What Came After

The Journey and sorting

I found a seat fairly quickly; Saf pointed me towards the back of the second carriage - "There's always space in there, I'll be two carriages down if you need me, ok?"

I nodded, a little too quickly in my anxiety, and she gave me a hug before we parted. Magnus had naturally left without a second glance, off to find his friends somewhere.

My enclosure was occupied by a girl and a boy. The girl was small and freckled; her eyes were a soft hazel with flecks of green, and she had a warm, friendly look, a beautiful smile stretching across her face as she turned to look at me in the doorway.

"Hey, I'm Kat! Here, sit down next to me!" She gestured to the seat on her left; obviously I sat down, glad that someone was already making me feel welcome.

Shifting her short, chocolate brown hair out of her eyes, she looked over to the boy sitting opposite. He was almost the antithesis of her; he had long white-blond hair tied back in a ponytail, and a deep crease opened on his brow as he scrutinised me.

His piercing blue eyes bored into me as he offered his hand. "James. James Yaxley. It's a pleasure." It certainly did not look like a pleasure from the scowl across his face, but I shook his hand nonetheless.

"Arcadius Northe."

Kat's eyebrows raised. "Merlin's beard, I'm not going to keep saying that every time I want to talk to you, my tongue'll fall out. Can I call you Ady?"

I shrugged. Why not?

"I think our fathers may know each other, if I'm not mistaken?" James interjected.

"Maybe, I don't know." I still didn't know what to make of this boy, with his constantly fierce expression.

Kat laughed, "Wipe that scowl off your face, you posh twit, you're scaring him."

James's scowl deepened.

"Sorry about him, he's in ego mode. He's friendly once you get to know him. Well. Not really," she laughed again, and this time, I joined in.

James decided to ignore this.

"What house are you hoping for, Ady?" Kat asked.

I hadn't really thought deeply about it.

"I don't really know, my family are all Slytherin, but I've always liked the thought of Ravenclaw."

"Ooh, fancy yourself a smartass, eh?" she responded, which threw me out a bit.

"No, no-"

"I'm kidding, muppet," she smirked, "sure you're Ravenclaw material?"

Even James laughed at that. "Oh my, that was a good one."

All in all, a bloody good start.

***

The train arrived at the station, and we were marshalled by an enormous beast of a man, with a thick black beard and an out-of-place pink umbrella.

"Firs' years, follo' me, firs' years, this way, tha's righ', come on," he was shouting.

When we were all gathered (around fifty of us in all), the giant addressed us. "Righ', I'm Hagrid, I'm the castle gamekeeper, please' ta meet ya. If ya'd follo' me, we'll 'ead to the boats." He turned on his heel, and began to march to the water's edge; we hurried to catch up with him.

Kat, James and I got a boat together, with another girl; she was slim with dark skin, and her bald head was covered with a red beanie. Kat seemed to know her, and they quickly struck up a conversation as the boat left, leaving James and I awkwardly glancing at one another, searching for an icebreaker and unable to find one.

***

The boats beached of their own accord, and we all disembarked and fell in behind Hagrid once again. James asked Kat who the other girl was after she had walked on ahead.

"Oh, I have no idea. Just being friendly."

James rolled his eyes at her, and I smiled; these were people I could actually enjoy spending time with.

We travelled up the stairs, and through the vast, iron doors, into the entrance hall. Inside, we were greeted by an incredibly small man in tuxedo robes, with a long pointed nose, a neat moustache and spectacles. His hands were covered in gold rings, and they glinted as he gestured to us.

"Thank you, Hagrid, I'll take them from here. To me, first years!" He waited for us to assemble in front of him, then continued, "I am Professor Flitwick, the deputy headmaster. In just a moment I will lead you through these doors to the great hall, where you will be sorted into your houses. After that, dinner will be served, and Headmistress McGonagall will start the new year's introductions. Come along now." He waved his wand at the huge double doors at the end of the corridor, and they swung open to reveal the largest room I had ever seen.

The ceiling crackled with lightning, above a long, wide hall, with four tables leading to a dais, upon which the staff were seated.

Flitwick led us to the front of the hall, where, just in front of the dais, was a chair. Upon this chair sat the fabled Hogwarts sorting hat.

Everyone seemed to be waiting for something. Then, the hat opened its mouth, and spoke in a surly drawl, "Oh, get on with it, I'm not in the mood for singing this time. I wish you'd stop asking." The hall erupted in fits of laughter; Flitwick looked slightly uncomfortable, but ploughed on.

"Alright, well, up first is," he consulted his list, "Katrina Boot."

Kat looked at us nervously, then walked up to the chair and sat down, putting the hat on her head.

The hat appeared to speak to her for around thirty seconds, before bellowing, "Hufflepuff!"

Kat grinned, took off the hat, and headed to the third table, where a flood of yellow-scarfed students welcomed her with loud applause.

The first-years kept coming, some of whom I recognised, most not, and roughly were split evenly between the houses; the dark-skinned girl, Fiore Carrasco, was sorted into Gryffindor. It came round to my turn faster than I thought possible, such was the ease with which the hat decided.

"Arcadius Northe!"

I stepped up to the chair. As soon as the hat touched my head, it started talking; "Ah, yes, a Northe... Pure-blood, that's certain, your family all Slytherin... There's definitely ambition there, and cunning... But your mind, my goodness... The wisdom, beyond your years... Yes, I know where to put you!

Ravenclaw!"

Beaming, I strode to the Ravenclaw table, and sat down next to Steven Dawkins, a fellow first year. I tried to avoid the thought of my brother's reaction; he was fiercely proud of the family tradition and wouldn't like this, that was for certain.

The names continued; when it got to James, the hat called Slytherin as soon as it touched his head.

My friends were in separate houses, true, but I was pleasantly surprised by the hat's choice; the names had finished, and we all awaited eagerly as McGonagall took the floor.