The Gathering: The New Order of Merlin Book 1

10. Sort it out

       Minerva was jittery with excitement, awaiting the arrival of the first-years with her children. She paused her train of thought, puzzled. When had she started thinking of the twins as her children? She dismissed the thought, arguing that all of her students were her children.

When the twins lined up with the rest of the first-years, her heart swelled with pride. They cleaned up nicely. With the black robes contrasting their porcelain complexion and white hair, they stood out from the crowd in a very sophisticated way. No one could tell that just a couple of months ago they were homeless runaways. Elsa's long white hair was in an elegant braid that fell down her shoulder, and Jack looked dashing in his new haircut. Minerva felt a personal victory, seeing that her children looked no worse than the children of prestigious pure-blood families.

Her children. She was proud to call them that.

She led the first-years to the Great Hall, where the rest of the students sat at their House tables. She placed the stool in the front and began the Sorting Ceremony.

Awaiting her turn, Elsa played with the end of her braid, focused on the Sorting Hat while Jack looked around the Great Hall curiously, oblivious to the shy smiles nearby girls were giving him. He was going to be trouble.

Minerva called Elsa first, and the girl gracefully sat on the stool. Minerva put the ancient, pointed hat on her head, and waited. It didn't take long for the Hat to shout out 'Ravenclaw.' Her new House cheered, calling her to their table, where they made a spot for her.

'That is very fitting,' Minerva thought, smiling at the girl. 'She will do well there.'

She called Jack, and he hopped onto the stool and nodded at her in acknowledgment. He sat there for a long time, the Hat apparently having a hard time deciding, and then he did something that she had never seen anyone do. Before the hat could say the House name, he took it off, got up, and glared at her.

"I don't agree with this hat."

"What are you doing, Jack?"

"I've chosen Gryffindor," Sorting Hat addressed them both.

"The hat is wrong," Jack said firmly.

"Jack," Minerva said, taken aback, "if that's what the Hat chose..."

"I belong wherever Elsa is," he interrupted in a hushed voice. "I go wherever my sister goes. Nowhere else."

"Jack," she huffed, frustrated at the stubborn boy, "it's not uncommon for siblings to be in different Houses, even twins."

"I don't care what's common," he said. "You will not separate us."

Albus walked up to them, pointing at the curious students and faculty who were watching the scene. "Whatever the issue may be, perhaps we should discuss this elsewhere."

Albus took Jack to a room adjacent to the Great Hall while Minerva called the rest of the children to finish the sorting, shooting nervous looks after her white-haired troublemaker.

After all the children were sorted, Minerva brought the Hat with her and found Jack glaring at Dumbledore, not at all intimidated by the white beard. The Headmaster gave her a gentle but perplexed smile, and Minerva eyed Jack grudgingly. Why was he causing so much trouble over sorting?

"I tried to clarify to him how the house system works but..." Dumbledore started explaining.

Jack interrupted him, "Professor, I cannot be separated from my sister."

"Jack, I regret not having this discussion with you earlier, I didn't realize it was going to be such a problem, but you cannot just pick what house you go to. The Sorting Hat makes this decision."

The Hat, which was still in Minerva's hands, spoke up, "I've considered Slytherin. He's cunning, resourceful, and desires power, but his dedication to stand up for what he believes in is stronger than all of those traits. Therefore, Gryffindor. I do not see much of Ravenclaw in you, dear youngling."

"I don't care about the reasons," Jack said, exasperated, running a hand through his white hair and eyeing the Hat spitefully. "I promised her I would always be there for her, that I would always protect her. How can I be there if I'm somewhere else?"

"Jack," Dumbledore cut in, "you're still in the same school. You can see her every day."

Minerva gave the Hat to Dumbledore, walked up to the boy, and took his hands in hers. "You would not be happy in Ravenclaw. They are hard-working and value knowledge and wisdom above all. I can see Elsa fitting in there very well, not you."

"So, I'm not smart enough," Jack said, his blue eyes piercing hers, the sudden intensity surprisingly intimidating.

"It is not about intellect." She rubbed his clammy hands in hers. Why were their hands always so cold? "Have you considered that it might be a good thing? The two of you have only had each other for years, am I right?"

"Yes, and..." Jack started, but Minerva didn't let him finish.

"Don't you think it's time to let go of her hand and allow you both some freedom?"

"You don't understand," Jack said, desperation in his voice. "We're..."

"I noticed, whenever you speak of yourself, you say 'we'. It's time to let go of 'we' and find out who you are individually. Otherwise, you will hold each other back."

Jack shook his head, but she could tell that her words were taking effect and breaking down his resistance.

"You will do well in Gryffindor," Minerva added. "That's also my house."

He looked from her to the Headmaster, but there was no more fight left in him.

"It will be okay, Jack. Now, sit at the Gryffindor table and do me proud."

He said nothing but walked out of the room obediently. Minerva stood in the doorway and watched how he exchanged a look with Elsa, who gasped in shock when he sat down with the Gryffindors and not next to her.

"He's going to be a handful," Dumbledore chuckled before going back to his seat at the staff table.

"As if that was ever in jeopardy," Minerva said in resignation.

》《