Shifted: Book One

Chapter Four - Lion Cub

It was 8:30pm, all the students and teachers of Hogwarts were joined together in the Great Hall for a belated sorting ceremony. It was finally time for Hazel to be sorted. The hall was lit with thousands of floating, golden candles and the ceiling was a navy night sky with millions of tiny white specks impersonating the stars. The hall was crowded with long, wooden tables that stretched from one end of the room to the other, with hundreds of students sat down tucking into a late night dinner. Their tables were stacked with thousands of plates holding thousands of different foods to satisfy everyone's cravings; golden chicken wings, stuffed sandwiches, glossy apples, big cakes, small puddings and glazed pies, no one went hungry. Everyone was chattering away, some laughing, some intrigued and some just tired. At the very back of the hall was a long, dark oak table where the teachers gathered round, also enjoying their food. Professor Snape was quietly talking to a man from the Durmstrang Institute, Hagrid and Professor Flitwick were chuckling away whilst Professor Trelawney read Professor Sprout's palm. And beside them at the centre of the table was Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore, preparing the ceremony.

Dumbledore stood up and tapped his silver plated fork against his crystal clear glass three times to catch everyone's attention. The chatting and bickering quietened down as McGonagall left her chair, retrieved the famous sorting hat and guided Hazel to her seat. It was a small and fragile wooden chair placed in the middle of the top half of the hall. Hazel was gently placed down, her thumbs twiddling with each other and her leg lightly bouncing. As all the students and teachers watched Hazel with intrigued and concentrated expressions, she took a deep breath, and waited for McGonagall to place the sorting hat on her head.

"Hmmm...", the sorting hat let out.

"Very interesting, I've never sorted a student quite like you before", he continued, Hazel's nervousness slightly increasing.

"You have a sense of courage, bravery and loyalty within you, as well as a thirst to prove yourself, you'd fit in very well in Gryffindor. Ah, but you're cunning, you're very determined for success and you certainly value ambition, how about Slytherin?"

Hazel scanned the hall, watching the expressions of the students change every moment the sorting hat spoke. What if Hazel couldn't get sorted? Was it possible that, because she didn't belong in this reality, she had no possibility of staying at Hogwarts?

"Oh, I can sense some creativity and intelligence too, you have an open mind, perhaps Ravenclaw is your house? But you'd excel in Hufflepuff too! Yes, with your hard-work, dedication and friendliness! You'd fit well in all houses Miss Jones, but where to sort you?"

Hazel squeezed her eyes shut tightly, she didn't want to speak, but instead she just imagined her house, her friends, her family. She knew that, in her mind, she would be sorted in the right house. She believed in the sorting hat, besides, the sorting hat was never wrong.

"Hmm, I know..", the sorting hat exclaimed, as he spoke his last words.

"Gryffindor!"

A wave of relief brushed over Hazel. As the sorting hat was removed from her head, she stood up, had a warm handshake from McGonagall's welcoming hand and was guided to her seat on the Gryffindor table. A round of applause echoed through the walls of the school as Hazel was congratulated and introduced to her fellow Gryffindors.

"Miss Hazel Jones, our newest member of Gryffindor", Dumbledore declared, as he raised his glass.

Shortly after the ceremony, Hazel was swiftly taken to the Gryffindor common room with the rest of the students in her house and Percy Weasley, the Gryffindor prefect.

Hazel trailed behind the students whilst she studied her surroundings and headed up towards the moving staircase, she looked at any painting she could see and the people inside gave her a friendly greeting.

"Congratulations Miss Jones, you'll make a fine Gryffindor", said one man in a painting.

"It's wonderful to meet you!", said another.

Hazel couldn't help but smile, until a daunting thought sunk in. She was a Triwizard champion, there was no way out of it. As the staircase changed direction, Hazel suddenly lost balance, her mind started to spin and her vision went blurry. Hazel awkwardly collapsed and fell to the steps, her knees bruising against the edges. Seconds later, a masculine hand appeared in front of her asking for her hand in return. Her hands touched his; they were warm and fresh but nervous too. She gripped onto them firmly, as she was now able to stand on both her feet. Still feeling dizzy, she clung onto this boy's hand, not letting go. It took her a few seconds to look up to the boy and get her vision back.

"I remember losing balance on these stairs during my first year, you'll get used to them soon I'm sure!", the boy spoke, with a soft yet nervous chuckle at the end of his light hearted sentence.

Hazel slowly looked up to see the scruffy haired boy with his round glasses and emerald eyes gaze into hers. His cheeks grew a pale rosey tint and a shy yet happy smile grew on his face. Hazel's eyes locked onto his, it took a few seconds for both to realise they were firmly holding hands. With a timid giggle, Hazel let go and held her arms.

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter", Harry said.

Hazel smiled and lightly chuckled.

"I know you're name, Harry", Hazel replied, still maintaining eye contact with him.

"Brilliant!", he exclaimed.

Hazel couldn't help but get lost in his dreamy eyes, they were every hue of the forest, rimmed cooly with moss. Their lightness reminded her of summertime, when the sun-rays warmed each extended leaf.

Before the staircase had the opportunity to take them on a ride with the paintings on the wall, Harry extended his arm and guided her to the Gryffindor common room entrance.

"It's best not to get lost here, and I'm sure you're very tired. I can show you around Hogwarts tomorrow if you'd like?", Harry asked, with a nervous tone in his voice.

"I'd like that, thank you", Hazel answered, as they both walked to their common room.

As Hazel walked in the dimly lit room, she was surrounded with red and gold hues, the sizzling warmth from the fire pit just to her right enveloped around her like an invisible mist. She felt comforted by the fire, it reminded her of last Christmas spent with her family - how they all gathered by the fire pit on the cold morning, opening their not so well wrapped presents and blasted Christmas music from their tv and sung their hearts out. For the first time since their death, she felt warm, not just physically, but in her heart, her soul, she felt warm.

"The girls' dormitories are upstairs on your right", Harry said.

Hazel gave Harry a smile and walked upstairs. She glanced back just before reaching the steps.

"Goodnight, Harry", Hazel spoke softly just before heading upstairs to her dormitory.

When Hazel walked in, most of the girls were already in bed, some of them were sitting in their beds gossiping. Hazel's attention was drawn to two girls who were sat beside an empty bed. A brown haired, and very beautiful, girl was sat upright, leaning against the bed posts, reading a heavy book on magic. Her chocolate-like brown eyes carefully followed the words in the thick book she had sat on her lap. The girl facing opposite her had long, glossy ginger hair, like the leaves on an autumn evening. She too was reading a book, but much smaller, though she didn't seem as interested.

Hazel nervously walked towards the empty bed beside them. Placed on top of the soft ruby duvet was her school uniform and robe, a stack of books for her classes, and an envelope. Too tired and drained, Hazel got straight into bed - she hoped to meet new people in the morning with more energy.

Before falling asleep, Hazel still felt uneasy. Although many people had welcomed her, she was scared. Scared that, if she closed her eyes, she'd wake up again in her past reality - her old, grey reality. Hogwarts had felt more like home to Hazel within a minute of being there than a year living in her old reality. Hazel would be leaving her sister, her grandparents, her friends (if they even still cared for her at that point), even the simple things she took for granted like the television or her mobile phone, or her favourite music she'd no longer be able to listen to. Hazel repeated the one question on her mind over and over again until she drifted into a deep sleep.

"Do I belong here?"