Meant for No One but Each Other

“Neville Longbottom,” Professor McGonagall called out from her parchment.

Neville gulped nervously as he turned to look at his best friend who gave him a reassuring smile. Next to Danica, he saw Draco sneer. “I wonder which house they put ugly fat brutes,” he heard Draco whisper to the guy on his right.

Danica glowered at him. “Hush.”

Neville took a seat on the stool and Professor McGonagall placed the hat on his head. He closed his eyes as the voice came into his head. Interesting, very interesting. Plenty of courage buried underneath the cowardice. Not the brightest of minds. No desire to prove yourself. Not much self worth I see. So where to put you? Not Slytherin, not Ravenclaw. Maybe Hufflepuff? There is loyalty, of that there is no doubt. No, Hufflepuff wouldn’t do. Your talent you’ll need to find. Hmm yes, now I see. “GRYFFINDOR,” the hat shouted allowed.

Neville gleefully ran to the table, too relieved to remember to even take the hat off. He heard laughter and then a voice in his head. I’m not done yet, you know. Flushing, Neville walked back to the stool and handed McGonagall the hat before taking his place at the Gryffindor table.

“Malfoy, Draco,” McGonagall called.

“I’ll save you a seat at our table,” Draco whispered to Dani before walked up to the stool. It had barely touched his head when the hat shouted, “SLYTHERIN.” He hopped off the stool, grinned at Danica once more before walking over to the Slytherin table.

Danica waited patiently until McGonagall got to S. She heard the murmurs when Harry Potter had been called. Danica couldn’t believe it, even though Crabbe and Goyle had brought the news on the train. The Harry Potter was here, alive and well. He was truly here. It had seemed he was a legend for so long, the only proof he even existed was the demise of the Dark Lord. Dumbledore had done well, hiding him amongst the muggles to keep him alive all these years. Danica could name several people even off the top of her head that she knew would avenge the Dark Lord by having that boy’s blood. Or they would have, 10 years ago. Now they had all but blended back into society.

Name after name was called, each one eager and a bit anxious for the sorting. It bored Danica. Like Draco, she knew where she was going. The Great House of Slytherin, that was where her future lied. She sighed. She understood why they had a sorting for everyone else, but what of those who knew already. They should just be able to skip this. It was unnecessary. She looked to the table, her rightful table and saw Draco staring at her. He had a smile on his face. She smiled back and rolled her eyes to tell him she was bored. His face turned apologetic. She sighed and turned her attention back to the front where McGonagall was. “Shardae, Danica,” she called out.

Danica sighed in relief as she walked to the front. The hat covered her eyes as she sat down. And then she heard the voice, the voice she knew all of them had heard before her. Hmm, difficult, very difficult.. Difficult? No it was easy. She would wear the noble green of her ancestors. The thirst to get ahead is there, true. But even greater is the brave heart. There is talent, I see. Yes, tremendous amounts of talent, and a ready mind. It would fit anywhere. Not Gryffindor, I see that now. Hufflepuff wouldn’t do. Hmm, difficult, very difficult. Hmm, yes I have it. I know where you belong. “RAVENCLAW,” it shouted.

Danica sat frozen on the stool for a moment as McGonagall took the hat off. Her eyes darted to Draco, who looked just as frozen in place. “Is there a problem?” McGonagall asked.

“T-t-t-there must be a mistake,” she stammered.

“Mistake?” Professor McGonagall asked, confused.

“I belong in Slytherin,” she said.

“Well,” McGonagall sighed. “If that was where you truly belonged, the hat would have put you there. It did not, so take that to heart and please step down Ms. Shardae.”

She walked numbly to the table next to where she knew she truly belonged. She couldn’t even look at Draco, though she could feel his gaze burning into her. The whole Ravenclaw table looked at her, just as confused as she. She just stared in front of her, not know what to do or say. There had to be a mistake. Her mother would fix this, she knew. This had to be mended.

“Hi,” a voice said, pulling her from her thoughts. She looked to see an Asian girl smiling at her. She had not been with them in the sorting. “Danica, right?” the girl asked. She nodded. “I’m Cho Chang. Welcome to Ravenclaw.”

“Thanks,” she mumbled.

Cho smiled at her sympathetically before leaning in and whispering in her ear. “It’s not so bad,” she said. “Just it a chance.”

Danica just stared at the girl as she gave her one more smile before turning back to her friend. Danica sat, staring in front of her until the end of the sorting when Ronald Weasley was sorted into Gryffindor. He had gotten into where everyone knew he would. It seemed unfair that he had gotten his way when she didn’t. While looking at the Gryffindor table, her eyes met Neville’s who smiled at her sympathetically. He of course would know how she was feeling. He was her best friend after all. She tried to smile and watched as the food appeared in front of her.

“We got off lucky, if you ask me,” the boy next to her said. “Michael Corner,” he introduced himself.

“Danica Shardae,” she said. “How so?”

“We don’t have to deal with the whole Gryffindor, Slytherin rivalry,” he explained. “Let them battle it out to the end. We can just relax.”

She didn’t say anything. She wanted to be in that rivalry, mostly to make sure Draco didn’t harm Neville. She felt so lost. She sighed and stared to take food onto her plate. Nothing she could do about it now. She would have to write to mother tonight.