white roses // neville longbottom

three

"welcome to hogwarts." a professor says as all of the first years chat on the stair well. "shortly, you'll pass through these doors and join your classmates. but before you take your seats you must be sorted into your houses. they are gryffindor, hufflepuff, ravenclaw, and slytherin. now while you're here your house will be like your family. your triumphs will earn you points. any rule breaking and you will lose points. at the end of the year, the house with the most points wins the house cup." at the end of the professors sentence a loud toad croaking rises over her voice. "trevor!" neville shouts from behind us and runs to grab his toad. everyone giggles and neville slowly steps back into the crowd. "the sorting ceremony will begin momentarily." professor mcgonagall says and walks away. "it's true then." draco malfoy's voice echo's behind the trio and i. "harry potter has come to hogwarts." draco says. there's whispers involving harry's name echo through the crowd.

"this is crabbe and goyle, and i'm malfoy..draco malfoy." draco says stepping up to harry. ron snorts next to me. "you think my names funny do you? i've no need to ask yours. red hair..and a hand me down robe, you must be a weasley." draco says. ron's smile fades and i put my hand on his shoulder. draco turns back to harry. "you'll soon find out some wizarding families are better than others. you don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. i can help you there." draco says and sticks his hand out to harry. "i think i can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks." harry says. draco looks bewildered as professor mcgonagall comes up behind him and taps him on the shoulder. draco scowls at them as he walks off. they just made enemies with the wrong people.

"we're ready for you know, follow me." professor mcgonagall says. we follow her into a great big room with thousands of kids in it. all of us first years walk through the center.
i look up at the ceiling in awe. it looks like there's no ceiling at all and just the night sky. "the ceiling isn't real. it's bewitched to look like the night sky. i read about it in hogwarts, a history." hermione says. i'll bet she gets into raven claw. we walk all the way to a stage with a hat on a chair on it. "now, before we begin professor dumbledore would like to say a few words." professor mcgonagall says and turns around. "i have a few start-of-term notices i wish to announce. the first years, please note that the dark forest is strictly forbidden to all students. also, our caretaker, mr. filch, has asked me to remind you that the third floor corridor is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death...thank you." dumbledore says.

"when i call your name you will come forth. i shall place the sorting hat on your head..and you will be sorted into your houses. hermione granger." mcgonagall says. hermione tenses and whispers to herself as she steps up. "mental that one i'm telling you." ron says. she sits on the stool and mcgonagall places the hat on her head. "ah, right, then. mm, right. okay. gryffindor!" the hat shouts. the whole gryffindor table erupts into cheers. "draco malfoy." mcgonagall calls. draco steps up and before the hat could even be put on his head it shouts. "slytherin!". that's not a surprise. "susan bones." mcgonagall says. harry let's out a small sound of pain and touches the mark on his forehead. "harry, what is it?" ron asks. "nothing. nothing. i'm fine." harry says still rubbing the lightening bolt. "hufflepuff!" the hat shouts. the hufflepuff table shouts and claps. "ronald weasley." mcgonagall says. ron looks at harry and i and steps up. he looks quiet frightened. "ha! another weasley! i know just what to do with you. gryffindor!" the hat shouts. ron let's out a sigh of relief and gryffindor cheers. "y/n lestrange." mcgonagall says. dumbledore and professor snape seem to lean up in their chair. i nervously step up. please not slytherin. dear god please not slytherin!

mcgonagall places the hat on my head. "i remember sorting your parents. bellatrix black sure was something. both slytherins, but you aren't like them are you? very very different from both of them. plenty of courage i see, not a bad mind either. there's talent, oh yes. and a thirst to prove yourself, prove you're nothing like your mother. but where to put you?" the hat says. "anywhere but slytherin." i say. "not slytherin ay? are you sure? you could be great, you know. it's all in here, in your head. and slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that. no?? well if you're sure." the hat says. "better be...gryffindor!" the hat shouts. i smile and gryffindor cheers. harry potter goes after me. he gets gryffindor and of course everyone freaks out.

i sit across from seamus finnigan, the boy i saved from drowning, as dumbledore tells us to dig in. "i'm half and half. me dads a muggle, mams a witch. bit of a nasty shock for him when he found out." seamus says, his irish accent popping out. "i'm half and half aswell." dean thomas says. "i'm a pureblood." neville says. i nod as to say me too. ron goes to reach for a piece of chicken when a head pops out. we all yell. "hello! how are you? welcome to gryffindor." the ghost head says. other ghosts fly all around. "hello, sir nicholas. have a nice summer?" percy weasley asks. "dismal. once again, my request to join the headless hunt has been denied." sir nicholas says. "i know you. you're nearly headless nick." ron says. "nearly headless? how can you be nearly headless?" i ask. "like this." sir nicholas says and pulls on his head. it almost detaches as if its hanging on by a thread. ron shouts in fear. nicholas puts his head back on and flies away.