The Heiress of Slytherin || Fred Weasley Love Story

IV

The Great Hall was probably the second most magnificent thing Dez had ever seen, aside from Hogwarts itself. It was brightly lit and had thousands of twinkling candles floating in midair above their heads twenty feet up. There were four long tables aligned in a row upon entering, and one long table horizontally placed at the very end of the hall. The four tables aligned in a row were filled with excited, chattering students who had been apparently waiting for Professor McGonagall, as they all quieted down when she entered.

Dez walked without making eye-contact with anyone, as Professor McGonagall led her to the table on the far right which she assumed were the Slytherins. The room was eerily silent, and Dez knew that all eyes were on her.

"Ah, Mr. Bole," said McGonagall as she approached a skinny, blonde boy. "This is Desdemona Jones and she is the newest member of Slytherin House. I trust you will make her feel at home. Desdemona -"

"Dez," she corrected.

"This is Lucian Bole. He is your House Prefect. If you have any questions or require any assistance, he will be able to help you."

"Nice to meet you," said Lucian as he reached out his hand. She returned the gesture as shook his hand.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I must begin the Sorting Ceremony."

Lucian scooted over and made room on the bench so Dez could sit. She felt relieved once she was seated and was now on the same level as the rest of the students.

She watched as Professor McGonagall bustled over towards a three-legged stool that was perched front and center of the room. She hadn't even noticed the group of first year students that had been crowded around it waiting to be sorted.

"Are you a transfer?" asked a dark-haired boy who was sitting on the other side of Dez. She did not fail to notice how handsome he was. "Hogwarts doesn't get many of those."

Dez shook her head. "No, I'm technically a first year, but I'm sixteen."

She ignored the same befuddled expressions that everyone gave her once she told them that, and focused her attention to the Sorting Ceremony which had begun. The Sorting Hat was placed atop the rickety stool and Dez's eyes widened in surprise when it broke out into song.

A thousand years or more ago

When I was newly sewn

There lived four wizards of renown

Whose names are still well known:

Bold Gryffindor, from wild and moor

Fair Ravenclaw, from glen

Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad

Shrewd Slytherin, from fin.

They shared a wish, a hope, a dream

They hatched a daring plan

To educate young sorcerer's

Thus Hogwarts School began

Now each of these four founders

Formed their own house, for each

Did value different virtues

In the ones they had to teach.

By Gryffindor, the bravest were

Prized far beyond the rest;

For Ravenclaw, the cleverest

Would always be the best;

For Hufflepuff, hard workers were