[IC] Year One [ Closed for TheDookieNut and El Taco Taco ]

[TheDookieNut]

George laughed. Perhaps it seemed strange, most wizarding mother's stayed home to tutor their children until eleven years old, unless they were well off. George had been tutored by a witch at home, alongside Theo, who'd taught them all the basics of reading and writing, life and everything else they'd need to learn in order to survive school. Their real education had started at Hogwarts, and perhaps that was the reason so many seemed out of place in Muggle Society.
"Most mum's teach their kids, but me and my brother had a teacher, she taught us three times a week." He turned to Sadie again and furrowed an eyebrow. She'd already been to school? It was strange to think. It was probably why muggle-borns and halfbloods fit into the system better, or so his brother had said. "You've already been to school, that's so strange."

"Video games?" George asked, looking at Sadie as if she were mad. Muggle's were odd. "I don't understand." Maybe he sounded like an idiot in her eyes, completely unaware of what she was talking about. During his trips through muggle London, George had seen various video games, though unaware at the time. He'd unknowingly noticed how popular and how many they were Yet without knowing what they were, he disregarded the fact and carried on their trip to Gringotts that day. His world must seem so strange to Sadie too, a world that was so sought after by muggles, a world of magic and myth. They had broomsticks, time travel, unicorns, wands, wizards, talking pictures and goblins. His world was her stories, however it was life to him.

"What did you think of Diagon Alley?" He asked, smiling to himself. So far it would probably be the only wizarding location she'd seen. He could imagine her face at the site. It would have probably been at lot like the faces of some of the other kids he'd seen.

[El Taco Taco]

“Why’s it the mums job?” Sadie asked, a little annoyed at the idea. It hardly seemed right to her. She knew several of her friends mum’s stayed at home, but Sadie had never liked the idea. As much as working on the farm didn’t appeal to her, she’d been raised to work hard. She detested the idea of being stuck at home all day. She ‘hmph’ed a little, before moving onwards. It was hardly George’s fault that the wizarding system was so seemingly unfair.

“School is brilliant,” she enthused brightly, folding her legs up onto her seat. “There weren’t a lot of other kids in the village, but I got to make lots of friends in class.”

He looked confused—oh, right, Brennan had mentioned that wizards didn’t really have video games or television. How strange. She lit up, clapping her hands.

“Oh! They’re brilliant! People make stories and you get to play them. Um! I don’t know how else to describe them? I’m bad at this,” she laughed there, scratching her nose. “You get to be someone else and fight bad guys or solve puzzles or save the galaxy. It’s magical!”

He asked about Diagon Alley and Sadie lit up like it was Christmas. She couldn’t help but gush.

“Oh my goodness! The hats! And the owls! And and the broomsticks were great and it’s just, wow. I saw someone transform someone else into a teapot! Then blokes in funny robes came by and dragged them off and wow, it was just crazy! Ollivander’s was brilliant, too. I guess it just, I don’t know, made everything seem real. It’s amazing. I never would have imagined something so wonderful, you know? I’m just Sadie,” she softened there, shrugging her shoulders awkwardly. “One minute I’m gathering chicken eggs and cleaning up after cows, the next I’m buying a wand and going to learn magic. It’s just… I guess I thought it was going to be a joke for a long time, like ‘fooled you, Sadie, we got you good’ but I’m on the train and it’s happening. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up and I'll be back on the farm.”

[TheDookieNut]

George tried to imagine what it would be like to have not grown up in the world he'd already been surrounded in. How he'd feel when he first recieved his letter, what it would feel like to enter a world that seemed so unlike what he'd alreay experienced. Seeing Sadie react was hilarious. Having grown up with wands, Wizards and witches, goblins, elves, ghosts, talking paintings, flying and apiration, it would seem unwordly to someone who'd never expirenced it all before. Despite all this, he felt Hogwarts would be the same for them both. His brother had described it to be the most amazing place he'd ever experienced, something of which George was already aprehensious about. He was nervous, for no reason he repeated to himself often.

"This would be an awful dream if it were one." He commented, adding a smile as he spoke. "Considering you're not the only one here." He reached into the bag for another Bean and glanced over the flavour. It shone a strange, misty blue, dancing almost. After Norway's win at the Quidditch World Cup that summer, there had been an influx of themed sweets. "Here." George offered, handing it to Sadie. "It's not a sweet, so don't eat it. It's a miniturised Dragon Egg, frozen as simply a shell. You can collect them, I think there's thirty, or just use them as decoration." They weren't rare as such, but a collection of petrified dragon eggs had certainly become a collectors item over the few months they'd been sold.

He turned his eyes over to the window, wondering just how long it would be until they were reaching the school. The last time George had known, they'd been in parallel with Norfolk, perhaps less than half way. He knew they usually arrived after sundown, but without watches, he hadn't a clue of the time.
"How long do you reckon is left?" He asked, turning his head back to his.. Friend? Was Sadie a friend now? His train of thought had been pushed aside when the door pushed open, two girls laughing and giggling themselves at the door.

"Here, a present." One laughed, throwing a small black package onto Sadie's lap. The girls laughed for a second, both pushing the door shut before the compartment burst into complete darkness. They could hear the girls on the opposite side of the door, but as George fumbled for the train window, he noticed one voice disappeared. He fumbled, coughing up the dust, or whatever it was. A hand found the latch and soon the window was open, black powder filing out the window as if it were forced. He rushed to the door and pulled it back open, aiming to shout at the girls who'd pranked them. Down the carriage, he saw the two girls running, hand in hand, hurrying away from them. One had been a slightly plump female, brunette and loud, the other had been a taller female, slimmer, and with a similar blonde to his own. It wasn't a rare quality, but striking to him all the same. The girls glanced back, laughing once more. George let out a sigh and groaned. He waved at the last bits of the Instant Darkness and sat back down.

[El Taco Taco]

Sadie laughed brashly at George’s comment, tipping her head back with her mirth. He was being really rather nice. She didn’t doubt the lengths that jerk’s like her brother would go to in pulling a prank. She supposed the train was a bit out of his reach, but as a professional younger sister she’d learned that there was always a chance she was being messed with. Especially considering she tended to give as good as she got.

“Maybe it’s just a massive prank and there’s loads of hidden cameras everywhere,” she grinned, although she had visibly relaxed in her seat. “And instead of Hogwarts we’re just going in a big loop and we’ll end up back at King’s Cross. My dreams can be right terrible sometimes.”

George offered her a small blue bean, which she accepted. She blinked as he told her not to eat it—and her mouth dropped when he explained what it was. Sadie was aware she looked daft, but this was too wild to be stupid like Brennan and feign apathy.

“A dragon egg?” She repeated, her little mind blown by the implications. “Like, there are enough dragons in the world that eggs can just be like, shrunk and passed out in sweets?”

She stared at the little blue bean—egg—in her palm, pale fingers reaching out to better examine it. It was so wee; and a little sad. She’d much rather it be a proper egg, with a proper dragon. Still, it was wonderful.

“Thank you,” she breathed, rather enthralled, her brain working a mile a minute. She didn’t process his question about the time, still puzzling over the egg, and then, rather alarmingly, something dropped in her lap and the compartment when black.

“Ack!” Sadie coughed, reflexively covering the egg with her hands to keep it safe. The light had been extinguished. It was oppressively dark, pressing in all around her, and Sadie let out a desperately uncool squeak. Her lungs burned and her heart raced in terror. She had to get out, it was too dark, she didn’t have her phone to use as a light and—

The window opened, the air clearing almost instantly. Sadie breathed deep, grateful for the fresh air and all the precious light. Black powder streamed out in large swirls, but her heartbeat was taking longer to slow down. She relaxed against her seat as George went to the compartment door. An empty sachet sat in her lap, which she carefully turned over.

“’Weasley Wizard Wheezes Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder’,” she read aloud, a painful knot in her throat. A humiliated flush had crossed her cheeks, freckled ears burning bright red. Sadie knew it was silly and childish, her fear of the dark, and wished desperately that she could be less pathetic. “That’s, um… s-something else.”

[TheDookieNut]

George dropped into his seat with a light thud. He gave a short sigh once again and looked back up at Sadie.
"It's just prank stuff. There's a huge shop filled with it in Diagon Alley, I'm not sure if you saw it. It's supposed to 'get you out of any trouble spot'." Wouldn't work for something outside the safety of Hogwarts. "Just ignore it anyway, pranks never mean to hurt anyone." Despite the ease of their conversation before, the sudden interruption had done nothing but twist the eleven year old stomach into knots. He sat quietly for a short while, pulling a small handful of beans from the box.

They were two separate sides of the spectrum. Sadie was filled to the brim with excitement. George couldn't help but feel nervous. It didn't matter though, it hardly would. His dad had been in prison for a long time and wouldn't be facing the Dementors for a long while. He'd serve his time before they'd 'put him to sleep'. It was pretty much how his mother described it, how she'd always described what would happen to their dad. He gave another sigh and tossed back the last few sweets he'd taken from the packet.

George finally glanced up, taking in the colour of Sadie's cheeks and face. He gave a short laugh and smiled. He didn't mean it in offence, children never did.
"It's only a prank, no need to get embaressed." He smiled, offering her the box once more. Outside their compartment, he could hear the sound of others laughing and cheering, playing games and talking. He wondered how many of them would share the same family history as him. There had been potential for a fair few, especially if he truly believe the stories they had from before the Ministry burst into their home. George turned back to his friend once more.

"If you keep the egg warm for long enough, they're supposed to hatch. I don't know how true it is, they're only eggs. But there's loads of dragons, tons in the north and east. I've heard of them being found in the deserts in Africa. You'll learn about all that though." He added with a smile. He was sure they'd learn everything there was to know about the Wizarding World in time, they just needed to get there first.

[El Taco Taco]

The train ride felt as though it had taken a lifetime. Sadie was nearly mad with excitement by the time it began to slow into the station. She’d changed into her uniform and school robes when the skies had gone black, positively bouncing with excitement. Sadie was certain she was being impossibly annoying, but she couldn’t help herself. Hogwarts was here!

The station was all glittering lights and a massive crowd. Sadie stared out the windows, eyes bright, before scrambling to join the throngs leaving the train. She patted her robes pocket to ensure her wand was still in place. The dogwood wand seemed to warm to her touch, as if reassuring her. Beaming, Sadie babbled as she and George exited the train.

“Firs’ years! Firs’ years over ‘ere!”

Sadie had never seen such an enormous person before. She gaped for a moment (before reminding herself that staring was rude) at a man in heavy furs and with the thickest beard she had ever witnessed. He was a redfaced man, beaming wide, and Sadie instinctively liked him. Grinning to George, she followed the crowd of short students gathering around the giant of a man.

“Alrigh’ everyone? I’m Professor Hagrid, I’ll be takin’ ye to the castle. Ready to go? Follow me!”

“Wow,” she breathed. The group struggled to keep pace with Professor Hagrid’s long pace, winding down the streets. The walk was quick, which Sadie was rather grateful for, with the chilly September air biting through her robes. She gasped loudly as they reached a large, shimmering lake. Several stately boats sat at the water’s edge.

Sadie and George ended up in a boat with a chatty boy named Seine with long dreadlocks and a pale girl who looked rather displeased by their mode of transport. Sadie spent most of the trip leaned over the edge, looking deep into the water or up at the castle.

Oh, the castle. It was better than she could have imagined, all soaring towers and ramparts and lovely. Even the quiet girl, Verdana was it?, seemed amazed by the castle and its majesty. Sadie practically ran for the castle the instant they landed, eager to see its halls. Seine said something funny, but she barely had the presence of mind to reply because Hogwarts was too lovely.

She arrived breathless, bouncing on the balls of her feet as the doors swung open. Sadie was pleased to be the first of the students after Professor Hagrid to enter the school. A warm looking witch with kind eyes and curly grey hair greeted them,

“Welcome to Hogwarts, dears. The start of term banquet will begin soon, but first, we need to sort you. Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be your family within the castle. You will have classes with your housemates, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your common room. The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has numerous famous witches and wizards to its name. Your successes will earn you house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup. It will be just a few moments before the ceremony is ready to begin. I’ll be back in just a few moments.”

The squat woman hurried out with a cheery wave to Hagrid, leaving the group of rambunctious eleven year olds to wait anxiously. Sadie was humming brightly, searching the small crowd for George. Verdana had left them for another dark haired girl, but Seine was grinning widely and waved her over. She complied and bounced over.

“Oooh! This so brilliant!” She enthused, clapping brightly.

“It’s awesome,” Seine agreed, before looking between them. “What house do you want? I reckon I’ll be Gryffindor like my dad.”

Sadie shrugged, rocking on her feet, straining to see everything.

“Um! I don’t know! I’ll be happy wherever, I’m just glad to finally be here!”

[TheDookieNut]

George leaped from excitement to apprehension to excitement once again and to every emotion in between. He'd never been so nervous. His palms were sweaty and his entire body made him shiver from the cold, or the excitement. He wasn't sure what it was but he was undeniably and positively brimming from elation and utter joy. This was finally it! This was the day they were all waiting for, every single person in the train was waiting to return to a place that would become home to them so quickly. He wondered what it would be to leave the place in their Seventh Year. To climb on the train for what would be the last time, watching a home drift away into the distance behind them, fading into nothing but vivid colours and powerful memories they would all share and pass onto their children.

George walked ahead of Sadie, keeping their place in the horde. There may not have been as many students as one of the larger muggle schools he knew existed, however the sheer number of students within their proximity was astounding. Some of them were young, some of them looked older, in their final years perhaps. He occasionally glanced around to see if his friend had disappeared, however he soon found himself no longer needing too. He could hear her loudly enough, he had no reason to search for her where he couldn't see him. He was sure that if they left arms reach, he'd hear his voice coming from down the hall. Despite everything, he was glad to have Sadie as a friend. She may not have stopped talking all day but he felt relieved to know that someone hadn't chosen to pick at him for how many muggles his father had killed or how many cases of Cruicio his father had cast. She had remained unaware the entire time. Somehow he expected it not to matter to her. She seemed so happy and content with her first wizarding friend.

He stepped off the train and watched as the taller students disappeared as an experienced troop down towards the opposite end of the platform. He soon found himself listening to an accent he was sure was more southern than his own, before feeling Sadie push him along with the bundle of students their own age. George glanced around at the faces he could see until he stopped on the speaking man. He was huge! He furrowed both eyebrows and wondered just how tall the man was. How had he gotten so tall? Was he half giant? Was he actually a giant?! George had always expected Giants to be bigger. Deep down, he sensed a small twinge of disappointment. Almost as if he'd been lied to for so many years of his life. Surely giants were as tall as the stories always told, they had to be. He hurried along after Sadie at the giant-man, legs almost running like the rest of the student body on all sides. He could tell the apprehension and excitement was pouring out of each of the children around him. He saw the same smiles and the same nervous shivers and happy giggles that were coming from every single one of them. Everyone was as excited as the next.

They arrived at the boats shortly and suddenly everything seemed so real. The castle was just over that lake and their future of magic and wonder was a short boat ride away. He passed Sadie a wide smile and followed her into the boat they'd been assigned. They set off shortly and he found himself wondering just how his brother and the other students got to school. Surely they didn't travel by boat too. Maybe they had to walk. During their journey, George hadn't felt the need to talk. Amoungst all of them, Sadie and Seine seemed to talk for them all. His eyes drew up at the horizon, waiting for the castle to appear behind the huge hills. When it did, George found himself shocked and in amazement. He'd seen manors and stately homes belonging to cousins and distant relatives but nothing compared. Nothing at all! He gawked ahead, smiling widely at the sight ahead of them. Nothing at all from going to compare to this place.

George stepped ashore as soon as they were able, preparing the climb the steps from the boat house all the way to the Great Hall. The castle was even bigger up close! He spotted Sadie dash off and knew there was no way he'd be able to catch up. He continued his pace behind them all and joined a selection of students as they began their ascent towards the castle. His legs burnt slightly when he reached the top but he put that down simply to a lack of fitness and stair climbing. He finally reached the castle and beamed at the thought of finally seeing inside. He stood behind the small group, all too busy looking at the women stood before them all to have a good look at the fellow students they'd be sharing lessons with for the rest of the year. He turned his eyes over the crowd looking for Sadie. He spotted brunettes and black hair. He even spotted the same white hair from earlier but finally locating Sadie near the front of the bundle. He eased his way through the crowd and pulled up next to her and Seine.

[El Taco Taco]

George was really rather quiet. Sadie got the sense that he was an observer, someone more comfortable watching the proceedings and taking his time about things, but she had only known him for an afternoon. Still, his presence was reassuring. Sadie’s instincts told her that he was a good sort. Brennan’s contempt only further cemented her good opinion of George. It was good to have a friend already.

Two friends, even! Seine was hilarious, and his suggestion to find secret passageways his old man had recommended was a very tempting offer. As if Hogwarts wasn’t magical enough! Secret passageways were just too fantastic an opportunity to pass up.

Sadie passed the time bantering and people watching. Most of her fellows seemed excited to be here—a stout blonde girl looked rather queasy and the girl from the boat had found a small collection of rather grim looking companions. Most of them had strikingly similar features, but Sadie didn’t know what to make of that. Before she could pose the question, the grey haired witch from earlier swept back in.

“Alright dears, it’s time. Single file please!”

They shuffled into a long line, following the woman (who had soil on her cheek, Sadie realized belatedly) into the most beautiful hall Sadie had ever seen. Hundreds of candles bobbed in the air, golden lights all a glitter. Seine nudged her shoulder and pointed up at the ceiling, where the heavens glowed in all their splendor. She breathed a sigh of wonder at the sprawling of stars and finally understood for the first time why it was called the Milky Way. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before, as if even the stars had magic here. The hall was lined with four long tables, a sea of black robes and four waving banners dangling from the ceiling that stretched into infinity.

Sadie spied Brennan sitting with a beaming dark haired girl and another surly boy. He nodded at her, and despite being a total jerk, the acknowledgement made her grin and wave brightly.

They paused near a table at the head of the room, but Sadie was too short to see what the stout witch was doing. She stood on tip toe, to no avail.

Suddenly, a large, ratty hat floated into the air. Its brim shifted as if opening into a mouth and it, bizarrely, began 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.

There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.

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 your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their 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!

Sadie gaped. The hall burst into applause. That was officially the weirdest thing she had ever seen. Seine didn’t look phased—she turned to George, whispering in an alarmed tone,

“Did that hat just sing?”

“Bendix, Freyja!” the stout witch called. A tan girl popped out of line not far ahead of them, strolling towards the hat. Sadie leaned out of line to see her drop onto the stool and, gingerly, look up as the hat was placed on her head. After a long moment, its booming voice echoed throughout the hall,

“Hufflepuff!”

The table of gold and black began to applaud enthusiastically. The girl smiled lightly, hopping off and wandering over as if she had all the time in the world.

“Coty, Ellis!”

Sadie craned her head as a red haired girl strode confidently towards the front. The hat barely touched her head before it bellowed “Slytherin!” to the hall. The girl smirked her way over and it occurred to Sadie to be nervous. What if the house didn’t sort her?! What if it said she wasn’t good enough and she had to go home and--!!

“Sadie,” Seine whispered, nudging her. “You’re up.”

“What?” No—she hadn’t heard—the line was shifting, looking for whomever had been called and she flushed, scurrying towards the front. Her heart had never beat so fast in all her life. She nearly knocked over the stool when she tried to sit on it and there was a rippling of snickers in the hall. Sadie did her best to sit straight and not freak out before the hat was dropped on her head and she couldn’t see anything.

Well, well. Another Ethans, I see.

“What?” Sadie whispered. It took her an embarrassingly long moment to realise that the voice in her head was the hat. That was strange—and fascinating. Sadie longed to understand it.

Not as angry as the other one, are you? Plenty clever… and oh yes… what a thirst to prove yourself. Hmmm… aha but you do like a good thrill though, don’t you? Yes, I think you’ll do quite well in—

“GRYFFINDOR!” The hat roared. Sadie jumped as the Great Hall blinked back into existence, the hat swept off her head. She stepped off the stool rather more gracefully than she’d sat on it and scurried towards the cheering table. “Fairclough, Kestrel,” was called behind her, but Sadie was hunting for a seat. The girl she’d seen with her brother waved her over and Sadie complied.

“Wow, you’re like, the prettiest girl ever,” Sadie blurted, then flushed as she realized she had said that out loud.

“RAVENCLAW!” The hat shouted. The girl was laughing, her voice suddenly drowned out in a cheer across the hall. She squeezed Sadie’s shoulders affectionately.

“Merlin’s tits, Bren, she’s darling!”

Brennan grumbled something, but the girl hugging her was ignoring him with enviable ease.

“I’m Xia He, welcome to Gryffindor. I’m the fifth year Prefect. That’s Amos,” she nodded to the fellow grumpy boy sat with her brother.

Faragher, Kenji became another Ravenclaw and Firmin, Mattieu another Gryffindor. Fulton, Marjorie a Slytherin; Godfrey, Graham and Greenwich, Tasia and Harrigan, Niall all to Gryffindor. Sadie tried very hard to focus as several more students were sorted, but it was so hard to focus with all the chatter and the excitement in the air.

Suddenly Seine was bounding over to her side, dreadlocks bouncing as he sat next to her and laughed about the hat’s argument to stick him in Ravenclaw. Sadie scanned the line for George, giving him a thumbs up and a flash of teeth with Seine, her heart beat finally beginning to slow.

[TheDookieNut]

The small collection of them, perhaps seventy at most, passed around more emotions that a bride on her wedding day. Children bubbled loudly with excitement and joy, apprehension and fear, anxiety and annoyance. It would rub off on them all before they passed out of the entrance hall they stood in. The ceiling and rooms he could see were all bigger than he expected, vast heights stretching far beyond what he'd expected or pictured in his mind. He'd pictured something as grand as the Locksley manor they'd visited nearly every summer for the first few years after his father had been escorted off to Azkaban. Whilst George's mind sped back towards the one thing he was afraid of, his stomach knotted and twisted. So far no one seemed to care.. Had everyone forgotten? He assumed so. Glancing around, George looked over the faces of the students nearby, all of which had paired up at least with another person, looking about and babbling amoung themselves. Thankfully, the witch and teacher pulled them all from their daydreams.

George stumbled behind Sadie and their new friend, although it was someone George hadn't spoken to yet. He would relax once he knew where he was going. He'd heard far too many 'complimentary' remarks from family during his years before Hogwarts. The last thing he needed was to grow up the polar opposite to his brother, who seemed so intent on hiding in the dark, pouring over text books laced with markings and runes he'd never seen before. However, despite his brother's rather strange personality and tendencies, the boy was Ravenclaw, it didn't matter what happened to him now. No one would assume he'd turn into the same murderer their father had been or perhaps still was.

The group soon pushed forwards towards the two large doors, opening and pushing them into a hall bigger than he'd ever imagined. Taller ceilings and a huge open and amazing sight above him. He'd never seen an enchanted ceiling before. Enchanted fires were commonplace, his own living room was enchanted, just to make the fire a brighter orange. Yet the Hogwarts ceiling seemed other worldly. It was so vivid, more so than the sky he'd ever seen in London. Most of that was clouds and even in the hills in Devon, he'd seen nothing compared to the sky that lingered within their own school; home would be a better word here. George turned his eyes down to look down at Sadie and Seine. He was more interested to see the reaction of his muggleborn friend, how she'd been so thrilled at Exploding Snap earlier. He smiled a little and stopped beside her, taking a brief second to look around the room once more. He couldn't see his brother straight away, although he gathered he'd be sat before the table clothed in blue and silver.

It was when the famous Sorting Hat began to sing and read the poetry his brother told him it spent all year writing that George turned his eyes back to the front. So long as he wasn't wearing Green for the next seven years, he was happy.

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.

There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.

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 your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their 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!

George smiled again, glancing around and making a half-arse attempt at clapping. He gave a short laugh at Sadie and nodded.
"It's the Sorting Hat-" He paused as the first name was called, flinching as he seemed to imagine himself up first. "-You'll see." He finished, turning his eyes and stomach twisting anxiety at the thing that would so quickly decide and know his fate long before he did. In the sudden change in emotions, George balled his fists and wrapped his robe sleeves into a ball. He needed to look calm, and like he knew what he was doing, like he wasn't scared. One by one, he forced himself to watch the students before him. Watching them each bounce off towards the houses he sometimes guessed correctly and sometimes didn't. The first Slytherin to be chosen was a girl he thought he recognized. He'd seen her one Christmas and no doubt it would turn out she'd be a relative closer than he expected. His mind turned to wonder at exactly how many people he was related to within the room. All Purebloods were connected somewhere and most witches and wizards tried so hard not to think of the implications and just carry on with their lives.

George pulled himself out from his out head once again and turned to Sadie as she took a second to realize it was herself whose name was next. George had pictured Hufflepuff for his friend, at least he assumed, from simple conversation that she wasn't going to be Slytherin or Ravenclaw. Those students were clever and unique upon appearance and conversation. He turned to Seine and back up to Sadie, watching her as carefully as he would watch himself. She was up there for seconds despite how slowly time seemed to pass. George passed one of the several lumps in his throat and watched as the hat boomed across the Great Hall.
"GRYFINDOR." George smiled and watched as she bounded over to the table like a small child at Christmas. He was jealous of course, he'd long to be already sat down. His eyes pulled back forwards, watching the remaining students names reel off the parchment as if with ease. Some students were sorted in seconds, others it took a moment. The event seemed to pass quickly but as the letters counted down, George felt his body shrink and cower.

He felt the boy by his side disappear off and sit under the hat, leaving him alone and very much afraid. He pulled on his robes again, hearing another booming 'GRYFINDOR' pass by his ears. His stomach leapt and his brain told him to run, his entire body acted as if the whole situation around him was life threatening. He was going to die. Yet it was in a moment that his brain kicked in. No... Why does it matter? It's seven years... Seven years and we'll be out and free to do whatever it is that grown wizards do. George forced himself to let go of his robes and watched as the letters counted down once more. He knew they were perched in N and for some reason there were plenty of them.

"Nott, George." The witch chimed, looking about and spotting one of the remaining ten students haphazardly step forwards. George's feet felt like lead, think and heavy. Yet with a grim bout of determination, the boy forced himself up the steps and lowered himself onto the stool. He was greatful for it's size. He needed to look like he wasn't afraid, like he wasn't weak... So long as he didn't see everyone looking. George sat quietly, waiting. It felt like a year when the voice finally began to speak so vividly in his head.

You've ambition like your brother, quite a lot more than him. The hat paused leaving George to force himself to keep calm again, despite the damp on his palms. You're brave yet your already afraid. The hat continued, reading off a list of things George knew about himself didn't, reading his mind better than he could himself. He tensed up on some words and felt his face lose all colour half way through. He may have been sat there for no longer than twenty seconds, no way near the longest of the day. Fear is not a weakness, and strength isn't an assest. I told your father that years ago. You share a lot, you should be proud. George turned his head down, hiding his face and shame from the room ahead. The Hat seemed to lift his head up a second later, testing him in one final aspect. He looked his own eyes from the ground and looked over at the table he feared most. The Hat paused a second longer and shouted finally.
"GRYFINDOR."

George gave a short and obvious sigh of relief, caught by his brother a table across from his own. He had been sat on the stool not even for a minute, he felt as if time had stopped. He made a break for the table cheering and dropped in a space besides Sadie, his heart racing and his legs like jelly. He was thankful for the privacy of those conversations, they were private and personal.

[El Taco Taco]

Sadie wasn’t sure she really understood what House Elves were, or what “live to work” meant, but it seemed a little troubling. She bit her tongue, because she got the sense she wouldn’t quite like the answer and she didn’t want to stir up trouble. She’d just gotten here and made friends. She didn’t want to ruin everything on her first night in the castle. Sadie busied herself with her dinner, listening as George enthused about Seine’s dad. Famous then, she deduced, looking over at him. Seine grinned a bit, rubbing the back of his neck. Wow, she’d never met anyone famous in her life. Sadie drained her pumpkin juice, listening intently. She was going to learn everything-- she detested this feeling of being lost, of others having to fill in the blanks for her. Brennan had told her the library here was a monstrosity, and she was eager to find it. “Yeah, that’s my old man. He just took a contract for the World Cup next summer, so that’ll be fun,” he sounded proud and excited, and Sadie bit back the bitter taste of envy for a smile. It was silly—she couldn’t change her humble beginnings, so there was no point in being jealous. Sadie almost believed herself. Sadie listened as George explained his mum’s theory behind ghosts, watching a stream of pearlescent figures streaming in. A beautiful woman floated to the table of blue and bronze, and man with trailing chains to the far end of the room. Sadie rather liked the jolly friar moving along his table. He reminded her a bit of Father Elliot from church, who had always been kind and welcoming. As brilliant as this was, Sadie found herself missing St. Catherine’s. This was amazing and shining and the food was wonderful and magic... but it felt so frighteningly large, and Sadie felt so very small here. St. Catherine’s had been strict, but it had been calm and kind. Dinner concluded well over an hour later, and Sadie had never eaten so much before in her life. Her stomach hurt, but she firmly regretted nothing. The pretty prefect and the grumpy one were calling for first years, and Sadie fell in obediently behind them. Xia He was explaining the path to the common room, the importance of passwords and various other things. Sadie was busy studying the moving portraits and gasping as the stairs moved beneath her—not like an escalator, the whole bloody staircase was moving! They had stopped at a portrait of an exceptionally fat, but elegant, lady garbed in luxurious pink robes. “Password?” she intoned, touching the crown of flowers in her hair and smiling coquettishly. “ _Acta non verba_,” Xia He spoke clearly, and the portrait swung open wide to reveal a beautiful circular room. Sadie smiled at the crushed crimson velvet and gold and overstuffed arm chairs. She waved to George and Seine as she followed the girls to a staircase on the right. She smiled at a girl with a beautiful red hijab and a blonde who was nearly half a foot taller than the rest of them. Their dorm was gorgeous. Handsome four poster beds with crimson and gold draping stood around the room, with their names stitched in elegant golden cursive. Sadie beamed, testing her bed with a bounce. Ooh, nice! “Wow,” a curly haired girl commented, running a hand over the mahogany of her bed. “This is nice.” “It’s brilliant,” Sadie agreed, sliding off her bed. She extended her hand, the shorter girl shaking it with a polite smile. “I’m Sadie.” “Tasia,” she looked around the room questioningly. The lanky blonde blushed, stammering. “G-Gail Mascolo. Nice to meet you.” “Maryam,” chirped the girl with the pretty headscarf, looking up at the ceiling, where a beautiful carving of fire connected all the decorative silk from the walls. It looked as if it were actually burning, and Sadie decided she quite liked these accommodations. “Rosamund,” a curly redhead nodded, digging in her trunk for something or other. A brunette lingering near her arched a brow, arms folded. “Holly,” she remarked cautiously, almost suspiciously, and Sadie turned to smile at a quiet girl with coppery braids assigned to the bed next to hers. “Asenath,” she murmured, looking almost alarmed as Sadie bounced for joy. Sadie had not had many girlfriends before in her life, but here, sitting on the floor of the common room with the other girls and laughing over stories, she finally felt properly at ease in the castle.

[El Taco Taco]

The morning was a bustle of excitement and nervous giggles, getting ready together. Maryam was particularly clever, her sharp wit even getting Holly to smirk appreciatively. Sadie sat on the end of her bed, Asenath perched behind her and weaving a waterfall braid through Sadie’s red hair. She seemed content to let Sadie chatter away, occasionally offering a quiet remark that Sadie had to strain to hear. Her uniform had been neatly pressed, with red and gold embroidered into the trimming sometime during the night and her black flats polished to a shine. A silk tie had been included, emblazoned with what she assumed was the crest of the house at the very base. Sadie ended up helping most of her dormmates knot their ties neatly, rather surprised to find that most of them had never done so before. But she recalled George’s explanation; few of them would have attended any form of formal school before. She patted Gail’s shoulder with a beam as she finished. Buttoning her cardigan over her crisp white shirt and high-waisted pleated skirt, Sadie followed Maryam and Tasia, slipping her red lined robes on over her shoulder. Luckily the castle was so drafty, otherwise Sadie suspected she might sweat to death. Gail fell into step with them as they descended the circular stairs. “My mum just took over Madame Malkins,” Tasia informed them, her massive curls bouncing with every step. “What about you?” Sadie asked Gail over her shoulder, nearly tripping into Maryam. She blushed with a laugh, apologizing profusely. Gail cleared her throat a little nervously. “Um, my papà’s a liaison from the Italian Ministry. My mother collects art.” “And your family, Sadie?” Maryam queried as they entered the Common Room. Sadie scanned the room and found a familiar head of white blonde hair. She brightened, waving. Turning to her dormmates, she smiled apologetically. “Oh, they’re farmers. Sorry, have to go, I’ll catch up with you later?” Maryam’s brow arched, and Sadie was surprised to see her direct a cool look towards George, as if she disliked him intensely. She offered Sadie a stern look. “Be careful,” she warned her, and Sadie tilted her head. “He’s a Nott,” she sounded as if that meant something really big and important, but it flew over Sadie’s head. She shrugged. “He’s nice. Anyway, bye!” She bounded over before Maryam could lecture her further, joining her friends as Seine arrived with a loud yawn. “Morning!” She chirruped, hitching her leather bag more evenly across her shoulder. “You look like a zombie, Seine.” He looked at her flatly, as if he didn’t quite get her reference. What, really? All this magic and no one knew what zombies were? Maybe the magical world wasn’t as great as she’d been lead to believe. She shook her head. “Never mind. Did you sleep well?” She directed to George, plowing on ahead with a bounce. “I didn’t. This is all too brilliant. Ahhh! Oh my gosh and we have class and I am so totally beyond ready. I’ve been waiting like, a hundred million years for this.”

[TheDookieNut]

Had the girl been old enough to play such games, her words wouldn't have been loud enough to pass across the narrow space between his own chair and the walking fleet of Gryfindor girls. The blonde shot his eyes to the ground and clenched his jaw. He was too anxious for his own good.. He'd grow out of it, he was sure. After all this was day two, nothing was ever fixed over night. Did he really look like alike? Why hadn't Seine said anything? He was Pureblood at least on one side, he was sure. Sadie wouldn't know unless it hit her in the face... George pulled himself upright, his uniform pulled on as best he could. It seemed baggy in places, his shoulders looser and his shirt waist slack. He tugged at his sleeves and turned to his two friends, greeting them with a smile. "I slept okay. It's hard to sleep in a bed you're not used to." He commented, fidgeting with the small button in his sleeve. The boy couldn't fully understand why it was all bothering him so much. He had good friends and an amazing life. Personally he was lucky. He knew some students whose families were less than well-off. He needed to stop acting like the victim of something that wasn't his fault.. Right, it wasn't his fault. It wasn't. His father was a murderer well before he was born. There was no way it was his fault. George followed behind her, smiling away his consistently growing anxiety and distress. "I wonder what lesson we'll have first." He commented. His feet took him out of the protrait hole and into the noisy castle around them. Paintings were awake, eating their own meals and sharing stories they'd been told from whomever else they'd spoken to during their nights. George waited for his two friends before placing a hand on the railing and starting down the stairs. He could already smell the food from the Great Hall. Thick smells of pastry and cooked meals. Unfortunately his stomach twisted in protest. He'd eat at lunch. He needed to meet the others for himself first before hed allow himself to relax. Of course he was an idiot. He paused as the staircase lurched into life, taking them down another route. One day theyd learn which stairs moved where and no doubt they'd be up and down the castle in minutes before they left the school. He headed down into the large hall, looking for a selection of seats they could all take without bothering anyone. It was a fair distance down the table and the entire trip wasn't something he was comfortable with. Instead however, he tried to focus his thoughts on Sadie's excitement. He tucked himself onto the bench and managed to find something that he thought would cheer Sadie up more. "This will help you learn our world quicker." He smiled, passing her what seemed to be an abandoned Daily Prophet. "It's okay from time to time." George smiled, his hands nervouslg twisting his wand under the table.

[El Taco Taco]

“Thanks!” Sadie chirped as she accepted the paper. Huh. Little gifs printed on the paper. Well, they were a little more involved, but it was nice to see something she could (sort of) understand. She hummed through it, nibbling on a sausage. She couldn’t make sense of a lot of what was being discussed, but she folded the newspaper. She’d unlock its secrets later. For now, food and conversation. “Looks like we’ve got Herbology with Hufflepuff first,” Seine piped up, buttering his toast. Sadie had already memorized their schedule and prepped her composition books—because parchment was ridiculous—and pens and read most of her textbooks. Her hunger to know was insatiable. “With Professor Longbottom. Dad says he’s a war hero.” “War hero?” Sadie blinked, looking to Seine. “Like, Afghanistan or something?” “What?” Seine returned her blank expression, shaking his head so his dreadlocks bounced. “The Second War? You Know Who? Battle of Hogwarts?” “…Seine. You keep saying words but none of them make sense.” Battle of Hogwarts? Sadie didn’t like the sound of that. She looked between Seine and George. Wizards had wars? Well, that wasn’t so weird, she supposed. War was everywhere in the muggle world. Why would it be any different just because of magic? Seine looked wary, as if he wished he hadn’t said anything. Sadie's frown deepened. She wasn't going to like this, but she had to know. "Okay, so this is obviously important, so I'm going to find out eventually. Tell me."