Sorted and Seated
The Great Hall they entered to be sorted into was nothing alike. They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through
a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.
Elaine had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of
the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led
the first-years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them.
The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts
shone, misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Elaine looked upwards and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.
She heard Luke's whisper, ‘It’s bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about it in Hogwarts: A History.’
It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all and that the Great Hall didn’t simply open on to the heavens. Lina quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years. On
top of the stool, she put a pointed wizard’s hat.
This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Her step mother Amelia wouldn’t have let it in their house. Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it, she thought wildly. That seemed the sort of thing that would happen in a magic school, right?
Noticing that everyone in the Hall was now staring at the hat, she stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth – and the hat began to sing.
She whispered back to Luke. 'Was the song in Hogwarts: A History?' As she started to applaud, the thing finished its song.
'Uh, yes.' He confusingly applauded. 'Though I always imagined it more... melodic.'
'Yeah,' Elaine agreed. 'I wish it was a bit melodic, too.'
Professor McGonagall, as she previously introduced herself, now stepped forward, holding a long roll of parchment.
‘When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted,’ she said and met her eyes immediately ‘Allen, Eliana!’
'Oh, I'm first!' She thought. She wasn't still used to using her wizardy undercover surname, so she moved a bit later than anticipated . She smiled at McGonagall, and she looked the slightest bit startled. Then, there appeared a whispery sound as she walked up to the stoll.
The hat started to talk. 'Ooh, an interesting one. With clear desires. And as her desires commands, she does suit well with Ravenclaw, but it's not exactly the best fit - better be GRYFFINDOR!’
Lina heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. She took off the hat and walked shakily towards the Gryffindor table.
She was so relieved to have been chosen and put in Gryffindor to be honest. She hardly noticed that she was getting a loud cheer. She smiled in relief. She thought after the whispers she could get utter silence.
Someone got up and shook his hand vigorously (judging by his badge, he was a Prefect), while the redhead twins she intended to sit next to yelled, ‘Welcome, youngling Welcome to Gryffindor!’ They patted her shoulder as sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff she’d seen earlier. The ghost patted her arm also, giving Lina the sudden, horrible feeling he’d just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water.
She could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest him sat Hagrid, who caught his eye and gave him the thumbs-up. She didn't expect that frinedly gesture but still awkardly gave him thumbs-up in return.
In the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. she recognised him from he's been a guest at her house a few times. Dumbledore’s silver hair was the only thing she remembered from him and that he was the headmaster.
And there, next to him, sat Ellen Morgan, his father's friend. She also saw her once or twice but when she was much younger. Like 4 or 5. She had wondered why she remembered her even though she came a lot less and when she was younger.She know the reason why now, she was looking a little too similar.
She was beautiful, so beautifull with that fair blonde hair braided at both sides but tangling inside her long wavy her. She almost had as long as her dinner companions, Dumbleodore. Silky like her long dark blue robes which were embroided with gold and fitted on her quiet tight, except shoulders. There she had some weird wizardy soldier badges or something Elainw didn't know the exact name. Then again she hade a huge gold neclace of a eye that had a emerald in the middle.
"Cat, got your tongue?" Said the boy next to her. And he followed where her glances pointed at than said, "Oh, you've seen her for the first time. Understable, understandable."
"Indeed, George. Do you think we listened to any Astornomy lessons in our first year?"
"No, not until spring had come around, brother. And then we were -"
"She-Does she have or had a sister?" Elaine. "Sorry for interrupttion." Finally parting her eyes from the woman looks exactly like her mother in the photos of her that she had.
"Nuh, I don't think so." said one of the twins.
"Although I think she has some relatives in France or America."said the other.
"Wow, I'm impressed, brother." He narrowed eyes. "Do you even know all of our cousins?"
"-Do you?"
She giggled. It seemed like they had forgotten she was there. She properly had a look at them. They were red headded and pale skinned. Both had blue eyes and lots of freckles. And it seemed like they liked to talk on top of each other.
"Well, this one is friendly, Fred." He smiled at her. "Whats your name, youngling?"
"My name is Elaine Allen. You can call me Lina, though." And she extended her hand. "Pleasure to meet you. And how should I call you?"
"Oh, overfriendly for a newbie. That's the Gryffindor spirit, little one!"
"Nah, mate. It's the just perfect amount. I like the venturistic attitude to attain new friends. We're Fred and George, youngling. Oh, look, there is another one of you." One of the twins focused swayed next to her left.
He was right. There was Rhea Beauchamp, the girl she sat opposite of at the boats, walking towards her. She was second to be chosen into Geyffindor. "Welcome, hi." said Elaine, smiling too. "This is Fred, George."
She didn't question why she was introduced to them. "Hi. Which one of you is George, and which one of you is Fred?" Was Rhea's first question. Lina laughed. That was a valid question.
"Yes, really good question, Rhea. How we are supposed to differ you?" Lina asked too.
"Well, don't worry, youngling our own mother -"
"-the one who gave us birth -"
- Confuse us sometimes -
"- Most of the times. You'll figure it out."
" 'Right. But you don't seem much older than us, why do you keep calling us younglings, how old are you?"Lina asked another forwarded question. She seemed more in the Gryfdondor spirit to attain friends.
"We -we are much older than you!" said the one she thought was George, who was very confidently bluffing. (' Dallas, Martin! Gryffindor!")
"In fact, we're Fourth years!" The other one continueing the act..
"Yeah... no."said Rhea.
Lina closed her mouth to not let out a laugh.
"Look at this -"
"Now, now."said the Prefect whom shaked Elaine's had gently shushed them. "Stop messing with the First Years from day one. You were like them just a year ago."
"You are only Second Years?" Lina laughing even more behind her hidden hand, masking the sheer entartainment these two had prevailed. They were a lot like the twins she knew back home.
She had a feel she would like them a lot.
"Well, not merely a year!" Fred said.
"A very long year, filled with vicarious experiences -
"Yes, experienced indeed, brother. Well said!"
Elaine's ears pierced when 'Koga-Ok, Luke!' was annouced.
Luke walked right up to the Sorting Hat. There was a long silence that followed. It was taking quite a moment.
"Does this happen a lot?" Rhea asked.
The prefect answered them. "Well, some take longer than others, but i myself never saw someone take more than a few moments. So it would probably end any-'
"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat roared.
"Wow, that was the loudest one yet." Rhea said, whispering to her.
"It seems we're getting most of the first years this year." said the Prefect, counting the heads of the students. "5, including the new one."
The next 2 students got sorted into Ravenclaw while Luke reached tot them.
"Congrats, Luke!" Eliana enthusiasticly said. "We're the same house!"
"Yes!" Luke grinned, it made his dimples bubble into surface. His whole face lighted up the way he smiled. She seriously doubted herself why she didn't talk to him in school before.
Like that, their whole boat team was in the same house. Guess it was true that making friends was pure luck and destiny. She thinked, oh for sure, as even the girl whom bumped her head in the boat behind her got sorted into Gryffindor.
Every single person she talked to was getting sorted into Gryffindor. And only name Lina know remaining from the bunch got called out next. "Lyon, Armand!"
Elaine clapped her hands together. Praying/whispering, "Gryffindor. Please be in Gryffindor too."
Luke next to her asked, "Why? You know him?" His voice tone was more suprised than it should be.
"Yes... Is he famous around here?" whispered Lina.
"Well his family, eh...Kinda? You know about the Wizarding War right? His family is one of the pureblood families that got wiped out like Blacks, Prewetts, Bones, only a handfull remaining." Luke expalined keenly. "That's all I know though, French rooted family who's sided with dark magic throughout history. I guess he will be sorted into Slyterhin."
No, Elaina thinked. He was supposed to be in Gryffindor so Elaine would have her big dream friend group. It had to be Gryffindor. "Well, not necessarily! He said his siblings were Gryffindors and cousins are Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. It can be any house." Lina obliged.
"Yeah but they really have long deep rooted bonds with Slyterhin. " The Prefect intruded. "The majority of the branch in England immigrated to USA when Ministry of Magic started to allow Muggle marriages back in 1700s." He added. "They are really commited."
"To discrimination." Rhea added.
"Ella and Bella seemed interested in Muggle culture though." Murmured Lina. "They even checked on me on the train if I was doing okay?" He told Luke.
Luke raised his eyebrows.
The Prefect almost choked in his pumpkin juice. "Ella...you know her?"
The twins who's been quiet once again flourished. "Oh how cute, Damien. You can't even drink when the word of your girlfriend comes up."
"I'm not!" the perfect blushing wiping his mouth.
"You are the boyfriend of Ella?" Lina asked eagerly. "Aw, you guys would look good together."
One if the twins fistbumped her undertable. Elaine smiled to the boy. Red headded boy grinned right back her. "Good one, youngling."
"I said I'm not."The Prefect whos name was apperantly Damien, still coughing. "We're just friends..."He sighed quietly. "I don't know why I accept to deal with the 1st years, again."
"Oh, yeah just friends-"
"Slyterhin!"
"Nooo." Elaine said immediately giving her attention back to the Hat.
Armand didn't seem to pleased about it either. Though Slytehin table applauded quite loudly. He tried to look someone in Gryffindor table for a second than quickened his steps like he was embarresed.
Elaine watched him till Sorting got to an end. He was the first one to be Slyterhin. The names got cold but never to the greens. Armand seemed more gloomy as it did too. There were many many Hufflepuffs. A good many of Ravenclaws and Gryffindors too.
But only 3 girls and one boy got sorted into which two of the girls and the boy seemed to be close friends. So they talked for the majority of the Sorting. Girls included the newly selected girl to their conversation too. But they just name-shared with Armand, which made him even more gloomy.
"You seemed worried about your friend." said Damien the Prefect, slightly startling then chuckling at Lina. "Don't worry Rousseau's will take care of her."
"Rousseaus?" Elaine asked.
"Ella and Bella?" Damien made a face. "New Lyon's cousins. Thought you were close with them?"
"Armand-yes I know they're cousins but no, we just met on the train. They took care of me so other kids wouldn't crowd up on me. " Then Elaine realized she didn't introduced herself. "Because I'm a Princess. How rude, I didn't tell my name-"
"-yet you feel comfortable mocking me-"Damien added grinning.
"Elaine Allen. Whats your's?" She asked.
"Damien. Damien Andersen. Know your name though, Princess." The Prefect. Elaine took a long look ar him for a hot minute. He had blonde hair. Not gold blond like Elaines tho, light almost platinum blond and grey eyes now that she looked attentively. And he had white, vampire white skin, only color in face was the red reflecting from his Gryffindor robes. Yet he looked somewhat like a fairy. Were even wizards related with faries?
She shake herself and got reconnected into real world. "How come, are you a Muggle-born too?"
"Yes. But no, I knew your name because they were rumors surrounding there were two famous kids coming to Hogwarts this year. Harry Potter and the Muggle Princess: Elaine Allen."
"Harry Potter?" Elaine asked,this was a new name she never heard before. God there was lot to learn in this world. There were already in W's and she didn't any Potter in the P's. "Who is he?"
"The Boy Who Lived?" He gave Lina a confused look. "Maybe they miscalculated his age he'll be here next year. Anyways, shh now. Dumbledore is gonna speak."
"Welcome and welcome back students! Before our annual banquet starts I will share some announcements regards to our beloved Profesor Morgan. She will unfortunately will not continue her Astronomy classes this year but-"
The Hall went mad with noise. There were shoutings whispering. A chaos.
"No!" Twins yelled.
"Don't send her away!" Yelled some boy from Hufflepuff table.
"Now,now. She's not leaving the school for good. The Ministry has bestowed her and mission. So she has to give a break to teaching this year in the middle of the year. Yet she'll be in her office for your visits. Also There will be Potions Championship among Schools. The details will be explained in details." He lightly laughed at the reaction." You are sure loved Proffesor." Dumbledore turned and gave a look to Ellen Morgan under his half-moon shaped spectacles. "You must be glad."
Ellen Morgan grinned slightly to Dumbledore.
"Any words to add Ellen?"asked Dumbledore.
"No Albus, let the children eat."said Ellen Morgan. Her voice voice was softer than Elaine expected.
"Very well then." He clapped his hands. "Gobble up everyone!"
Elaine was starving. So she had left eyeing Slyterhin table and listned the words surrounding her while she ate for life.
She learned that the twins had bazillion of brothers and one sister. And they were quite adored by the whole house, Luke was supposed to go Mahoutokoro (The ancinet school in Japan , Lina reminded herself.) but he didn't wanna be away from home. Elaine also learned that Rhea's cousin was brought up in Muggle 'customs' although their family was pure-blood Ryan mother was a squib so she married a Muggle man. That was what she meant by 'almost like you' in the boat, Elaine thought. Although she counted as a Half-Blood.
That piece if information seemed to shocked the her roommates. Rhea was suprised, "You aren't a Muggle-born?"
"Yeah?" The girl from the boat behind her whose name was Maisie. "Thought the Muggle Princess would be Muggle born?"
"No, my father is one. My mother was a Pureblood. I'm a half-blood." Ellen expalined.
"Me too." said her other roommate Anna. "My mother is a Muggle tho. My father is a half blood too."
They chatted and gotta know each other till night grew even darker as they sleep, and Lina realized there weren't so much to be afraid about having roomamates.
It was quite fun.
McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the sorting hat away.
Elaine looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realised how hungry he was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages
ago.
Albus Dumbledore had got to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there. ‘Welcome!’ he said. ‘Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words.'