Black's Lost Daughter//A Harry Potter Love Story (Book One)

CHAPTER FOUR - THE SORTING CEREMONY

McGonagall placed a small wooden stool on the ground in front of the teachers. Atop of the seat, a ripped, frayed, dirty hat sat. "When I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will find out your houses." The Professor scanned her eyes over the students, a knowing smirk spreading across her face as she looked at some of them. Professor McGonagall called out for roughly ten students before calling for "Granger, Hermione" while glancing down at the paper and enunciating the name in a clear, loud voice.

Upon hearing her name, Hermione began walking forwards. Her hands clenched nervously into fists as she breathed deeply, trying to calm herself down whilst excitement bubbled in her chest. She practically ran to the seat, her heart pounding as she forced the hat onto her head and waited as the hat made its judgement. The hat muttered a few unrecognisable phrases before announcing his decision to the hall. "Gryffindor," his choice made the Gryffindor table go up in cheers. Ron groaned and rolled his eyes as Hermione happily skipped over to her new house.

McGonagall went through the list, the number of standing students dwindled until only a handful of people were left. Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe were all sorted into Slytherin. They were now sat with the rest of their house, spending their time smirking and glaring at the other students. Ron leaned over to Harry and whispered in his ear, "there isn't a witch or wizard who went to the bad side who wasn't in Slytherin." Harry shivered, his smile falling and his face becoming grave and ashen as he awaited his turn.

A few more minutes passed before Harry's name was called out, causing everyone to gasp and silence to fall upon the hall. Harry cautiously walked up to the stool, gently sitting down and grimacing as McGonagall placed the hat on his head. The hat immediately began muttering, "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes, and a thirst to prove yourself. Now that's interesting. Where shall I put you? Slytherin would be good for you." Harry remembered Ron's earlier words about that particular house and began quietly begging for something different, "Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that - no? Well, if you're sure - better be GRYFFINDOR." The small, hissing voice rose to a loud shout at the end of his thoughts, his voice echoing around the room as cheers erupted from the Gryffindor table and the other three houses sulked. Harry shakily stood up, placing the hat on the stool and walking over to his house, sitting beside Hermione with one of the twins on his other side.

After Harry finally came back to his senses, three children stood in front of the High Table, Ron, Hope, and an unknown boy. Ron went first, quickly being sorted into Gryffindor, causing him to relax as he walked over to his family. The unnamed boy went next, sitting on the seat with a sly smirk spread across his skin. 'Blaise Zabini' was then sorted into Slytherin, making his smirk spread as he strutted over to the Slytherin table. Hope was left alone in front of the teachers and students. She shrank into herself as she felt everyone's eyes judging her, her hands wrapped around her midriff, trying to protect herself from the stares.

McGonagall looked between the young girl and her list of names a few times before shaking her head and walking over to the teachers. Hope gulped in fear as she picked up a few phrases of their conversation, "not on the list", "how did she get here?". Finally a "just sort her" from Dumbledore was heard, which half worked at relaxing her but in all honesty, just made her more nervous. The conversation must have lasted at least five minutes before "Eliana Black" was called, and she finally made her way up the steps and onto the seat with the hat placed gently on her head. Harry looked up in shock as he had assumed her first name was Hope, and to learn otherwise felt like a betrayal to him, for some strange reason.

"Interesting. The heart and bravery of a Gryffindor. The loyalty and patience of a Hufflepuff. The wit and learning of a Ravenclaw. Yet also, the cunningness and the desire to achieve of a Slytherin." The hat spoke, his voice quiet and spitting in Hope's mind. He fell silent after this, causing Hope's heart to race and palpitate as the time stretched on. "I don't know what to do. Let the child pick where she goes," the hat finally shouted after almost four minutes of total silence. This one sentence made the entire school body, including the Professors, gasp loudly in shock as they glanced towards Dumbledore in confusion, for this had never happened in the thousand-year history of the school.