Ceremonies

The entrance was wide open, letting everyone to see the flying lights that decorated the way through the frontal garden.

Neither of the girl were surprised by the way they were received when the group passed through the double doors.

Narcisa Malfoy, wearing a long dark dress, walked to them when the four entered in the room. The woman made sure with a quick glance that her son was next to her.

Moreover, she took a step back to make sure Draco, wearing his perfect black tuxedo, was attracting enough attention.

"Welcome, dear friends. Thank you for assisting to our little meet. Maes, you look gorgeous. And these young ladies get more beautiful day by day." She said to the handsome father and his two heiress, that she liked for being pretty and educated, the girls always dressed with taste and their hair was always made the way high society witches should have. One of them was the same age as Draco, the other was two years younger, but equally talented. Any mother who worried for his son would be very interested. But not everything was perfect, while she was admiring with satisfaction the fine bow the girls made, Narcisa noticed something. "And this young gentleman? May I have the honor to be introduced to him?"

"Of course, Narcisa. It would be my pleasure." The father of the girls put his hand over the boy's shoulder that was wearing a similar tuxedo than him. "He is my nephew Aron Kwak, the son of my sister in law. He lived in America with his parents until last summer. He is now under my protection while he goes to Hogwarts." The boy seemed to be ashamed. The man lowered his voice to keep explaining. "I sent Lucius a letter to let you know I was bringing Aron with us."

Narcisa will remember that later, when the party end, she and her husband will have a conversation about this. "It is an honor to get to know Mr. Kwak, I knew your mother in the wedding of your uncle. She is a fine lady." She smiled to the kid, now that she knew he didn't was dangerous. "Our Draco will start to attending Hogwarts this year too." She added like that party wasn't a celebration for his son and his friends, who were attending the prestigious magic school.

Draco, the boy with pale skin and blond hair, had followed the conversation with interest and understood it was his moment. He looked to the boy with dark hair and big eyes offering his hand. "Draco Malfoy. It is a pleasure to meet you. I hope we can become friends."

Both kids shook hands under the satisfied look of the blond's mother. She looked the group of kids walking away to the gardens when his husband joined to them. There still were plenty guests they need to welcome, but she decided to forgive her boy just because tomorrow he'll be leaving at eleven o'clock.

.

"Have you ever wonder in which house will you be sorted?" Taeni couldn't hold her laugh when Draco made the same question he'd been repeating for... A year now. "What will happen if you get in Hufflepuff?"

"Well... I guess..." The four kids were exploring the marvelous buffet of sweets that was prepared for them. The sisters felt like they were celebrating Halloween. "Probably I will become a boring badger like the others are."

"I don't think that'll ever happen." Draco had a hard moment getting the accent of the other boy. "Ma uncle, your mom, my mom, everyone was a Slytherin, surely you'll get there, like I will."

"No one knows." But the smile of the big sister showed how happy those thoughts made her. With a smirk she said. "Anyway it is not a secret I love green."

"I do think I will get in Slytherin too." Commented Draco when they reached a table outdoors. The lights over their heads danced while changed colors.

"No one doubts that." The younger sister said while offered with both hands Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, there was five. "You had told us a thousand times that every Malfoy in the world was part of the green house."

"Not every single one. I can not be sure about it." Cleared the blond boy a little ashamed... At least he sounded ashamed when they took the beans. Draco looked his for a moment before bringing it to his mouth. "Eh. Carrots?"

"Whatever happens, I hope not to be alone, just that, I would hate to be alone in a place where I do not know anyone." Taeni spoke whilst savouring the purple candy. Then she announced proud of her luck. "Mantecado."

"You won't be alone." Corrected Aron. "You'll see. You're going to make new friends soon and we'll see each other in daytime. Uhg. This is wet sand." He was about to give up but he forced himself to swallow it.

"Dirt water." Keri's face made everyone laugh. "And, if you get bored of them, you always can write to the friends you left outside." She said in the moment another boy, a tall and straight haired boy, walked to them with a smile.

He was about to say something, but Keri offered to him the blue bean before.

He ate it with difficult before talking. "Ginger. Horrible and cruel ginger."

Everyone loudly laughed.

Minhyun was Keri's best friend, they together with Draco and Taeni used to spent those long and boring formal parties.

They were friends since forever and their enjoyed their time together... Until Goyle and Crabbe appeared, just like it was happening in that instant, to remember the blond boy they could be playing Quidditch.

Surely, Draco would spend the rest of the night trying to convince his parents to let him play. Surely, his parents would say no.

...

The train station was full even when they had come early... They had to. Taeni didn't stop talking about how wrong would it be to lose the Express.

The girl was fighting the tears while his father and little sister cried non-stop.

"Please, be careful." The man said hugging his two daughters. "Write to me all you can."

"I will do it every day." She promised.

"Do not leave our Aron alone." The younger said as she took the hand of the boy joining him to the embrace.

The four kept hugging until the voice of Minhyun's mother interrupted them.

The tall and slim woman talked directly to the man. "Time flies! Our two girls are so tall now!"

Minhyun was standing next to his big sister, a girl of the same age as Taeni, that, obviously, was attending to Hogwarts.

The boy with brown hair got close to the sisters who hurried to clean their faces. "My sister won at the end, they bought her that loud owl for school."

They laughed. Taeni pointed to a cage that was on her trunk. In it an moon-faced owl was staring at him. "This is Canopus."

"Then, do not forget to write." Said Minhyun giggling.

Aron and Mr. Maes helped with the luggage, they found an empty compartment with windows that faced the other side of the station.

When finally the train started its long journey, the kids looked through the hallway windows to say goodbye.

...

"Maes, Mrs. Hwang, we did not see you before." An imponent man with pale skin talked to Keri's father once the train was out of sight and the station started to feel empty.

"Do not worry, Lucius. With the kids leaving, it is normal for them to get all our attention." Both friendly shook hands. Minhyun's mom let Lucius Malfoy to leave a kiss on her hand.

"Even so, it is a shame for us not having the opportunity to say goodbye to your adorable Taeni." Narcisa Malfoy joined the group too. She was wearing a hat that would be an excess in any other woman. She talked to Keri with a bright smile. "We will miss her very much, as we will miss Draco and Aron. I want you to know we will be there for you." Then, she straightened to join the talk of the adults, while looked weirdly to Minhyun.

.

"She makes me nervous." Mumbled Minhyun.

Keri showed him a smirk.

"What?" The boy asked endeared.

"It is fair you fell that way, she does not like you." Explained the girl with short hair as low as she could. "She is thinking you want to take away the future wife of her son." Keri said pointing at herself and fighting her laugh.

Minhyun couldn't. He laughed so hard, her mother sent him a cold look.

"She is crazy." The boy kept smiling making his eyes to look smaller.

.

"Kids, come her, we will have lunch all together." Called Mr. Hughes a few minutes later.

When both walked towards the adults that lead the way, Minhyun tripped over a little girl with red hair.

He recognized her and decided it was not important to say sorry this time. Specially because she showed him her tongue.

...

A few minutes had passed since the train departure.

Aron was trying to copy the accent of Taeni and that just made the girl laugh so much. They were alone.

Suddenly the door opened and the noise of the hall filled the place. Draco showed his pale face and smiled. "Then. You are here."

He sat on the empty seat without asking, he was followed by his gigantic comrades, Crabbe who was the last entering, closed the door.

"Draco? What is happening outside? There is a lot of screams." Taeni looked at the door a little worried.

"Ah. That." The blond made a gesture with his hand like he wanted to discard it. "Some guy called Lee is carrying around an enormous spider and everyone wants to bow at him for that."

"It is a tarantula." Goyle cleared it but nobody payed him too much attention.

"Your sis would love it." Aron made Taeni and Draco laugh.

Then, the compartiment's door opened one more time to let Sunji in, the old sister of Minhyun. "Oh. Already organized the toodles meeting here."

Taeni fought out the urge to answer her in a rude way. The truth was the two of them never got along.

"Not officially, I was looking for some spot here but your luggage is everywhere. I hope you did not forget anything at home." Joked Draco with his eyes on the several pink bags above their heads.

They try to not laugh in vain.

"Good. If that is it." Sunji had already thought on changing compartiment. She took a handback. "I will go to sit with my friends, so you can stay." She got out mumbling something about her mother being crazy if she wanted her traveling with them.

.

After some hours and an exaggeration of Liquorice Wands and Chocolat Frogs, everyone was enjoying. It was true Goyle and Crabbe didn't understood well all the jokes they were telling, and that playing with the beans was not that fun. Taeni wished they would not get separated.

The door had been opened some times and nobody was surprised when it did again.

"Is Draco here?" A girl with bored expression and weird grin asked even if she already knew the answer.

"Pansy, we already saw the tarantula." Said the boy trying to catch another Chocolate Frog.

"She is not interested in that kind of things." Interrupted Taeni giggling. "Trust me, Pansy, you are not interested in seeing those haired legs."

The other girl crossed her arms on her chest. "No, obviously I do not want you to see something childish like that."

"Then?" Aron asked to cut the thing.

Pansy seemed to recognize him and sweetened her voice. "Harry Potter."

"Harry Potter?" Everyone already had heard the new, 'The Boy Who Lived' himself was attending to Hogwarts this year.

"Yes, we know." Said Malfoy a little grumpy. "Father told me to introduce myself."

"Good, he is on this train." The girl sat up next to Aron, the only place empty.

"We also know that, Pansy, if you wanted to sit with us you do not need to put a show." Taeni offered her a pumpkin pasty that was rejected immediately.

"Do not be fool, listen." The girl pointed with her open hand to the blond. "Draco, your father asked you to be friend of the boy with the scar, am I right?" Then she acted as her nails were very interesting. "However, the kid has already a new best friend."

"That is not important either." Draco answered not wanting to see the face of the rest. It was obvious it was important for him.

"Of course..." Aron tried to calm him down. Even if they weren't close friends, he didn't like the idea of making someone feel bad on their first day. "It's not like he couldn't have more than one friend, in fact..."

"The point is this friend is not any common friend..." Pansy stood up feeling proud of herself. "Right in this moment Harry Potter is intimating with the younger member of the Weasley family. It will be glorious to see how Draco Malfoy get along with the family of redheads, maybe they will even want to adopt you."

Taeni frowned. "How do you know?"

"I know because I heard those unbearable twins shouting the new to all the train. And also I can tell you what is their compartment, if you want to know."

Taeni was about to ask her to lose herself but Draco stood up. "Draco, you will bother them. Leave them alone. My father told me to be kind to him too, but that does not mean he will be disappointed if I do not become friend with him today."

"Yeah, it's not like you don't have a whole year to do it." Aron tried too.

"I just want to see him. I will do nothing." Draco got out the place followed by Goyle and Crabbe, by her side, Pansy smiled before she left.

"Fools." Taeni rested her head on the window.

The two kids slept for the rest of the travel, until a voice announced they had reached Hogwarts.

...

Climbing on a boat, the view of the Castle, a lost toad, gosts. Nothing helped to nerves.

When they were ordered in rows in front of all students in the Great Hall that was shining with the light of those flying candles, Taeni kept thinking about running away.

'Abbott Hannah' was the first being called. The girls with blonde braids was welcomed in Hufflepuff's tabled with claps.

Taeni left out the air of her lungs. When Slytherin welcome her like that, everything will be ok, she will write to his father asking him to send him that green and puffy scarf that he had and everything will be fine.

"Nervous?" Theodore Nott who was standing by her side, finally said something... And almost made her jump.

"Are you not?" She forced herself to smile.

"No, I know where I am going to go." That statement was not some proud affirmation, it sounded plain.

It's been years since Taeni met Theodore for the first time, even so she never understood him, not without her sister. She didn't answered.

"How was Keri when you left?" Well, Taeni didn't understood Notts, but she did know she liked this one. He was always attentive with her younger sister, always worrying that the girl didn't felt excluded for being the younger amount them.

Taeni warmly smiled. "She is with my father, she will be fine, I am the one who misses her like crazy." That was when they called to 'Hughes Taeni'. Before stepping up she mumbled. "Thank you."

Discussing with the hat took long. The second it was on her head the conclusion made her mad. Slytherin was ok but she will be perfect in other house.

'Oh, really? Please, both of my parents were Slytherin. I don't want to go to another house. My parents...'

'But you are different from them, right? You fear your father will be disappointed.'

'My friends...'

'Will stay your friends don't matter what. You already know.'

'I hate you can read my mind.'

'You're used to this though. Let's see, you have disposition for work.'

'Am I a Hufflepuff?'

'You have an interesting mind, waken. Maybe.'

'I agreed, I had thought that color looks good on me.'

"RAVENCLAW!"

...

That night Keri's room was dark as always, just the light of the Northern Lights dancing in the ceiling thanks to a spell her father had made. The biggest window was opened despite the cold outside.

Finally she heard fluttering and her heart skipped a beat, she ran to let in the owl praying for his father to keep sleeping.

Two letters. One for her dad and one for her. Hers had a note on the envelope: Read before handing father's letter.

Keri didn't need anything else.

She took her wand with her left hand making little circles with it. "Clarity, please."

With every move the northern lights became more and more brilliant. When Keri thought it was enough, she sat on the bed and opened the letter.

Two or three of those colorful beans fell on her lap, she wished they didn't had a weird taste whilst she took the first. "Chocolate."

Reading was joyfully, the train traveling seemed fun and the description of the famous Harry Potter was a little disappointing. She was waiting for something extraordinary.

And she reached that part.

About that thing, you won.

You will have to tell father that his beautiful scarf, his sweater and his collection of green clothes that I wanted will have to wait two years more.

The Selection Hat is very stubborn.

Keri never thought that was possible. As long as she knew almost every member in her family got into one house.

I am in Ravenclaw.

Draco, Theo, Pansy, Milli, Goyle, Crabbe and Zabini, everyone are in Slytherin. The good new is I am not alone.

You would love it. The instant they put the hat on Aron, that thing shouted at loud 'Ravenclaw'.

Sunji is also here, it is good to know someone else, I suppose, but knowing she is going to sleep in the next bed makes me anxious. I feel observed.

I like our house. All the tables welcome with enthusiasm their new members, the older students applaud and shake hands with them. But in Ravenclaw most of them stood up to clap and even if they have selfish fame, everyone makes you feel at home.

Also the resident ghost of Ravenclaw is the nicest. The gosts of Slytherin and Gryffindor are scary, and the one of Hufflepuff is annoying. The Grey Lady is calm and even if she does not talk very much, she sat with us and heard our names.

Is it fine for me to tell you all this? Am I not breaking some secret of this house?... Well. I am doing it already.

The food is good. The banquet was not as big as I thought, but it is worthy of a school like this.

Two prefects guided us and showed us so many halls and passageways and stairs until we got to our place. One of them kept telling us historical data about Hogwarts. Very boring.

The entrance of our Common Room is funny, but I fell like anyone could pass it. A riddle can be solved by anyone.

The Common Room is beautiful. It remember me to my own room at home. Stars in the ceiling and full bookshelves, a warm fire place, big windows and soft sofas.

I just remembered. You asked if siblings can be selected in different houses. Pansil (I do not really remember her lastname) is one of my housemates, her twin sister was selected for Gryffindor. She did not seem bothered about the separation.

It is midnight, the room is empty. You will get this very late... Or too early.

Try to be present when father read his letter. Try to comfort him.

Aron send his love and our favorite candies.

I am going to sleep, tomorrow classes start early in the morning.

I love you.

Taeni.

...

When the sun woke up, Keri was prepared for everything less for what actually happened.

She cautiously gave the letter to her dad. The sweet smile of the man didn't change as his olive eyes went through the words.

When he reached the part about the selection, according to Keri calculations, he stopped for a moment. He read it again. Then he continued as nothing happened.

At the end, he left the paper on the table, he stood up and shouted with all his forces.. "FAST! BRING DOWN THE TRUNK I BROUGHT LAST WEEK." He ran to the living room but came back to talk to the girl. "Come here, honey, your sister has a house already. We have to prepare her gifts, I bought some things that are blue, I bough things very colorful, we will enchant everything to make them blue. Can you believe it? Our Taeni is a Ravenclaw. I knew my kid was smart. Ravenclaw. Shall we send her a cake to celebrate it?"

Keri smiled. There was nothing to worry about.