Chapter 8 - Better Be...

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The black lake was the first obstacle for me to get across. What was so hard about it? Oh, nothing except for the GIANT SQUID! Not to mention the fact that I doubt the water is sanitary.

Hesitantly, I got into one of the small rocky boats, more than enough hazards popping out at me. I slowly put my hand to one open nail and, to my amazement, it was completely smooth. "Probably an enchantment," I muttered to myself.

Suddenly, I flinched as the boat rocked, and some children got in. "Oops, sorry! Oh, wait I should introduce myself. That's what you're supposed to do when you meet someone, right? My name's Susan Bones, your new female schoolmate!"

'And now we introduce the second obstacle,' I thought to myself, looking at the girl with a blank face. 'Children.'

"I'm Terry Boot. Male."

"Blaize Zabini. Male."

The children looked at me expectantly, and I barely contained a sigh. Peer pressure does work wonders.

"Hadrian Peverell. Male."

I saw their eyebrows raise as they head my eyebrow, probably expecting some elaboration or explanation. None came.

Silence filled the air, but not for long as suddenly it started moving forwards moving across the dirty sea water with a fucking squid and some mermaids underneath us that could easily make us drown. Yay.

A loud squeal came from Bones as she held onto the boat like it was the only meth she had left. Maybe that isn't the best example to use when regarding a child. Anygays...

I raised an eyebrow as she clamped her hand over her mouth, her face flushed red.

Boot turned his head away barely containing his laughter, but eventually, it became too much and he just burst out laughing.

For a second we all just looked at him, then Bones started laughing with him, even the stone-faced Zabini started chuckling.

The sound of their laughter filled the air, alleviating some tension. The cold chilling air somehow became a bit warmer.

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The boat eventually made it to the castle. We walked in the door and were hustled into some hallway.

The thick stench of food drifted around and I felt to urge to wrinkle my nose. Then an old woman with a tall black pointy hat and a stern expression walked in.

A tight-lipped smile graced her face as she started at us assessingly. For a moment her eyes lingered on my figure then she quickly looked away. With a light cough, she started speaking.

"Ahem! Welcome to Hogwarts," she stated, a certain warmness in her voice. "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..." I tuned her out, my gaze focused on the door behind her.

A slight shiver ran down my spine as the strong presence behind the door seemed to shift. I closed an eye, schooling my expression to make it seem as though I was tired. The magical presence was... enormous to say the least.

Not just the presence of whoever was behind that door, but the school itself had such vibrant magic. "No wonder some of the best maji have come from this school," I whispered to myself.

To be completely honest I had thought that Hogwarts wasn't the best of schools. I only came because I felt as if it was my only option, or at least the only option I knew about. From what I'd gathered the teaching here is subpar at best.

'So that's what matters.' I thought to myself, the gears in my head turning. 'The reason why people from Hogwarts turn out to be strong is because of the magical exposure the school provides.'

"Now form a line and follow me," McGonagall states, bringing me out of my thoughts.

The door to the great hall swings open and the sight that I saw would be engraved in my mind for centuries to come. The enchanted ceiling, the abundance of food, the bright smiling faces, the ghosts, and, of course, the magic.

Well, I didn't 'see' the magic mind you, but I did feel it. Every time I breathed, every step I took, the magic was flowing through me. My own magic thrived in the environment, growing stronger and stronger the longer I was there. Of course, the change wasn't too noticeable at the time.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." the bushy-haired girl whispered, looking up at the ceiling in awe.

'Focus.' I told myself.

Professor McGonagall flicked her wand and with a pop, a four-legged stool was in front of us. Then she placed what would be in my nightmares for years to come. A dirty hat with a face stared at us and suddenly, it began to sing.

[Insert sorting hat song I don't have the energy to put in]

"I thought I had to wrestle a troll!" murmured the red-haired boy, his face flushed red. "I'm going to kill Fred, he was going on and on about wrestling one!"

I raised an eyebrow at the boy's stupidity. 'But then again, wizards may have a different type of common sense.' I thought to myself, not knowing how right I was.

"When I call your name you will sit on the stool, and put on the hat to be sorted," McGonagall says, bringing out a list of the students' names.

"Abbot, Hannah!" she called. A girl with blonde pigtails slowly got out of the line, her legs weak like jello.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the sorting hat declared, and the table-wearing yellow started cheering and applauding.

"Bones, Susan!" Yelled Mcgonagal. The girl I met earlier basically jumped out of line. Her fingers were crossed as she put on the hat. Around 15 seconds in the hat made its decision.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" it declared again, causing the girl's face to light up in excitement. She bounced over to the house, plopping down next to... what was her name Abbit? Abbot?

"Boot, Terry!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Brown, Lavender!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Bulstrode, Millicent!"

"Slytherin!"

"Finch-Fletchly, Justin!"

"Hufflepuff!"

McGonagall and the hat continue their constant rhythm, and I was barely listening.

"Granger, Hermione!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Jones, Megan!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Longbottom, Neville!"

"Gryffindor!"

"MacDougal Morag!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Draco Malfoy!"

"Slytherin!"

"Lily Moon!"

"Slytherin!"

"Theodore Nott!" Professor McGonagall called, causing me to focus back in. I watch him intently as he sits down on the stool. The hat only took a few seconds to roar out its results.

"Slytherin!" It yelled, causing me to nod my head. 'Interesting' I thought to myself as I took my gaze away from the boy.

"Parkinson, Pansy!"

"Slytherin!"

"Padma Patil!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Parvati Patil!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Perks, Sally Anne!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Potter, Harry!" McGonagal called, her eyes looking at the line of students to try and find the student.

"Potter, Harry!" she called again, as whispers filled the hall.

You could feel the atmosphere darken, as she called one last time but to no avail as no one stepped forward. Soon the hall was bursting with chaos and people demanded to know where their 'savior' was.

While this happened I just stood in line, waiting for my name to be called. Or at least, for my current name to be called.

"Silence!" bellowed the headmaster. I shook violently as his presence his strong aura overwhelmed me. I could barely keep myself from falling over.

"We shall resume the sorting!" As quickly as his presence came, it vanished, causing me to gasp for air.

'So that's what a real wizard is like.' I thought to myself, balling my hands into fists. Some idiotic part of me had hoped that I would be going into the wizarding world with 'strength', or at least stronger than a few wizards. Maybe with a bit of practice, I'd be skipping grades like in the muggle world.

But the mere presence of the man nearly brought me to my knees. Not to mention that it was only me who almost fell over. Only I needed to bite my lip to stay conscious. Only I felt weak after his short outburst.

I was weak.

"Peverell, Hadrian!" McGonagall yelled.

A few eyebrows raised at the name but most were too focused on the fact that Harry Potter wasn't there to care. I grimaced at the look of the hat, shuddering as I touched it and put it on my head.

'It's not that dirty, it's not that dirty, it's fucking hella dirty.' I thought to myself, trying, and failing, to calm myself down.

"Hm," said a voice in my ear, bringing me out of my thoughts. "Interesting. Very interesting. A rather dull personality, yet filled to the brim with ambition and knowledge. Much loyalty yes, but also a hint of bravery. Not one to follow the rules." it murmured.

'Ravenclaw!' I demanded, ready to choke the hat if necessary and or possible.

"You do have much wit, but you also have much loyalty. Although I suppose you aren't 'true' enough for that. Maybe Gryffindor. Yes, you might thrive there. Yet it may be too dirty for your tastes and I do not believe you value chivalry as much as one should.

You'd flourish in Slytherin. Yes, yes, you'd grow to be a powerful wizard. You have much cunning.

'I do not wish to be in a damp space, under a lake, which I'm sure can drown me, or at least give me hypothermia. I will cut you up into pieces if I have to!' I mentally snapped.

"You are a dark one aren't you," the sorting hat yelled. Unbeknown to me this time the hat yelled it into the hall. The whispers about Harry Potter had stopped by then because of Snape's glares so every single student and teacher heard it.

You could hear the tense silence in the hall. I'd been under for more than seven minutes and counting, a Hogwarts record!

"I can see you doing great things! Maybe not good, maybe not bad, but great!"

You could hear the murmurs of the staff, and the whispers of the students. One particular teacher's eyes glowed a dark red and looked on at the boy with unhidden interest.

'Give me RAVENCLAW!' I demanded, my mental voice raising in a temper.

'I can tell exactly what house you should be in' the hat said to me, causing me to let out a breath of relief.

"Better be... SLYTHERIN!" the sorting hat shrieked louder than ever before. I snapped open my eyes and dug my fingers into the hat.

I could barely contain my rage but I kept my mouth shut and walked over to the Slytherin table sitting down beside the Knot boy.

'You have just conformed an early death.' I thought, looking at the sorting hat with silent rage.

'But for now,' I thought, politely clapping as another student was sorted, 'Let's see what Slytherin can offer me.'

(A/n: Yes Peverell should be before Potter, but for the sake of the plot I put it after Potter.)