The Sorting Hat: First Meetings {Rosienne, Vipers, Aurora and other things}

Rose was eleven, as were all the other Hogwarts first years. However, unlike all the other Hogwarts first years, she was not all that impressed by Hogwarts. In her little mind, her mother could do much better magic and she had seen her do just that. Yet, some part of her smiled, because it was somewhere she could go to get away from mother, and home, and other things.

Drawing her attention away from the candle-lit ceiling and attempt at grandness, her eyes focussed on the Sorting Hat, who had begun to sing a peculiar song.

You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you’ve a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin
You’ll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.

Walking up to the Sorting Hat, she shivered slightly. If she wasn't sorted into Slytherin, she forced herself not to think what would happen. Her mother and father would probably drag her out of school. Biting her lip, she anxiously waited for her name to be called.

Not many people stood out to her, until one girl.

"Vivienne Darkbloom!"

The Professor called, and a small child with brunette hair tied up into a high ponytail, took to the stool. She didn't look nervous, or frightened. More bemused and uninterested. The hat murmured various things to itself until settling onto a house.

"Slytherin!"

Rose tilted her head, well, hopefully they would be in the same house. Not hopefully because she had any particular, instantaneous liking for the girl. Hopefully, because she too needed to be in Slytherin.

"Aileen Quinn!"

The next girl to get her attention, was one who seemed to have no feelings and no thoughts. She wore a sort of mask, that Rose recognised from the one she wore around her family, when she was paraded around the deatheaters at parties, because of her "gifts". She frowned and knew her house before the Sorting Hat said it aloud.

"Slytherin!"

Well, that was no surprise. Rose's mind wondered what had made Aileen that way, did she also have a tyrannical mother? Perhaps so.

"Rose Lestrange!"

Rose had been so distracted with the two girls and analysing them, trying to figure them out, she had barely heard her own name called. Jumping slightly, she bit her lip and sat on the hard stool. The hat was thrust upon her head, and she waited.

"Ah, a Lestrange, eh? I know just what to do with you! SLYTHERIN."

Rose sighed a sigh of relief and a relaxed smile swept across her face, gathering her robes to safely dismount from the stool, she headed in the direction of the Slytherin table. The girls from before were sat opposite one another and she gladly took a seat next to the one she had heard being called Vivienne. Aileen and Vivienne were emersed in deep conversation, so Rose's eyes drew back to the sorting.

"Aurora Scrimgeour!"

Now that name sounded familiar! Rose's eyes shot up to see a blonde girl, who must have been the Minister's daughter. She looked confident and elegant and wore a plastered smile. It was uneasy but held strong. Rose looked at her curiously.

"Slytherin!"

The Minister's daughter was a Slytherin? She hadn't expected that really. Though, she did suppose they were known for their ambition. The blonde sat swiftly beside Rose.

"Hello," Aurora smiled. "As you probably heard, I am Aurora Scrimgeour."

"Yes, I did," Rose eyed her up cautiously, she wasn't sure what her orders were on how to approach her. She doubted her mother would approve of such a friendship, yet perhaps she shouldn't always do as she was told. Maybe that was a lesson Hogwarts may teach her. "I am Rose Lestrange."

Aurora looked at her cautiously, clearly her mind was also ticking over on how they should interact. The daughter of a famous death eater and the daughter of the Minister. This should be an interesting year.

"Juliet Valentine!"

Another blonde stepped up to the stage and the hat sorted her quickly and smoothly.

"Slytherin!"

Bobbing down from the stool, her blonde hair bounced as she sat next to Aileen. They instantly struck up talking and that left Vivienne out of the picture, so she decided to introduce herself to the girl sitting next to her, who had sat silently and kept herself to herself.

"You're tiny." Rose turned, rather surprised by the brisk start of conversation from Vivienne. That, mixed with a little annoyance.

"Excuse me?" She exclaimed, hoping for both their sakes Vivienne would take back such a remark so she wouldn't have made an enemy at this School already. That would be a good start.

"No, I meant, you're little, but you're big." Vivienne shook off Rose's uncertainty with a wave of her hand and smiled. Quickly turning an almost insult, into a witty compliment.

"You're a freak." Rose said bluntly, yet a playful smile crossed her face. She had a feeling, despite their differences, they would be the best of friends. Vivienne laughed, and the two conversed easily for the remainder of the feast.

Well, this year should be interesting.