The students are crowded around their respective tables in the Great Hall, waiting for the first years to come in and be sorted. Celeste wondered last year, why the first years didn't come straight in like she did in her first year.
Cedric, her only friend at the time who hadn't been scolded by McGonagall for capsizing a boat, explained that first years were usually given a speech about the different houses and behavioral expectations. Celeste and her friends must not have gotten the speech because they were too busy being scolded.
"'Told Ron the sorting was brutal," Fred whispers to Celeste with a smirk.
The blonde gasps and smirks back at him. "What did you say happened?"
"We had to wrestle a troll. I was lucky not to end up in the infirmary. Lee was bedridden for two days."
Lee, who is sitting on the other side of the redhead, smacks him with some sort of catalog he'd been reading.
Fred laughs. "What about you, Celeste?"
"Yeah, did you tell Draco anything?" George joins the conversation.
"No, just let him wonder," Celeste smirks like it's some devious plan when, in reality, she just tries to avoid all conversation with her little brother. He has a talent for using anything she says to get her in trouble.
"You evil woman," George and Fred say at the same time, admiring her genius.
Just then, the double doors of the Great Hall open up and reveal the first years, all lined up. Celeste sees Harry, looking up in awe of his surroundings. He's in front of Ron, who looks less mind-blown, having grown up in a magic household.
She also sees an almost familiar-looking young girl. A girl with brown skin and bushy brown hair. It can't be... Can it?
Professor McGonagall places a stool in front of the first years and sets the Sorting Hat on top of it. And the hat begins to sing:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can top them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
Celeste applauds with the rest of the Great Hall. This song is different from last year's. She supposes that the Sorting Hat must have a lot of time to think up a new song every year. He must be so bored, otherwise.
The sorting begins and Celeste watches intently, wanting confirmation on who the girl is. Also to see where Harry and Ron end up. She already knows Draco will be in Slytherin, there's no use in wondering.
The blonde girl squeals when she hears McGonagall call out "Granger, Hermione!"
"What's that about?" Fred asks her.
"I know her!" Celeste quickly explains as Hermione rushes to the stool and jams the hat on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" shouts the hat.
The Malfoy girl jumps up and hollers for the Granger girl.
Hermione's eyes brighten when she sees Celeste. She dashes over and Celeste shoves Fred to the side to make room for the eleven-year-old girl.
"You're a–" Both girls begin at the same time, completely and happily surprised by the new information.
"Now I understand why you were so clueless about everything!" The brown-eyed first year realizes out loud.
Fred laughs and Celeste shoves him again. "Like you'd be any better!" She shoots at him before turning her attention back to Hermione.
"I'm guessing you already know more about Hogwarts than I do, though," the green-eyed girl smirks, remembering how studious the Granger girl was back when they met. "Honestly, 'thought you'd be in Ravenclaw."
"The Sorting Hat considered it, actually. But decided to place me in Gryffindor instead," the younger girl explains.
"You'll do great," Celeste smiles before both girls turn their attention back to the sorting.
Neville Longbottom is sorted into Gryffindor as well. Celeste whoops and cheers with the rest of her house, but feels a pain in her chest. She knows what her aunt did to his parents and can't help but feel a little guilty for being related to her.
Draco is placed in Slytherin. The Sorting Hat doesn't even touch his head before screaming it out. Celeste's brother shoots a smug expression her way before joining two, rather stupid-looking, boys (Crabbe and Goyle, if she remembers correctly from the pureblood gatherings).
"Potter, Harry!"
Whispers start circulating the hall, everybody craning to see him. His green eyes meet Celeste's just before the hat is placed over his head and the girl gives him an encouraging smile.
It takes a second, but the Sorting Hat finally decides.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
A deafening roar comes from the Gryffindor table and the twins start yelling. "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Celeste watches Percy stand up and vigorously shake poor Harry's hand.
The girl catches the black-haired boy's eye again and gives him a big smile and a thumbs up, not wanting to overwhelm him more, but also wanting to show her support.
Harry sits down across from Nearly Headless Nick and the ghost pats his arm, making the boy tense-up. Ghosts are freezing to touch. It's awful.
Ron gets sorted into Gryffindor as well and Celeste shrieks, "YEAH, RON!", earning a glare from the (now, very red) boy.
The feast continues and Celeste talks about all sorts of things with her friends. Her, Lee, Fred, and George are already cooking up their next prank. Much to Celeste and the twins' horror, Hermione meets Percy. Celeste loves Hermione. She doesn't mind Percy that much.
She might've disliked the boy if she were anyone else, but she simply can't. Percy, no matter how pompous and annoying, always treats her the same as the twins. So, rather poorly and with much scolding, but it is entirely without regard to her last name. Any hostility Celeste has gotten from Percy has been because of her own merit.
But, just because the Malfoy girl loves Hermione and is okay with Percy does not mean she ever wanted them to meet. The two are positively insufferable together, droning on and on about lessons.
Harry claps his hand to his forehead, looking at Snape. Percy handles the situation, but Celeste resolves to keep an eye on her Potions professor from now on. She never really liked that greaseball, anyway.
At the end of the feast, Dumbledore gives a few last-minute announcements. "...First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." His twinkling eyes flash to Celeste, George, and Fred, who smirk and high-five each other.
Hermione gives Celeste a look for this, possibly starting to wonder how good of an influence the blonde girl really is.
Dumbledore continues on to information regarding quidditch trials. Celeste and Lee smirk at each other, more than ready to resume their commentating careers.
"...And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
The third-year girl hears Harry laugh at this. She snorts at his reaction and immediately covers her mouth in slight embarrassment. Fred and George start snorting like pigs, making fun of her.
She reaches over an alarmed-looking Hermione and smacks Fred. Then she smacks George who is sitting right next to her on her other side.
To end the feast, the students all sing the Hogwarts anthem at their own pace and tune. George, Celeste, and Fred are the last ones singing a very slow funeral march version of the song.
Dumbledore conducts their last lines and everyone applauds. Celeste stands up and bows, earning some laughs and more applause.
After that, everyone goes to their dorms to get a good night's rest. And, as usual on the first night back, Celeste runs up to her dorm and conks right out, exhausted from her stay at home.