Bella and the Chamber (Book Two)

Chapter Twenty Eight

Big shout-out to @AlphaM303 because she's unwell and it's Thanksgiving. Sending healing thoughts your way and I hope you feel better soon <3

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We stepped off the stone staircase at the top and Professor McGonagall knocked on the door. I held my breath again as it open silently and we walked into the room. McGonagall told us to wait, and left us there, all alone. 

"We're doomed," I whispered, "we're going to be expelled this time for sure"

"You don't know that," Harry said. "Dumbledore is a reasonable man. He'll know we didn't do it and he'll let us go"

"I hope you're right," I gulp. "I don't want to go back home."

The thought of going back to the place built on lies is sickening. Hogwarts is my only home. 

"Me either," Harry mumbles and looks at me, fear in his eyes. 

I broke our gaze and looked around. Things were still awkward between us since our near kiss back in the corridor. Will it always be this awkward? Dumbledore's office was far more interesting than all the other teacher's offices I had been in. If I hadn't been scared out of mind, and being here under different circumstances, I would have quite happily looked around. But my fear froze me to one spot and I couldn't move. 

It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on a spindle-legged tables, whirling and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of previous headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were sleeping gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat - a hat that I knew instantly - the Sorting Hat.

I saw Harry hesitate before glancing around the room at all the sleeping portraits. He then walked quickly towards the Hat and I followed, not wanting to be standing by the door alone. He lifted the Hat off the shelf and held it tightly in his hands. 

"Harry, what are you doing?" I ask. 

He never looked away from the Hat. "I just need to see if I've been put in the right House"

"Harry-"

"Don't," he looks at me, "I need to do this"

I sigh but say nothing. He slowly placed it on his head and it slipped down over his eyes. We both stood waiting for a moment until a small voice was heard. 

"Bee in your bonnet, Harry Potter?" The Sorting Hat asked. 

"Er, yes," Harry muttered, and I watched silently. "Er - sorry to bother you -I wanted to ask-"

"You've been wondering whether I put you in the right House," the Hat said smartly. Damn, I forgot that Hat knows everything. "Yes...you were particularly difficult to place. But I stand by what I said before -" I raised my eyebrow. "-you would have done well in Slytherin"

My stomach plummeted. So, Harry was meant to be in Slytherin. He would have done better in Slytherin than Gryffindor. Yup, that's just what we needed to hear...not. Harry grabbed the point of the Hat and pulled it off his head. It hung limply in his hand, grubby and faded. I grabbed it out of his hand pushed it back onto the shelf, feeling suddenly sick. 

"Don't listen to it, you were born to be in Gryffindor," I say and look at the Hat. "You're wrong"

The Hat didn't move. I grabbed Harry's hand and backed away, my eyes never leaving it. Then a strange, gagging noise behind us made us wheel around.