Chapter 3 Choice of hat. Part a

Irene

From the window of the carriage I could now see the school. Despite the darkness, the lights from inside the castle illuminated the outside. As time went by, the route grew shorter and shorter, with the castle growing larger and larger.

It now looked crystal clear in front of us, while the magnificent building stretched across the entire area that our eyes could see. Thousands of windows through which you could make out figures in common,

and for a moment I admired the two great towers visible from the carriage window. To the right and left of the many turrets stretched a dense forest that seemed still more dangerous in the darkness.

As soon as the Carriage passed the huge gate with the feathered bears we were well into the vast space where the castle lay. Within minutes the whole landscape was blurred and a sudden downpour began wetting everything in its path.

"What a beautiful rain. " said Luna and I looked at her in surprise.

"Yes, how nice to be a duck" Ron replied and I sighed.

Leaving the many conversations with the children, we got off the carriage and walked up the stairs at a brisk pace. We had managed to enter a vast corridor with an imposing staircase lit by channels without getting completely soaked. Good thing because I was cold enough, and I didn't want any more trouble. Plus I didn't want to catch a cold.

"Damn! " said Ron before shaking his wet head

"If this storm keeps up, the lake will be awash. I'm soaked. " he said, but something made him stop and yell.

A huge red balloon filled with water fell from the ceiling and hit him on the head, moulding him to the bone, cursing him to the side while at the same time other balloons were falling down, driving the vulture mad and the children fleeing in disorderly flight. I was about to hide somewhere when I saw in slow motion something very good. Cedric had pulled Aphrodite towards him, into his arms, who was next to me at that moment and I think he said something to me about her coming towards you. Then I felt the icy water had fallen on my head wetting me from head to toe. At that moment I felt my face turn red with anger and then I saw it. It was a little transparent man with an orange bow tie and a bell hat. It was about to drop another balloon when a woman's voice made it run away or fly towards the wall.

The woman who was hurrying down the stairs as soon as she hit the floor almost slipped first and was caught by Hermione.

"Sorry Miss Granger. " He said to her quickly as he walked towards me.

"That's all right, ma'am," Hermione said softly.

"Pives, get downstairs quickly. " the teacher shouted as she straightened her pointy hat and glared at him from behind her square glasses.

" I didn't do anything. " cackled this Pivs before throwing another balloon at a group of Girls causing them to squeal and run away.

" They were wet anyway, a little more water wouldn't hurt them. " said the young ghost before throwing another balloon at a new group of people entering the castle.

"Pivs if you don't leave right now. I will call the headmaster. " the woman retorted and the ghost before disappearing threw another balloon.

Puffing for a while the woman turned back towards us after a few minutes.

"I'm looking for Aphrodite and Irene" she said abruptly and my eyes rolled.

At the same time we both raised our hands and saw the woman looking at us from head to toe.

"You two with me. The rest of you in the dining room. " the teacher shouted sharply and then turned and almost ran back up the stairs with us following her in a daze.

After a few minutes of literally dragging us behind her talking incessantly about school, lessons and I think commenting on my wet school uniform she decided to introduce herself. Minerva Magonagal was her name, I can say I liked her directly. She looked stern but her eyes were warm and kind. Besides being a teacher, she was the vice principal as well as the head of the Gryffindor dormitory. She was a woman of average stature with chestnut hair caught in a tight bun and green inquiring eyes. When we finally entered into a huge circular room filled with books, parchment and many strange objects Professor McGonagall stopped me while looking at me.

"Siccatio" said the woman making a circular motion with her wand and then all the water disappeared from me, and at last I was dry.

"Thank you very much. " I said happily and she smiled at me.

At that moment a figure came into our field of vision and I was left staring in amazement at the man with the long white beard who was looking at us with smiling eyes.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. " said the man and we stood still, unable to speak.

"Um, welcome. " said Aphrodite uncomfortably.

The man fixed his eyes on her and for a moment I felt something. There was so much emotion running through his eyes that I began to lose myself. However his eyes became happy again and he began to tease his beard.

"As you know, you have been transferred to our school due to some circumstances that are not yet time for you to learn. " The man said and by now I was holding my breath from anxiety.

I looked at Aphrodite and she seemed to feel the same way.

"Before you can join the dormitories you must pass the selection hat. But to make sure nothing happens we will do it here and then you will go to your tables. " he continued and now I was feeling excited.

We were going into the dorms.

"Irene will go first who is a junior. "he said and I nodded.

Then he showed me the hat and I started walking. Once I was in position I looked at Aphrodite trying to get me to relax with gestures that stated that everything would be fine. I took a deep breath and when the hat touched my head I sighed with difficulty.

At first nothing happened but when it started to move I stopped breathing.

"Ah what have we got here. A beta. " said an old voice and I deduced it was the hat's, so I wondered, what did he mean by beta?

"Young lady. You are a difficult case, lonely you grew up in the wrong hands, isolated with a sense of burden and not fitting in. Yet it's not your fault. Don't blacken your leonine heart with such things. The people who raised you no longer remember you, a new chapter now begins in your life. However, do not fear, you are walking in the path of your ancestor and I am sure you will become the strongest of the strong. " she said as I felt myself getting lost.

All this is a joke, isn't it? Did I grow up in the wrong hands? Don't they remember me? Ancestors? My head was about to explode.

"Do not despair, young white beta. You are a rare thing, and I believe you will succeed. But now for the dormitories... " he said as my head now felt heavy and weightless.

" You are ambitious and athletic like a true Ravenclaw, you love to help and care for others like a Hufflepuff, you have a keen sense of justice like a Slytherin. But you carry the heroism and heart of a lion like Gryffindor. " he said as my eyes filled with tears.

"It is difficult to understand you, but I believe that Gryffindor has brought out the best in you. So, Gryffindor. "said the hat, but before I got up, he spoke again.

"Never forget what you are. But don't hide it. Always be yourself " he said and I stood up abruptly, feeling tired from the questions and too much information.

I went smiling to Venus and hugged her.

"Calm down. I know something happened. We'll talk about it later, okay? " she said and I nodded.

Then she smiled at me and now it was her turn to be judged by the hat.