Broken Feathers || Marauders Era

{3} Choices

Our arrival at Hogsmeade was marked by a flurry of activity. We left our luggage on the train - along with my kitten, now named Pepper - and joined the rest of the first years. I kept an eye out for my father and sister, but there were too many people around for me to be sure if I had seen them. 

The groundskeeper ushered us out of the station and down a well-trodden path to the Black Lake. A small cluster of boats awaited us, bobbing steadily on the calm water. 

"Four to a boat!" The groundskeeper called out, climbing into one himself. 

I followed Elyza, Lily, and Severus into one, tucking my legs close to my chest as I tried not to look at the dark water. I didn't miss the sympathetic look Elyza sent me. 

The boat next to us was boarded by four boys. Two of them were talking loudly, their voices carrying over to us. Severus shot them a withering look, and Lily didn't seem too pleased either. I didn't question it. 

A few moments later, the boats began to move of their own accord, garnering a small gasp of surprise from me. I clung to the boat like my life depended on it. I didn't want to go over. Aside from the obvious dangers, I don't think I could cope with the looks people would send me, or the disappointment my family would feel.

"What house do you think you'll be in?" Elyza asked, breaking the silence that was otherwise only broken by the sound of the boats moving against the water.

"Slytherin," Severus answered immediately. 

"Okay. What about you guys? Lily?"

"I don't know." The red-head replied thoughtfully. 

"Freya?"

"My entire family's in Ravenclaw," I admitted.

"Wow. That's a lot to live up to." Lily said. 

She didn't have to tell me that. 

"Do you hope you'll be in Ravenclaw too?" Elyza inquired. 

I nodded.

"What about you?" Lily asked the blonde. 

"I don't mind." 

"Do you really not care about how you're going to spend the next seven years?" Severus said disapprovingly.

"It's not that I don't care. It's that I don't mind. Every house has their good sides and their bad sides. I would love to be in any of them." 

I could tell that Severus didn't agree, but he just looked away instead of continuing to argue. Both he and I stayed mostly silent the entirety of the boat ride, only speaking when directly spoken to. 

Lily and Elyza talked enough for all of us anyway. 

The boat ride was followed by a rather long walk to the castle itself. Most students let out gasps of wonder or something of the sort. I had seen Hogwarts several times before, when visiting my father, so most of the novelty had worn off. 

We were handed off from Hagrid, the bushy-bearded groundskeeper, to Professor McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress. She explained the system of houses to the Muggleborns that didn't know. I was lucky that I already knew about the houses because everything she said flew out of my head almost immediately. 

My nerves only spiked once the doors to the Great Hall swung open, revealing a familiar room full of people and floating candles. I slipped into the middle of the cluster of first-years making their way to the front of the hall. I kept my eyes fixed on the ground, only looking up to make sure I didn't crash into anybody.

The sorting began shortly. To my dismay, Elyza, who was partially shielding me from view, was the first up, with her last name being Aldridge and all. My breath was caught in my throat as I watched anxiously.