Mara's Magic

i - convos with dumbles

Minnie, or Professor McGonagall as known to pretty much everyone else, began sorting the first years who were standing in the middle of the hall. I didn't pay much mind, clapping when needed, until my little brother Ronald was called. Seeing him sit up there, nervous out of his mind, made me recall my own sorting.

"Mara Weasley."

I walked up slowly, wiping my sweaty palms on my robes. I sat on the old stool and Minnie placed the large brown hat on my head. I immediately heard his voice in my head.

"Another Weasley? Well, you are not like your brothers, now are you? I sense... ambition and cunning, very Slytherin-like abilities. You're very intelligent and hard-working, though proud sometimes. Too proud."

Suddenly his voice wasn't just in my head, it was speaking out loud. Not loud enough for the whole of the hall to hear, but I could see Minnie's ears perk up out of the corner of my eye.

"It's surprising how much Slytherin I see in you, child."

"No."

I could only imagine the Sorting Hat's small smirk when I said that one, simple word. "I'm sorry?"

"I can promise you, Mr. Hat, that you will find a great deal of Gryffindor in me. It may seem like I have Slytherin qualities, but I'm truly a Gryffindor. Look for yourself."

It felt weird to invite a hat to look inside your head, but this one decision would ultimately decide how the next seven years would look for me. I knew I was a Gryffindor - not only did my heritage declare it, but I knew in my heart that it was where I belonged. The hat dug through my head and I turned to look at Minnie. It seemed as though I was taking longer than expected.

"Please move through my brain a bit faster there, Mr. Hat," I insisted. "I've been up here far too long already."

"Ah, but it's not your brain that I'm looking through here, Ms. Weasley." I furrowed my brows. "It's your heart. And while your brain seems to fit Slytherin House, your heart only leads me one place." I could feel my pulse speeding up and my hands got sweaty again.

"Gryffindor!" I grinned and hopped of the stool as Minnie took the hat off my head. I smiled at him.

"Thank you, Mr. Hat," I said. I skipped to the Gryffindor table and sat next to my older brother Charlie. Charlie ruffled my hair and gave me a side hug, laughing.

"Took you long enough," he commented. I just shrugged and continued to grin. From a few seats down, Percy smiled at me, and as I scanned the people around me, I saw Bill give me a thumbs up. I beamed at both of them and then spotted a brunette sitting next to Percy. We locked eyes and the corners of his lips tugged up. I returned the smile as best I could, though I'm sure I looked incredibly awkward. He turned away to talk to Percy.

"Who're you smiling at?" Charlie asked, bumping my shoulder.

"That boy, next to Percy," I replied. He looked over and then in realization, nodded.

"Oh, yeah. That's Oliver Wood. He's trying out for the team this year. Dunno if he's any good, but I've heard from around the House that he's a bit quidditch obsessed. Seems like a good kid."

"Gryffindor!" I turned to the hat again and saw Ron jumping off the seat with a sigh and a relieved smile. I cheered loudly, clapping as fast and loud as my hands would allow. I patted the seat next to me and he came and sat there. Elijah sat on the other side of me.

"Draco Malfoy."

My nose crinkled in disgust. "There's a Malfoy here?"

"Unfortunately," Ron muttered with a nod.