Call me Squib

Hogwarts

Chapter Eight: Hogwarts

*~*~*~*

For a moment, Embry found herself thankful that her parents had kept her from attending Hogwarts. After leaving the bathroom and returning to her carriage with the boys she hadn't heard the end of their questions, Ginny having even joined them. All four of them wanted to know what had happened with Draco, wanting to know what he had said that had managed to bring her to tears. As soon as the train had arrived at the station, Embry hadn't wasted a second in getting off, putting distance between herself and her curious friends. Hoping that she would have enough time to come up with a convincing lie.

That was how she managed to find herself being led into the Great Hall alongside the first years. Filling the grand room were five tables, four that had been set up vertically and were filled with students and another that was placed horizontally at the front of the room, filled with professors. In front of the professors' table rested a stool with a ratty old hat atop it that, much to Embry's amazement, was singing.

Once the hat's song came to an end an old woman that had introduced herself to the group of first years, and Embry, as Professor McGonagall stepped forward. She had already explained to the new students that the hat would sort each of them into the appropriate house. Embry stood back and watched as all the of the eleven year olds were sorted one by one into one of the four houses. Soon enough she found herself standing at the front of the room alone, prompting Dumbledore to rise to his feet.

"This year we have a fifth year joining us here for the first time," Dumbledore informed the room.

"Dobbs, Lu." McGonagall called the girl's name loud enough for everyone to hear. Embry hesitated for a moment before she made her way forward to take a seat on the stool. As soon as she was seated the old hat was placed on her head.

"I was wondering when I'd get the pleasure of sorting you," the hat whispered in Embry's hear, just loud enough for her to hear it. "You're much different than the rest of your family... You have no thirst for power like them, but you are quite smart, maybe Ravenclaw? Yet you have a bravery in you that even you haven't discovered. Such a shy little one... You're quite a difficult one to place my dear. It beset be... GRYFFINDOR!"

Cheers erupted from the Gryffindor table at the hat's decision. Fred, George, Lee, and Ginny all jumped to their feet as Embry took off the hat and made her way over to them. Ginny didn't waste a second before pulling the older girl into a hug before allowing her to head further down the table, to where the other fifth years were sitting.

"Welcome to the best of the best, Lu!" Fred grinned as the girl slipped into the empty seat beside him while Dumbledore introduced the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin, to everyone. With that done the feast began, food appearing before the students.

"So, what happened on the train?" George questioned the girl between bites of his chicken.

"He was in my way, I tried to get past him and he wasn't happy about it." Embry only told them half of the story, making sure to leave out the fact that Draco was her brother. "Now tell me about the professors."

"Okay," Fred nodded as he looked up at the front table, pointing out a man with greasy black hair and a large nose. "That's Snape, he teaches Potions and is head of the Slytherin house. He has a special love for punishing Gryffindors."

"Then there's Flitwick," Lee pointed out a short man with gray hair. "He's head of Ravenclaw and teaches Charms. He's a pretty nice guy... as long as you don't set of dungbombs in his class."

"Then McGonagall walked you in, she teaches Tranfiguration and is head of Gryffindor." George chimed in. "She's also Dumbledore's right hand around here and seems to know everything that goes on around her."

"Not the best thing when you're trying to prank," Fred frowned. For the rest of the feast the three boys' conversation consisted mostly about possible pranks for the new school year while Embry quietly listened.

*~*~*~*

"What do you think so far?" George questioned the girl when they had retreated to Gryffindor Tower for the night, all of them sitting around on the large red couches that were set up in front of the fire place.

"I like it," Embry rested her head on the back of the couch, her eyelids seeming to grow heavier with every passing second.

"You should get up to your room, unless you plan on sleeping down here." Fred suggested when he noticed how tried his friend seemed to be. Embry nodded in agreement as she rose to her feet.

"Night Lu!" All of the boys called after her as she started to climb the stairs that led to the girls' dormitories. It wasn't until she got halfway up the the stairs that she realized that he hadn't the faintest idea as to which room was hers.

"Lu!" Ginny appeared in front of the brunette, a smile on her face. "Mum talked with Dumbledore and got him to room you with me and Ron's friend Hermione."

Embry smiled, relieved that she wouldn't be forced to share a room with a complete stranger, even if she didn't actually know Hermione herself. She followed behind Ginny up a few more stairs before reaching their room. Inside the room were four beds, one of which had a girl that looked to be Embry's age sitting on it, busy reading a book. She had bushy brown hair and slightly large front teeth, but when she finally looked up her warm and friendly brown eyes.

"You must be Ly, I'm Hermione Granger." She introduced herself as Embry walked over to the bed that Lark was sleeping on, her trunk having been placed at the end of it. "Ron and Ginny have told me a lot about you. They that you're quite the witch."

"I'm okay," Embry shrugged as she laid down on her bed, listening to Lark's quiet breathing. Hermione and Ginny could tell just how tired the girl was, neither of them saying another word as Embry drifted off to sleep.