FicWad

∞ Chapter Four ∞

The first years all gathered in front of Professor McGonagall and the Sorting Hat. Professor Dumbledore said a few reminders to all the students about the third floor being out of bounds and the Forbidden Forest but you already knew what was down there. You had helped to put one of the safety precautions in place and you’d practically lived in the forest so you’d be fine. Then came the sorting ceremony. Professor McGonagall read out each student’s name and they all slowly and nervously made their way to the old hat, awaiting what house they’d be sorted into. Malfoy was instantly a Slytherin the second the hat touched his white blond hair. Ron was indeed a Weasley like Malfoy had said, and he was placed into Gryffindor which got a round of cheers from a group of other red heads. Kat presumed from the way that they were greeting him that they were his siblings. He had mentioned on the way up to the Castle that he had loads of siblings. It was Harry’s turn and the hat spend a little time debating with him before announcing him a Gryffindor. The other students were all sorted and one by one they left Kat alone. Her mind began to talk again.

'Why haven’t I been called yet? They said I was an official student … Did they lie to me? No! They wouldn’t have done that, I bought all my supplies …'

“Katherine dear.” Professor McGonagall said quietly. Kat looked around and realised she was alone and everybody was staring at her. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn’t realised that she had been called up.

Nervously, she approached the stool and sat down, the Sorting Hat placed over her head and falling past her eyes.

“Ahh, miss Katherine. I was waiting for you. You’re going to be very interesting to place. Your father was a noble Gryffindor before becoming a Death Eater, and your mother a brave Ravenclaw with incredible intelligence before the war. But what about you dear? What lies inside you? I can see you’ve got the skills and the knowledge to launch you into Ravenclaw with ease. But, you also value others and you’re loyal to the last, perfect for Hufflepuff. But strong headed and brave you are, willing to go to your death to protect those around you and not afraid to stand up, fine qualities for Gryffindor. Ahhh. But there is also another house to consider. Slytherin, my dear is where you belong. You are cunning and witty, both extremely valued by them. And you will stop at nothing through your determination to complete what is laid before you. You will succeed in your quest, even if it means bending and breaking rules to do so. All pointing heavily to Slytherin. But you don’t want that do you? Deep down, you fear like all that Slytherin is the house of evil, as majority of the darkest and most powerful witches and wizards have come from here. But that is not so. The great Merlin himself was a Slytherin, look how he turned out hmm? My dear, I have to take into account what you contain and that is great power and will. Slytherin is the house for you. It is your home and you belong there. In the other houses, you will fall short and feel alienated. Hmmm. Not Slytherin ey? You sound just like the Potter boy. Very well then, if you’re so adamant. But I will monitor you, and every year I will reassess you and move you, understood? Good.”

“GRYFFINDOR!” The hat roared before being pulled off Kat’s head, the bright lights of the hall blinding her before she made her way over to Harry and Ron. The words of the hat lingered in her mind though.

‘Will they alienate me? Why does everything make me look evil and scary? Is the rumours true?’

Before Kat’s mind could think more she was pulled into a seat beside Harry and a twin red head, his reflection across the table from him.

“Hi I’m Fred and that’s George. This is Percy, our brother and a prefect, and that’s Oliver, the Quidditch Captain and Keeper.” Fred rambled off, introducing her to many new and excited faces. She looked beside her to Harry, who was just as happy as all the smiling faces around her.

‘Maybe the hat was wrong. Maybe I belong right here, with all these happy people. I don’t feel alienated, they’re all accepting me eagerly. Maybe I’m just being silly and overreacting again. Yeah, it’s just that.’ Kat decided before joining in the conversations around her. She learned that the frizzy haired girl she was talking with earlier was Hermione Granger, a Muggle-Born. Kat was intrigued, asking the girl a million questions about her life growing up as a Muggle. Hermione was more than happy to share her knowledge and experiences. A tapping of glass made the hall fall silent, and all the student’s eyes gazed at the teacher’s table and towards Professor Dumbledore who sat dead centre.

“Let the feast begin.” He said, raising his arms. A second later all the golden platers in front of them were full of steaming piles of food Katherine had never seen before. Her nose was assaulted in the most wonderful way by all the intoxicating smells she couldn’t name. She sat nervously, not sure what to try and not wanting to make a scene. Kat has only ever eaten a few times in the Dining Hall, but that was always at desert time and she always shared one meal with Hagrid. It was their favourite. It was some kind of pie with delicate fruits inside a golden crust. But she couldn’t see that dish right now.

“What’s wrong Kat?” Harry asked her politely.

“Oh, nothing, it’s just that … I’ve never seen so much food in my life. I’ve never seen anything like this before and I don’t know what any of it is. I know the sausages, Hagrid cooks them all the time. But these things,” Kat pointed to a mountain of meat on a bone that Ron was busy carving a hole into. “And I don’t really want to take some food and then not like it, because then nobody else can eat it because it’s been on my plate and that’s wasting food.”

“I haven’t seen so much food in my life either.” Harry confided, before continuing. “But I know what most of this is. Why don’t we try things together? I can tell you what some of these are and we can taste things we don’t know together.” He suggested. Kat agreed. First they tried some of the things Ron was eating. They were honey and mustard chicken drumsticks. Kat loved them, but didn’t realise that they had bones and ate them whole, much to Harry’s amusement. Next they tried some of the light and fluffy mash potatoes. It was creamy and amazing. After a few minutes Ron’s mountain of chicken bones had a friendly head come through them. Ron yelled in surprise.

“Hello Sir Nicholas, look I’m a real student now!” Katherine exclaimed to her friend.

“Oh well done my girl! I always knew you’d be a Gryffindor!” The ghost responded warmly before fully emerging from the bone pile.

“Oh I know you! You’re Nearly-Headless-Nick!” Ron realised.

“I’d prefer Sir Nicholas if you will.” The ghost responded, slightly annoyed.

“Nearly headless? How can you be nearly headless?” Hermione questioned the ghost.

“Like this.” Sir Nicholas responded dully, obviously used to this routine and growing tired of it, before pulling his hair and revealing his severed neck, with some small skin still intact. Hermione shrank back at the sights, as did most of the first years. Sir Nicholas let his head fall back to its usual place before flying off. Other ghosts of Hogwarts came flying through the walls and ceiling, much to the shock and amusement of the new students.

The main course led on for another hour before the deserts were replacing the dinner course meals. The sweet smells wafting from the plates in front of them made their mouths water and their eyes bulge at the sight of such magnificent delicacies. Harry didn’t know what to pick up first. Kat quickly found the meal she shares with Hagrid and gave a slice to Harry, Ron and Hermione.

“This is my favourite. Sometimes I get to eat with Hagrid in the castle and this is the meal we always share. It’s amazing I promise.” Kat said. She then got herself a slice and began to devour and savour it. The three did the same and Kat looked towards the teacher’s table. At the very end to the left she saw Hagrid, eating the same pie they were. His eyes caught hers and they beamed. He was proud of her, and she would continue to make him proud.

After the food was eaten the prefects lead the first years to their new homes and gave them a small tour before sending them off to bed. They had classes first thing tomorrow morning. Kat and Hermione went to the girls dorm and found their trunks at two beds on the opposite side of the room. They moved so that they were next to each other and began to spend the night talking about what they’d be learning, who they would share classes with, and other topics before Hermione went to sleep.

Kat waited until everybody in her dorm had fallen into peaceful slumber before getting up and opening the window. She made a calling sound quietly into the open air, and heard a slightly louder response. She climbed out of the window and up onto the roof of the dormitories tower and waited. A Threshal came and hovered just a metre from the edge of the roof, and Kat jumped onto its back gracefully, then flew down to the edge of the forest to Hagrid’s hut. She knocked upon the door, whilst the Threshal scampered off into the tree line back to its herd.

“Who’s there?” Hagrid asked wearily, before opening the door with a fully loaded crossbow in his arms. His face went from stern to shock. “Kat what ‘re yeh’ doin’ out of the castle at this time ‘er night!”

“I came to see you Hagrid, like I promised. Besides I think I forgot something in my room. And Salazar is here and I wanted to see him.” Kat said cheerily, ignoring the crossbow. She knew that there were dangerous creatures that may try to attack the hut and so Hagrid always had it prepared.

“Kat, I didn’t mean now silly.” Hagrid sighed. “Yer’ not s’posed teh' come out of the castle unless yeh’ got free time, especially at night. Yeh’ know how dangerous the grounds can be.” Hagrid stepped aside and let her in. She stepped foot inside the hut and Salazar leapt into her arms, licking her face and nuzzling into her warm neck.

“He’s been missin’ yeh.” Hagrid chuckled. He set aside the crossbow and unloaded it. Once he left it loaded and it released itself accidentally. That wasn’t a fun time. He closed the door and went back to the book he was reading.

“So, does that mean that I won’t be able to come see you after dark, or go into the Forest with you anymore?” Kat asked, still cuddling Salazar.

“Yeah, yeh’ can’t even go in the forest anymore cause yer’ a student and all now. Not unless yeh’ get permission from the Headmaster. But that’s usually for a punishment.” Kat looked confused, but then remembered all the times various students had to help Hagrid in the forest for breaking one too many rules.

“That’s not really fair … I love coming out and helping, and I’ve been doing it since I was born really I know what’s in there.” Kat exasperated, but it was no use. She knew rules were rules and it would be extremely unfair to make a whole new set of rules just for her when everybody else didn’t get to do things she could do. She knew deep down that she’d have to sacrifice this life she’d been accustomed to so she could become a student and be accepted into the Wizarding World properly. “Oh well, during the holiday breaks I’ll be able to come back here and do all that stuff again though won’t I?”

“Yeh you’ll be able teh' do all that.” Hagrid said.

Katherine went to her room, setting Salazar aside and looking around her room. She could’ve swore she left something behind. Then she found what she was looking for in her top dresser draw hidden amongst all her jewellery. It was a little pale stone attached firmly to a black rope chord. It was a necklace that Hagrid had made her when she was five. It had a special knot that would allow the length of the necklace be adjustable, so it would continue to fit her. She picked it up and put it on, adjusting the length of the chord so the stone sat just above her collar bone. She walked back out again.

“Did yeh’ find what yeh’ was lookin’ for Kat?” Hagrid asked, looking up from his book. His eyes rested on the little stone on the chord and he smiled a sad smile. “Oh, that’s what yeh’ came back for.” Hagrid said. He was still upset that she wasn’t going to be around nearly half as much as she used to be. Kat came over and sat next to the half-giant, and tried to wrap her arms all the way around him and give him a bear cuddle, but her arms wouldn’t fit all the way around still.

“I love you Hagrid.” Kat said, her words muffled in his coat. His massive hand resting on her head.

“I love you too Kat, you’ll always have a place ‘ere with me.” He replied, giving her a little squeeze. He then lifted her out of his embrace and set her on her feet. “Now yeh’ best be off, before someone catches yeh’.” He said, getting up and letting her out. Salazar crawled up Kat’s back and hung on, looking like a scaly backpack.

“Can Salazar come too?” Kat asked.

“I dunno, I don’t think it’s a good idea …” Hagrid trailed off, but he knew deep down that Salazar needed Kat more that the dragon needed him. He knew that Salazar formed a special bond that not many can make with a volatile creature, he knew that Salazar was just as emotionally attached to Kat and she to the dragon.

“But Salazar needs yeh’ so I’d say keep him close to yeh’ and hidden, so as teh' not scare the others ‘ey.” Hagrid finished.

Kat said one final goodbye before calling into the darkness. Another Threshal answered and approached, allowing Kat to climb onto its back. She picked Salazar up and he curled around her body to make it easier for him to hold onto her whilst she held onto the Threshal. After a little run up the Threshal lifted into the air and Salazar’s head popped up. He hadn’t been in the air in a very long time, and it was a feeling that he sorely missed.

“You enjoying this Salazar?” Kat said, noticing the dragon’s peek of interest. The scaly creature nodded in the wind, nuzzling his head into Katherine’s neck. The Threshal slowed at the open window of Kat’s dorm and hovered. Salazar readied himself before flinging himself through the open window and barely landing on the soft bedding that was Kat’s. Kat gracefully followed suit, landing silently on the floor. She turned to the Threshal, then went under her bed where her trunk was, and pulled out a box, opening it in the process. She pulled out a small chunk of raw meat and threw it out the window at the Threshal. It caught it and then flew back the way it came into the tree line of the Forbidden Forest. Salazar curled up onto one side of the double bed and Kat the other, cuddling before falling away into a peaceful sleep.