It was beautiful || Hogwarts x Reader insert

Chapter 7 - It could have been worse...

1/09/1991

"–HUFFLEPUFF!"

You did not dare blink, nor could you focus on anything in particular. You stared in front of you, frozen and powerless. Time seemed to escape as you felt the room fill with the sound of silent gasps. The information sinking in, you broke out of your daze to find your new house's table abruptly roaring and applauding you. A vibrant energy radiated from the Hufflepuffs and you even heard people whistling for you. Your worries slightly dispersed from the sound of their cheers and Mcgonagall took the hat, letting you stand up and practically skip towards your table. The Great Hall became the home for the Hufflepuffs' cries, and it filled you with a sense of inclusion.

However, your joy wavered as your orbs landed on your Gryffindor friends' faces as you waltzed towards your table. Every one of them had a look of slight disappointment, whereas Harry seemed as if he had officially lost you.

You shot them a smile and a thumbs up as to reassure them. Arriving at your table, people were quick to reach out for your hand and shake it. You sat next to a girl you remembered as Hannah Abbott and across a girl with bright red hair, bangs that framed her face, and freckles that covered her cheeks. You sat down and you randomly thought of someone. You began searching through the sea of Hufflepuff students for a familiar face. You gazed at every one of them until your eyes landed on one person in particular.

"Diggory..." you thought.

You wondered what it would have been like if he had not died during the Triwizard Tournament. He looked shy and held rejuvenated features. His jawline was not as defined and he was significantly shorter. You guessed him to be around fourteen years old. He was, from memory, the only Hufflepuff properly represented in the Harry Potter series.

The black-haired witch sorted another boy, Blaise Zambini, and the Hall became quiet.

Clink clink clink!

Everyone's attention was diverted towards the staff's table. Mcgonagall had tapped her goblet with her spoon.

"Your attention, please," she said in her slightly raspy voice. Dumbledore stood up powerfully, his hands resting on the table. He raised his nose and spoke.

"Let the feast begin!"

Mountains of foods appeared on the table, such as chicken, turkey, bread buns, salads, mashed potatoes, corn, ribs, everything. You even could have sworn seeing wine on the teacher's table. You saw people's eyes widening along with yours and, not long after, everyone started helping themselves, filling their plates up with the rich cuisine offered. As you placed food on your platter, a voice beside you spoke up.

"I'm Hannah Abbott," she said, "Hannah spelled the same backwards."

She gave you a crooked smile as she looked at you, then directed her attention towards the food displayed in front of her.

"And you are...?" she asked, while stabbing her fork in a chicken wing and trying to set her food on the plate. She would not use her fingers or a knife to put the dish on her platter, so she eventually started struggling. You told her your name and she simply nodded, now too frustrated by her food.

You ogled at her direction along with the girl sitting across you. She looked like she was on the verge of bursting with laughter. Hannah tried to smudge the fork on the plate, but her efforts were in vain. Suddenly, she violently shook her fork back and forth to get the chicken wing off the ustensil's dents, causing it to fly swiftly in front of her. The older male student who sat in front of her jumped to his side, dodging the piece of meat as it smashed on the wall behind him. Hannah stared at it, eyes wide, then slumped over her plate, utterly embarrassed.