Beneath Her Skin

Chapter Eight

Draco helped Alastriona off the train, she smiled kindly at him and they walked side by side to the long line of carriages. 

Theo Nott stopped as soon as he caught site of the carriages. The others stopped beside him, watching him watch the carriages. Darcy reached out and touched his arm, he flinched and glanced at his friends, seemingly confused, "Is— is there something different about the carriages?" He asked, a quiet desperation in his voice.

Alastriona's eyes squinted at the carriages, "They look bigger." 

The others all hummed in agreement, Theo just shook his head and continued walking, he paused once more, looking at the empty space in front of the carriage, a shade paler than usual, he climbed into the carriage. 

Darcy climbed in next and grabbed Alastriona's hand to help pull her up.

The group travelled in an awkward silence and when they finally arrived the entry way to the Great Hall was covered in water, Alastriona treaded carefully, painfully aware of her incident last year that landed her in the Hospital Wing.

Alastriona entered the Great Hall and took it all in. The four long tables, the candles suspended in the air, the magical ceiling, she breathed in deeply and grinned at Darcy who had the exact same expression. Home. It always felt like warm, cozy home when they came back to Hogwarts.

Alastriona briefly held Draco's hand but she was looking at Theo and Blaise, "We'll meet you after the ceremony?"

They nodded and headed to their own table, Theo still looked pale and unfocused but his eyes kept drifting up to the teachers table. Alastriona and Darcy reluctantly left them and took a seat at the Hufflepuff table opposite each other.

Alastriona grinned when Cedric Diggory took a seat on her left, "Cedric!" She hugged him and patted him on the back, "I missed you!" 

Cedric chuckled and ruffled her hair, that's when he noticed the small scar on her forehead, "Red, what happened?" He asked, he hadn't seen her since the day of the Quidditch World Cup, but she'd written to him saying she was fine.

Alastriona's fingers trailed over the slightly raised skin of the white scar, "I tripped at the World Cup, cut my head." She shrugged. "It's not that bad, is it?" She asked quietly. 

Cedric smiled and brushed her messy hair back, there was no need to hide the scar. "Not at all," he reassured her, "now, tell me you're ready for an amazing quidditch season!"

Alastriona perked up considerably. "Yes! We're going to get that cup, Ced!" The two laughed together as the final students trickled through. 

Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones sat next to Darcy, Justin Finch-Fletchley and Ernie Macmillan sat a bit further down but came and said hello to Darcy and Alastriona, she was glad there was no bad blood between them.

The doors to the Great Hall opened and Professor McGonagall was leading in the new group of first year witches and wizards. Alastriona's hand flew to her mouth, they were soaking wet!

"Oh the poor things! Going across the lake in this weather!" She whispered to Cedric, he nodded in agreement. 

Professor McGonagall sat the historic Sorting Hat on a stool and the children before it stared at it with nervous eyes which grew wide as it began to sing: 

A thousand years or more ago
When I was newly sewn,
There lived of renown,
Whose names are still well known:

Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,
Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,
Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,
Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.

They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,
They hatched a daring plan
To educate young sorcerers
Thus Hogwarts School  began.

Now each of these four founders
Formed their own House, for each
Did value different virtues
In the ones they had to teach.

By Gryffindor, the bravest were
Prized far beyond the rest;
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest
Would always be the best;

For Hufflepuff, hard workers were
Most worthy of admission;
And power-hungry Slytherin
Loved those of great ambition.

While still alive they did divide
Their favourites from the throng,
Yet how to pick the worthy ones
When they were dead and gone?

'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,
He whipped me off his head
The founders put some brains in me
So I could choose instead!

Now slip me snug about your ears,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind
And tell where you belong!