Wrong House

The sudden "Candy from the trolley, dears?" shifted Ophelia's attention and she looked at the trolley confused. She turned to Severus and Lily who in turn seemed to stare at the trolley. Both of them shook their heads but Ophelia remained gazing after the trolley as it moved forward.  One boy ran past their compartment while another was walking behind, peeking into their compartment on the way. His eye fell on Lily and smiled boyishly, making Severus glare.

The rest of the time was spent discussing about spells and curses. Lily also interfered with topics about her life and how she and Severus became friends but every time she'd say something that seemed too personal for the boy, he'd start talking about magic.

They were probably half an hour from their destination and more and more students were moving through the hall, speaking to each other loudly. Being closer to the door, Ophelia slid it open and stopped one boy that seemed to be calmer than others.

"Excuse me but what's happening?" She asked, her elongated eyes widening a bit.

"It's time for us to change into robes. We'll get to Hogwarts soon so it's best to change now." The boy answered before smiling shyly, "Are you a first year as well? I'm Remus Lupin." He introduced, his eyes shifting slowly on Lily and Severus before returning to Ophelia.

"I'm Ophelia Molley. These are my new acquaintances, Lily and Severus." She said, moving aside so Remus could see the two.

Lily walked next to Ophelia and smiled at the boy but Severus didn't look like he was going to make an effort. He was happy with knowing only one person and now some strange girl barged in and called him an acquaintance.

"It's very nice to meet you. I uh-" He looked to his left and frowned, seeing something or another. "I have to go now. See you at Hogwarts!" He said, more to the girls than to the sneering boy.

Ophelia watched Remus run along to one boy that seemed to be waiting relentlessly at the door of anther compartment. Remus told him something and he looked over, making Ophelia pull her head back inside and closing the door.

In the end the girls went to the bathroom to change, moment that seemed to please Lily, because they also met more girls their age. Ophelia just went along with everything Lily said and when she finished, she hurried back to the cabin.

Never in her eleven years of existence had Ophelia imagined she will enter a place that would feel more at home than anywhere else. The orphanage was an intermediary home and she couldn't say she ever felt like home when she was living with Lillian. Now, Molley's house was big and comfortable but it had something lacking, something that she couldn't name.

Walking down with the other first students was scary. She knew she had Lily and Severus right behind and she swore she saw Remus a few feet behind. She also saw the blond, now having green robes while moving through the crowd to a different place. Yes, Ophelia knew some faces but it was still scary and lonely.

A large man called from the front of the station, having twice the height of a normal adult yet looking still rather young. His messy attire seemed to go very well with his bushy eyebrows and medium beard, which also looked like it could hide anything in.

"Oi, new years! Come after me!"  He screamed, all the children making a big crowd in front of him.

He looked down and smiled before he made a sign for them to follow. They walked only a few feet until they reached a lake.

"Come on, come on! We don't have all day! Everyone, hop in!"

Ophelia looked at him before she looked at the boats. The giant man was already stepping in one before the others started to do the same. Normally, she got in the boat with Lily and Severus and realized they didn't have to do anything for the boats were moving on their own.

"Welcome to Hogwarts!" The giant man said proudly.

Actually, now that they could see it up close, Hogwarts was magnificent. Ophelia heard Lily gasp while Severus was looking at it with his eyes shining. She was too; Ophelia's life has seemed like it was painted in black and blue and now all she could see was bright light.

Once they reached the shore, somewhere inside the castle, they stepped out of the boat and walked a few stairs, coming in front of a woman with a tight bun and glasses. Her eyes were firm and her whole posture looked authoritarian but the way she was looking at the first years was the exact opposite- she was happy.

"If everyone's here, please follow me inside. Be careful not to lag behind!" She said sternly before opening a pair of doors and leading them through.

The castle was amazing and inside was just like someone brought a story to life. Ophelia could hardly process everything that's been happening for the past days.

The woman opened another pair of giant doors and hurried inside with a crowd of children behind. Ophelia's eyes wandered over every table and realized they were very different at a first look. Some of them were not interested while others were watching them eagerly.

A pointed, witchcraft hat that looked worn out and dirty was standing on a chair right in front of the staff table. A mouth formed on the brim and it actually started to sing, surprising Ophelia even more. When it was done, everyone applauded and silence engulfed the hall.

"Now, I will call each of you in an alphabetical order! You will have to come here and sit; nothing else. The Sorting Hat will decide which house you will be spending the rest of your school years in." The woman said firmly before unrolling a parchment.

Ophelia's name was pretty far down the list and so was Severus'.

"I hope we'll get sorted in Slytherin together." Ophelia whispered to the boy.

He rolled his eyes but was visibly content with the way she was thinking. Severus has already said, multiple times in the train, that people who gain interest in the dark arts have usually been sorted in Slytherin.

"Evans, Lily!" Said the woman and Lily walked up.

The hat immediately screamed Gryffindor!, which took immediate effect on Severus. The ginger walked to the Gryffindor table and sat next to her colleagues. A few more children went up:

"Lupin, Remus!" Was heard though the hall.

The boy walked up, looking quite stressed out. Gryffindor! It shouted again.

"Molley, Ophelia!"

It was her turn and her hands were sweating so much that she had to wipe them on her robe. Once the hat was placed on her head, she looked at Severus with worry.

"Already made friends, haven't you? But will your house be the same as theirs? This mind of yours is more complex than you want to, isn't it? You need to be careful in whom you trust, child. So much loyalty and deep rooted respect, curiosity for everyone combined yet sly like a fox. You'd make an incredible GRYFFINDOR!"

Ophelia's eyes widened as she looked at Severus once again. The hat was off and another child was called yet Ophelia seemed too shocked to move. She thought that's he could get to be in the same house as her new acquaintance but most of all, she thought the best place to learn magic was in Slytherin. She wasn't in Ravenclaw and definitely not in the house where she could learn curses. She was in Gryffindor and she had no idea what that meant.

With slow moves, she walked to the Gryffindor table, still startled. Lily made room for her and Ophelia sat in between the ginger and a boy with medium black locks.

"Thought you'd be in the sour bunch over there, didn't you?" He asked with a wide smile, pointing at the Slytherin table. "It's better you're not. You don't want to end up having a stick up your arse." He added, leaning in.

But Severus Snape was sorted in Slytherin and the blond she met in Diagon Alley welcomed him proudly.

For some reason, all Ophelia could think about was that she's been sorted into the wrong house.

----------------------------------------------------

While students were getting acquainted or were talking about their summer vacation, Albus Dumbledore was surveying the Great Hall.

When the first years entered, led my Minerva McGonagall, his eyes found the little brunette right away. She looked healthy and taken care of, maybe spoiled here and there but overall, she looked like a mix of a sly fox and a dangerous snake. He was, too, surprised when the Sorting Hat screamed Gryffindor but he didn't expect little Ophelia to look so sour about it. Dumbledore look at pale Severus Snape before glancing at Ophelia and could already notice the respect she had for him, even if they were the same age and not even schooled yet.

Dumbledore sighed, relieved that at least Ophelia was walking on a safe path for now. If someone or something would ever lead her astray, it could have horrific consequences.