The sorting hat would have to make its selection again. Surely, he was wrong. Alana was sure, because while she ate, nothing that was said around pleased her. Okay, fine, the table was long and she was so nervous that she didn't hear that much, but the few she did pay attention to was some students fawning over Draco Malfoy.
"By the way, my name is Vaisey, not that you asked. I'm a second year." The boy Alana had asked the questions stretched out his hand to her. He had black hair slicked back neatly with gel and green eyes almost the shade of the Slytherin crest. She accepted the handshake.
"Alana, newly chosen first year, as you may have noticed."
Vaisey laughed, he had a wide smile and too straight teeth for a twelve-year-old boy.
"You're so tiny, are you sure you're already 11 years old? Or did you find a way to get in earlier?"
"Yes, I'm actually 9 years old, but you can't tell anyone." Alana lied with a smile on her face. She hated people talking about her height.
Vaisey frowned, unsure whether to take it seriously or not.
Dumbledore stood up at the Head Table and everyone fell silent.
"Ahem – just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. Firts-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our old students would do well to remember that as well.
"I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
"Forbidden Forest, a killer corridor. Is it really safe here?" Alana asked, to Vaisey, the boy shrugged.
"They say it is. But well, until today I haven't seen anyone die around here."
Dumbledore said that they would sing the hymn, and that they could each sing to the beat of some song they liked. Alana didn't know the lyrics, but if she did, she would sing along to Mariah Carey's "Vision of Love". She had only been there a few hours and already missed listening to music on the radio.
The hymn singing was the most muddled and out of tune thing she had ever heard, but Dumbledore praised it. Saying that everyone could go to sleep.
The first year students rose to follow the Prefect of the house, but Alana sucked in a breath as hard as she could and walked over to the High Table. Several people had already left with their respective prefects, like Nori and Brianna, but those who remained pointed at her and whispered. The teachers craned their heads as she approached. She had to make a quick choice: she thought Headmaster Dumbledore was a little kooky, so her feet went straight for Minerva McGonagall.
"Do you need something, dear?" Minerva stood up, with her usual serious face. Dumbledore was staring at them with a playful smile on his face, curious as to what would happen next.
"I would like to be re-selected. Preferably to Hufflepuff".
Some teachers laughed softly, not as a mockery, just in the feeling of "look at that cute child asking impossible things". This didn't make Alana lose her nerve.
"I've heard that Slytherins are ambitious and pure-blooded. I'm none of those things." lied Alana, she was ambitious and she knew it, she wanted everything magic could offer. At least the second part was true.
CITEȘTI
When something happens, it's never you three
AventurăBook 1: "The Philosopher's Stone, so they say." Nori, Alana and Brianna were destined for greatness. At least that's what they thought. The common dream of these three children who met on the Hogwarts Express began to falter when they received the b...
