Dursleys Tale of Moons and Maps {1}

The Pride

"What house do you think you'll be sorted into?" a girl asked beside Lena and Dennis who immediately turned to see twin girls both gazed back with their brilliant blue eyes, the girl who spoke beamed bobbing on her heels making her tight dark curls bounce with her while the quieter girl avoided eye contact hiding behind her twisted hair. Lena shrugged, "I'm not sure. Do you know? What house you'll be in?"
"Our father was in Hufflepuff and our mother went to Uagadou so it's all up in the air for both of us" the girl nodded to her sister, "Dodie thinks she'll end up in Ravenclaw so maybe I'll go there"
"Please don't call me that in front of people..." her sister muttered in retort. "Sorry Dorothea" she elongated her sisters name like it was the most strenuous task she'd ever been given, then offered Lena and Dennis a smile once more, "I'm Della Shafiq-Okeke"
"I'm Lena and this is Dennis" Dennis reached out and offered Della a brisk and gentle hand shake which she gladly accepted. The three began to vigorously discuss the Hogwarts Housing system that Dennis and Lena had been told by Colin and Harry, Della was hanging onto every word. They surmised that Della would most likely be in Hufflepuff like her father, Dennis would be in Gryffindor like his brother and Lena, they couldn't exactly place her. Della offered, "You could be a Ravenclaw, you speak very proper for someone our age"
"There's definitely more to Ravenclaw than that, they're wise but also creative. Are you particularly creative Lena?" Dennis asked, Lena thought about her love for dance and finding creative ways to bug her family for those two years Harry was at school but decided that they would let the hat decide.

The prim and proper Professor McGonagall appeared before the students, now holding a scroll between her long fingers "Follow me students"Gobsmacked. Gobsmacked was the only word Lena could think of in the moments that those grand oak doors opened before them. Never before had she seen such beauty and magic in one room, floating candles burnt like a thousand suns, moving portraits on either walls behind them and in front of them; above it all was a beautiful night sky, reflecting the now calm scenery outside. Four elongated tables were at either side in pairs, one for each house she assumed. At the head of the hall were the teaching faculty, most importantly, Albus Dumbledore; the man who was known for his greatness and his intelligence. Lena in her wonder also noticed Professor Lupin who seemed to have noticed her fiery curls among the crowd and smiled politely; at the opposite end of the table to Lupin was another teacher who stared at her as Professor Lupin had, from a brief description via Harry, Lena deduced Professor Snape was staring her down in what looked to be shock. Confused, Lena turned her attention to the deputy headmistress who stood before a stool with a tattered old hat atop it.

So it began. The hat on the stool sang a song, too long for the young witch to remember, one by one students were sorted. The tables of students hollered in celebration at the new first years, it truly was as McGonagall had said 'your house will be like your family.' Lena turned behind to the Gryffindor table and saw many of the Weasleys, Hermione and Harry who gave her a thumbs up. McGonagall held up her list to her rectangular spectacles squinting once more, calling out "Creevey, Dennis" Dennis looked at Lena and Della anxiously hoisting Hagrid's coat with him onto the stool. He had been sat for no longer than a second before it shouted, "Gryffindor!!!"
The table jeered and grinned as Dennis, smiling back at Lena, sat beside his brother who clearly looked as concerned as she had when he'd fallen into the lake. "Dursley, Eileena" Lena froze, her heart skipped several beats as she headed towards the stool looking around at an expectant crowd of students all wondering what house she'd be in. Placing herself on the stool, McGonagall lowered that old hat onto Lena's way too small head and for a moment there was complete silence, until a voice croaked out of the only blackness, 'Hmm... Difficult, difficult, extremely so. You do not perceive yourself as belonging to any house. You indeed do, but not just one' Lena called back in her mind but it felt as if she was speaking aloud, "Why do I not belong in just one? Is there something wrong with me?"
'It simply means you have boundless potential in any house. Although one I see, your mind calls to it, roaring for it, Dursley. A kind, trusting heart, brave, cunning and smart. You belong in...'
It called out before Lena could even process what was happening, she beamed as she heard the hat roar "Gryffindor!" The table erupted with applause, the Weasley twins chanted her name and Harry hugged her tight as Lena sat between him and Dennis. Hermione grinned, "I'm glad you're here! Harry saved that spot for you!" Lena grinned at her cousin, "I got to look after my Rose"
"Thanks Jamie"
"Jamie?" Ron choked, "You nicknamed him using his middle name?"
"It's a common practice Ron" Lena giggled shaking her head as Fred leaned over muttering, "You should nickname Ron too! His middle name is Billius"
"No way! Billius? Of all things, I'm calling you Billie forever now!" Lena chuckled. The nickname, by the Gryffindor group's resounding laughter, had stuck and Ron simply sank into his chair as much as he could without falling off of it. Lena and Dennis turned to hear McGonagall calling "Shafiq-Okeke, Della" and an excitable Della practically leaped onto the stool and was promptly sorted into Gryffindor and sat beside Ginny further down the table. Her twin Dorothea was then sorted into Slytherin, which didn't effect her but everyone else began to look at her with a consoling expression. Both Della and Lena didn't understand the big deal about it until Ron pointed out, "Lots of bad witches and wizards were sorted into Slytherin. It has a reputation"
"I'm sure that the other houses have bad witches and wizards from them too, it can't be exclusively Slytherin. That would be stupid" Lena said rather harshly, making Ron go red in the cheeks from the embarrassment, "She's taking over Hermione's job of telling Ron off! I'm soo glad you're in Gryffindor!" George snickered, earning a look from Hermione.

Everyone went silent as students rose and went to the front of the hall, hauling the most enormous toads Lena had ever seen. "What in Merlin's name?" Dennis hissed, Lena nodded in agreement as Hermione leaned over and whispered, "It's the Frog Choir. Don't worry there's a regular choir too if you don't like holding those giant frogs"
"It's definitely not on my list of things to do for my first year" Della commented earning a giggle from Lena and her new friends. After the rather interesting song performed by the choir, Dumbledore rose to his feet and took his place in front of his podium and looked as though he were about to whisper to the crowd of students but a booming voice echoed to the back of the stone hall, "Welcome all to another year at Hogwarts!"
He spoke with an air of importance and something Lena couldn't quite place yet, "I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce before we all become too befuddled by the excellent feast. Firstly I would like to introduce Professor R J Lupin who will be joining our staff as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Good luck Professor" Lupin stood humbly lowering himself into a slight bow as the students clapped for him, Lena heard Hermione telling Harry that's why he knew to give us all chocolate in the train. A snide voice crooned from the table beside Gryffindor, "Potter! Potter! Is it true you fainted?" Another student mockingly fainted, "I mean you actually fainted?"
"Piss off Malfoy." The blonde boy Draco Malfoy, who Lena had previously heard about, merely sneered; turning back towards his fellow Slytherins. Lena spotted Dorothea sat next to a boy who looked suspiciously like Draco, both looked up towards Lena and the boy winked which made her blush a bit.

Dumbledore continued, Hagrid had been given the job as Care of Magical creatures teacher which earned him a huge round of applause including hollers and whistling from mainly the Gryffindor table. "On a more serious note, as required by the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts will until further notice play host to the Dementors of Azkaban. Until such a time that Sirius Black is captured" students muttered between themselves about the Dementors and Sirius Black, Lena and her friends exchange worries glances between each other; remembering the train ride and the chilling cold they felt as the Dementors came aboard.
Once the headmaster had throughly warned the students to stay out of these creatures way, he completely changed his demeanour back to a more jovial and wistful one as he announced, "Let the feast begin!" the silver plates before them that had remained empty since Lena had sat down, now filled to the brim with assortments of meat, vegetables, sauces and other food groups. She couldn't help but think that she was dreaming as she turned toward Harry and then Dennis in disbelief, "I love magic!"
"This is every night so you'd better get used to eating a lot more than at home" Harry said pointedly, the two cousins smiled lightly at each other before turning to the piles of food in front of them. Lena felt as though her tastebuds were on fire with the explosion of tastes she experienced during her first hearty meal at Hogwarts. Della, Dennis and herself had formed a mini huddle later in the feast glancing over at Della's twin who barely looked up passed her fork and a pang hit Lena in the chest, "I feel bad that she's by herself over there"
"I'm sure she'll be fine! Besides she's always been the mysterious, silent type even when we were living in Nigeria full time"
"And you'll talk to her won't you?" Dennis injected, earning an 'obviously' look from Della who rolled her lips letting out a long huff before they turned back to finish off their plates.

Students climbed to their feet as the hall began to empty out for the evening, Harry Ron and Hermione wanted to congratulate Hagrid on his appointment as a teacher before bed insisting that Lena come and say hi, but she thought it was best to get settled in first. They were escorted through the castle by Angelina Johnson, who took them through and up the moving staircases passed the moving portraits that fascinated Lena until they arrived at the Gryffindor common room. It was everything she had imagined, warm and inviting rugs covering almost every inch of stone floor and a giant tapestry covering majority of the wall space with the grand fireplace in the middle of it, surrounded by lounge chairs and variety of tables and chairs. "We are going to have soo much fun here!" Della squeaked, Lena nudged her fondly, "This feels like home"
"What are we waiting for let's go and see our dorm!!" The girls all seemed to rally heading for the staircase headed upwards to an old oak door covered in initials and stickers that had clearly been attached with magic; they pushed passed the door to see six poster beds with many pets lurking around them. Lena sprinted for her bed seeing August purring on the scarlet sheets, "Oh come here you!" She said picking up her cat lovingly, "This is August! August meet Della!"
"Aw! Hi August!" Della placed her hand gently on August's head which made her purr in response, "I think she likes me"
"Who doesn't?" The girls giggled and stayed up all night talking until their eyes couldn't stay open anymore. As Lena drifted in an out of sleep, she swore she felt a hand graze her cheek and whisper, "Sweet dreams, my pup."