Hadrian Romanoff and the Beginning

Chapter-10

Hadrian stood anxiously between Terry and Lisa while they waited for Professor McGonagall to return to lead them to the Great Hall to be sorted. The stern witch had led them to the entrance hall and left them with a brief summation of what was to happen and a warning to make themselves presentable.

Lisa had had to help brush crumbs off of Terry, some of which had somehow gotten into his hair. Neville had nervously tried to fix his crooked tie until Hadrian had enough and slapped his hands away to do it himself.

The red haired boy from the train rubbed at the spot of dirt on his nose after Hermione had pointed it out, glowering at the girl to her confusion.

A dark haired girl with a nose like a pug's loudly wondered about what the sorting entailed to another girl with plaited blond hair and thin lips.

"Fred says it's a troll you have to wrestle." The redheaded boy, face now clean, said with a shiver of fear, sending a wave of irrational panic through the first years.

"What do you suppose it is?" Terry asked Lisa and Hadrian.

"A spell cast by the headmaster or a professor that reveals someone's most prominent traits." Lisa answered promptly.

"Makes sense. Or maybe the spell makes you glow a certain color based on your personality traits and you go to that respective house. Like if you glow red or gold you go to Gryffindor." Terry added, an excited gleam in his eye as he thought of the possibilities of the sorting. "What do you think Hadrian?" He asked, turning to the shorter boy.

"I have no idea. I tried asking my uncles, the ones who went here, but they wouldn't say a word. Said it was tradition to rile up the first years." Hadrian pouted. "I doubt it involves a troll though, or us showing off all the spells we know."

"My older sister tried to convince me that they make you strip and if the color of your underwear matches the house colors then that's the house you get sorted in. Mum finally had to tell her to knock it off when she started talking about all the 'poor souls' who unfortunately went commando for their first day." Lisa shuddered.

"Sounds like something my Uncle Clint would do." Hadrian said with a chuckle, his nerves settling as he relaxed. "I feel so silly getting worked up about what the sorting is. Does it even matter? We're gonna get sorted no matter what."

"Try telling that to Neville over there." Terry pointed at the chubby boy who looked to be on the verge of a full blown panic attack.

Hadrian didn't say anything, only moved to stand closer to Neville. Lisa and Terry followed after him and Neville paused in his erratic breathing to look at them in confusion.

"Hey, Nev, what do you think the sorting is?" Terry asked casually.

"W-what?" The poor boy looked hopelessly lost.

"Lisa thinks it's a spell the headmaster casts and I kinda agree. What do you think?"

Neville blinked. "Oh, uh," he stammered. "Maybe a riddle?"

"Oh, like whatever your answer is shows what house you best belong to?" Lisa asked in excitement.

Neville nodded his head slowly, still looking unsure.

Hadrian groaned. "Oh, I absolutely suck at riddles."

-

"A hat." Hadrian deadpanned. "These people almost gave a bunch of eleven year olds heart attacks over a hat."

Lisa hid a giggle behind her hand while Terry choked trying to hold his own laughter in. Neville's lips twitched in humor.

"A stinkin' hat."