The Last Marauder Standing || Sirius Black

3-To Hate or Not to Hate?

Hogwarts, I have to admit, was magnificent. It wasn't nearly as fancy or proper as Beauxbatons, but the castle's warm but also mysterious atmosphere drew me in. I sat in the boats with all the first years, as insisted by the gamekeeper Hagrid. Apparently, I need the full "Hogwarts experience". Of course, I wasn't complaining. The boat ride was fun, but I had to keep Sadie from trying to stick her hands in the water. I get that this school is meant to be safe, but I don't trust whatever might be living in this lake.

When we arrived at the castle we were taken through the front doors and were meant to wait outside the great hall. Waiting for so long was almost painful. The first years were all nervous, and looking up at me with curious eyes, like I knew what awaited behind the gigantic doors. Sadie had lost her energy, it seemed, because she was no longer jumping up and down with excitement. Instead, she clung to my arm and refused to let go.

"Estella" her small voice called, shaking. I looked down at her and gave her my attention. "What if we're sorted into different houses?" She asked hesitantly.

"Then you'll finally learn to look after yourself" I joked. "You won't have me to babysit you anymore". Her big blue eyes widened with sadness, and I could tell she was really scared about being separated from me. I kneeled beside her. "Sadie, I'll still see you every morning at breakfast, in the afternoon during lunch, and at dinner. I'll visit you during any free periods I have. The only difference would be that we won't sleep in the same place, and during the school year we didn't do that anyway." I assured her.

"But now I won't have grandma either. I'll be... on my own" she choked out.

"No, because your house is like your family, remember? Look at all these other kids, they might not even have older brothers and sisters to look after them. You're so lucky. And who knows, some of these kids might end up being your best friends." I smiled at her. She looked around at the other kids, eyeing them curiously.

"Thanks, Estella" she sighed. I stood back up, and McGonagall came back and led us into the great hall.

It was huge. It seems smaller on the outside and thinking back to when I saw it from the boats, I'm starting to wonder how they fit this giant room in what looked so quaint. Maybe it was because we were farther away, so it seemed small. I wonder how big the whole castle actually is. Will I ever be able to see every part of it? 

We stopped in front of a stool, which held an old and tattered-looking hat. I never actually understood what the sorting was or how it was done. We didn't have that at Beauxbatons, it was more of choosing who you associate yourself with. I looked behind me at the four house tables. I'll be joining one of them tonight, and I'll be with them for the next two years. Sadie was gripping my hand so tightly I started to lose feeling in my fingertips. I turned back to the hat on the stool when a seam opened upon it, like a mouth, and it started singing.

The song was interesting. It described all the houses, and what it meant to be a part of each one. I listened specifically to the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor parts. Which was I? My father was a Gryffindor, but my mother and my grandmother were both Ravenclaw. Which category do I fall under?

"Transfer students first" Professor McGonagall called to the great hall. Great, draw even more attention to me why don't you. "Cullen, Estella"

The hall was completely silent as I stepped up to the stool and sat down, everyone curious about the new girl who came from France. I'm going to guess Hogwarts doesn't get many transfers. The Professor placed the hat on my head, and the second she did I heard him humming in thought. The hat covered my eyes, and it smelled old, kinda like an antique shop sort of smell.

"Very interesting, very interesting indeed. You have many qualities of a true Ravenclaw" he moved around on my head, and I just kept hoping that no one else could hear him, only me.