Tales of a Hufflepuff: Prank McKite and the Song of Meridian

Chapter 5: Arrivals

'What do you mean, we have to go by boat?' a sharp-nosed boy was saying.

'Hogwarts Tradition datin' back to...oh, I can't rightly recall, but suffice it to say, I went across the lake by boat my first year,' the giant was saying, whose name, Prank had discovered, was Hagrid. 'And if yer parents went here, they went across by boat their first year, too.'

'At least we don't have to do it every year,' a little girl on Prank's right whispered. Prank felt himself agreeing.

He'd not left Hagrid's side since the train, and he was glad for it, because he was permitted to sit with the great man in the largest of the boats set for the first years. It also looked the most sea worthy of the lot. There was a gentle wind on the lake, which became increasingly choppy. But as they headed towards the castle now lit by the moon, Prank caught the sense of something faint, like on the edge of his nerves. He wasn't sure if he felt it or heard it, but it was there, and it was growing as they neared the center of the lake. He knew he recognised the feeling he got, a certain sadness. Something hit his mind and he turned, rather suddenly in the boat. 'Sir, are there merfolk in this lake?'

The bearded man looked taken aback. He pursed his lips and nodded. 'T'be sure. Quite a few, I believe.'

'Really?' Prank breathed, and leaned forward, wondering if he should catch sight of them. Certainly, they would not be of the group that lived in the waters of Aquae Solace, but something about having seen some, even if it had been nearly a month ago made him want to see them again. He looked over the edge of the boat, near the front, and listened very hard. Perhaps they were singing, right now. He wondered if they knew the song that he had heard. He'd not sang it since that night - for some reason, the mood had not been upon him since - and he felt no inclination to do so now. Really, he was hoping to hear them sing. He closed his eyes, hearing the wind and the waves, but in his heart, he felt once again, that terrible song. He opened his mouth and he breathed it in. But soon, all too soon, the boats were at the shore and the song was away and behind him. He stood there a moment longer, wanting to stay and listen for them, even if he couldn't really hear them. But he realized he was being left behind, and it took effort to tear himself away.

He entered the hall, behind the other first years, which were shivering and complaining. He had no such trouble. He'd been out on the road long enough that a high breeze wouldn't put a damper on his heart. It wasn't until he'd heard someone mention that they had no idea how they were placed into houses that he realized his father had never mentioned it before. A few were worried about tests, one saying that he knew that Ravenclaws were always smart (his brother was one). This worried a few others, including Prank, who had figured on some level that people chose their own house, or that it was somehow very obvious where a person ought to go.

Suddenly the great doors opened and a teacher came out, her long black and greying hair tied back in a severe bun, her dark maroon robes swishing as she looked over the group. She introduced herself as Professor McGonagall. She gave them greetings and spoke now of the Sorting that was to follow. Though didn't mention exactly how this would take place, her few warnings were greatly outweighed by her assurances that the Sorting wasn't as much a problem as being a proper member of whatever house they were set to become. Though her manner was brisk, Prank found himself impressed already. Soon the first years were floating up the stairs, each taking in the sights. When they crossed the threshold of the Great Hall, many stood agape at the ceiling that reflected the night sky. Prank eyed it up, and decided that though it looked open, it had to be an enchantment, because the night was cool enough he felt he would have been able to tell.

There were students seated in long rows, and though he couldn't see Cedric or any of the acquaintances he'd made on the train, he did see a group of rusty red-heads sitting all at one table. One of the twins noticed him, and grinned, poking his identical brother. They both grinned at him eagerly, and one whispered at him, 'I hope you live to make it to Gryffindor!'

Gryffindor? Prank thought as he grinned back. He'd always figured the lot of them to be Hufflepuffs. Well, he supposed Gryffindors couldn't all be bad. But what did he mean by 'live to make it'? He didn't like the sound of that at all. He wondered if they might be teasing, but that didn't keep him from being a little more nervous about things.

He looked towards the dais, and saw a stool with a faded hat. It floated up, almost as fast as he laid eyes upon it and it began to sing.

Today I will lay out the talents of those

Who gave life to me and then I propose

To Sort you all out, from the great to the small

And set you in place, for that is my call.

First, I shall speak of Rowena Ravenclaw

A very bright lady, and she liked when she saw

An intelligence and peace about the students she taught

So the wise and gentle were the ones that she sought!

And on Salazar Slytherin I shall now speak

A certain charisma was the thing he did seek

In students that suited his taste and his mind

Ambitious and goal-setting, those of his kind!

Goderic Gryffindor is next in my rhyme,

Who was himself brave and needed no time

To decide that only the courageous would do

For his house; the strong, and those that were true.

Helga Hufflepuff is last, but certainly not least,

For she was quite the hard-working beast

Her badgers, she said, together must stick

Friends through the thin to get through the thick!

Now will you step up? No please, don't be shy!

For now I will Sort you, full well, by-and-by!

Place me on your head, and soon we shall see

Which Founder you please, as chosen by me!

With that, the tattered old hat settled down once more to the stool, and was soon fetched up by Professor McGonagall, who, with a set of square reading glasses perched upon her nose, began to read from a scroll.

'Avery, Jordan!'

The little boy sat upon the stool and she placed the hat down on his head. Prank recognised him as the brother of the Ravenclaw who had been so worried about the test.

'RAVENCLAW!' the hat shouted quite suddenly.

And so the Sorting began. Prank watched as the students were divided up, in a fairly even manner, by the hat, which took different amount of time with each student. Mandy (whose last name was Hyde) was put into Slytherin, just as Cedric had predicted. And soon, far too soon, his own name was being called, and he was walking forward, trying not to be sick. Had he eaten anything today? He tried to remember as he sat down at the stool. The hat was placed on his head and the soft air and rustle of the Great Hall was replaced by a great silence. The hat was down over his eyes, so there was no use looking.

Strange...very strange...

a voice said, in his right ear.

What's strange, he thought. And could anyone else hear this?

Concerned about what the others might hear? No need to worry, Mr. McKite. But...yes, it's very strange.

And why is that? he thought back to it, not doubting it could read his mind.

Since my creation I've sorted only one other boy who had the last name of McKite. I put him in Ravenclaw. But you're much stronger than he...clever, as he was...but not *wise*. Oh, don't worry, that doesn't ignore your cunning...but you're not extremely ambitious. Chivalrous, oh yes, but not terribly brave. But you *are* loyal...and you'd make a perfect...

'HUFFLEPUFF!'

The last word was shouted, and the hat was removed to the sounds of cheers from the group he'd met on the train. He saw the Weasley boys and they looked a trifle disappointed, but clapped and watched him as he descended to the Hufflepuff table. He was feeling a bit faint at this point, overcome by excitement and an honest lack of food. He sat down at the end of the table, holding his head in his hands while the rest of the group of first years was Sorted.

But something queer happened. McGonagall had repeated a name five times now, and no one had walked forward. This caught Prank's attention, especially when after a long look at the silver-haired headmaster - an older wizard by the name of Dumbledore-, McGonagall continued on to the next name. Prank was stunned, as was the rest of the school. Murmurs broke out as 'Spry, Jonas' was sorted into Ravenclaw. Was 'Spinnet, Alicia' going to be found? Had something happened to her? Quite a few people at Prank's table were saying things like 'this is outrageous, don't they care!?' and 'we ought to plan a search party, owl her parents and make sure they're okay'. Some Gryffindors within earshot were saying how they were going to head back to the station in the dead of night and go look for her, in case Hagrid had missed her, or she'd fallen asleep on the train.

But the Sorting was finished now, and the remaining first years were now seated at their tables. Prank had quite a few to either side of him, and with a careful glance, noted that Hilda Moon wasn't among them. He spotted her at the Ravenclaw table and thanked his lucky stars that the Sorting Hat felt him strong enough to handle Hufflepuff. The headmaster then stood and led them through a school song that had Prank and many of his fellow first years laughing. Soon enough, however, it was over.

'Now,' began the headmaster, 'before we begin our feast,'

'Hear, hear!' shouted a Gryffindor. Prank was certain it was Charlie Weasley.

Dumbledore continued his speech, as though there had been no interruption, 'I have a few general announcements.' He drew out a long scroll that opened and fell clear over the table and across the floor. Most of the student body groaned, including Prank who had discovered now that he had figured out he hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast that his stomach wasn't going to stand for much more of being empty. 'First years,' he began. 'Please note that the forest behind the school is off limits to students. Some of your fellow housemates might do well to listen to this warning this year, please remind them at your leisure. Also, please take care to stay out of the boys' bathroom on the fourth floor. A flesh-eating luna moth has somehow gotten in, and we have not yet figured out how to get it out.' Dumbledore was halfway through the scroll now, and Prank could now see why some students were laughing. The lettering on the scroll was quite large, so there were only a few words per line. 'Third years and higher, please note that Care of Magical Creatures will be delayed for a fortnight, while Professor Kettleburn recovers from the burns he received over the summer.'

Quite a few people laughed at this (mostly Slytherins and Gryffindors) and Prank wondered just what had gotten to the poor professor. He supposed that Care of Magical Creatures was a fairly dangerous matter, though he had been looking forward to it, considering some of the tales his father had told him.

'And on a final note, please take care that the abandoned wings, 5th east, 8th north, the eastern tower and the entire third floor are entirely forbidden to students and any student found wandering therein shall receive immediate detention, should any part of that student be found.' With that, Dumbledore threw the scroll into the air, and it exploded with a bang. 'Now, what you have all been waiting for! Let the feast...'

The doors to the Great Hall swung open. In strode a tall man with longish black hair and long black robes. In his hand was the arm of a little girl with rosy cheeks, shy grey eyes and long sand-colored hair. The man marched directly up to the front of the hall, and deposited the girl at the front, before Dumbledore. She had been trembling before, but before the warm smile of the headmaster, she seemed to be taking her fate a bit better.

'Ahh, Professor Snape! Fine evening, isn't it?' Dumbledore smiled, all the while quite cheery for someone who had just been terribly interrupted.

'I believe this is our errant student, Professor. I found her wandering around in the entrance hall.'

Dumbledore looked down over his half-moon eyeglasses at the first year. 'Alicia Spinnet, I presume?' The girl nodded sadly.

'What shall we do with her, sir?'

'Sort her, of course,' Dumbledore said, as though this were the most obvious thing in the world. He reached for the hat, which Professor McGonagall gave him, and set it on her head without a second word. After a moment, it cried, 'GRYFFINDOR!'

The Gryffindors burst into amused laughter and the Slytherins sneered. Prank applauded for her taking things so well, even though she looked like she wanted to collapse as soon as she sat down. He supposed she had gotten lost, like he nearly did, on the way from the boats. Soon the feast began, and any thoughts he had on the matter were politely excused while he devoured as much food as he could manage to shovel into his mouth.

'You eat like a horse,' a kind voice said, as the feast came to an end.

Prank started and turned to see Cedric standing there. 'Ye would too,' Prank told him, 'if ye'd lived on the road fer most o' yer life.'

Cedric laughed and helped Prank to his feet. 'Probably.'

Prank wiped his mouth on his sleeve and dusted himself off. 'Where we headed to now?'

'The dungeons. C'mon!' Prank followed Cedric down into the school, and they went down a flight of stairs, and through several dark hallways, up another flight of stairs, and then down a spiral that seemed to go on forever.

'Now, so you know,' a female voice was calling, 'this is the fastest way to get back to our common room and the dormitory. There are plenty of other paths, but I don't recommend you try any unless you're certain you have the time!'

'Who's that?' Prank asked Cedric, who was walking with him.

'That's Harmony Lumin. She's captain of the Quidditch team, and our current Seeker. Also one of the prefects.'

'Do ye play?'

'Me? I'm only a second year. They don't even consider you until your third year, though I've heard that Slytherin once allowed second years on their team. But not of late.'

'Why's that?'

'They've got a great team right now. They've won the past four house championships, much to everyone's disappointment.'

'Who won before that?'

'Ravenclaw. Their first, I heard, in nearly forty years.'

Prank laughed, as they headed down yet another dark stair. They had to be at least four or five stories under the ground now, Prank guessed. 'So when's the last time we won?'

'Oh...that's...well...we haven't won since the eighties.'

'Ye're kidding me!'

'No.'

Prank made a face. He didn't like to think of his father's old team as being poor. But then Hufflepuffs didn't have the sheer animosity that the Slytherins and the Gryffindors had for each other. They served and worked much better than they led. But certainly, working hard would make up for that. Something to plan for the future, perhaps. Harmony was now demonstrating to them the statue of the dancing orc. It was a silly looking thing, at the moment making a face. Harmony touched its shoulder and called out the password, 'Fiddlesticks'. The orc sprang to life, jumping this way, then that, and swung to the side. It's platform split and the doors to the common room opened.

As they filed in, Prank addressed his friend, 'I'm curious, Cedric, if they'd let you play, would you?'

'Yeah.'

'What position?'

'Oh...I hadn't given it that much thought...Chaser maybe, or Seeker, if I had the broom for it.' He laughed suddenly. 'What about you? Talking about this on your first day!'

'My dad played Seeker when he was here. Maybe we could train together.'

'Harmony would kill us!'

'Not if she didn't find out.'

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