What He Knew

Chapter 3

The Hogwarts Express was less dignified than the Beauxbatons carriages but the running through the brick wall was undeniably exhilarating. The train platform was full of loving parents cooing over scrawny preteens and friends embracing for the first time since school ended. Owls screeched above the rumble of talking and soon the train blew the warning horn and everyone left on the platform scrambled on.

Valentine grabbed my hand and dragged me to a compartment where her friends were hanging out. Inside the compartment were four other people, a dark haired girl and boy and two red haired teens who were vehemently arguing. The two arguing stopped as we Valentine cleared her throat.

"Val!" Cried the red haired girl, standing up to greet Valentine with a large hug.

"Guys, this is my cousin, Fiadh Love, she just transferred from Beauxbatons."

"Oh, bonjour Fiadh!" The red haired boy said in a terrible attempt at a french accent and the dark haired girl rolled her eyes and kicked the boy in the shins.

"Ouch Hermione, watcha do that for?" he moaned, grabbing his leg in an overly zealous way.

She ignored him and turned to me, "Hermione Granger, this is Ron," she pointed at the injured boy, "Ginny and Harry."

I was amazed I hadn't recognised the dark haired boy the moment I'd entered the compartment. Dark unruly hair, bright green eyes framed by glasses and the scar. The infamous scar that adorned his forehead like a mark from war. I stopped myself from staring but I couldn't force any words out.

"Uh, hi." I finally managed to stutter and sat down beside Ginny.

The train ride was great once I convinced myself to stop being stupid and to actually contribute to conversations but soon we were disembarking the train and stepping out into the dark September night. Hogwarts loomed before us, a warm and welcoming glow in the distance. The creaky carriages were drawn by thestrals. Ginny had drawn back to wait for Harry who had snuck off half way through the journey and not returned but she couldn't spot him.

"Must've met up with Luna and Neville and gone ahead," shrugged Ginny, taking Hermione's hand as she hoisted herself into the carriage.

As we trudged up the stone steps to the giant entrance to the school, I spotted a tall witch in long, dark robes watching me from the staircase. Once inside the door she used one long finger to call me over to her.

Hermione nudged me, "McGonagall wants you, you better go."

I waved at the group and gave a confident act that I would be joining them at the Gryffindor or Hufflepuff tables very soon.

"Miss Rose, I am Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House. You can follow me and we'll get you sorted into a house."

Her accent was Scottish and sharp, I knew she meant business so I followed her in silence, sometimes jogging to keep up with her long strides. She led me to a room close to the Great Hall where all the students were filing into. Inside the room a bright fire burned heartily surrounded wall to wall with shelves filled with books, in the centre of the room there were cosy looking patchwork couches, the walls were chock a block with moving portraits of all sorts of things from fruit to impressionist art. In the corner, however, stood a lonely stool topped with a traditional wizard's hat. McGonagall plucked the hat from the seat and it perked up, a rip tearing at the rim and eyes opening. McGonagall motioned to the stool and I obediently sat down.

"The Sorting Hat will look into your head and see who you truly are deep down and he will decide which house you belong to," explained McGonagall.

I looked at the hat curiously, how could such an object do such magic? Regardless, I nodded curtly and allowed her to place the hat on my head.

A deep whisper entered my head.

"Ah... I see you're a feisty one, very fiery with a lot of soul. But there's a darkness to you, an ambition for power, a lust for success..." the voice pondered. I squeezed my eyes shut. Lust for success? For sure, that was me, who doesn't want to be successful? But an ambition for power, that felt quite sinister, "Willing to step on people's backs to get what you need..." the hat was snarling now, baiting me out. Sure if I want something, I'm going to get it but the hat made it seem like a bad thing. "The answer is clear to me... Slytherin" this part he announced out loud. I opened my eyes and looked up at McGonagall who's lips were pursed but simply shrugged when I raised my eyebrows at her in question.

On the train to Hogwarts Ginny had moaned about some Slytherin's saying how they all have Death Eater parents or want to become one. Hermione tried to reassure me that not all Slytherins were bad but they did have a very negative reputation.

"Yeah, not all Slytherins are bad," chimed in Harry in a falsely chipper voice, "some are downright evil." Harry's face became clouded and soon after he got up, grabbed something from his trunk and left.

"Don't mind Harry," Hermione said, a look of confusion on her face as she watched him stalk down the corridor.

"He's not wrong though, is he?" Valentine asked,"Not one of them joined the DA last year."

They filled me in on how the DA had come together when they were faced with an incapable teacher and Harry had taught them defensive techniques they would need later that year when they faced off with the Death Eaters themselves.

"Well," I joked, "If I become a Slytherin, I'll be the first to join the DA, ok?"

It wasn't much of a joke anymore.