I Lived - Fred Weasley

The Sorting

"I know her!" Celeste quickly explains as Hermione rushes to the stool and jams the hat on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouts the hat.

The Malfoy girl jumps up and hollers for the Granger girl.

Hermione's eyes brighten when she sees Celeste. She dashes over and Celeste shoves Fred to the side to make room for the eleven-year-old girl.

"You're a–" Both girls begin at the same time, completely and happily surprised by the new information.

"Now I understand why you were so clueless about everything!" The brown-eyed first year realizes out loud.

Fred laughs and Celeste shoves him again. "Like you'd be any better!" She shoots at him before turning her attention back to Hermione.

"I'm guessing you already know more about Hogwarts than I do, though," the green-eyed girl smirks, remembering how studious the Granger girl was back when they met. "Honestly, 'thought you'd be in Ravenclaw."

"The Sorting Hat considered it, actually. But decided to place me in Gryffindor instead," the younger girl explains.

"You'll do great," Celeste smiles before both girls turn their attention back to the sorting.

Neville Longbottom is sorted into Gryffindor as well. Celeste whoops and cheers with the rest of her house, but feels a pain in her chest. She knows what her aunt did to his parents and can't help but feel a little guilty for being related to her.

Draco is placed in Slytherin. The Sorting Hat doesn't even touch his head before screaming it out. Celeste's brother shoots a smug expression her way before joining two, rather stupid-looking, boys (Crabbe and Goyle, if she remembers correctly from the pureblood gatherings).

"Potter, Harry!"

Whispers start circulating the hall, everybody craning to see him. His green eyes meet Celeste's just before the hat is placed over his head and the girl gives him an encouraging smile.

It takes a second, but the Sorting Hat finally decides.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

A deafening roar comes from the Gryffindor table and the twins start yelling. "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Celeste watches Percy stand up and vigorously shake poor Harry's hand.

The girl catches the black-haired boy's eye again and gives him a big smile and a thumbs up, not wanting to overwhelm him more, but also wanting to show her support.

Harry sits down across from Nearly Headless Nick and the ghost pats his arm, making the boy tense-up. Ghosts are freezing to touch. It's awful.

Ron gets sorted into Gryffindor as well and Celeste shrieks, "YEAH, RON!", earning a glare from the (now, very red) boy.

The feast continues and Celeste talks about all sorts of things with her friends. Her, Lee, Fred, and George are already cooking up their next prank. Much to Celeste and the twins' horror, Hermione meets Percy. Celeste loves Hermione. She doesn't mind Percy that much.

She might've disliked the boy if she were anyone else, but she simply can't. Percy, no matter how pompous and annoying, always treats her the same as the twins. So, rather poorly and with much scolding, but it is entirely without regard to her last name. Any hostility Celeste has gotten from Percy has been because of her own merit.

But, just because the Malfoy girl loves Hermione and is okay with Percy does not mean she ever wanted them to meet. The two are positively insufferable together, droning on and on about lessons.

Harry claps his hand to his forehead, looking at Snape. Percy handles the situation, but Celeste resolves to keep an eye on her Potions professor from now on. She never really liked that greaseball, anyway.

At the end of the feast, Dumbledore gives a few last-minute announcements. "...First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." His twinkling eyes flash to Celeste, George, and Fred, who smirk and high-five each other.

Hermione gives Celeste a look for this, possibly starting to wonder how good of an influence the blonde girl really is.

Dumbledore continues on to information regarding quidditch trials. Celeste and Lee smirk at each other, more than ready to resume their commentating careers.

"...And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

The third-year girl hears Harry laugh at this. She snorts at his reaction and immediately covers her mouth in slight embarrassment. Fred and George start snorting like pigs, making fun of her.

She reaches over an alarmed-looking Hermione and smacks Fred. Then she smacks George who is sitting right next to her on her other side.

To end the feast, the students all sing the Hogwarts anthem at their own pace and tune. George, Celeste, and Fred are the last ones singing a very slow funeral march version of the song.

Dumbledore conducts their last lines and everyone applauds. Celeste stands up and bows, earning some laughs and more applause.

After that, everyone goes to their dorms to get a good night's rest. And, as usual on the first night back, Celeste runs up to her dorm and conks right out, exhausted from her stay at home.