invisible string! → ron weasley

i. the sorting

"I'm Dean—Dean Thomas," said the boy. He relaxed ever so slightly, and Kates found comfort in knowing she played a role in that.

"Have you spent much time around magic?" That, Aunt Jackie told her, was the best way to ask. It wasn't that she cared what his blood status was—though hacking off her parents by befriending a muggle-born would bring her great joy—she was just genuinely curious as to whether he was new to the world or not.

"Not yet," he told her, leaning back in his seat and resting an arm on his rucksack. "My mum's a...what's it called again? Someone without magic?" Kates couldn't help but smile.

"A muggle," she replied helpfully. Her smile must have been contagious, because he donned one as well.

"Yeah, a muggle. Diagon Alley's the only magical place I've seen before—well, besides here, of course. What about you?" Her smile faltered, but didn't fall completely. She allowed her posture to relax and leaned back in her own seat.

"My family has magical blood as far back as we know. They pride themselves on it." She paused and sighed. "I personally think they're full of rubbish." With that, she donned the faintest of mischievous smirks, and Dean grinned back at her. They fell into a comfortable silence, though it was brief.

Kates noticed another boy around her age standing outside their compartment, looking around as if he was trying to decide which one to enter. She glanced at her small watch; the train was going to be leaving in less than ten minutes. Most compartments were probably nearing capacity, if not full already.

"We've got room in here, if you want to join us," she called to him, her welcoming smile naturally returning to her lips. He hesitated, looked back and forth between her and Dean, then shrugged and walked in, sitting next to Dean and across from her.

"Thanks," he said, wearing a bit of a smile of his own. "You two first years?"

"Sure are," she replied. "That's Dean, I'm Katherine, but my friends call me Kates." She felt Dean's gaze fall upon her, and she had a feeling he was starting to see through her practiced line, but for some reason she was all right with that.

"I'm Seamus," said the new boy, leaning against the window. He reached into his rucksack, pulled out a deck of cards, and flashed a grin at them. "Either 'a you ever play Exploding Snap?"

It was as they started playing that Kates got a strange but welcome feeling. Even though they barely knew each other, they were all evidently comfortable being together. She and Seamus taught Dean how to play Exploding Snap, then he took out a deck of muggle cards and taught them how to play some muggle games. They talked and laughed and got to know each other, and that strange but welcome feeling stuck with her the whole time. Something told her the two boys weren't going anywhere any time soon, and she liked that.

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HOGWARTS WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE Kates had ever seen, she was certain of it. Even from the outside it looked cozier than Kinley Manor, and even in the dark she could see that the grounds surrounding it were gorgeous. She couldn't wait to explore the castle and find her favorite spots. Hopefully her common room would be one of them, assuming she didn't wind up in Slytherin.

She wasn't scared of being a Slytherin—Aunt Jackie was a Slytherin, after all, so she knew they weren't all bad. What she was scared of was being closer to her brother and the "world" their parents wanted to force her into. She'd be around him and his friends, not to mention her incredibly annoying cousin Draco—because there was no doubt he'd be sent there, too. She'd much rather wind up in...well, any of the other houses, really.

"There wasn't a wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin," a voice from beside her remarked, bringing her back to the present. The group of first years had entered the castle and were nearly at the Great Hall, and as Kates turned to see who had spoken she saw a red-haired boy speaking to a brunette boy with glasses.

"There were many good ones, too," she told the first boy, speaking loud enough to get his attention. She spoke out of instinct more than anything else, and hadn't even really realized she said anything until he turned to her. The group was slowing to a stop, allowing him to face her properly.

"In Slytherin? Name one," he challenged. Kates snuck a glance at Dean and Seamus, who exchanged a glance of their own and shrugged noncommittally. Then, with a burst of confidence, she faced the redhead again, crossing her arms over her chest.

"My Aunt, for one. She's one of the best people I know. Then, of course, you're aware Merlin was a Slytherin too, aren't you?" His face flushed, and she had a feeling he hadn't known—or had at least forgotten—that fact. His friend stifled a laugh behind his hand.

"Who are you, anyway?" the redhead asked, but he didn't sound nearly as mean as he was probably trying to. He sounded more genuinely curious than anything, which made Kates feel as if she had accomplished something, no matter how small that accomplishment was.

"Katherine Kinley, but my friends call me Kates." That time Dean smiled from beside her, and she had a feeling Seamus was catching on, too—especially since she had told the pair of them she hadn't had any friends growing up. As it turned out, she hadn't been so alone in that.

"Ron Weasley," he replied. "So we're friends, then?"

"Are we?" she retorted. The boy, Ron, opened his mouth to say something, then decided against it and shook his head, facing his friend once more. Kates couldn't help but smile.

After a few minutes, they were led into the Great Hall by the formidable yet kind Professor McGonagall. They stopped in a crowd at the front of the hall and the Sorting Hat was introduced. Kates watched with polite interest, but as the Sorting began, her stomach began to twist as her nerves got the better of her.

She hadn't been nervous earlier, but with the whole school watching the Sorting (with varied amounts of interest, but still), she couldn't help but worry. Her brother would be watching, and her parents would hear about it as soon as he could write a letter about it, surely. What would they do if she was sorted into Gryffindor or Hufflepuff? How would they react? And, if she was sorted into Ravenclaw or Slytherin, would they try even harder to pressure her into the life they wanted for her?

Seamus was sorted into Gryffindor. Kates applauded for him, and in spite of everything going on in her head she beamed at him as he went down to the Gryffindor table. As it turned out, that was precisely what she needed to ground herself. She looked around the Great Hall; she was safe at Hogwarts, she knew it. She had her new friends, and she'd surely make more, and she always had Aunt Jackie. She would be all right.

"Kinley, Katherine," called Professor McGonagall, reading her name from the piece of parchment she held in her hand. Several of her peers had been sorted already, and now it was her turn to learn of her fate. Whatever happened, she decided, she would make do. She was good at that.

Kates stepped up and sat on the stool, and she flinched as the Sorting Hat began to speak to her. It was an odd feeling, having a voice speak so clearly in her head.

"Ah!" the hat exclaimed in interest. "Another Kinley, but not one like the others I've come across. Your kindness and optimism always prevail, even in the darkest of times, but there is bravery too, yes, and a great deal of courage and nerve. Yes, I think I know just where to put you..." Kates held her breath, then the hat shouted for everyone to hear: "Gryffindor!"

She found herself beaming again as she left the hat behind and trotted over to join her new housemates. She slid onto the bench beside Seamus and across from a pretentious-looking girl with bushy hair she believed to be named Hermione. Seamus gave her a pat on the back and she shook hands with Hermione, and she was overcome with the feeling that, yes, her time at Hogwarts was going to be wonderful.

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