╔══════ ≪¿≫ ══════╗
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒
𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆
╚══════ ≪ ? ≫ ══════╝
Students swarmed the slip of corridor around the middle of the train. Word travelled fast, and just as they left London behind, people were whispering about Harry Potter being somewhere down the train. Dalia left the compartment door ajar to listen to the gossip, especially about the'pretty boy' that was rumoured to be real close to 'The Boy Who Lived'.
"Oh, thank Merlin." The constant pushing and stomping of the crowd had turned Jin-woo's emerald robes into a spectacle of messiness, but he made it safe and alive to the door. "I thought I'd have to go all the way to the front of the train."
"I don't think you would have made it." Then, Jin-woo realised Dalia wasn't alone in the compartment. There were another two girls with her; one was about their age and sporting her Ravenclaw robes with pride, while the other was clearly a first year wearing the standard, non-sorted robes. "Jamila Awbrey." Jamila smiled at him, as if she already knew everything he wanted to ask. "And this is my little sister, Evelyn Awbrey."
Evelyn nodded at him softly, her hand darting over to her sister's, clutching it with such force it hurt to watch. Her blond hair was in two braids that cascaded down her back, very different from her sister, whose bushy black hair was left untamed. Jamila didn't react to the pressure on her hand, but chuckled when she saw him staring.
"Our Dads have yet to understand you're not meant to brush curly hair like you do for straight," she said, pointing at her hair, which stuck out like a bolt had hit her. "They mean well, but boy, I can't keep it up like this. I'll gift them a book about curly hairstyles for Christmas at this rate."
"Don't you have a hair bobble or something to tie it up?" Jin-woo took a seat beside Dalia, across from Evelyn, whose sight was still on the ground.
"Even if I did, there's not much I can do with this mess," Jamila replied, her head darting forward to look at something behind his neck. "Is that a cat sleeping inside your hood?"
"Oh, yeah," he mumbled, turning so the girls could see her better. "This is Kitty—short for Katherine—got her to have some company at Hogwarts."
"Do I not exist?" Dalia raised an accusing eyebrow at him.
"The dormitories aren't mixed at Hogwarts. They divide boys and girls," Jin-woo replied. "Even if we were to be in the same house, we won't share a dormitory."
Jamila frowned at that."I knew neither of you looked familiar. How come you're starting Hogwarts so late?"
"I studied in Ilvermorny. My father got a job at St Mungo's Hospital, so I had to transfer," said Dalia.
"And I caused an explosion while doing my Home-schooled Potions' essay," continued Jin-woo, causing both Jamila and Evelyn to widen their eyes. "Got revoked all rights to study from home."
"Are you rich or something?" Jamila joked, her eyes on him. "Because that sounds like something anyone else would get their wands snapped in half for."
"Well, some privileges did have a play in the leniency," he replied lightly. "Just realised I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Jin-woo Christopher."
"Huh," she chuckled. "Your name's the same as the heir to the Kims' Manor."
"Oh… yes, that one…" Jin-woo dropped his gaze. "I'm no heir to anything, but I am the Christopher you're probably talking about. My full surname's Kim Muñoz."
Evelyn raised her head, eyes wide as her lips flickered into a smile."Is it true there are millions of artefacts buried in the castle?"
"They're not millions," he replied, meeting her eyes to continue. "Not buried either. They're in plain sight. If you know where to find them."
A lovely woman pushing a trolley full of sweets stopped at their door, leaning into their compartment to ask,"Anything off the trolley dears?"
Evelyn jumped off her seat, giving the lady a few sickles for a stack of Liquorice Wands and Chocolate Frogs. Her sister took a couple of Chocolate Frogs, far more interested in the cards than the sweet itself, and handed the lady six sickles for a box of Every-Flavour Beans.
Jin-woo turned to Dalia, who was rummaging through her robes for her pouch of galleons."Fancy anything? My treat."
"Save your money for Hogsmeade." Dalia smiled mischievously. "Unless youignore the guidelines, you won't receive more until next summer. So, I'll be kind, and treat you to whatever you like."
He sighed, defeated."A box of Every-Flavour Beans, please."
Dalia stepped out of the compartment, sporting a grin that Jin-woo playfully scowled at whenever she turned to him. When she had paid, the trolley lady turned to someone in the compartment to their right, but Dalia didn't come back in. He wasn't exactly worried, but he still went outside to check. The redhead twins, along with the tarantula boy, were chatting with her about the Hogwarts Houses. With their Gryffindor robes on, it was obvious which house they favoured.
"Pretty Boy," said Fred loudly, causing his twin to look away, cheeks slightly flushed.
Jin-woo doubted, inspecting Fred's appearance to figure something out. "Redhead Boy."
Fred chuckled."That's the best you could come up with?"
"It was the first obvious thing that came to my mind," he replied, his face copying George's as it flushed a slight pink.
"Did you just call yourself pretty?" The tarantula boy said, somehow looking rather impressed. "What's your name, by the way? Fred and George won't stop calling you 'pretty boy'."
"I'm Jin-woo Christopher. Christopher alone is fine." He extended his hand for the boy to shake, which he did immediately. "What's yours?"
"Lee Jordan." Lee had a fair bit of strength, crushing Jin-woo's hand as they shook them. "What House are you in? Or are you new like her?"
"New," Jin-woo replied. "And I don't really have a favourite House either, if I'm honest. But, I guess I'll go to Slytherin. Everyone who's gone to Hogwarts from my mother's side of the family was in Slytherin."
"Oh," Lee mumbled, hiding his disappointment better than the twins. "Well, that's a surprise… you don't look…"
"Evil?" he chuckled, seeing Fred refrain himself from nodding. "Not all Slytherins, of course. But, well, seeing how the average behave… I understand your point. Especially, being Gryffindors and all."
"What's that supposed to mean?" The twins chorused.
"That Gryffindor's been in a fight with Slytherin since its conception," said Jin-woo matter-of-factly. "Well, I'm starving, and I'm saving my lunchbox for a midnight snack tonight, so I only have sweets to get by. Now, seeing as Dalia and I aren't evil, but are potential Slytherins, care to join us in our compartment to keep on chatting while we eat something?"
It would be fair to say that Evelyn loved pranks. She had an entire arsenal of questions for the twins and Lee, which they answered with great delight as they settled in their compartment. Jamila, however, appeared to be regretting the day she first mentioned the boys' names, along with whatever prank they had pulled. Dalia didn't shy away from asking either, though when she brought up Filch, Hogwarts' caretaker, and his rounds after curfew, they denied telling them.
"You've got to learn like we did," said Fred.
"Besides, he's really loud," added George. "You'll hear him roam around if you're up past curfew."
"Mrs Norris is who you've got to look out for," concluded Lee. "She's smarter than Filch, that cat of his."
Jamila huffed."Don't listen to them. They get caught half the time. If anyone knows how to do stuff with no one knowing, that's a Hufflepuff. I hear most of them frequent the kitchens every night and we have yet to see one get in trouble."
"Well, they're right next to the kitchens," said Lee, slightly offended. "They've got it easy."
"They're next to the kitchens?" Dalia's eyes widened. "There, that's my favourite House."
A girl around Evelyn's age, already wearing her robes, slid through the thick crowd to peek her head into the compartment. Behind her, another first year had his eyes darting everywhere, as if he were searching for something. No one had a chance to speak when the girl asked about a toad that Neville, the boy behind her, had lost. They shook their heads and politely apologised. Neville gave them a curt nod.
"It'll turn up," Jin-woo offered, noticing the dejected look on Neville's face. "Toads have a nasty habit of disappearing for a while."
Neville's eyes glinted faintly as he asked, "You've got one too?"
"Oh, no. Not really. I've brought Kitty with me," Jin-woo replied, turning so the first years could see her resting peacefully in his hood. "My Tía Abuela—um, I mean, my grandma's sister, Franz, has one. It disappears from time to time. She's grown not to pay it much mind. It often comes back after scaring a few little girls, or night trolls. I don't think it can tell them apart."
The sun began setting right after the two first years continued their arduous search for the missing toad. Not long after that, a voice echoed through the train,"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train. It will be taken to the school separately."
"Oh, I've got to go back," mumbled Jin-woo as he got up. "I left my robes with Harry and Ron."
"At the end of the train, right?" When he nodded in reply, Dalia continued, "I'll get dressed and meet you there. Don't leave without me."
"Señora, sí, señora.," he joked, which sadly Dalia shrugged off, forcing him to glance at the rest to say, "See you at the Sorting Ceremony," before closing the door behind him.
Harry and Ron made sure to fill him in with everything that had happened to them in the past half an hour. The two first years, Neville and Hermione, had appeared to ask about the toad, but somehow ended up talking about Houses and Harry's fame. When they were gone, three boys appeared, also first years, and rude ones at that. They had insulted Ron's family in front of them, then almost had a tantrum when Harry refused to be his friend.
"An eventful first day, I see." Jin-woo took off his robes, shoving them in his trunk, before putting on his standard, non-sorted ones—Kitty, not wanting to be left behind, crawled up his sleeve to rest in his hood.
"Was that Muggle fashion?" Ron asked Harry, pointing over at Jin-woo.
"No." Harry shook his head. "He just wears odd things. Even for Muggles."
The train slowed down until it finally stopped at a tiny and dark platform. Dalia joined them just as the swarm of students getting off the train calmed down. The four of them were on the verge of shivering as they walked into the cold night air. Thankfully, Hagrid appeared, marching ahead with a lamp while calling for the first years and new students.
"C'mon, follow me—any more firs'-years or new studen's? Mind yer step, now! Follow me!"
Jin-woo thought he had heard everything there was about the boat ride to Hogwarts. However, he soon realised his grandfather hadn't told him the most important thing—bring a torch with you. The path to the boats was narrow and—forget dimly lit—nobody could see a thing. Hagrid's light was the only one they had for the first five minutes. After that, Jin-woo got tired of saving many students, especially Dalia and Harry, from almost falling over. He took his wand and mumbled, "Lumos."
The first years around him, he could see Evelyn among them, stuck close so they walk without the constant fear of tripping. Dalia soon copied, going further back in line to guide those that hadn't any lights to mind their step. Thankfully, they were at the black lake before any first year could get seriously hurt.
Hagrid stopped by the boats, where all students had a moment to glance up at Hogwarts, a castle perched atop a high mountain. They climbed into the boats, only four per boat, which slid off into the black lake in unison the moment everyone had found a spot. To their surprise, once the boats reached the cliff and they were stepping down, Neville finally found his toad. Hagrid had seen it in a boat.
"That's one adventurous toad," Dalia whispered to Jin-woo, who nodded.
They paid little attention to where they were going. Hagrid kept on telling them to continue moving and not stop, and so they did. It wasn't long before they stood around the front doors. Professor McGonagall, or so Hagrid called her, approached to welcome them, dismissing Hagrid as she led through the Entrance Hall up to the doors of the Great Hall, where she stopped.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Now, while you're here, your house will be something like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points. Any rule-breaking, and you'll lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup." Her sight travelled through the crowd. "The Sorting Ceremony will begin momentarily. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
Given how the Sorting would take place in front of the entire school, Jin-woo turned to Dalia to know if he was'all smartened up'. She fixed his tie. Nothing major. Although she reminded him to never take off his robes, as the clothes he wore under them could blind anyone. He couldn't say anything back as a swarm of at least twenty ghosts flew past them and into the Great Hall.
"Move along now," said Professor McGonagall, standing over the now open doors. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
The Great Hall had thousands of candles floating midair, being the only source of light in the hall, which led to the question—where they magically prepared not to drip wax on the students? Dalia couldn't find an answer to that, and, to their surprise, nor did Hermione, who recited "Hogwarts: A History" to them on their way down the hall. They halted at the sight of an old, pointed wizard's hat atop of a stool. At that moment, Jin-woo expected anything, and so when the hat started singing, he didn't react.
"You might belong in Hufflepuff, where they are just and loyal," repeated Dalia in a whisper, catching Jin-woo's amused glance. "I just want to be near the kitchens."
When the song ended, the entire Great Hall erupted in applause, and the Sorting Hat bowed to each of the four houses before going silent. Professor McGonagall stepped forward, holding a long parchment in her right hand, from which she began to read the names of the first years who were called to try on the hat. They started with"Abbot, Hannah—Hufflepuff," then "Awbrey, Evelyn—Gryffindor," and continued on like this. Hermione and Neville took a while to be sorted, but ultimately joined Ron and Harry in Gryffindor.
Finally, there were no first years left to be sorted when Professor McGonagall called out,"Gamal, Dalia." Whispers spread throughout the Great Hall, much like when Harry had been sorted. People were discussing her last name, Gamal, which belonged to a well-known family in the wizarding world. Jin-woo could even hear Ron, seated at the right side of the Hall, telling Harry, "The Gamals are famous inventors. My dad says they went to waste, though. They sided with Grindelwald back then. He says they would have been You-Know-Who's most loyal supporters if they hadn't been in America during the war."
To further her family's poor reputation, the Sorting Hat soon yelled, "SLYTHERIN!"
Jin-woo forcefully restrained himself from cheering, as he saw no other house but Slytherin do so—it was a standard for the chosen houses of the first-years. Only the House called would cheer and clap, and that was it. Not many seemed too keen on doing a thing for her, either way. That didn't bother Dalia. She walked to the far left table with her chin held high and settled next to a girl with a matching black scarf around her head.
Professor McGonagall glanced back at the parchment with names and sighed. Even if he wasn't the last to be sorted, Jin-woo would have known it was his turn. "KimMunyoz, Jin-woo Christopher."
Taking a cue from his friend, he marched up to the stool, stopping briefly by Professor McGonagall's side to say, "It's actually KimMuñoz, Professor," before taking a seat. Professor McGonagall didn't respond, but he could tell she was slightly impressed. He doubted many new students had corrected her before, if ever.
Professor McGonagall lowered the hat onto his head, and as it touched his hair, just as he was about to ask to be sorted into Slytherin with Dalia, the hat bellowed,"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Like most of the Hall, he was at a loss for words. However, a thunderous applause, loud enough to rattle the empty plates, erupted from the Hufflepuff table. He couldn't make any sense of it. His grandfather had told him he had a choice—that his decisions mattered—but the damned hat hadn't let him have a word in before choosing for itself. Hufflepuff was never on his list of possibilities. It hadn't anybody important to him, like Gryffindor or Slytherin had, nor provide the knowledge to learn about life's elixir, like Ravenclaw. Because some old, shabby hat had taken a liking to throw him off, he was now stuck at the house of the kind and patient. And he felt anything but kindness and patience.
He walked up to the side of the Hufflepuff table closest to Gryffindor's. If his house placement couldn't be changed, he would use the seating arrangement to his advantage. With his back to Harry, who he had waved on his way to his seat, and in direct eye contact with Dalia, he felt much better. Even Cedric Diggory's overly cheery introduction didn't faze him.
"Never seen anything like that before," said Cedric. "The Sorting Hat didn't have to think much, huh? Bet you'll find it."
"Find what?" Jin-woo asked, his alarms blaring as he watched Diggory closely, trying to decipher if the boy who he had just met knew about his search for life's elixir.
"The hidden swimming pool—of course!" Cedric beamed. "Oh, well, I guess it's a Hufflepuff thing. Your grandparents wouldn't know about it. You'll be in for a real treat. It's really fun. Besides, it's perfect for us. Hufflepuffs are particularly good finders."
"What the hell—" he couldn't quite finish his phrase, perhaps for the better of his future social life.
Dumbledore stood up at the high table, where all teachers and even Hagrid were gathered, acquiring the entire Hall's silence. "Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" He paused and sat back down. "Thank you!"
"That's the acclaimed Wizard of a Century?" Jin-woo mumbled, puzzled beyond words.
He couldn't imagine that madman holding a favour above his grandparents' head, forcing them to do whatever just to pay him back. That could be on purpose, too. Seamless people got away with much when playing their cards right.
"Wise beyond his years," Cedric told him halfway through his first plate, which had nothing but roast beef and boiled potatoes. "That's what my father says, anyway."
A ghostly see-through head stuck out from the bowl of peas that Jin-woo had helped himself to. There weren't half as many reactions to this as he would have expected. Cedric even greeted the ghost's head—Fat Friar, as people called him—until it rose up to present the rest of their pale body.
"It's always a pleasure to see new faces," said the friar, who then turned to Jin-woo with a polite smile. "Welcome to Hufflepuff—we take the lot and treat them just the same!"
"So I'm just part of the lot?" Jin-woo asked, his surprise overtaken by a slight irritation.
The Friar let out something between a snort and a laugh, like he had tried to stifle it and choked with his non-existent saliva on the process."Is there something greater? There will be a day when you'll know the lot like you know yourself, and only through that you'll find your way."
Not minding his ghostly body, the Friar floated down the table to chat with the older students, while passing through a couple of fourth years that shuddered at the contact. Cedric felt compelled to lean in to say he shouldn't worry about the Friar's words—he usually gave speeches to those who weren't too sure about their House yet. That didn't mean the Friar disliked him, of course. Somehow, the thought of being disliked hadn't bothered Jin-woo for one second, and he ensured Cedric knew in a less impolite manner.
"Care for something else? You've eaten next to nothing." Cedric offered him a plate of chicken wings, but he had to deny.
"Not really feeling like it." His sight lowered to his plate with only a few spoonfuls left of peas. "I guess I'm a bit homesick."
"Our Head Boy and Head Girl will go to the kitchens tonight. We could tag along, if you'd like. The elves there will cook up whatever you want." Up to that point, Cedric had him pretty much convinced. "If you don't want to skip curfew, I could always go for you. I know the way by heart."
"Better if you don't." Jin-woo laughed, which Cedric was pleased at, even though he didn't know what he was laughing at. "I know this is personal family tradition, but gifting food… in my family, that's a love declaration. No matter what kind of food—Could even be chicken wings, if you'd like. Well, no, I guess not all kinds. It's got to be the receiver's favourite."
"When did that start?" Cedric asked.
Jin-woo frowned for a moment, trying to recall the details that had slipped out of his mind."My mother's father—he gifted my grandma a stack of sweet puking spiders for her fifteenth birthday. Later, my mum gave my father a week-long worth of paella when she confessed—I think they were eighteen."
"So as long as it's not your favourite food, I can give you whatever?" Cedric's raised eyebrow didn't sit well with Jin-woo, though he still nodded. "Brilliant. I'm guessing thatfideuahis your favourite, so I just have to get you anything else. How about some treacle tarts and sweets?"
"As long as they're not your favourites."
The Hufflepuff, which had bustled with conversations, like any other, quieted down for the replacement of their food for the pudding. People got engrossed with the pastries, leaving most chatter to concentrate on the food. That left those who wanted to continue talking, to turn to others, to continue their barge of questions.
A boy who looked to be in his third year, just like them, tried to start a conversation in arguably the worst of ways."How was it—being raised by Squibs?"
Cedric almost bolted out of his seat."Rivers!"
"Calm down, Cedric," said Jin-woo without even looking, his sight set on the boy, Rivers, across from the table to him. "No different from being raised by Muggles, I presume. Wizards have a nasty habit of meddling in other people's business, so an 'ordinary' upbringing by your own standards was impractical. Besides, I was as good as a Muggle up to the day I got my letter."
"No way." Rivers dropped his tart over his lap, cursing at it before quickly disregarding it to continue pressing for answers. "Absolutely brilliant. Hey, you wouldn't mind helping me at Muggle Studies, would you? My mum's dating a Muggle and wants me to understand them better—says I'll find them fascinating."
"There's one condition," Jin-woo said, Rivers giving a frantic nod. "You have to stop talking about Muggles as if they're exotic animals in peril of extinction."
"Consider it done," assured Rivers, offering a hand for him to shake.
After half an hour of chatter and eating until their stomachs hurt close to burst, Dumbledore rose from his seat, commanding silently for everyone to fall silent."Ahem—just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all students. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." His sight travelled over to Gryffindor table, specifically, the Weasley twins. "Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch."
Cedric nudged Jin-woo."You'll try out, won't you?"
"So I can fall off my broom to a fifty-metre drop? I'd rather not, thank you," Jin-woo replied, horror-struck.
"And finally," continued Dumbledore, "I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die the most painful death."
"Beats me how this school's still open," Ji-woo mumbled, just as Dumbledore flickered his wand to cast a golden ribbon that twisted itself into the words of the school song.
The Great Hall broke into clashing symphonies as everyone sang however they pleased, leading more than one person to have fun with it. The Weasley twins were using a slow funeral march, which left them second-to-last to finish the song. Jin-woo sang the last word a few seconds after them, his tune no different from a tragic ballad. When the twins turned to him, he took off an imaginary hat as he bowed.
"Ah, music," said Dumbledore. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
"Better wait it out." Cedric pointed over to the crowd swarming the Great Hall's entrance.
"Just a moment," Jin-woo told him, dashing over to Gryffindor table as Percy rounded up the first-years. "Harry!"
"Chris!" Harry turned over to him, almost ditching Ron and the others to talk to him. "That—The Sorting, I mean. It makes sense you'd be a Hufflepuff. Kindness and patience suits you."
"I hope that's not sarcasm, but I'll take it," he mumbled. "Congratulations on being sorted into Gryffindor, of course. But, speaking of that, don't forget to write all about it to Cristina. I'm sure she'll be glad to hear from you. Don't worry about the address. Give me the letter tomorrow and I'll send it."
"I'll do that. See you at breakfast, then?" Harry stared off at something beyond his neck. "Has Kitty been in your hood the entire time?"
"If she's comfortable, who am I to tell her to get off?" Jin-woo replied, and patted Harry's back as Percy finally managed to round up all first-years. "Off you go. Goodnight."