𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 ➣ 𝐵𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

[CHAPTER FIVE]

However, none of Dawn's wild thoughts came true as a rip opened up at the bottom of the hat, and much to her surprise it started singing.

Old and ugly I may be,
I'm much more than you can see,
From the head of Godric Gryffindor,
Compared with any other hat I know more,
Plucked from my comfortable perch,
I was given the task of the search,
Through who you are and what you're made of,
To see which house you'll come to love.
Loyal Gryffindor, the red lions den,
May be where we find you then,
If chivalry and bravery are what make you you.
Or suited better, maybe Ravenclaw,
Where you'll succeed for sure,
Surrounded by those of wit and learning in blue.
Or Slytherin, those in green,
The snakes may be where you'll be seen,
If you like cunning and ambition too.
Or yet again, the badgers of Hufflepuff,
May be where you strut your stuff,
Where hard work and patience reign true.
Any of these gracious four would be swell,
Who's founders I knew so well,
Try me on to see how I fit,
So I can tell you where to sit.

The hall erupted into applause, though Dawn could only bring herself to shiver. The hat bowed to each of the four tables and became incredibly still once again. Dawn could have sworn she had imagined it if she didn't see Bill staring at it in surprise. His parents had obviously kept the sorting a secret from him as well. Dawn tried to imagine why this was the one thing her mum and dad had never explained to her. Once the clapping had died down Professor McGonagall stepped out again. She held a thick roll of parchment paper in both hands, that she began to unravel when she had everyone's attention.

"As I call your name you will step forward, sit on the stool, and put on the hat," she instructed shortly, not seeming to care about the way the first years shuffled. Was that all the instructions they were going to get? "Adams, Bruce."

A boy stepped forward from the front row and took a deep breath. He walked towards the stool, and lifted up the hat, sitting down and placing it over his head. It fell down into his eyes, but he didn't try to push it back up.

Dawn wasn't sure what was happening, but for almost a minute the boy sat on the stool and waited.

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat yelled at last. The table from the left cheered and clapped, and Bruce happily walked over to them. Mason grinned.

"Ainsley, Eilidh."

As the girl walked up to the stool, Dawn began panicking. She had suddenly realised that the sorting went in alphabetical order, and she was sure to be one of the next people called up. Her legs had never felt more jelly-like, and the floor kept lunging up at her. She steadied herself with deep breaths and stared up at the ceiling.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The far right table cheered, and Dawn looked over to see Ben greeting the new student.

"Alton, Elizabeth."

Dawn almost refused to go up, but she knew in the logical part of her brain knew that that would keep the attention on her for longer, so she parted the people in front of her and walked to the stool. Her nerves were so great that she didn't even register that everyone would now know her as Elizabeth instead of Dawn, nor did she notice the hushed whispers that followed her up to the stool.

She sat down, and the hat slid down her face to rest on her nose, and she shivered again. She balled her hands.

"Oh, an Alton. You have quite the scattered family. Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. I ought to put you into Hufflepuff just to even it out." Dawn bit her tongue. The hat was talking inside her brain. "Oh, yes I am. I'm not sure which enchantment it is - oh no it's definitely not that one. Can we get back to the point please?"