Grey Eyes (A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

3. Unfortunately Arranged

I step out of the train to see a magnificent castle in the distance and its immense reflection over a crystal clear lake.

And before I can even wonder how we could possibly get there, Lily taps me on the shoulder. "Fancy trying to find a carriage with me?"

Oh, by carriages, duh.

I look over her shoulder to see Remus and James grinning at me and behind them, to my dismay, is Sirius... and his adorable little girlfriend. Nope, ignore them. Juuuuust ignore them.

I turn to Lily and reply cheerfully, "Alright then."

We turn around to make our way to the horseless carriages when I hear a voice call from behind me. "Miss Cecilia Vance! Excuse me, Miss Vance!"

I spin around to see a tall, stern-looking woman with a her hair in tight bun, standing next to a smaller carriage far from the rest.

James leans over to whisper in my ear, "Uh oh, it's Professor McGonagall. What on earth did you do, mate? I think getting in trouble before we even get to the castle is a new record!" He pauses. "Actually, nevermind, I think Sirius and I got detention on the train once."

I laugh nervously. Yeah, good question.

"Well, go on, then." Remus nudges me in the back. "I reckon she just wants to have a word with you or something. Since you're new and all."

"If you say so..." I gulp. She looks kind of cross. Or maybe that's just how her face looks.

Lily gives my arm a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry about it, Cecilia! Professor McGonagall's the head of the Gryffindor House and while she maybe look scary, she has a kind heart."

I nod, not quite reassured at all. "Well, catch you later then." I wave at them as they climb into the horseless carriage and ride off before adding under my breath, "Probably..."

With a polite nod to the professor, I climb into a smaller carriage down the path and we start moving towards the castle. Many nervous glances and minutes of awkward silences later, she finally breaks the ice.

"Cecilia Vance, I would like to welcome you to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As you know, our school is divided into Four Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. I suspect that you would rather not be sorted with dozens of first years so..."

The I feel the carriage stop and I glance out the window to see the school's front gates in the distance.

Wow, that was fast.

"I brought the sorting to you, Miss Vance."

She pulls out an old patched-up hat and jams it on my head before I can even blurt out, "Blimey, that's an ugly hat!"

Suddenly, a voice starts speaking out of the darkness of the hat covering my eyes.

"Hello, Cecilia Vance."

"Hello... Hat... Man?" I squeeze my eyes shut for a few moments before opening them again. "So, are you going to sort me or what?" I think back to the voice.

"...I'm thinking," it replies flatly.

"Er, my bad."

After a moment, he muses aloud in my head, " I see Hufflepuff traits in you. You have an inherent kindness that values others' happiness well above your own, yet a grit and determination to prove yourself among your peers. Perhaps a Gryffindor, as well? How intriguing..."

It suddenly occurs to me. What house is Lily in? What the, why didn't I bother asking when I spent all those hours with her on the train?

"But what's this?" the hat continues, clearly oblivious to my rambling thoughts. "A multitude of Ravenclaw qualities! Interesting, interesting... home-schooled, eh? You're clever. Very clever. And... a wide knowledge of curses, my, my."