Us ; George Weasley

Six

"A thousand years or more ago,
when I was newly sewn,
there lived four wizards of renown,
whose names are still well known:
Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,
Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,
sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,
Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.
They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,
They hatched a daring plan,
To educate young sorcerers,
This Hogwarts School began.
Now each of these four founders,
formed their own house, for each,
Did value different virtues,
In the ones they had to teach.
By Gryffindor, the bravest were,
Prized far beyond the rest,
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest,
Would always be the best,
For Hufflepuff, hard workers were,
Most worthy of admission,
And power-hungry Slytherin,
Lowed those of great ambition.
While still alive they did divide,
Their favourites from the throng,
Yet how to pick the worthy ones,
When they were dead and gone?
''Twas Gryffindor who found the way,
He whipped me off his head.
The founders put some brains in me,
So I could choose instead!
Now slip me snug about your ears,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind,
And tell where you belong!"

Applause filled the Great Hall as the sorting hat stopped singing.

"Thank fuck that's over." Marco said through a forced smile, causing me to laugh but my laughter was drowned out by the applause.

When the applause died down, all attention was put in McGonagall who unrolled a large scroll of parchment.

"When I call out your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool." She told the first-years. "When the hat announces your house, you will go and sit at the appropriate table."

"Feels like ages ago that was us." I whispered to Marco who nodded in agreement.

"Think Charlotte will make Ravenclaw?" He whispered back, causing me to scoff.

"Of course."

"Acklerkey, Stewart!" McGonagall's voice filled the Great Hall.

A young boy stepped forwards, shaking with either anticipation or fear as he walked up and put on the hat before he sat on the stool.

"Ravenclaw!"

Our entire table broke into applause for the boy as he hurried down and joined us. The head boy greeted him, shaking his hand, followed by Marco doing the same.

"Baddock, Malcolm!"

Another boy walked up, took on the hat and sat on the stool, waiting for his sorting.

"Slytherin!"

The Slytherin table broke into applause and the boy happily joined them while being greeted by his now fellow Slytherins.

I looked down the table where Cameron sat. He hadn't tried to talk to me since we got here. Hadn't acknowledged that I had been there during the attack.

Did he not care?

"Branstone, Eleanor!" McGonagall called out and I watched a girl with same first name as my own sister, walk up to take on the hat. Charlotte stood among the crowd of first-years students and it was obvious that she was nervous but it looked like she had made friends with some of the others.

"Hufflepuff!"

The girl took off the hat and jumped cheerfully as she hurried down to the Hufflepuff table.

"Cauldwell, Owen!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Creevey, Dennis!"