Fear of a Name

Chapter Seven: The Sorting

I was so scared that I didn't even take in my new surroundings as the Professor sat down and said, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say you were both taken ill on the train, Potter and Riddle."
Before either of us could reply, there was a soft knock on the door of the office, and what looked to be the matron came in.
"I'm fine," Harry said, going quite red. "I don't need anything—"
"Oh, it's you, is it?" said the matron, ignoring him. I wondered if he did this sort of thing often.
"Him and Miss Riddle," said the Professor, indicating to me.

I saw the matron's face betray a flicker of fear, but then she noticed my unusually pale face and bent down, looking worried.
"You're really pale, are you all right?" she asked me kindly.
I nodded, not saying anything.

She then turned back to Harry and said, "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"
Definitely makes a habit of this, then.
"It was a Dementor, Poppy," said the Professor.
"Setting Dementors around a school," she muttered, sounding disapproving, pushing Harry's hair back and feeling his forehead, before doing the same to me. "They won't be the first ones to collapse. Yes, they're both all clammy. Terrible things they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate—"
"I'm not delicate!" said Harry crossly, but I didn't say anything.
"Of course you're not," she said absentmindedly, now taking my pulse.

"What do they need?" asked the Professor. "Bed rest? Should they perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"
"I'm fine!" said Harry, jumping to his feet.
"Well, they should have some chocolate, at the very least," said the matron, now trying to peer into Harry's eyes.
"We've already had some," he said. "Professor Lupin gave us both some. He gave it to all of us."
"Did he, now?" said the matron approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies."

"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" said the Professor sharply.
"Yes."
"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Riddle, and then with Miss Granger about her timetable, and then we can go down to the feast together."

As Harry left the room, the Professor turned to me.
"Miss Riddle, once you step into the great hall, you will be called upon to be sorted. There are four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin," she said, clearly thinking I wanted to be in Slytherin. "Your house will become like your second family—"
I raised my eyebrow ever so slightly, in a way that said 'Second family? How can I have a second when I don't have a first?'

The Professor looked at me kindly for a second before continuing. "You will have classes with your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend time in your house common room. While you are here, any triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule breaking and you will lose points. Any questions?"
I shook my head nervously.
"Very well. Please go and wait outside with Mr Potter."

I walked out quickly and stood next to Harry, waiting impatiently — I was excited to be sorted. I only had to wait a few minutes, then Hermione came out, followed by the Professor, and the four of us made our way down to the room Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I had been going to earlier. I looked around in amazement; there were floating candles under a ceiling that looked exactly like the sky outside, and I smiled anxiously as almost everyone turned to face us.
I saw the headmaster stand up as Harry and Hermione went to sit down next to Ron, but the Professor motioned for me to follow her to the front of the hall, which I did, only shaking a little.

"As you can see, we have a new student with us today. She is a third-year, and her name is Ivory Riddle."
A lot of whispering broke out at my name, and the headmaster held up his hand for silence.
"Professor McGonagall, please bring the stool and the hat."
Professor McGonagall left my side, returning a minute later with an old stool and a very battered, ragged hat. She asked me to sit down and put the hat on my head. I heard a small voice in my ear, and realised this must be the Sorting Hat.

"Hmm... difficult... you possess traits from each house: you are loyal, ambitious, wise and brave. But which to put you in? Your father is Lord Voldemort, you are a descendant of Salazar Slytherin himself, but you seem to be different from both of them. You are not patient enough for Hufflepuff, and not accepting enough for Ravenclaw. But what's this? Tortured daily, you have survived terrible things that most people don't even think of in their worst nightmares. You are courageous and brave to have kept going. Yes, you would do well in... GRYFFINDOR!"

The whole room went deathly silent as the Sorting Hat shouted the last word for them all to hear. I could tell that they were basically all thinking, "Ivory Riddle, You Know Who's daughter, a Gryffindor? The hat must have made a mistake, surely?"

Ignoring the deafening silence that was now echoing ominously around the room, I smiled slightly and walked over to the Gryffindor table, sitting between Ginny and Hermione as the headmaster spoke again.
"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..." He cleared his throat and continued. "As you will be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

I guessed this was about Sirius Black, the person Pettigrew had framed for his crimes; one of the Death Eaters was telling Father about it when I had been sent to him because I was deflecting Mother's curses.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," he continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks. It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the Prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs foul of the Dementors."

Nobody spoke; it was as if a Silencing Charm had been placed on us all.
"On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
Only those of us that had been in the same compartment as him on the train clapped loudly, though there was a small amount of unenthusiastic applause from the rest of the hall.

"As to our second new appointment," the headmaster continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."
I sighed, only joining in the applause to be polite. Of course, it had to be the half giant who was teaching me all about the fascinating beasts of the magical world.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said the headmaster. Let the feast begin!"