Summer Nights | Fred Weasley (o.h)

Chapter Eight

Giselle Durand could still remember the first time she saw the Hogwarts castle. Her father's stories had played out in her mind constantly throughout her previous year's stay at Hogwarts. But somehow arriving in complete darkness, thoroughly exhausted from the day's journey, the glimmering lights of Hogwarts seemed even more beautiful if that was even possible. 

Silently thanking the fact that she was already familiar with the castle which would be another thing that she wouldn't have to worry about, Giselle began her journey up to the castle by carriage. However, no matter what she did she couldn't stop her mouth gaping open every time Hogwarts peaked through the trees. 

"I'm going to assume you are the new girl, then?" The girl sitting across from her in the carriage noticed Giselle's shocked face with a smile. 

"Let me guess you got that from the shocked face?" Giselle asked with a chuckle, forcing her face into a contorted version of her previous expression. 

"That and your plain Hogwarts robes." The girl said, gesturing towards the plain black robes that adorned Giselle's figure. 

"Ah of course," Giselle replied. "I was here last year with Beauxbatons for the Triwizard Tournament but somehow the castle looks even more stunning now."

"Nothing quite beats the castle on the first night. Good luck though." The girl replied before hopping off the carriage and rejoining her friends.

Giselle hopped off behind her but was soon stopped by Professor McGonagall at the entrance to the castle, and lead away from the Great Hall. 

"It's lovely to meet you, Miss Durand."

"Same to you, Professor."

"I know that it's rather unconventional but due to such short notice you will, unfortunately, be sorted with the rest of the first years. Usually, with transfers we will try to let the Sorting Hat sort you in your own home however we didn't quite get the opportunity this time."

"It's no problem, Professor," Giselle replied calmly when on the inside she was freaking out slightly. 

Not only was she about to be sorted in front of the entire school but everyone would be very aware that she was the new girl. She had secretly hoped that she would be sorted away from the rest of the school in an office somewhere but after the favour, the school had done for her and her father, Giselle was in no shape to complain. 

Professor McGonagall lead the first-year students into the Great Hall before turning back to Giselle. "Just wait here, you will be sorted last, walk up to the stool when your name is called."

Giselle was left to stand awkwardly at the back of the hall, her eyes observing the hall, the four tables stretched across the length of the hall, the teacher's table at the front of the hall with a stool and an old hat was placed upon it, from her father's stories, Giselle knew immediately that this was the infamous Sorting Hat. 

Instead of allowing her eyes to continue their nervous wander throughout the room, she stuck them on the enchanted ceiling, her eyes now trailing the inky blue sky already dotted with stars. 

Her anxiety grew as the Sorting Hat slowly made his way down the alphabet sorting the first years into a variety of houses, before finally reaching the end of the first years prompting Dumbledore to step forward. 

"Good evening and welcome back to Hogwarts. That would usually be the end of our sorting ceremony however we have one more addition tonight, Miss Giselle Durand is now joining us from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. I'm sure you will all make her feel very welcome. Miss Durand?"

Giselle nervously began what seemed like the longest trek ever up to the stool, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks as heads turned her way, although she hoped that the majority of them were the result of their long-awaited dinner being held even further back from them. 

Fred Weasley held his head in one hand, mindlessly tracing a pattern in the old wooden table, completing blocking out the sorting ceremony taking place. All he wanted was to have dinner then go to bed, however that simple idea was quickly shattered the second George roughly elbowed him causing him to nearly fall off his chair. 

"What?" Fred hissed annoyed. 

"Well, maybe if you stop being a prick, you'll notice something."

"What?" Fred asked confused. 

"That's Giselle, your Giselle, isn't it?" George replied urgently, pointing up to the brunette who had just made her way to the stool. 

Fred paled slightly before the corners of his mouth twitched into a grin, the first real grin for several weeks.

"Yes, yes it is."

Giselle finally made her way up to the stool, sitting down at Dumbledore offered her a reassuring smile. 

"Please sit, Miss Durand," McGonagall instructed, placing the hat onto Giselle's head. 

"Hello, Giselle Durand." A voice suddenly echoed throughout Giselle's head as her eyes widened in shock. 

"Um. . .hi?" Giselle thought back which only prompted the hat to chuckle in response. 

"A transfer from Beauxbatons, interesting. You are not the first transfer I've sorted nor do I think you will be the last. But where shall we put you? You're smart, quite intelligent so you would do well Ravenclaw. But you strive to break from the mold, to do things that no one has done before, but at the same time, there is a boldness within you, that I also saw within your father. Neither of you will settle for something you don't believe is right. So although I do still believe Ravenclaw would be a good fit, I think you will do wonderful things in Gryffindor, I wish you well Miss Durand."

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat cried loudly as the room burst into the applause mainly from the Gryffindor table themselves. 

Giselle smiled tersely in McGonagall's direction as a way of thanks before sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table, very aware of a certain set of brown eyes resting solely on her face, but that would have to wait for later because Giselle was more than ready to have another luxurious Hogwarts feast.