Brighter Than The Moon (A Draco Malfoy Fanfic)

Chapter 3 // The Beginnings of A Mystery

The Great Hall was, as its name suggests, great. There were four extremely long tables that represented each of the four houses and another long table at the end of the hall that housed the staff members. Above their heads were a thousand floating candles that lit up the hall. The ceiling looked like it wasn't there at all because it was charmed to look like the sky outside, according to the girl with bushy hair who was walking in front of Harry and Aliza. Harry later told Aliza that her name was Hermione Granger and that she was a rather obnoxious little girl.

They stopped in a crowd in front of the staff table, before which was a stool with a pointed hat atop it. When the first years had settled in front of the hat, it began to sing through a rip above the brim. It sang about the four houses and was met with a resounding applause at the end. It wasn't long before the sorting began.

Hannah Abbot was the first student to get sorted, followed by Susan Bones. They both ended up in Hufflepuff. Down the line were Vincent and Gregory, who were both sorted into Slytherin. After Gregory was Hermione Granger, who was sorted into Gryffindor. It was soon Draco's turn to be sorted. The hat had barely touched his head when it shouted Slytherin across the hall. He had a smug smile on his face as he walked off to join Vincent and Gregory at the Slytherin table.

Theodore Nott and Pansy were sorted into Slytherin not long after and all too soon, Aliza heard her name being called. At the sound of the name 'Potter', the whole hall had fallen into hushed whispers of "It's Potter!" and "Harry Potter's twin sister!". Aliza gave Harry's hand one last squeeze before walking up to the stool with her shoulders back. She flashed a smile at McGonagall as she placed the hat atop her head and almost immediately, voice that seemed to be her conscience filled her head.

"Well, well, well," it said. "What do we have here? A complex mind that thinks far ahead, it seems. Ravenclaw would be a fine fit."

Her eyes roamed to the Slytherin table where she briefly made eye contact with Pansy before locking eyes with Draco, who was smiling at her.

"Oh, but there is a craftiness about you... A desire to be the best. A loyalty to friends that you hold dear to you, yes... Slytherin would be excellent, if that's what you wish for..."

Aliza returned the smile as the hat shouted 'Slytherin!' to the crowd of students. She rose from the stool and walked confidently to the Slytherin table. Many students at the table held expressions of surprise at the fact that a Potter, and the sister of the Boy Who Lived, no less, had been sorted into their house. The delayed applause only came when she arrived at the head of the table and made her way down to the end where Draco and Pansy were seated.

"Fancy seeing you here," Pansy said by way of greeting before turning her attention back to the sorting. Theodore was seated on her left, reading a book under the table. He didn't bother to acknowledge anyone or anything at all, really. Aliza sat down next to Draco but barely had time to say anything before Harry's name was called. At his name, the whispers in the hall rose to buzzing murmurs. The hat was placed on his head as he sat down on the stool. He nervously glanced at the Slytherin table, eyes roaming before pausing at Aliza.

Aliza gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile and tried her best to tell him without words that it didn't matter. It didn't matter that he didn't wish to be in the same house as her. Despite being twins, they were two different people and perhaps this was where their paths diverge from each other.

The sorting hat's rip opened ever so slightly and the whole hall fell silent in anticipation of the hat's next word. "Gryffindor!"

At this, the Gryffindor table roared into a resounding applause. Harry couldn't contain his broad grin as he walked to the end of the table. When he took a seat, he looked at Aliza again and gave her one of the happiest smile she had ever seen on him. She gave a cheeky smirk and a look that had 'I told you so' written all over it.