Old Hats and People You've known all your life
Hogwarts was beautiful. Sure she’d seen pictures, but being there was a completely different experience. Pictures can't capture the way the light hits the windows, how the lake reflects in the moonlight, how magical everything just feels.
“Firs years over ere”, a gigantic man with brown bush hair and a coat with hundreds of pockets called out. So that’s who Hagrid is. Maggie was told about the gamekeeper at Hogwarts, but she didn’t truly believe in the half giant part until now. But seeing the man who was about four times taller than her, she had no doubt.
Everyone boarded the boats, Maggie sitting with the twins and Estelle, and soared across the black lake. They were brought into the great hall, a large stone room filled with students in matching black robes, sitting at four different tables. Maggie knew about the different houses of course, (Sirius kept saying how great she would be in Gryffindor), but it never sunk in that she would spend seven years in one, not until she was faced with it right now.
The candles were floating too, probably some advanced magic, and the ceiling was enchanted to look like the night sky. Some kids seemed unbothered by the amount of magic, but Maggie still found it breathtaking. She’d only been around magic for a year, and even then they didn’t use it very much at home. No one seemed to know very many household spells.
Professor McGonogall was standing next to a stool holding a very old and mangled looking hat. Supposedly it's supposed to decide your house. how trustworthy is an old hat, Maggie has no idea. It sang a song that outlined the four houses, which made Maggie believe it may be smart enough, then McGonagall began to call off names from a list.
Mason Aaron was called up first. The hat seemed too big for his head and Maggie wondered if it smelled. The boy was sorted into slytherin and went to join the cheering table under the green banners.
A few minutes passed and McGonagall called out, “Brenton, Margaret”. Maggie walked towards the stool and felt the hat be placed over her.
Hmm an interesting case, you’re a curious one aren’t you?, A small voice whispered inside her head. You have a thirst to know and to prove. Slytheryn perhaps, well Sirius won’t be too happy but it’s not a bad choice, But your head is filled with ideas to bring, yes better be….RAVENCLAW
Maggie breathed a sigh of relief and went to join Justin Berker, another first year Ravenclaw, at the table. Ages seemed to pass before Jacob and Allera were called up
“Payne, Allera”.....RAVENCLAW
“Payne, Jacob”….. RAVENCLAW
The twins joined Maggie at the table, “how wonderful we’re all in the same house” Jacob cheered. Estelle Zinks was the last to be called, both from the compartment and out of all the first years, she was sorted into Gryffindor. Allera and Jacob frowned but assured it’ll be alright because they can still have classes together.
Headmaster Dumbledoor gave a brief speech and then the feast appeared, like it appeared out of thin air. There was chicken and potatoes and soups and pudding and everything else you could want. Maggie filled her plate up and was glad the full was two weeks away, otherwise she could eat the whole table.
“Maggie, what house were your parents in?”Allera asked once they were finishing their plates. “My adopted ones?”, the girl nodded, “Gryffindor both of em”
“Interesting, my mum was a hufflepuff and dad was a slytherin, funny how it works isn’t it”
“Miss Brenton”, Maggie turned around and was faced with professor McGonogall. She knelt down and said in a low voice, “please meet me in my office after dinner, i’ll have one of the prefects show you, congrats on your sorting”. Maggie nodded and the witch walked back to the staff table, talking to an elf like professor and Severous. What was he doing here?
“Who’s that by McGonagall?” Maggie hissed, “Flitwick?”, Allera asked, “the short one?”
“No in the black robes with black hair, Severus”
“Potions teacher I think”, Jacob scratched his head, “why do you know him”
Maggie waved him off, “kinda, don’t think he liked me”
“Well then he probably doesn't like anyone” Jacob declared, “but what I want to know is why McGonagall wants to see you, not like she’s your head of house. Shouldn't you be seeing Flitwick?”. Oh I’m probably going to see Flitwick too.
As promised, a prefect took Maggie to McGonogall’s office. He must have known not to ask questions, but he looked like he wanted to, so he just gave her some funny, but silent, looks. He knocked on her door and left Maggie behind on her own when they were given permission to enter.
McGonagall's office was in pristine condition, everything was orderly and had its place. All her papers were perfectly stacked in a pile to the corner, the books were perfectly placed on the bookshelf, even McGonagall herself was sitting with immaculate posture. Professor Flitwick, who’s rumored to be part elf, sat next to her furrowing her brow. It seems as if he has no idea why he’s here.
“Hello Miss Brenton, do have a seat”, McGonagall commanded, gesturing to a chair at the other side of her desk. Maggie took a seat and started to twiddle her thumbs.
“Thank you for seeing us, Fillious, as Miss Brenton’s head of house, there are some matters that need to be discussed. Miss Brenton has a certain medical condition-”
“Medical condition?”Flitwick asked, brow furrowed like he’s trying to figure out a puzzle. The three sat in awkward silence for about a second, though Maggie would say it was a decade before it broke.
“Lycanthropy”, McGonogall clarified. Maggie looked down at her shoes, cheeks red with shame.
“L-lycantrophy”, the man asked, then in a low whisper that Maggie shouldn’t have been able to hear, “and it’s safe for everyone involved?”McGonagall nodded and the shock seemed to leave his face.
Flitwick hummed, “well Miss Brenton-“
“Maggie”
“Maggie, if you need anything don’t hesitate to see me, my office door is always open”
“Thanks”, Maggie mumbled, still looking down at her shoes, a pair of black Doc Martens loafers, courteous of Sirius.
“Now, Miss Brenton here will be missing classes every so often, a day of recovery is what Poppy always recommends, and her fathers would like to be in communication as well”. McGonogall was calm, as if having a werewolf attend Hogwarts was the average year. Flitwick was listening earnestly, and was only showing signs of acceptance.
“Sorry did you say fathers?”McGonogall pursed her lips, corner of her mouth twitching like she’s holding back a smile, “Hogwarts very own Sirius Black and Remus Lupin”. Flitwick stood there mouth open, eyes wide, “merlin's beard, you’re serious?”. Maggie was glad Sirious wasn't around to do his signature ‘no Im sirius’ line, though it would probably be a great way to defuse the tension. McGonogall took in a deep breath, “quite”.
Flitwick shrugged, “always were co dependent those two, can’t say I'm surprised”. McGonogall went on the explain the specifics of how they’re going to be handling her problem. It lasted for a while and by the end of it Maggie was fully knackered, it was late and she was starting to fall into a food coma now that everything has been discussed and she isn’t so worried. On the night of the full moon Maggie is to go to the infirmary and they will walk to the shack together. McGonogall glanced at the clock, it was nearly midnight now, she excused the two Ravenclaws and they walked back together in awkward silence, up all of the stairs (and there were a lot) of the west tower to the Ravenclaw common room. She had to answer a riddle to get in (which took a few minutes) and stumbled her way into her dormitory. There were three large four poster beds, all but one with someone in them. Allera was reading a book and smiled when Maggie walked into the room. The other girl was asleep, black hair spilling over her face.
“Maggie, where were you?”, Allera demanded. Her dark curls were pulled into a neat bun and she was wearing a silky lavender nightgown.
“Meeting with McGonagall”, Maggie said, going through her trunk.She needed to find her pajamas, all she wanted to do was crawl into bed. “Oh it’s just that it’s been a while, and I was confused on why you didn’t see Flitwick”. Is this what having a friend is? Them nagging you all the time? Maggie let out a long sigh and went over the planned response in her head, it should work.
“My ds is sick '', it's technically not a lie, he is, she is just leaving out the part where she had the same gruesome illness. Details. “And they didn’t know what house I was in so they wrote McGonogall because they know her best”
Allera let out a quick ‘oh’ and walked over to Maggie. She stared at the girl for a moment, unsure of what would transpire between the two, but when Allera wrapped her hands around Maggie’s waist she let out a muffled sob. Because Maggie was sad, sad she’s a werewolf, sad because she’s starting to miss her Dads, because she’s alone in her problem again. Allera just hugged onto Maggie tighter. It was nice, Maggie thought, to be hugged by a female, something she hadn’t had very much of before.
Her dad’s gave her hugs before, plenty of them, all the time really, like actually all the time, mainly Sirius. But they are different, more broad, hard, less soft. Mary and Marleen gave her some brief hugs in greetings, but it’s not the same. Not like how Allera is, with the intent to just make her feel better when they have only known each other for a day.
Maggie whipped her tears and rubbed her nose, “sorry I’m just being silly”. Allera stepped back, giving Maggie some space, “nah, mum says we always have to be there for each other, help everyone”
“Your mum sounds real nice”
“I like to think so, but I’m sure you’re parents are great too”
Maggie thinks about it, and she’s right. She thinks of Sirius, who carries her through the woods after a full moon, to make sure she’s safe. How he always tucks her into his own bed so he can make sure everythings alright. She thinks of Remus who assures her that she’s not alone, that she’s not a monster, despite what others say.
“Yeah they’re pretty great”. Allera squeezes her hand, “I'm sorry your dad’s sick”. Maggie shrugs, “its alright it’s not serious… but uh, if you don’t mind I kinda want to go to bed”
“Yeah right of course I’ll see you tomorrow morning, explore around the castle a bit”
“Sure”, Maggie hoped that it sounded sincere. She liked Allera, she really did and didn’t want to push her away. She laid down in her bed, and it was easily the most comfortable bed on the planet. She had to push off her new uniform, a set of Ravenclaw Robes, but if they got wrinkled that’s a problem for tomorrow.
Allera retreated back into her own bed, Maggie could hear her rolling in the covers. “Hey Allera”, Maggie whispered yelled across the room, trying not to wake up her other sleeping roommate.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for helping me”
“Maggie you were upset it’s what friends do”
“No, I mean yes that too but on the train I mean. You invited me in the carriage, I needed it”
“It’s no biggie, I like meeting new friends. Besides I would of spent it with Jacob and Estelle arguing about quidditch, and I’ve spent my whole life with them, nice to shake it up once in a while”
At some point exhaustion won over and Maggie fell asleep, feeling much less alone than previous.