Chapter 3
Two grand wooden doors opened for the first years, and they all went inside to a cozy looking hall. It was unlike anything she could've dreamed of, inviting and beautiful in all its grandeur.
"Whoa," Cassidy whispered, her eyes wide as they wandered over the floating candles hovering above them. Their soft, golden light danced across her dark skin, and she stood still for a moment, taking it all in.
Beside her, Ron watched her reaction, the way her face lit up with wonder. A strange feeling stirred in his stomach, unfamiliar and unsettling. He quickly averted his gaze, muttering under his breath, "I must be hungry."
"What?" Harry asked.
"Nothing." Ron said quickly.
Harry shrugged and continued looking around the hall. The group looked up at the ceiling, which looked to be open to the sky.
"That's amazing, don't you think, Hermione?" Cassidy nudged the latter.
"It's not real, the ceiling. It's just bewitched to look like the night sky," Hermione explained, matter-of-factly. "I read about in Hogwarts: A History."
Cassidy didn't hear a word she was saying, looking at all the older students around them. They were all gawping at Harry, of course, curious to see The Boy Who Lived. Cassidy wondered how Harry felt, being the center of attention like this.
As they neared the professors sitting at a long table in the front of the hall, Cassidy felt like a jumble of nerves. She didn't even notice the old and tattered hat perched upon a stool.
"What if I don't get into Gryffindor? I certainly couldn't stand Slytherin, or Hufflepuff..." the young girl thought.
She concluded that if all went wrong, at least Ravenclaw was all right.
Right?
"Can we wait along here, please?" The witch used a scroll she was holding to signal the first-years to get into a line. Cassidy ended up standing next to Ron. She looked across the table of professors, all peculiar looking and equally interesting.
"Now, before we begin, Dumbledore would like to say a few words." An elderly, kindly man with a large beard rose up, and Cassidy looked at him in awe. He spoke up, his voice old and weathered, but still strong.
"There are a few start of term notices I would like to announce. First years, please note: the Forbidden Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch—"
Cassidy and Ron looked back to the greasy, miserable man that Dumbledore was gesturing to, and Cassidy almost gagged.
"He looks like he hasn't taken a bath in ages." She whispered to Ron, who snickered.
They were quickly silenced by a glare from the old witch.
"—has asked me to remind you. That the third-floor corridor, on the right-hand side, is out of bounds. To everyone who does not want to die a most painful death. Thank you."
The first years started mumbling amongst themselves, Harry furrowed his brow in concern, and Cassidy shuddered, tugging on Ron's cloak again, much to his annoyance.
"Oi, Cassidy, quit it!" Ron hissed, though there was not much malice behind it.
The witch opened her scroll and looked to the first years.
"When I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will be sorted onto your houses."
Cassidy's heart was pounding now, and she tugged on Ron's robe even harder. He whirled around to tell her to stop, but she saw her squeezing her eyes shut and muttering, and slowly held the hand tugging his robe in reassurance instead. Cassidy opened her eyes, looking at Ron, but he refused to meet her eyes. She smiled and squeezed his hand gently.
"Hermione Granger!" The witch called out.
Cassidy looked to Hermione, who sighed. To Cassidy's surprise, she looked a bit nervous. Wanting to reassure her but thinking better of it, Cassidy watched Hermione walk up to the stage. She seemed to be muttering.
"Mental, that one, I'm telling ya." Ron said to Harry, who nodded.
Cassidy pinched his hand, and he yelped.
Hermione sat on the stool gingerly as the Sorting Hat was placed on her head. To Cassidy's astonishment, it started to speak.
"Ah, right then. Mmm, right! A.....Gryffindor!"
The table that had a set of twins with the same hair as Ron erupted into applause, as Hermione hopped off the stool and went towards the table eagerly. Cassidy silently prayed the same would happen for her as she watched Hermione sit down next to a handsome-looking senior, who she suspected was a Weasley.
As the applause died down, Draco Malfoy was called up. Cassidy rolled her eyes as he sat on the stool. The Sorting Hat had barely touched his head when it yelled, "Slytherin!"
He smirked as he walked towards an unfriendly-looking table. Yet again, Cassidy hoped she wouldn't end up there. Ron seemed to sense her worry, because he squeezed her hand tightly. She looked at him, but he seemed to make a great effort to avoid eye contact.
"There's no witch or wizard who's bad that wasn't in Slytherin," he whispered to Harry.
They watched as other students were called up, each being sorted into various houses. Cassidy felt the crowd around her thin, but despite it all, she and Ron were still holding hands. Lost in thought about what she'd do, she heard Harry gasp in pain, touching his forehead. She and Ron looked towards him with concern.
"Harry, what is it?" Ron asked.
"It's...it's nothing," Harry replied, though he stared at one sinister-looking professor.
"Are you sure?" Cassidy pressed on.
"It's nothing, I'm fine," he told her. Cassidy looked back at the professor, who looked away, deep in thought.
She decided then and there that she didn't like him.
"Ronald Weasley!"
Ron widened his eyes, and though she found herself not wanting to, Cassidy let his hand go. Glancing at her nervously, he slowly made his way up to the stool.
"Ha! Another Weasley. I know just what to do with you. Gryffindor!"
Cassidy smiled and clapped for Ron, who looked absolutely delighted. He ran towards the table happily and was met with praise from what seemed to be his brothers. One of the twins ruffled his hair and nodded towards Cassidy, saying something incoherent to Ron. The latter turned a deep red as the other twin made kissy faces.
Cassidy quickly turned away, wondering when she'd be called.
"Harry Potter."
The witch called. Dumbledore sat up, intrigued.
Harry looked at Cassidy, who gave him an encouraging nod before he went up. The silence in the Great Hall was palpable. Everyone seemed to hold their breath as he walked towards the stool, even Hagrid.
The Hat was lowered onto Harry's head, and it spoke.
"Hmm.....difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see, not a bad mind, either, there's talent, oh yes, and a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?"
Cassidy saw Harry squeeze his eyes shut and whisper something to the Hat.
"Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know. It's all here, in your head. Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness! There's no doubt about that. No? Well, if you're sure...better be.... Gryffindor!"
The cheers were deafening, and everyone at the Gryffindor table rose to celebrate receiving the Boy Who Lived. Dumbledore looked on with a small smile, and Cassidy clapped for her friend. Hermione and Ron grinned at him as he sat down.
"Cassandra Sweet!"
The stern witch called out, and Cassidy froze.
It was her turn. She'd been the last student to be called.
Slowly walking up to the stool, she found herself praying silently, hoping she'd make it into Gryffindor with her new friends. She sat down on the stool, and the witch placed the hat on her head.
The cool weight of the Sorting Hat settled on her head, and she immediately felt a wave of warmth, as though the Hat itself were alive with energy.
"Hmm," the Sorting Hat mused, its voice deep and echoing in her mind. "Another interesting one. I see ambition—strong, yes, a desire to stand out, to prove yourself. But there's more, much more... Loyalty, bravery... a certain courage to stand up for what's right."
Cassidy's breath caught. She hadn't realized she was holding it. Was it really possible that she had all those qualities?
"I won't disappoint," she thought silently, gripping the edges of her robes under her knees. She could almost hear Ron's words echoing in her head: "There's no witch or wizard who's bad that wasn't in Slytherin." She didn't want that. She didn't want to be like Draco Malfoy, slick and sneaky.
The Hat hummed again, its voice like a whisper in her mind. "Ah, I see. You fear the wrong sort of ambition. The kind that leads to selfishness, to cold-hearted choices... but that's not you. You care for your friends, for those around you. There's a bravery here too, not just for yourself but for others. I think you know what you want."
Cassidy swallowed hard. Her thoughts drifted to Ron, Hermione, Harry—all the friends she had found here. She wanted to be with them, to stand by them. She wanted to be part of something bigger, a team that valued friendship, loyalty, and courage.
The Sorting Hat seemed to pause, as though weighing its final decision. "Yes... I see the fire in you, the heart of a lion. But I also see the intellect, the sharp mind, the ability to adapt. You belong in a house where both your talents can thrive..."
Cassidy closed her eyes. Was it really happening? Was she about to be sorted?
The Hat suddenly shouted, "Gryffindor!"
The Gryffindor table erupted in applause, and Cassidy's heart soared. The moment felt like a whirlwind—so fast, yet somehow, she could feel everything slowing down in that instant. She had made it. She was part of something. She was part of Gryffindor.
As she stood up from the stool, she looked over at Ron, who was grinning ear to ear, and at Hermione, whose excited face was lit up with a warm smile. The Weasley twins, too, were clapping loudly, and Cassidy felt a rush of joy. She made her way toward the Gryffindor table, her mind still racing.
Cassidy smiled back at her new housemates, her chest swelling with relief. She looked at Ron, who'd been watching her, turn an odd shade of pink and look away.