Invitation Only ~ Fred Weasley

THREE

"Vi, look over there." Scott said and pointed in the opposite direction of what Viola was facing. She looked back and her stomach went up in her throat. It was him - Harry Potter! But it didn't seem like he was the center of attention right at that moment. No, most gazes were pointed right at Scott and Viola. Two teenagers whom none had ever seen before, climbing aboard the Hogwarts express for the very first time. Viola panned her gaze over the mass of parents are their children about to be sent off to school. Again she noticed Harry Potter, who seemed to tiptoe to see what the fuss was all about. With him was a merry band of flaming redheads. Viola allowed herself to think that it was some sort of cult and chuckled to herself.

"What's so funny?" Scott asked and smiled at Viola's chuckling. "It's just the band of merry redheads around Harry Potter. I just 7thought about how they were in a cult maybe." she said, still chuckling and Scott joined in with a soft laughter.

"Rude." A voice spoke behind Viola and Scott and Viola quickly turned around to see a girl. With flaming red hair. She looked to be a few years younger than herself. But then the girl winked at Viola and marched back to what appeared to be her familyof redheads. And Harry Potter. She made a mental note to get to know this girl.

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It was weird to be following the big band of 1st years to the lake. They followed this huge man who led them towards the lake and then to a bunch of boats. Were they sailing to Hogwarts? Viola could hardly hide her excitement. But Scott frowned. She knew that he wasn't fond of water after that whole grindylow incident.

The worst part of it all, was the weather. It was storming and raining! It only took seconds to soak every single one of the 1st years, including Viola and Scott. All of the 1st years looked at the siblings with a frown. None of them understood what a 16 year old and a 17 year old was doing with them. As soon as they finally reached the entrance hall, Scott took out his wand and waved it towards himself and Viola. He was getting really good at non-verbal spells and in a second, both him and her were dry. All of the other 1st years gapped at them, both impressed and jealous. "Sucks to be them." Viola whispered to her brother, and he tried to choke a laugh as he nodded.

"Good evening!" A firm voice spoke above them and Viola looked up and saw a most impressive witch. Tall and firm, with glasses and a strict look in her eye. "Silence." She said and silence she got. Nobody dared to utter a single gasp. "Now you will all follow me into the Great Hall where you will be sorted into your houses. Follow me."

Viola grabbed her brothers hand and he squeezed it. They knew they were going to be put on the spot, but as soon as they inched closer to the big door that ledto the Great Hall, a sight that Viola longed to see. A hands grabbed her shoulder and held her back. "Not just yet." the same witch said and looked at them. "The Ilvermorny tranfers, I suppose?". Both nodded.

"My name is Minerva McGonagall and you will have to wait until professor Dumbledore call your names. It's a special circumstance, I'm sure you understand. Now wait here until your name is called and-" She narrowed her eyes and looked at Scott to Viola and back at Scott again. "One at a time."

"One at a time? Scott, I don't want to go in there without you!" Viola said in a panic and rested her head against the wall. "I will be in there waiting for you. I'm sure we'll end up in the same house, don't you worry." And by his words, Viola relaxed her shoulders and all of a sudden, she heard a strong voice call for her brother.

"See you in a bit." Scott said and shot her a smile, before he entered the Great Hall. Viola started tripping nervously and she couldn't hear anything for minutes until, out of blue, she heard. "Viola Raywood!". Viola gulped and rose to her feet. She took a deep breath before the pushed the huge doors aside and stepped into the Great Hall.

Viola had to choke a "whoa!" when she saw the ceiling. It was everything she had imagined and more! It was beautiful. But what wasn't beautiful? All of the eyes turned to her. She tried to nonchalantly search for her brother, but did not find him. All she could concentrate on was the whispering. The voices. And she could make out a few of them. Some of them telling their friends how cute she was and that made her roll her eyes with frustration. She hated being called cute. And then there was a voice saying: "She seems like trouble." And Viola nearly bursted out laughing. Then she reached the space in front of the big golden chair. And in the chair sat none other than Albus Dumbledore. She shot her a very friendly smile and then McGonagall gestured towards the small chair for her to sit on it. As she did, she finally saw her brother. He was waving discretely at her and shot her two upturned thumps. She smiled ever so faintly and then McGonagall placed a very old hat on her head.

"Ah, another Raywood? Yea, I had the pleasure of just meeting your brother." A voice spoke in her ear and Viola looked around in search for the voice. But then she realized - the voice came from the hat!
"Just like him, you have courage, oh, a whole lot of it indeed, but your cunning stands in the way of it. Hmmm, interesting... Where to put you? I think I have it.... SLYTHERIN!".