Eventually ~ A Regulus Black Love Story

5. Surprise Sorting

Parting ways with her unlikely maybe-friends, Aurelia made her way around the Great Hall, where her fellow upperclassmen were being seated and was met with a stern-faced woman in long, emerald robes.

"Miss Potter, I assume?"

"Yes, Ma'am," she offered a small smile.

"Perfect, come with me."

The Witch, who introduced herself as McGonagall, led her to a room on the other side of the hall, some sort of trophy room.

Professor Dumbledore waited with the legendary Sorting Hat beside him. He watched her enter with a twinkle in his old eyes.

"Miss Potter, please, take a seat," Professor McGonagall lifted the hat from the stool.

Aurelia remembered her sorting at Beauxbatons – it was nowhere near as daunting as this.

She carefully sat on the edge of the seat. The hat fell over her eyes, blinding her to the reactions of the professors.

Ah, another Potter.

Very interesting.

You may share your birthday and appearance with your brother, but you are nothing like him, are you, Miss Potter?

She swallowed thickly, yet before she could respond, the hat continued talking.

Yes, there's the mischief... but also a thirst to prove yourself.

The black sheep of the family, you wish to make a name for yourself – one that sets you apart from your brother, yes.

Your ambition exceeds any Gryffindor-born I have had the pleasure of sorting differently.

"SLYTHERIN."

Aura slid off the stool and placed the hat back down, and only then did she turn back to the professors.

McGonagall stood silently, perhaps in shock.

The headmaster, however, wore a faint smile and winked in her direction. "I would suggest joining your housemates at the Slytherin table to watch the first years' sorting."

"Thank you, Professor," she left the room, fiddling with her newly changed tie.

She had to admit, the green was rather beautiful.

The Great Hall was filled with the chatter of students, awaiting the headmaster, the professor and the new students.

She caught her brothers' eyes, and just as he went to wave her over, he froze, eyes flitting to the green tie around her neck.

The Marauders turned their attention to her and seemed to have similar reactions as her brother.

Aura offered them a guilty smile and a small wave, before facing away from the Gryffindor table and locating a space at her table.

Not long had passed when her maybe-friends shuffled some people around and took seats around her.

"I told you so, Lucius," Narcissa wore a proud smile as she linked her arm with Aurelia's, having taken the seat to her left.

A sigh sounds from her other side as Lucius places himself on her right, "Yes, well, one of four chances."

"Make that one of eight chances," Bella straddled the seat across from them, facing the front of the Great Hall as she searched the crowd for someone. She hardly paid them any attention.

"Eight?" Regulus scoffed as he nudged her out of his way to slip between her and a third-year student, "Please, she's hardly Gryffindor – too clever for that." He smirked, "Pay up, Bells."