The Rightful Heir of Slytherin (Year 6 - Book 1)

Ch11: The Sorting Hat (2)

The room falls silent as Dumbledore raises his hands. Everyone's focused on him now awaiting his verdict. 

Dumbledore: This moment is unprecedented. 

Snape: Why not allow her to choose then?

Everyone seems surprised to hear him interrupt Dumbledore but the latter merely smiles. 

Dumbledore: As entertaining as that would be, she'd have gotten the chance to choose prior to the declaration. The fact that both were still called suggests-

Flitwick: I've heard Ms Sarea is quite a talented individual.

Snape: Your point, exactly?

Flitwick: Why not have her try both houses and select which she'd like to represent at the end of the year?

Snape: She's a Slytherin!

Flitwick: In name-

Snape: and spirit!

Dumbledore: Now, now-

Patricia: Why not have the head of each house duel for her-

The room goes silent yet again and it's at that very moment that Dumbledore seemingly remembers that I wasn't the last person in the line. More students were indeed behind me including Valentina and this isn't lost on him as he deftly avoids needing to address the matter at hand.

Dumbledore: Miss Valentina. I believe you are next.

Lost at what I should do, I simply step aside. I'm joined by Professor Snape and as the rest of the room refocuses on the hat, he begins speaking.

Snape: I hope you intend to join Slytherin, Ms Sarea. Your father-

Me: My father locked me in a box for centuries. If I were to do this for him it'd be a rather easy choice.

Snape: He did it out of love.

Me: Whatever makes him sleep better at night. That's the saying nowadays, is it?

Snape: Then which house will you choose?

Me: I don't know. That'll depend on more factors than merely what I want.

We pause to hear the verdict that hat reaches. It didn't take as long as it did with me so here's hoping she gets through to a house.

Sorting-Hat: Ravenclaw and Slytherin!

Huh?

Even Dumbledore seems shocked by that revelation. Sure, Valentina would likely choose whatever I got but I was certain her heart lay firmly in Slytherin. 

Dumbledore: Ehem...next. 

McGonagall: Alice Marija.

A seemingly shy girl steps up to the stool where she sits. The hat barely touches her head before screaming Ravenclaw. The girl breathes a sigh of relief when it leaves her head and as the Ravenclaw house cheer, I'm surprised to see the girl look me directly in the eye before making her way over to her newly appointed house.

Me: Professor, what do you know of that girl?

Snape: Alice Marija? A strange case, not too far from your own tale. She, like you, was found in a ruin but in her case, it seems more a case of abandonment than being locked up for centuries by an overprotective father.

Me: Does she know who I am?

Snape: I don't think there is a single wizard or witch alive who doesn't know who you are, Sarea. 

Valentina: I don't trust her.

Me: So you felt it too?

Valentina: There's something off about her. I get the feeling she's here deliberately. 

Snape: You think she was sent to keep an eye on you?

Valentina: Or worse.

Me: Mmmm. If I had to guess she's probably some agent from the Ministry.

Valentina: I know Bagnold is protective of you but that'd be a bit much, even for her.

Me: Considering she's taken it upon herself to declare us as her adopted daughters-

Valentina: I thought she was joking about that.

Snape: Ms Bagnold isn't known for her humour.

Me: Yes, well, if you read our school papers you'd have noticed that they have her not just as our guardian but also our parent. 

Valentina: I thought the plan was to keep things discreet.

Me: Well, this isn't exactly public knowledge. I mean, you're involved and you had no clue.

Valentina: Fair point.

McGonagall: Matilda Walters.

This girl, Snape informs us, is a transfer student. Much like the others before her, however, the hat doesn't so much as think before screaming the name of a single house. This girl, in particular, gets placed in Hufflepuff. 

Others also get placed, including a boy by the name of Kaleb who gets declared a Slytherin and a girl called Mabel Flitwick. I thought, based on the name, that she was Professor Flitwick's daughter but Snape was quick to correct me. While she is a member of his family, Flitwick is certainly not her father. That said, he did seem quite shaken when she didn't get placed in his house and instead got placed in Gryffindor. 

Dumbledore: Now, Miss Sarea. Have you made a decision in regards to the house you'll join?

He catches me off-guard but I'd already made my decision after hearing about the school's house system.

Me: Yes.

Flitwick: Don't keep us in suspense.

Me: Slytherin.