The Slytherin Thorn

Chapter 35 - Uh Oh

"What house do you think Hugo will be in?" Indie asked as they watched the first years wander in looks of awe and terror on their faces. Rose grinned to herself as she watched them. She knew exactly how they felt, in fact she herself had been in the same world before Indie snapped her out of it. She still felt in awe of the castle when she entered for the first time each year.

"I don't know." Rose said her eyes scanning the group for her family. There, right at the back, she spotted the three redheads with Lucy. Lily and Roxanne were chatting excitedly whilst Lucy and Hugo stared around their mouths open. "I was thinking Gryffindor but he looks utterly terrified."

"Maybe he'll be in Slytherin as well." Indie suggested causing Rose to snort with laughter.

"Imagine if he was, dad would go berserk, oh I'd love to see his face when he found out." Rose laughed. "Nah, Hugo'll be in Gryffindor. He's the perfect child."

"Look at they're faces." Scorpius said turning to Rose. "I don't remember being that scared."

"Or that small." Jayce added, his gaze also on the first years.

"That's cause both of you have always been tall." Indie added turning to face them.

"And you both knew you were going to be sorted into Slytherin." Rose pointed out.

Jayce opened his mouth to reply but stopped as Neville began reading out the names of the first years. The sorting dragged slowly by in silence. Occasionally they'd guess where each pupil would go. They went past the P's, it was no surprise that Lily was put into Gryffindor. The whole table erupted. Rose could see James and Fred screaming themselves horse. She wondered whether it was because Lily was the first to be sorted since her. She also wondered for a for a fleeting second whether she'd have got a similar welcome but they moved on and soon she heard the words.

"Weasley, Hugo." Rose's hand wrapped tightly around Indie's arm as with anticipation. She watched with bated breath as Hugo stumbled up the steps to the stool. He jammed the hat on his head. It flopped down over his terrified blue eyes, leaving part of his face visible, his freckles standing out against his sheet white face. Rose stared at her hat, her eyes fixed on the hat. He had to be in Gryffindor. He had to be. She was counting on it, she knew how Hugo would feel if he wasn't and he found it much harder to talk to stangers than she did. He'd have the rest of the family to look after him in Gryffindor. He needed to be put there.

Rose sat up straight as the hat opened it's mouth. A strangled sound escaped it before it stopped and shut it again as though changing it's mind. Rose sank slightly in her chair. She felt a hand on her arm, she turned to look at Scorpius. He sent her a reassuring look. She smiled in thanks before turning back to her brother just as the hat came to a decision. As she turned Rose caught a glimpse of Lily at the Gryffindor table. Her face eager and expectant. Rose couldn't help but smirk. Her eyes landed on the hat as it shouted her brothers fate.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

There was a stunned silence throughout the hall as everyone stared in disbelief. Then, through the shock and quiet a lone laugh echoed across the room. Slowly eyes turned to look at Rose. She couldn't believe it. Her father had brought up two Gryffindors yet neither of them had been put in that house. The irony of it. Oh how she'd love to see her dad's face when he found out.

Besides her Indie and Scorpius began to clap, they didn't want people thinking she was too evil Then Sia and Alex and Jayce joined in and further down the table, Ivy and Isabelle and the other two boys in their year, Jack and Sam, who they were sat with. Slowly the whole hall began to clap.

The hat was removed from Hugo's head and he moved towards the Hufflepuff table, sitting down besides a hazel haired boy. Further up the table Rose saw a group of three, the boy's sister, a brunette boy and the girl she'd bumped into earlier, get up and shake his hand, Welcoming him into the house. She scanned the table and finally her eyes landed on her cousin. Rose was pleased to see that Louis was smiling, it was a shocked smile but he was still smiling.