Tonks' sorting

"Tonks' Sorting"

Other new students were staring around the magnificent Great Hall of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was lit by thousands of candles floating in mid-air. Ghosts flew in and out of the walls around them. Above them, it looked like there was no ceiling and that they were, in fact, looking up at a stormy sky. Several of the first years jumped as a bolt of lightning shot across it. Nymphadora Tonks (Tonks, preferably) already knew all this. She knew everything about Hogwarts, but she still jumped with fright nevertheless as another bolt of lightning shot across the ceiling. Her mother had told her about the magical ceiling, and Tonks couldn't wait to look for all the secret passages her elder cousin Sirius had told her about.

Don't think about him, she scolded herself. Sirius had so far spent almost a year in Azkaban for being a Death Eater. Sirius. She had laughed when she had been told were he was going, thinking her mother was joking. If only.

Hello? Not supposed to be thinking of him! She opened her eyes and tried hard to concentrate on the witch who had called herself Professor McGonagall. McGonagall had placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years and on it sat a frayed, ancient wizard's hat.

Sirius had told her that she would have to prove her magical ability by turning McGongall's hair pink. He'd told her the exact spell and she'd spent all summer, including the journey on the Hogwart's express, revising it. So what was the hat for?

Stop thinking about..."Arrgh!" she jumped with fright. The hat had started singing.

Oh, there have been such celebrations

Throughout the whole year

Thinking that now that Voldemort's gone

There's nothing left to fear

But be alert and be aware

For others yet remain

Beware ignorance and false hope

For his power he can regain

At Hogwart's school, you shall learn

To defend, to protect, to fight

That you must always prepare

Should another turn against the light.

If you belong in Gryffindor

Be prepared to bravely stand

Against those who wish to create

More fear amongst our land

I'll place you in Hufflepuff

Should you wish to unite

Your friends and enemies against

Those who are more wrong than right

Ravenclaw's are smart enough

To research and to plan

Their intelligence and knowledge

Make them useful to have on hand

Now Slytherin's have a reputation

As those where danger is found

But through friendship and understanding

This can be turned around

Now I must begin the sorting,

But first, I plead to you all

Stand together, stand united

For divided we shall fall.

Tonks blinked. That had been rather unusual. There was unenthusiastic, scattered applause around the hall. Most students appeared confused at the hat's song and what it meant. But before Tonks could dwell on it further, Professor McGonagall was now calling out names from a long roll of parchment.

"Anderson, Wilma!" A brown haired girl with glasses sat on the stool. The hat was placed on her head, where it fell down to cover her whole face. "RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat and Tonks clapped with the rest as Wilma went to sit at the Ravenclaw table.

Avery, Sean was next. He was very quickly declared a Slytherin. As the sorting progressed, Tonks found her mind wandering. She wondered what house she would be placed in. Her mother had been in Gryffindor, which was supposed to be the best house. Tonks, however, did not consider herself to be particularly brave. She would never confess to it, but she was terrified of water. She avoided swimming at all costs and had kept her eyes shut on the boat journey across the lake. It did not stop her from spewing over the side of the boat, however. So maybe she'd be a Slytherin, she thought dully. Most of her family was in Slytherin, after all. She'd probably get blasted off the family tapestry if she wasn't one. Not that she particularly cared. Even Sirius had turned out to be a dark wizard. But he'd reckoned she'd make a good Hufflepuff.

Tonks jumped at least a foot when McGonagall suddenly called out: "Tonks, Nymphadora!"

Sniggering erupted all around her as she stepped up to sit on the stool.

"Nymphadora???" said one boy in a loud whisper.

"Look at her hair!" giggled a red-haired girl, pointing at Tonks white hair.

Tonks blushed furiously as she sat on the stool. Damn mother, giving me bloody NYMPHADORA as a first name...

Language! tutted a voice in her ear and she jumped a foot again. She hadn't realised that the hat had been placed on her head. Apparently, the hat could also read minds.

Ah, the famous Black temper! sighed the voice in her ear. Tonks scowled darkly. She didn't like to call herself a Black. She wasn't a dark wizard! She wasn't like Sirius!

Not a dark wizard, no, said the hat. I see none of the...essential qualities in you. But as for your cousin...you do remind me of him somewhat. Same impudence, same short temper...

"I'm not like Sirius!" Tonks thought furiously.

Not Gryffindor then? Well, that only leaves me Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, my dear. And you don't quite have the love of study that is required for Ravenclaw...

"Sirius said I was a definite Hufflepuff," Tonks thought glumly.

I think he might have been right, my dear, said the hat. HUFFLEPUFF!!!

"Sirius is always right," Tonks thought angrily as she took off the hat and went to sit at the Hufflepuff table to watch Weasley, Bill being sorted next.

She thought of James and Lily Potter, dead, and their son, Harry, an orphan. "Except that time," she reminded herself.