CHAPTER EIGHT:
THE SORTING

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"THIS IS WHERE WE PART FOR NOW," SAM ADDRESSED DAISY.

He, Cedric, Clara, and Jenny -- a raven-haired beauty with intelligent grey eyes -- walked Daisy to Hagrid, who stood high above them with a bright light.

"Thank you for letting me sit with you," Daisy smiled at her new friends.

Jenny laughed lightly, amused at Daisy's words. "Kid, we didn't let you do anything. You're welcome to sit with us anytime."

"She's right," Cedric agreed, winking at Daisy. "We might be a few years older than you, but we've got your back. I know you'll be a Hufflepuff."

Sam shook his head. "No," he disagreed, straightening his tie. "She's a Ravenclaw for sure."

Daisy smiled at her new friends, happiness surging through her veins. They truly liked her -- for her. They wanted to be her friends. She'd never had that before, always the weird girl with a bully for a brother. But not here. Hogwarts would be different.

"We've got to catch the carriages, see you at the feast, alright?" Cedric said pointedly to Daisy. She nodded. "Brilliant. Enjoy the castle, it's...magical the first time."

"See you around, Cedric."

With a final wave from the older group, they walked off, Cedric and Sam shoving each other lightly, all of them laughing about something. Daisy turned to Hagrid, smiling up at him, spotting Harry near his legs.

"Harry!"

Harry turned his head, a smile blossoming on his face. "Hey, Daisy," he greeted. "It's Hagrid!"

Daisy laughed, waving at the half-giant. "Hi, Hagrid! How are you?"

"Doin' fine, Daisy, an' you?"

"Excited."

Hagrid looked up at the forming group of first years behind Harry and Daisy. "C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Harry's hand found Daisy's as they walked, Ron next to Harry. She gripped his hand tightly, just as nervous as him. Sure, she'd made a few friends -- but that had nothing to do with her magical capabilities. What if Ron was wrong and she wasn't magical enough? She didn't think she could go home now -- not after the train ride, exploding snap, a moving chocolate frog --, she couldn't do it. She couldn't face her parents.

No one spoke much as they walked down the long, steep, dark path. Daisy stumbled over a rock, bumping into Hagrid a bit, but he helped her steady. She could hear someone sniffling, Neville, someone whispered. The boy with the toad.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "oooh!" and then Daisy saw it.

The woods around them parted into a big, black lake. Daisy's mouth dropped at the sight. Atop a big hill with a high mountain on the other side, a ginormous castle with turrets and towers stood proud. The sky shimmered with stars behind the castle and Daisy couldn't believe her luck. How special was she -- to see such beauty so early in her life?

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid pointed to a small fleet of boats sitting in the water by the shore. Ron moved first, Harry close behind him, tugging Daisy along. Hermione Granger, the girl from the train, followed them and hopped into the boat with them. Daisy smiled at her nervously. Hermione seemed flustered, running a hand through her hair, and mumbling something under her breath.

"Everyone in?" Hagrid asked, sitting in a boat by himself. "Right then — FORWARD!"

And then, all at once, the boats began moving, following after Hagrid's. Daisy reached her hand to the water, touching it gently, feeling the cool swirl of the current underneath her. She swore something moved under the water, deep in the abyss, dark and large. Her heart skipped a beat nervously. She pulled her hand back, looking at the other occupants of the boat before her eyes settled on the castle ahead.

The closer they veered, the more her heart ached with longing. As though she'd been there before, Daisy felt like she was coming home, filling an empty void inside her. The more she stared at the castle, the more her mind wandered. It seemed familiar and comfortable. As though she'd seen it before.

"Heads down!" Hagrid yelled as the boats reached the cliff. Daisy ducked her head and they moved through a curtain of ivy hanging down, beckoning them. The boats carried them through a long, dark tunnel that seemed to be underneath the castle. After a few minutes, they reached the end of the tunnel into a dimly lit platform with pebbles and rocks.

Daisy hopped out, helping Hermione up as she tripped on the edge. She sent Daisy a grateful smile.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" Hagrid asked, checking the boats as everyone clambered out.

"Trevor!" Neville shouted, rushing to Hagrid and taking the toad from him.

Hagrid moved in front of them again, walking down a long passageway. Daisy bit her lip anxiously, nerves striking her the closer they travelled to the castle. They made it to a dark, smooth patch of grass in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a huge flight of steps to a large oak door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" Hagrid asked, raising his fist and knocking on the door three times.

They didn't wait more than ten seconds before the door opened. Daisy's face brightened seeing a familiar face: Professor McGonagall, with her green robes and hat.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid," Professor McGonagall gave him a single nod. "I will take them from here."

She pulled the door open. Daisy didn't think she could be more in awe. The entrance hall was bigger than three of her houses. Thick stone walls were lit with flaming torches and seemed to go on forever; the ceiling was impossible to make out. A colossal marble staircase faced them, leading up to another level and Daisy itched to explore.

Professor McGonagall led them across a flagstone floor and the voices spoke loudly behind another set of great, oak doors. The rest of the school was in there, Daisy was sure of it. Cedric and his friends were in there -- but Professor McGonagall led them to a small, dark hallway. Daisy moved closer to Harry as everyone else piled in around them.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall began, "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend your free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Professor McGonagall's eyes surveyed Neville's cloak, and Ron's dirty nose for a moment. Harry reached his hands up to flatten his hair. Daisy fiddled with her braids. Professor McGonagall met her eyes and the familiar quirk of her lips soothed Daisy's nerves a fraction.

Daisy, Harry, and Ron exchanged a scared look between the three of them. Sorting Ceremony? Cedric hadn't mentioned anything of the sort. He said she could be sorted into a house -- what was the process? What if she couldn't do it? Did she have to pick the house or recite a phrase? She wished her parents had locked away her books, surely there'd have been something in there...

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall, "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber a moment later and Daisy let out a deep breath.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" Harry asked Ron.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

A test? Daisy shrunk down a bit. She would never pass a test. How could she? She wasn't allowed to read anything at home -- what if she failed? Would they send her back? She couldn't go back now. Daisy heard Hermione mumbling different spells quickly to herself. Heart sinking, Daisy realized how much better of a student Hermione would be. What if they had to choose between the two? Daisy and Hermione were both muggle-borns, what if they chose her instead?

Then someone screamed.

Daisy jumped, bumping into Harry again, sending him a fleeting apology.

"What the--?"

Daisy gasped, along with the majority of the people around her. About twenty ghosts, proper ghosts, glided through the walls and moved past the first years. Transparent and pale, Daisy could see straight through them. They appeared to be arguing. A fat little monk spoke first.

"Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance —"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost with ruffles around his collar and tights noticed everyone first.

No one answered his question.

"New students!" Said the one called Friar with a smile. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded, but no one said anything.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" The Friar smiled. "My old house, you know?"

Daisy perked up a bit. She liked the idea of Hufflepuff, accepting and loyal. But she wasn't a very loyal person -- she abandoned her family when they asked her not to. How could someone be less loyal?

"Move along now," Professor McGonagall was back again, "the Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

One by one, the ghosts drifted into the wall where the voices came from. Professor McGonagall told them to stand in a straight line and everyone quickly huddled up. Harry was near the front, behind a boy with sandy hair and Ron stood behind him. Before Daisy could get in line behind him, Hermione was there, and then a dark-skinned boy behind her. She slid in line behind him and heard a scoff from behind her.

Turning around, her eyes widened at the blonde boy from before -- the one she hit with her cart back on the platform before they got onto the train. What was the name his mother called him? Draco?

"Hello again," she said cautiously with a tight smile, trying to diffuse tension.

He sneered, looking at her with utmost disgust. She blinked, turning around and shaking her head. She didn't have time for the weird blonde boy.

Professor McGonagall led them out of the chamber and through another set of doors into the Great Hall.

Daisy's jaw fell open and she wished she had three sets of eyes to look at everything. High above her were dozens of floating candles, sitting just under the night sky, which looked as real as the one outside. A shooting star danced across the sky, sparkling off against other stars. Around her sat four long tables and benches full of students. In front of Professor McGonagall there stood a single long table with adults, professors, she presumed, and a wise-looking wizard with a very long grey beard in the middle. He reminded her of Gandalf, from a movie Dudley watched once -- before their parents turned it off and they went to bed without dinner for watching something so unrealistic -- with half-moon-shaped spectacles on the end of his nose.

"Brilliant," she heard Draco breathe out behind her.

"I know," she replied gently, her voice filled with awe. He didn't even reply any snark, and they connected eyes for a moment, both filled with wonder. She looked away a second later, watching as Professor McGonagall stopped just in front of a stool with an old, tattered wizard's hat. Daisy raised her eyebrows. What an odd fashion statement -- were they supposed to take something out of it? Maybe a rabbit? Whatever it was, the hat was not pretty to look at.

Then, the hat opened a rift in the front and began to sing. Daisy's mouth dropped completely in shock. A singing hat? Could this place get any cooler?

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me

You can keep your bowlers black, Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff, Where they are just and loyal, Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The hall burst into applause and Daisy clapped excitedly, a big smile on her face. It bowed to the four tables and then grew still again, quiet on the stool once more. Relief flooded Daisy. All she had to do was try on the hat. And it didn't matter what house she got -- though she hoped for Hufflepuff with Cedric or Gryffindor with McGonagall -- she'd be fine.

Then again, she wasn't sure exactly where she'd belong. Based upon Cedric's descriptions -- and the hat's -- Hufflepuff or Gryffindor sounded the best, and she wasn't smart enough to be in Ravenclaw. (Though she had good grades in school and Sam did say he bet she'd get sorted there.) Slytherin seemed the most mysterious out of them all -- determination and ambition. Was she ambitious? Did she value her intelligence? She wasn't exactly brave, not like Harry, who was the most resilient person she knew...what if she didn't belong anywhere? What if the house sat on her head and decided she should leave indefinitely?

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and held up a large roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted."

"Abbott, Hannah!"

A girl with bright pink cheeks and blonde hair rushed to the stool, stumbling out of line, and Professor McGonagall put the hat on her pigtails.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and Daisy peeked over, trying to spot Cedric or his friends. She couldn't find any of them.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted when Susan tried it on. She scurried off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table on the left clapped enthusiastically and a few Ravenclaw's stood up to shake Terry's hand when he approached the table. Daisy noticed his tie had turned from dark black to blue and grey.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" was sorted into Ravenclaw, and "Lavender Brown" was the first to get into Gryffindor. The table on the far left, behind Ravenclaw, cheered and screamed in excitement for Lavender, definitely the loudest table. Daisy spotted Ron's brothers, Fred and George, cat-calling and high-fiving the girl.

"Bulstrode, Millicent!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

The cheers were absent from this table, more polite clapping ensued instead. Daisy's stomach did a flip. She felt sick now -- where would she be sorted?

"Crabbe, Vincent!"

A chubby boy with brown hair -- he reminded her a bit of her brother, if she were honest, a menacing look on his face -- walked up to the stool. The hat stalled for a few seconds before deciding.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Daisy swallowed. His name had to be coming up. She cursed having an early letter for the last name. How long before everyone realized she didn't belong here?

"Dursley, Daisy!"

Daisy's eyes went wide and she let out a light gasp. She felt frozen for a second, fear overtaking her, but took a shaky breath and kept moving on, past Harry, who gave her a friendly smile, and Ron and Hermione.

She sat on the cool stool, wiping her clammy hands on her pants as Professor McGonagall slid the hat on her head.

Her eyes went dark, the hat was far too big for her head, and she could hear a strange voice now, echoing through her mind. Was it talking to her? Could anyone else hear it?

"Ah, a muggleborn," the voice greeted her.

Was the hat talking to her?

"Yes," the hat chuckled in response. Her face warmed. He could read her thoughts? "I can. Hmm...interesting...you have the brains of a Ravenclaw, and the heart of a Hufflepuff...but there is something...else...not bravery, no...sacrifice...I see something deep inside you. A longing. You wish to prove yourself, do you not?"

Daisy didn't respond aloud. Her heart thundered in her chest. The hall went quiet. How long had she been sitting there? She did have something to prove. She wanted to show her parents that magic could be good. She had to show Harry she was a good cousin, a good person. She had to prove to everyone that she was good enough to be here. That she was magical enough. She had to.

"Yes...only one place for you here...you'll find true friends and know real power...better be..."

"SLYTHERIN!"

Daisy jumped as the voice shouted through the hall, echoing through her brain. Slytherin. Slytherin. Hagrid said poor things about Slytherin, and so did Ron. Cedric didn't seem to mind them either way -- what if the hat made a mistake?

Daisy stood up as Professor McGonagall took the hat off, the briefest look of surprise flickering across her face. Daisy heard mild clapping from the Slytherin table and her eyes found Harry's. Confusion settled on his face. Confusion and hurt. She was in the wrong house. Perhaps she should run up to Professor McGonagall and ask to be placed in another house.

But her feet led her to the Slytherin table and she looked down, her tie now spotting silver and green. She sat down next to Millicent Bulstrode, the girl from earlier, and gave her a tight smile. Some of the older Slytherins were giving Daisy odd looks -- as though her being in the house was peculiar, somehow. But why?

Daisy's eyes moved across the crowd of first years, yet to be sorted, as Professor McGonagall shouted another name. Her eyes finally met a pair of warm brown ones. Cedric. He smiled, face littered with pride. He gave her two thumbs up and a big grin.

Her heart swelled at his face. Maybe the hat had made the right decision. Slytherin could be good for her. She wanted to be in Hufflepuff, the hat said her heart was that of a Hufflepuff's, but she wanted to prove herself. What did that mean? She didn't think it was that big of a deal.

"Malfoy, Draco!"

Daisy's eyes left Cedric's in curiosity for the blonde boy from before and she watched as he swaggered up to the stool. The hat barely touched his head before shouting: "SLYTHERIN!"

Daisy hadn't even noticed another boy their age be sorted, it must have happened after her turn. Draco joined him and Crabbe, the boy before her. They sat a few seats away from Daisy and Millicent, who had yet to speak with her.

Draco's eyes connected with Daisy a moment later and something flickered in his eyes. He scoffed, turning to face his friends again. Her heart dropped. So far -- people didn't appear to be nice in this house. But, it was only the Sorting Ceremony. People could change, right? They had to. She had to have friends. This was going to be different than before. She would make it different.

"Nott, Theodore" was sorted into Slytherin and was the first person to smile at Daisy, even going as far as to wink at her. He sat across from her and Millicent. Her nerves dwindled tremendously. Of course, she'd make friends, she told herself. Of course. Theodore seemed nice, even if Millicent and Draco didn't.

"Patil, Padma" went into Ravenclaw, but her twin sister Parvati was sorted into Gryffindor. She sat next to Lavender Brown. And then:

"Potter, Harry!"

Daisy's attention was grabbed and a smile tugged at her lips. It fell a minute later as whispers broke throughout the hall, asking about the boy-who-lived and you-know-who. Her eyebrows furrowed together in worry. The hat sat on his head for quite some time, and she wondered what the hat could be saying to him. She secretly hoped he'd end up in her house. Then she could still keep an eye on him and not be alone.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Her heart dropped but she gave him a thumbs up, as Cedric did to her, when he glanced in her direction. The Weasley twins greeted him excitedly and he sat in between Hermione Granger and Percy Weasley, Ron's other brother.

"We got Potter! We got Potter!" The Weasley twins were shouting as the Gryffindor table applauded. A bit of jealousy swarmed inside Daisy's chest -- why couldn't her house be that enthusiastic for her? Harry was just Harry, he didn't even remember you-know-who -- but she pushed it back.

A few more students were sorted. "Thomas, Dean" went into Gryffindor, and "Turpin, Lisa" went into Ravenclaw. Then, it was Ron's turn.

Daisy perked up again, straightening herself up and watching as her new friend was sorted into another house that wasn't hers.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Daisy smiled, trying to be happy for him, but worry flooded her. All the friends she'd made -- were all in different houses. And aside from Theodore Nott, no one else had made any notion of her presence, other than ogling at her as though she had two heads.

"Zabini, Blaise!"

A dark-skinned boy with a suave expression took the stool last, confidence pouring from his presence.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Theodore Nott grinned, scooting over across from Daisy, giving Blaise Zabini room to sit. Blaise smiled at him and the pair bumped fists. Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll and took the stool away.

"Welcome," the man with the grey beard, Daisy would presume Dumbledore, as Professor McGonagall said he was the Headmaster, began. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

Daisy's head tilted a fraction and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What a strange man. He sat back down and everyone began to clap and cheer, except the majority of Slytherins. She noticed plenty of them kept quiet and watched the man with mild dislike.

Then, before anyone could say another word the long house tables were now piled high with food. Daisy's stomach rumbled in hunger as she took in the copious amounts of food. Dudley would have lost it, eaten half the table if he could.

Roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and even peppermint humbugs. Daisy dove straight in for the roast beef, potatoes, carrots, and gravy, and grabbed a lamb chop for good measure.

Distant chatter rose throughout the hall, starting slow before echoing through the room. Blaise Zabini cleared his throat, giving Daisy a pointed look and her cheeks warmed up.

"Sorry, were you -- were you talking to me?"

"Yes," he laughed, eyes watching her in mild amusement. "Your last name, Dursley. Are you a half-blood?"

Daisy swallowed a bite of her carrots, staring at him in blatant confusion, though she tried not to show it. Half-blood? What did that mean? Was he insinuating something because she was ginger? A few other students near her glanced over in curiosity, as if awaiting her answer.

"Er--I don't," she coughed, trying not to sound stupid, "I don't know what you're talking about?" She phrased it as more of a question, but it wasn't intentional.

Theodore Nott raised his eyebrows. "Bloody hell," he gaped, watching her with the same amusement Blaise had. "You're a muggleborn?"

Daisy shrugged, half-smiling sheepishly. "Yes, I think so. That means both of my parents are muggles, right?"

Blaise nodded, a bit of pudding on the corner of his lip. "Yeah, that's what that means."

Someone gasped from down the table, overhearing their conversation, and then whispers broke out through the Slytherin table. Curiosity overtook her face and Daisy looked between Blaise and Theodore.

"Is that bad? Why're people whispering?"

They exchanged a look before they both shrugged.

"I'm just going to tell you this straight up," Theodore began. "We're pureblood. Pretty much everyone here is. There are a few half-bloods, but it's not overly common. Salazar Slytherin, the Founder of Slytherin, hates muggleborns, or rather, mudbloods, as they're commonly called. You're the first muggleborn in Slytherin that I've ever heard of."

Daisy sunk further into her seat, wishing she could disappear. Why couldn't the hat have placed her in Hufflepuff? She'd have been far better off. Not one-of-a-kind, like some sort of freak. She just stopped being a freak at home -- and now she was a freak here? In a place where everyone's a bit strange?

"Oh," Daisy responded, unsure of how to reply. She took another bite of her vegetables.

"That's it?" A pug-faced girl asked a few seats down. "That's all you have to say for yourself? Come on, you had to have begged the hat to get in. You're not supposed to be in Slytherin. You're dirty."

Daisy frowned, wounded by the girl's words, but she tried not to let it show.

"That's rich coming from a girl with food on her nose."

The girl's cheeks reddened and she looked away furiously, glaring at her food. Blaise and Theodore laughed. Theodore pointed at Daisy with his fork.

"I like you, Daisy Dursley. For a mudblood, you're not half bad."

Daisy smiled, feeling a bit more accepted. Perhaps being mean would get her far in this house? She didn't know. It all seemed a bit posh and confusing to her.

"You're still a filthy mudblood," an arrogant voice sneered from down the table. Daisy glanced over to see Draco, sitting next to a rather gruesome-looking ghost with blood and gashes upon his chest.

"Perhaps, but at least I can come up with insults instead of reverberating the same word."

Blaise snorted, pumpkin juice spewing from his nose. He wiped it easily, laughing at Daisy. "Yeah, that's it, you're my new best friend."

"Oi," Theodore commented, giving him a playful shove.

"Make Malfoy blow steam out of his ears and we'll talk," Blaise responded, nodding to Draco again. The blonde did appear furious, his eyes practically dripping with venomous hate.

"Wait 'till my father hears about this," Draco jeered at Daisy.

She raised her eyebrows. "That's right. Run off to Daddy because you can't fight your own battles."

Draco's cheeks went pink but he didn't respond, glaring at her for the remainder of dinner. Daisy, on the other hand, turned her attention to her new friends, learning all about the ins and outs of the Wizarding World and what, exactly, makes a good Slytherin.

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