The problem with being a Weasley was that if you were going in alphabetical order, you were always very close to last. Ginny countered her impatience, and mixed excitement and anxiety, by searching for Ron and Harry Potter at the Gryffindor table. Although she spotted the vivid heads of her other three brothers, Ron was no where in sight. Ginny could see Hermione sitting all alone, with her hands crossed over her chest.
Ginny caught Fred's eye.
Where's Ron? She mouthed.
Fred imitated picking his nose. Ginny rolled her eyes. Brothers were useless.
Ginny watched as Viola Lestrange was sorted into Slytherin and then Lovegood, Luna was called after Linton, Bazil was sorted into Ravenclaw. Ginny watched as the odd girl with the odd earrings went up to the hat.
"Hello Mr Hat," Ginny heard her say pleasantly before putting it on.
"RAVENCLAW!" The hat yelled.
One by one the students went up and were sorted into their houses. At one pint there were four Gryffindors in a row, including Wish.
Pamela was also sorted into Gryffindor and then the hat called "Weasley, Ginny" when their were only four students left.
Ginny hurried to the front and eagerly pulled the hat on.
"Hmmm, hm, hm," said a voice. "Another Weasley. Well there's plenty of intelligence, loyalty and ambition in here but...there's one outstanding trait...GRYFFINDOR!"
Ginny breathed into a smile then hurried to join the Gryffindors.
"I'm so excited!" squealed Wish, squeezing Ginny tightly.
Ginny's brothers made their way over to their little sister.
"Well done, Ginny," said Percy, patting her on the head. "You have done our family proud. I'm sure you will respect all of Gryffindors rules and regulations."
"Oh yeah she will Perc," said Fred.
"Especially the new one you came up with about honoring the Prefects," added George.
"Yes Gin, make sure you kiss Percy's feet every morning," said Fred "And polish his badge before bed. It's our duty to treat him like a king! After all he is a Prefect!"
Ginny stifled a laugh as Percy flushed red.
"Oh, shut up," said Percy. He scowled and stormed away.
"You shouldn't be so mean to him," said Ginny, but she was smiling.
"We're not being mean!" said Fred, his eyes widening. "We're doing him a favor!"
"Yeah, by deflating his enlarged head!" said George.
Just then Albus Dumbledore, the Hogwarts headmaster stood. He opened his arms wide in welcome. The remaining three students had been sorted while Ginny was talking to her brothers.
"Congratulations to all our new students!" Dumbledore called. "And congratulations to all our old students for not getting expelled last year! Now I have a few welcoming words before the feast begins: Dingbat! Chubby! Snippets! Twist!"
The great hall erupted into cheers and claps. Ginny clapped along. Her brothers had told her all about Dumbledore oddities so the strange selection of words came as no surprise to her.
There were many gasps of excitement as food appeared on the table in front of them. Ginny was filling up her plate when a short, scrawny boy with an Irish accent said "Did'ya hear about Harry?"
Ginny looked up and saw Hermione, look around.
"What about Harry, Seamus?" Asked Hermione, coming to sit beside him.
"Haven't ya heard? People are saying him and Ron arrived in a flying car!"
Hermione's eyes widened.
"That can't be true! They aren't that stupid!"
Seamus shrugged.
"That's what I heard!"
"I heard they were expelled," said the boy next to Seamus.
"Wait when you say Harry do you mean...Harry Potter?" asked Pamela breathlessly.
"Yeah," said Seamus. "He's in my year!"
"Oh my goodness!" squealed Wish her face becoming all red with excitement. "Do you think we'll actually get to meet him?"
Seamus frowned.
"He's not that great you know. A bit of an attention seeker really," said Seamus.
Hermione opened her mouth to defend her friend, but Ginny got to it first.
"That isn't fair! I don't think Harry asks for a quarter of the attention he gets!" Ginny said hotly. "I'd like to see you defeat he-who-must-not-be-named when you were just a baby!"
"Not to mention again last year," added Hermione.
"Alright don't get your knickers in a twist! I was just saying he gets a lot of attention!" said Seamus.
Ginny spoke across the table to Hermione.
"Do you really think they flew here?"
"No!" scoffed Hermione. "Where would they have got a flying car for heavens sake?"
Ginny didn't answer that.