Chapter 3
The Sorting
“Ms. Black?”
I turned my head and saw a much older woman standing off to the side of the hall to avoid being trampled by exited students making their way to the Great Hall.
“You keep going, Mr. Potter, this will only take a minute,” the woman said when Harry slowed and looked back curiously. He did as he was told with a wary look on his face and hurried to catch up to his friends again. What a clingy guy, geez...
“Yes?”
“I’m Professor McGonagall, the new headmistress.” She smiled warmly. “Welcome to Hogwarts; you still have to be sorted, so if you will follow me I’ll take you with the 1st years.”
She turned around and walked away. I walked quickly after her, having just a bit of trouble keeping up with her brisk speed on my short legs. On the way she’s telling me various bits of information about the houses, the teachers and classes, and right as the 11 year olds come into view that I go to the front because I’m being sorted first.
Following her up to the front, Professor McGonagall goes on telling the first years most of the same stuff she already told me. We are then led into the Great Hall, down the centre of the room between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables. Once led to the front of the full, large room we all stop. She gave a short speech and called me up first. I sat on an old stool and an even more ancient hat was placed on my head.
Qualities of both...
Which two?
Similar to your uncle... yet more like your father. Even he, though...
I was surprised it implied I could make a Gryffindor. It was an appalling thought, I could never imagine myself turning blood traitor. Also considering what my mother would do if I was placed in the house instead of...
“Slytherin!” it called out in the middle of my thought.
As the hat was taken off my head, I looked at the Gryffindor table and found Harry and his friends. He looked a bit crestfallen, but managed a slight smile when he caught my eye. I got up off the stool and made my way to the opposite side of the room and to the first empty spot nearest to me. I didn’t happen to notice the spot was across and down two places from Draco, though.
“Good choice.” He smirked.
I scowled and turned in my seat to face the teachers’ table as McGonagall gave another speech to everyone. I faded in and out of it, only really catching “Filtch’s list” and “Dumbledore rest in peace”. When she finished, food magically appeared upon the table and we all began to eat.
“You’re Rosa, aren’t you?”
I looked up at the girl directly across from me. Her curious hazel eyes burned into me, making me feel just as awkward as I felt for half of the train ride here.
“Do I know you?” I asked.
“No, I’ve heard about you. I’m Aurelia Brunes.” Her soft features brightened in a smile.
“Am I famous or something?” I asked plainly.
“No, he’s brought you up once or twice since we sat down.” She looked at Draco pointedly.
I scowled again and took some lamb chops and bread from the centre of the table and dropped them onto my plate. I continued grabbing anything within my reach and dug in.
“He’s your boyfriend?”
I swallowed my first bite of lamb, and then responded, “No.”
“He’s been saying...”
“He wishes,” I cut in irritably.
Aurelia just nodded in response and nibbled on the drumstick in her hand.
“So where are you from? Why did you come here for only your final year?”
My knife slipped just as I finished cutting the last of the lamb chop when I looked up at the brunette girl.
“I just moved back to Britain – I’m living in Hampshire now.”
“Where were you before?” The girl finished her chicken and placed the bone on the corner of her plate, now taking some steak.
“France.”
“So you’re French?” Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully on me. “You don’t sound French.”
“Believe me, I’ve been all over Western Europe. I probably don’t sound like anything in specific.”
She chuckled.
I never made friends easily. Even at Beauxbatons; I went to school there after 1 year of intense French tutoring. I was pretty fluent by the time I went there, yet it took me almost 6 months to have an official small group of friends. At Hogwarts it only took the first 10 minutes of the meal. Unless it was just another girl being nice and the moment we leave I never see her again.
After an hour, McGonagall announced we would all go to our houses and get set up and go to bed there. I got up along with every other student in the hall and nearly fell back into my seat. I fought back and followed the other Slytherins out. Aurelia found me and kept to my side, blabbering on about... something. I wasn’t really paying attention.
“Come on,” I said as I pulled her deeper into a crowd of other 6th and 7th years when I saw Draco casually making his way closer to me with an even larger group of his ‘friends’.
As all the houses broke off in various directions upon leaving the Hall, I saw Harry. For the moment we had a view of each other, he waved. I smiled slightly, almost feeling a twinge of guilt that the only reason he was being kind was because he thought I was the long-lost daughter of the man I could only assume he was rather close with. Almost.
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Last edited by MalfoyzBeloved; 05-15-2010 at 09:08 PM.
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