Fate and Fatality

"Hermione Granger..."

Hermione took a nervous, shuddery breath and stepped forward. Harry was surprised. She was usually so sure of herself. Hermione made her way to the mirror. She stood in front of it, from where he was standing, Harry could make out her face in the mirror. She was pale, but her eyes were focused on something in the mirror Harry couldn't see. Every so often she would give the slightest nod. The whispers started again, and again, a chill went up Harry's spine. He would be glad when this was over.

"West House..."

Hermione smiled as she made her way to the applauding table. Harry watched her walk. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. He was still staring at her when Professor Crimshai called out,

"Malfoy, Draco ..."

Harry's head turned. For the first time, a horrible thought entered his head. What if he were placed with Draco? Or with Crabbe, or Goyle? Or what if he wasn't with Ron or Hermione? He felt even more nervous now. His palms were moist and sticky.

Draco swaggered up to the mirror. He never seemed to walk. He always had to go beyond, Harry thought with a twinge of annoyance. Draco stood self-assuredly in front of the mirror. The eerie whispers started again.

"West House..."

Harry's jaw dropped. Hermione and Malfoy... in the same house??? Malfoy was apparently shocked; his eyes wide, his mouth hanging slightly open. Hermione was livid. Harry noticed Ron's hand balling into a fist. Several of the Hogwarts students were also murmuring in disbelief. Malfoy finally turned and swept over to the table, glowering.

Again with the whole walking thing! Harry thought, surprised at how irrelevant it was. He wasn't so sure he wanted to be in West House. No, he definitely didn't. He would absolutely not...

"Potter, Harry..."

Harry turned quickly, then realized in a flash that it was his turn. He made his way to the mirror. He saw himself there. His face was paler than usual, and confused looking. Suddenly, to his surprise, four women appeared around the edges of the mirror. They were oddly familiar. Suddenly, Harry knew them.

I know you! he thought. You were all on the tapestries!

The women smiled and nodded.

"We are the four elemental goddesses. We rule wind, fire, air, and water. You Harry Potter, are a leader. You are action-oriented. You have a loving heart. But you are also reckless and sometimes impatient."

The women fell silent for the slightest second. Then, the goddess dressed in deep ocean blue smiled, her dark hair falling on her shoulders. Harry swore he could smell the salty air of the seaside as she spoke.

"It is these qualities I stand for and prize above all, Harry Potter. I am Tharsis, the goddess of the water. You now belong to me..."

All the goddesses spoke at once then. "West House."

The whispers began all around him, but he didn't hear them. He couldn't think, couldn't feel, as he made his way to the table. The Hogwarts students were in an uproar. Malfoy and Harry in the same house???

Harry sat down next to Hermione, Parvati, and Lavender. Parvati and Lavender paid no attention to Harry, they were deep in conversation with two boys across the table. Well, Parvati was deep in conversation. Lavender looked on admiringly, and sometimes added an interjection to agree with Parvati. Hermione gave Harry a small smile, and patted his hand. She looked distressed. Harry caught sight of Malfoy, farther down the table, livid and furious. However, his anger was suppressed. Harry could only see it in his eyes. All they could do was pray Ron ended up with them.

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"Weasley, Ronald..."

Ron walked towards the mirror. Harry felt time pass, perhaps hours, perhaps seconds, he couldn't tell. Somehow, he knew Ron was being sorted, but all that went through his mind was a prayer.

Please let Ron be in West House! Sounded over and over.

The whispers started. Harry knew he didn't want to hear. He put his hand up to his head, blocking them. But it wasn't long before someone was shaking his shoulder. Harry looked up to see a red head and brown eyes sitting down next to him. Harry took a shaky breath. All he could find were a few words.

"West House too, huh?"

"Yup, West House..."

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As the last few students were sorted, the tenseness in the air broke. The hall was once again comfortable and, for the most part, happy. Harry ignored the fact that Ron and Malfoy kept throwing each other murderous glances. Harry refused to look Malfoy's way at all. Harry was glad to see that there were few Slytherins and many Gryffindors in his house. But that made him puzzle all the more about Malfoy.

Professor Crimshai stood up, scattering his thoughts. The hall fell silent.

"Before we begin the meal, I would like to introduce to you twelve people very important to you. They are the student heads of the houses. They would have been here, but there was another matter for them to take care of..."

The doors opened, and twelve students Harry's age moved swiftly down the aisle. They were soaked. Black smudges streaked the girls' faces from their makeup. Professor Crimshai waited until they were seated to continue.

"They are: Heather Thompson, Michael Thompson, and Jack Devard for North House. Jacqueline Richards, Kimberly Dauson, and Nicholas Digge for East House. Thomas Lancet, Maura Freize, and Garret Storms for South House. And Vivian Moore, Robert Ketley, and Morgan West for West House."

Harry suddenly looked up. Morgan was in his house? Oh no, that would surely mean problems. He glanced up at her quickly. She was rolling her eyes. Suddenly, Harry realized people were giggling and pointing in her direction. Probably because of the last name. Harry had to admit that it was a pretty amusing coincidence. Morgan West, a student head of West House.

He watched Morgan for a moment. Again, he got the feeling that he knew her from somewhere. Then suddenly, it came to him. The dark haired lady in the tapestry. The goddess of water, what had been her name?

Tharsis, that was it. Harry thought. He was shocked as he looked at Morgan against the memory of the woman in his head. They were very much similar. Their hair was the same color, and their eyes were the same. Perhaps she was related to the goddess somehow. But Harry couldn't help but feeling that she was familiar in another way as well. A way that would be much harder to piece together.