Life as I Knew It

Chapter 7--Meeting the Sorting Hat

After everything Professor Dumbledore had said to her, Pansy did not really think she would be kicked out of the school, but it was nice to have official confirmation that she would be allowed to stay.

"You are a seventh year, correct?" Pansy nodded, and Dumbledore marked it down. "Now, unfortunately, we don't have any room for you in the dorms."

That sounded like a big problem to Pansy. "Is that because of all the new transfer students?" It did not seem fair for her to have to sleep on a couch, while one of them got the bed that had been hers for six years, even if technically no one knew that.

Dumbledore considered the question. "Actually, no. Most of the transfer students have been expelled. They had little regard for the rules. Four of them were killed in the Forbidden Forest, all on separate occasions. In addition to that, they were not diligent in their schoolwork, and most of them were not nearly as talented with magic as they seemed to think. So whether for disciplinary reasons or because of failing grades, all but two transfers are no longer with us. And still, there is no room for you in the dorms." He seemed perplexed by this.

"Where did they all sleep?"

"In the dorms," said Professor Dumbledore slowly. "Interesting. We'll talk about that in a minute. First, you need to be sorted. Even though, you will not be sleeping in the dorm, you will still eat with your house and earn or lose points for your house. There are many reasons you need a house despite the fact that you will not sleep there."

Pansy understood and was pleased to know that she would not be sleeping on a couch in the middle of the common room. Although now that she thought about it, there were still worse possibilities.

The headmaster walked to a shelf and picked up the old Sorting Hat. "Professor, why isn't that in the Great Hall for the Sorting?"

"Another excellent question, Miss Parkinson. I don't know. All I can say is that it will be there when it's needed."

As Dumbledore placed the hat on her head, Pansy did not bother to point out that she had already been sorted. She figured this would be short.

"Another transfer student, eh?" said the Sorting Hat. "Well, where would you like to be placed?"

Slytherin, of course, thought Pansy.

"Of course," repeated the hat snidely. "You know, someday I'm going to put one of you brats in Hufflepuff and see how you like that. But no, despite the fact that you possess none of the requisite... You do possess the requisite traits," said the Sorting Hat in an amazed tone. "Pansy Parkinson, huh? I think you are going to do great things here--SLYTHERIN!"

Dumbledore looked disappointed as she took off the hat. Surely, as headmaster, he was not allowed to be prejudiced against any one house. "Sir, is something wrong?"

Dumbledore covered his disappointment well. "No, not necessarily. Can you tell me exactly what the Sorting Hat said to you?"

Pansy hoped her answer would satisfy him. "He said that he wanted to put me in Hufflepuff just to spite me, but that I possessed the required traits for Slytherin. And he told me I would do great things."

Dumbledore looked pensive. "I should have asked before. Were you always a Slytherin?"

"Yes, is there something wrong with that?" asked Pansy defensively.

"Oh, no. Cunning and ambition are always good traits to have, so long as you really do." He was silent for a long time, which made Pansy think that he was just saying that. "We had thirty eight transfer students last year. Twenty of them were placed in Slytherin. Seventeen were in Gryffindor, and one in Ravenclaw. It's not your fault you're in a popular house, though."

"It's just making you question me."

Dumbledore closed his eyes briefly. "It might were I not so positive that you are the real thing. I want to repeat that I have nothing against your house, Miss Parkinson. I have known many wonderful people who came from it." He shook his head as though he were bothered by a fly. "I think," he added after a second.

Pansy decided not to dwell on that. "So where will I be sleeping, Professor Dumbledore?"

"Yes, the sleeping situation. We lost twenty Slytherin students, all of whom had beds, but now there isn't one for you. I think this world is trying to reject you. It senses that you are a threat, which is a very good thing."

Pansy liked the thought of that, but it made her even more worried about her sleeping arrangements. What could this world do to her? "But, sir, where will I sleep."

Dumbledore smiled. "We have a spare professor's bedroom, actually. It is left over from a time when more subjects were taught at this school. As far as I know, you will be the first student in centuries to have a private room, but it is the only place I can put you. Now, I know that you are of age, Miss Parkinson, but I must ask you to not abuse this privilege."

Pansy hoped the headmaster was not referring to what she thought, because that would be quite awkward. "I swear, Professor, I won't." She meant that, and she hoped her sincerity had conveyed.

Dumbledore nodded, to show that the matter was resolved. "Now, we must talk about your schedule. Could you fill out this sheet with the O.W.L.s you received?"

Pansy looked at the piece of parchment. It had every subject listed with a blank next to it. When she was finished, the parchment read as follows:

Ancient Runes -O

Arithmancy -E

Astronomy -E

Care of Magical Creatures -P

Charms -E

Defence Against the Dark Arts -A

Divination -N/A

Herbology -A

History of Magic -P

Muggle Studies -N/A

Potions -E

Transfiguration -O

Pansy remembered which of her subjects had been Outstanding, and she remembered which had been Poor. She remembered that she had two Acceptables, and one was definitely in Defence, but she was not entirely sure that the other was in Herbology. It seemed the most likely candidate. She realized that she could have padded her scores, since they were probably not on record, but she was actually proud of the eight O.W.L.s she had received. Most of those Es were impressive enough for her. She handed the parchment to Professor Dumbledore.

Dumbledore smiled as he looked at her scores. "I'm sorry, Miss Parkinson. I have to admit that I was testing you again. Many of the transfer students we received had near perfect scores, yet none of them were able to handle the coursework." He beamed at her now. "However, the fact that you have admitted to being poor or merely acceptable in some subjects gives me high hopes that you will do well in these others."

Pansy smiled back at him, glad that she had not padded her scores.

Dumbledore set down the parchment on his desk. "I'll have a schedule ready for you in the morning, but now I think we should head to the Welcoming Feast so that you can get reacquainted with your classmates."