lovesick || r. lupin

³the sorting

Walking into Hogwarts was like inviting all the good memories it held back with open arms and bright smiles. If Ayla could describe the magical school in just a few words it would be warm and comforting like hot chocolate, but maybe that's just because she had a weird obsession with the piping hot liquid.

The pile of students entering Hogwarts chattered, excitement filling the atmosphere and giving off the nice sensation of being home. Hogwarts surely did feel like Ayla's home after all, saying how out of control her actual household was, but now was not the time to think about the bad things. It was a new year, after all, where they began to get prepared for future jobs that they wanted to pursue in which Ayla was just as excited as for the new quidditch season. Of course that being a rather lot saying she was the beater for the Hufflepuff team and her loving the sport.

"Hey," Grace pulled at Ayla's sleeve, "I'm going to my table, 'kay? See you later?"

"Okay," Ayla chuckled, "tell me your schedule tomorrow morning, alright?"

"Yes, sir," Grace smirked, shoving Ayla's arm a bit as she set off towards the Slytherin table like she always did each year.

As Ayla stood, watching Grace walk to the table, Ayla decided she'd go to her own, pressing forward, searching for one of her friends. Tegan would let her sit with her and Emmett, right? Ayla hoped so, at least.

Looking through the crowd, Ayla found large, curly black hair and curvy, dark brown skin belonging to the girl who was nearly falling out of her seat from laughter of a joke the thick boy next to her had said. He had olive skin and slicked back brown hair with long sideburns to the side making Ayla know for a fact it was Tegan and Emmett.

Ayla quickly walked over, the Great Hall put into it four sections and students beginning to settle down before the door creaked open and a line of small children began to walk in, some holding onto themselves through anxiety and others grinning from ear to ear, chatting with their newcome friends.

McGonagall led the group to the front of the hall, posture perfectly poised and chin jutted upwards. She spoke, explaining what was going to happen and then the sorting began.

A small boy with hair parted down the middle walked up, a frown formed on his lips, his thick eyebrows slightly furrowed in worry as he pulled himself onto the stool and closed his eyes tightly. The hat sat for a moment, pondering what house the boy would be sorted into and then, with a piercing silence following, the hat shouted, "Slytherin!"

Tears welled up in the boys eyes as he jumped off the stool, "Please, Miss! Please don't make me go to Slytherin! I heard so many bad things about it on the way here! Please, I don't want to be in Slytherin, don't make me go!" He pleaded to Professor McGonagall as he wipped vigorously at his eyes.

Before McGonagall could respond, a girl stood from the Slytherin table and walked over to him. She bent over slightly to him, muttered a few words and in response, the boy nodded as she helped lead him back to the Slytherin table and set him next to her.

Through the tense silence, Grace looked over at Ayla, a smirk on her face as she began to clap and howl in pride, causing many to follow along, though some Slytherins sat, glaring at the poor eleven year old.

Then, the sorting started again, each table getting excited to see what the next first years house would be.

A girl walked up confidently, a smug smile on her rosy cheeks as she placed herself on the seat and as if when the hat touched her head, it belted out, "Gryffindor!"

A loud whistle then a huge crack rang across the Great Hall and bright red and gold fireworks erupted in the air, lighting up the starry ceiling. Ayla spun her head to the Gryffindor table, where the source must have came from and saw the quad of pranksters, most probably the ones responsible for the firework, celebrating along with the rest of the table. Peter was yelping in joy, screaming "Gryffindor! Gryffindor!" and Remus was grinning. James and Sirius were out of their seats, arms linked as they spun around in a circle, yelling a welcoming song, James smile sending a flutter in Ayla's stomach.

Then it went on, students getting sorted into each house, some smiling and others crying, the Marauders set off a firework for each and every newcoming Gryffindor, soon getting them pushed out of the Great Hall for disruption near the end of the sorting.

James cackled as they strutted out of the hall, them getting followed by Filch, and sang out "Thank you, thank you! We'll be here all year!" giving his signature smile and crinkled hazel eyes behind his big boxy glasses. Truly it felt as if this boy was asking Ayla to fancy him, from the way he smirked to how much fun he always seemed to have. Ayla hated how head over heels she was for him but she couldn't do anything about it.

As if on cue, once the boys had been walked out, Dumbledore stood to the stand, giving a devilish smile and a bright twinkle in his eye. He then began to give his beginning of the year speech, him most being known for saying an inspirational quote that he hoped stuck with the students for the rest of the year.

He ended, giving a wink and a soft flick of his wrist and the feast began, setting off a rile of voices, some talking about their summers, others about their excitement for the new school year, and lastly, about how delicious the food was.

"Hey, Ayla, how'd your summer go?" Tegan asked, shoving a piece of pie in her mouth then taking a swig of pumpkin juice, Emmett shoving her side and grumbling about how she took the piece he wanted.

Ayla shrugged, "Pretty good. How about you?"

"Delightful actually! Me and Emmett started to date so I guess that's pretty good even though he's a utter idiot," she shoved back, plucking up a grape from his plate and throwing it into her mouth.

"You still love me though," Emmett fought back, grinning.

"Of course I do."