Heir Of Gryffindor

Chapter Three

I smiled at everyone sitting around the Gryffindor table. Fred had his arm draped lazily around me and everyone was talking anxiously. We had been sitting in the Great Hall for some time now and all I wanted to do was eat. All conversation stopped as the first years walked in. Their faces were a mixture of fear, astonishment, and amazement. The group was a bit smaller than the previous years, but there was still a good number of new people for each house.

Out of the first years, I could pinpoint a few that were going into Slytherin, and even a few into Hufflepuff, but my eyes were searching for Bian. She was looking around the hall in amazement and smiled when she saw me. I smiled back, before Professor McGonagall had the group stand around the sorting hat. Everyone was ready for the sorting to begin. I remembered my own sorting ceremony, and the look on Harry's face when McGonagall said my name. He seemed absolutely shocked to hear his own last name belonging to another person, it was a moment I wish I had a photo of.

Dumbledore did his annual speech, welcoming us all back for another school year, and then the sorting began. The first three first years were all boys and all went to Ravenclaw. The next few were split between Hufflepuff and Slytherin. We got three new Gryffindors, a young girl named Patricia, another girl named Beatrice, and a boy named Carter who just happened to be the half-brother of Cho Chang, a Ravenclaw girl my brother fancied. A few more first years were slowly sorted and I became restless. Bian was still waiting to be called.

"Bian Snape."

The whispers that encompassed the hall stopped at once. The silence that replaced it was eerie. Everyone watched as Bian walked up the steps and sat on the stool. Professor Snape looked uncomfortable. I had never seen a man so fearful for his daughter. The perception I had of him completely contradicted what I was seeing now. Professor McGonagall gently placed the hat on Bian's head, and we all leaned forward in anticipation.

"Ah a Snape. Your father was a pain to place, but your mother was quite simple. You're patient and just, like a Hufflepuff, yet you have a ready mind like Ravenclaws, I can tell you are brave like a Gryffindor should be, but both of your parents were in Slytherin."

Bian began mumbling something, and the sorting hat laughed.

"Not in Slytherin, eh? Just like Potter when he was being sorted. Well there is only one choice..."

He trailed off, and everyone was waiting for him to say where she was going. The pause seemed to take forever and I was hanging off the edge of my seat.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

I jumped up as soon as I heard the g sound escaping the hat's lips, and began to cheer like crazy. The rest of my friends and family joined me in the excited clapping, while the rest of our house welcomed her like a normal person. Bian ran to me and wrapped her arms tightly around my waist. I laughed as she almost knocked me over, before scooting George down a seat and having Bian sit next to me. I went to introduce her to everyone, but she cut me off short.

"Harley, I've studied the history of almost every wizarding family since I could read. I know everyone here. That is Dean Thomas, next to him is Seamus Finnigan, then Neville Longbottom. The four redheads here are all part of the Weasley family. Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny. They have three older brothers named Bill, Charlie, and Percy. Now I obviously know your brother Harry, and then of course Hermione Granger. Oh, and next to George would be Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell. Anyone else you'd like me to name?"

We all stared at her open-mouthed. I had studied some wizarding families, but for her to know that much at only eleven years old was remarkable. I was lucky if I remembered the surnames of the families I had gone over.

"Oh god Harley, you've found Hermione Jr."

I laughed at Fred's comment, and caught the bread Mione threw at us. Bian jumped right into the conversation Hermione was having about some book, and I smiled to myself. I felt a strange need to watch over her.

"Love, I think you found a perfect fit to our crazy family," Fred whispered into my ear, making me smile a bit more.

I felt myself relax as the feast began, but I could feel two pairs of eyes on me. I looked around the hall and knew instantly why I was being watched. One pair of eyes belonged to Snape, and the other to Malfoy. Bian seemed to notice they were staring and she waved to her father, while avoiding Draco at all costs.

"Remember my promise Bian. He can't hurt you while I'm around," I whispered low enough that only she would hear.

She nodded her head slowly and began to relax. I could still feel Draco's eyes on me, but when I looked at him, he seemed sad; almost defeated looking. He sat apart from most of his table, and ate slowly.  I had never felt anything but hate for him, but at that moment, I almost felt sorry.

After the feast ended, I watched Bian walk away with the rest of the first years, and began the decent upstairs with my group. As we reached our tower, we said our good nights, and Fred kissed me tenderly before turning away and following the boys. I followed Hermione up to our room, and quickly changed for bed. My eyes began to droop the moment my head hit my pillow, and only one thing kept circling my thoughts. Malfoy and the sad look that crossed his eyes every time he looked at the girl I vowed to protect.