Sirius Black | Omnia Vincit Amor ✓

Chapter 4: What a Nice Surprise

~ Mathilda POV ~

After a few minutes of walking we then entered the castle through what I believed was the main entrance and walked up a few staircases. At the top of the stairs there was already a middle-aged woman waiting for us.

The tall witch greeted us, parting her mouth with a friendly and genuine smile. She looked happy to see us all.

"Good evening, first years. You will just have to wait for a few more minutes before we are ready for you. You then can join your classmates. But before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses. There are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While you're here your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points and for rule breaking will lose points. At the end of the year the house with the most points will be rewarded the house cup!"

All around me I could hear people mumbling, snickering and asking around what houses other people hoped to be sorted into. A few metres behind the woman a big door then opened and a student looked outside and told her that they were ready. She commanded us to follow her through the door. They were ready, but was I? I had no idea.

People were shuffling around me and I was practically shoved inside the big hall. The Great Hall.

Gasps and expressions of astonishment could be heard when our group of first years entered the big hall. Excitement bubbled inside of me, sending tingles throughout my whole body.

My mouth dropped open while I looked around in astonishment. That was breathtaking, mesmerising. I had never seen anything like that.

There were four large tables, two on the one side of the corridor and two on the other side and at the very front there was a U-shaped table, up on a small dais. I supposed that that was the teachers' table as most of the people sitting there were elderly. We walked towards the front of the hall and stopped in front of chair with a hat next to it. The witch that had welcomed us stood next to chair and said, "When I call your name you will come forth, I will place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses."

"Alecto Carow!" When I heard the name I quickly looked. Carrow. The name rang a bell. My grandfather had mentioned that name a few times in the past.

The girl who was sat in the boat with me stepped forward, seemingly quite confident that the hat will put her into Slytherin, which was what without hesitation happened. When she made her way to her house table the people from Slytherin house were clapping and cheering loudly.

Jesper Fuller was next up and he got sorted into Hufflepuff, followed by Oliver McKinnon who got sorted into Gryffindor.

"Regulus Black!"

The blacked hair boy whom I also shared the boat with, slowly started walking from behind me. He passed me with a slight bump of his shoulder. I looked at him with big eyes. He wasn't that tall, my height actually. He did not notice bumping into me, seemingly way to occupied with focusing on the sorting.

When he turned towards the crowd of pupils waiting to be sorted he swiftly looked around in the Great Hall as if he were looking for someone or hoping to find someone. But I could also be wrong. Maybe he was just as nervous as I am?

After saying a few words the hat then finally shouted "Slytherin" to which the young boy did not really seem surprised, but I had a feeling that he might be a bit disappointed. His facial expression was laced with something like disappointment and...fear. And his eyes shone with anguish, dampening slightly.

Again his eyes drifted through the hall, for a second his gaze was fixed on something or someone, but I couldn't make out what it was and—

"Mathilda Bell!" Great, that was me. And there it was again this sudden urge to throw up, but I had to pull my self together.

I took another deep breath, air getting caught in my throat. I coughed loudly, my eyes going wide, Godrick, why was I so socially incompetent? My throat clamping and my heart thrumming against my rib cage, I took slow and hesitant steps towards the chair. The tall witch gave me an encouraging, warm smile which I tried to return. I doubted that the smile really met my eyes.

Everything was fine. I did not care which house I would be sorted into. All houses had their positive and negative aspects. I was going to be fine.

I sat down and took a deep breath when the hat was put on my head. A shuddering breath left my mouth when I cold shiver ran down my spine.

"AAAHA! What do we have here? The young Ms Bell. Very difficult. Very, very difficult. You are quite a smart, young witch, aren't you? Also talented and witty. Quite loyal and kind at heart. You make it very difficult for me. Your mother was one of the brightest witches I have ever sorted. She was placed in Ravenclaw wasn't she?" I tried to slightly dip my chin as good as it was possible with the huge hat on top of my head. Could he just please make his decision so I could just walk to my table?

It felt like an eternity had passed, sitting up there, around hundreds of pairs of eyes staring at me. I felt extremely uncomfortable. I hated gaining attention and being right in the centre of it definitely was not what I needed right now. Please, just put me in whatever house you wish, hat.

"Whatever house I wish? Is that so?" The hat laughed and I cringed, curling my fingers towards my palm.

"Well, well. Where do we now put you? I tend to put you into Ravenclaw as I assume you share the wisdom of your mother, but I'm not sure. Slytherin would also be a great option for you. You would be very welcomed in Slytherin I believe. But no. I guess it rather be...HUFFLEPUFF!"

For a minute a had to hold my breath to realise what the hat had just said and then I cracked a laugh, my shoulders shaking while I nearly tumbled over. Well, I must say that that was quite a surprise. No one out of my family has ever been sorted into Hufflepuff, but I guess I will just break the norm. Hufflepuff.

With a smile on my face and my heart nearly pouring through my rib cage, I started walking towards the second table on the left side where people were already cheering and clapping.

So that was going to be my new family as long as I am here I guess. With a big grin I waddled down the steps, mirroring the expression of the cheering pupils.