To Be Sorted
She had no words to describe Hogwarts - beautifully terrifying in all the ways Malfoy Manor was , but it had a warm welcome manner at its core that took a lot of the overwhelming feelings Celia was experiencing away .
'Who's that man over there ?' Celia asked .
'That's Professor Flitwick , head of charms .' Astoria Greengrass answered , the two of them were walking through the mighty and meandering corridors of the school , towards what she presumed was the 'Great Hall ' Draco had mentioned a lot in his stories where the sorting went on when -
'Celia ?' a voice asked
She turned around , and gazed upwards . Infront of her was a man at least seven and a half feet tall , with a beard that grew to his chest and brown eyes that twinkled in the candlelight .
'That's me .' she replied , trying not to stare at him - or his height .
'I'm Professor Hagrid , teacher of Care of Magical Creatures here as well as the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts . Professor Dumbledore requests for me to deliver you to his office before the sorting ceremony . You're not a first year and the students that start here in older years are sorted in his office . You're the only new older student this year '
She looked at Astoria , who reassuringly nodded back as if to say she could trust him , and headed in the direction Hagrid was pointing at with a giant , bulbous lantern he held in a huge hand .
Her and this stranger trundled down the several corridors - and Celia took in the scenery . They were passing some ancient-bricked arched windows , which looked beyond into a courtyard with benches and hefty oak trees where she presumed students spent their time between lessons . The corridors were capacious , despite there seeming to not be the most packed student body , and the paintings and tapestries that hung along the rich stone walls gave her comfort , they again reminded her of the Manor - the paintings in that ballroom at home that moved .
They turned a corner in comfortable silence , the sound of Hagrid's heavy boots scuffing the stone walkways as they approached a bronzed statue of an eagle .
'Fudge flies .' Hagrid spoke
'Wha-?' Celia hadn't finished answering her question before the statue bloomed and rotated , an anticlockwise motion that hurled a brick staircase that curved around the statue .
'That's Dumbledore for yeh ,' Hagrid winked ,' Very wise man , I'd say his only downfall is his love for sugar . You'll know where to go when you reach the top.'
'Thank you Professor Hagrid .'
'Not a bother Celia . What's yer last name ? O' course , you're the one who lives with the Malfoys , you wouldn't know ,' his face fell , ' I'm sorry about tha''
She smiled sadly , she loved the Malfoy's - well Narcissa and Draco anyway , but she thought even just knowing her true family would be a nice thing to have .
'I'll find out one day ,' she replied ,' And thank you , again .'
He smiled and she turned , ascending the stairs . She had always felt very privileged to live with the Malfoys , honoured even to live in a house as grand as theirs that she had never really thought about the desire to find her own parents . She could feel it , a small candle flame of curiosity in her chest that had just sparked to life .
Lucius had never let her take the name Malfoy , she wondered if maybe finding out her own history would be such a bad thing at all .
Those thoughts for the moment however vanished when she had finishing climbing the staircase , and came head to head with a colossal door forged of iron and gold . She awed at the various images of phoenixes and other magical runes and symbols before the door ominously swung open by magic .
She was met with a room of wonder . The walls were lined with trinkets in cabinets , more ancient runes that glimmered in the evening light . She glanced to the ceiling to see where the candescent source was coming from to be met with several portraits of wizards and witches - all relatively older in age - peering down at her with either glances of shock or inquisitiveness . Something caught her eye that flashed before the window - a shooting star ? or a meteor that was about to hit home .
'Ah Celia ,do come forth , for they say it is ponderous to dream in doorways .'
'I'm sorry Professor , really I a-' Celia moved into the centre of the room immediately .
'Don't fret child , we must have haste and complete your sorting before the other students get bored . I'm afraid as great as they are , the head professors of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons are hardly being paid this year to entertain my students .
' Durmstrang and Beauxbatons as in the wizarding schools ?'
'You shall learn about all of the trials this year from your peers later , do not fret ,' he chuckled , his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles ,' I have seemed to have said that quite a bit about you so far haven't I ? Forgive me , I have a habit of making judgement .'
'We seem to have a habit for frequently apologising to each other too .'
Dumbledore laughed , a hearty laugh this time ,' Lets get you sorted - time is in the essence of the beholder . Your peers could perhaps tell you about their past adventures on some occasion too , all depending on your house of course .'
Celia thought he was speaking in complete riddles , she just smiled and sat down on the stool before Dumbledore's desk . A stool that seemed similar to the one one Draco had told her of that the students in the Great Hall get sorted on .
'I see Draco had educated you well on the etiquette of the school .' he said .
'How do you kno-?'
'I know a lot of things .'
Celia slumped down slightly on the chair , she often said that to other adults she met , and realised now that having someone say that to her made her feel small .She decided to note not to be so aloof and boastful about her intelligence , if she wanted to be liked socially anyway .
Dumbledore went over to a corner of his chamber , endless chamber by the appearance of it , and seemed to be having a discussion with a large piece of chestnut coloured cloth until he brought it closer to Celia and she realised it was a hat .
The sorting hat .
'This may feel slightly strange .' Dumbledore said , before Celia could respond he placed the hat on her head .
'And I am back for another year ,' the hat echoed , into the corners of her mind . Dumbledore was right Celia thought , it felt like he was speaking through a megaphone , the voice crawling through each crack and turn in her mind like a spider scuttling around a ceiling ,' But who are you ? I'm not picking up on a last name .. only .. Celia ! Of course the girl with the Malfoys , old age really must be getting to me to forget about you ! But where to put you . You are clever , intelligence beyond your years , and a strong intuition at that . Not important but I would look into divination if I had a mind like yours ,' he continued slyly ,' But your lack of social interaction has given you a strange hostility to acceptance , and with that a curiosity that would plague the mind of other Ravenclaws .'
'Thanks a lot ' Celia replied in her head .
The sorting hat only ignored her ,' You can try but you are too boastful to be in Hufflepuff , you're too ambitious to be extremely loyal . Slytherin ? Your nerves endings certainly prick up at that word , I can feel it you know , it's all in your head . You just have that lack of traditionalism all Slytherins desire .'
'No really , thank you so much for that .' Celia could hear the sarcasm laced in her tone .
'It's not an insult ,' the sorting hat quipped ,' Perhaps ... you can find out on your own why I'm going to pick this one ... You're brave , and you'll have the interest to find out for yourself ...'
'Gryffindor !' the sorting hat boomed through the office .
Dumbledore smiled and removed the hat . Celia's limbs were paralysed with shock , she couldn't move from the stool .
Gryffindor ?
Gryffindor?
She stood up too quickly , the edges of her vision blurring , turning to face Dumbledore . ' This is some sort of mistake .'
'That hat has never chosen wrong .' Dumbledore said softly , trying to reassure , it only panicked Celia more .
'Well it has to have with me . I'm a Slytherin , I have to be . I have always expected-'
The portraits were staring , their hundreds of eyes blazing down at her . She hadn't eaten on the train , nerves about the house she would make had kept her stomach full . Now it was drained empty , along with the feeling of blood in her heart . What would her new friends think , Narcissa , Draco ? They would all be so disappointed . She just had an urge to prove herself to everyone . Calamitous grief stole her breath , it was that urge in her bones , that bravery , that was the cause of this mistake . Maybe after all she was a Gryffindor .
'Celia , dear . Life would be awfully strenuous if we expected everything that comes our way .'
That was the last thing she heard before she her vision blackened , the cold stone floor a smooth tile to rest in unconsciousness . To pretend this had never happened , for at least a while anyway .