Serenity Silverwing & The Hogwarts Five

Chapter Fourteen

A Re-Sorting of Matters

Last Seen: Serenity ran into the new professors! Why did Rosa McCloud show up and why does Hogwarts need THREE new professors? Oh well! At least Rosa talked a small amount of sense into Serenity´s thick head! (Serenity sounds indignant in the b/g) Oh shut up... You know you´re a stubborn mule when it comes to letting your hair down. (Serenity pinches a lock of her hair, holding it up questioningly, and looks confused) Oh just get to Hogwarts dear. I´m switching to your PoV anyways. (Serenity darts off) That´s better! On with the story and don´t for get to R! E! V! I! E! W! (Tess´s characters chorus, "What´s that spell?!") REVIEW!!!

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For the third time in my life, I enter the Great Hall to find millions of candles floating above the lavishly decorated House tables. However, the tables were arranged in a square shape with a raised platform in the center that seemed to be for a sort of meet-greet-and-eat place as it had little picnic baskets placed randomly about it that could receive a lot of the food that the house elves make.

Most of the teachers were already seated at the Head Table. Rosa McCloud sat between a foul-mooded Snape on her left and Professor Sprout on her right. Medea Jeminy sat to the right of where Professor McGonagall would sit if she weren't off getting the First years or the Sorting Hat. Liz, like always, sat next to Hagrid near the end of the left side of the table.

I let my eyes wander and sitting next to Professor Flitwick, arguing with him amiably about something, was Tradrin Fatespirit. I scowl in his direction. He had been so trusted by the Shaman family. I shake myself away from the fresh swell of anger and hold my head up higher and turn towards my place as a disgrace.

Fred, who I'd been walking with, held me up before I could walk to the Slytherin table and whispers, "Good luck with the snakes." To my utter shock, he then kisses my cheek and runs to catch up with his group.

I stand there like an idiot, staring after him and forgetting all my forged dignity, until someone grabs my arm roughly and drags me to a seat at the Slytherin table. It was Nocta.

"So," Nocta says, taking a seat across from me, "the disgrace returns to Slytherin even after spending the summer among Gryffindors? What? Not even Gryffindors good enough for the high and mighty Silverwing?"

Nocta is such an amazing actress. She had mimicked her brother's sneer and drawl perfectly, right down to the way they pronounced their 'e's.

"I expected an answer, Silverwing." Nocta states.

I stare at my plate. I couldn't answer, least of all without her getting into trouble with Draco. He'd give her a lecture that he'd given at least three times every year since she came to Hogwarts; the one about consorting with disgraces to her house.

It was a good thing that Professor McGonagall came in right then with the First years. Otherwise, Nocta would've been forced to threaten me and that was always when her act faltered and our friendship was as plain as the sun at noon in a day in August.

The air of expectation settled in the Great Hall. Everyone waits with baited breath for the Sorting song for the new term. Every year, the Sorting song, sung by the Hat, had been different.

Diana catches my eye and waves quickly. She wasn´t nervous at all, not like the other First Years. That´s quite possibly because she´s known what the Sorting would imply all along.

I look over the tables as the Hat sings. I wasn´t brave enough to be Gryffindor. I couldn´t even tell my sister why I didn´t want her in Slytherin. I wasn´t loyal, not by any stretch of the imagination. Ravenclaw had been the house I´d wanted from the start, along with Rosalyn Caine, Lisa Turpin and Carita Reilin. I doubt now that I could´ve matched up there. I´m not interested in books strictly for learning like they are and I can only read when I feel like it. Slytherin... Well... I´ve never really fit in here but I haven´t ever let myself, have I? I always fought against my placement because I didn´t want to be lumped in with Draco, especially since he had me in the Hospital Wing the first day of lessons in First Year. Maybe I didn´t belong anywhere in Hogwarts. Maybe Madam McCloud would be doing me a favor by transferring me to Beauxbatons.

The Hat stopped singing so I give a token applause. When you consider that it has a year to make up the next song, some of the lyrics the Hat uses are sort of corny.

I only really paid attention to the Sorting when Diana was called. I held my breath for what felt like eternity (it was probably only five seconds) until the Hat yells "GRYFFINDOR!"

I let out my breath as a sigh of relief. Diana looks at me miserably from across the hall. I indulge myself and beam a smile at her and make a clapping gesture. Diana seems to bite her lip and walk with a little more confidence to sit next to Hermione. Fred and Guinevere, who weren´t more than a seat or two down from the trio, stand up and give Diana a hug. I knew she´d be safe but I just wish I could be there to help keep her safe. Some sister I am.

The Sorting finishes quickly, as usual. I sigh, resting my chin in my hands and my elbows on the table. Once the Blood Gang found out Diana was my sister... Oh I can hear the verbal battles already.

Professor McGonagall moves to take the Hat and stool away but that blasted Hat opens what can only be called its mouth and says in rhyme,

"Three years ago, I gave you a choice.

My mistake was to give you a voice.

We're back again to correct this thing,

So get up here now, Serenity Silverwing!"

I can safely say that I wasn't the only one with their jaw meeting the floor. Nocta had fallen out of her seat with a very noticeable thud in the silence hall. I feel as though I was about to pass out. Draco, not too far away, looked paler than even usual circumstances allowed. Professor McGonagall even dropped the Hat back on the stool.

I thanked the spirits as Professor Dumbledore stands. Surely he'd clear me from this humiliation, even if it were what I'd wanted.

"I was just going to assign you but as I don't like to argue with this hat... Miss Silverwing, if you would kindly oblige it?"

Assign me? Okay... Did the teachers that like me plot this out to humiliate me? I stand against my better judgment and start walking towards the Head table.

Spirits! What am I thinking? No one will accept me! I stop walking. I was afraid. Very truly and utterly terrified. This was far worse than Second Year when I was afraid for my life. Granted, if I stayed in Slytherin, I'd go mad or get killed. But, on the flip side, if I were re-Sorted to another house, they wouldn't see past the fact that I had been a Slytherin.

That's better than being in Slytherin. That simple thought started me moving again. It would be better than Slytherin. I could protect Dia without risking the wrath of the Blood Gang.

I felt as though I was in a dream. I felt every movement, and heard every breath. I can protect Dia. It'll be better than Slytherin. I chant silently.

I get to the platform and step onto it. I see Liz smiling encouragingly from around Hagrid. Trad was beaming. Professor McGonagall even managed to smile slightly.

"No turning back," I whisper to myself as I pick up the Hat and sit on the stool.

I felt too large for the small and rickety stool but I place the Hat on my head and it blacked out my sight of the staring hall.

"I'd started to wonder if you'd ever make it up here." The Hat says in a small voice in my ear.

"Please," I plead, "just get this over with."

"All right," The hat replies. "You've obviously outgrown your similarity with your uncle so going back to Slytherin is out of the question. You're not like your father so Hufflepuff is out. Gryffindor... You are like your mother but... Now Ravenclaw! There's a possibility."

"Do you remember where I belonged as a First year?" I ask. I sounded desperate even to my standards.

"Of course I do but if you go there you'll never be-" The Hat answers.

"I don't care!" I cry at the Hat. "It's better than Slytherin. Nothing can be worse than Slytherin!"

"I'm getting to old to argue with young minds. Your sister wanted so badly to be with you in Slytherin." The Hat mutters sullenly in my ear and then shouts to the Hall.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Oh my... Spirits! Gryffindor? I'm doomed!

"Don't say I didn't warn you," The Hat says to me as I take it off.

I got a good look at the students in the halls' reactions. The Slytherins had their jaws on the floor. The only one that looked moderately composed was Nocta in the back but she quickly hid her smile of congratulations behind the mask of shock.

The Hufflepuffs looked like they always did, indifferent, if a little confused about why a Slytherin would be re-Sorted, for one thing, and into Gryffindor, for another.

Rosalyn, Lisa and Carita look slightly disappointed that I hadn't been put in Ravenclaw. Most of the other Ravenclaws looked like they didn't care.

Gryffindor was much like the Slytherins, save Polly, Diana, Fred, George, Gwen and Gavin who were the only ones clapping and looking ecstatic, and Ron who looked like Draco had just kissed Ginny. Honestly I couldn't be surprised at any of this. Polly and Diana are family. Guinevere and Gavin had stayed with Tom and me for the summer between Second and Third year and Fred and George needed no explanation other than I was a dab hand at prank pulling and not getting caught. Ron didn't need an excuse either. He hated me. There were no ifs or buts about it. However, there were lots of ands.

Oh spirits! Gryffindor? I felt frozen where I stood. I look over at the teachers. Liz was clapping enthusiastically and Trad was still smiling and clapping politely. Dumbledore was clapping politely while looking at the Gryffindor table.

Then I notice Professor McGonagall, smiling a little more, takes my hand and shakes it shortly then says quietly, "Welcome to Gryffindor."

I feel a broad grin break on my face. I get my hand back from Professor McGonagall and I run to the Gryffindor table. I make a b-line to my friends. Gwen stopped clapping long enough to give me a hug.

I only then noticed that Fred and George's friends were clapping as well. Granted not quite as wildly as Fred and George but I didn't care. I had my friends and I could be with them anytime I wanted without threats or beatings. I sat down in a chair between Fred and Diana, giving her a bear hug.

A thought occurs to me as I take my seat finally. The Hat had said I was similar to an uncle that´d been Slytherin. Could that uncle be the man Madam McCloud had been referring to?

Authoress´s Note & Disclaimer: Serenity Silverwing, Rosa McCloud, Medea Jeminy, Amanda Filch, Tradrin Fatespirit, Nocta Malfoy (sans surname), Diana Featheredmoon, Rosalyn Caine, the persona of Lisa Turpin, Carita Reilin, the Blood Gang, Guinevere and Gavin Doaraion, the new poem, and... Ah-HA! Found that one! Tom Blaize!

Honorable Mentions: the good Gryffindor Archer donated Tradrin Fatespirit, Guinevere and Gavin Doaraion to me. The poem is courtesy of my NEW friend (who won´t be joining the fandom world) Gigi DeLacey. Thank you both. *curtsies*

Tah now!

~Empress Tessandrilene Wendracon de Sanyochisei