𝑨𝒎𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒕 - ʜᴊᴘ x ᴏᴄ [𝐌𝐀𝐉𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆&𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆]

7

   ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

ꜱᴏʀᴛɪɴɢ

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Cassie waited for her name to be called, arms crossed, foot tapping impatiently against the stone floor. Nervous? Please. She wasn't the type to get nervous. But she wasn't exactly thrilled about being sorted in front of the entire school either. What if she didn't get Slytherin? Aurie wouldn't care, but the Malfoys? Her grandparents? That would be a nightmare.

"Black, Cassiopeia."

Professor McGonagall's voice rang through the hall, and Cassie straightened, tossing her hair back with a casual smirk before striding up to the stool. She flopped down like she owned the place, waiting as the Sorting Hat was placed on her head.

"Ah, yes," the hat mused almost immediately. "A Gaunt-Black. I see the ambition, the cunning, the pride... but oh, what's this? Rebellious. Resentful of authority. A fiery, reckless spirit. You would have done well in Gryffindor."

Cassie stiffened. "Don't even think about it."

The hat chuckled. "No, I suppose you wouldn't like that. You have the makings of a leader, though—someone who will make their own way, whether others like it or not. Fiercely loyal to those you care about, but you don't trust easily, do you? You wear your name like a badge of honor and a weight on your shoulders." The hat paused, as if savoring the moment. "Yes... the truest heir of Salazar Slytherin Hogwarts has seen in years. You possess many of his traits. Best be in—"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Cassie grinned, practically ripping the hat off her head as she hopped off the stool. She took her time walking to the Slytherin table, soaking in the applause, her smirk only growing when she caught Ron Weasley giving her a look that was—what? Pity? Oh, that was rich. She arched an eyebrow at him before mouthing, "Good luck, Weasley." He blinked in surprise and leaned toward Potter, whispering something. Cassie rolled her eyes and flopped into a seat.

"Greengrass, Daphne."

"SLYTHERIN!"

Cassie let out a triumphant "Yes!" and clapped loudly as Daphne beamed and hurried over.

More names passed until—

"Malfoy, Draco."

Cassie leaned forward, watching closely as Draco stepped up. The hat barely grazed his head before it bellowed, "SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherins erupted in applause. Cassie stood, whistling as Draco strode over.

"Congratulations," she said, grinning.

"Same to you," he replied with a small but proud smile.

The sorting continued, Parkinson joining them shortly after, and Cassie noticed the way she immediately leaned in to whisper something to Draco, her cheeks turning pink. Huh. That was new.

Then—

"Potter, Harry."

Cassie met his gaze as he hesitated on the stool. The hat took longer with him, and though she couldn't hear it, she had a feeling it was debating between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Potter muttered something under his breath. And then—

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Cassie exhaled through her nose, not exactly surprised, but still a little disappointed. A part of her had kind of hoped he'd end up in Slytherin, if only to watch the chaos unfold. He met her gaze again as he walked past, giving her a look that almost seemed... apologetic. Like he'd been expecting this moment forever. Cassie tilted her head at him before flashing a grin and shooting him a two-fingered salute.

Sorting carried on. "Rosier, Katherine" took a while—Ravenclaw or Slytherin? But finally—

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Katherine!" Cassie called, patting the seat beside her. "Knew you had it in you."

Once all the students were sorted, they were led to their common rooms. The Slytherin dungeons were everything Cassie had been expecting—cool, dark, and eerily quiet, the green-tinted glow from the Black Lake casting shifting shadows across the stone walls. The prefects gave the password—"Serpiente"—and the massive snake statue slithered aside, revealing the entrance.

Inside, the common room felt more like an ancient noble estate than a student lounge. The green-and-silver banners were expected, but what caught Cassie's eye was the massive family tree etched onto one of the walls, depicting the descendants of Salazar Slytherin.

Her name was there, right under her parents' names: "Cassiopeia Athena Gaunt-Black."

Cassie let out a low whistle. "Well, that's subtle."

Daphne, Draco, Pansy, and Blaise crowded around her, staring at the family tree.

"That is kind of creepy," she admitted, crossing her arms.

"Creepy? It's brilliant!" Draco said, eyes wide with admiration. "You're literally Hogwarts royalty."

"I'd rather be infamous than royal," she drawled. "And this?" She gestured vaguely at her name. "Not a fan of my face being on public display."

"But it's a symbol of power," Blaise pointed out. "No one's going to mess with you."

Cassie smirked. "I don't need a name on a wall to make sure of that."

Still, her eyes drifted over the tree once more, noting the absence of Merope Gaunt. Figures. The purebloods had a tendency to erase what they didn't like.

With one last glance, she turned on her heel. "Alright, let's get out of here before we all turn into statues of our ancestors."

The dorms were more comfortable than she'd expected, and as she flopped onto her bed, she let out a satisfied sigh. Hogwarts was going to be interesting.

She reached for parchment and a quill. Time to write to Aurie. There was way too much to tell her.