Minnie [#Wattys2017]

The Hatstall

The Hatstall

"Flitwick, Filius!"

Fil took some time beneath the hat, which was so big compared to him that the poor half-goblin boy disappeared nearly entirely within it, so that only his legs showed, sticking out from beneath the brim. A load of people in the Great Hall laughed at this, including Charlus Potter. Punching Charlus's arm like she would've done to Dougal McGregor back home, Minnie declared, "It isn't funny, stop it! It's not his fault!"

"Ow, bleeding hell, girl - what're you doing, trying to kill me?" Charlus demanded, rubbing his arm, which now smarted from her punch, "Going to leave a welt, you are."

"I didn't punch you that hard, you bairn!" she said hotly.

But Charlus carried on rubbing his arm and took a few steps away from Minnie and didn't make anymore fun of Filius Flitwick.

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat declared and Filius scrambled, trying to get out from beneath it - finally aided by Dumbledore - and he slid off the stool and scrambled his way to the Ravenclaw table, cutting through the cluster of first years.

"Hey way to go, mate," Charlus said as he walked by,

"Fortescue, Florean!"

Minnie turned 'round to see her befreckled friend sit upon the stool and Florean looked at Minnie and smiled, his eyes bright as Dumbledore dropped the hat upon his head. The brim barely took a second to debate before it yelled, "HUFFLEPUFF!" and Floran jumped up and rushed to the table Mona Sprout sat at, his smile wide as he climbed onto the bench beside her.

"I knew it," Charlus snickered. He looked at Minnie though and covered the spot on his arm and stopped his snickering, shuffling a couple steps further.

"I'm sorry, alright? I didn't mean to hurt you," Minnie said, annoyed.

Charlus said, "Tell that to my broken bicep, woman."

Minnie rolled her eyes, "I didna break your bicep!"

"Might've done."

"I didn't."

But Charlus stayed back just the same.

Alastor Moody smirked, "She's right about you actng like a bairn. Gryffindor might reject you now ye wee tot."

"Shut up," Charlus said and he rolled his eyes, "Godric knows where I belong. That hat'll have not even the slightest debate when it comes to me."

"Whatever are you going to do if you don't end up in Gryffindor?" Minnie wondered, "Will you be able to deal with it? Or shall I be witness to a tantrum on the plinth?"

"Kickin' and screamin' and the like," Al intoned, smirking. "They'll have to hover him off to his house for he'll jus' keep at tryin' to go to Gryffindor."

With a roll of his eyes at Al, Charlus smirked, "I have not even the slightest fear of it. Potters have gone to Gryffindor for generations untold, Min."

"You might be the one that changes that," Minnie said, challenging him.

Charlus rolled his eyes at her now.

"What if the hat puts you in Slytherin?" she asked, saying the first house that came to mind.

Charlus froze. He stared at her. "It wouldn't."

"It might," she replied.

Charlus looked sick and the pompous attitude melted off. "Slytherin doesn't want me," he muttered. "I ain't a Slytherin sort of bloke..."