The Immeasurable Marauder

The Sorting Hat

I managed to go unnoticed as we made our way up to the castle but once we were inside I couldn't help but notice the glances and overhear the whispers. I ignored them, kept my face set and continued to walk stoically. Starting at a new school couldn't possibly be harder than the things I had already had to endure. It simply couldn't be worse.

"Yves?" Someone authoritative called out, "Yves Fleury?" I looked around noticing a tall witch with a tight bun bound to the top of her head. She had high cheekbones, quick, clever eyes and thin lips all of which was not entirely unattractive. I walked over to her; she was obviously in charge as she was calling for the first years to line up in front of her. "Yves Fleury?" she asked looking at me over the top of her half moon spectacles, her thick Scottish accent rolling my name. 

"Yes." I said simply.

"I am Professor McGonagall." she said drawing me away from the crowd of terrified looking First Years. 

"I trust you had a pleasant trip."

"I did Professor."

Without breaking eye contact, she continued in her business like manner, "As with all new students, you will need to be sorted into your new house."
Her gaze softened and I fidgeted uncomfortably, "I am sure that you will find the transition to Hogwarts a pleasant one, although, you will be under some scrutiny. I trust you and Professor Dumbledore have sorted things out?" she asked knowingly.
"Yes Ma'am."
"Good, good. Shall we continue?"

I walked with the First Years into the Great Hall and looked into a sea of curious faces. There were four, grand wooden tables adorned with the house colours, yellow, blue, red and green. We were lead down the middle of the tables to a stool that held the Sorting Hat. Coming from a different school, the customs at Hogwarts were very different from those at Beauxbaton's and if I weren't so terribly scared, I would have found the process fascinating. Walking past the Gryffindor table, I noticed Sirius Black, staring at me the same way everyone else was except, he had that crooked smile fixed to his face. There was an intensity in his gaze that had my stomach pinching tightly. I hated to admit it, but he was as attractive as I had heard and coming from Beauxbaton's girls, and by their measure, that was definitely saying something. 

We stopped as we neared the front of the hall and Dumbledore stepped forward, his blue eyes resting on mine for a moment before he spoke.

"This year," he said, his voice bellowing over the whispers of the hall, "we have an unusual sorting. This year Miss Yves Fleury, a transfer from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, will be joining us to do her O.W.L.S. I trust you will make her feel most welcome." He ended, gesturing me forward to the stool.

My legs felt wooden and walked forward of their own accord. I turned and sat on the stool and tried not to concentrate on the sea of faces, especially the dark eyes that seemed to track my every movement. Suddenly there was a voice in my ear.

"How peculiar," It said, amusement rumbling in his voice. "It has been many, many years since I have had to sort a student from another school." He continued. 

I looked around, it seemed no one else could hear the musings of the hat but me. That didn't make it any less strange.

"You could be in any one of our houses," the hat said slowly while I impatiently wished for him to make his choice so this day was one moment closer to being over. 

"Impatient, I see. Clever, cunning, generous, so faceted. Hmmm, where to put you, where to put you..."

I was about ready to pull the stupid thing from my head when all of a sudden it erupted "Gryffindor!" and the hat was yanked from my head and I was heralded toward the red table. The boys were whistling and clapping, enthusiastically, the girls less so. This was bound to be interesting. I slid into a seat next to the boy called Remus and stared at the table for the remainder of the sorting. No one spoke to me all through dinner, which was fine by me. But I knew it was only a matter of time before I had to explain myself to everyone.