SOFIA | ❨ NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM ❩ UNDER MAJOR EDITING!

Chapter Two.

Sofia's legs felt like jello as her And Professor McGonagall made their way to the great hall. Her anxiety seemed to be growing as they grew gradually closer to the corridor. When they arrived at the two huge closed doors, both women stopped. Sofia could feel her heart skip a couple of beats.

'God, I need a cigarette right now.' Sofia thought of lighting one, and taking the first hit off of it. How her stress would blow away with the smoke she would exhale. How she craved one so badly right now.

"Are you ready, Miss Cherith?" McGonagall asked the girl, who was visibly shaking. "I guess so..."

McGonagall opened the doors, and what was inside made Sofia want to run off faster than she ever had before.

Hundreds of kids sitting at 4 different huge tables. Candles floating in the air. Instead of a ceiling, a dark night's sky gloomed over the room. It was tragically beautiful. Tragic because there were so many people. So many eyes that would soon be looking at her.

McGonagall started to walk in, and Sofia soon treaded behind. People started to look at the pair walking down the middle aisle.

Sofia noticed everyone staring at her, and she saw kids whispering to each other. She wanted to scurry away and cry. But, that would just make things even worse. She had to hold up for just a little bit longer.

Soon enough, she made it to the front with McGonagall. A very old man with a gruffly white beard started to speak to McGonagall. He smiled at Sofia, and held his hand out to her. "Albus Dumbledore, headmaster. You must be Miss Cherith. We're going to get you properly sorted. I'll speak and introduce you, and you'll get the sorting hat put on your head. After that, you'll sit at the corresponding table. Does that sound alright?"

The whole time he spoke, Sofia noticed the sparkles in his eyes. She nodded in agreement, and he smiled at her. "Let's begin."

McGonagall quickly grabbed a stool sitting near the front of the Hall, and put it in the front. Sofia saw the confused glares being shot her way. They were still whispering as well.

"Silence!" Dumbledore yelled, making the room come down to a level 0. Sofia's head pounded from the sound of his echoing voice. All of the kids were looking at Dumbledore as he spoke.

"I hope everyone had a great first week of school. I can tell this year is already going to be one of the best. But, in other news, I have someone I'd like to introduce you to." Dumbledore looked over at Sofia, and she walked over slowly towards him. "This is Sofia Cherith. She's our first ever American transfer. She will be with the year fives this year."

Students started to talk, the voices seem to come from everywhere.

"American transfer?"

"She's probably special or something."

"Merlin, what is this school turning into?"

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore yelled over the kids, and most put their fingers in their ears, including Sofia.

"I expect each and every single one of you to treat her like a student. The way you all treat each other. She will be sorted into a house, and I expect for you all to give her the same amount of respect that you all received when you got to Hogwarts." Dumbledore spoke in a hard tone staring down at every kid in the room.

He walked away, and sat in a huge chair with a huge table sitting in the front. She looked back, and saw what seemed like Professors sitting at this table. "Come on, dear." McGonagall grabbed Sofia's shoulder and lead her to the stool directly in the middle of the front platform.

Sofia sat down on it, crossing her legs due to her flimsy skirt. Everyone stared at her, wondering what house she was going to be placed into. Sofia felt like she was going to pass out.

Suddenly something was placed onto her head. Her eyes looked up and saw that it was a hat of some sort.

"Hmmm... an American..." a voice suddenly uttered. Sofia soon realized it was coming from the hat. "You seem surprised that a hat can talk. Guess American wizards don't keep up," the hat laughed in a snarky tone.

'This has to be a joke.' Sofia objectified to herself.

"It isn't a joke." the hat spoke.

Sofia eyes widened a bit when she realized that the hat could probably read her thoughts.

"Let's see here... seems to be a bit paranoid about everything, but brave. An interesting combination I suppose. Very honest, empathetic, maybe overly empathetic. Rebellious it seems. Hmmm, very very—yes, interesting."

The room was completely silent. Sofia could only hear the hat, and her heart feeling like it was bout to beat out of her chest.

"Better be... Gryffindor!" The hat announced. Cheers and claps came from a table on the left, and Sofia sighed out of relief.

Sofia got up from the stool, and made her way to the table that she assumed was Gryffindor. She stared for a moment, trying to decide where to sit. It seemed like no one was going to sacrifice a spot for her bum to sit on.

"Hey, right here!" she head a voice near her say. She looked and saw a girl with burning red hair smiling at her. Sofia noticed Neville and Seamus sitting across from the girl. Sofia smiled at her, and took the place next to the ginger girl. "Thanks." Sofia said smiling.

People were still staring at Sofia when she sat down, and she quickly hid her face. She heard Dumbledore speaking once again, but blocked it out with her thoughts.

Before she knew it, food suddenly appeared right in front of her face. Food that smelt fresh, and made Sofia's mouth start to water.

"Mashed potatoes?" the ginger beside her asked, attempting to pass her a bowl. Sofia nodded and took the bowl from the girl's hand.

"I'm Ginny, by the way. Sofia, right?"

Sofia responded to the question by nodding her head. "You can talk, you know." Ginny joked taking the bowl of mashed potatoes away from Sofia's hands.

"Yeah—sorry. I—uh... just really don't know what to say..." Sofia spoke quietly, feeling a gaze on her. Ginny giggled, "So, where you from?"

Sofia wondered what Ginny meant by that. "America..." she responded, unsure.

Ginny laughed once again, "No, I mean like where are you from in America?"

Sofia wanted to slap herself in the face. "Oh—um—yeah, duh. I'm from Florida. The south." Ginny nodded at what Sofia said.

"I read a book and it talked about Florida a bit. Is it nice there like the book said?"

"Depends which part. Overall, it's okay. But the weather is insane. It'll rain one minute and the next it'll be like rain never even touched the ground."

Sofia looked over to where she felt someone eyeing her, and saw Neville right across from her. He was listening to the two's conversation and not carrying out his own with his friends.

Ginny and Sofia started to dive into different topics of conversation pretty quickly as they ate.

"So, what about your parents? Do they use magic?" Ginny asked Sofia taking a bite out of her corn.

Sofia thought for a moment. Her parents. She missed her parents so much. Especially her dad.

"Well, my mom is a witch. My grandparents were pretty ashamed of it. My dad isn't really anything. She's just... normal."

Ginny nodded, "So, your Mom is a witch and your Dad's a muggle. That means your a half-blood."

'A muggle?'

"What?" Sofia asked with eyebrows furrowed.

"Oh yeah, of course. A muggle is someone who doesn't have magic."

Sofia's mouth turned to an 'o' shape in realization.

Soon enough, dinner was over. Students began to leave the Great Hall in a hurry. "I can show you to the common room if you want." Ginny said as Sofia and her started to stand up.

"Alright," Sofia flashed Ginny a smile, and they both started heading out the Great Hall.

Sofia was relieved that she had already made a new friend. And, that she was willing to help Sofia navigate through her new home.