My Protector | A Harry Potter love story

chapter 3

The boat ride to the front of Hogwarts is a memory I will take with me until the day I die. The castle at night is just so vast and beautiful. My jaw was ajar the whole ride over there and I couldn't stop thinking of all the adventures and classes I'll be having for the next seven years. After the boat ride we enter the front doors of the school and are right outside what seems to be the great hall if my memory serves me right from reading "Hogwarts, A History". We are all greeted by Professor McGonagall at the top of the stairs.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses." Hermione and I look over at each other excitedly. "They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin." I see my brother smirk and nod at his two idiot friends while he looks over at me and I roll my eyes at him.

"Now, while your here... your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn your points. Any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be rewarded the house cup." McGonagall is cut off by a familiar ribbit noise coming from right below her feet. It's Trevor. I widen my eyes in shock and look over to see Neville reaching down for him. "Trevor!" The rest of the kids start laughing at how embarrassing this situation is. I turn sharply and glare at the lot of them which quiets them up. Neville looks up at McGonagall which she just stays quiet and looks at Neville. "Sorry. Sorry excuse me, sorry, sorry." He says to the other students, and he tries to go back to his spot behind Hermione and me.

"The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily." McGonagall says nothing else as she turns to leave into the great hall leaving us waiting.

"it's true then." I hear my brother say as everyone turns to look over at him. "What they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." Everyone around us murmurs while Hermione and I just roll our eyes at my brother being an imbecile.

"This is Crabbe and Goyle. I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." Ron snickers at what he says Draco turns to him. "Think my name's funny do you? No need to ask yours. Red hair, and a hand me down robe? You must be a Weasley."

Harry stares up at Draco as Ron looks down embarred. I put my arm on Ron and start to pat it as he jerks his shoulder away from me.

"You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. Don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." Draco holds out his hand for Harry to shake and he just looks at his hand.

"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks." I try not to laugh at my brother being embarrassed by Harry but it's hard not to. I duck my head behind Hermione's back and start snickering to myself. This is not unnoticed by my brother.

"What are you laughing at blood traitor? You're a disgrace to the Malfoy name." I sharply look back at him and glare my eyes into his without trying to cry. He's never called by a blood traitor before.

"Careful there Draco, we don't want what happened to you last summer to happen again, do we?" he looks shocked for a second that I talked back to him, as he looks like he's about to respond he stops when McGonagall lightly taps his back with a roll of parchment. He does one more glare over at Harry and I and goes back over to Crabbe and Goyle.

"We're ready for you now. Follow me." She leads us into the great hall, and I immediately notice the candles floating above us and Hermione says next to me, "it's not real the ceiling. It's just bewitched to look like the night sky." "I read about that too." "In Hogwarts, a history" we both say at the same time and look at each other, hold hands and laugh. We go to the front of the hall and McGonagall stop us right in front of a hat.

"Wait along here please. Now, before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words." Professor Dumbledore stands up from his seat in the middle of the teacher's table.

"I have a few start-of-term notices I wish to announce. The first years please note that the dark forest is, strictly forbidden to all students." " Thats likely" I whisper to myself, and Hermione lightly smacks me on the arm. "Also, our caretaker, Mr. filch, has asked me to remind you, that the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you." He smiles warmly at all of us before sitting down.

McGonagall takes over again. "Now, when I call your name, you will come forth I shall place the sorting hat on your head... and you will be sorted into your houses." She looks over her long roll of parchment before she reads off the first name on the list.

"Hermione Granger." I squeeze Mione's hand before she starts walking over to the stool. "Oh no. Okay, relax" "Mental, that one, I'm tellin' you." I hear Ron say and I ignore him as Harry nods in agreement with him. Hermione goes over to sit on the stool and McGonagall places the hat on her head and it starts to talk.

"Ah, right, then... Hmm... Right, okay... Gryffindor!" It announces, the whole Gryffindor table cheers for her and she goes over to the table and sits down. Well, it was nice knowing her, everyone in my family has been sorted into Slytherin and I know once I am, she and I aren't going to be friends anymore.

"Draco Malfoy." McGonagall calls out. Shit. I'm going to be next. My brother saunter on over to the stool and before the hat can full be placed on his head the hat calls out "Slytherin! "There's not a witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin" I hear Ron say to Harry. The Slytherin table cheers out, and my brother goes over to their table, my hands feel all the sweatier. Harry looks over at me and sees I'm about to have a breakdown and grabs my hand and smiles at me. It seems to calm me down. I look into his oddly piercing green eyes and take a deep breath.

"Arabella Malfoy." She calls to me. I look over at her and slowly walk up to the stool ready for my fate. I sit on the stool and look over at my brother to see him sneering at me, I quickly glance over at Hermione and see her give me a sympathetic smile and I dart my eyes over to Harry he smiles at me while Ron just gives me blank stare. Alright then. She places the hat on my head. "Sly-" It starts to say but cuts itself off. "Hmm. Interesting...Peculiar...A Malfoy by blood but not by heart. Yes...Very interesting...But ah, yes, there is a powerful heart and soul in you. Strength and greatness are in your future. Maybe perhaps Slytherin is the best choice for you. But, Gryffindor, seems to be where you heart yearns to be. There's loyalty and strength to you young child. difficult indeed... might as well be Gryffindor!!" It announces. I gasp in excitement and run over to the Gryffindor table to see them cheer for me while some from the table look shocked, I was placed in their house. I go over and sit next to Hermione and she gives me a side hug and we watch and listen as other names are called out.

A girl named Susan Bones is sorted into Hufflepuff and a boy named Seamus and Dean are sorted into Gryffindor as is Neville. A girl named Cho is sorted into Ravenclaw. Crabbe and Goyle are obviously put into Slytherin. Ron is sorted into Gryffindor as the hat knew his family very well. Harry's name is called out next.

"Hmmm... difficult. Very difficult. Pleasantly of courage I see, not a bad mind either there's talent and a thirst to prove yourself, oh yes, but where to put you?" I see Harry's mouth whisper something and the hat must've heard.

"Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? you could be great you know? It's all here in your head. And Slytherin will help you on your way to greatness there's no doubt about that. No? Well, if you're sure... better be. GRYFFINDOR!!!!"

Everyone in the Gryffindor table leaps up out of their seats and cheers the loudest the whole night has ever heard. Harry rushes on over to our table and out of pure instinct, when he came up to us I went over to him and gave him a crushing hug. I realized what I was doing a pulled away as fast as I could. I could tell both of our cheeks were gushing red. "Sorry. I don't know why I did that. Um... congrats Harry." "Thanks." he responded. He goes over and sits next to Ron. I sit back down next to Hermione, and she gives me a look.

"Shut up." I say as I nudge her. I look up to see over at the Slytherin table and see my brother shooting daggers at me from across the way. He and I stare at each other, and his face starts to turn sad but before I can try to see if I can go over to him, he squints his eyes at me, as do his friends and looks away from me.

He's definitely going to tell father about this.