Hey guys,
Here's a new chapter my beta reader corrected a while ago but I forgot to finish working on and publish (probably cause I forget about publishing when no one reviews..).
Anyway, enjoy.
We reach Hogwarts gates and the teacher welcoming us is as small as me. His voice, despite being reedy, can he heard by everyone as he introduces himself:
"Good evening everyone, and welcome to Hogwarts! I am this school's assistant director, Filius Flitwick. Now, follow me, we will proceed to the Sorting!"
We follow him and soon reach the Great Hall. It's a bit disconcerting to be here, after having read the books and watched the movies, everything looks familiar and strange at the same time. Instinctively, my peers close ranks at the entrance, impressed by the room's size and the hundreds of older students staring at us, more or less interested in us.
We cross the room in a relative silence, and stand on either side of the Sorting Hat sitting on its barstool at the foot of the teacher's table. It starts singing, talking about the different Houses, like in the books. I notice that contrary to what I read, the Sorting Hat doesn't seem to encourage unity this time, but rather celebrates something that already exists. Once the song is over, Flitwick calls the beginning of the Sorting, and pulls a long list out of his pocket. We're about sixty new students, it will last… I still pay attention to the beginning, everything happens like in the books, it's fascinating. The first pupil to be called, Anna Arstrid, is a small brown-haired girl who keeps her chin up as if to prove the world she's not afraid. I approve what she does, and clap my hands when she's sent to Slytherin. I notice that not only the green and silver table is cheering, but also other students in the whole room do. After Anna, it's a rather tall, black-haired boy's turn. His name is Jehen Beewater, and he's sent to Ravenclaw.
After several more names, I lose track, and let my gaze wander the different tables. I see Arthur in Hufflepuff, but I'm too far away from him to be able to see the look on his face. I don't think he noticed me, since I'm blending a bit with the crowd. He's talking to a guy sitting at Slytherin's table, behind him. Flitwick eventually calls "Mackson, Vivian-Eris!". My full name. Amazing. Now everyone will mistake me for a pure-blood. I walk towards the Sorting Hat without showing any hesitation, even if to be fair I dread the moment I will have to put it on. I try very hard to hide my secrets in a corner of my mind. I hate the idea that something will be able to read my mind. Reminds me that I will have to learn Occlumency really fast.
Flitwick helps me putting the Sorting Hat on my head. It's too big for me and falls on my eyes, making me feel vulnerable in the middle of this room with no eyes to see. I was expecting it, but I almost jump when hearing the Sorting Hat's voice in my head.
"Well, well, well, if this isn't an interesting young lady! No need to worry that much, my child, I do not care about your secrets, I'm just trying to sort you in the best of my abilities. Let's see… It's interesting, I'm not used to sort people with such developed personality. You'd have a place in each House. Ravenclaw for you creativity and your curiosity of the world and the things.
Slytherin for your hiding abilities, your methods and your way to prioritize efficient ways to fight over style and fair-play. And even if you never gave it free reign, you're capable of ambition.
But there's Gryffindor. You are brave, yes, even reckless without being completely oblivious. You are always ready to face the unexpected, and you often rush without taking everything in account.
And, most importantly, there's Hufflepuff. You are loyal above everything, and even if you're trying to hide it from even yourself for now. Even if you don't want to trust anyone, your motivation, your fire, comes from your friends. What you wouldn't do for yourself, you'd do it for them without any hesitation."
"I don't have any friends."
"I can read in your mind that you want to face the truth, so why are you lying to yourself? Anyway, that's not the topic. Were I was to sort you in Ravenclaw, I don't think you'd be happy. Your creativity doesn't need the help of this House to run free, and you wouldn't feel at ease.
Were I to send you to Slytherin, you would perfect your abilities at playing a role, and probably learn to think more before making a move. It could be enriching for you.
I could also sort you to Gryffindor. There, you'd be with mates that'd help you surpass yourself, and you wouldn't be lost.
However, I think that you'd be better off in Hufflepuff. You could learn to trust people again, and you wouldn't be alone. Yes, it's probably the best House for you."
"No way! I refuse to go to Hufflepuff. I'll take Slytherin or Gryffindor. No, rather Gryffindor."
"Because you are so scared that Slytherins would notice too much about you, and that Hufflepuffs would care too much about you? But alright, if I would have sorted you as you were when actually eleven, the choice I would have made then would have been… GRYFFINDOR!"
I hastily remove the Sorting Hat while keeping a straight face. People clap their hands and I join the table of my House. I sit next to a group of quite old students, they'll be likely to engage a conversation with me. I try not to think too much about what the Sorting Hat said. Fortunately, the Sorting keeps on going and distracts me, because the next to be called is "Malfoy, Scorpius!" and everyone suddenly pays attention. He stays as long as me under the Hat, then it shouts: "HUFFLEPUFF!". There's a moment of blank, then the black and yellow table starts cheering, and I follow their lead. Scorpius keeps a neutral expression, and a lot of whispers can be heard. The older students next to me also feel the need to comment.
"A Malfoy? In Hufflepuff? I know someone who will get disowned pretty soon, I tell you!"
"Maybe it's a strategy from his dad, like that everyone will forget that he's a Deatheater."
Just listening to them makes me angry, but one of them, at least, who seems to be kind of their leader, judging by how much the others listen to him smooths things over a bit.
"Yeah okay guys, but remember that his dad has been acquitted and his grand-mother saved Harry Potter's life, that's something."
I try not to pay more attention to my "seniors" stupidity and try to see how Scorpius is surviving his Sorting. He sat at around the same place as me at his is table, and even with the Ravenclaw table between us, I notice that he's next to the girl who was with him and the Potter twins earlier. I didn't even see her getting Sorted. All the better for him, I guess.
The Sorting keeps on going smoothly until Flitwick calls "Potter, Albus!". One of the twins steps forward and sits under the Sorting Hat. I laugh to myself thinking that if they swapped place no one will ever know, except for the Sorting hat. I wonder if it would say if it was the case… Anyway, after a short waiting time, compared to Scorpius' Sorting, the Hat renders its verdict: "Slytherin!". The same unbelieving silence as after Scorpius' Sorting falls on the Great Hall, that the snakes break rather fast, cheering loudly. I take part to the applause, of course, ignoring the disappointed remarks that some of my neighbours are sharing. A lot of students are laughing incredulously while clapping their hands, seemingly thinking "Are they all going to do that this year?". I even see some money changing hands, apparently some placed "some "easy money" bets" and lost.
Eventually, the Sorting comes to an end. And even if it has been distracting, I'm happy to finally be able to eat. Well… So to speak, since before that the headmistress, McGonagall, gives us a short welcome speech and introduces us to the teachers. I recognize some of them from the books. Besides Hagrid, McGonagall, and Flitwick, there's also Neville Longbottom, head of Gryffindor, and Herbology teacher. Daphne Greengrass, Scorpius' mother, head of Slytherin and History of Magic teacher. Firenze, who doesn't take part to the feast but will be our Divination teacher. And last but not least Ginny Potter, the twins' mother, who isn't there as well but will apparently be our Flight teacher. Sounds promising! I'm happy that Neville is my head of House, he was always one of my favourite Harry Potter characters. I wonder how he will be in real life.
Finally, FINALLY, the meal appears, and I take a bit from everything. I always loved tasting new dishes. I eat with my left hand, I keep on practising being ambidextrous since I'm young, and I'm doing quite well. Nobody speaks to me, and I'm happy for it. A lot of conversations are about the Potter twins and Scorpius' Sorting. People are simply unable to accept that children aren't their parents, or that they "dare" break with family traditions… I discover the pumpkin juice's taste, it's odd but not bad, rather sweet and unexpected. I don't touch Butterbeer, I don't like the smell at all. The dishes eventually disappear, and I realize I haven't eaten that much since my previous life.
xxx
Obscurité totale qui effraie et qui noie
Un havre de paix, mon chez-moi
Alors que vous vous parez de lumières pour affronter la nuit
Je me glisse dans le forêt sans peur et sans un bruit
La lune est presque trop lumineuse
Pour ma rigueur taiseuse
Je ne suis pas heureuse
Je suis creuse
x
Complete darkness which scares and drowns
A safe heaven, my home
When you adorn yourselves with light to face the night
I slip into the forest with no fear without a noise
The moon is almost too bright
For my silent rigour
I'm not happy
I'm empty
-Draft in a notebook belonging to Aurore Berger, kept by Quentin Lemage after her death-
That's it for this chapter, please review if you liked it, I need motivation to keep on translating.