Chapter Nine
A Choice Sorting
Jay had figured out a long time ago that he hadn't been picked for Head Boy. All things considered, he was convinced it was going to be Milo. Nobody in the entire school was surprised when Olivia Potter ascended to Head Girl, but both Ravenclaw and Slytherin were both surprised and annoyed when the Head Boy turned out to be Jack Peeves Black. Jay felt a little warm under his collar as he walked over to the table, greeting Ella and the other seventh years who had just come in off of the coaches.
"Jack Black, of all people!" Moira Maxen complained, sitting by Ella while Bonnibel took the seat next to her.
"I thought it would be you for sure, Jay, considering you live with your grandparents," Bonnibel said.
"That doesn't matter. Rich Weasley wasn't even picked for Prefect despite his relation. You can't go by that," Ella pointed out. "To be honest, I thought it'd be Milo considering he's top student, so it was a surprise to me too."
"From the grumblings I heard coming over here, I'd say all of the Ravenclaws thought so too," Douglas said as he took his place on the other side of Jay.
"What's done is done, and despite how we feel about it, he is our cousin, so let's just drop it," Ella said firmly.
"Fine, but I still don't have to like it," Moira said, glaring at the Dusthorn table.
When Zelda arrived, she didn't even grace the Dusthorns with a glare. But Jay had trouble believing it was a coincidence when one of the benches made a cracking noise and Jack and several Dusthorns were forced to jump to their feet when one of the legs broke. Caretaker Carnegie hurried over, apologizing to them before suggesting they move to the other side while he repaired it.
"Good evening," Zelda said, pretending that nothing was going on. "How nice to be back and to see another family member get Sorted."
"Oh? I thought there was a gap until Wally got here," Ella asked curiously.
"It's our younger brother, Antonio," Bonnibel explained with a pained expression. "He's been going to school in Italy. He's a little..."
"Odd. He's really odd," Broc finished.
"I shudder to think what you Villins might think is odd," Ella said bluntly.
"I'm sure you'll see soon enough," Bonnibel said.
"You're right. Here comes Professor Craw now," Ella noted.
Professor Craw walked in with the Sorting Hat in her hand. The hat's folds were turned towards her and she seemed to be talking to it. She paused when she got to Professor Black to say something, then finally went over to had a word with Professor Weasley, who was standing by her own seat. After a minute or two, Professor Craw gave her the Sorting Hat. Professor Weasley set it on the stool and stepped out to fetch the first year students and bring them in.
Jay was immediately drawn to his cousins, Justice and Nicky, standing among both old friends and new ones they had made. But he also couldn't help but notice a somewhat thin blonde in the back of the pack with a haircut that almost looked a bit too old for him. Part of his hair was hanging across one eye and he was causing quite a stir since some of the girls stumbled in an attempt to get a better look at him. The handsome boy flashed them a charming smile as if in approval of all the attention. The other boys simply shrugged it off, having very little interest in anything at that moment except getting Sorted into their houses.
"Good evening, everyone!" Professor Craw greeted, and everyone quieted down. "Welcome to Hogwarts! I am Professor Craw, Head of Housemasters, and I am filling in for Headmaster Snape for a couple of weeks. I believe you've already met Deputy Headmaster Weasley," she added, getting a nod and a smile from Hermione. "I am happy to announce that we have finished a number of renovations over the summer holiday, including the long corridor in the Guard Wing, which means that Dusthorn House has finally been completed," she announced, getting enthusiastic cheers from Dusthorn House and polite applause from the rest. "Along with that, those of you returning will also notice that security has been upgraded on the other four houses, which includes individual guard paintings for every dorm room and making all of the corridors more accessible. When you get to your rooms this evening, expect your housemasters to take extra time explaining the new system and helping you get settled. It will likely take a while. This will be a one time process, so please be patient getting used to the new system. Since we have a long night ahead of us, let's sing the school song to get some energy into this room!" she suggested brightly.
Some of the students weren't as enthusiastic about singing the school song as Jennifer was, but Dale tolerantly stepped up and put up his hand, leading them into a rousing mish-mash chorus as everyone picked everything from God Save the King to Jingle Bells and belted it out. Jennifer smiled and bounced her head as if thoroughly enjoying it, but the first year candidates didn't miss the fact that Hermione and several of the other teachers had put earmuffs on their ears. Jennifer clapped enthusiastically at the end.
"Bravo! Well done! Now, let's get everyone Sorted!" Jennifer said, sitting down.
Justice and Nicky didn't pay much attention to the rhyme or the first half of the students getting Sorted, knowing perfectly well just how long they were going to have to wait until it was going to be their turn. They only casually glanced up when they got to the G's, and they recognized one of the boys they had met in the book store.
"Tad Grimsby," Weasley called out, and the dark-haired boy came up to the stool, soon finding the Sorting Hat on his head.
"Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat declared.
There was a low, unmistakable rumble from the Slytherin table. The Gryffindor table began clapping louder to try to compensate for it as Tad sat down.
"Has there ever been a Grimsby out of Slytherin before?" Jay heard one of the Bulstrodes ask from down the row.
No one knew the answer so Jay shrugged it off, glancing at the students as a whole and assessing immediately there wasn't going to be more than a dozen coming to join them this year. He had already figured out where Justice and Nicky were going. He was more interested in the tall pair of twins in the back of the pack, whispering excitedly to each other. It was a boy and a girl, both with long brown hair tied back in tails. Were those two who he thought they were? As another Meyers joined Jay's table, it wasn't long before the first of his cousins was called up.
"Severus Nicholas Pyther," Weasley called out, and Jay was forced to pay attention as Nicky came up, a wide grin on his face as he sat down and had the Hat put on his head.
"Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat declared. Over at Ravenclaw, Dawn clapped with an exasperated smile while Mickey openly welcomed his brother at their table.
It was only two names later when Justice was called up.
"Gryffindor!" he declared. Justice took a moment to glance up at his father at the side table. Aurelius gave him an approving nod and a thin smile before Justice hurried over to join his friends.
"That's not good. Didn't you say that Justice was wicked on a broom?" Ella whispered to Jay. "I thought he'd be over here considering who is father is."
"That was never going to happen," Jay informed her, clapping politely for his cousin.
"Well considering we're starting the T's, I don't know that we'll have much of any choices when it comes to football replacements this year. How come everyone is getting two for every one over here?" Ella whispered worriedly.
"Calm down, there's still Wyatt and that Villin boy," Jay whispered back, clapping distractedly as Brenda Trent was Sorted into their house. There were only a handful left now, and by the time they got to V, only five students were standing there.
"Antonio Villin," Weasley called out. The boy looked up as in a bit of a surprise that he was next.
He wandered up and sat down on the stool, staring up at the Sorting Hat until he was instructed to look forward and it was plopped on his had.
Nothing happened.
Hermione glanced at Jennifer, who shrugged and then watched the Sorting Hat again, whose folds seemed to be stuck in a furrowed frown. After a minute or two, Antonio suddenly held up a finger. Then he took out a gold-laden hand mirror, tossing his hair back and gazing into it.
"That's better. Hufflepuff!" the Sorting Hat declared.
Everyone clapped unsurely, including the Hufflepuffs, welcoming their unexpected addition. At the Slytherin table, the Villins and the Maxens were all shaking their heads disapprovingly.
"Daphne of White Mountain," Professor Weasley said with a warm smile. The girl twin grinned at her, striding over carefully sitting on the stool.
"Dusthorn!" the Sorting Hat said. Quintin was quite excited to see her, standing up and clapping in support as the girl made her way over to their table.
"Orion of White Mountain," Professor Weasley said, and the boy twin stepped up and took a deep breath before sitting down.
"Ravenclaw!" the Sorting Hat said. Laura clapped warmly, then turned and said something to Arcadia, who nodded proudly.
"Their names were a bit strange, weren't they?" Moira said, frowning when she couldn't really read either one of them.
"That's because they're centaurs... Arcadia and Sagittari's twins. Centaurs age a bit faster than we do," Jay explained.
"How quaint," Zelda said in critical tone. But Jay was busy watching Carl Wyatt get on the stool to comment.
"Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat declared.
Almost as one, everyone in Slytherin gasped, then began to mumble to each other as they watched Carl join Justice, Nicky, and Tad.
"What the hell?" Jay murmured, just as surprised as the rest of them.
"That was ridiculous. Maybe they really is something wrong with that Hat," Blake Masters suggested across the table from him.
Jay glanced over at Danyelle Brittle, who looked thoughtful rather than surprised. In fact, no one of the staff seemed to be in the least bit concerned that Slytherin had even less students Sorted this year than the year before.
That night when Severus got home from the Ministry, Jennifer was quick to mention it as they had a cup of tea in the Headmaster's Study. Severus sat down in the chair facing the Sorting Hat, leaving Jennifer the chair behind the desk.
"It was all the more obvious that something was going on this year when two students from traditionally Slytherin families went to Gryffindor," Jennifer explained. "Even the youngest Villin went to Hufflepuff."
"He's an odd boy, that one," Godric spoke up. They glanced at the Hat curiously. "Villin was very unfocused, and I had a great deal of trouble reading him until he brought out that mirror of his."
"Oh? Then is he another Truth Seeker?" Severus inquired.
"I can't confirm it with all certainty, Severus, since he was doing a very good job of avoiding my gaze," Jennifer said. "But considering he was avoiding gazes and focusing on his mirror, I can say he's exhibiting common Truth Seeker behavior, especially one that feels isolated for one reason or another. Fortunately, I am teaching first year Potions for Gryffindor-Hufflepuff, so I should be able to get a better idea tomorrow afternoon. Gryffindor has a very interesting first year class, I must say. I knew Justice would be in Gryffindor, and Nicky could have fit well in several houses. But they seem to have made some sort of friendship with Carl Wyatt and Tad Grimsby, considering how they stuck together at the table."
"Perhaps it will help shield the two of them from the backlash of choosing another house," Severus mused.
"From what I was picking up from the Slytherin students, they weren't blaming either one of the students at all. Rather, they were blaming the Sorting Hat," Jennifer explained, glancing back over at the Hat. "I wouldn't be a bit surprised if some of the Slytherin students don't write home that they believe there's something wrong with your charm again, considering how few got into Slytherin this year."
"I'd prefer that they blame me rather than the students who chose to step away," Godric said unconcernedly.
"I understand how you feel, but do we really want people to begin asking awkward questions about how you work again?" Jennifer asked.
"Then tell them it was my doing, Jennifer. After all, it isn't far from the truth," Severus intervened. "I was the one who asked Godric not to sort any students into Slytherin if they didn't understand and accept its true history. In fact, since it is likely to come up at the next board meeting, I don't mind standing in myself."
"Oh, would you?" Jennifer said in such a hopeful tone that Severus couldn't help but smirk.
"Yes, I will go. Despite the fact that Eric was less than pleased about that paper on Slytherin's history, I very much suspect that he will back up my decision on this particular matter... perhaps one or two of the Traditionalists will as well, when they realize it's within their interests to let their children have more choice in the matter... to a point, anyway. Obviously, we can't allow a student to be Sorted into a house that'll lead them to utter disaster, either," Severus said.
"I understand, Severus," Godric said with a tilt of his brim.
"Anything else you need help with, Jennifer?" Severus asked.
"Only one thing," Jennifer decided. "Make the next two weeks go faster."
"You'll simply have to endure it like I must," Severus said. "Come now, it isn't as if I'm not back every evening, and there are weekends to consider."
"True. That's plenty of time for you to help me with all of the paperwork here, isn't it?" Jennifer suggested brightly. Severus squinted at her.
"And just when do I get to relax, exactly?" Severus inquired.
"In two weeks of course," Jennifer explained.
"Perhaps I have an idea of how to make those weeks go faster after all," Severus said evenly.
"Do you want me to keep an eye on Seren?" Godric inquired knowingly.
"What a good idea," Severus agreed, dropping the Sorting Hat off in the nursery on their way to their rooms.