Chapter 5


LB


Dumbledore explained all about the castle as we made our way to the ground floor, about the portraits or the shifting staircases. Not something I didn't knew already. I loved hearing Uncle Moony's stories when he was younger. Remus and I were being ushered in the great hall through a chamber near the head table.

"That's an interesting cloak, miss Lupin-Black." Dumbledore asked with his hand on the door handle, that led to the great hall.

"I charmed it myself, sir." I said, my fingers went over my hood involuntarily.

"Very interesting." He said again with a lingering look before he pushed the door open and walked out. Remus followed and I peered out of the room and took in the crowded room.

All the older students were already sitting at the designated tables. You could easily figure out which table was which, with the colours that filled them. Starting from left to right was: Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin. my eyes flickered over each table as I wondered what house I would be sorted in. My mother was in Ravenclaw, Sirius and Remus in Gryffindor. I knew the rest of the Black family was sorted into Slytherin, while my mother's family all went to Beauxbatons. I followed Remus out, who took a seat at end of the table, sitting next to a professor with greasy black hair that reached his shoulders. I saw the professor sneer at Remus and my eyes shot daggers at him.

The whispers of the students began to fill the room as they saw me enter after Remus. I took a seat next to him; an extra chair had been added at the end of the long table. I recognized the red headed twins at the Gryffindor table. They whispered and shot me curious glances. I turned my attention to the back of the room as another professor, Professor McGonagall, I presumed as I remembered the pictures Remus had showed me, walked in front of all the first years to the front of the room. McGonagall's eyes caught mine and she send me a smile before ushering the little ones to the front. Professor McGonagall hushed the room as she started calling each child up to the little stool in front of Dumbledore. After the sorting was done, I saw Harry walk in with the bushy haired girl from the train and sat down near the twins, Harry's curious eyes on me.

Dumbledore stood up and greeted everyone.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have few things to tell you all, and since one of them is very serious, I will start with that." I saw all the students look worried at the headmaster. The room completely silent, if you'd drop a needle, you would hear it clatter to the ground. The headmaster cleared his throat and continued.

"As you're all aware after their search on the train, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business." He paused for a second. "They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises – or even invisibility cloaks. I warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs foul of the Dementors. On a happier note, I'm happy to announce two new teachers to our rank this year." Suddenly all eyes in the room turned to me and Remus. Remus and I shared a look and snickered softly.

"Firstly, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." Remus bowed slightly at the room. The reception was rather bland, but I saw Harry and his friends clap as enthusiastically as me. "As our second appointment, well I'm sorry to say that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs." I snorted in my pumpkin juice as Remus patted my back softly, the eyes of the other students flickered between me and Dumbledore. "However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid." The students were stunned for a moment as their eyes shifted from me to the man named Hagrid before applause broke out.

"And for the last piece of news." He spoke again, and the students fell quiet. "We have one last sorting to do, because we have a new student in our midst. She transferred here from Beauxbatons in France and will be joining our fifth-year students." Dumbledore glanced towards me, and I rose from my seat after a reassuring squeeze in my hand from Remus, knowing all eyes were on me.

"Alexandra Lupin-Black!" He gestured to me.


LB


Loud whispers filled the room at my last name, and I pushed my hood off before taking of my coat, revealing my blue robes. My wavy hair, now slightly lighter than that when I was a little kid, more like dark brown than black, although it changed throughout the year, fell over my shoulders. In the summer it was lighter, while during the winter it went almost went back to black. My round silver-grey eyes went over the room before it landed on Dumbledore, who held out his hand. I smiled, trying to hide my nerves as he led me to the barstool in front of the room. I sat down and crossed my ankles under the stool. Unlike the first years, my eyes didn't disappear behind the hat, so I stared at the doors in the back. Once I heard the voice, all the whispers disappeared around me.

"What do we have here? A Lupin-Black, how interesting. Almost sixteen as well, highly unusual, miss." I snorted at the hat, and I heard the chuckles of students in front of me. "So, you probably all heard of the houses here, miss Beauxbatons."

I have. I thought to myself, knowing he could hear it. My mum was in Ravenclaw, my guardian in Gryffindor and the Black family in Slytherin.

"Except your father, he was a Gryffindor." I shrugged and crossed my arms, and my eyes darted through the room, seeing amused faces looking at me.

The one I consider my father is Remus.

"But you don't call him that." The hat stated.

He – he didn't want me to, but I see him as such.

"And Black?"

He's a stranger. But I'm not here to talk about my family, am I?

"Perhaps not but remember that not everything is at it seems." I held back a huff of frustration. "Let's get back to the point, yes?"

"Thank, De la Barre!" I accidentally said out loud as I flayed my arms. And now, I nor the hat could ignore the laughter that broke out in the great hall. I bit my lip as I try to hide a smile and looked down.

"I think we're gathering attention." The hat mumbled, making me chuckle. "Alright, you have a good set of brains in here, courageous, I see." He was quiet for a moment. "Cunning and helpful. Hmm that doesn't make it easier."

No, it doesn't. Does this happen a lot? I asked a little worried.

"Not so much, mostly I can't decide between two houses. But this... this is a first. Do you have a preference, miss Beauxbatons?"

"That you stop calling me miss Beauxbatons for starters." I huffed and blew out a lock of hair out of my face. When I heard the room burst into laughter, I cursed to herself as I realized I said it out loud again. I dared a glance at the room and saw the students grinning at me. After the laughter died down and the hat was mumbling to himself, I heard a kid from the Ravenclaw table yell.

"Hatstall?!"

"Perhaps." The voice of Dumbledore said next to me before he leaned down to look at me. "How's it going?"

"He doesn't know where to place me, sir."

"What house is he contemplating?" He inquired.

"Uhm." I glanced over the four tables. "Every one of them." I saw Dumbledore's eyebrows disappear behind the rim of his hat.

"Is it okay if I announce it to the others? This never happened before, and I think some are losing their patients."

"Sorry."

"No, it's okay. Truly fascinating." He murmured the last part.

"You can tell them." I shrugged. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled before he straightened and turned to the crowd.

"It is a hatstall, mister Rain. And a special one at that."

"What houses?" I looked at the twin boys as one of them shouted.

"All hour of them so it seems." Whispers filled the room again and I heard the hat tell me, he tossed out the idea of Hufflepuff.

"Hufflepuff is out." I whispered to the headmaster. "Maybe I'm not that loyal or hard working." I frowned a little as I looked at the yellow filled table.

"From what Remus has told me, you're as loyal as they can get and hard working to boot." He said soft enough for only me to hear. He turned to the students in front of us. "Hufflepuff is out." Dumbledore repeated to the students.

"Only three to go." I mumbled and was happy to notice no one heard because they were all talking to each other. I stretched my legs out in front of me, adjusting so my dress was neatly covering my knees. So, how's it going?

"Slowly." The hat grumbled, making me grin. "I actually thought it would be easier if the students were older." He groaned out loud, and the students all looked shocked at the hat on top of my head for a moment before laughing.

Guess you're wrong. Or maybe it's just me.

"What are your thoughts on Slytherin?"

Besides that most of the dark wizards come from that house? I glanced to the green filled table. They are cunning, ambitious, determent.

"Ravenclaw?"

Learning, intelligence. But I think I'm more than that.

"Gryffindor?"

Bravery, courage, nerve."

"Which you certainly have, I know what you did in the train. So, I'm guessing Ravenclaw is out?"

I think so. I turned to tell Dumbledore but was surprised to see Remus. "Uncle Moony?" I whispered.

"You okay?"

"Except that my butt is starting to hurt." I shifted on my seat. And the students in the front chuckled as they heard my proclamation. "Ravenclaw is out too."

"Right." He nodded and looked to the students. "Ravenclaw is out." He said with a clap of his hands. I heard several kids groan at the blue table. "Only two to go." He winked before he stood back up.

"Gryffindor or Slytherin. Slytherin or Gryffindor." The hat said in a sing along voice. "What would you do if someone found out about Lupin." I stiffened for a moment and was about to toss the hat off my head. "Don't worry, I won't tell. But what if someone found out and went after him, what would you do?"

I would stand by his side and protect him. He's the bravest and kindest man I know. No one will lay a hand on him.

"And if you have to choose between him and a successful career?"

I didn't even dignify his question with an answer but huffed at him as I crossed my arms over my chest again.

"Well, I think we figured it out then, miss Lupin-Black. I wish you good luck in your future years and remember, not everything is as it seems." Then the voice boomed loudly through the room. "GRYFFINDOR!"

The table burst into applause as Remus grinned broadly as he took the hat from my head. "Way to go, cub."

I pursed my lips at him before I walked over to the Gryffindor table. I went to sit on the edge of the table, next to the newly sorted first years, but the red headed twins beckoned me over. I smiled to the first years before going over to them. When I stopped in front of them, because they both had turned in their seats, I had a Chesire grin plastered on my face.

"Hello boys." I said with the same tone as I did earlier on the train.