4 Oct 2021, 08:30
Sorting Ceremony
Royce let himself be guided by the throng of students, many of which had done much better than himself at making new friends during the journey over. As he was carried into the Great Hall, he blinked in astonishment at the sight before him. The majesty of the Great Hall was unlike anythign he had seen before. The close, yet somehow spacious streets of Diagon Alley, the various magical implements on display in every shop window, and even the fake wall at the train station were unremarkable before the overabundance of magic on display. His eyes were drawn to the ceiling above, mesmerized by the sights conjured onto the ceiling, making it seem as if there was nothing between the students below and the night sky above.
He was jostled forward yet again and was forced to tear his eyes away and drink in his surroundings. Four long tables greeted him, and banners above combined with the matching robes below confirmed that these must be the four houses his mother had mentioned. One of her favorite stories had been her first day at Hogwarts and the day she was sorted into Slytherin like her father before her.
With a start, Royce realized that himself was about to be sorted. His journey to the castle, from the train ride to the rather chaotic boat ride over had taken precedence in his mind, and his heart began to race as the weight of what was about to happen settled on his shoulders. Whichever House he ended up in, that's where he would stay for the next seven years. The Headmaster began introducing himself and the Sorting Hat as Royce's mind raced. The boy wasn't even aware when the names started being read.
He needed to be in Slytherin like his mother. If he was going to follow in her footsteps, then what better way than to be in the same house that had allowed her to become an Auror in the first place. His mother had said the house was known for its cunning and ambition. He wasn't sure if he was necessarily cunning, but he had ambition in spades. He had been waiting for this for as long as he had known magic existed, and the desire only grew more after his mother's tragic passing.
As his htoughts raced, so too did the names seem to fly on by until Royce was snapped to attention by a firm and resonant,
He automatically began to move forward. As he began to push through the first few students, the rest of them parted as much as was possible to allow him passage. Even through the quiet murmurs of other students, he could hear his footsteps seeming to echo through the room, anxiety exaggerating how loud it seemed to him. He approached the seat and looked warily at the suspended Sorting Hat, trying fruitlessly to make an approximation of eye contact. Would he be able to plead his case?
He sat carefully in the seat, and struggled to muffle a small gasp as he felt the hat lowered onto his head. Almost immediately he heard a voice in his ear.
"So, what will it be for you? Are you Brave? Kind? Loyal? Smart? Clever? Between each question was a small pause and Royce considered the words he was hearing. He was going to be an Auror, that required bravery. Kindness and Loyalty were a given as well. What kind of person would say they weren't trustworthy. Granted, Royce didn't have many friends back home to demonstrate those traits.He wasn't sure if he was Smart or even Clever. He'd certainly like to be. In order to reach his goal, he'd need to cover as much ground as possible. How many spells would he need to know? How many magical creatures would he need to learn about to properly protect himself? He opened his mouth to answer, but the Sorting Hat began to speak again. "I see. I see. You feel it's all necessary, but you've decided you can't know who you are. It's something you want to discover?"
"I'm ambitious," Royce said in a near whisper, only loud enough for the hat and perhaps any nearby faculty to discern. The hat gave a slight chuckle in response.
"So you're sure about one thing, it seems. But it seems that for everything you know, there is still much more you don't. Yes, I can sense your ambition and yet you feel you need to know more to reach it." That sounded right, but Royce felt suddenly uncomfortable. The Hat acknowledged his ambition, it was a clear nod to Slytherin right? However, the way the Sorting Hat delivered its appraisal didn't seem quite so straightforward. "I think there is definitely much more for you to learn, and you desire to pursue that path. There is no clearer choice here than to put you in..."
Royce felt his stomach drop even as the table bedecked in blue robes and banners began cheering and clapping, welcoming him into their ranks. He felt the weight of the Hat lift from his head and the room seemed somehow dimmer. Wordlessly, he rose and glanced over at the Head of House for Ravenclaw: Marcus Iwasaki. He gave the faculty member a brief, stunned nod before drifting over to the cheering table. This was not how he pictured the day would go.
He was jostled forward yet again and was forced to tear his eyes away and drink in his surroundings. Four long tables greeted him, and banners above combined with the matching robes below confirmed that these must be the four houses his mother had mentioned. One of her favorite stories had been her first day at Hogwarts and the day she was sorted into Slytherin like her father before her.
With a start, Royce realized that himself was about to be sorted. His journey to the castle, from the train ride to the rather chaotic boat ride over had taken precedence in his mind, and his heart began to race as the weight of what was about to happen settled on his shoulders. Whichever House he ended up in, that's where he would stay for the next seven years. The Headmaster began introducing himself and the Sorting Hat as Royce's mind raced. The boy wasn't even aware when the names started being read.
He needed to be in Slytherin like his mother. If he was going to follow in her footsteps, then what better way than to be in the same house that had allowed her to become an Auror in the first place. His mother had said the house was known for its cunning and ambition. He wasn't sure if he was necessarily cunning, but he had ambition in spades. He had been waiting for this for as long as he had known magic existed, and the desire only grew more after his mother's tragic passing.
As his htoughts raced, so too did the names seem to fly on by until Royce was snapped to attention by a firm and resonant,
"Greystone, Royce!"
He automatically began to move forward. As he began to push through the first few students, the rest of them parted as much as was possible to allow him passage. Even through the quiet murmurs of other students, he could hear his footsteps seeming to echo through the room, anxiety exaggerating how loud it seemed to him. He approached the seat and looked warily at the suspended Sorting Hat, trying fruitlessly to make an approximation of eye contact. Would he be able to plead his case?
He sat carefully in the seat, and struggled to muffle a small gasp as he felt the hat lowered onto his head. Almost immediately he heard a voice in his ear.
"So, what will it be for you? Are you Brave? Kind? Loyal? Smart? Clever? Between each question was a small pause and Royce considered the words he was hearing. He was going to be an Auror, that required bravery. Kindness and Loyalty were a given as well. What kind of person would say they weren't trustworthy. Granted, Royce didn't have many friends back home to demonstrate those traits.He wasn't sure if he was Smart or even Clever. He'd certainly like to be. In order to reach his goal, he'd need to cover as much ground as possible. How many spells would he need to know? How many magical creatures would he need to learn about to properly protect himself? He opened his mouth to answer, but the Sorting Hat began to speak again. "I see. I see. You feel it's all necessary, but you've decided you can't know who you are. It's something you want to discover?"
"I'm ambitious," Royce said in a near whisper, only loud enough for the hat and perhaps any nearby faculty to discern. The hat gave a slight chuckle in response.
"So you're sure about one thing, it seems. But it seems that for everything you know, there is still much more you don't. Yes, I can sense your ambition and yet you feel you need to know more to reach it." That sounded right, but Royce felt suddenly uncomfortable. The Hat acknowledged his ambition, it was a clear nod to Slytherin right? However, the way the Sorting Hat delivered its appraisal didn't seem quite so straightforward. "I think there is definitely much more for you to learn, and you desire to pursue that path. There is no clearer choice here than to put you in..."
"Ravenclaw"
Royce felt his stomach drop even as the table bedecked in blue robes and banners began cheering and clapping, welcoming him into their ranks. He felt the weight of the Hat lift from his head and the room seemed somehow dimmer. Wordlessly, he rose and glanced over at the Head of House for Ravenclaw: Marcus Iwasaki. He gave the faculty member a brief, stunned nod before drifting over to the cheering table. This was not how he pictured the day would go.
4 Oct 2021, 18:16
Sorting Ceremony
Nervous knots formed in Rora's stomach as she entered the Great Hall to begin the sorting ceremony. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight she had heard about from her siblings over the past six years. It was even more wonderful than the descriptions. Lively paintings, grand furniture and the bewitched ceiling welcomed Rora as she strolled down the large room.
Glancing over at the Hufflepuff table, she spotted her twin brothers who were seventh years and her sister who was now a second year. She scanned the Ravenclaw table for her other brother, Ash, who was a fourth year, but couldn't spot him. He did recently become a prefect, so who knew what kind of responsabilities he was tackling at the moment. Rora loosened her posture as she saw many familiar family faces across the hall from every house. Her mum was a herbologist from a large pureblood family that lived in Scotland, so it wasn't uncommon for them to host events with other wizarding families at their property.
Her lips curled up in a grin as the sorting hat spoke and her eyes darted all over the front tables to take her first glance at the teachers. She didn't recognize any of them initially except Headmaster Lear, although she may have met them here or there over the course of her lifetime so far.
The anxiety and pressure started to build inside Rora's body as the sorting hat burst into song. This was actually happening. She'd dreamt of this moment for years and always wondered if she would be in Hufflepuff like a majority of her siblings and mum, Ravenclaw like Ash, Slytherin like the rest of her pureblood family or if she would be a family outlier and take a spot at the Gryffindor table.
"Accola, Aurora" came a summoning voice and Rora gulped, stepping forward. She shook all over as she sat nervously on the edge of the seat. Why do I have to have a last name that comes first in the alphabet? What if I'm not even put into a house? The insecure thoughts started pouring through as the hat was being placed on her head, in what felt like slow motion. Before the hat could even finish being placed on her head, it belted out "RAVENCLAW!" and Rora beamed as a sea of blue erupted in cheers. She sprang up, ran over to the table and was greeted with an overbearing hug from her brother.
The intelligent and the wise. I am so incredibly honored to be placed here.
Word Count: 428
8 Oct 2021, 22:23
Sorting Ceremony
Mentioning: N/A-----------------------------------
Time: Evening
Outfit: Uniform
Adelaide was very much aware of what the ceremony was, in fact most of her mind today was occupied with thoughts of what house she would be in. She hoped that she was in Ravenclaw like her mother, but her father would probably be overjoyed if she was in Slytherin like him. The young girl didn't think she belonged in Hufflepuff, but she supposed she wouldn't be that upset if she was a Hufflepuff. Gryffindor would be nice too, she supposed, but Eloise would probably be disgusted if her baby sister was in the same house as her. Plus, they'd definitely end up fighting in the common room within the first week and annoy the rest of the Gryffindors. Honestly, Adelaide wasn't even sure how the feud between the two of them even started, but it wouldn't do her any good to dwell on that now. There was loads of time to ponder over that, but right now she had something way more important to do: the Sorting Ceremony.
When the doors to the Great Hall opened and she stepped inside, following the rest of her fellow first years, her breath caught in her throat. Despite the descriptions her mother and father both tried to give her of the hall, nothing could compare to actually seeing it in person. It was magnificent, simply bewitching. The four house tables were filled with chattering older students and a feast that was ready to be ate as soon as the first years were sorted. Her eyes strayed over to the Gryffindor table, trying to catch sight of Eloise. She found her sitting beside her group of friends, but it looked like Eloise was trying to avoid eye contact with Adelaide at all costs. Typical, she couldn't even have the decency to give a reassuring smile to her younger sister. The one thing that caught Adelaide's eye the most was the floating candles lit overhead which done a great job of giving the hall a cozy atmosphere, despite how big it was.
When all the first years had entered the doors closed behind them, sealing their fate. Adelaide watched the Headmaster walk up to the front of the room with bated breath, this was it. She was finally going to find out what house she was going to be in for the next seven years of her life. It definitely wasn't a big deal at all. She listened intently to the Headmaster's speech and slightly awkward exchange between the Headmaster and the sorting hat. What was probably meant to be funny had failed miserably, but Adelaide definitely wasn't going to voice that opinion out loud. Then the Headmaster was unrolling the scroll and the sorting hat begun it's song. She tried to focus on the words the hat was singing and not the growing nervousness in her stomach. She clapped automatically when the song had finished, and then the Headmaster begun to call out names.
It felt like an eternity before Adelaide heard the words, "Barlowe, Adelaide!" as her name left the Headmaster's mouth. Taking a deep breath, she held her head high and walked up to the stool. Picking up the sorting hat, she sat up straight and put it onto her head.
"Ah, another Barlowe," the voice spoke in her ear. Yes, another one. Please hurry this up, I want to find out what house I'm in. Adelaide thought, not even bothered by the fact that the hat could definitely hear her.
"Oh? Not very patient, are we? Hmm, yes, you are very different from your sister, I can see that." No surprise there. ""Yes, you have the ambition that your father has, and you are determined to achieve your goals. Slytherin might be suitable for you." Well, her father would be delighted. "Ah, but wait, you are a very intelligent young girl, your curiosity drives you to learn new things and you are impatient to learn all you can at Hogwarts. You would do well in Slytherin, your ambition and pride would drive you. But Ravenclaw would lead you to achieve remarkable things. Hmmm..." Hurry it up already! Adelaide was starting to grow impatient, just put her in a house, how hard could it be?
"Ah, alright. I can see it now, you would do great in...."
"RAVENCLAW!"
The Ravenclaw table burst into deafening applause. Adelaide smiled, taking off the hat, she placed it back onto the stool and made her way over to her second family for the next seven years. Her mother would be delighted, but she'd definitely have to mention to her dad that the hat was contemplating putting her in Slytherin.
Last edited by Adelaide Barlowe on 14 Oct 2021, 22:48, edited 1 time in total.
10 Oct 2021, 13:02
Sorting Ceremony
And so she walked into the Great Hall, together with all the first years. In a few minutes, she would know in which house she truly belonged. She was pretty nervous about the sorting ceremony. She knew what it was like, her brother had done it, her mom and her dad. But knowing in which house she'd be in, in what she really belonged, with the people she'd share a dorm for 7 years. Was pretty scary to think about, that's what she thought at least. She looked around while walking through the Great Hall. She looked at the tables, which were filled with students. She looked over to the Hufflepuff table, hoping to see her brother somewhere, and after a bit, she saw her brother glancing from the Hufflepuff table, smiling at her. She smiled back, so he'd know that she was okay. She turned to look at the other tables. She knew that in a few moments she'd sit at one of those tables. She stopped walking when someone pushed her back. She looked towards her. The headmaster was calling name by name, for people to get sorted
"Gryffidor!" The sorting hat called. And so he went on and on. Calling names called houses. And after a few minutes, she heard "Brewer Emily"
She looked around and walked up very very slowly. The headmaster held the sorting hat above her head.
Very brave with a lot of courage, Your loyalty sutes you. Mhm, interesting, really interesting... Your intelligent is your most treasured trait. This one better be... RAVENCLAW!
She looked up and smiled. She walked her way to the Ravenclaw table, and looked around, again searching for her brother. She was that his smile was not only happiness. He was proud, proud of his little sister. And so was she, probably, the happiest Ravenclaw in the room.
Word count: 300
Last edited by Emily R. Brewer on 13 Oct 2021, 16:23, edited 2 times in total.
"Can i go where you go?"
-Ruth 1:16
13 Oct 2021, 01:05
Sorting Ceremony
Interacting with: N/A
Mentioning: N/A
Clothing: School Uniform
Date: September 1st
Event: Sorting Ceremony
"Ebony Vetra!"
My name was called.
I walked down the aisle, trembling. I had never been as nervous as this before. Never in my life. If I didn't get into Ravenclaw, my father would be so mad at me, so mad. As the hat fell over the brim of my eyes, all I could see was black.
My heart stopped for a beat. Please... Ravenclaw... I begged, hoping the hat could read my thoughts.
Hmm... I see now. Brave and courageous... perhaps Gryffindor? But no, I see. You are clever and you love the arts... you are a creative girl. You would do well in...
A beat. And then... "Ravenclaw!"
A grin spread across my face. Ravenclaw. The house of the wise, the creative. My dream house.
Still smiling, I took the old crinkled hat off and handed it to the next person. I took a vacant seat the Ravenclaw Table.
Ravenclaw was the house I had always wanted to be in...
Gryffindor was okay, I thought, if I didn't get into Ravenclaw, Gryffindor was my 2nd choice. I don't know, my 3rd choice? It could easily be Slytherin or Hufflepuff, I don't really know. But I don't think i would fit that well into Hufflepuff, really. I don't know, I just don't think I'm that... nice and you know, loyal. But I would be okay with Slytherin.
Well, all that doesn't matter anymore... I'm sorted into Ravenclaw!
Word Count: 238
| iNPC: Luuk Tjin-A-Wing | sta 7 | eva 12 | str 15 | wis 9 | arc 8 | acc 15 𝐓𝐏 • 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 • 𝐨𝐛𝐧𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 • 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 • 𝐄𝐌 |
21 Oct 2021, 21:26
Sorting Ceremony
Event: Sorting Ceremony
Date: 1st september
Outfit: School uniform
It was busy in the Great Hall, because the sorting ceremony was on. There was a special astmosphere to nigth, it was the begining of a new year, the new students have their first day, you could see all different emotions on the new students faces.
Noami had all mixed feelings, she was happy and excited for the new school year, she was tired because of all the new impression, Hogwarts and the all the magic where like a new world to Noami. But right now she was most of all nervous, she was nervous for which house she will end up in. She didn´t know anyone expect her brother, he was in Gryffindor, Naomi couldn´t she her self in Gryffindor, she hoped to get in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw.
"Miss Kemble, Noami"
It was now Noami´s tour to get sorted. She took a few steeps to get to the sorting hat and sat down on the stool, it was hard for her to sit still, because of all the nerves. She looked around see if she could see her brother, in hopes for finding a bit for comfort, but she could not see him any where, there where so many at the Gryffindor table, he must be at the other end table where it was hard to see.
Now the sorting hat was placed on her head, it when front and back between Hufflepuff, and she felted relived. But after a little bit it had decide and confident outbursted:
"Ravenclaw"
Noami was happy and felted like it was the rigth house for her. She looked at the Ravenclaw table, to get a better look at the other Ravenclaws.
She head the others students claps, then she went down the stool and head towards the Ravenclaw. She was soo happy that she now was sorted and now could relax a bit, she was so tired.
WC: 315
Date: 1st september
Outfit: School uniform
It was busy in the Great Hall, because the sorting ceremony was on. There was a special astmosphere to nigth, it was the begining of a new year, the new students have their first day, you could see all different emotions on the new students faces.
Noami had all mixed feelings, she was happy and excited for the new school year, she was tired because of all the new impression, Hogwarts and the all the magic where like a new world to Noami. But right now she was most of all nervous, she was nervous for which house she will end up in. She didn´t know anyone expect her brother, he was in Gryffindor, Naomi couldn´t she her self in Gryffindor, she hoped to get in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw.
"Miss Kemble, Noami"
It was now Noami´s tour to get sorted. She took a few steeps to get to the sorting hat and sat down on the stool, it was hard for her to sit still, because of all the nerves. She looked around see if she could see her brother, in hopes for finding a bit for comfort, but she could not see him any where, there where so many at the Gryffindor table, he must be at the other end table where it was hard to see.
Now the sorting hat was placed on her head, it when front and back between Hufflepuff, and she felted relived. But after a little bit it had decide and confident outbursted:
"Ravenclaw"
Noami was happy and felted like it was the rigth house for her. She looked at the Ravenclaw table, to get a better look at the other Ravenclaws.
She head the others students claps, then she went down the stool and head towards the Ravenclaw. She was soo happy that she now was sorted and now could relax a bit, she was so tired.
WC: 315
22 Oct 2021, 01:20
Sorting Ceremony
As I sat down in the stool, I could feel the exitement running through my whole being. I was here, I was really in hogwarts, about to get sorted into my house, where I could work hard and make new friends! I can't even imagine how fun this is going to be, with how big Hogwarts was, there surely was so many stuff to find and do!
"You really are an energetic one, I almost have trouble catching up to you..." the hat spoke.
"I remember sorting your brother out to his house, you are just like him..."
the hat went silent before continued, "but you have a different spark of curiosity..."
I started bouncing my leg,
"A very impatient one at that..."
"GRYFFINDOR!!"
I smiled and jumped off the moment the hat was lifgted off my had, almost running to my table.
I was sorted to my house! I looked around at my table, and than the other tables, this was going to be a very fun first year, and I plan to make the most of it.
I looked around the hall, full of chattering people, friends, siblings and even some bickering kids.
I have so many things that I want to do!
"You really are an energetic one, I almost have trouble catching up to you..." the hat spoke.
"I remember sorting your brother out to his house, you are just like him..."
the hat went silent before continued, "but you have a different spark of curiosity..."
I started bouncing my leg,
"A very impatient one at that..."
"GRYFFINDOR!!"
I smiled and jumped off the moment the hat was lifgted off my had, almost running to my table.
I was sorted to my house! I looked around at my table, and than the other tables, this was going to be a very fun first year, and I plan to make the most of it.
I looked around the hall, full of chattering people, friends, siblings and even some bickering kids.
I have so many things that I want to do!
26 Oct 2021, 00:41
Sorting Ceremony
September 1st, 2021
The soft glow of several thousand flickering candles beckoned new first years into the Great Hall, where tables lined with shimmering golden plates awaited beneath the starlit ceiling. Cricket marveled at how much it looked like the night sky, stopping in the entranceway for a moment to take it all in. Drawing in a shivering breath, she took another step forward amongst the throng of other first years who were on their way in from the lake. Cricket had never seen magic so beautiful—nothing in Diagon Alley or on the Hogwarts Express could have prepared her for this.
A foggy lake. A warm castle. Moving portraits. And now, a singing hat. Magic was wonderful.
…and yet, magic could do terrible, ugly things as well. Who knew just what horrific ends Cricket’s birth parents had tried to achieve with it? And yet Cricket still hoped against hope that magic could always be this luminous; this gentle. For everything evil the Morrigans might have done with magic, she quietly resolved to try to bring about something good in its place if she could—even as she chased their memory through the very same halls that had turned them to the Dark Arts.
The Sorting Hat finished its song. One by one, the other first years were called to sit on the stool before the tables full of eagerly waiting upperclassmen. Cricket watched numbly as other children were scattered to the four House tables—could the hat really look into her heart and mind, as the Headmaster had said? With an uncomfortable twisting sensation building in her stomach, Cricket wondered if the Hat would discover her secret. If it knew what the elder Morrigans had done—well, no one knew, exactly, but they were criminals just the same—would the Hat sort her into the same house, dooming her to repeat the same mistakes? Or would she be exposed in front of everyone and ousted from Hogwarts before she’d even begun to learn anything?
“O’Shea, Cricket!”
Cricket jumped at the sound of her own name. Feeling the eyes of hundreds of others on her, she glanced around, swallowing fiercely and willing her feet to move—
“O’Shea, Cricket!” came the voice again. A pair of unfamiliar, impatient arms somewhere behind her in the crowd of first years shoved her forward, and she soon found herself staring blankly up at the Headmaster, who politely offered her a seat. Cricket squinted her eyes shut, bracing herself for the worst as the Hat came down over her eyes, plunging her into the dark—
“Well , I haven’t met anyone quite so nervous as you in a very long time, but I assure you, you needn’t be—”
A voice sounded within her head, like a stranger barging in on her innermost thoughts.
“Barging in?! I beg your pardon, but you won’t get very far without me, you know. And besides, it should only take a moment…hmm…”
The voice went silent for an indeterminate amount of time, and Cricket took another deep breath; steadier this time. She tried to think of something good—the lovely candles, the smiling faces of her siblings crowded around the screen on the phone back in Ireland to wish her well via video chat before she’d gotten on board the Hogwarts Express, the O’Shea family farm—
“Yes, you care deeply for those who love and protect you—a family in deed, not in blood—you are responsible…and yet I sense a hunger. An ambition. A search for clues; for answers…the Morrigans….”
Cricket shuddered, trying to scrub any notion of them from her mind. But still the thoughts surfaced anyway. Her first meeting with Mr. Ollivander. Ronan’s wand. Brigid’s mirror. She disavowed her birth parents’ deeds, and yet she clung to their keepsakes.
“Oh, it’s not so strange as you might think. You may find that there are other students with family histories not dissimilar to your own. But you…you fear the darkness. Very different from your mother or father.”
I want to be different, Cricket thought. As different as I can be.
“Well, I think it’s settled, then. You may yet need to learn to confront that darkness—to face your fear—but until then, best surround yourself with those who will strengthen your light.”
The Hat, having made its decision, shouted for all the school to hear.
“HUFFLEPUFF!”
The Hat came off, and Cricket was alone with her thoughts again. On shaky legs, she headed for the Hufflepuff table—towards what she fervently hoped was the light.
The soft glow of several thousand flickering candles beckoned new first years into the Great Hall, where tables lined with shimmering golden plates awaited beneath the starlit ceiling. Cricket marveled at how much it looked like the night sky, stopping in the entranceway for a moment to take it all in. Drawing in a shivering breath, she took another step forward amongst the throng of other first years who were on their way in from the lake. Cricket had never seen magic so beautiful—nothing in Diagon Alley or on the Hogwarts Express could have prepared her for this.
A foggy lake. A warm castle. Moving portraits. And now, a singing hat. Magic was wonderful.
…and yet, magic could do terrible, ugly things as well. Who knew just what horrific ends Cricket’s birth parents had tried to achieve with it? And yet Cricket still hoped against hope that magic could always be this luminous; this gentle. For everything evil the Morrigans might have done with magic, she quietly resolved to try to bring about something good in its place if she could—even as she chased their memory through the very same halls that had turned them to the Dark Arts.
The Sorting Hat finished its song. One by one, the other first years were called to sit on the stool before the tables full of eagerly waiting upperclassmen. Cricket watched numbly as other children were scattered to the four House tables—could the hat really look into her heart and mind, as the Headmaster had said? With an uncomfortable twisting sensation building in her stomach, Cricket wondered if the Hat would discover her secret. If it knew what the elder Morrigans had done—well, no one knew, exactly, but they were criminals just the same—would the Hat sort her into the same house, dooming her to repeat the same mistakes? Or would she be exposed in front of everyone and ousted from Hogwarts before she’d even begun to learn anything?
“O’Shea, Cricket!”
Cricket jumped at the sound of her own name. Feeling the eyes of hundreds of others on her, she glanced around, swallowing fiercely and willing her feet to move—
“O’Shea, Cricket!” came the voice again. A pair of unfamiliar, impatient arms somewhere behind her in the crowd of first years shoved her forward, and she soon found herself staring blankly up at the Headmaster, who politely offered her a seat. Cricket squinted her eyes shut, bracing herself for the worst as the Hat came down over her eyes, plunging her into the dark—
“Well , I haven’t met anyone quite so nervous as you in a very long time, but I assure you, you needn’t be—”
A voice sounded within her head, like a stranger barging in on her innermost thoughts.
“Barging in?! I beg your pardon, but you won’t get very far without me, you know. And besides, it should only take a moment…hmm…”
The voice went silent for an indeterminate amount of time, and Cricket took another deep breath; steadier this time. She tried to think of something good—the lovely candles, the smiling faces of her siblings crowded around the screen on the phone back in Ireland to wish her well via video chat before she’d gotten on board the Hogwarts Express, the O’Shea family farm—
“Yes, you care deeply for those who love and protect you—a family in deed, not in blood—you are responsible…and yet I sense a hunger. An ambition. A search for clues; for answers…the Morrigans….”
Cricket shuddered, trying to scrub any notion of them from her mind. But still the thoughts surfaced anyway. Her first meeting with Mr. Ollivander. Ronan’s wand. Brigid’s mirror. She disavowed her birth parents’ deeds, and yet she clung to their keepsakes.
“Oh, it’s not so strange as you might think. You may find that there are other students with family histories not dissimilar to your own. But you…you fear the darkness. Very different from your mother or father.”
I want to be different, Cricket thought. As different as I can be.
“Well, I think it’s settled, then. You may yet need to learn to confront that darkness—to face your fear—but until then, best surround yourself with those who will strengthen your light.”
The Hat, having made its decision, shouted for all the school to hear.
“HUFFLEPUFF!”
The Hat came off, and Cricket was alone with her thoughts again. On shaky legs, she headed for the Hufflepuff table—towards what she fervently hoped was the light.
30 Oct 2021, 13:13
Sorting Ceremony
Alex had spent countless nights in her bed, dreaming of the moment she would enter the Great Hall. She had pestered her brothers to describe it to her so many times before that she had created her own mental image of the grand room. When she couldn't sleep, which was quite often, she'd stare into the darkness picturing the Great Hall and her sorting ceremony. While she often wished to be placed in Gryffindor with her brothers, Alex had never been absolutely sure of where she wanted to be, nor where the hat would even place her. It was always the missing piece of her imagination.
Still, despite all the hours predicting this very moment, nothing Alex had dreamt of could compare to the sight before her. The candles flickering, the stars in the enchanted sky twinkling high above, the grand tables, the sheer amount of students - everything felt surreal. Alex drank in every moment as if it were a glass of cool water in a blazing desert. She didn't want to miss a single moment, a single sound, a single sensation.
While her surroundings seemed to have been taken straight from a fairy tale book, it seemed even Hogwarts wasn't impervious to long, formal introductions and orientation. Still, Alex listened and watched with the ghost of a smile on her lips. The awe of finally being there and the slight terror of the sorting process kept her attention peaked and focused on the matter at hand.
Would she be called to join her brothers in Gryffindor? Slytherin like her mother? Hufflepuff like her father? Or perhaps Ravenclaw? It all seemed possible and impossible at the same time.
"Shae, Alexandra.
Perhaps she had drifted into her own thoughts despite her excitement because she hadn't realized it was nearing her turn until the Headmaster was calling her name. Spurring her legs into motion, she approached the front, taking a seat next to the Headmaster. She had offered the man a slight smile as she had approached, but it was the most she could do at the moment. Alex was more focused on stopping her hands from shaking. So many eyes were on her, and she wasn't particularly fond of it.
With other students, the hat had been quite talkative. It seemed that would not be the case with Alex, for the hat remained silent. She thought that she ought to be terrified by its silence, but an overwhelming wave of calm passed through her. It was as if she could feel the hat searching within her, looking for her core. It didn't seem to take long before the hat seemed to find what it had been looking for, and Alex welcomed the peace that accompanied the silent decision made by the hat before announcing it to all those gathered before her.
"Hufflepuff!"
Alex was a little shocked by the hat's decision, but she decided it wasn't best to question the seemingly ancient hat. Stepping down, she directed herself toward the Hufflepuff table, the yellow colors radiating warmth and welcoming acceptance. A part of her doubted herself as she carried herself closer to the grand table. She didn't feel good enough to be a Hufflepuff. Her father had told her many things about the house of the badger, but she had never thought of herself to be worthy enough.
Trust the hat, she told herself. And with that, she reached the grand table, claiming a spot on the long bench as hers, meeting the excited smiles of the other Hufflepuffs with a nervous smile of her own. This was her new family. This was her new home.
Still, despite all the hours predicting this very moment, nothing Alex had dreamt of could compare to the sight before her. The candles flickering, the stars in the enchanted sky twinkling high above, the grand tables, the sheer amount of students - everything felt surreal. Alex drank in every moment as if it were a glass of cool water in a blazing desert. She didn't want to miss a single moment, a single sound, a single sensation.
While her surroundings seemed to have been taken straight from a fairy tale book, it seemed even Hogwarts wasn't impervious to long, formal introductions and orientation. Still, Alex listened and watched with the ghost of a smile on her lips. The awe of finally being there and the slight terror of the sorting process kept her attention peaked and focused on the matter at hand.
Would she be called to join her brothers in Gryffindor? Slytherin like her mother? Hufflepuff like her father? Or perhaps Ravenclaw? It all seemed possible and impossible at the same time.
"Shae, Alexandra.
Perhaps she had drifted into her own thoughts despite her excitement because she hadn't realized it was nearing her turn until the Headmaster was calling her name. Spurring her legs into motion, she approached the front, taking a seat next to the Headmaster. She had offered the man a slight smile as she had approached, but it was the most she could do at the moment. Alex was more focused on stopping her hands from shaking. So many eyes were on her, and she wasn't particularly fond of it.
With other students, the hat had been quite talkative. It seemed that would not be the case with Alex, for the hat remained silent. She thought that she ought to be terrified by its silence, but an overwhelming wave of calm passed through her. It was as if she could feel the hat searching within her, looking for her core. It didn't seem to take long before the hat seemed to find what it had been looking for, and Alex welcomed the peace that accompanied the silent decision made by the hat before announcing it to all those gathered before her.
"Hufflepuff!"
Alex was a little shocked by the hat's decision, but she decided it wasn't best to question the seemingly ancient hat. Stepping down, she directed herself toward the Hufflepuff table, the yellow colors radiating warmth and welcoming acceptance. A part of her doubted herself as she carried herself closer to the grand table. She didn't feel good enough to be a Hufflepuff. Her father had told her many things about the house of the badger, but she had never thought of herself to be worthy enough.
Trust the hat, she told herself. And with that, she reached the grand table, claiming a spot on the long bench as hers, meeting the excited smiles of the other Hufflepuffs with a nervous smile of her own. This was her new family. This was her new home.
31 Oct 2021, 20:20
Sorting Ceremony
Never before had Asteria seen a room so vast and enchanting in more ways than one. The place was enchanted in the literal sense, which only solidified Asteria's certainty that this was all real (though it might've been too late for that, she did get on a train and all). The ceiling showed the night sky, a clear and cloudless view allowing the majesty of space's stars to be seen by the gaping first-years. Older years smirked at their younger counterpart's wonder over something they considered normal, entirely pushing the fact that they were the same only a few years before out of their head.
Candles floated in the air above, yet a drop of wax never made its way near any of the people below. And speaking of the people, there were so many. All of these people were magical—just like Asteria—but so many people had no idea of their special talents. Well, that's a hidden world for you, she supposed. It was right under Halmeoni1 and her's noses the whole time. Asteria wasn't the kind of person to outwardly show her surprise but she was feeling the most surprised she'd ever been right at this moment. She felt even more surprised right now than when that staff member had come to tell her she was a witch and even more surprised right now than when she got on the train here. Perhaps it was because right here at this moment it felt more real.
Asteria paid close attention as the Headmaster appeared. He looked like a grand hero from a storybook what with his towering height and eye-catching attire. The thought of four-foot, four-inch Asteria next to the giant of a man made the Korean girl chuckle. It would definitely be a sight to behold. While he seemed strong and powerful at first glance, a more focused look would reveal how the man was limping.
Asteria almost jumped back when the tattered hat spoke. How did this make sense? Ah right. Magic. She listened to the Headmaster's introduction, her eyes following the older students barely paying attention. Why would they, when the main event was the actual sorting of the students themselves and not the speech beforehand? Though they did all start paying closer attention when the Hat sang. Well, it was more like rhythmic speaking rather than singing.
When the Hat uttered its last word is when the part everyone was interested in really started. The Headmaster seemed to be calling the students by alphabetical order based on their last name. Since Asteria was a Lee, she was around the middle of the bunch to be called. This allowed her to observe the sorting of her future classmates, one after the other. A couple of Gryffindors, a handful of Hufflepuffs, some Slytherins, and a few Ravenclaws. Asteria thought about the house she would like to be in. She supposed she would suit Slytherin or Ravenclaw. Maybe Gryffindor on an odd day. She couldn't see herself wearing the yellow of Hufflepuff in any case, for which she was grateful for that was a ghastly shade of yellow in her opinion.
Finally "Lee, Asteria" was called out and Asteria made her way calmly to the Hat. Nothing bad would happen after all and wherever she got sorted she would adapt and thrive. The Hat placed over her small head, falling over her eyes as the world faded to black.
"Hmm, I see. You have a thirst to win, don't you? Plenty of determination, oh but you're impulsive aren't you?" questioned the Hat as Asteria nodded in agreement, "No regard for the consequences your actions have." Here she let out a little scoff. "But you seem to think that you can still find your way to the finish line. Quite the mind you have here. Not the loyal type. I know just where to put you..." the Hat concluded before shouting, "SLYTHERIN!"
Asteria's tie changed from black with the Hogwarts seal to a dark emerald and silver instantaneously, solidifying her house for years to come as the hat was pulled from over her head (her bangs coming out messy) as she made her way to the table with her fellow Slytherins.
Candles floated in the air above, yet a drop of wax never made its way near any of the people below. And speaking of the people, there were so many. All of these people were magical—just like Asteria—but so many people had no idea of their special talents. Well, that's a hidden world for you, she supposed. It was right under Halmeoni1 and her's noses the whole time. Asteria wasn't the kind of person to outwardly show her surprise but she was feeling the most surprised she'd ever been right at this moment. She felt even more surprised right now than when that staff member had come to tell her she was a witch and even more surprised right now than when she got on the train here. Perhaps it was because right here at this moment it felt more real.
Asteria paid close attention as the Headmaster appeared. He looked like a grand hero from a storybook what with his towering height and eye-catching attire. The thought of four-foot, four-inch Asteria next to the giant of a man made the Korean girl chuckle. It would definitely be a sight to behold. While he seemed strong and powerful at first glance, a more focused look would reveal how the man was limping.
Asteria almost jumped back when the tattered hat spoke. How did this make sense? Ah right. Magic. She listened to the Headmaster's introduction, her eyes following the older students barely paying attention. Why would they, when the main event was the actual sorting of the students themselves and not the speech beforehand? Though they did all start paying closer attention when the Hat sang. Well, it was more like rhythmic speaking rather than singing.
When the Hat uttered its last word is when the part everyone was interested in really started. The Headmaster seemed to be calling the students by alphabetical order based on their last name. Since Asteria was a Lee, she was around the middle of the bunch to be called. This allowed her to observe the sorting of her future classmates, one after the other. A couple of Gryffindors, a handful of Hufflepuffs, some Slytherins, and a few Ravenclaws. Asteria thought about the house she would like to be in. She supposed she would suit Slytherin or Ravenclaw. Maybe Gryffindor on an odd day. She couldn't see herself wearing the yellow of Hufflepuff in any case, for which she was grateful for that was a ghastly shade of yellow in her opinion.
Finally "Lee, Asteria" was called out and Asteria made her way calmly to the Hat. Nothing bad would happen after all and wherever she got sorted she would adapt and thrive. The Hat placed over her small head, falling over her eyes as the world faded to black.
"Hmm, I see. You have a thirst to win, don't you? Plenty of determination, oh but you're impulsive aren't you?" questioned the Hat as Asteria nodded in agreement, "No regard for the consequences your actions have." Here she let out a little scoff. "But you seem to think that you can still find your way to the finish line. Quite the mind you have here. Not the loyal type. I know just where to put you..." the Hat concluded before shouting, "SLYTHERIN!"
Asteria's tie changed from black with the Hogwarts seal to a dark emerald and silver instantaneously, solidifying her house for years to come as the hat was pulled from over her head (her bangs coming out messy) as she made her way to the table with her fellow Slytherins.
Reducio
OOC Notes:
1: Halmeoni (할머니) is "Grandmother" in Korean
Word Count: 701 Words
1: Halmeoni (할머니) is "Grandmother" in Korean
Word Count: 701 Words
Asteria Dasom Lee