L O Y A L; [d.m.]

| S O R T I N G H A T |

- Three Years Earlier -
~Katrina Turnwell~
My heart is hammering under my cloak. Students are sitting in the Great Hall watching as first years are being sorted and I know that I'm up soon. I feel Minerva gently squeezing my hand under the table as she leans in to whisper, "Don't worry. You'll make your mom proud."

I smile softly as Dumbledore approaches the golden podium with great confidence as the last of the first years are sorted. I know that Minerva usually calls out the names, but Sybil volunteered this year. My teeth scrape against my bottom lip, as I gingerly pick at the loose skin. My stomach was in knots as everyone watch Dumbledore speak. It was a great thing to see, the comfort he brought when the castle was now being surrounded by dementors.

"Now lastly, we have a transfer from our friends in America at Ilvermorny. Let us welcome her with the warmest greeting as she is to be sorted into a house here. My very own granddaughter, Katrina Turnwell. " A roar of shock rose through the great hall as Dumbledore holds out his hand in gesture to me as I come up to him. I have spent years roaming around the castle and befriending many teachers here, but in this moment, everything is strange and unfamiliar. As I slowly make my way to the small stool, I give my grandfather a quick hug for luck.

 
"Now Kat, whatever house you're sorted into, I'm quite proud of you already." A cheeky smile spreads across his face as he whispers in my ear. My gut plummets, not fully believing Dumbledore.

"Grampa, I don't want to be in Slytherin," I whisper, my heart in my stomach. I sit on the brown stool as Dumbledore placed the leather hat on my black curls before it spoke.

 
"Ah yes, Dumbledore's own granddaughter. Let's see here. You're very brave, yes, to face what you have. Oh, but the thirst for knowledge is savoring, but what lies in your heart above all else is loyalty and determination. Yes. Hufflepuff indeed." Dumbledore lifts the hat off my head and smiles brightly as a roar of applause fills the room. I quickly gives Dumbledore another hug.

 
"Remember what I asked of you," I nod my head, remembering my task that my grandfather requested of me before stepping down to the long row of newfound friends that are anxiously awaiting me.

"I want you to befriend Harry Potter. I think you two would get along nicely," Dumbledore sat in his office chair with his glasses sitting on the crook of his nose. He looks over at me as I'm sitting in an oversized worn leather chair with my nose stuck in a muggle book.

"He's the one with the scar?" I asked absentmindedly, far too interested in morally grey villain.

"Yes. Him and his two friends. They're quite lovely. I'm sure the four of you will cause me great trouble."

One by one, everyone introduces themselves to me and as I am offered a seat, I face a table of scouring faces.

"Let the feast begin," the booming words overtake the room as the food begins to appear on the table. I fill my plate before I'm asked by a fifth year why I transferred.

"My mom died in an...accident so I came to live with my granddad over the summer," I smile to the blond girl whose face turned to pity. "I practically grew up in the castle. Minerva, I mean Professor McGonagall, has known me since I was a baby."

"I'm sorry to hear about your mum. Harry Potter's parents died too," the girl said, "They died by a dark wizard."

"I know," I say before sipping on pumpkin juice. "My parents fled the country when he was alive so we wouldn't be in danger. That and my mom wanted to be herself, not Albus Dumbledore's daughter." I look up to see a boy with pale blond hair staring at her in disgust. His blue grey eyes flickered under the candle light as the two boys around him laughed as they stuffed their faces.

"Who is that?" I ask, not breaking eye contact, knowing the answer to her question already.

"That's Draco Malfoy. Bad news if you ask me. His family is a supporter of You-Know-Who."

"There is always the black sheep of the family. Take me for example. My family loves and breathes Gryffindor and here I am," I smile. "Can't judge a book by it's cover. By the way, where is Harry Potter?"

The girl points out the black haired boy with the lightning scar immediately. Pushing away from the table, I walk over to the trio of friends before sitting down in front of Harry. 

"My granddad wants me to introduce myself. He thinks highly of all three of you," I look at Hermonie, Ron, and Harry in the eyes as I toothily smile.

"You can call me Kat. All my friends do." 

As Harry opens his mouth, something soft hits the back of my  head. Turning around, I see a buttered roll lying on the ground. Picking it up, I hear the Slytherin trio laughing with Draco smirking a cocky smile. I clear her throat before walking over to the table where the howls are coming from.

"Kat, I don't think..." a voice is lost in the journey as I stand in front of Draco. His familiar eyes scanning my body and face trying to decide if he unnerved me or not.

"Think you dropped this. Awful thing to do, waste food," My green eyes glower into Draco's ice blue ones. "Seeing how you're already lacking." I look at the cowards beside Draco stuffing their faces.

"At least I'm not a descendant of that oaf," Pansy calls out. A sinister smile spreads across her face as she laughs.

"At least I don't have a stick up my ass," I retort. "Now, please," a sarcastic smile on my face, "let's forget this happened and go back to dinner. Don't want your friends to be starving in the next five minutes." Dropping the roll in the middle of Draco's plate, I turn on my heels and walk back to my place at the Gryffindor table to fulfill my task.

"How are you going to let her speak to you that way, Draco?" Pansy calls out. I half smile when Draco quietly tells Crabbe, "I quite like her."