Shades of Grey

Three Words

“Now, make sure you get sorted into Ravenclaw, darling. You have to carry on the family name!” Aurora’s mother said before kissing her cheek and giving her a little push towards the Hogwarts Express. Aurora stared up at it curiously before waving goodbye to her parents and stepping aboard. Her senses were overwhelmed with the noise, the chatter, and the bodies that were crowding the corridors, waving to their families out of the train windows.

“Are you a first year?” A voice asked. Aurora turned to see a boy with dark hair watching her. He had round cheeks, as though he hadn’t yet lost his baby face, and he was already wearing his Hogwarts robes. Aurora couldn’t find her voice, so she settled for a nod.

“So am I. I’m Liam, by the way. Liam Dorsey.” He extended a hand and she shook it slowly.

“Do you have a name?” He asked her now, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

“Yes.” She choked out, as someone pushed past her and the train began to move.

“Well, let’s find a seat.” Liam said authoritatively. Aurora let him lead her into one of the empty compartments. It felt natural to let someone else take the lead.

“So, are you going to tell me your name?”

“Aurora. Finch.” She said quietly, pulling at the ends of her hair. Liam stared at her for a long moment before leaning against his seat, crossing his arms over his chest and grinning.

“What house are you going to be in?” He asked her now. She bit her lip for a moment before answering.

“Well, my whole family was in Ravenclaw. They really want me to be in Ravenclaw.” She let her eyes rest on the ground.

“I’m going to be in Gryffindor, where the brave people get put.” Aurora wished she was brave.

“You don’t sound like you want to be in Ravenclaw.” Liam observed.

“I have to. My parents told me so.”

“That’s bogus. My parents told me I could be in whatever house I wanted to. My mum was a Hufflepuff, my dad was a Ravenclaw.” He grinned, and she looked up at last. What was he saying? She didn’t have to be in Ravenclaw?

They made small talk on the way to the school, and he led her over to the boats that the first years took across the lake. All her life, her parents had told her what to do. What to wear. What to listen to. What to believe. When she got to Hogwarts, she was to be in Ravenclaw. She was to befriend Ravenclaws. She was to study history. She didn’t want to study history. She wanted to be friends with this new boy she’d met, Liam.

“Do you want to get a boat together?” Liam asked her. He was giving her a choice? It was unheard of.

“Yes.” She smiled. As they crossed the lake, her stomach was a bundle of nerves. What if she got sorted somewhere other than Ravenclaw? Her parents would surely be angry with her. She would let them down. But oh, how she wanted to be brave!

Professor McGonagall greeted them and led them to the sorting. Aurora waited as the sorting proceeded, smiling as Liam’s name was called.

“Dorsey, Liam.” Professor McGonagall called. He turned to her before leaving, his voice a whisper.

“You have a choice.” He smiled before walking down the hall with a confidence she knew nothing of. The hat had barely sat upon his head for a minute before it sorted him into Gryffindor, and he stood with a wide smile, joining the table.