The Truth

GRYFFINDOR

"Minnie!" I called out to the older professor as she walked past. 

"Ah! Hello Emily, Alexis. I trust you are aware of a specific new student we have here?" She said to me.

"Of course, though I am highly offended I was not the first to be informed." I replied, putting on a posh accent and making a silly face. My professor smiled fondly, and Alex laughed. 

"Right, well, you two girls better run along to the Great Hall, the Sorting Ceremony shall begin soon." Minnie said, beginning to walk away, I suddenly hugged her, and she put her hand on my head, stroking it gently. "I missed you, Minnie." I said, suddenly having a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach, one that told me something was going to go terribly wrong at some point during this year.

"Oh my dear, I missed you too. Now, go and grab some seats before you two are on separate ends of Gryffindor table." She smiled at us, and we ran off, yelling goodbye and waving. 

We crashed into each other while going through the door, as I hadn't turned fast enough so was still moving in the wrong direction. We cracked up laughing as we went through the wide doors, which were so wide I was surprised we'd collided considering how much space there was.

We saw our two empty seats, right next to the place where people would be sorted, and our friends who were sitting there smirked at us. I'd said I loved the sorting, so they saved me seats every year, since some people found it weird to be sitting so close to teachers, and didn't mind not sitting there. No one except Alexis knew the real reason I wanted to be at the front this year though. 

Professor McGonagall came through the doors, and set up the stool and hat, then rushed out again. I felt nauseous thinking of the fact my brother was outside those doors.

I turned to Alex with fear in my eyes, though I didn't know I was scared. I took a deep breath and looked at the slowly opening doors. 

The first years slowly filed in, gazing all around them, at the ceiling mostly. I caught a glance of Hermione, and she waved at me. I smiled at her, then looked for Harry.

There. I found him, standing with the ginger boy once again. He looks so mesmerised, and I felt calm knowing he was already happy with what was happening to him. He was a wizard, and, knowing my aunt and uncle, he probably didn't know. Typical. I'd only seen them a few times on the street, pushing him into the car and not letting him out sometimes. I wanted to badly to intervene, but I knew I couldn't, despite the very strong urge to do so. 

Now, watching him walk down the Great Hall among the first years, I smiled. A full, true smile, one that I realised was accompanied by tears. Oh, God. I was so sappy. 

———

The Sorting Ceremony finally began, after Dumbledore stood to make his annual speech. 

McGonagall stood up to place the dusty Sorting Hat on students heads. Oh, how I longed to be up there for the first time again, the adrenaline pumping through my veins as I prepare to be sorted. It was a surreal experience, and one I shall never forget.

"Susan Bones." McGonagall said, lifting the hat, and placing it on a small girls head. 

"HUFFLEPUFF!" It yelled, and the Hufflepuff table cheered. I grinned, the girl looked so happy as she skipped off to her table.

"Hermione Granger."

The younger girl's eyes widened, and she carefully stepped up to the hat, muttering affirmations to herself.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The Sorting Hat cried out, and Hermione beamed, skipping towards our table and sitting opposite me.

"Congratulations!!" I grinned at her while people clapped her on the back and cheered.

A few more people braved the occasionally hilarious wrath of the Sorting Hat, before it was finally Harry's turn.

"Harry Potter."

I inhaled sharply, gripping Alex's hand like a lifeboat, something that I'd immediately drown without. Harry slowly stepped up towards where Minnie was waiting for him, and sat down. The hat was on his head. Why was it taking so long? Was he talking to it? Is that his mouth moving, or was I imagining things?

"Hmm, GRYFFINDOR!" The Sorting Hat yelled, even louder than before, and all the tension in my chest left with an exhale. His friend was in Gryffindor, too, so that was good.

When the ceremony ended, I laughed as a familiar ghost popped his head through our table.

"Hi, Nick." Alex acknowledged him.

"Alexis, hello. Emily, too! How are you, dears?" Nearly Headless Nick asked us, flying higher.

"I know you! You're Nearly Headless Nick!" Ron, Harry's friend, stated, his face showing that he was proud of himself for knowing.

"I prefer Sir Nick, actually." He replied, but he laughed a bit.

"Alright, Nicholas?" Percy Weasley, a few feet away from us, asked.

"Yes, yes, perfectly well. My request to join the Headless Hunt was unfortunately denied once again, however." Nick replied solemnly. 

"Maybe next year, Nick." I said optimistically. He nodded.

"Perhaps, my dear, perhaps."

"Nearly headless? How can you be nearly headless?" Hermione asked. Harry rolled his eyes in a very over-exaggerated manner, and I frowned in his vague direction, but didn't say anything.

"Like this." He swiftly pulled his head off, which was attached by one layer of skin. The nearby younger, newer students groaned, turning away, as he laughed and put it back. "Same reaction every time." He grinned.

I smiled at him as he left, and Hermione tapped my shoulder, grabbing my attention.

"Yeah? What's up?" I asked her.

"How did you get that? That scar, on your face. It looks like it hurts." She fretted, brows knitting together.

"I don't actually know! I got it when I was a baby, I never questioned it. Freak accident, maybe. Car crash. No idea, haha!" I made sure to smile as I said this, as she was only young, and it did look pretty gnarly. "As for the pain, it aches occasionally, but that's only if I move my face too much, or if it's too cold. It's numb most of the time, or I forget it's even there." I add truthfully, shrugging. Hermione nods, then seems to take that as a satisfying answer, because she goes back to her food. I look at Alex, breathing a sigh of relief.