Chapter 4
9 ¾ wasn’t a platform. Yet the twins walked slowly in the direction it would have been, counting down the numbers and rereading their tickets to make sure they got it right. It was Harry who heard the curly ginger-haired woman yell the platform number while herding her children like sheep.
The Potter twins were quick to catch up to family. A young girl, perhaps younger than Harry and Minerva stood tucked behind the older woman, Molly Weasley. Two identical ginger-haired boys were fighting over who had the better suitcase on one side of Mrs. Weasley. Minerva locked eyes with one of them briefly. She quickly looked away to the boy introduced to them as Ron Weasley. The Weasleys were kind enough to help the twins through the platform onto the train which they were both grateful for (and outright astounded they hadn’t broken their noses on the brick wall).
The train smelled like gunpowder (most likely due to the Weasley twins). Some kids were bustling through the train trying to find open seats while others were practicing random spells. Finally, the Potter twins found an open car and a moment to breathe. Before Minerva could bring up what they had learned in the inn, Ron opened the car asking for a seat.
When they both nodded their heads, the redhead sat across from them, his gaze lingering on Harry. “Blimey… you’re the Potters!” Ron exclaimed in awe. Harry lit up immediately and showed Ron the scar on his forehead. Minerva rolled her eyes but showed the mark on her hip for more proof. When the trolley cart came around and Ron pulled out his… wet rice crispy treat? Harry bought the whole damn lot.
“Harry, what is wrong with you? That’s like all of your money!” Minerva scolded, hitting his arm lightly. “Oh, calm down Minerva! Don’t you want to try all of this?” Harry asked wiggling his eyebrows and throwing a chocolate frog into her lap and causing her to squeal. Ron laughed but stopped immediately when Minerva whipped around to glare at him. “You’re so dead,” she said to her brother taking her wand out playfully right as the trolley car opened.
“Excuse me? Have you seen a toad? A boy named Neville lost him,” a girl asked. Her hair fell into frizzy curls and she spoke with an air of confidence Minerva longed to have. “No, sorry,” Minerva said shyly when she realized Harry and Ron had stuffed their mouths full of licorice and couldn’t respond. “I’m Minerva and this is my brother Harry,” she continued with a small smile which the girl returned. “I’m Hermione Granger. And you are?” She asked looking at Ron as if he was a parasite. “Ron Weasley,” he answered with his mouth full.
Minerva kicked Ron’s shin causing him to glare and her. If she wasn’t already enamored by Hermione before, she certainly was when Hermione calmly sat down and cast a spell to fix her brother’s glasses. Harry stared at his newly repaired glasses in shock, Ron looked terrified as always and Minerva just looked completely in love. “Care if I join your care for the rest of the train ride?” Minerva asked breathlessly. Hermione smiled and nodded, the two girls leaving together. Before she left Minerva flipped off both Ron and Harry.
“Scary those two, aren’t they?” Ron's eyes were wide as he leaned back in his seat. “Not sure I want to know much more about either of them.” Harry stared at the place where the two girls just were.
***
Minerva HATED dark water much to Hermione’s amusement. Anytime the wooden boat rocked or tipped she would grab her new companion's hand tightly. She had never been more happy to have her feet on dry land as she stumbled out of the boat. It turned out that Hermione and Minerva had lots in common. They both adored reading, had trouble keeping their curls from frizzing, and hated boys. The three most important things.
A literal castle was not what Minerva pictured when she thought about Hogwarts. She had never been more blessed to be wrong. The hallways were built like visions of old fantasy novels. Candles cast a warm glow over the entirety of the space, creating a welcoming feel. Hermione and Minerva trudged up the stairs, Harry and Ron scampering behind while arguing about some bet they had made.
The four somehow pushed to the front of the line, talking amongst themselves about the unbelievable environment they had found themselves. “Is that… is that a toad?” Hermione gawked as every first-year pushed forward to try to see the animal. “Trevor!” a boy yelled pushing forward and picking the scared creature up. The boy seemed to shrink under the judging gazes of his fellow students. Minerva offered him a small smile which he returned before sinking back into the crowd.
“So, it’s true. The Potters have come to Hogwarts,” a shrill voice sounded. It belonged to a short boy with platinum blonde hair. Two boys were standing next to him like bouncers of sorts. “My name’s Draco. Draco Malfoy,” the boy jutted his chin out slightly in pride. Harry flatly replied, “I’m Harry and this is my sister, Minerva.” Everyone had gone silent, intrigued by the conversation. “Red hair and a hand-me-down robe? You must be a Weasley.” Ron seemed to shrink into himself and muttered a half-greeting to Malfoy.
“You will both learn there are wrong sorts around here,” Draco said sticking his hand out to Harry. “I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself thank you,” her brother bit back. Minerva could practically hear the silent gasps from the children around them. Whoever this was, she could already tell he was important in this school's eyes. Before Draco could turn to Minerva, an older woman ushered him back in line.
She was dressed in emerald green and a giant, pointed hat, adorned with a feather. Her eyes seemed exhausted even though the school year hadn’t started. The woman introduced herself as Professor McGonagall and explained the sorting hat ceremony. Minerva found herself wondering if her parents had felt as nervous as she did when they were sorted. The grand door in front of them swung open to reveal what was called the Great Hall. Floating candles hovered above them and long tables were lined up evenly across the room. Older kids were already seated in their respective houses.
Ron and Harry were fighting over the rules of rock paper scissors (muggle and wizard version) while Minerva’s eyes raced around the room and Hermione was explaining how she had read about the Great Hall in some history book. As she took in the sights, Minerva’s eyes locked with Fred Weasley’s once again. Just for a moment. He gave her a small smile which she returned before her attention was pulled to the front.
Gandalf? Minerva was sure she was hallucinating… “That’s Albus Dumbledore, the Head Master,” Hermione whispered. That makes more sense. She tried to focus on what Dumbledore was saying but her attention was diverted to the table behind him. A man, about 40, with greasy black hair styled into a bob like Edna’s was staring at her like he’d seen a ghost. Minerva squirmed in place and looked back up to the podium trying to ignore him. She successfully did so when they began to call kids up to be sorted. Hermione and Ron were both put into Gryffindor much to the older Weasley’s pleasure. Draco was sorted in Slytherin and right away Minerva decided that she didn’t want to be in that house.
When Harry’s name was called out, the air practically left the room. She knew what everyone was thinking. The Potters. Minerva noticed her brother wasn’t moving. She rolled her eyes and pushed him gently forward. The sorting hat took longer to sort him than the other kids for some odd reason. “Gryffindor!” The hat shouted after several tension-filled minutes. The red and yellow house whooped and hollered, patting Harry on the back while the other houses slowly clapped.
Her name was next. She took a breath and walked up to the stool, sitting. This school has literal magic but it couldn’t get a better stool than one with an uneven leg? She cursed in her head trying to stabilize herself as the hat was placed on her head. Minerva waited for the hat to speak for a moment but it never did. “Did I break it?” She asked causing a bunch of the kids to laugh and a small embarrassed blush appear on her face. Finally, the hat spoke.
“A brilliant mind I see… and brave like your parents… loyalty, and kindness from your mother… stubbornness and bravery from your father… but that drive, that dark drive that fills you… The darkness that haunts and completes you…” Minerva furrowed her eyebrows in response, “What are you talking about? Just put me in Gryffindor.” The hat only laughed in response, “Your brother and new friends are there yes… but you know you do not belong there with them. You feel that pull, don’t you? We both know what it is… that dark consuming feeling. That need for greatness.”
Minerva gulped a bit, “I’m not evil. I don’t belong in Slytherin.” The hat laughed more, “I never said anything about Slytherin… but you did. You know where you belong.” Minerva’s eyes didn’t avert from the ground. Her fate was sealed. “Slytherin!” The hat shouted. A deafening pleased roar of students filled her ears from the table in the right of the room.