Lone Wolf | SIRIUS BLACK

Chapter Three

| A S E N S E O F B E L O N G I N G |

September 1st, 1975

NIGHT HAD fallen when we finally got off of the Hogwarts Express. After some time — a long time — Rose's inquisitive questions had dwindled and, tired from her American investigation, she had curled up on the seats and fallen asleep.

I hadn't been up for conversation after that. Lily and Constance talked amongst themselves while I stared out the window. The countryside we travelled through with its vibrant plains, dense forests and expansive mountains, it all made me miss home. Suddenly, I couldn't pretend I was in Massachusetts with my parents anymore. It may have been a similar landscape but it wasn't the same. Scotland didn't feel like it could be home.

Lily noticed the homesickness I suddenly sported and she grabbed my hand, reminding me she was here. I squeezed her hand gratefully. We gathered our luggage — Simone being rather unwilling to let me move her from the comforts of the bench.  She had nestled close to Rose, purring when Rose let out soft snores.  I scooped my cat up regardless of her desires because I so wasn't waiting until she decided she was ready to leave the compartment. 

I was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to find my dormitory but first I had to go through the sorting process.  Back in Ilvermorny, we hadn't had the same way of doing things but I was sorted into a "house" much like that of Hogwarts.  The Thunderbird carving had reacted to me, as the reaction was how American wizards and witches got placed.  I didn't know what the house of Soul meant here but I guessed I was about to find out.

Travel to the castle was quiet in the carriages. One of the students murmured something about 'thestrals pulling the carriage' but when I looked, I saw nothing. The carriage moved on its own.

When we got up the many, many steps leading into the grounds and finally into the castle, I felt like I had done a longer workout in my sixteen years of life combined than ever before. Next to me, even Lily looked winded. Somehow — somewhat enviously — Constance looked like she hadn't missed a breath. I didn't know how she wasn't huffing or puffing. There was no time to wonder.

A woman with black hair twirled into the perfect low bun approached. Her emerald green robes billowed around her, glimmering under the light spilling in from under two gigantic carved doors. She wore a witches' hat, and her green eyes sparkled nearly as much as her robes. She smiled at the lot of us then seemed to fix her gaze directly on me as if she had been looking for me particularly.

"Cassandra Alexander, I presume." Her smile was warm and genuine and I felt my anxiety start to quell. "I'm Professor McGonagall. We'll do your sorting in the Great Hall."

I hadn't been prepared for her straight to the point, no beating around the bush attitude.  She beckoned me to follow her and, separating from my little group, I walked to the sky-scraping set of double doors.  When she pushed them open, I realized what I'd been feeling on the train was only a teensy bit of worry.  This was overwhelming. 

Nearly all of the Hogwarts population was sitting in rows of tables and bench seating.  All eyes fell on me and if it hadn't of been for Professor McGonagall's gentle shove to my back, I wouldn't have moved.  Shaking off my deer in the headlights look, I began to walk down the aisle between the benches up to the raised platform where a single wooden chair and what must've the sorting hat sat front and centre. Further behind, there was the Headmaster — Albus Dumbledore as he sat on a golden throne, and the teaching staff in a row behind him, sitting at a long table to accommodate all of them.