Cursed Child Years 1-4 | Marauders Era

03 | Sorting

Sorting

The group of first years were led through the castle, being told to wait at the top of the stairs, leading to the Great Hall. After several minutes of waiting at the stairs, an old woman, with round glasses and a green hat, approached the group.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor McGonagall. The feast will begin shortly but before you take your seats at the tables, you will be sorted to one of four houses, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While you are here, your houses will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you house points and any rule breaking will lose you house points. At the end of each year, the house with the most points will win the house cup. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes of you. The sorting ceremony will begin shortly in front of the school body, I suggest you all smarten yourselves up while you wait." Professor McGonagall spoke with a thick Scottish accent.

No sooner had she said the short speech, the doors to the Great Hall opened and they were led down to the front of the room.

There were four oak tables in the hall in columns down the hall, each belonging to one of the four houses. At the front of the room, there was a chair, in front of what seemed to be the Professors table.

"When I call your name, you will come up and I will place this hat," McGonagall said, showing an old black hat, "on your head. You will then be sorted to your house and take your seat at the chosen table." And the sorting ceremony began. Several names were called, until one piqued Elizabeth's interest.

"Lupin, Remus."

Remus walked up to the front and took a seat on the stool. After a few moments of silence, the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The table in red and gold erupted into cheers and applause. Remus sat down next to what seemed to be a Weasley.

"Nott, Lucinda."

Elizabeth turned back to the front to see her best friend being sorted. The hat was placed and after a few moments shouted, "SLYTHERIN!"

Elizabeth clapped for her friend loudly, earning her a few odd looks, from those surrounding her.

Evan Rosier was placed in Slytherin as well as; Severus Snape, Evelyn Greengrass, Mulciber Avery, Lillian Bullstrode and Alabster Jackson.

Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, Lily Evans, Marlene McKinnon and Mary Mcdonald were sorted into Gryffindor. Sirius was also placed in the Gryffindor house, which had stunned the entire hall, including Sirius, into silence. Elizabeth had been the first to celebrate which made the Gryffindor table erupt into cheers.

"Selwyn, Elizabeth."

The Hall went eerily quiet. Every single pair of eyes were on her. She straightened her posture, held her chin high, making her way to the chair. The hat was placed on her head.

"Another Selwyn I see very interesting one you are. Not at all like your brother," said the hat.

"Yes, I imagine we're quite different."

"You do not share the same priorities, nor beliefs as your family?"

"No I do not. I think it's cruel and that there is no given reason for their hatred, but I want to make my family proud and do what's right," Elizabeth said proudly.

"Hmm interesting, very noble of you. You have a kind heart Miss Selwyn. I know just where to put you."

Thinking of Slytherin, her brother and all her friends in that house, she smiled widely as the hat shouted,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Her smile fell immediately. Gryffindor! No, she was supposed to be in Slytherin. She glanced at the table in green, to see everyone looking at her in shock. She snapped out of her gaze when she heard Sirius shouting and clapping, followed by the whole of Gryffindor.

Elizabeth slowly stood from the stool and made her way over to the wrong chosen table. Back still straight but her head was bowed down in disbelief. She took a seat beside Sirius and the other first years in Gryffindor as her robes turned a bright colour of red and gold.

"Wasn't expecting that one," said a girl from her left.

Elizabeth turned and gave her a puzzled look.

"Oh sorry, Mary," said the girl.

"Mary," Elizabeth nodded curtly. "Neither was I. Everyone I know is in Slytherin, my parents are going to kill me. Literally." Elizabeth stared down at the oak table miserably.

"So are mine, 500 years our families have been sorted into Slytherin, and were the first of both lines to be sorted differently. Pretty cool don't you think?" Sirius was smiling brightly at her.

"No. I don't think so," Elizabeth said, turning to face him. "My parents are going to disown me, my sister and brothers will hate me and I will be an outcast to all of my friends."

"If they leave you over what house you're in, they're not very good then are they?" A red head said. "I'm Lily, by the way."

"You don't understand. My parents are one the darkest wizarding families there are, one of the most feared wizards and witches. All my life I have been trained to be a Slytherin and work for- and be what they expect of me. Now that I'm not, I'm ruined," Elizabeth said to Lily.

"Bugger them, you have us now," a blonde girl said, reaching out and placing a comforting hand on top of Elizabeth's.

"Thank you," Elizabeth replied.

Dumbledore stood up and gave a speech, introducing staff members, rules, prefects etc..

"Let the feast begin," the headmaster said afterwards, as he clapped his hands, the food appeared in front of the students.

After the feast Billius Weasley, the Gryffindor Prefect, led the first years to the Gryffindor tower, gave them the password and explained the dormitories.

"Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin and James Potter. You're all in a dormitory together," Billius said.

"Marlene McKinnon, Lily Evans, Mary Macdonald and Elizabeth Selwyn, you're all in a dormitory together," he said to the girls.

"Alice here will lead you girls to your room and I'll take you boys to yours." Billius turned to take the four boys upstairs.

"I'm Alice Fortescue. The other Gryffindor Prefect, also the better one, come along and I'll take you to your dorm," she cheerfully said.

The went up a winding stairwell and down a hallway. Alice led the four girls to a door, once opened it revealed a room with four single beds, along with their trunks beside each of the four beds. "Your things have already been brought up, as you can see. If you have any questions, I'll be down in the common room." Alice closed the door behind herself as she left the four girls alone.

Mary and Marlene's bed were next to each other, leaving Lily and Elizabeth's beside one another. Elizabeth unpacked her things and once she was finished, she lay her head down with a heavy sigh.

"It'll be alright. I'm sure you can make it up to your parents, plus, they won't know unless you tell them," Lily said, taking a seat beside Elizabeth on the bed.

"My family has connections with every single person at the Slytherin table, and probably the Professor's here too, my brother Jake is in Slytherin. There's no way I'm not going to receive a howler from them tomorrow morning telling me what a disappointment I am."

"Oh. Maybe try and talk to your brother about it? I'm sure he could help you," Lily spoke as she turned back to unpacking her trunk.

"Perhaps," Elizabeth lay her head back down to the soft pillow, allowing herself to get lost in her thoughts.

~~~