Chapter Text
The first years piled into the castle along with everybody else. We were stopped by a Professor (McGonagall, I think her name was?) She was explaining what the separate houses were and how we would be sorted into them. I dutifully ignored her, not caring to hear something I already knew about. We were soon led into the large, cavernous dining hall, where everyone else was already seated. Up at the front the Sorting Hat was placed on the stool that each student would be forced to walk up to in order to be seated, past the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables. The eyes of everyone in the school would be on them as they began that seemingly never ending journey, and they would remain on them until they were finally sorted and scampered off in relief to their new house. As I was thinking all of this the Sorting Hat finished its song and there was a round of polite yet utterly insincere applause. McGonagall pulled out a list of names and began reading off the first year students one by one. “Albert Bennett.”
I felt a jolt of sorrow for that poor victim, the first one to march up and offer his head to the axe. He strode up tall and proud, but I saw the hesitation in him and knew he was just as afraid as everyone else would be. It was all a show. It didn’t matter that he was scared- he was acting courageous in the face of fear, and that is what bravery really was. I knew he would be put into Gryffindor even before the hat touched his head. “GRYFFINDOR!” the hat boomed out, confirming what I thought, and the Gryffindor table broke into a round of welcoming applause as the boy, composedly but quickly, rushed to be in their midst.
“Alexa Canterbury.” the Professor called out next. I made a game of guessing who would be put in what house to pass the time. Most of the time I got them right, with the exception of Slytherin. The type of people that got sorted into that house surprised me- they were no different from anyone else in appearance or manner. I watched a boy, Malcolm Draymur, hop off the stool and walk towards his new home. Just like everyone else, and yet he was categorized as different, unfit, and innately evil for being placed in a house that was notorious for producing dark wizards.
“Serafera Drayza.”
A hush fell over the room as all eyes snapped towards me, exactly as I knew they would. It was like my worst nightmare come true. I flipped my hair and strode boldly forward, trying to put on a brave face while inside I was forced to physically restrain myself from running to that stool. I wanted nothing more than to get this over with. Finally, after what felt like eons of people pointedly staring at me while I pointedly looked everywhere else but at them, I reached the stool. I had to suppress the cry of relief that almost bubbled up.
With over-eager hands I clumsily placed the hat on my head as I climbed onto the stool, settling in, hoping against hope that this would be fast. It slid over my head, blocking my face from view- at least I had that much. Now I could pretend the whole school couldn’t see me, just as I couldn’t see them.
“Hmmm, let’s see… My, my, what a tough decision I have to make. A brave soul, very forward, rather demanding… You certainly go after what you want, although you won’t stand for cruelty to others.” I gritted my teeth. These were all facts. I was waiting for statements. Such as what house I was to go to.
“Not very patient I see.” it chuckled as it read my thoughts.
“Get out of those!” I snapped before blushing beet red. I probably sounded like a crazy person, up on this stool yelling at a hat.
It ignored me and prattled on. “Somewhere you’re accepted. Hmmm. Slytherin would accept you as something they could use, but you don’t want to be used, do you? Oh no.” it chuckled as I squirmed, tired of it digging around in my mind. “Hufflepuff would accept you well enough, but you don’t quite fit there.”
THEN WHERE! I practically shouted in my head as I gritted my teeth painfully. “Could it be- no, you’re not smart enough for Ravenclaw.”
I groaned as I considered ripping the hat off my head. But wait, if it wasn’t Slytherin, and it wasn’t Ravenclaw, and it most certainly wasn’t Hufflepuff…
“Yes, that took you long enough. Do you see why I said you wouldn’t do well in Ravenclaw?” the hat sneered. I gasped as I grabbed the hat off my head and slammed it back onto the stool.
“GRYFFINDOR!” I shouted out myself as I rushed down the steps, none too quickly for me. A laugh filled the hall, laughter at me, but I hardly cared. I grabbed a seat beside Hermione, who was towards the front, as McGonagall began to strode towards me.
“Miss Serafera, this is highly irregular…” she began to huff, but she was cut off by a shout that rose above everyone elses cheers and laughter.
“WOOOO, YEAH SERAFERA!” my eyes widened in complete horror as I slowly turned. What I saw horrified me. It shocked me to my very core. It was the worst thing I had ever seen in my life. HE was here, his wand pressed against his throat to amplify his voice. HE was staring at me. He was, he was… my brother. My head thunked forward onto the table.
“I’ll never get away.” I groaned helplessly.
“Who is that?” Hermione asked as McGonagall changed direction to go chide Lafayette.
“My brother.” I said weakly.
“He’s a teacher here?”
“Evidently. I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Ha-hum!” I heard someone clear their throat. I looked up to see my brother standing above me.
“Oh no.” I protested. He grinned widely in response.
“Surprise, little sister! Aren’t you so happy to see me?”
“Please tell me I’m having a nightmare. God, I hope this is a nightmare. It feels like one. Except this one seems like it’s never going to end.”
“Ah, come on. This is great! I thought I’d surprise you. I’ve known I would be working here since last summer but I decided, instead of telling you, it’d be more fun for me if you found out this way.” he grinned proudly. “I was right.”
“Why are you even here?” I complained as the wheels were spinning in my head, trying to figure out what he could be teaching. He didn’t specialize in any of the subjects they currently had!
“I’m to teach Dragon Studies!” he said excitedly, a little light coming into his eyes like it always did when he was talking about dragons, his most beloved creatures.
“They made a class for you?” I asked, my jaw dropping.
“Yep! They even let me bring Rhaegal and Abraxas along.” Rhaegal was my brothers very own, personal dragon, and Abraxas was one of his offspring that my brother was currently teaching me to connect with. It was a long and arduous process, but one well worth the journey.
Even Hermione looked impressed by the news that Hogwarts had added a class just so he could teach it, although she didn’t catch the significance of the names. This is what my brother was famous for. He was the lead expert on dragon’s, as well as the first dragon rider since, well, ever. To tame a dragon was thought to be an impossible feat by everyone until he proved them wrong. Both him and his dragon had an unbreakable bond. You would never know by talking to him he had such a hazardous job. He was a complete clown and unquestionable moron where he should have been serious and calculating. Somehow, it worked for him, though.
“Since when do they have Dragon Studies?” Hermione interjected excitedly.
“Why, would you be interested in them?”
“I’m interested in anything I don’t already know about.” she informed him cheekily.
“Well, I’m sorry to inform you that the class is only offered to fifth and sixth years.” he told her professionally. At least he wasn’t acting like an idiot now.
“I’m sure I could convince Dumbledore to change that.”
“Unlikely, but I suppose trying wouldn’t hurt. If you’ll excuse me, I must be getting back. Little sis.” he said as he gave me one last hair ruffle, like he knew I hated.
“Would you QUIT it!” I shouted after him angrily, once again being forced to smooth down my hair.
Ron and Harry, who had been watching the exchange the whole time, finally piped up.
“Your brother is going to teach Dragon Studies? That’s wicked!”
“Wickedly bad luck. I can’t believe he’s here!”
“Is it really that bad that he’s here?” Ron asked just as the sorting ended. Dumbledore stood up and began to walk towards the podium.
I sighed as I twirled a strand of my hair thoughtfully. “Yes. No. Oh bother, I don’t know! All I know is that with him here I’m never going to be able to escape the looks like the ones you guys gave me when you first met me. I was hoping to blend in. I had a chance, but now with him around that’ll be completely impossible!” I seethed angrily, jerking the strand of hair that was now wound tightly around my finger. I would take any manner of distraction right now, even a painful one.
“Did you see McGonagall’s face whenever Serafera jumped off the stool and announced her house herself?” Harry cackled, quickly changing the subject.
“I think she was about to have a heart attack.” Ron joined in as I began to blush.
“The hat was taking too long to announce it so I simply thought I’d hurry it up.”
“And that’s not funny Ronald!” Hermione reprimanded him in that strict manner of hers.
“No, you’re right, Hermione, it’s much too serious. Some would say as serious as a heart attack.”
“You-
Hermione was cut off by Dumbledore’s voice. He had finally arrived at the pulpit and was addressing the eagerly awaiting mass of students. Eager to get the speech over with so they could eat, that is. I again ignored him out, choosing instead to play with the prongs of my fork. I had just gotten to counting the stars on the ceiling (it must finally be nighttime) when he finished and there was a round of applause. I quickly joined in.
“Finally!” Ron exclaimed as the food appeared before him. He didn’t even wait a second before he started reaching out and shoveling food onto his plate, shoving a tart into his mouth as he grabbed everything within his reach.
“Honestly Ronald, must you eat like that? It’s disgusting.” Hermione nagged him as her lip curled up distastefully and I stifled a laugh. His cheeks were so full of food he looked like a chipmunk.
“Wuft? Umm ‘ungry.” he replied indiscernibly, bits of food flying out of his mouth.
“Eeew!” Hermione said as she jerked her arm back before one of them hit her. “Ronald!” she said accusingly, but he couldn’t care less. He was too busy paying attention to the food.
“It is good.” I said as I took a bite of creamy potatoes.
“It always is.” she said as she turned towards me, finally resigned to the fact that Ron just wasn’t going to stop.
“I’ve missed the food here.” Harry muttered, so that I barely heard him.
“Oh, Harry.” Hermione said consolingly as she placed a hand on him comfortingly. He was sitting right across from us.
I decided it was best I didn’t ask. “Well, now’s your chance to fill up!”
Hermione was just about to dig in when she took another look at Ron, who was busy biting into a chicken leg, not even waiting until he had finished getting one bite until he took another.
She set down the roll she had picked up. “You know, I’ve suddenly lost my appetite. I think I’ll go to the library.”
“Really?” I gasped excitedly, my eyes lighting up instantly. “Can I come with you? It will give me a good chance to learn the castle and I love reading!”
“Of course! Let’s go!”
I got up and started to walk with her. “Oh, wait!” I told her before running back and grabbing a sandwich off of a plate.
“Okay, now we can go.” I said before I took a bite of it. She started off again and I willingly followed.