The Boy who died - Ready for Anything

The house sorting Part 1

POV of Veatrix Lestrange

I got out of the boat, which I had shared with my cousin Draco and those dimwits Crabbe and Goyle. I just couldn't understand why he even bothered with them..! But he assured me, as I took him aside, that he simply liked how they let him boss them around as if they were his bodyguards or something. I could only shake my head at that, but that's just how Draco was. Together with the other first-years, we reached the huge oak door of the castle. There, we were greeted by Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher. She had a somewhat stern demeanor, I thought. She thanked Hagrid for bringing us all safely to the castle, after which he bid us farewell and soon disappeared into the darkness. We followed McGonagall into the castle, where she led us purposefully through the entrance hall to a small, empty chamber.

'Welcome to Hogwarts,' she greeted us.

Then she told us about the upcoming ceremony where we would be sorted into the different houses and how important it all was. She reminded us again to behave well and not to cause trouble for our future house by breaking rules and losing points. She instructed us to wait and left the chamber.

After a few minutes of wild speculation among the other students about how the house assignments were determined, she came back. I, of course, knew what was coming and could only shake my head at the others' ideas. We formed a line as Professor McGonagall led us back into the entrance hall and, after a final scrutinizing look at us, opened the double doors to the Great Hall. With us marching behind her, she headed straight for the far end of the hall, where a four-legged stool with an old hat on it stood in front of a long table where the teachers apparently sat. As we made our way forward, I could already feel the curious gazes of the older students, eager to see who would join their house, upon us.

Once at the front, we lined up next to each other and waited to see what would happen next. The hall suddenly became strangely silent, where moments ago there had been lively conversation. Shortly thereafter, I found out why. The old hat on the stool began to sing.

I wasn't really listening. I was far too tense to be open to the song of a magical, talking hat right now... I glanced at Draco, who stood a little distance from me, and saw him yawning demonstratively. Grinning, I turned back to the singing hat, which now fell silent, earning it thunderous applause from the older students. Now McGonagall stepped forward with a list and began calling out students who were then to put on the hat to be assigned to a house.

'Bella Black,' she said just then. Bella walked to the stool, and her face disappeared under the large hat. After a while, a loud 'Slytherin' echoed through the room, whereupon the students and teachers applauded, and she sat down at the slytherin house table... Great, and I'd have to share a dormitory with her..!

Zane Blishwick also went to Slytherin. Well, at least. Ariana Clarks was sent to Gryffindor. Then it was Hermione Granger's turn. I recognized her and Ariana as two of the girls from the compartment with Bella. She sat on that chair for what seemed like an eternity!! Finally, the hat shouted 'Gryffindor!' whereupon, as with the other first-years, applause erupted again.

And then it was finally my turn. 'Veatrix Lestrange,' McGonagall read out loud, and I sat down on the chair. No sooner had I put on the hat than it began to talk to me. 'A Lestrange, then? I remember your parents quite well. They were the epitome of Slytherin students. Do you know why I'm telling you this? Because I can't in good conscience send you there. You clearly belong in GRYFFINDOR!' The last word was meant for the Great Hall, and in a fit of anger, I tore the hat off my head, jumped up, and threw it back onto the stool. My gaze found Draco's, who stared at me in shock. The teachers and a few students clapped politely, but that only made everything worse. Close to tears of anger and despair, I stormed across the hall, out into the entrance hall. There I encountered Snape, whom I looked at pleadingly. Although he hadn't been in the Great Hall, he must have heard the announced house. But he didn't show any emotion and shook his head almost imperceptibly.

This couldn't be happening! Snape, my last hope, now returned to the Great Hall, where dinner would soon be served. Despite being really hungry, I couldn't bring myself to go back into the hall and sit at the Gryffindor table. So I remained, unsure of what to do, in the entrance hall. I briefly considered just going with the Slytherins to the dungeons, but that seemed like a bad idea since my trunk had probably already been taken to the Gryffindor dormitory. So I went to the first floor, where the students of my house would definitely pass by, made myself comfortable on a windowsill, and stared out into the darkness while I waited.