–Firs' years, this way!†a deep voice called from the end of the station. Rose looked for the source of the voice and found it quickly; a huge man stood nearby, holding a lantern over his head. He had to be over seven feet tall, with a giant bushy beard and a great big coat. Rose recognized him as Rubeus Hagrid; her parents and her uncle told her a lot about the Hogwarts gamekeeper; apparently she was supposed to meet him for tea soon.
–Look, that's Hagrid, right?†Albus pointed at, nodding toward his huge frame.
–Yeah, I think so,†Rose responded, scanning the platform.
Albus grabbed her elbow and pulled her through the crowd of kids. –C'mon, let's go meet him.â€
–Er, well, do we have to...†Rose whined, sounding mildly nervous.
–Yes, we do, because our parents were friends with him, and we ought to try to be as well,†he chided her. –Hi, Hagrid.†The half-giant peered down at the two puny first years, narrowing his small brown eyes. Then he smiled.
–You two're Rose n' Albus, righ'?†he asked, pointing a finger at the two of them. –Yer parents told me you'd be comin' this year.â€
–That's right,†Rose said, scrounging up a bit of courage in the face of a giant guy.
–Well, I'll be seein' you two fer tea on Saturday,†he said with another smile. –Firs' years this way!†He turned and started marching down the path, his lantern still clutched in his hand. A trail of small first year student trailed behind him, twittering nervously. They came to a dock and got into small boats, four students to one. She, Albus, Jenna, and a short boy named Tom got into one.
The boats sailed quickly and steadily across the calm black lake, the boat occasionally shaking, as if something from beneath the water was poking it.
–Hagrid?†Rose called to the giant silhouette in the boat in from of them. –Why is our boat shaking?â€
–That'll be the giant squid,†he yelled back. –Likes to mess with the new students.†Rose gulped.
–There it is!†a girl from one of the boats behind them yelled as the castle came into view. A collective gasp rose from the students as they took in their first view of Hogwarts. The castle rose up over the lake like a skyscraper, the windows glowing with candles and torches. Rose sighed as she looked up at it; it was just as magnificent as her parents had described it.
The boats slowly made their way across the lake, finally bumping lightly into the boathouse. All the students clambered from them, a few stumbling from the feeling the boat left in their legs. Rose helped Albus climb out behind her, then left him while she hurried to get to the front of the crowd.
–Rose!†Albus wailed, grabbing her robes in his fist. –Don't just run off without me!†She trudged along with him hooked on her robes, all the way to the front. –You're so impatient!â€
The group reached the front doors of the school. Hagrid lifted his giant hand and knocked on it a few times. It swung open, revealing a tall woman with sapphire blue robes and straight blonde hair. Rose knew immediately who she was; Professor Paelo, Deputy headmistress, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
–Evenin', Professor,†Hagrid said gruffly. –Got the firs' years.â€
–Thank you, Hagrid,†she said with a smile. She looked at the children. –Follow me.†She turned on her heel and clicked across the large, cavernous room, the students filing behind her. –If you would please go into this room.†She nodded to a small doorway. Rose, being the first in line, turned the knob and opened the door. It lead to a small room with rows of small chairs. Everyone sat down, Rose in the first chair, and Albus sitting timidly by her side.
–Welcome to Hogwarts,†Paelo said, standing in front of them all. –In a moment, you will join your classmates in the Great Hall, where you will be sorted into your houses. While you stay here at Hogwarts School, your houses will be like your family. Your classes, meals, and dorms will be with your house.†Rose looked over at Albus with excitement. Finally, the moment they had been waiting for. –There are four houses at Hogwarts; Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Each house was founded by a great wizard, and each has its own history. For your successes in classes, you will be awarded House Points; for rule-breaking, you will have points deducted. At the end of the year, the point are measured, and the house with the highest amount of points will be awarded the House Cup.†Her bright blue eyes flickered among the students. –Please wait here, while I go to see if they are ready for you.†She left the room, and immediately people began speaking.
–Aren't you excited, Albus?!†Rose raved, flapping her hands. –I'm so nervous! I hope I get into a good house; I suppose Hufflepuff would be okay, but I'd really like Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. Do you think you're gonna be in Gryffindor? I know both our parents were, but kids don't always go to the same house, right? Well as long as I don't get Slytherin, I'm happy.†A derisive snort sounded from beside Albus before he could respond.
Scorpius Malfoy leaned forward to look at her around her cousin. –Not Slytherin? Obviously you need to get your priorities straightened out,†he said pompously. –Slytherin is a house for winners. Sure, you could be a nerdy Ravenclaw, or a stupid brave Gryffindor, or a loser Hufflepuff, but why would you be when you could always get what you want?†Rose curled her lip.
–You're such a prat, Malfoy,†she hissed. He looked slightly surprised, but quickly regained himself.
–No need to ask you who you are,†he said rudely, glancing at her hair. –A Weasley, I suppose. You all have the same coloring. And the freckles. I take it you're Ron and Hermione's daughter, right? My dad knew them, and told me not to talk to you...†He glanced at Albus. –And I'll bet you're the Potter boy.â€
–Fall in a pit, Scorpius,†Albus said, shoving him away with his shoulder. He simply laughed and settled back into his seat.
–This is gonna be fun,†he grinned.
–Quiet down, please,†Professor Paelo said, coming back into the room. –It's time for the Sorting.†Everyone stood, and all followed her out of the room, a tense silence over them all. They walked up a large flight of stairs and halted outside a pair of giant doors. –One moment.†She poked her head in the doors, then pushed them open. –In you all go; and mind you behave yourselves.â€
Rose hurried in, still first in the procession. –Wow,†she whispered to Albus. –This is impressive.â€
–Uh, yeah,†he replied quietly, looking up at the ceiling in awe. –I like the sky.†Rose followed his gaze and gasped; the ceiling was made to look like the sky outside. It was a midnight blue, with stars and a few sparse clouds.
They stopped in front of a long table in the front of the room, trying to ignore the stares of all the other students. A stool sat in front of them; on top of it, an old hat. Rose blinked at it. Her parents had refused to tell her about the Sorting Hat; they wanted her to experience it on her own. As she watched, the hat seemed to sit up, blink its eyes, open its mouth wide, and begin to sing;
–Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
and unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve there ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!â€
–When I call your name, step up to the stool, sit down, and I shall place the hat on your head. You will then be sorted into your respective houses,†Paelo instructed. She peered down at the list she held in her hands. –Abbot, Leanne.†A short girl with blonde ringlet curls stepped up timidly and sat down. Professor Paelo set the hat on her head. It seemed to consider things for a moment before yelling, –RAVENCLAW!†One of the tables burst into cheers; Rose assumed it was the Ravenclaw table.
Professor Paelo continued down the list of names, including Jenna Longbottom's (–RAVENCLAW!â€), eventually reaching, –Malfoy, Scorpius.†Scorpius, with a wicked smirk on his face, sat down on the stool and waited as the hat was placed on his head. It almost immediately yelled, –SLYTHERIN!†He hopped off the stool with a wide grin as he hurried to take his seat with the other Slytherins. Rose stuck her tongue out at him as he looked straight at her.
Soon, –Potter, Albus,†was called. He walked up slowly, glancing back at Rose more than once before taking his seat. Paelo set the hat on his head, and he waited, visibly shaking. The rip of the hat's mouth opened after a moment of silence and shouted, –GRYFFINDOR!†The table on Rose's right erupted with applause and whoops (louder, it seemed to Rose, than it had been for some of the other students) as Albus joined them, obviously relieved. He sat down next to James, who clapped him hard on the back.
The list continued, seeming to take ages to reach, –Weasley, Rose.†Stiff-legged, Rose slowly approached the stool, feeling the eyes of everyone in the hall on her back. She sat down and felt the hat on sit on her hair. A voice seemingly in her mind said, –Another Weasley, eh? This won't be hard.†To the rest of the hall, it screamed, –GRYFFINDOR!â€
Rose leaped off her chair, her face split with a wide smile. She hurried to the roaring Gryffindor table, head held high.
–We both got it!†Albus yelled as she sat down beside him, flushed with excitement. –Our parents'll be so happy!â€
The Sorting continued without a hitch, and the hat was soon removed from the hall.
The hall fell silent as, at the front table, Headmistress McGonagall stood. Rose knew her because of her parents; they had described her to her and told her not to get on her bad side. Rose knew she wouldn't.
–Let the feast begin,†she said, and sat down as the hall was suddenly filled with food and a glorious smell.
–Sweet, I'm starved!†Albus said approvingly as he ladled a huge dollop of mashed potatoes onto his gold plate. Soon, everyone was full (after a hefty round of dessert) and all the food disappeared in the blink of an eye. The chattering ceased as again, McGonagall stood.
–Welcome to Hogwarts,†she began, –to all our new first years. Mr. Perse, our caretaker, has asked me to remind you all to see the list of banned products, which is posted on his office door.†She looked over her spectacles sternly at them all as if advising they do so promptly. –If all you first years will follow your prefects, you all may head off to bed.†The noise resumed and grew slightly as everyone in the hall stood, the sound of benches scraping grating Rose's ears.
–Let's go,†Albus said to Rose as they began moving. –We need to hunt down the prefect...†James took a moment to whack Albus across the head, and then hurried off with his friends from the train. –...Git.â€
–Just ignore him, Albus,†Rose smiled. –Look, there's the prefect.†She pointed to a tall brunette boy standing nearby, the new herd of Gryffindor first years standing nervously around him. Rose and Albus walked up and stood there awkwardly, glancing at the other kids. She remembered a few names; the girl closest to her with long, straight brown hair and green eyes was Tya Jean. To Albus' right, slightly taller and with short cropped blonde hair was Peter Wilks. She couldn't recall the others.
–I think that's all of you; let's go,†the prefect said suddenly, turning on his heel and marching away. –My names Rowlis Purner, by the way.†Rose and Albus hurried to keep up with his brisk pace, the others following closely. They gazed around in awe at the pictures on the walls, which waved and smiled as they passed (–Welcome to Hogwarts!â€).
–Gryffindor Tower is this way,†Rowlis said, stepping onto a staircase and stopping at the top. The last kid, a short bronze-headed girl, had just leaped onto the last step when it began to move. –And be sure to remember, the staircases like to change.†Rose gripped the railing as it turned, and then banged to a halt.
–Follow me,†Rowlis instructed. They walked up to a large picture of an overweight lady with a billowy pink dress.
–Password?†she said, all regal sounding.
–Pompous,†Rowlis responded, and the portrait swung open to reveal a red-decorated room lit by a roaring fire place and several strategically-placed candles. He directed the boys up one staircase, and the girls up the other. Rose looked over at Albus.
–Night, then,†she said and followed the other girls.
Rose's bed was the middle of the other beds, her trunk sitting in front of the four-poster. She hurried to it with her head down and snapped it open, rummaging through it to hunt down her pajamas.
–Hi there,†a voice said from just behind her, and she turned to see Tya Jean standing over her, smiling. –I'm Tya. You're Rose right?â€
–Yeah, that's right,†Rose responded, withdrawing her pink tank and cupcake patterned bottoms. –Nice to meet you.â€
–Likewise,†Tya said. –So you're a Weasley, yeah? I know a lot about your family; your branch at least. Like your parents were best friends with Harry Potter and helped to bring down You-Know-Who nineteen years ago!†She took a deep breath and smiled again. Rose laughed a little at the other girl's eagerness.
–Yeah, they did,†she confirmed, turning away to change without being totally awkward. She heard feet shuffling and knew Tya had turned as well. –They never talk about it much.†Her tank slid over her head as Tya replied.
–I'm sure they don't. From what I've heard, they had it pretty bad. Almost killed multiple times. But I'm sure that's kind of hard for you to hear since they're your parents and stuff so I shouldn't mention it again, probably,†she said without a breath again. Rose turned around, fully changed, and Tya did as well.
–Well the past is past,†Rose said, shrugging and sitting on her bed. Tya sat next to her. –They were doing what was right to protect the future, plus the kids they probably had no idea they'd have.â€
–Right, right,†Tya said, fidgeting with her sheets. –My parents were in school with them you know. Well, a year under. My mum saw them a bunch, she was here when the Death Eaters took over for that year. She told me she had tried helping against them, but she got in a lot of trouble for it.â€
–Good for her,†Rose said kindly. She looked around at the other girls, who she saw were trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. –Well, I'm pretty tired. Off to bed?â€
–Oh, okay!†Tya said reluctantly, standing and walking to her bed, the one beside Rose's. –See you in the morning.†Rose smiled and ran her brush through her oddly straight hair – odd because her mother's, at her at, had been frizzy and huge. She supposed she had gotten the Weasley hair genes, and she knew Aunt Ginny's hair was pretty calm.
Curling up under her blankets as the lights flicked out, Rose couldn't help but smile, glad she was finally at Hogwarts.
A New Group by wannabefictionwriter_13
Chapter Notes: The Sorting Song is the one from the Sorcerer's/Philosepher's Stone, so the writing belongs to J.K. Rowling. :)
Chapter Endnotes: Thanks for reading!