Choice's Curse {d.m.}

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-Content warnings for mention of abusive parents=

enjoy:)

The sorting this year took longer than I could ever remember it taking, probably due to the fact that I could feel Malfoy's gaze shooting into my back. I was sat with Luna, Cho, and Cedric at the Ravenclaw table, and Hermione, Ron, and Harry were sat at the Gryffindor table next to us. I tried to tune into the conversation my friends were having, but I couldn't stop thinking about what Malfoy and Harry had said earlier, about the two wildly different boys that had become such large parts of my life in such incredibly different ways.

As the hat called out, "Ravenclaw!" my mind wandered to my own sorting. Five years ago, I was just a scared 1st year, standing with all the other nervous kids waiting to be sorted. I had already met Cho on the train, and I stood next to her as we waited for our names to be called out. I couldn't remember a time I had been more anxious and filled with dread as the long list of students was read. Finally, McGonagall called out, "Elaine Adler!"

I made my way up to the stool, and the hat was placed on my head, the heavy brown fabric dipping low over my eyes.

"Interesting..." it mused. "I see much yearning for knowledge, but I also see much darkness and secrecy in you. You want more than anything to prove you are more than how your parents see you."

"Darkness?" I questioned.

"Mm, yes, darkness, little one. You have led a difficult life. You would be a good fit in Slytherin, with all your ambition and cunning. I see how you used your parent's weaknesses against them."

I didn't know much about Slytherin besides what Cho had said about them on the train earlier that day. Apparently, that was the house every single evil witch or wizard had come from, and that everyone but those in Slytherin viewed it with large amounts of contempt and fear.

"Not Slytherin, please, anything but that." I begged quietly, looking out into the crowd and seeing Cho's anxious face scanning my own.

"You would do incredibly well in Slytherin...their cunning would foster your own...perhaps even help you against your parents..." It thought a moment longer, and my heart was pounding with nerves.

"RAVENCLAW!" The Sorting Hat's loud voice made me jump, and McGonagall took the hat off my head. The Ravenclaw table erupted with applause, and I made my way down the steps to join them, Cho's beaming face shining at me as I sat down.

The sorting finally finished with one more girl being sorted into Slytherin, and with a few very odd words from Dumbledore, the feast was on. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until the warm, fall food popped onto the trays before me. Grabbing ladleful of the pumpkin soup that was in front of me, and some bread and juice, I began eating what was my first real, good meal in months, and though my stomach protested at the first taste of such rich food, I was determined to eat my fair share. The chatting died down slightly as everyone began eating, and I noticed Harry looking up at me from his table. Our eyes met, and I could've sworn that his face turned slightly pink before Ron said something and he turned to talk to him. I smiled down at my food, and Cho noticed and gave me a slight nudge to the side.

"If I didn't know better, I would say that you have a crush on someone," she teased.

My heart had stopped when she noticed, but she hadn't noticed it was Harry, so I let out a small breath. "What can I say? It's been a while." I smiled slightly.

"Yeah, your last crush was--" Cho squealed as I clapped my hand over her mouth.

"Keep it down, will you?" I whispered, glancing over at where Cedric sat on the other side of Cho.