The (Vampire) Sorting
“Ariana Ivashkov” Hermione’s voice rang out over the great hall.
Ariana’s heart thudded loudly in her chest, she walked up to the Professor with the sorting hat in her hand. All eyes were on her and she heard whispers throughout the hall. She held her head high and didn’t let them see how nervous she was. She sat down and let the hat fall over her eyes.
“I know of your kind”
She was startled at the voice in her head.
“Never had one at Hogwarts before, but I certainly feel the magic within you.”
Ariana’s nerves only grew at this.
“Well well well… Which house… Which house... Very difficult choice indeed… I see a big brain in your little head, as well as a propensity to cunning and ambition. Bravery as well as loyalty. Difficult decision.”
“I thought Ravenclaw” Ariana gave her input, she had read a lot of the Hogwarts Houses and Ravenclaw seemed like the suitable house for her.
“I see… Hmmm… Definitely fitting, but I rather think you are for-”
“SLYTHERIN!” the hat bellowed loudly.
Ariana put the hat back on the stool and walked over to the only table who was cheering. “Hello Hatstall I am Elwyn Jones, Slytherin prefect .” They shook hands.
“Hatstall? What is that supposed to mean?”
“That means you needed more than five minutes to be sorted. Fioled Treharne by the way.” she stretched out her hand. Ariana shook it.
“Was I up there so long?” Ariana felt embarrassed.
“Shhh… It's the Malfoy boy.” another student at the table urge them to be silent.
A murmuring started at the table. “I heard his father was a Death Eater”... “He was but he turned before the war ended” ...“He didnt”...“Didnt Harry Potter save him”... “I heard the family is stinking rich”... “Look how nervous he is”... Everyone was talking together. “He is scum just like his Death Eater father”...
At the last comment from an ugly boy Ariana lost her temper, she hated injustice and couldn't stand people like that boy “ You are the one that should be afraid if you continue to speak of him like that! Did he do anything to you?!? ” Ariana growled, already having protective feelings for this sheepish boy. She stared down the boy with such vehemence that he looked down and started mumbling. “Didn't think so, you don't even know him!” Some of the older students laughed and Hermione, to call the hall to order, cleared her throat so like McGonagall that the students couldn't quite believe it wasn't McGonagall herself.
Hermione put the hat on the Malfoy boy’s head, it barely touched it before shouting “SLYTHERIN”
The whole hall was rather silent as the boy walked slowly with his head ducked down, some of the Slytherin’s were clapping half heartedly but Ariana clapped loudest of them all and smiled at the boy who came and sat next to Ariana without looking anyone in the eyes. Ariana threw a dirty look back at the ugly boy.
“He now is one of us. We should act like it. House first!” Fioled said to the others while she smiled at him and introduced herself, she was the second prefect apparently. She was a fifth year while Elwyn was a seventh year.
Their attention returned to the sorting. Scorpius smiled back tentatively at her before they also refocused on the sorting. There were four other girls sorted into Slytherin. Elisabeth McMillan, Lauren Vaughan, Morwenna Zabini and Pauly Parkinson.
When the name Albus Potter was called the hall went silent again. He sat with the hat on his head even longer than Ariana.
”SLYTHERIN”
Like in trance the table clapped, totally baffled. A Potter into Slytherin. The whole hall erupted in whispers.
“Hello Albus.” Ariana grinned at him.
“H-hi…” he said shyly.
After the last first year was sorted Headmistress McGonagall stood up and gave a
short speech. The forbidden forest was indeed forbidden, plenty of so called ‘weasleys wizard wheezes’ products and magic in the corridors was forbidden.
After the list of rules and forbidden things the feast started. On the table there a lot of food suddenly appeared, startling Ariana. Lots of dishes she had never seen before were in front of her. She stared unsure at what she should eat.
“Whats wrong?” one of the girls in her year asked as she saw Ariana hesitate. Elisabeth McMillan she thought was her name.
“I never seen so much food. Ok that’s a lie, my brothers can eat much more than this. I’ve never seen some of this kinds of food before.”
“A muggle-born huh?” That Pauly Parkinson girl chimed in.
“Yes.” Ariana said causing a few around her to stop eating. She felt a lot of eyes on her, she held her head high and put on a mask she saw her mother use often when dealing with people outside the family. She quirked an eyebrow.
“If this is a problem for you, well, frankly, I don't bloody care!” she turned back to the food and tried something that looked appealing.
She could hear muttering and caught the word ‘mudblood’.
Show no emotions, Ariana thought to herself.
Fioled gave a cough and the tables attention turned to her. She scrutinize Ariana with a wrinkled nose, frowning and then nodded, as if deciding something for herself.
“Like I said before House first. The hat put her here, and she certainly has more brains than you do” She looked at the ugly boy “We need to show unity in front of others.” she turned to Elwyn who eyed her up and down, like the whole table was probably doing and then nodded to Fioled. The table erupted into whispers again and some gave her disgusted looks, some looked at her with interest.
The ugly boy seems to have regained his confidence and wanted to get back at her for before “A mudblood in the snake pit. Let’s see how long she will survive before she scampers off to one of the mudblood houses.” The ugly boy said displaying a cruel smirk as he eyed her up and down. “This is going to be an enchanting year.” A lot of his friends cackled at this.
“As enchanting as your manners. I thought Slytherins were supposed to be noble and traditional and have proper manners. Well no one would call this proper manners, no introduction and talking like that to a lady? It seems like you are in the wrong house not me.” Ariana replied with a mask of indifference. She once again managed to wipe the smirk off his face, his mouth hung open as even some of his friends started to laugh with the rest of the table.
“Well Nott you have to admit, spoken as a true Slytherin.”
“Fuck off, Jones!” he said and turned to his food.
“Voldy’s dead Nott, get with the program” someone from the bottom of the table shouted and everyone laughed again.
“Th..That was a...awesome!” the Malfoy heir stuttered, he earned a smirk from Ariana.
“Well I have four brothers and a father with a rather sharp tongue. You learn to fight back or you drown.” she explained to the two boys.
They talked through the feast, about anything and nothing, occasionally joined by Elisabeth and Lauren, but Ariana was still aware of the stares and whispers from some of her Housemates.
“Prefects please lead your first years to your common room.” Professor Hermione said.
“Well, let us show you the dungeons.” Elwyn stood up with Fioled and the first years followed.
“You really are a muggle born?” Elisabeth asked as she walked next to Ariana.
“Yes, why?” Ariana asked carefully.
“That is so exciting.” she exclaimed “I never met one of you. I am a pureblood, you can call me Lis, I hate my full name. It sounds so old fashioned.” she giggled.
“Hello Lis.” Ariana grinned. “I don’t have a nickname.”
“We can give you one. Mine is Laurie it isn’t quite shorter but sounds cuter.” another first year walked up next to Ariana.
“What about Ria?” suggested Lis
“Cute!” said Laurie
“Guys! Pay Attention!” Elwyn halted before a stone wall. “This is the entrance to our common room and dorm rooms. The password is currently “Serpent”. Do not forget it! The passwords change every month. The new one will hang on the blackboard in the common room at the last day of the month and the first, do not forget to look. Do not, EVER, tell the password to other students that is not from our house.” at the word Serpent a hole appeared in the wall he walked in followed by the first years.
They entered into the common room. It looked kind of glamorous with dark leather armchairs and sofas. The decorations were mainly in silver and green. The windows had an underwater view of the lake that they had crossed over earlier. You could see some creatures swim by. The water gave everything a greenish tint, yet it actually looked cosy. In one corner there was a big fireplace that was surrounded by armchairs, sofas and a table. In another corner there where some desks and bookshelves.
“Here are the dorm rooms.” Fioled explained, standing before black wooden double doors.
“On the left side are the boys on the right the girls. First door are the firsties, second the second years and so on. Actually it is forbidden for girls and boys to mingle in other dorm rooms, but well let us say this rule is broken more than any other. Just a little advice do not have an accident. If you can’t control your hormones, there are contraception potions in the cupboard you can take freely, no one will ask question. We are strictly against teenage pregnancies!”
All the first years blushed furiously and looked down at the floor. “Fio, I think they are too young for that!” an older student came through the hole.
“You can never be too young to learn, and I don’t want anyone to get pregnant!” Fiole defended herself.
“Well, whatever now they know. Up to bed with you now.” Elwyn ushered the students through the wooden door and the seven first years went to bed.
“Good night Albus, Scorpius.” Ariana waved at them as they walked into the boy's dorm room. Both smiled shyly at her and gave awkward waves.
Ariana went in her dorm and was baffled, it was big. Five four poster beds with green and silver curtains around, five desks, a bookshelf and two doors leading out.
Liz had gone through the one door leading out of the room and Pauly followed from Morwenna through the other, Ariana and Laurie were still looking at the bedroom when Liz gave a shriek and ran back into the bedroom, flapping her arms wildly and alarming the other girls, she managed to stutter out “I… Big… We… walk-in closet!” she walked back in followed by the other girls.
Ariana couldn’t belive her eyes. The room was as big as the one before but was stuffed with clothing rails and shoe racks.
“Wow!” Laurie exclaimed.
“I can’t wait to fill it with clothes!” Lis danced around excitedly.
“No wonder they always say Slytherins dress the most stylish out of all the houses.
“Really awesome!” Morwenna said, “but you should see the bathroom.”
The bathroom was luxurious. It had a bathtub big enough for all girls to fit in at the same time. There was a shower for each one as well five mirrors and five sinks. the tiles were marble and beautiful.
The girls went back into the bedroom. Pauly didn’t talk much and sent Ariana nasty looks. She went straight to bed. The other girls talked and giggled a lot. Ariana made fast friends with Lis and Laurie, Morwenna was very quiet by nature, she only joined in a few times in their conversations before she went to sleep. They were sitting on Ariana’s bed eating sweets Laurie had produced from her trunk and giggling. Nearly after midnight the girls decided to go to bed. The two girls got into their own beds and the lights went out.