Niagara ▸ Newt Scamander

the sorting

A/N: I would like to draw attention to the fact that I edited the prologue and as it stands Niagara and Newt haven't actually met yet. They've seen each other, but have not yet spoken. Sorry for any confusion.

By the time Niagara got off the train, it had stopped raining, and she still didn't know where to go. The flow of students in robes like the ones she'd changed into was heading one direction, whilst someone, presumably a teacher, was directing first years in another.

She decided sticking with people her age and seeing what would happen was a better idea than going to ask the teacher.

...

Going with the flow proved a good choice once Niagara got out of the carriage, which she'd been forced to share with four other students, to whom she had managed to say absolutely nothing to, when she found herself where she was supposed to be.

When she looked up, her heart just about stopped at the sight before her.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

The magnificent castle loomed before her, tall windows glowing with the light of the flames that lit them. None of the schools she had ever been to looked like that. Despite its grand stature and intimidating towers, it had almost a comforting feel to it that soothed her racing heart. Niagara needed that feeling, that belonging.

Perhaps it was too soon to say.

Niagara stood there for quite some time, staring at the individual bricks that built the place in awe as the last of the students from the carriages trickled into the building.

"Are you Niagara Dryden?" A tall woman with cold-looking grey eyes asked, who Niagara also thought was probably a teacher.

The brunette nodded.

"I'm Professor Beckett, head of Ravenclaw. You'll be sorted into a house after the first-year students." The greying teacher informed her in a curt Irish accent, most definitely southern.

Niagara nodded once more.

"Follow me."

So Niagara did, inside the impressive castle to two extremely tall double doors, complete with ornate carvings in the polished wood. Before them was a group of students on the young side, their eyes bright and full of wonder.

They stood chattering away, until Professor Beckett stood at the head of the group and cleared her throat.

"Behind me is the Great Hall, where students of Hogwarts have been eating for centuries before you. However before you may take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin. While you're at Hogwarts, your house will be like your family, treat each other well." Professor Beckett paused, making eye contact with several of the children. "Now, follow me."

With that, the prodigious doors swung open and the famed Great Hall was revealed in all its beauteous glory.

And it truly was absolutely magnificent: Niagara had never seen anything like it.

Sure, she had seen beautiful castles in Scotland and Ireland but none like the one she stood in then. This one felt stable; the thousands of floating candles lighting the space with warmth under the starry sky that the extremely high ceilings were bewitched to look like. The Great Hall positively glowed with affinity.

She followed the group down the middle isle between the four tables where the rest of the school sat, along with their separate houses. The students all watched the group of witches and wizards new to their school walk towards the lone stool on which a ratty looking hat sat.

Once the herd was at the front of the Great Hall, Professor Beckett moved to stand on the platform were the sorting hat was, pulling out a long scroll.

"Audrey Houten!" The teacher called crisply, drawing a young girl with short, dark hair out of the crowd. She made her way up to the stool, nervous to be the first student sorted, no doubt. As the hat was placed upon her head, the sorting began.

...

"And now to our newest fifth year, Niagara Dryden!" Professor Beckett's voice cracked through Niagara's thoughts very suddenly, and made her heart lurch. Niagara didn't want to be known as the 'newest fifth year'. She was going to be dubbed that by everyone else anyhow, she didn't need a person in a position of authority doing it as well.

The Hall fell silent.

So silent in fact, that Niagara could hear her blood rushing in her ears as she stepped up to the stool, the floor creaking beneath her feet. Niagara's heart was pounding so hard and fast that she felt as though she'd be sick, and gripped the sides of the oak chair until her knuckles turned white.

It felt as though she'd sat there for hours doing absolutely nothing but being the centre of attention before Professor Beckett finally placed the hat on her head, and it began to talk.

"Hm, not human, are we?" It began and Niagara's breath caught.

It wasn't like she had any idea of what exactly the hat would 'say' to her, but she was most certainly unprepared for its opening line.

"No." Niagara thought, grappling with the fact that the animate object had access to all of her mind.

"Good, you don't lie. Loyal to yourself, and others too, eh?" The hat continued. "You get too involved to be in Slytherin-- no. You're most certainly creative like a Ravenclaw, but you keep it to yourself-- You've put up with quite a bit, haven't you, Miss Dryden?"

"Yes."

"And yet you still care to be kind... Interesting..." It murmured to itself. "Better be... HUFFLEPUFF!"

Niagara didn't know what to feel once the hat was off her head, other than relief for the sorting ceremony being over; with the hat no longer combing through her mind. She barely registered the applause filling the huge room.

Hufflepuff was the house of black and yellow, easily identifiable from the front of the Great Hall, and Niagara made her way over, taking a seat on the edge of the group. The first thing she noticed was not the welcoming nature of her new housemates, but that the boy from the train was in Hufflepuff.

And he was sitting alone.

A/N: Thanks for reading everyone! It would seriously mean so much to me to hear what you thought of this chapter in the comments, I find it stuff like that very helpful. Was it yay, nay? If you have any suggestions, feel free to leave me some. :) Thanks!

What Hogwarts house is everyone in?

- TAAF_