols on the floor began to glow and lift up into their air around her. Iris was wide-eyed with surprise, understanding now what the other Year 7's had seen that she had not until this moment. The symbols were as substantial as smoke, and glowed as they began to swirl around her. She heard something like whispers, on the very edge of hearing. She felt as though if she could only listen more carefully, she would understand what they were saying but no matter how hard she strained her ears, she just couldn't quite make them out.
The symbols whirled faster and faster, picking up speed rapidly. They spun around her closing in, until suddenly they all shot off across the room in a stream and appeared to be sucked into one of the banners which glowed brightly, calling her to her new house. Uluru.
The other students in Uluru House clapped and cheered for her as she made her way across to the far side of the hall and found an empty spot on the bench. Sarissa, Eddie's sister nodded to her in greeting though Iris felt that Sarissa was somewhat reserved. A grinning girl with red hair and a constellation of freckles shook her hand cheerily and the others smiled in greeting. Quickly, Iris returned her gaze to the front of the room to watch the rest of the sorting.
"Dunstan, Velia" was also sorted into Uluru and Iris watched Velia looking at the symbols none but she could see. Velia quickly hurried to their table and settled onto the bench across from Iris. "Eagle, James." became the newest Wollumbin and "Fishace, Edgar" was sorted into Kakadu. Iris was excited when both Fae and Arin were sorted into Uluru with her, she was glad to have her new friends with her.
It was a shame that Eddie was in a different House, she felt. She did notice that Sarissa seemed very surprised that her younger brother was in a different House to herself. Kendra, she was very glad to say was sorted into Arnhem, which not only meant she was in a different house, she also sat on the far side of the room which was a relief.
The sorting took some time, with a hundred or so new students taking their turns in the sorting circle. As the sorting continued, Iris took the opportunity to look around the huge dining hall. The ceiling was high, with exposed beams. She gazed, fascinated at the glowing orbs floating along the ceiling providing the room with additional light. They slowly moved around, never touching anything – not even one another. She wanted to ask what they were but nobody else was talking, or even whispering during the sorting ceremony and she didn't dare be the first.
The high walls were decked with paintings. Which moved! Iris blinked in surprise as the one across the hall of a wizard that seemed to be watching the sorting with interest, took out a hanky and blew his nose. This made her look to all of the other paintings she could see, in turn. Even twisting in her seat to squint up at the ones on the closest wall above her. They all moved, and she watched them in fascination for the remainder of the sorting.
Finally, "Ziam, Aaliya." was sorted into Arnhem as well, and the sorting was complete. The teacher calling the names rolled up her parchment and went back to her place at the teacher's table. Professor Brocklehurst stood up, and looked around the room which became silent again at once.
"Congratulations, students on being sorted to your new Houses. You have been selected by the impartial Sorting Circle which places you in the House that will best assist you to blossom at Nyambi. We trust that you will find friends and a sense of pride in your new House. Before we eat however, I have a couple of start-of-year announcements for you." she said, her voice carrying to the far ends of the Hall easily.
"Students will please note, that they are required to remain within school grounds at all times." her eye fell on a grinning boy sitting a few seats along from Iris when she said this. "This means, within the fence only. You will note that the ocean, the caves and the bushland are all beyond the fence, and are considered out of school grounds." she clarified pointedly.
"Our school groundskeeper, Mr Jirra," and here the Professor nodded to a tall, skinny man with muggle-looking outfit of boots, shorts and an old blue flannelette shirt, "Wishes to remind you all that any items left discarded in the gardens will be confiscated. He would also like to remind students to keep away from the Shadehouses unless in class due to the new Whitecap Snakeroots that have arrived over the break, which are quite dangerous in careless hands." she warned.
"Your new timetables will be handed out at breakfast tomorrow morning, and notices about Quidditch trials and club memberships will go up by the end of next week." Professor Brocklehurst continued.
"Now, that's quite enough talking from me, let us enjoy our wonderful feast!" she finished and clapped her hands twice. Two doors, one either side of the room opened at once and a stream of plates and platters containing the most amazing food flew gently through the air, arranging themselves neatly on the tables before them. The noise level went up at once and students began chattering excitedly, and loudly.
Reaching for a platter ahead of her, Iris selected a piece of chicken as Fae did the same. She soon filled her plate with a number of delicious foods from baked potatoes, to a scoop of some kind of curry, some fried rice and a boiled egg. She made the decision to try one of the interesting-smelling cooked vegetables of a kind she didn't recognise, next.
She opened her mouth to ask a question but Fae beat her to it.
"You're not imagining things; the paintings do move. Professional wizarding artists are rare and pretty famous as it takes forever to gain the skills to pain that well and learn how to give it a personality and ability to move." Fae explained. "That answer your question?"
"Yes." Iris grinned before wolfing down a mouthful of rice. She asked a few more questions even so, fascinated to hear about how paintings actually have personalities in the wizarding world and can talk as well as move. Fae didn't understand a lot about it but shared what she did know.
"Photographs move, too" the red haired, freckled girl the other side of Iris interrupted them. "They don't talk, though."
"Brianna Fraser." she introduced herself, "Year 9. And this here questionable specimen is Josiah Rashbottle." she stuck a thumb over his shoulder to indicate the dark haired boy the other side of her who was deep in conversation with an annoyed looking girl with thick frizzy hair sitting across the table. The girls and Arin introduced themselves, and began including Brianna in their conversation.
Soon, talk turned to their parents and family life. Brianna proudly announced she and her twin sister (Arnhem) were the youngest of four. They had two older brothers sitting further up the Uluru table. They were half-blood with their mother being a muggo.
By this time Josiah had turned to their conversation as well and said that both his parents were wizards, but he was adopted and didn't know his birth parents. The girl with the frizzy hair across from him who was seated beside Sarissa introduced herself as Aleasha Nesbit, muggleborn and now in Year 9 also.
"My father is a wizard, Mama is a muggo." another Year 7 named Kaushal Anand who sat the other side of Fae interjected. "You should have heard Mama scream when he told her and showed her magic the first time." he chuckled. The others laughed with him, Iris remembering her own mother's reaction when Professor Daku had turned their coffee table into a wombat.
"How about you, Velia is it?" Fae turned to the small, quiet girl who hadn't spoken at all yet. She kept her eyes on her plate and shrugged. They waited for her to reply and just as they were about to move on in the discussion, Velia responded almost in a whisper.
"My parents are both magical." Iris eyed her curiously but the other girl didn't supply any more information.
When they had all eaten their fill, the plates containing the leftovers once more lifted magically into the air and swept in line back through the side doors of the hall. Moments later, platters full of deserts appeared through the doors and settled onto the tables before them. Iris and the other students gazed at it all with wonder, as the older ones began helping themselves to slices of cake, scoops of many flavoured icecreams and bowls of quivering of jelly.
Finally, when Iris felt she couldn't possibly eat another bite, Professor Brocklehurst stood and announced that it was time to wash up and go to bed. The remains of the feast vanished through the side doors and the student body stood to make way to their dorms.
"Year 7's, with me please!" Sarissa called. A boy with shoulder-length hair and surprisingly dark eyes was also calling for the Year 7's from their table. Iris supposed he must be the other Uluru Prefect. The Year 7's gathered together around Sarissa and the boy, who then led them from the Hall, turned left in the Entryway and headed briskly up the staircase nearest the Great Hall doors and then down a long corridor lined with large windows on one side, and moving portraits on the other.