Hi Hogwarts! I'm Dead!

Jermy the Hat

Hearthstone

We were waiting outside the Great Hall (Annabeth told me all about it, she was actually decent at sign language). Blitz was talking to me while the others listened to what was happening behind the big doors. I was pretty excited to learn about wizards because it might help me with my rune magic.

But mostly, I couldn't wait to see the Ruby Runestones. Odin had once mentioned them during one of his rune lessons, and I was fascinated by them. To think I might be able to see them in real life, touch them, maybe even use them? It was more than I could wish for. Every once in a while, I would feel the vibrations from the Hall, I guessed they were clapping.

I was just telling Blitzen the amount of magic I could do with the Ruby Runestones, when his head shot up, alert. His chocolate brown eyes narrowed at something someone must have said. They called for you, he signed, and I nodded.

He squeezed my arm reassuringly, and I stepped towards the doors. I tugged on the big handles, which made me feel like we were walking into a giant's home (I claim guest rights!). They swung open and all faces turned toward me.

I didn't like attention, so as best I could I blocked out the curious expressions and walked forward through the stares. I thought of Blitzen holding my hand in the boat, and relaxed my tense shoulders.

I walked up to the small wooden stool, where Professor McGonagall was standing, holding an old used hat. I sat down and put my hand in my pocket, where I kept the rune Perthro. It comforted me that my friends were standing just behind the doors, giving me encouraging faces and thumbs up through the one cracked open.

I nodded at McGonagall, who placed the hat on my head, so all I could see was the inside of the hat. They needed to get a smaller hat.

"Hello, Hearthstone." I must have jumped a mile.

I frantically signed, Noise! It's talking! Help! hoping someone would get the cursed object away from me.

"Hey, don't freak out. I'm just speaking in your head. Let's see here... oh my. An elf, and- I am so sorry kid. This is... wow." The hat, for I was pretty sure that's who was talking, seemed to be sorting through my memories like my brain was a filing cabinet, resurfacing memories I'd rather leave at the bottom of a frozen dark lake forever.

I paled as the hat sorted through my childhood within seconds. Maybe that's partially how it got its name.

I shuddered at the dead figure of my father, with the heart of a beast. Felt silent tears run down my face as Blitzen lied unconscious in the wight's tomb, red spreading from the hole in his chest made by the Skofnung sword. My best friend and crush, dying in my arms while I could do nothing but watch.

It wasn't that he took me back to when these things happened. It was more like watching someone read a book about yourself, and knowing which chapter they were at depending on their reactions.

"You might be one of the bravest people I've ever met. How you're still standing... Well, there's no doubt about which house you belong in. GRYFFINDOR!!"

The hat was abruptly plucked off my head, and I saw the table on the far right cheering for me. I looked at Blitzen, who signed, go to your table, the one for the brave. I smiled slightly as I walked down the steps, sat next to Hermione, and turned toward the stool again. I read her lips as the professor spoke.

Blitzen. I watched as he stepped in, head held high, walking slowly towards the talking hat.

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Blitzen

I wondered what Hearth meant by Noise! It's talking! Help, but Magnus caught my eye and signed, wait. So I did, but he had to physically restrain me when I saw Hearthstone turn pale (paler), tears falling onto his black pants. What is happening to my maybe almost-boyfriend?!