Different: A Harry Potter and KOTLC FanFic

Chapter Three: Houses

To say the boys were angry was an understatement.
"Where were you? We looked in most of the carriages before a teacher told us to sit down" Fitz fumed.
Keefe nodded and Dex spoke up, "We all promised to sit together"
Sophie felt a little guilty, then remembered how good it felt to be understood. "Look, I'm sorry. I just wanted to talk to him, we've both been through a lot. You know that I love you guys. I'm just trying to make other friends too this year. I'm promise we can ride the boats together. Come on, group hug?"
Sophie held out her arms and the boys blushed and gave her a hug. She smiled and pulled away just as a large bearded man stood in front of the swarm of students.
"Hello and welcome new students of Hogwarts and Foxfire. I'm not one for speeches, Professor McGonagall does that. But I hope this year we can all change and adapt and make new friends. Now, let's all get going. Please form a line to get into the boats. And be careful"
Sophie was pushed forward by the eager students and separated from her friends.
"Wait! Stop!"
She struggled against the crowd and felt herself falling. Out of nowhere, two hands caught her and picked her up. It was Harry.
"Hey you. You should really be more careful"
Sophie laughed and brushed off her pants. "I'm sorry I didn't get to thank you for sitting with me. My friends were kind of mad"
"Mine were too, but I had a good time"
Harry gestured to a bushy haired girl and a nervous ginger waiting for him.
Sophie tugged on an eyelash, remembering her promise. "Harry, look I'm sorry but I really should be getting back to my friends. We can catch up after that hat thing"
Harry laughed, "You mean the sorting hat. And yeah, I'll see you then"
Sophie sighed as she watched Harry walk away, but Keefe's voice interrupted her.
"Hey Foster, thought we lost you there for a second. Come on, everyone's waiting"
Sophie nodded and followed Keefe as he helped her into one of the boats. The boat once filled floated towards the looming castle in the distance. Sophie gasped and took it in. She had seen plenty of beautiful crystal mansions before, but the castle in the soft moonlight was breathtaking.
"You okay there Sophie?"
Fitz looked at her worriedly and Sophie shrugged him off. "I'm fine. Just....... surprised"
The rest of boat ride was filled with silence and awe for the castle. When the boat finally stopped and jarred then out of their trance, Dex was the first off, dashing for some nearby bushes to lose his lunch. Sophie stepped off the boat and followed the large beaded man again, up the winding path to Hogwarts.
Most of the students her age were in year 4, which meant she was once again going to be behind in school. Sophie pushed the panicking thought out of her head and focused on the exciting ceremony ahead.
Once at the top of the hill, they strode through an old cobbled courtyard and stopped in front of two huge wooden doors.
The bearded man friend back and smiled at the crowd, "Welcome to Hogwarts"
The doors opened to reveal a warmly lit banquet hall lined with wooden tables. Most of the students flocked to their respective house tables, but year 1 students and Foxfire student hung back uncertainly.
"If yer new, follow me. I'm Hagrid by the way" Hagrid led the students to the front of the tables. There was a raised platform where a single chair and old hat stood. One of the professors stood up and the room went silent.
"Dear students of Hogwarts and Foxfire. I hope this year we can thrive in our studies and learn from each other. I'm positive it is going to be a great year for all of us"
The students cheered and Sophie joined in.
"Now, first order of business is sorting the Foxfire students. Please step forward"
Sophie surged with the crowd and listened as they started to shout out names. She couldn't believe that the hat actually talked. Harry had told her but she didn't believe him.
The first of her friends was Dex. Sophie could tell he nervous.
The sorting hat sat for a second, then boldly announced "Hufflepuff!"
Sophie clapped and whooped. From the description of Hufflepuff, Dex was going to be fine.
Next was Fitz and Biana. Fitz was ravenclaw, Sophie knew those dark blue robes would do nothing for her stomach butterflies. And Biana was also Hufflepuff. Sophie was glad that at least two of her friends were together.
"Just you and me Foster" Keefe joked, but Sophie couldn't concentrate. She was too nervous.
Keefe was called up before her and she found herself pulling on multiple lashes. This time the sorting hat thought for a while before answering. "Slytherin"
Sophie was shocked. Keefe's face fell and he slouched off to the Slytherin table. She wished could just go and hug him right then, but her name was called up next. The old hat mused above her head, talking quietly to her. Harry has told Sophie that the sorting had had spoken in his mind, much like Sophie had. She opened her mind to the hat and dove in.
The mind was blank.
Sorting hat?
Nothing.
Sophie.
Surprised by the hat she pulled out and the hat spoke to the room, "Gryffindor"