Hazel and Ginny rushed to the window. Would they able to see Hogwarts from the train? It was still twilight outside but all she could see was a small cluster of houses amongst the fields and woods. Her stomach was starting to flutter again.
They changed into their robes in the compartment. They felt a bit strange, like a dress and t-shirt combined but they were very comfortable. Her shaking hands didn't help with putting them on.
This was it…
The corridor was packed with robe-wearing students and buzzing with excitement as everyone piled out of their compartments. Hazel was practically lifted onto the platform by the wave of bigger pupils. It was all she could do to stay close to Ginny and Hermione. The station was very pretty and after so long on the train, the air was wonderfully cool with a smell of fresh pine.
Everyone was splitting up and going in different directions. Hazel was rooted to the spot; where did they go?
"Firs' years!" Called a familiar, booming voice, "Firs' years this way!"
"Go on," said Hermione, "I'll see you up at the castle."
It took a while to push through the crowd but at least they couldn't lose Hagrid. The gamekeeper was holding a lamp and looked rather like a brown-coated lighthouse.
"Alrigh' you lot," Hagrid swept the light over the group. Nobody came up to his waist, "Alrigh' Hazel? Told ya ya'd make it! All here? Good!"
There was a burst of light.
"Wha's tha'?" Hagrid blinked against the sudden glare.
"Sorry," said a boy even shorter than Hazel with mousy, curly hair. He was holding a huge camera.
"Alrigh'," Hagrid said gruffly, "Follow me then."
He led them to the opposite end of the platform to the rest of the school. Even at a casual stroll they had to jog to keep up with him and Hazel was breathless very quickly. At the end of the platform was a narrow path through a wood of tall, thick trees. The air was thick with buzzing insects and singing birds.
The path wound down and down until they reached the edge of a huge, black lake that stretched right back as far as the eye could see. It was incredible, it looked more like the ocean than just a lake! Was that where the giant squid lived?
"In ya ge'," Hagrid gestured to a group of little wooden boats at the shore, "Three to a boa'!"
Everyone went 'oooh' together and the boy took another photograph with a flash.
Hazel and Ginny climbed in with the blond boy, and no sooner had they sat down than the boat gently slipped away from the shore. It wobbled alarmingly and Hazel held on tightly to the sides. Was it too late to tell Hagrid she couldn't swim? Did wizards have lifebelts? The boy wasn't helping as he was bouncing in his seat and making the boat rock even more. At this rate she was going to lose the feeling in her fingers.
The excitement was bubbling furiously in her stomach. She was so excited that she'd forgotten to be scared of the water. The stars above were brighter than she had ever seen them, like diamonds hanging in the inky sky. Hogwarts was so close now…it was so close…
"You'll be gettin' yer firs' look at the castle soon!" Hagrid called from the front, "Just aroun' 'ere!"
They turned around a small spit of land. There was a series of 'oooh's and 'aaah's from the boats. Hazel's felt a lump in her throat.
Hogwarts was perched on top of a hilltop, so much bigger than she had ever imagined and yet somehow welcoming. Towers and turrets jutted out of every roof and in every direction. The windows glowed a buttery gold, inviting them on.
It was incredible, better than even her wildest dreams.
The boy squeaked beside her and took a photo.
The small boats didn't head towards the shore but into a small cavern beneath the castle. Hagrid had to duck to avoid banging his head on the entrance.
Once the boats had stopped in the well-lit cavern, he led them up a flight of steps that kept going up and up. Hazel was out of breath again as they climbed. How was she so unfit?
The steps came out to a small entrance. Outside of that was a perfectly kept lawn in front of the castle. From so close it was absolutely huge!
Hagrid banged on the massive wooden castle door with a booming fist.
The door was opened by a severe-looking witch, in black robes with square glasses. She had a stern look and the air of someone not to be crossed. This had to be Professor McGonagall. She was exactly how Harry had described her.
"The firs' years, Professor," Hagrid said
"Thank you, Hagrid," She said curtly, "Follow me, please."
They stepped into the entrance hall for the first time. Hazel had just enough time to catch the sweeping marble stairs and giant hourglasses before they were led into a small room. There was a buzz of conversation coming from nearby. Everyone else must have already arrived somehow.
"You are now ready to be sorted into your houses; Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin," Professor McGonagall cast a sharp eye over the group, "You there, take those ridiculous glasses off. You, leave that camera behind, it will be taken up to your dormitory."
Hazel's stomach lurched. The sorting! She had completely forgotten about the sorting! What if she was sorted into a house she didn't like? What if she was sorted at all? Harry said it had never happened before but there was always a first time, right? Knowing her luck it would be her.
Professor McGonagall opened a second door and led them out into the Great Hall.
It had gone very quiet as they walked down between the four long tables. Each was packed with students and eyes were burning into her back. Hazel didn't dare look up. Her legs were suddenly feeling very weak. Which table was the Gryffindor table? Everyone was wearing black, so it was impossible to tell! Was Harry here? Could he see her?
The line of students stopped in front of the teacher's table. In front of it was a small stool and on top of that was a grotty looking hat. The entire hall was quiet. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something.
A rip opened up in the bottom of the hat and it began to sing,
"Oh, it was a long time ago,
Through summer suns and winter snow,
That four wizards, their power spun,
But what great magic had they done?
They built a school, proud and true,
One to last the ages through,
One where all could come to learn,
Were there none that they would spurn.
The Hufflepuffs were strong and true,
Most loyal of friends they are to you.
The Ravenclaws were sharp of wit,
The wisest of all did they permit.
The Gryffindors who were mighty brave,
And daring deeds would they engrave.
The Slytherins who knew their needs,
And knew the power of their deeds.
But what to do once they were gone?
From where would their pupils be drawn?
But then Godric called out with glee,
Whipped off his hat and created me!
Now I've got you all to sort,
A serious task, it is no sport!
But that's enough of idle chat,
And enough from me, your Sorting Hat!"
The hall filled with ringing applause as the Hat fell silent once more. It bowed to each table, which Hazel would have thought very odd if she wasn't trying to not bring up her pumpkin pasties from the train.
Professor McGonagall stood beside the stool with a roll of parchment, "When I call out each of your names," she said clearly, "Come up to the stool and the Sorting Hat will place you into your house."
Hazel gulped loudly. This was it.
She cleared her throat, "Akinfeev, Kristoff!"
A tall boy stepped up nervously. Professor McGonagall lifted the Sorting Hat to let him sit and placed it on his head. It was only a few seconds before it called out, "Ravenclaw!"
The Ravenclaw table cheered as Kristoff Akinfeev hurried to join his new housemates. That didn't look so bad.
Arnott, Andrew and Barrow, Barnabas became Hufflepuffs while Bastian, Felix and Burns, Catherine both joined Kristoff in Ravenclaw.
"Creevey, Colin!" The boy with the camera nearly tripped in his eagerness. So that was Colin?
The hat was very quick with him, "Gryffindor!"
Professor McGonagall had to snatch the hat as he rushed past her and the other tables laughed.
On and on it went.
"Flint, Silas!"
"Slytherin!"
"Gilchrist, Magnus!"
"Gryffindor!"
This was taking forever.
"Malfoy, Atia!"
The sneering blonde girl swaggered up to the stool and Professor McGonagall placed it on her head. Why she bothered, Hazel didn't know. It was going to say Slytherin. Everyone knew that.
The Hat was quiet. What was taking it so long? Had it forgotten about Slytherin?
At last, the rip in the rim of the hat opened.
"Gryffindor!"
There was a stunned silence.
Atia Malfoy had gone even paler than normal. She was gripping the stool so tightly that it looked like she might snap it in two.
Professor McGonagall plucked the hat from her head, "Go join your new housemates, Miss Malfoy."
Malfoy stared up at her for the longest time. Then she slid off the stool and trudged off towards the Gryffindor table. No one clapped her. No one patted her on the back as she sat down. They made space for her like she had a bad flu.
"McLaggen, Theodora!"
A tall and dark-haired girl stepped confidently up to the stool. The hat did not take so nearly so long to repeat, "Gryffindor!"
There was even more applause this time around. It was like everyone was relieved that things were back to normal again. The group of first years was starting to thin about. This was torture. Why couldn't the hat just do them in batches rather than one at a time? Her knees felt like they were going to buckle with nerves. That was the last thing she needed on her first day, in front of the entire school.
McNory, Gavin went to Ravenclaw, Neill, Euan went to Gryffindor and Polter, Anthony went to Ravenclaw. And then…
"Potter, Hazel!"
Oh god.
She was rooted to the spot, like her shoes were made of stone. Why did the stool have to be so far away?
Ginny pushed in her in the back.
Hazel kept her eyes firmly on her feet as she approached the stool. She didn't dare meet the eyes of the teachers. She managed to sit in the stool without collapsing thankfully and Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head. It felt quite musty, like it needed a good dusting. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have had it within a mile of the house.
Everyone was quiet. Was there something wrong with the hat? Why was it not talking to her? Was it just going to shout out a house? She was just starting to worry when there was a sharp intake of breath in her ear which made her jump.
"Well, well, another Potter. Let's see what we have. Hmm, a very sharp mind, no doubt about that. Plenty of courage as well but, my oh my, such doubt fogs your mind, young Potter. There's fear here, a real fear. Where best for your talents…not enough ambition for Slytherin I think. Hufflepuff perhaps? No. That won't help. How about Ravenclaw?"
Hazel could barely breath.
Please be Gryffindor. Please be Gryffindor.
"That would be a good fit but…yes, I think this suits you best. Gryffindor!"
The hall cheered and Hazel heaved an almighty sigh of relief. Even with their pointy hats, the Weasley twins were easy to spot, and they made a space for her as she hurried over.
"Very good, Hazel," said Percy pompously, "Very well done!"
"Welcome to Gryffindor," Fred grinned at her.
"Yeah, hope you have as quiet a first year as Harry did," George laughed.
Hazel smiled weakly. Was her pounding heart was ever going to settle down?
There were only four students waiting their turn with the Hat. Tallow, Matilda went to Slytherin and Vane, Romilda joined them at Gryffindor before:
"Weasley, Ginny!"
Ginny's gulp was loud enough for Hazel to hear from across the hall. Her freckles were very obvious as she sat on the stool because her face had gone that pale. It only took a few minutes for the hat to shout out, "Gryffindor!"
Yes!
Hazel clapped until her hands hurt as a grinning, faint-looking Ginny joined them.
"Jolly good," Percy called as she sat down beside Hazel, "Really, jolly good!"
"Glad you didn't let the side down," George banged on the table, "Imagine having to tell mum and dad you ended up in Slytherin!"
"Imagine having to tell Great Aunt Mabel," Fred pulled a face.
The last student, Yaxley, Melba, went to Slytherin and the Hat, job done for another year, was removed from the room.
Dumbledore stood up at the staff table and silence filled the room. He was very tall with the longest beard she had ever seen. And she thought her hair was a nightmare to wash!
"Tuck in!" He said with a broad smile.
And in the blink of an eye, the empty plates were overflowing with food.
Hazel gasped in astonishment. There were so many things, so many wonderful smells and they all looked incredibly delicious. Her stomach rumbled longingly; it was hard to believe she'd felt sick just a few minutes ago. There were pork and steak, chicken and burgers, buttery mash, crispy roasties, lakes of thick, dark gravy and sweet carrots. Harry hadn't told her about half of it but then that wasn't a surprise. If he'd written down everything, he'd have needed a dragon to deliver the letter, nevermind an owl!
Speaking of which. Where was Harry? There was no sign of him at the table. Had the Weasleys got him to Hogwarts yet? Had he missed her sorting? Her heart ached a little at the mere thought.
"This, is, amazing!" shouted the mousy haired boy with a mouthful of cocktail sausages, "I wish I still had my camera!"
"I'm guessing you're muggle born?" Ginny said, "Colin, wasn't it?"
"Colin Creevey! Yeah, I'm muggle born, my dad's a milkman! I think he was pleased to find out all the weird stuff I could do was magic. He kept bringing me to doctors because my hair was going purple, and I set fire to things I touched! My younger brother was so jealous when I got my letter, but he does the same things I do so he'll probably end up here too! How about you!"
Ginny glanced over at Hazel. She was obviously trying not to laugh, "We're all wizards, apart from a second cousin of my mum's who does something with muggle money somewhere."
"I don't really know," said Hazel, "I grew up with my aunt and uncle and they're both muggles."
"But they must have been so happy when they found out right?" Colin said eagerly.
Hazel thought back to last summer, to Uncle Vernon brandishing a shotgun at Hagrid, to Dudley's tail and the gamekeeper punching the door down in the middle of a storm, "Not exactly."
"Oh well I'm sure they'll be so much happier when they find out all the amazing stuff you can do!" did he ever need to breath? "I was reading some of my textbooks and it's amazing! Did you know you can turn things into other things with your wand? I did it once to a saltcellar by accident in a restaurant, it turned into a mouse and ran into the kitchen. It was mental, everyone was running around and screaming!"
Fred and George were talking to an older student who looked rather upset.
"Relax, Oliver," Fred said as he dipped his roast potatoes in gravy, "We were closer to the quidditch cup than we've ever been."
Ah, so that was Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor captain? Harry was right, he was huge! And his eyes were very intense. He definitely looked how she would imagine a quidditch captain to look.
"Yeah," said George, "If we'd had Harry, we would have won easy."
"That's not the point," Wood groaned, "The biggest defeat in 300 years! To Ravenclaw!"
"I dunno," Fred pointed an impaled roastie at him, "I mean, winning the Quidditch cup is easy, someone does that every year, but to lose by a record two years in a row. We'd be famous!"
"The Shocking Seven," George spread his arms as if holding up a banner, "The Gruesome Gryffindors, the Woeful-"
"Shut up!" Wood snarled, "We're going to win that Cup if it's the last thing I do."
"Better check with Harry then," said Fred, "Make sure he's not planning on jumping down any trapdoors this year."
Ginny and Colin were discussing teachers.
"Flitwick is really good," said Ginny, "He's tough but he's fair. Binns is the worst. He'll put you to sleep no matter what he's talking about. He's a ghost too so you'd think-"
"He's a ghost?" Colin squealed, "A real, live ghost?"
"Well," Ginny grinned, "Not exactly 'live'."
"That's so cool! Can he go through walls?"
"Yeah," said Romilda who was clearly not listening, "But have you seen Lockhart? He's so…dreamy…"
Ginny frowned, "I thought he was a bit full of himself when we met him."
"And his hair," Romilda went on, "It's so shiny…"
"I read one of his books!" Colin said, "Isn't it amazing how he defeated the werewolves in-"
"And his smile," Romilda sighed, "It's perfect…"
Wow, and Hazel thought she had a crush…
"Snape is the worst," Ginny talked over the top of Romilda's swooning, "He hates Gryffindors, and he hates your brother especially. Potions is going to be a nightmare."
There were a few empty chairs at the staff table but there was no sign of Snape. Actually, where was Professor McGonagall? And Professor Dumbledore?
"Oh, I've seen Snape," Romilda sniffed as the plates cleared themselves and were replaced by countless, mouthwatering desserts, "He's vile. You would think as potion's master he would brew something to sort that awful greasy hair."
"I think there's worse things than his hair," said Ginny as she took a slice of carrot cake.
"Hardly!" Romilda was horrified, "Appearance is everything!"
Further down the table, Atia Malfoy sat on her own. Everyone had moved away from her, like she had some sort of horrible disease. Her plate looked completely empty.
"I wonder why the hat put her in Gryffindor?" Ginny asked, "All her family are in Slytherin."
"Maybe she's brave?" said Colin.
"She's a bully," Romilda scoffed, "She was picking on everyone on the train, like she owned the place. Maybe the hat wants her to leave."
Atia's eyes were fixed on her plate, and she was still as pale as when the hat had put her in the wrong house. Everyone around her was chatting happily and eating, she may as well have been invisible.
That was how she had felt with the Dursleys anyway. Every mealtime for the past year, like she didn't exist, like she wasn't worth acknowledging.
"Oh, Dumbledore's back!" said Colin.
He was indeed, as was Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. He looked absolutely furious.
"Goodness," Romilda hissed as Dumbledore raised his hands for silence, "It's even worse than I thought, that haircut belongs in the 1950s!"
Silence had fallen over the Great Hall. Dumbledore certainly seemed to have that effect on people, but he was smiling widely.
"Welcome, welcome everyone to another year at Hogwarts," he said, "Now that we are all fed and watered, I would like to make a few announcements before some welcome sleep. The third-floor corridor is once again accessible to students. The…little problem that closed it last year has been moved to somewhere a bit more suitable."
Hazel glanced at Hagrid, the owner of the massive three-headed dog that had tried to tear Harry's limbs off a few times last year. He looked sad, like he had been asked to get rid of a puppy.
"Secondly, our caretaker, Mister Filch, has requested that, during the wet autumn months, would all students be so kind as to wipe their shoes before entering the castle. He would be most grateful for them doing so," the corner of Dumbledore's mouth twitched.
"And finally, I am delighted to announce a new member of staff to the school this year. Please welcome to the role of Defence Against the Dark Arts, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart."
The hall burst into wild applause. Hazel clapped until her palms hurt and Romilda screamed along with half the hall. Lockhart flashed that amazing smile as he stood. His robes were immaculate, his hair swept back and gleaming in the candlelight. He bowed to the hall and clapped them back. Had he looked right at her? Why had her knees gone weak again?
"Thank you, Gilderoy. I think that's all. Ah yes, anyone who would like to try out for their House Quidditch teams, please contact Madam Hooch. I would also remind first years that flying outside of Madam Hooch's lessons is strictly forbidden. And now, I bid you all goodnight."
There was another quick round of applause as everyone headed for the double doors.
"First years, follow me!" Percy called with his chest puffed out importantly, "First Years, this way!"
Hazel's stomach lurched as she stood up. Oh dear. Maybe that second éclair had been a bit much, even if it tasted so wonderful. She was going to have to watch herself here, or she'd up like Dudley. That thought alone killed her appetite stone dead.
Percy led them up the marble staircase and into the castle. Colin was turning his head in every direction so quickly that it was a wonder he hadn't sprained it. They walked upstairs, downstairs, around corners, down corridors, had they doubled back on themselves? Everywhere there was something new to look at. A magnificent painting that took up the entire wall or tall, thick suits of armour carrying worryingly heavy-looking weapons.
All the first years were bunched together, all except Atia Malfoy. She was walking at the back with her hands in her pockets and a miserable expression. Hazel slowed her pace so that Atia caught up with her. This was her first day at Hogwarts too, and no one should be as unhappy about this amazing place as Malfoy was.
Atia finally noticed her and scowled,
"What do you want?" she snapped.
There was such venom in the question that Hazel flinched. This had been a stupid idea, why hadn't she just walked on?
She took a deep breath, "Want to walk with us?"
Ginny had slowed down too and raised an eyebrow.
"With you?" She sneered, "Hardly. I'd rather walk with a centaur."
She pushed painfully into Hazel's shoulder as she walked past. Ow!
Ginny glared after her, "That's a Malfoy for you. It's like Hagrid said in Diagon Alley, the whole family's rotten to the core."
Rubbing her shoulder, Hazel wasn't so sure.
They had reached a corridor that ended in a portrait of a portly lady who looked very upper-class. Was this the Fat Lady? It didn't seem a very nice thing to call her. Why not the Posh Lady?
"Password?" She asked that even posher than she looked.
"Wattlebird," Percy answered importantly.
The Fat Lady swung open. Hazel's first, and brief, impression of the Gryffindor common room was that it was very large, very warm and very, very busy. It looked everyone was packed in, clapping and cheering like a good party.
"What's going on?" Percy shouted over the noise, "Everyone go to your dormitories, now!"
"Ginny! Hazel!" Fred elbowed Percy out of the way, "It's Harry and Ron! They're here! They flew the car!"
"They what?" Ginny gasped.
"They flew the car! All the way from London!" George said, "Crashed into the Whomping Willow! Snape wanted to expel them but old Dumbledore wouldn't do it!"
"I wish they had told us!" Fred shook his head, "What an entrance! They'll be talking about it for years!"
Hazel was still trying to process all this information when the portrait swung open behind them. The roar of delight told her without even turning around that it was Harry and Ron.
She had to talk to him. There was no way Mrs Weasley would have let them fly the car all the way to school, so he had stolen it. Why would he do something so thoughtless? After everything the Weasleys had done for them, Harry had nicked their car as a thanks.
There was no chance of talking to him now. Bigger students were pushing her this way and that to get at Harry, to shake his hand or clap him on the back. You'd have thought he was some mighty hero back from slaying a monster, rather than a thief who was lucky to even be here.
She only managed a brief look at him through the crowd. He had a big bruise above his eye and a bad cut on his right cheek. Nevermind expulsion, he was lucky he wasn't horribly injured!
He caught her eye and gave her a sheepish smile. At least he wasn't badly hurt.
"Come on," Ginny took her by the arm and pulled her towards the staircases, "We'll talk to the heroes tomorrow."
The dormitory was exactly as Harry had described it; with large four-poster beds, a wide window looking out over the grounds and a warm file crackling away happily.
She changed into her pyjamas, as her trunk was waiting for her at the bottom of her bed, and sank into the mattress. It was like lying on feathers! So soft, so comfortable! If it hadn't been for the muted cheers, she'd might have forgotten that her brother had been a hair's breadth from being expelled on her first day.
"Flying the car," Ginny said from her own bed, "What were they thinking? Mum and Dad are going to kill them.
Hazel's insides squirmed with guilt. Was the car okay? Was Mr Weasley going to get into trouble for it? He had always explained it as a 'loophole' in a law he'd written. That didn't sound good, and he'd always been so careful.
She drifted off into a troubled sleep. At this rate, with how they had left the Dursleys and the Weasleys, Harry and she were going to be spending next summer in a hotel.
AN: Thanks again to everyone following and liking the story! I really appreciate it and it helps with motivation!
How was the Sorting Hat song? I tried to go with something unique and I hope it works.
