Pyrrhic Victory

three.

Year One
three. Sorting

Lucille and Magnolia walked side by side into the Great Hall. Everyone was staring at them, they had tall black witches hats on, and decked out in their robes. Daphne was on the other side of Magnolia, but Lucille was pushed more to the back since the tables were not too far apart. Lucille's eye caught Melody's glare, but quickly looked away as she didn't want to make eye-contact with her sister.

The group of eleven year olds finally made it to the front of the Great Hall, they all eyes the teachers who were seated at the back table.

McGonagall held up the sorting hat that was placed on a stool.
'This is it, this is where my life begins' Lucille thought as McGonagall explained how this was going to go. Lucille didn't even snap back into reality until the first name was called, Hannah Abbott.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat screamed, and the Hufflepuff table erupted into cheer. The blonde girl smiled widely before she skipped over to the table. Lucille clapped loudly for the girl which caused her to get a glare from Magnolia.

"Bones, Susan!" McGonagall yelled another name, the red head girl nervously walked up to the hat. The hat was placed on her head, and in no time she was sorted into Hufflepuff.

The next to students, Terry Boot and Mandy Brocklehurst were both sorted into Ravenclaw which made the house very proud of their two new members.

"Brown, Lavender!" A girl with brownish-blonde hair moved passed Lucille as she made her way to the front of the room, and sat herself onto the stool. Lucille stared deeply at the sorting hat while Magnolia eyes just wandered around the room.

The first person to be sorted into Gryffindor was Lavender Brown, the only house Magnolia didn't want was Gryffindor, not because she didn't like the house, because of its rivalry with Slytherin.

"Bulstrode, Millicent!" A big, buffer girl sat on the stool, it only took the hat a couple of seconds before it screamed Slytherin. She was the first person sorted into Slytherin tonight, Lucille kept her hopes up hoping she would be sorted into Slytherin.

Vincent Crabbe went next, and was also sorted into Slytherin which made Draco verily proud. Then another kid, Justin Finch-Fletchley was sorted into Hufflepuff. Then Seamus Finnigan who was sorted into Gryffindor. Then Gregory Goyle was sorted into Slytherin which made Draco even more proud that his two newly made friends were in the house he was destined to be in.

"Granger, Hermione!" Hermione ran to the stool, and got the hat on her verily quick. She wore a big smile on her face as the hat screamed 'Gryffindor!'.
Magnolia listened as the red-head in front of her groaned at the choice the sorting hat made.

"Greengrass, Daphne!" McGonagall called and Daphne looked at her cousin for reassurance to which Magnolia smiled wildly. The blonde girl made her way up to the stool to where she sat. In a matter of a minute it screamed Slytherin to which she happily jumped up, and made her way over to the Slytherin table. As Magnolia was happy for her cousin, it only put more pressure on her to get sorted.

Then was Neville Longbottom, he was stubby boy with blonde hair, it was the boy who had the toad, Trevor. He was sorted into Gryffindor, but Magnolia and Lucille could tell that he definitely didn't want to be. It was actually really funny, when he was sorted he ran off with the hat. Magnolia and Daphne couldn't help but giggle, but Lucille felt bad for the boy... maybe he was in the situation she was in.

There was another girl sorted into Ravenclaw which caused the Ravenclaw house to cheer and pride in another member.

"Malfoy, Draco!" Magnolia tensed up as the boy stuffed up on the stage, Lucille asked why she was all tensed up at the boys name to which she replied that she was next. Lucille raised her eyebrow, but then realized MALfoy, MALvorseve.

As soon as the hat reached Draco's aura it screamed Slytherin. It was no doubt that Draco would be sorted into Slytherin, but it only made Magnolia even more petrified.

"Malvorseve, Magnolia!" McGonagall called, Magnolia looked at Lucille who nodded. Magnolia gulped as she walked through what was left of the students.

The sorting hat was placed onto her head, and he immediately started talking.

"Malvorseve hm- yes, yes much like her brothers- very much with pride- would do well in Hufflepuff- but doesn't have the loyalty and patience- let it be SLYTHERIN!" The hat screamed, and Magnolia almost cried tears of joy as she ran over to be reunited with her cousin. Her brothers cheered loudly as their little sister was sorted into Slytherin, Lucille clapped for her friend her was sorted into the house she wanted to be in.

There was Theodore Nott, he was sorted into Slytherin, and walked over to the table with pride as he was welcomed. He sat next to Magnolia who blushed furiously.

There was another girl sorted into Slytherin, Pansy Parkinson. She had a bob, and strutted over and immediately swooned over Draco. There was these twins to which one went to Ravenclaw, the other to Gryffindor. Then Sally-Anne Perks who was sorted into Gryffindor. Then was the person everyone was waiting for.

Harry Potter.

There was muffled whispered as the boy walked up to the stool, Magnolia recognized him as the boy Draco was trying to befriend earlier.

He sat down, and the hat started giving him compliments, he suggested Slytherin to which Harry refused which caused Magnolia to squint her eyebrows. Slytherin wasnt a bad house, sure, it had bad reputation, but not everyone in it was bad.

"better be GRYFFINDOR!" The hat yelled, and a very optimistic Harry made his was over to the Gryffindor table. Magnolia sighed as Slytherin was basically just made fun of by THE Harry Potter.

"We got Potter! We got Potter!" A pair of twins yelled from the Gryffindor table which was right next to were Lucille was standing. There were two kids before her, Dean Thomas, who was sorted into Gryffindor, and then Lisa Turpin who became a Ravenclaw.

"Vagabonde, Lucille!" She took in a deep breath before she walked up, and sat on the stool. She closed her eyes as the hat started talking about her.

"Yes- very friendly- Vagabonde?- hm- ah I see- HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat yelled in the matter of seconds, she felt as the whole world around her stopped. She felt her sister, Melody's, eyes in her, glaring. The Hufflepuff table was happy, but Lucille locked eyes with Magnolia who was giving her a sympathetic look.

She made her way over to the table, she sat next to the blonde girl who was the first one to be sorted earlier, Hannah Abbott.

'Well at least her mother will be proud.' Lucille thought as she sat at the Hufflepuff table on the verge of tears.

The second to last student was Ron Weasley, the ginger boy Draco made fun of. He looked very pale and nervous, but he got Gryffindor which turned out to be the house he wanted.

Dumbledore gave a speech about welcoming students, and then the feast began. All the first years eyes were pleased by the food that was served in front of them. Every student immediately digged in the food because most of them haven't ate since breakfast that morning.