Never • The Lost Daughter | A Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter 3 - Sorting Hat

"Anne Wallis," Professor McGonagall called out.

I felt cold sweat on my palms as I was walking up the steps. I'd wished for a bit more time, a few more names to calm myself down.

"Hmm, well, that's a smart girl. Wise like a Ravenclaw! Yes, I think that you really are the wisest person I have ever sorted in years. Almost, as smart as Helena Ravenclaw, Rowena's daughter. But is that bravery I see there? Is that a need to make your own future? Oh, now, I'm split. Gryffindor would suit you as well. Oh! Another funny aspect. Look at this talent! Are these special abilities? Slytherin would be proud to have such talent. And yet I do see some traces of loyalty. A Hufflepuff at heart. Oh, me! I haven't been this confused in years! And what say you, dear girl?"

'I suppose you can make the right choice yourself.' I thought silently. 

"How odd! No one has passed up the opportunity to choose his own house before! How wise. And what about your parents, girl?"

"My parents are not wizards," I whispered.

"How strange. I would bet everything they were in Slytherin. Let me make a choice, then. This wisdom should not be ignored. RAVENCLAW!"

I didn't know why but I was surely satisfied with that. As he said Ravenclaw was for the smart and intelligent ones. I was happy with the idea that I was the most intelligent girl the sorting hat had seen in years. 

"But be careful, young Wallis," said the hat loudly. "Nothing good comes from quick and bold choices. Wisdom flows and so must you."

In my fear of looking awkward in the middle of the hall, I stepped back quickly without saying a thing. At the time, I couldn't but ignore the hat's words. Later, I would think about them thoroughly but couldn't quite get the meaning of them.

The black worn lady pointed at me where the Ravenclaw table was.

I sat down and waited to meet my classmates. I can recall that Harry Potter was put in Gryffindor and Draco Malfoy, the sad boy, was put in Slytherin. After five minutes it was Luna's turn and I was so happy to realize that she was sorted in Ravenclaw, too!

After the sorting ceremony, it was time for the feast and it was the perfect opportunity to get to know my schoolmates. I got seated next to a third-year. 

"Jack, by which criteria were we sorted? I mean, does each house represent something?"

"Let me tell you: Gryffindor is for the brave ones, or as I always say, the talented ones, Hufflepuff is for the loyal ones, or as I say, the leftovers," - well, that's offensive - "and Ravenclaw - that's us - is for the smart ones, or as I say, the cool ones." he laughed. He couldn't think I didn't notice that he only mentioned three of the houses, of course.

"And Slytherin?"

"Slytherin? Well, they are supposed to be the ones that are like Gryffindor - talented - but not brave." I looked at him like I was not satisfied with his answer. "Or as everyone except the Slytherin ones say, the bad ones, the rich ones, the bully ones and of course the pureblood ones."

"Pureblood?"

"They are basically those who don't have muggleborns or half-bloods for parents or grandparents. The most traditional families try to avoid mixing with people that have any muggle blood in their family tree."

"And what about the ones that have muggle parents?" Like me...

"They are the muggleborns," he hesitated like he didn't want to say the word but there was no hate in his voice. "Or more often referred from the Slytherins as the... hm... the..." he cleared his throat. "Mudbloods... But let's not use this word again..." he whispered.