Diving Into You | Fred Weasley

4 | The Sorting

Naia Vance stared out the high ceiling window of her dorm room as the Hogwarts Express arrived by the forest. Her heart was beating frantically in her chest as she saw carriages start to leave, and students get on boats from where she stood watch. Her eyes moved shakily upwards to the sky, where she saw hooded dark figures floating around the castle. They guarded the gates too, and she nervously adjusted her uniform.

Dumbledore did say this morning that Dementors would be stationed at Hogwarts this year. She'd never seen one in real life until this afternoon as she saw them descend to guard the entrances. Needless to say, she was missing Ilvermorny now more than ever. If that wasn't enough reason, mass murderer Sirius Black had escaped from prison.

She heard her mother mention the name once or twice in conversation with Dumbledore during his house visits as she was growing up. But she never bothered to ask who he was. Knowing her mother was talking about a mass murderer, she had more reason to believe that they were definitely hiding something sketchy no one else knew about.

With a nervous sigh, Naia tucked her wand in her pocket and headed over to Professor McGonagall's office where she was instructed to go when students arrived. As she opened the door, she saw the Professor looking stressed and a little bit worried.

"Professor, is everything alright?" The older woman looked up at the girl and immediately felt a sense of calmness wash over her at the sight of her gentle smile. "Fine, dear. Just received news about something that happened on the train to a student. Nothing you need to worry about, I hear he's fine. Let's bring you down to join the first years."

Naia worried mostly about the fact that she didn't know anyone at all. All of the people in her year have been friends since they were eleven and have been together for years. They arrived in front of the great hall where the first years just started to enter. McGonagall spotted the two students she had been looking for and called out to them.

"Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!"

The two students turned to look at the professor, and noticed the new face standing nervously right next to her. Minerva went to whisper to Naia. "Follow the first years in now. Staff will call your name when it is your turn to be sorted." She nodded.

Entering the great hall, she looked up at the enchanted ceiling to see it dark and cloudy. The students were sitting on four long tables divided evenly in the room. She tried to avoid looking around at the students as she walked, hearing hushed whispers and murmurs as she passed. Knowing just what her gift often did to people, she tried to keep her head down.

You were never ashamed to be who you are before. She thought to herself. Her head snapped up suddenly as a rush of confidence and power hummed in her chest. If she was going to make the most out of her situation, she couldn't do it hiding from who she was.

There were some gasps and comments as she walked by. "Have you seen her before?"

"Quite tall for a first year don't you think-"

"Don't be stupid of course she's not a first year..."

"She's proper fit though."

Naia smiled slightly at the comments and tried to suppress a laugh. Peeling her eyes to the front, she saw it- the sorting hat, and he was singing as he sat perched on a small stool. Naia marveled at the sight. An actual singing and talking hat! Wait till she tells Matty and Maria-

"Welcome to all our first years. I've got some exciting news to share." Dumbledore stood from his seat as a slightly plump woman with grey hair stood in front of the first years with a roll of parchment paper. "We will begin the sorting ceremony, but first- I'd like to welcome Naia Vance, Hogwarts' first transfer student in over seventy years."- Whispers broke out and conversations began erupting. "-Silence!"