The Black Queen | F. Weasley

3. The sorting

Well fuck, Salem thought as she saw all the students sitting at the tables in the Great Hall.

If her uncle Remus could hear her thoughts right now she would reprimanded, even though he was the one to teach her such curse words.

Her eyes took in the floating candles, the enchanted ceiling that looked like the sky, the tables that seemed to never end, the hourglasses which were used for keeping score of which house owned the most housepoints and the teachers. She felt the burn of a glare at the side of her head and looked in the direction of a professor with sleek, black hair and a crooked nose.

I'm three seconds inside this castle and already someone hates me, great... Surely there is a medal I should get for that.

Salem looked up when she heard rustling parchment. Professor McGonagall held the roll of parchment on which the names were scribbled in front of her.

"Axwell, Laura!"

A girl with dark blond hair and cute freckles scattered across her nose walked up to the stool that was placed next to professor McGonagall and sat down. The sorting hat was placed on her head and it was very quiet for a few seconds before the hat yelled:

"Hufflepuff!"

The table on the far right clapped and cheered as Laura Axwell went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.

A couple of other students were sorted in Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Salem had a feeling that her name could be called any second now.

"Black, Salem!"

She hadn't expected to be called to the front that fast though. She heard whispers filling the Great Hall as she walked to professor McGonagall and sat down on the stool. She could see all the tables clearly, the head of every student was turned to the front, to her. The sorting hat was lowered over her head and sunk even lower until she couldn't see the tables with their students anymore.

A voice, a low whisper filled her ear.

"Aah, a Black. It's a long time ago I had the pleasure to sort a Black into a house," the voice said.

Salem swallowed loudly, afraid of what was to come.

"You certainly have traits and skills that would make you do well in Slytherin, you would follow in your father's footsteps."

Please not Slytherin, I don't want to be sorted in Slytherin. Anything but Slytherin, Salem thought and squeezed her eyes shut.

"You don't want to be sorted into Slytherin? But they can teach you great things there."

Salem shook her head while thinking 'no' at the same time.

"Well, if you're absolutely sure... Then I know somewhere else I'm going to place you."

I'm absolutely sure, please not Slytherin, please.

She felt the hat move, it opened its mouth and yelled loudly:

"Gryffindor!"

The table on the far table cheered and clapped the loudest of the four and she skipped happily to her house getting welcomed by a boy who looked similar to Fred and George with equally red hair.

"Hi! I'm Charlie Weasley, I'm in my sixth year," he held out his hand to her which was covered in blisters and scars. She took his hand and smiled brightly.

"Hi, I'm Salem. Are you perhaps related to Fred and George?"

He chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, I'm their older brother, you'll see a lot of us around here. That guy over there is Percy, he's also a younger brother of mine. Bill just graduated last year and Ron and Ginny have to wait a few more years before they can attend Hogwarts."