An Unexpected Love

Alice

I took a deep breath and walked toward the Sorting Hat. Draco had to leave me when we passed Slytherin's House-Table. Dumbledore motioned for me to take a seat and one of the professors placed the Sorting Hat on my head.

It spoke.

"Hmmm... You're a trickster..... Very hard to tell.... What you may be....." It seemed to be deep in thought, "It seems.... That.... Oh my...."

Snape looked at me curiously and stood, "What is taking you so extremely long to decide...?"

Dumbledore walked forward to tell Snape to sit back down but then the Hat started speaking in choppy sentences, skipping parts of importance.

"She..." The Hat began, "Does not fit.... Into only.... One house.... But strangely...... two...."

There were gasps from the students and professors alike. Harry looked at Ron, alarmed and mouthed the words 'Is she Griffindor..?' Ron shrugged and turned back to staring at me and the Hat. I glanced around to try and find Draco, but I couldn't seem to spot him.

"What?" I asked the Hat, looking up at it

"How can this be?" Snape asked turning to Dumbledore, who in turn shrugged

Dumbledore wanted to ask more but the Hat interrupted what he was about to say, "I shall say your first house and then finish with your second. If there is any difficulty deciding which you should be placed in, may I suggest a duel between the two houses."

Someone in the audience yelled, "Mud Blood!" And everyone started chanting and boo-ing. I turned a bright shade of maroon and shifted in the chair.

The Sorting Hat, I suppose, was getting mad and soon yelled, "Silence!!!" Before Dumbledore could.

"Pssstttt!" I whispered to the Hat

"What?" It asked looking down at me

"Why do I have two houses? Shouldn't I be just one if you weight the possibilities and such?" I twirled a strand of my hair around my finger, uncertainly, "Please."

"Hmmmm......" It began, "I suppose I could try again and pick one that I think you'd do the best in..." The Sorting Hat concentrated and turned, looking at Dumbledore and Snape who were both standing up, "Sit!"

They sat back down.

"You are cunning.... Unique.... Clever...... Sneaky...."

I finally spotted Draco, he was talking to a professor getting into a heated argument. Ron, Harry, and Hermione were all sitting patently and intently watching. Of course Hermione's distaste for me still wasn't resolved but it was after all only my first day. And I'm not here to make friends.

It seemed like everyone was holding their breath and moving in slow motion.

"Slytherin!"