Unhappy Endings

6: The Sorting Ceremony

Despite the sorting ceremony occurring every year, it was always exciting. In fact, you had always played a game with your friends during this time. You liked to guess which house the child would be sorted into based solely off of instinct.

And you were seated next to none other than Madame Hooch and Professor Snape. So who else to play with but your neighbors?

"Madame, I mean, Rolanda, would you like to play a game with me?" You leaned over and whispered, prior to the arrival of the children.

"What game?" She leaned back over. "And will it make this insufferable ceremony go any faster?"

"I used to guess which house the person would be sorted into before the hat could choose. One finger for Gryffindor, two fingers for Hufflepuff, three fingers for Ravenclaw and four for Slytherin. It's alphabetical, as not to forget." You explained to her. "Sometimes we would keep track of how many were correct, but for now I really just want to play."

"How... childish." Severus' voice rang in your ear.

"Oh, my apologies, sir. I didn't invite you to play, how rude of me. Would you like to join us?" You gently placed your hand on his cloaked arm.

"You took that from his insult? That he wanted to play the game too?" Rolanda chuckled. "I highly doubt that he wants to play with such 'childish' people."

"My sister used to make fun of me when she really did want to join in. I suspect that the Professor here simply doesn't know how to kindly ask to join. That, or he is afraid of the rejection." You deduced.

"I don't appreciate being over analyzed by the likes of you." Severus looked down at you, but neither you nor him made any action to remove your hand.

"Join if you would like, you certainly heard the rules." And with that, the first-years filed in.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding her long roll of parchment with all of the names upon it. Alphabetical, of course.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. 'Abbott, Hannah!'

She was a  pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails. Small, but sturdy, she stumbled out of line, put on the  hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. Quickly, you guess Hufflepuff, seeing as your sister had been sorted into that house and the girl looked just as goofy. So you held a two. Rolanda held a one. After only a moment's pause the hat announced the outcome.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at the girl as Hufflepuff cheered and you secretly cheered yourself on. As a former Ravenclaw, you prided yourself on your deductions.

"Bones, Susan!"

You guessed a three, Rolanda guessed a four.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah. Neither of you got it right.

"Boot, Terry!"

A two from you, two from Rolanda.

"RAVENCLAW!" You both smiled at each other knowingly. It was fun when it was obvious where a person would go.

'Brocklehurst,  Mandy' went to Ravenclaw too, only Rolanda guessed it, but 'Brown, Lavender' became the first  new Gryffindor and the table on the far left exploded with cheers. Neither of you guessed that one correctly.

'Bulstrode, Millicent'  then became a Slytherin. But this time, Snape joined in holding four fingers discreetly against the table. And naturally, he got his own house correct. It was his job to know his Slytherin students.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!" A one from Rolanda, a two from you and a two from Severus.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"