Shadow // George Weasley

~ The Sorting ~

"Ruby!"
"Rubyyyyyy"
"Ruby wake up! We've got to get off the train!"
Ruby slowly fluttered open her eyes taking a look around. She could see two girls; and a train compartment? She must of fallen asleep on the train ride over.
"Finally! Your awake! Now come on let's go!"
Ginny said grabbing Ruby by her arm and pulling her out of the train compartment.
"ANYONE ELSE STILL ON THE TRAIN!?"
A loud voice bellowed.
"YES! WE ARE GETTING OFF NOW!"
Ginny yelled back in reply. Still holding Ruby's arm Ginny walked off the train with Emma close behind her.
"I- I'm sorry. Did I fall asleep?" Asked Ruby.
"Yeah. You fell asleep pretty quickly too! But you definitely did not wake up quickly!" Emma replied giggling.
Ruby facepalmed with her free hand.
"How long ago did we get here?" Ruby asked.
"About 15 minutes ago! We're the last to get off the train." Ginny told her. "But don't worry. We haven't missed the carriage ride!"
Ruby smiled, grabbing Emma's hand.
"Well let's find those carriages then!"
The three girls shared a smile and walked out of the train station and through the gate hand in hand, towards a rather short looking man. He had short brown hair and a brown moustache, with circular shaped golden glasses that sat nicely on his nose. He was wearing a little suit with the colours black, grey and white on it.
"Names please?" He asked looking down at a roll of parchment.
"Ginny Weasley" Ginny said.
"Emma Weasley" Emma replied.
"Right, that's all the Weasleys here. And who might you be?" He asked turning his attention to Ruby.
"I'm Ruby, Ruby Wood. You probably don't recognise me seeing as I'm just starting here. Maybe you've met my sisters? Their names are Hazel and Stella. And I'm sure you've met my older brother Oli. Well, you'd know him as Oliver." Ruby said giggling to herself quietly. Nobody else called him Oli you see. Not Hazel, not Stella, not even her parents. Only her. The thought made her blush.
"Yes, yes I know your brother. And I'm pretty sure I saw two Wood girls walk in here with Malfoy, Zabini, Crabbe, Goyle and Parkinson. Well you three had best get to the carriages quickly, otherwise there won't be any left. I shall see you at Hogwarts." He said nodding his head at the girls.
"Not Malfoy and his gang! Ruby you'll have to tell your sisters not to hang out with them anymore. They're bad news, I'm telling you." Ginny told Ruby, shaking her head.
"Yep. Hermione, one of Ron's best friends is always getting called mudblood by him. He's rude, selfish and evil! His Dad is a death eater you see. And we have reason to believe he could be too." Said Emma, in a matter of fact tone.
Ruby had never heard of the Malfoy's before. Oliver had never told her about them. And she didn't like to read about all the bad stuff happening at the moment. She didn't like it, and she thought if she didn't read it it would simply go away. She was wrong there. Very wrong indeed.
"That's horrible! He sounds like a big bully! I'll tell them as soon as I see them!" Ruby said.
The girls hopped into the carriage, when it started to pour.
"Great." Emma said. "Perfect timing. Now we're gonna have to go into the great hall completely drenched! What a way to start off the year."
"I hate getting wet!" Replied Ginny.
Ruby didn't seem to mind though. She had always been fond of water after all. She loved swimming and watching the sea. It calmed her, and something about it called her. Like it was her home. She knew it sounded rather silly. I mean, the ocean calling her. Pfft.

The rest of the way there the girls sat in silence. Occasionally Ginny would tuck her hair behind her ears, seeing as the wind had picked up and was blowing the girls hair around. Emma had her hair already tied up, so it didn't bother her. Ginny on the other hand had worn her hair out and didn't have a hair tie with her.
"Here, Ginny take my hair tie." Ruby said handing it to her.
"You sure? Your hair's going absolutely wild!" Ginny said pointing at Ruby's long hair billowing out behind her.
"It doesn't bother me don't worry." Ruby said laughing a bit.
Ginny took the hair tie and tied her hair up, flashing Ruby a smile of gratitude. The trees started to thin out a bit. Now Ruby could see the castle.
"Woahhh!" Ruby said leaning over her side of the railing. "Is that Hogwarts!?"
Emma giggled. "Sure is Rubes, and we're just about there. You wait until you see inside!"
Ruby smiled, still looking towards the castle. The castle looked absolutely beautiful. All the windows were lit up with a glowing golden light, and the castles silhouette was black against the night sky. Ruby felt a wave of excitement sweep over her, but the excitement was only brief. Soon she felt this horrible feeling of anxiety. She felt her breathing quicken and realised what was happening. "Breathe." She thought to herself. "You'll be fine. You've got Oli, Stell, Hazel, Luna, Ginny and Emma! What have you got to be nervous about!?" But deep down inside she knew what was really worrying her. It had been sitting at the bottom of her chest all day. She was worried that she wouldn't be in Gryffindor. Or whatever house her sisters were to get sorted into.
...
The three girls walked into the great hall. It was beautiful. The hall was large with four long tables and the roof was bewitched to look like the night sky. It was a navy blue colour, dotted with little bright, white lights, which Ruby assumed to be stars. Around the edges of the hall were stone gargoyles and torches with bright red flames bursting out of them separating each gargoyle. Ruby was breath taken.
"Close your mouth silly!" Whispered Emma.
Ruby quickly shut her mouth. She felt her face going red from embarrassment. The girls walked towards the Gryffindor table where Emma and Ginny sat down.
"Miss Wood! Please come up here to be sorted into your house." A scottish sounding woman told her.
Ruby walked further up the hall and stood in between her sisters.
"Hey Rubes! We couldn't find you! We were sitting with some Slytherins and-" Hazel was cut off by the Scottish woman.
"We will have some new students joining us this year. Please give a warm welcome to Stella, Hazel and Ruby Wood!"
The hall erupted into applause and cheers. Ruby could clearly hear Fred and George shouting:
"Yeahhhhhhh"
"Come on Ruby! Get Gryffindor!"
Ruby found herself blushing at the boys words. Although she wasn't quite sure she would be a Gryffindor just yet.
"I guess I'll have to find out" She muttered to herself with a smile on her face.
"SILENCE!" A booming voice echoed around the hall.
No more clapping. No more cheering. Just silence, just like he said.
"He must be important if everyone listens to him." Ruby thought to herself.
She looked up to see a very wise looking old man with ice blue eyes covered by golden half moon spectacles. His long, ancient looking white beard dangled down from his chin. His long grey robes sweeping the ground as his walked towards the girls.
"Now which one of you three is Stella? I have been rather excited to meet you girls. Never in my life have I met triplets! Rather curious I think. However I have met many pairs of twins. Some of them are rather cheeky." He said, casting a look at Fred and George Weasley.
"I am." Said Stella, looking at the man with a rather disguised look.
Stella found beards rather unattractive. Ruby didn't really mind where as Hazel didn't care at all. She was lesbian you see, into all the girls she was. Ruby and Stella had always known this, and had absolutely no problem in accepting it when she told them. They often encouraged her to tell the rest of their family, but Hazel always refused.
"Well, Miss Wood. Would you like to come up and sit on the stool provided, while we sort you into your house?" Dumbledore asked her.
He didn't seem to phased about the nasty look Stella had given him. Ruby was glad. She didn't want him to be upset over her sister. Stella strutted up to the stool and sat down with her hands together sitting in her lap. She calmly looked over Hazel and Ruby's heads at everybody else's faces. Once she had a good look around she rested her gaze on Hazel smirking at her. Hazel returned the smirk. Ruby was confused but alas, she was used to not knowing stuff. After a few more moments Stella lowered her gaze to look at Ruby. To whom she smiled at gently. Ruby smiled back. "Good luck!" Ruby mouthed at Stella.
"Thank you!" Stella mouthed back.
The Scottish woman placed a scruffy looking wizards hat on Stella's head. The hat was brown with a few rips on it. The brim of the hat was frayed and just above the brim was a rather large rip. Ruby wondered why Stella had to wear the hat. Ruby turned around to look at everyone else. No one else was wearing a hat like that, theirs were all black. Hazel grabbed Ruby's hand.
"See that? That's the sorting hat. You missed all the first years getting sorted. The hat looks inside your brain and decides what house you belong in. Oliver is a Gryffindor; that's the house for brave people. The other three houses are Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Slytherins are hard working and determined, Hufflepuffs are loyal and kind and Ravenclaws are smart and witty." Hazel said, pointing at the hat on Stella's head.
Ruby was starting to get scared. She didn't consider herself any of these traits.
"I'm not brave, hard working, determined, witty, loyal, kind or smart! Now I'm not even gonna get to go to Hogwarts. Their gonna send me straight home as soon as they find out how useless I am." The thought disheartened her.
"SLYTHERIN"
The sorting hat's shout distracted Ruby from her thoughts. Ruby watched her sister walk over to the Slytherin table and sit down next to a pale boy with plantium blonde hair, grey eyes and a slender figure.
"Hazel? Who's that boy that Stella's sitting next to?" Ruby asked curiously.
"Hmm?" Hazel looked over to where Stella was sitting. "Who? Oh! That's Draco, Draco Malfoy. We met him on the train he's really nice. You will-"
Ruby cut her off. " The Draco Malfoy!!?" Ruby asked shocked. " Some girls told me his father is a death eater. They think he is too. And he's a big bully! He always calls this girl Hermione a mudblood and that's just mean!"
Hazel looked at Ruby with a shocked expression on her face. "Draco is NOT a death eater! He's actually really nice! You should get to know him! Just because his father is a death eater doesn't make him one. And look, Stella and I are very sorry about not sitting with you on the train, but that doesn't give you the right to make up lies about someone and blame it on some 'girls'! Honestly Ruby I thought you were better then that." Hazel let go of Ruby's hand and shook her head.
"Hazel I-" But she was cut off by the Scottish woman.
"Hazel Wood!" The woman said.
Hazel took one last look at Ruby before walking up to the stool. The whole situation had left Ruby hurt.
"But I didn't make the girls up.." Ruby whispered scuffing her feet and looking at the ground.
"SLYTHERIN" The sorting hat bellowed.
Loud cheers and applause was heard from the Slytherin table. Especially from Stella and Draco.
"And finally, MISS RUBY WOOD!" The Scottish woman yelled over the dying applause.
Many murmurs could be heard from everyone. Ruby could make out a few.
"We all know she's gonna be a Slytherin too."
"Yeah, they must be evil, working for you-know-who I suppose."
Ruby was left confused as she walked up to the stool. She sat down left alone with her thoughts.
"Why do they think I'm evil?" She thought to herself. Ruby had often thought of herself as rude and mean, but she had definitely never thought herself to be evil! Of course she was none of the sort. Ruby was one of the kindest, sweetest, most loving souls you would ever meet, and everyone seemed to think so too. Except for Ruby of course. Ruby would never see herself for how truly perfect she was. Just at that very moment the sorting hat was dropped onto Ruby's head. It slid down her forehead covering everything from her nose up. She giggled.
"Sorry about that." The sorting hat said. "A bit big for you, eh?" The sorting hat chuckled.
Ruby tried to say something, she really did. But all that managed to come out her mouth was a little squeak.
"Nervous are we my dear?" The sorting hat said.
This was followed by several "aww's" from the Hufflepuff table.
"Well let's see..." The sorting hat said. "Brave, yes... but also very kind. But where to put you..." The sorting hat paused for a few moments. "I see you are different from your sisters yes.."
Ruby's heart dropped. She had always been left out by her sisters. She was so much smaller then them. For once she wanted to be like them. That's all she really wanted after all. To be like her sisters.
"Please put me in Slytherin!" She thought.
"Ahhh, I see. You want to be just like your sisters don't you? A Slytherin like them. I see..."
"Yes, yes!" She thought. "That's exactly what I want!"
"Well. Slytherin is not the right house for you no.."
"NO!" She screamed and cried in her head. "Please..." She begged, however this time out loud. "Please, let me be with my sisters. I promise to try really hard! I can be hard working and determined! Just like all the other Slytherins! Please..." she reasoned.
She stopped and thought for a moment.
"Please don't send me home." She pleaded quietly.
"Send you home!? Send YOU home!? No, I don't think you understand. I see it all. I see it all here in your head. You would go well in any house you see. However, I think you would go exceptionally well in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff." The sorting hat said.
Roars of excitement could be heard from the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables.
"Now. I cannot decide whether to put you in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. I was thinking perhaps Gryffindor? Then you could be with your brother. Would you like that?"
Ruby shook her head.
"Ahh, I see." Said the sorting hat in a gentle tone. "Your afraid of loneliness. You've seen the boys your brother hangs out with. You don't think he'll want to talk to you or hang out with you. Because your not like them. You don't think your brave enough to be with them do you?"
His words seemed to get to Ruby. No one had ever understood her before. Suddenly she didn't want to leave this strange hat. She wanted to stay with him.
"I think you would be an excellent Hufflepuff, I really do. However I think under circumstances, I shall place you in.... GRYFFINDOR!"
Many cheers could be heard from the Gryffindor table. Followed by applause. The Scottish woman came and took the sorting hat off of Ruby's head. She looked at Ruby and saw the tears rolling down her face.
"Why, what's wrong dear?" The woman said.
That was when Ruby realised she was crying. She quickly wiped her tears away.
"N- nothing." Ruby lied.
She walked away down past the stool, down towards the Gryffindor table, when suddenly somebody picked her up. It was Oliver.
"Rubes..." He began.
Ruby didn't feel like talking though. She simply wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in the croon of his neck. Oliver was a tall boy, 6'1. He had pale skin, brown hair and brown eyes. He was always very kind to Ruby. Out of all his sisters, he was closest with her.
"Rubes, stay with me." Oliver continued. "Please. I want you to. I really do. And so do the boys, trust me. Lee's excited to meet you by the way. And the twins are very fond of you already. They've been telling me all about their prank ideas and they said they can't wait to hear yours. I love you."
This made Ruby smile. She loved her brother with all her heart after all. Oliver placed Ruby down and bent down to give her a kiss on the forehead.
"I love you too Oli." Ruby said.
"Now, let's go. I'll introduce you to some more Gryffindors."
"I'd like that."
Oliver grabbed her hand and led her to the table.
"Heyyyyy"
"Hey Ruby how's it goinggggggg?" One of the the twins said bumping his elbow against her arm.
Once again Ruby tried to speak, but she found she couldn't. And once again, she let out a little squeak. Then she grabbed onto her brother.
Oliver laughed. "Don't be shy Ruby! It's only Fred and George. Oh! And I must show you how to tell them apart. Ruby will get it right every time once I tell her. She's really good with telling the difference between twins actually. So that's Fred." He said pointing to the boy on her left. "And that's George." He said pointing to the boy who had just nudged her. "Fred's slightly taller then George too."
Ruby took a good look at the two boys. She noticed that George looked at her differently to Fred. Fred looked at her like all the other boys did. But George, he looked at her differently. Not in a mean way. Just... differently.
"Here. Come sit down. I promise I won't hurt you." George said.
He patted the part of the bench next to him. Ruby sat down next to George. When she sat next to him she suddenly realised how cold she was. She started to shiver. George looked at her with a concerned look in his eyes.
"You alright there Rubes?" He asked putting his closest arm to her around her.
She leaned into his arms before nodding.
"Oh, sorry. Is it alright if I call you Rubes?"
Ruby was starting to like this boy. He was nice. Really nice actually. In fact she thought this so much that she accidentally blurted it out.
"You're really nice." She said without realising.
There was a brief moment of silence between them.
"Stop blushing will you George! She's my sister!" Oliver said.
"Ooooooooo, Georgie's got a crushhhhhhhhhh!" Fred teased.
Ruby looked up at George. She knew he didn't like her. At least not like that anyways. She would of said something but she found herself too comfortable in his arms.
"I- I don't. She's just cold. I'm warming her up that's all! So mind your own business will you?" George said to the boys. "Sorry about them." He whispered down at her. "I don't like you like that! Well I mean, your pretty, really pretty and nice and- I mean what's not to like!" His face turned red when he realised what he had just said. "I- I'll shut up now."
He turned his head away looking embarrassed. Ruby didn't mind though. I mean she had accidentally blurted out that she thought he was nice, so I guess they were in the same boat. This time Ruby managed to get her words out.
"Thanks. Your not so bad yourself Weasley." She said with a laugh.
George looked at her again blushing.
"STOP!" Oliver shouted at them. "I DON'T WANT YOU HITTING ON MY SISTER WEASLEY. LET GO OF HER NOW. IF SHE'S COLD THEN I'LL WARM HER UP. YOU CAN PISS OFF."
George let go of Ruby and apologised.
"Oooooo somebody's being a bit over protective aren't theyyy?" Fred said in a teasing tone.
Oliver took one look at Fred and said:
"You weren't there when Noah cheated on her though were you." He said giving Fred a bit of a growl.
These words broke Ruby's heart. Her ex boyfriend Noah had recently cheated on her with some girl named Lucy. She had been dating him since she was 13. Almost 2 years thrown down the drain! Ruby stood up and ran out of the hall. She didn't want to be caught crying anyways. Hazel and Stella saw this and followed her out of the hall.
"Ruby!" Stella shouted after her.
"Ruby, wait! We can talk about this!" Hazel said.
But Ruby didn't feel like talking. She just wanted to be alone. Everything had gone wrong. So she ran and she ran and she ran. She had absolutely no idea where she was, but she knew she had to find somewhere safe. Somewhere nobody else would find her. She ran up stairs, down corridors and through open doors. She kept running and running and running until she slipped on a puddle of water. She slid on her stomach down a corridor and crashed into a wall.
"Owww" She said rubbing the left side of her face.
She stood up. She couldn't see where she was, as the room was pitch black.
"Yes! This is perfect! Nobody will find me here!" She said excitedly.
So she stood up and walked with her hands in front of her. She could hear wind rustling outside the room. Her hands hit the cold rock walls.
*crack*
"W- what was that?" Ruby asked starting to get scared.
*crack*
"Oh no." Ruby said.
She could sense something above her head. Something big, and it was about to fall. Ruby was freaking out.
"What do I do!?" She asked herself frantically.
"Uhhh... HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!" She yelled banging her little fists against the wall.
*smash*
Whatever had been above her head was no longer there. It was on the floor. And underneath it? Ruby. Underneath the object lay Ruby's bruised and battered unconscious body.