Chapter 41: The Hatstall.

As per usual it was late when we arrived at the castle once more, the only difference was that everyone was talking about the transfer student even after hours of travelling up to the castle. It was weird knowing that there would be lots of talks this early on in the year, it was only when there was some big drama (most likely involving James and Sirius) was there this much chatter among the students. I mean the talks would die down eventually but that's beside the point.

As per usual, we rode up in the horseless carriages up to the castle just enjoying the evening and catching up. It was weird knowing that our group only met a couple of years ago yet we act as if we've known each other our whole lives and it was like we knew that we would stick close together for our next four years at Hogwarts but even for years after that. I mean it was obvious that Remus and I would stay in touch after Hogwarts I mean we are siblings for crying out loud, it really isn't likely for us to lose contact. Then again I would be surprised if we lost contact with the others too, we are so close that even the professors can't separate us however hard they try.

The ride up to the castle seemed to pass by quickly and it was like within a blink of an eye, we were seated in the Great Hall awaiting the sorting, Dumbledore's speech and a nice meal before we head off to bed. I could already tell that it was going to be a hard task of waking up early every single day and getting into the routine but hey that's why it is good to be sharing a dorm with Lily, she is like an alarm clock. There was a very and I mean a very slim chance that she was going to let me miss classes... The Great Hall filled up quickly with students all still chatting away about anything and everything but by the sounds of it, no one had seen the transfer student. You would've thought that by now at least someone would have seen around even if it was just some second-year who had either snuck off or just caught a glimpse of them as they were passing through the castle's corridors. You would have thought that the new student would've stuck out like a sore thumb considering they are both French and most likely a veela and everyone recognises a veela when they see one. It would be hard not to recognise one unless you were drunk on butterbeer that is.

The two large doors of the Great Hall swung open after some time and McGonagall led a crowd of first-years in and took them right up to the front of the hall where the sorting hat sat upon its pedestal. Naturally, it began to sing its song about the four founders of Hogwarts and how they created the houses but it was neither the sorting hat's singing nor the first years that caught everyone's attention.

Trailing behind the group of eleven-year-olds was a girl much only mere years older than the others. She stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the other people within the hall yet she didn't seem to mind that everyone was staring at her with most people enchanted by her beauty. Her long blonde hair was so noticeable it was like the sun beating down on the Earth (although it is night, but you get what I'm trying to say). It stopped just below her waist and despite it being so long, there was no knot or tangle insight probably one of the perks of being a veela. Her skin seemed to glow in the light of the floating candles bringing out her deep turquoise eyes which avoided everyone's gazes but instead just admired the hall.

"God I didn't expect that" Peter whispered probably to himself although the rest of us heard it.

"Aw has Peter got a crush" Sirius teased, elbowing him playfully. Peter quickly tried to deny the fact but it only caused our group to snicker quietly whilst the poor boy went bright red and just stared down at his plate. I felt a little bad but at the same time, the transfer student did seem a bit out of his league if you get what I'm saying. Of course, if Peter managed to pull through then good for him but it did seem quite unlikely, not that I would tell him that, however.

Over time it seemed like no one was paying attention to the sorting and all the attention seemed to only be on the veela. It had to be nerve-wracking standing there whilst everyone stared but she didn't pay attention to anything until the headmaster spoke that is. "Welcome back to a new year at Hogwarts or to all you new students welcome to your first year at Hogwarts. As I always do I will give out all my reminders for our caretaker Mr Filch but first, we need to welcome our new student who will be joining us who will be attending her classes as a third-year. I am assuming that by now you were all expecting her, I know for a fact that word travels fast and it was only a matter of time before everyone knew. I would now like to introduce miss Ava Kliffs who is a transfer student from Beaxbatons and for the time being, she will be staying at Hogwarts and attending classes with the rest of the third-year students. Now to get her sorted into her house" Dumbledore finished with a warm smile and watched as Ava slowly walked up to the hat which was then placed over her head by McGonagall. The Great Hall sat in silence, watching the hat with curiosity and waiting for its answer... Except it never came. The hat didn't speak once and barely moved on top of Ava's head yet she never said anything either and just glanced around the hall at the four house tables.

One minute had passed. Then another. Then another. What was taking so long? Was something wrong? It was quite unusual for something like this to happen but here we are all sitting here whispering to each other whilst the hat didn't say a word. "It's a hatstall" Remus whispered under his breath.

"What?" I asked. I was so confused. What the heck was a hatstall?

"It's when the sorting takes over five minutes. The sorting hat will usually be stuck between two houses to choose but even this seems to be taking longer than a usual hatstall" I nodded and turned my attention back to the girl who was frowning but didn't say a word. I wondered what the sorting hat was telling her for there to be a hatstall. It certainly had to be a rare thing for a hat to be stuck between the houses but it was happening and there was no sign of it getting ready to give out its answer either.

But it seemed like I was wrong because, after a couple more minutes of thinking, it finally made up its mind. "Gryffindor!" The sorting hat exclaimed, finally being lifted from the veela's head and transported out of the hall by the deputy headmistress. The hall fell into a lot of clapping as Ava moved and sat down far up the table where Lily, Alice and Marlene were sat who immediately began making small talk with the girl.

"Well, that was unexpected. Took it long enough" James sighed digging into the floor that had appeared across the table in a blink of an eye. We all nodded and tucked into the food for the next half an hour or so before Dumbeldore made his final talk and sent us off to bed. Nothing had changed so it didn't affect us but it was nice being dismissed and knowing that once we have climbed seven flights of freaking stairs we could finally go to sleep. God Hogwarts need to invest in getting some muggle lifts, the stairs are going to kill me before I even reach our seventh year.

I opened the door to my dormitory after bidding the boys and Naomi goodnight only to find that the spare bed now had luggage atop it. Had I walked into the wrong room or was one of the girls swapping beds for some strange reason? Wait no can't be the second option because every other bed apart from mine had luggage on so who the hell was in our dorm? The bathroom door clicked open and in the doorway stood someone I didn't expect. Ava stood there in some loose pyjamas and seemed as shocked and confused as I did when she noticed me.

"Uh hi?" I greeted her, slowly making my way over to my fourposter.

"Bonjour, you must be Meadow right?" Ava replied with a thick French accent. How the hell did she know who I was? I just nodded to her question and silently began to unpack tucking Lynx's empty cage under the bed like I had done almost every year although she didn't seem to be around at the minute. Maybe she just went to see Remus.

"How did you know who I am?" I ask Ava quietly, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Well Lily, Alice and Marlene told me about you and you were kind of in the newspapers all around the world a couple of years back when you did the creature talk in one of the shops in London" she replied. I froze immediately when she said that I was in the newspapers all around the world but she just laughed. "You got everyone's attention that day, too bad you came to 'Ogwarts and not Beaxbatons. One of my friends would have really liked to have you around, she likes magical creatures too!"

"I wish I could've met her, she sounds like a lovely person."

"She is but 'ey you never know, maybe one day I'll drag you along to France and get you to meet 'er".

"Yeah, maybe one day but in the meantime, I look forward to getting to know you more Ava".

"You too Meadow, you too".