Finding The Light

The Sorting (Edited)

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat, and the table she went to cheered loudly.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!" they cheered as well.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first Gryffindor and their cheers practically shook the hall. "Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin – it was the first time i'd seen the Slytherins cheer. And she was followed by "Crabbe, Vincent."

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Finnigan, Seamus," went to Gryffindor. "Goyle, Gregory," went to Slytherin and "Granger, Hermione," joined Gryffindor as well which made Ron groan. "Greengrass Daphne," joined Slytherin, and then Neville was called up. He went to Gryffindor with the hat still on his head and had to go give it back.

"MacDougal, Morag," went to Hufflepuff and then Malfoy swaggered up on his name, the hat wasn't even lowered before he was sent to Slytherin. "Moon, Penny," "Nott, Theodore," and "Parkinson, Pansy" all went to Slytherin; then Patil twins got separated between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. "Perks, Sally Anne" went to Ravenclaw and then Harry was called.

The whole hall burst into whispers and Ron and i had to shove Harry towards the stairs. He was under the hat for five whole minutes until he was sent to Gryffindor and took a seat next to Hermione and Neville.

"Sparrow, Belle!"

I gave Ron a nervous look before taking my seat up on the stool, eyes flickering over to Harry before the hat covered them.

"I knew the second you sat down where to put you," the hat told me in my mind "But i'll admit i was curious, and for this old hat nothing ever surprises me. But you my dear, you are definitely worth a little look. Unlike your parents you have the attributes of all houses, which would normally make me rethink my choice, but i stand by my immediate selection."

"SLYTHERIN!" it yelled for the hall to hear.

Ron and Harry looked like they had just watched me die, and i gave them a terrified look of my own before heading toward the green and silver table that cheered, trying not to be sick. I sat at the end, well away from everyone else and dropped my head into my hands. 

Well, at least Daniel would be pleased. Me on the other hand . . . i was going to go through hell.

The sorting finished after Ron and "Thomas, Dean" went to Gryffindor, "Turpin Lisa" to Ravenclaw and "Zabini Blaise" to Slytherin.

The food materialised out of nowhere littering the table, but i couldn't bring myself to eat anything. Everyone around me was talking loudly, across the hall i could see Harry and Ron giving me worried looks – i actually expected glares. 

Taking a glance at the Teacher's table, i noticed most were in conversation or eating but Dumbledore caught my eye. He gave me a smile, eyes twinkling and gestured for me to eat something.

I picked at the food, managing more desert than proper stuff and kept my head down, refusing to talk to anyone. When the meal ended Dumbledore gave a speech, everyone sang a song which made my ears ring, and then a Slytherin boy and girl in their fifth years led us down into the 'Dungeons' to our common room.

The room itself was massive, with a greenish glow due to being partially under the lake – or so the prefect said. It was comfortable but oddly cold with lots of low backed black and dark green leather sofas; skulls; and dark wood cupboards. The dormitories went down a level, deeper for every year and out even further under the lake.

Us first years were only one floor down, and there were three rooms each for the boys and three rooms for the girls. Luckily, they had already been split between us and while Pansy and Millicent shared one and Daphne and Penny shared another, i got the third all to myself.

I was up early the next morning and after a quick shower in nice hot water, i dressed, filled my bag with what i needed and hurried down to the great hall. I was one of the first down there, along with Harry and Ron so i approached them quickly, not caring about the odd Slytherin shooting me a glare and dropped across from the boys with a huff.

"That hat must be senile!" i exclaimed, not caring for their surprised faces, "I mean, seriously how does someone who was raised by muggles become one of – one of those?!"

"It was weird," Harry shrugged, "You don't seem anything like the rest of your house."

"Yeah, the house was gonna put Harry there too," Ron stated, "Luckily he managed to convince it not to."

"You can convince it?" i asked, "God dammit! Why did I not think of that?! Now i'm stuck with those snobs!"

"Those snobs are glaring at you," Harry said worriedly.

"Who cares," i waved it off, then gave them my wide eyed innocent look, "Unless you guys don't wanna be friends anymore?"

"Don't be stupid!" they told me at the same time, and i gave them a relieved smile, helping myself to some breakfast.

"Cool, so I'll just sit here for meals and stuff, that okay?"

"Miss Sparrow, is it?"

We all jerked round to look at McGonagall who was peering at me through her glasses. I pulled the toast away from my open mouth nervously.

"Y-yes ma'am?"

"I was asked to give you your timetable by your head of house," she held out a piece of paper to me, before handing Ron and Harry theirs, "Due to your unusual choices of seating."

"Is there a rule about me sitting with Gryffindor?" i asked worriedly, "Because no offence but they-" i jerked my thumb a the Slytherin table, "-only talk about pure blood and really nasty things and i'm quite happy keeping my fine looking muggle-born self on this bench right here."

"It's perfectly fine," McGonagall gave me an odd smile, "You'll find your timetable already matches up to those in Gryffindor. Professor Dumbledore suggested you may be more comfortable that way."

"Oh um, please tell him Thank you for me," i smiled and watched the woman walk away, before grinning cheekily at Ron and Harry who were trying to find words and failing.

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