Destination Unknown

Chapter 15

September 1^st, 2018

"Ace! Are you ready yet? Your brothers are waiting!" yelled Draco. Eleven-year-old Ace came running down the stairs where her family was waiting.

"Come on, darling. Sit in the car," said Draco gently, noticing how nervous she was. She flashed him a tremulous grin and took her seat next to her brothers.

"You'll do fine, honey," said Hermione kindly, "and you two, take care of your sister, will you? You got good results in your OWLs, but don't be conceited. You have to study for your NEWTs, too. They are very very important. You'll work hard, too, Ace, won't you?" Ace nodded, mouth dry.

They arrived at King's cross way too early for the little girl. While Harry and Cory tried their best to soothe her, nothing could get rid of her nerves - not even the fact that she had memorised all the books. After receiving the departure hugs from their parents, the three children headed towards the train. Ace suddenly ran back to her parents.

"Will you be very angry if I got sorted into Hufflepuff?" she asked, nearly in tears.

Draco's eyes widened. Hermione choked back a snort. There was no way Ace would get into Hufflepuff. She was definitely not Hufflepuff material. Nevertheless, Draco knelt on the ground and enveloped his daughter in a bear hug.

"Definitely not. We will be proud of you no matter in which House you are," he said softly. Hermione nodded. Relieved, the little girl ran back to her brothers and boarded the train. She had a lot to live up to. Harry was the Quidditch Captain of his team sine his third year and Cory was a Prefect since last year. And they were the top students in every class. Well, Cory was top and Harry came second in everything except Defence Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures. And in Flying, of course, Harry was far better than Cory. Cory was a competent Keeper, of course, but Harry as a Seeker was nothing short of brilliant. She had to prove that she was their sister.

"Hello, Ace," said Cory as he walked into her compartment. He nodded at the other first years sitting with her. Two boys, one blonde and the other dark, sat there. Rachel Longbottom and Adrian Weasley were there, too. He was glad to see that Ace had found some friends.

"Hey, Cory."

"So, you've already made friends? Good for you."

"Where's Harry?"

"Sitting in a compartment, I believe. I was just returning from the Prefects' meeting and I thought I'd check up on you."

"Thanks, Cory. I'm fine."

"You look nervous."

"Slightly. Cory - meet my friends - you already know Rachel and Adrian. These are Ralph and Jules. Ralph, Jules - meet my brother Crinon - he's a sixth year Prefect."

"Hello, Ralph. Hey, Jules," greeted Cory.

"Hello," said Ralph shyly. Jules grinned at him and asked, "Sixth year? You must've had your OWLs - my Mum tells me they're rather difficult and I should start studying now itself - how'd you fare?"

"Well, I got fourteen OWLs," said Cory, smiling.

"Fourteen? You must be a genius! I was told ten is the maximum people usually get...twelve if they're extraordinary. You must be the only one with such a score!" the eleven-year-old looked at the Slytherin Prefect admiringly.

"It's not too rare, kid. My twin brother got thirteen," Cory chuckled.

"I bet you two study all day long," said Jules, "don't you ever feel like playing Quidditch?"

"Oh, we do play, Jules. I'm the Slytherin Keeper and my brother is the Seeker and Quidditch Captain. I'll leave you now. Have a nice day - and all the best with the sorting."

He walked out of the compartment, leaving four stunned children and his sister grinning madly. Ace was really proud of her brothers, and didn't mind who knew it.

"Firs' Years! Over here!" called Hagrid. Ace approached him, a huge grin on her face. True, she did not like the half-giant as much as Harry did, but she wasn't scared of him like Cory, either. She was just fond of him.

"Hey, Hagrid!"

"Hello, little Ace. You have grown. And made friends, too, I see," Hagrid replied, glancing at the two boys next to Ace, both of whom were looking rather nervous.

Ace smiled and introduced them to her big friend.

"Hagrid, this is Ralph Creevey and Jules Bones," she said, pointing the blonde and the brunette respectively.

"Ace! Oh, there you are!" came a voice. They all turned towards the source, Rachel Longbottom. With her was her cousin, Adrian Weasley, both with the trademark Weasley-red hair.

"Oh, hi, Hagrid," Rachel said. Adrian wished him 'good evening'. The five children went off together, Hagrid smiling behind them. Harry and Cory observed happily from a distance, glad that their sister had found her group of friends. Now their only worry was her House.

After the Sorting Hat's song, the nervous queue of eleven-year-olds stood quietly in the middle of the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall announced their names as they stepped up to place the hat on their heads.

"Bones, Jules!"

The hat sat on the dark head for quite some time before it bellowed, "GRYFFINDOR!" Jules smiled at his new friends and headed shakily towards the red table. He wasn't sure if his parents would be too pleased. After all, Bones were usually Hufflepuffs. But then, Great Aunt Amelia, the best of the lot, had been a Gryffindor.

"Creevey, Ralph!"

The hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The sorting went on till "Longbottom, Rachel" was announced. Neville smiled at his daughter from the staff table.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Ace's mind was racing. All her friends except Adrian had landed up in Gryffindor. There was no doubt he would be there, too. Who had ever heard of a Weasley not in Gryffindor? If she were to be sent to any other House, she would have to make friends all over again...true, her brothers would help her out in Slytherin, but they could do only so much. And the students sent to Slytherin so far didn't look nice at all...

Her musings were brought to an end by a call of "Malfoy, Athena" from McGonagall. She went up, trying to look as confident as she could and placed the hat on her head.

"Hmm...another Malfoy...why are all of you so difficult to sort? Your father was far easier...now your mother was a tough one...enough brains to please Ravenclaw...and enough courage to make Gryffindor proud...I see you have inherited both from her...and you father's temperament, too...now, where shall I put you? Ravenclaw? You'll feel slightly lonely...you would like more fun than that...Slytherin? You're too brash...not ambitious enough...no, I've found the perfect House...you shall be in GRYFFINDOR!"

Most of the Hall looked shocked as Ace walked slowly towards the Gryffindor table. Harry and Cory smiled at her from the Slytherin table, slightly disappointed, but happy that she was with her friends. The thought of their mother's happiness also amused them.

"A Malfoy in Gryffindor?" whispered Professor Flitwick hoarsely. Professor Neville Longbottom, sitting next to him, smiled and said, "She has Hermione Granger's blood in her veins as well, Professor."

"The boys do so, too," came the reply.

"Girls are more like their mothers than many would care to acknowledge."

"True, my dear Neville, very true."

Adrian Weasley, as expected, ended up in Gryffindor. Ace was very pleased to be with her friends.

Hermione and Draco waited impatiently for Orpheus - Ace's owl. When he arrived, Hermione grabbed the letter immediately.

Dear Mum and Dad,

I got into Gryffindor! [Hermione squealed in delight and Draco sighed longingly] Are you happy, Mum? Hope Dad doesn't mind too much. All my friends are here, too. The hat said I could do well in Ravenclaw and Slytherin, too, but I would feel lonely in the first and I wasn't ambitious enough for the second. The only problem will be with Quidditch...I wouldn't like to play against Harry and Cory. Otherwise, I'm very happy. Hogwarts is wonderful!

Love,

Ace.

P.S. My new friends here are Jules Bones and Ralph Creevey. Adrian and Rachel are there, of course. They all said that I didn't need to memorise the textbooks - but I'm sure I'll need the information in class!

"A Malfoy in Gryffindor? I'm sure my parents are turning over in their graves," said Draco.

Hermione chuckled.

"I believe they already turned over when you married me. I wonder how Harry and Cory are faring? They wanted their darling sister with them - but then, they do have Gryffindor friends...I'm glad that the House rivalries have decreased so much, though," she said.