Chapter 3

Rodrick turned over to look at his companion; She still seemed quite strange to him, he'd never actually spent this much time with someone without something happening. The orphanage was a lonely place for him; no one else put up with him for long, almost everyone avoided him for some reason. The ones he made an effort to speak to would make more of an attempt to avoid him, even when they didn't, they always disappeared anyway. Adults wanting a child almost favored the good ones that didn't shun him, The people that didn't get adopted would usually blame it on been seen with him. He was the outsider. When he had gotten the first letter, he had finally understood why. Muggles didn't fit well with wizards; it came on a subconscious level.

Pureblood wizards didn't fit with muggles. When he'd first learned his family name and its history he'd felt ashamed of himself for even trying to interact with muggles, not for the usual pureblood reasons but for the fact that the only family that he had or could've had would've also been disappointed in him. It wasn't a pleasant thought. The dreams certainly helped prove that.

He had thought all pureblood families were like his own.

That was the main reason he was confused with the girl next to him, her family were purebloods, but they didn't seem revolted when they'd learned he was an orphan, the likelihood of an orphan been pureblood was small. They were open with him, and the girl had even put effort to find him on the train. It was strange, but in a comforting way, he might finally have a friend.

...

He was currently following a giant burly man, The Greengrass girl flanking him, Daphne was her name, he believed. The giant man had a bushy beard that covered his neck and even longer hair. He had a torch in hand in front him, a load of good it did, a magic spell would've been much more efficient.

They reached what looked to be a river; the man pointed towards some row boats for students to use. Before he'd moved an inch further, Rodrick was pulled to a stop by Daphne. ''Hold on a minute'' she whispered, her eyes looking away. Before he could reply he saw a fuzz of hair running towards them. The girl gave Daphne a hug and a scrutinizing look towards him.

Who is she? He thought. Rodrick took a closer look and noticed the aura she put off, it wasn't the same as Daphne nor was it similar to the Granger girl. Throughout the journey towards the platform, Rodrick had seen different families put off different presence's, especially between purebloods and Muggle-borns, of course not all families gave off such an aura but the prominent ones did, Greengrass was one of them. This girl looked to be in between. Wizard marrying a muggle? The idea confused him, surely marrying a fellow wizard would make life easier, not to mention a muggle learning to deal with a wizard for a partner would be troublesome, to say the least. He couldn't fathom why such a union could take place. Of course he could be wrong. He was only 11.

''My name is Tracey Davis,'' the new girl introduced herself, her eyes showed off a look of wonder and excitement. She was a red head with curly looking hair, with black eyes to go with it.

Davis wasn't a name he knew; He'd studied as much on magical families as he could after he'd received the letters. ''Nice to meet you, mines Rodrick,'' A static reply, Rodrick turned his attention away towards the row boats preparing to get on. He heard a scoff from Daphne. His lips tugged upwards at that.

''Rude ain't he?'' mused Daphne, Rodrick noticed the humor in her voice. Tracey let out a chuckle and followed him onto the boat. He could get on well with her as well it seemed.

Rodrick had imagined what the castle would look like countless times while reading 'Hogwarts: A History', but he certainly wasn't ready for the sight awaiting him. The castle was as big as it was old, sprawling so broad and high he couldn't frame it all into his vision. What attracted his attention the most were the towers almost piling on top of each other, vying to pierce the sky first. Rodrick was unable to take his eyes off the view for the rest of the trip, all the way to the massive doors, drinking in every detail he could, trying and failing to compare it to what was written.

Walking through the castle to the large staircase, the trio found themselves at the back of the rest of the students. Ahead of them at the top was a witch in every sense of the word. ''Who is that?'' Rodrick turned to Daphne, a look of surprise flitted through her face before she focused on the person in question.

''Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor,'' she replied with a small smile. Tracey Davis answered, staring at the witch with a look of awe.

Rodrick couldn't help the chuckle at such a face; she seemed to make it with everything around her. Daphne didn't find it as funny if her irritated look suggested anything.

The professor started to speak, ''Welcome to Hogwarts, now in a few moments you will pass through these doors and join your classmates, but before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses.''

Rodrick suddenly felt uneasy at that, he had expected the sorting, but he had hoped it would be private. To be sorted in front of so many people unnerved him, what if something went wrong with his sorting? Daphne noticed the look on his face, she tugged at his sleeve and gave him a reassuring smile. It didn't help, but he pretended to calm down all the same.

The action seemed to placate her. The body of students followed the professor into the main hall. There were four large rows of tables filled up by students, at the front of the hall was a 5th table on top of a dais. It was filled with professors on one side, all staring down at the students. In the middle was a seat covered by a...Wrinkled hat...It couldn't be... thought Rodrick.

A few moments later his fears were confirmed, they were all going to be sorted by a wrinkled hat. Rodrick looked to be about ready to leave the hall at the thought, but, Daphne wouldn't move out of the way, almost knowing his thoughts.

The headmaster started to give a speech, but Rodrick simply couldn't focus, his brain was going into overdrive trying to figure a way out of this. The hat would know his family, if it suddenly decided to spill that out...Well he didn't know what would happen, he didn't want to find out either.

Daphne was behind Rodrick, next to her was her long time friend chatting animatedly with a fellow student, she stared at Rodrick wondering what was wrong with him, he'd been acting strange ever since they'd met the professor, the look he gave was haunting almost lifeless, it sent shock through her, to say the least. She hadn't noticed it on the train, but as soon as the sorting part was mentioned, he'd gone pale. Was he hiding something? She couldn't tell, her thoughts already pre-occupied. The sorting ceremony had begun.

Before long, almost half the students had been sorted, the next name to come up was the girl from the train, Hermione Granger. The hat had spent quite a bit of time before deciding on Gryffindor, the girl's eyes lit up at that before she made her way over to the table.

The next to follow was Malfoy, the loudmouth who had interrupted them on the staircase, the hat didn't touch his head, out of fear of corruption maybe? Before it quickly threw him into Slytherin. That was a part Rodrick didn't enjoy, knowing he might have to deal with him for seven years, well assuming he made it that far.

Greengrass was next, as predicted she was off to Slytherin, with a smile on her face. As she passed him she looked a little flustered at the wink she got from Rodrick, it was quite amusing to see.

The ginger would've been criminal was next, the hat seemed to enjoy tormenting him before pushing him towards his family members in Gryffindor. After a couple of strangers were put through, it was Daphne's friends turn, it didn't take long before she was also put into Slytherin.

Curious, thought Rodrick, the girl didn't seem like she belonged there or was it done merely because the girl had thought been with her friend would make it easier? This brought the better question out, did the hat take into account what the students wanted? It had certainly given off that vibe when it was Harry Potters turn, although almost everyone expected him in Gryffindor so perhaps that wasn't a good example. If it did then Rodrick found himself in an actual dilemma, While he might want to be in a house with people he already knew, Been put into Slytherin could potentially backfire badly, especially in his circumstances.

Before long everyone else had been sorted, lucky me, mused Rodrick. The professor finally called out his name, as he suspected they had no knowledge of his family name, the headmaster seemed to inspect him when he himself had noticed that.

Well, perhaps the hat won't know either, he hoped, before steeling his nerves and walking towards it.

''Strange... very very strange,'' The hat had said as soon he put it on. This was expected for Rodrick but the second part was not. ''I am not sure.''

That did it. Everyone was staring towards him at that; the hat wasn't sure? What did that mean? Even the headmaster was openly gawking at him now. ''Why not?'' hopeless asked Rodrick; he knew he was doomed either way.

''It's difficult, you would fit in well at Ravenclaw as well as Slytherin, but the only relation I have of you is in Gryffindor.'' That confused Rodrick, he had a family member in Gryffindor? Who? This was a first for him. He didn't ask, not wanting to risk anything.

The hat was quite for a few minutes, no it was longer than that. Rodrick had lost count; the student body had started to whisper amongst themselves about something, even some of the professors began to do it. It was nerve-wracking, he wasn't sure how long had passed, he knew it was less than 10 minutes, but it had felt like hours before the hat had finally spoken up again, it wasn't an answer though but a question.

''Where would you prefer?'' The hat gave him a choice, this took him by surprise, it hadn't mentioned anything about his family which it knew off, instead it was merely giving him a choice. He gave off a small resigned look towards his new friends before replying.

''If I said Hufflepuff, would you put me there?'' He asked half amused. The hat refused quickly.

Hearing that Rodrick steeled his nerves and gave his answer.

It was another small silence before the hat finally shouted out.

''Slytherin.''