Unsorted [COMPLETED] {Harry Potter - Wizarding World}

chapter 8

"Miss Wood, lower your wand at once." I heard Professor Snape's voice first but that meant nothing to me in this moment. I glared heavily into Pansy's fearful eyes; the eyes of a coward. The crowd stepped backwards, some had run off down the corridors to avoid being dragged into the altercation. Others couldn't help but watch.

"Don't you EVER..." I pressed it harder into her neck. "...talk to me about my brother."

"Everyone please return to your common rooms at once." I heard McGonagall next but I couldn't stop myself. Every last person scarpered away, leaving myself and Pansy in the middle of the hallway.

"Kyla, please lower your wand." Shit. What was I doing? It hit me instantly at the sound of Dumbledore's voice. I squinted my eyes hard into Pansy's one last time before using my hand to push her away from me. Before I had time to do anything else, Snape had wrapped his arms tightly around mine in case I had any other intentions.

"I'm not going to do anything, let me go." I begged Snape, even throwing my wand with a flick of my wrist onto the stone floor in front of me. Snape let go, letting me pace back and forth a few times whilst I took a deep breath. I could see McGonagall, Snape and Dumbledore sharing concerned looks between them.

"Severus, please take Miss Parkinson to my office and wait there with her," Dumbledore asked Snape and he nodded, ushering Pansy forcefully away from us. I pressed my back against the stone wall and slid down to the floor, pulling my knees up to my chest and laying my head across my arms. "Minerva, please find Filch and ensure that all students are in their common rooms."

I heard McGonagall walk away, leaving me there with Dumbledore. I wasn't crying but I felt like my mind was screaming. Something was going on with me and I had no idea how to control it. I was so angry, and I think it's because Pansy was right.

"Do you want to take a walk out in the courtyard? I believe that's where you usually take a breather, right?" Dumbledore asked me in a gentle voice. There was a reason he was the best Headmaster this school had ever had, he was incredible with students. There wasn't witch or wizard who didn't truly respect him deep down, even if they hated him for it.

I took a deep breath and looked up, nodding towards him. He extended a hand to help me to my feet which I took carefully before picking up my wand and following him towards to courtyard. He unlocked the doors and the cold, night air was like splashing my face with cold water. I already felt a bit calmer. We sat on the wall of the fountain in the centre, staring out at the dark night for a few minutes with nobody saying a word.

"I don't think I belong here." I was the first to speak. It was the only thought that had been bouncing around in my head; I don't belong here. If I hadn't come to Hogwarts, been sorted into Slytherin, I would belong to a loving family. But I did come here, I did get sorted into Slytherin and my family barely talked to me.

"Why do you think that?" Dumbledore asked.

"I have nothing. Everyone is gaining from being here. Yes, I'm getting an education but I'm miserable." I spoke candidly.

"I must say," Dumbledore nodded solemnly to himself. "You have quite an unhappy soul. It's clear in your eyes. I daren't speak ill of my teachers but Professor Trelawney would have a ball with you and her tea leaves."

We shared a small chuckle, a brief exhale of air. He recognised it. I knew Harry, Hermione and Ron understood but they had the whole Hogwarts package - the magic, the learning and the friendship and family. Something about Dumbledore recognising my sadness caught me by surprise.

"I don't belong here." I repeated.

"Oh, but I disagree. You are one of the brightest witches that have ever attended Hogwarts and you're top of your year in Potions, better than some third and fourth years, dare I say." Dumbledore began to praise me but it didn't help.

"At the cost of my family." I added. "Imagine my life here if I had been sorted into Gryffindor on that first day."

Dumbledore was silent. I knew he felt what I felt in that moment. He understood why I was so unhappy, because he knew what I could have had. I would have my brother, my family's pride and Gryffindor would have an ever better Quidditch team if I do say so myself.

"The Sorting Hat has been around for a thousand years, a thousand sortings. I have never seen it make a wrong decision." said Dumbledore.

"Can you honestly say you think my decision was right?" I asked. I wasn't being told off, I wasn't being apprehended for my actions right now. Dumbledore brought me here so we could talk about my 'unhappy soul' and be honest. Dumbledore sighed.

"There are qualities you obtain that present yourself divergent, as if you would fit in at any house."

"But do you think I fit more into Slytherin than I do Gryffindor?" I pressed and he waited a moment, glancing down at me and looking me directly in the eyes.

"No. I do not think you are suited better to Slytherin than Gryffindor." Dumbledore, the greatest wizard alive, had admitted it. The Hat was wrong. Whether I was its first ever mistake or not, it was wrong.

"However, Kyla, the Sorting Hat is a very confident thing. As I said, it has been doing its job for a thousand years and it has never re-sorted someone. People have had doubts like yourself, but they have always fit in by their seventh year." said Dumbledore and I couldn't help but scoff slightly.

"I don't mean to be rude, sir, but do you think that's maybe because they're forced to be that way? So they don't end up like me. I know you can't prove it but I know you know I didn't fall down those stairs." I was feeling angry again now so I stood up, pacing slowly towards the outer wall so I could glance over the Black Lake and feel the cold breeze against my face.

"My fear," Dumbledore started as he pushed himself up from the fountain and made his way next to me. "if we're being candid, is that making the Hat doubt itself would be completely detrimental to the house system that has been there since the founding of Hogwarts."

"So then what happens if there are more people like me, so unhappy that they no longer want to be here? It was my dream to come here and make my family proud, sir." I said. It was the most honest conversation I'd had in years.

All in one moment, I felt the worst I had ever felt. I was lonely and depressed, and people knew it. But did nothing. I could do nothing. Nothing that would help me or make things better off. I was so unhappy. I started to cry, walking away from Dumbledore and sitting on the floor.

"I must go and see to Professor Snape and Pansy as they are waiting. But, tomorrow, I will speak with the board of directors and discuss whether such a discussion with the Sorting Hat would be allowed." Dumbledore spoke with an uneasy tone, like he didn't know what to do but he had to do something.

"Really?" I asked, looking up at him through teary eyes.

"But Kyla, they may deny it, they may accept it and the Hat may refuse, it may take months or years, it may be the same outcome. There are a million ways it may not work."

"I know. And I know I am just a student and this probably means nothing to you," I said quietly. I pushed myself up onto my feet and brushed down my robes. "But if you didn't try, sir, I'm not sure I would be able to forgive you."