章 11: Chapter 11: Eda and the Sorting Hat
Fred gently pushed Eda who was not paying attention, "It's your turn, Eda."
Eda snapped back to attention and stepped forward to sit on the stool.
The dirty Sorting Hat was placed on her head, large enough to cover most of her vision. Professor McGonagall watched Eda, hoping she would be sorted into her house.
Even Dumbledore was keenly observing Eda's sorting result.
"Hmm, a bit tricky..." a faint voice whispered in Eda's ear.
The Sorting Hat tilted her head toward the Gryffindor table. "A strong heart filled with courage, daring, and chivalry, all qualities that suit Gryffindor well. It seems like a good choice!"
Before Eda could say anything, her head was turned towards the Ravenclaw table. "Intelligent, talented, with a thirst for knowledge and a desire to explore the world. You fit well with Ravenclaw too."
Then it was Hufflepuff's turn. "This is also a good option. Hufflepuff has great inclusivity. Here, you'll make many friends who will accept you for who you are."
'Isn't it time for Slytherin?' Eda thought to herself.
"That's right, next is Slytherin!" Naturally, her head turned towards the Slytherin table.
Eda had given up resisting. "You disdain convention, are unsatisfied with the status quo, and are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. Yes, Slytherin will help you achieve greatness..."
"Well, have you decided?" the Sorting Hat asked.
"Any house is fine; I'm not too concerned about it," Eda replied.
In truth, she didn't care which house she ended up in. To her, attending Hogwarts was a great opportunity, the sorting hat would get her a House that would be most suitable for her and it couldn't be worse than the orphanage, could it?
"How about Slytherin then? There, you'll meet like-minded individuals who will help you achieve greatness and glory, fulfilling all your ambitions..." the Sorting Hat softly coaxed Eda.
Eda's head, controlled by the Sorting Hat, was still facing the Slytherin table.
The hat seemed very eager to sell her on this idea.
Eda thought to herself: Slytherin it is, then. My background might be a bit awkward, but I hope I won't have any conflicts with everyone there!
"Then Slytherin it is... The choice is yours, isn't it?" Eda responded softly.
"Oh, is that so... Then I'll announce it!" the Sorting Hat said with interest. "Gryffindor!"
The Sorting Hat suddenly turned Eda's head towards the Gryffindor table, almost twisting her neck in the process.
Cheers and applause erupted from the Gryffindor table. Eda removed the hat, rubbing her neck as she walked towards the table.
Compared to Slytherin, Gryffindor was clearly a better choice in Eda's mind. It would be easier to get along with the lions.
"Yes, it's best to put her in Gryffindor. Dumbledore, I've done you a great favor," the Sorting Hat whispered, though neither Eda nor Professor McGonagall heard it.
Eda reached the Gryffindor table, where older students warmly welcomed her. Angelina Johnson waved at Eda, who made her way over and sat down next to her. She also greeted Alicia Spinnet.
After Eda, Fred and George were both sorted into Gryffindor as well.
Percy was introducing his twin brothers to those around him, while Charlie stood up and said to the twins, "Well done, Fred, George, just as it should be!"
The twin brothers were the last two students to be sorted, marking the end of the Sorting Ceremony.
Albus Dumbledore stood up, beaming at the students with open arms, as if nothing made him happier than seeing them all together.
"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! First, I am pleased to welcome a new teacher to our staff this term. Welcome, Professor Benedict Foley, who has kindly agreed to fill the position of this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
The hall erupted in sparse applause, not because they didn't welcome the elegantly dressed Professor Foley, but because he was delaying their meal.
The feeble applause quickly subsided, and Dumbledore continued, "Before we begin the feast, I would like to say a few words—Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!—Now everyone! Enjoy the food!"
Straight to the point, Dumbledore's words were brief and clear. The applause and cheers lasted long after Dumbledore had sat down, a stark contrast to the previous lukewarm response.
The previously empty plates on the table suddenly filled with food, abundant and rich.
Eda hadn't had such a lavish meal in a long time, especially one without having to curse the stars while eating.
The Weasley brothers next to her were already indulging heartily. The famished Eda also began to eat enthusiastically, showing no signs of the lack of appetite that Mrs. Mary had mentioned.
The Gryffindor ghost was chatting with the new students. Some called him Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, while others called him Nearly Headless Nick.
Seeing some of the new students not understanding what "nearly headless" meant, Sir Nicholas 'kindly' demonstrated by showing his head, which was barely attached to his body by a thin piece of skin—a gruesome sight!
However, Eda paid no attention to this, as she was busy eating. Her manner of eating was not crude; rather, it was quite elegant. The knife and fork in her hands moved in sync like a well-oiled machine, allowing her to chew quickly and consume a lot.
After everyone was full, the food was replaced with desserts, giving everyone time to chat. The twins were cracking jokes, making Alicia and Angelina laugh while holding their stomachs.
Finally, the desserts vanished, and Dumbledore stood up again, bringing the hall to silence.
"Now that everyone has had their fill, I have a few more words before we start the term."
"First-year students should note that the forbidden forest on the school grounds is strictly off-limits to all students. Some of our older students would do well to remember that as well."
Dumbledore paused briefly, then continued, "Additionally, Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to remind everyone that magic is not to be used in the corridors between classes. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in joining their house team should contact Madam Hooch."
"Now, before you go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore said enthusiastically. However, the other professors didn't look as pleased, their faces were stiff and they did not share the headmaster's enthusiasm.
Dumbledore gave a light wave of his wand, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, twisting and turning high above the tables like a serpent, forming words.
"Everyone pick their favorite tune," Dumbledore said, "Ready, sing!"
And so the entire school began to sing loudly:
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald,
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling,
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot.
The singing was a cacophony, with everyone singing at different tempos and in different tunes.
Eda chose to sing the school song to the rhythm of "Steel Torrent," getting herself all fired up.
The Weasley twins, on the other hand, opted for the "Funeral March," and its slow melody meant that by the time everyone else had finished singing, the Weasley brothers were still going.
Dumbledore conducted the final few bars with his wand, and when they finished, his applause was the loudest.
As she clapped, Eda felt that the "Funeral March" was missing the sound of a suona, a traditional instrument, to truly capture its essence.
"Ah, music," Dumbledore said, wiping his eyes, "a magic beyond all we do here! Now, it is time for bed. Off you go to your dormitories."
At his words, the students stood up and began to leave, filling the hall with noise.
The new Gryffindors followed Charlie Weasley, weaving through the noisy crowd, exiting the Great Hall, and climbing the marble staircase.
They walked through corridors filled with portraits, passed doors hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries, and navigated several staircases and a final corridor before Charlie finally stopped.
At the end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman dressed in pink.
Eda silently memorized the route from the Great Hall to the common room.
"Password, Dear?" the woman in the portrait asked.
"Lionheart," Charlie said.
The portrait, having received the correct password, swung forward to reveal a circular hole in the wall.
Crawling through the hole, Eda finally entered the Gryffindor common room, a cozy circular room filled with plush armchairs and warmed by the fire crackling in the fireplace.
Under Charlie's guidance, Eda, Angelina, and Alicia went through a door leading to their dormitory.
Coincidentally, they were all assigned to the same room.
Inside the dormitory, there were five four-poster beds draped with deep red velvet curtains. The beds looked far more comfortable than the hard beds Eda had been used to at the orphanage.
Although there were five beds, only the three of them would be occupying the room. This was a relief for Eda; fewer people meant fewer problems.
Their trunks had already been brought up.
Exhausted, Angelina and Alicia changed into their pajamas and fell asleep almost immediately without saying much.
Eda, having changed into her pajamas as well, lay on the soft bed, feeling quite comfortable.
She was tired too—after all, the journey from London to Scotland had been long and tiring—but for some reason, she couldn't fall asleep.
Turning onto her side, Eda could just see a sliver of the sky through the tower window.
She lay there, staring blankly at the patch of sky, lost in thought.
She didn't know how much time passed, but eventually, she drifted off into a deep sleep on the soft, comfortable bed....
_______
Sorry for the wait.
Well, as of today, I plan to upload at least 6 chapters/ week!
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