‹ Prequel: The Dark Witch
The Return of the Dark Witch
The Sorting
P.O.V – Becky Sinclair
I felt numb. Everything did, every part of me. Except that little beast, it wanted vengeance. It wanted Sirius to rest and have his afterlife in peace. Even if I never saw him again, and at any cost.
According to Dumbledore, I had sold my soul, in essence, to Voldemort to save Sirius' life. Surely I still possessed something to sell for Sirius to have his proper death.
I watched, absently, as Dumbledore began to walk towards me with the worn hat I had seen earlier. The sorting hat he had called it. Once placed on my head, it would determine what house I would belong to during my stay at Hogwarts. One of four, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, or Slytherin. Dumbledore had also informed me that I had been a Gryffindor my last time here. Not that that meant anything. I still could very easily be sorted elsewhere, he had said.
“Are you ready, Maria?” Asked Dumbledore softly, holding the sorting hat above my head. I looked up into his kind face, he really did seem invested in helping me and Sirius, and nodded. He lowered the hat onto my head with a plop, covering my eyes.
“Ahh, Maria. Back again I see.” Began a small voice, “You’ve certainly been through a lot haven’t you? So much pain, so much suffering, it’s a wonder how you’ve survived it all. You’re still very brave, of course, but then you always were. So self sacrificing, that’s what got you in the end, didn’t it? No matter.” The voice paused, “Still talented, I see. Shouldn’t take too much effort to bring your magic back out…”
Can we just get on with it? I thought fiercely, irritated.
The hat continued as if it hadn’t heard me, “You changed though, since the last time I sorted you. So ambitious. You really think you can save the soul of Sirius Black? Pretty hard when you’ve sold your soul too…”
You 'really' think I can’t do it? After everything I’ve done? I snapped angrily at the hat, before taking a deep breath and swallowing disconcertingly. Or been told I did…
“Very cunning, a trait you’ve always possessed, but you’ll need it soon, I see.” Continued the hat, still ignoring me, “And so bloodthirsty. You crave vengeance don’t you? You crave pain and will do anything to cause it…”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
“Your proper house is much easier for me to choose this time, Maria Le Fay. I only fear I will regret my choice…” The hat trailed off, before I heard it shout out to Dumbledore, “SLYTHERIN!”
I froze. Wasn’t that the house Ron had said was the spawn of the devil and that it was the house for evil wizards and witches?
My blood ran cold as Dumbledore lifted the hat off my head. He seemed neither surprised nor astounded by the hat’s revelation. Just calm.
“Well, Maria,” Began Dumbledore gently, placing the sorting hat on his desk, “I’ll send for Severus to take you to the Slytherin dormitories.” He turned away from me then, to mutter something to a painting.
I barely paid attention. Not only was I a Slytherin, but Dumbledore was going to place me right back into the hands of Severus Snape. The man who recently had been responsible for one of my many breakdowns.
Dumbledore turned back towards me, “Severus shall be here shortly, Maria.” He said softly, moving to lift a silver chain out of Sirius’ box, “In the meantime,” Dumbledore took a step towards me, dropping the chain into my hand, the same that held Sirius’ and mine’s wedding rings, “I also think you should have this.”
I looked from my hand to Dumbledore, confused, “Why?” I asked, my voice hoarse from crying.
He gave me a small smile, before returning to sit at his desk, “So you can keep the rings close to your heart.”
I smiled back at him, it was truly genuine, but even I knew there was a darkness in my eyes now. A shadow.
I looked down at my hands. Unclasping the chain and slipping the rings onto it, before fastening it around my neck.
Weak, insane, Becky Sinclair was dead. The hat was right to worry about me. Because I am Maria Le Fay, and I am out for blood. I will save Sirius Black at any cost, even if it’s my humanity, all I have left.
I felt numb. Everything did, every part of me. Except that little beast, it wanted vengeance. It wanted Sirius to rest and have his afterlife in peace. Even if I never saw him again, and at any cost.
According to Dumbledore, I had sold my soul, in essence, to Voldemort to save Sirius' life. Surely I still possessed something to sell for Sirius to have his proper death.
I watched, absently, as Dumbledore began to walk towards me with the worn hat I had seen earlier. The sorting hat he had called it. Once placed on my head, it would determine what house I would belong to during my stay at Hogwarts. One of four, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, or Slytherin. Dumbledore had also informed me that I had been a Gryffindor my last time here. Not that that meant anything. I still could very easily be sorted elsewhere, he had said.
“Are you ready, Maria?” Asked Dumbledore softly, holding the sorting hat above my head. I looked up into his kind face, he really did seem invested in helping me and Sirius, and nodded. He lowered the hat onto my head with a plop, covering my eyes.
“Ahh, Maria. Back again I see.” Began a small voice, “You’ve certainly been through a lot haven’t you? So much pain, so much suffering, it’s a wonder how you’ve survived it all. You’re still very brave, of course, but then you always were. So self sacrificing, that’s what got you in the end, didn’t it? No matter.” The voice paused, “Still talented, I see. Shouldn’t take too much effort to bring your magic back out…”
Can we just get on with it? I thought fiercely, irritated.
The hat continued as if it hadn’t heard me, “You changed though, since the last time I sorted you. So ambitious. You really think you can save the soul of Sirius Black? Pretty hard when you’ve sold your soul too…”
You 'really' think I can’t do it? After everything I’ve done? I snapped angrily at the hat, before taking a deep breath and swallowing disconcertingly. Or been told I did…
“Very cunning, a trait you’ve always possessed, but you’ll need it soon, I see.” Continued the hat, still ignoring me, “And so bloodthirsty. You crave vengeance don’t you? You crave pain and will do anything to cause it…”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
“Your proper house is much easier for me to choose this time, Maria Le Fay. I only fear I will regret my choice…” The hat trailed off, before I heard it shout out to Dumbledore, “SLYTHERIN!”
I froze. Wasn’t that the house Ron had said was the spawn of the devil and that it was the house for evil wizards and witches?
My blood ran cold as Dumbledore lifted the hat off my head. He seemed neither surprised nor astounded by the hat’s revelation. Just calm.
“Well, Maria,” Began Dumbledore gently, placing the sorting hat on his desk, “I’ll send for Severus to take you to the Slytherin dormitories.” He turned away from me then, to mutter something to a painting.
I barely paid attention. Not only was I a Slytherin, but Dumbledore was going to place me right back into the hands of Severus Snape. The man who recently had been responsible for one of my many breakdowns.
Dumbledore turned back towards me, “Severus shall be here shortly, Maria.” He said softly, moving to lift a silver chain out of Sirius’ box, “In the meantime,” Dumbledore took a step towards me, dropping the chain into my hand, the same that held Sirius’ and mine’s wedding rings, “I also think you should have this.”
I looked from my hand to Dumbledore, confused, “Why?” I asked, my voice hoarse from crying.
He gave me a small smile, before returning to sit at his desk, “So you can keep the rings close to your heart.”
I smiled back at him, it was truly genuine, but even I knew there was a darkness in my eyes now. A shadow.
I looked down at my hands. Unclasping the chain and slipping the rings onto it, before fastening it around my neck.
Weak, insane, Becky Sinclair was dead. The hat was right to worry about me. Because I am Maria Le Fay, and I am out for blood. I will save Sirius Black at any cost, even if it’s my humanity, all I have left.