𝕭𝖆𝖙𝖙𝖑𝖊 𝕾𝖈𝖆𝖗𝖘 || Fred Weasley

25

Cassie boarded the Hogwarts Express on the first of September. She set her things into a compartment and soon left Viola with Adrian inside.

"I heard about the World Cup," said Addy as they walked down the corridor, patrolling. (Addy had been made prefect in their fifth year.) "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Cassie nodded. "Don't know about the Muggles though."

"I heard it was Mr. Crouch's house-elf who sent the Dark Mark, but I doubt it," Addy said. "I mean, it sounds like a bunch of rubbish."

"Are you going to enter?" Cassie looked ahead in search of the voice belonging to her brother. "I suppose you will, Potter? You never miss a chance to show off, do you?"

"I swear he never misses his chance to insult them when he sees him," said Cassie, shaking her head disapprovingly.

"Don't tell me you don't know?" he said delightedly. "You've got a father and brother at the Ministry and you don't even know? My God, my father told me about it ages ago. Heard it from Cornelius Fudge. But then, Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry... Maybe your father's too junior to know about it, Weasley. Yes, they probably don't talk about important stuff in front of him— "

"Draco, that's enough," Cassie told him.

Ron had gotten to his feet and slammed the sliding compartment door so hard behind them that the glass shattered.

"Ron!" said Hermione reproachfully.

Cassie pulled out her wand saying, "Reparo!" and the glass shards flew back into a single pane and back into the door.

"Must you always pick a fight?" said Cassie.

It was still raining hard when they stepped into the carriages. They went to their table in the Great Hall, waiting for the first-years to come through.

A few minutes later, the doors opened and Addy had stopped talking mid-sentence. Professor McGonagall placed a three-legged stool on the ground before the first years and, on top of it, an extremely old, dirty patched wizard's hat. For a moment, there was silence. Then a long tear near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and the hat broke into song.

Once it was over, the Great Hall rang with applause as the Sorting Hat finished.

"That was a good one," said Viola, still clapping.

"Better than ours," Addy added.

Professor McGonagall unrolled a large scroll of parchment and said, "When I call out your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool. When the hat announces your house, you will go and sit at the appropriate table.

"Ackerley, Stewart!"

A boy walked forward, visibly trembling from head to foot, picked up the Sorting Hat, put it on, and sat down on the stool.

"RAVENCLAW!"

McGonagall passed the L's and finally, with Kevin Whitby, the Sorting ended. Professor McGonagall picked up the hat and the stool and carried them away.

Professor Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was smiling around at the students, his arms opened wide in welcome.

"I have only two words to say to you," he told them, his deep voice echoing around the Hall. "Tuck in."