This was not right.

Oliver could not get those words out of his mind as he walked away from the hat and toward the Slytherin table. It was practically a miracle that he had managed to walk all the way over there when every instinct in his body was screaming at him to turn around and join his sister where he should be. He hadn't looked toward the Gryffindor table since he had managed to turn away the first time. He didn't think he could, not without the tears that threatened his eyes spilling forth. So he kept his eyes in front of him and sat with his back toward the Gryffindors so he wouldn't be tempted. Even if it meant keeping his back toward his sister.

The first year's eyes swept up and down the table, briefly taking in the faces of the people around him. Almost all of them were older than he was - some practically adults, especially in the eyes of the eleven year old. He spotted Colt and gave the older boy the best smile he could muster. A handful of those around him were first years, those who had been sorted before him or in the moments after. The sorting was still going on, so he figured more would be joining them, but he was only half listening to the rest of the names being called. Could not yet bring himself to turn around to face the hat, because it would also been facing the Gryffindor table.

Olly wanted to make friends. With older students as well as with first years. With everyone. But...not then. Not when he still felt like he was about to cry. Not when he felt like he had lost something on the inside, a loss that was making it hard for him to breathe. So, for the time being, Oliver kept his eyes on the table in front of him and waited. The sooner the food arrived the sooner he could be done eating and get away from that room crowded with people.