Candescent

Hagrid, the huge man that was leading us towards the boats, yelled out that there were to be no more than four to a boat. So Neville and Hermione, not wanting to be left behind ran to the nearest one. Of course, that then had four people in it, but the last boat only had three in it. Truth be told, I would’ve loved for all of them to be filled so that I could walk.

I hopped into the last boat alongside Malfoy and two more of his friends that he had obviously found in the time I’d left Pansy, Blaise and him.

“Who are these guys?” I asked him.

“Crabbe,” he said pointing to the one on the left, “And Goyle,” the one next to him.

“Right.” I hid my laughter pretty well. They looked like they were brainless thugs. Almost like they were his hired bodyguards. “Where did Blaise and Pansy get to?”

“They’re over there somewhere with some other people.”

“ ‘Kay.”

The rest of the boat ride was silent. The boats cut through the Black Lake quickly and soon we were climbing the steps and entering the castle.

“Alyssa!” Neville came running up to me. “Hagrid found Trevor.” He held the toad out to me.

“Great Neville,” I said, stepping back, away from the toad in his outstretched hand, vaguely repulsed.

As all the new first years congregated at the top of a staircase, our loud voices shrank into whispers, but I still couldn’t hear the words that an old, yet stern professor was saying to us. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were whispering loudly behind me, which didn’t exactly help. I saw the professor walk away and the talking erupted again.

“Harry Potter,” Malfoy asked walking in front of me.

“Depends on whose asking,” he replied quickly, turning around. “Oh, it’s you.”

The crowd parted to let Malfoy through.

“I’ve heard that you’ve been hanging out with those below your standards.”

“My standards are higher than yours Malfoy. That’s why we’re done talking.”

Oh, ouch. That had got to hurt. But I couldn’t help thinking that Harry had just made an
awesome call. He turned back around to face his friend, but Draco pulled him back.

“Oi Potter. You really don’t want to do that.” His face was cold, his eyes glinting icily.

“Mr. Malfoy,” a sharp voice came from the teacher who had now returned. “What’s going on here?”

“Nothing Professor,” Malfoy replied with meaningful look at Harry.

“Then follow me.”

We followed her through the large oak doors into the Great Hall.

“Alyssa,” Hermione hissed pushing her way though to me. “I’m sorry we left you.”

“It’s all good,” I replied, astonished by the ceiling. Stars looked down upon us.

“It’s bewitched to look like the night sky,” Hermione whispered to me.

“How do you even know that?” I asked back.

“I have all of our text books memorised. As well as a few extras.”

“What did you do, eat them?”

But I don’t think she heard me.

The chattering from the four tables that we had walked past died down as we approached the front of the hall and faced a hat on a stool.

I waited in anticipation to see what we would have to do, and when the hat’s brim opened to reveal a mouth I was once again amazed at what magic could do. I zoned out though, as it started to sing. I looked at the teachers who weren’t really paying attention either. I took in all of their appearances and tried to determine which ones were nice, which ones were strict, and which ones were just going to be a pain in the arse.

As Professor McGonagall began to speak – yes, I knew her name now – I zoned back in. She explained the procedure and I felt glad that it wasn’t anything we had to do.

“What house do you want to be in?” I asked Hermione.

“Ravenclaw,” she whispered. “But I don’t mind. Just anything other than Slytherin.”

“Why?” I whispered as Hannah Abbot walked up to the hat.

“It’s full of dark wizards. Every witch and wizard that followed You-Know-Who was in Slytherin.”

I was about to ask who You-Know-Who was, but Hermione was called up the front.

Ten seconds later she was walking off to the Gryffindor table. She looked pretty happy even though she hadn’t gotten into Ravenclaw.

I stood growing increasingly nervous as we went down the list of names. Malfoy was sorted into Slytherin with his friends Crabbe and Goyle, but every whisper in the hall ceased as Harry Potter’s name was called. Poor kid, he must’ve been nervous enough as it was. Even the teachers were watching closely.

The hat seemed to be having trouble deciding where to place him. He sat there for almost a minute before the hat finally shouted, “Gryffindor!”

A few more people, then suddenly…

“Alyssa Tyler!”

I walked hesitantly up to the sorting hat. Sitting down, Professor McGonagall placed the old hat on my head. I tried not to think too hard and the Hat didn’t speak at all. I had started to fret when it suddenly yelled out “Slytherin!” to the whole school. Cheering and clapping came from the Slytherin side of the hall as I walked confusedly towards the table. I looked at Hermione who sat at the Gryffindor table in helpless confusion. I made my way towards where Malfoy was sitting, but I’d already made up my mind…

I was going to prove to everyone, that this wasn’t where I belonged.