Chapter 5
As I walked into the castle, I honestly had no clue where to go next.
I stepped out of the carriage, said farewell to the 'Thestrals' as the voice in my head had told me, and began walking through the gates.
I followed the crowd and eventually came into a large dining hall, as it seemed. A bunch of people were sat at the front of the hall, gazing upon the students as they sat down at one of the four tables.
The pressure on my chest came back and it was hard to breathe. Where would I sit? I glanced around to each and every table. Maybe find Hermione. Yes, she seemed to be a nice person.
I scanned each and every face, but I couldn't find her. Hell, I couldn't even find Harry or Ron. I had no clue where to go.
But then I saw two identical red headed boys standing up and waving their hands dramatically in the air. I didn't want to get my hopes up, so I just stood there paralyzed.
To try and calm myself down, I put one of my hands on my neck. I tried to feel my heart beat. It was soothing, for some strange reason. I could feel it begin to slow, when I caught eyes with a creepy old man.
The guy looked like a garden gnome if it were alive. I narrowed my eyes as I watched the gnome's eyebrows raise as we continued the eye contact. But then he looked away and began conversation with the other adults around him.
I was jolted from my trance when I felt someone yank on my arm. My eyes widened and I attempted to try and see who it could be. In a matter of moments I was being pulled through a sea of people and was eventually thrown at a table.
I blinked a few times before registering where I was. I saw three people grinning at me.
"Didn't cha see us waving you over here, mate?!" A voice yelled from beside me. I turned and was greeted by the face of Fred Weasley.
"We nearly fell off the table trying to get your attention!" said George, leaning towards me. He pointed to Fred and whispered, "This clumsy bastard smeared his foul feet on the plates."
"Well, you were barely even waving Mr. Liam over here! Idiot."
"Both of you were meer centimeters from toppling off the table. I mean, it would've been funny, but just pointing that out."
"It was his fault." Both of them said at the same time.
I fought to hold in laughter before putting my hand to my neck once again.
"Ah!" said the third boy, holding out a hand to shake. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Lee Jordan, the one and only."
I smiled and waved, "Hello, I'm—"
"Liam, the boy who trips!" said George and Fred at the same time.
My face turned red at that moment, remembering how I had met the twins, "I can remember the pain like it just happened. Sorry about that, by the way. "
George lifted up a patch of hair on his head, "S'okay though. It's pretty much healed."
Lee laughed, "Mhm, I've been told about the interaction before the train."
All of us were laughing, before I noticed the old man stand up and utter words about a 'sorting' and 'song' and whatnot.
"Who is that guy?" I whispered to the group, "I don't like him."
Fred placed a hand on my shoulder, "He's our headmaster, Dumbledore! Don't be scared of him. He's harmless." He then whispered into my ear, "Unless you steal the ring in his office. I dunno what it is with that thing."
The hall began to erupt into song about the history of Hogwarts. I just listened around, sometimes catching a word or two.
But in reality, my mind was focused on the sorting that was mentioned. What was a sorting?
I glanced to George, who was carried away inside the song. I opened my mouth to ask, but then closed it. They'd think I was stupid. I had already embarrassed myself enough with the question about Dumbledore.
I rest my head on the table and I remembered the note. Who had signed it? Or at least what did it resemble?
As I was searching through my pocket, when a bunch of kids began filing in through the doors, forming into a line.
I searched my whole left pocket, only to find nothing. Was it even the left pocket? Or perhaps it was the right one that had the note. I put a hand in it, only for it to go straight through. The pocket was ripped.
My face turned ghostly white as I frantically looked underneath the table and around the hall. Did I forget it on the train? Maybe it fell out. Was it in the corridors?
Applause kept on erupting throughout the hall as a voice kept on shouting out different strange names. Like Huffinpoff. And other made up words.
This kept on going for another 3 minutes. Me gaining hope whenever I saw a paper, and then losing it when I realized it wasn't the note.
Tears had started to build up inside of my eyes, when somebody touched my shoulder.
I violently flung my head upwards, hitting the bottom of the table. OWWWWWWWWWWWWW—
"Liam!" In that moment I swore that my head was going to split into two, "Liam!"
The folks surrounding me were either staring, or laughing openly. I sighed, rubbing my head. I winced as soon as my hand made contact with the wound. It stung, really bad. When I removed it, a tad bit of blood stuck onto my fingers.
"You alright, mate?"
I nodded, clenching my teeth. "Yeah, just a little scratch. Nothing much." I wiped my hand onto the shirt I was wearing. It smeared a bit, which was pretty unnoticeable.
"Moving on..." Lee said, "Dumbledore called out your name a few seconds ago."
My eyes widened, "He did what?"
Fred patted me on the back, "Yeah, he called you to go up there." He pointed with his chin to where Dumbledore was standing.
I looked the way Fred had pointed. Dumbledore was staring me down.
I shook my head and looked at George, "These two are joking, right?"
George shook his head.
"Ha, no. I refuse to go up there without—"
Dumbledore cleared his throat and spoke, "Now, would Liam Olivander come up for a sorting."
Lee raised an eyebrow, "Is your last name Olivander? He didn't say Olivander the other time he called you."
I held my breath and shrugged my shoulders. "Uhm."
"Liam Olivander if you may come up—"
George leaned over the table and pushed me upwards, "C'mon! The whole hall is waiting!"
I looked up and saw Dumbledore's eyes barring into my soul. They had a sort of kindness to them, but I had no idea if it was genuine or not.
I stood up from the table, smiled awkwardly at my friends and headed my way to the front of the hall. I suddenly was aware of how I was the only one not wearing a uniform. All the student eyes were tracking me as I made my way to a rather beat up hat.
The hat radiated with magic. I stared at it and narrowed my eyes. What was that thing? Why did it seem familiar, just like the Dementor had?
"Liam Olivander..." I looked Dumbledore up and down. He stayed silent, his eyes twinkling. It was strange really, I knew I could trust him. He was the headmaster, after all. But there was something about him that unsettled me.
Dumbledore's eyes were dead as he continued to stare me me down. After a few seconds, he nodded and motioned to a seat.
I sat down, moving my braid in front of my shoulder. The hat reeked of bird. I had no clue how to explain it, but that was the only word for the stench.
Dumbledore reached over to the hat and placed it onto my head. The magic in the air had increased and began to make my eyes water. I had a sudden urge to sneeze.
Ah! If we do meet again, Mr. Olivander!
Again? Tell me what you mean by again?! After everything that happened in the last few minutes, this felt like the cherry on top to my pain.
Do not fear!
Ah, as if that made any difference.
Now, let's sort you into a house, eh? I don't believe Slytherin worked out well last time. You're still very ambitious, and don't let anybody tell you what to do. You're loyal, as proved. Quite a smart one, you are. Ah! But one traittriumphs them all! The bravery is unmatched. People can change.
I raised an eyebrow, "Again, what do you mean by last time?!" I whispered so faintly.
I dare not spoil the story! As to what I was saying. You've changed quite a bit!
How could a hat know more about my life than me?! I had a right to my story! I was the one who had written it!
Now for the big reveal...
I didn't care about the 'big reveal' I wanted to know what it meant by 'last time'. Why did it think I was loyal? Why did the creepy old man know my last name? Why was I being left out?!
With all those questions I might as well put you in the house your father got! But alas you are...
Wait—it knew about family?! This bitch ass hat was worse than the painting.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The table where Lee, Fred, and George were sitting erupted into applause. I raised an eyebrow as to why that was happening, but Fred jumped up and motioned to come over there.
Dumbledore began to speak again, "Now if we would welcome our newest fifth year, Liam Olivander, to Hogwarts!"
I made my way back to my seat. The students began to erupt into conversation, not paying me any attention anymore. I sighed out of relief and sat down.
Fred whooped and yelled, "Welcome to the club!"
"What was that hat thing all about?" I whispered frantically, making sure nobody around me was listening in.
"Don't look so grumpy! You just got sorted into the single most best house!" George replied before I could even finish my question.
"What is a sorting?" I whispered, "I mean, everyone seems to know but me. What was that?"
"Oh, it's getting put into one of four houses. There's Gryffindor—"
The twins let out a cheer.
"Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." Lee explained slowly. "Where did you come from? I mean, usually you start Hogwarts as a first year. You get sorted then..."
I had no idea how to answer the question. All of them were staring at me expectantly.
"I don't really know. Sorry of got... Is there like such thing as a memory wipe? Yeah I have no clue." I rubbed the back of my neck.
George opened his mouth to speak, "Wicked."
"Ah, yeah. Wicked." I replied, slamming my head on the table. "The only thing I remember is my name."
"Blimey, I take that back—"
Fred put a hand in front of George's face, as if to shut him up, "You're with us now! You're a fifth year, as Dumbledore said! And nobody would ever expect a newbie to throw dung bombs!"
I sighed a sigh of relief, "Thanks, guys. I'm not going to even ask what a dung bomb is but... thank you." I paused, "Oh, and did I mention that the hat reeked?!"
All three of them immediately burst out into talking about the subject and their thoughts during it.
The rest of the night was filled with chatter, food, and just getting to know these people. I had no idea how I had made three new friends that easily.
But at the end of the night, my mind was still occupied by the questions I had asked the hat.
Why did Dumbledore know so much about me?