Fred gently pushed Eda who was not paying attention, "It's your turn, Eda."

  Eda snapped back to attention and stepped forward to sit oool.

  The dirty S Hat ced on her head, rge enough to cover most of her vision. Professonagall watched Eda, hoping she would be sorted into her house.

  Even Dumbledore was keenly Eda's s result.

  "Hmm, a bit tricky..." a faint voice whispered in Eda's ear.

  The S Hat tilted her head toward the Gryffindor table. "A stro filled with ce, daring, and chivalry, all qualities that suit Gryffindor well. It seems like a good choice!"

  Before Eda could say anything, her head was turowards the Ravencw table. "Intelligent, talented, with a thirst for knowledge and a desire to explore the world. You fit well with Ravencw too."

  Then it was Hufflepuff's turn. "This is also a good option. Hufflepuff has great inclusivity. Here, you'll make many friends who will accept you for who you are."

  'Isn't it time for Slytherihought to herself.

  "That's right, is Slytherin!" Naturally, her head turowards the Slytherin table.

  Eda had given up resisting. "You disdain vention, are unsatisfied with the status quo, and are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve yoals. Yes, Slytherin will help you achieve greatness..."

  "Well, have you decided?" the S Hat asked.

  "Any house is fine; I'm not too ed about it," Eda replied.

  In truth, she didn't care which house she ended up in. To her, attending Hogwarts was a great opportunity, the s hat would get her a House that would be most suitable for her and it couldn't be worse than the orphanage, could it?

  "How about Slytherihere, you'll meet like-minded individuals who will help you achieve greatness and glory, fulfilling all your ambitions..." the S Hat softly coaxed Eda.

  Eda's head, trolled by the S Hat, was still fag the Slytherin table.

  The hat seemed very eager to sell her on this idea.

  Eda thought to herself: Slytherin it is, then. My background might be a bit awkward, but I hope I won't have any flicts with everyohere!

  "Then Slytherin it is... The choice is yours, isn't it?" Eda responded softly.

  "Oh, is that so... Then I'll annou!" the S Hat said with i. "Gryffindor!"

  The S Hat suddenly turned Eda's head towards the Gryffindor table, almost twisting her ne the process.

  Cheers and appuse erupted from the Gryffindor table. Eda removed the hat, rubbing her neck as she walked towards the table.

  pared to Slytherin, Gryffindor was clearly a better choi Eda's mind. It would be easier to get along with the lions.

  "Yes, it's best to put her in Gryffindor. Dumbledore, I've done you a great favor," the S Hat whispered, though her Eda nor Professonagall heard it.

  Eda reached the Gryffindor table, where older students warmly weled her. Angelina Johnson waved at Eda, who made her way over and sat dowo her. She also greeted Alicia Spi.

  After Eda, Fred and Gee were both sorted into Gryffindor as well.

  Percy was introdug his twin brothers to those around him, while Charlie stood up and said to the twins, "Well done, Fred, Gee, just as it should be!"

  The twin brothers were the st two students to be sorted, marking the end of the S Ceremony.

  Albus Dumbledore stood up, beaming at the students with open arms, as if nothing made him happier than seeing them all together.

  "Wele!" he said. "Wele to a new year at Hogwarts! First, I am pleased to wele a eacher to our staff this term. Wele, Professor Be Foley, who has kindly agreed to fill the position of this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

  The hall erupted in sparse appuse, not because they didn't wele the elegantly dressed Professor Foley, but because he was deying their meal.

  The feeble appuse quickly subsided, and Dumbledore tinued, "Before we begin the feast, I would like to say a few words—Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!—Now everyone! Enjoy the food!"

  Straight to the point, Dumbledore's words were brief and clear. The appuse and cheers sted long after Dumbledore had sat down, a stark trast to the previous lukewarm response.

  The previously empty ptes oable suddenly filled with food, abundant and rich.

  Eda hadn't had such a vish meal in a long time, especially ohout having to curse the stars while eating.

  The Weasley brothers o her were already indulgiily. The famished Eda also began to eat enthusiastically, showing no signs of the ck of appetite that Mrs. Mary had mentioned.

  The Gryffindhost was chatting with the udents. Some called him Sir Nichos de Mimsy-Pton, while others called him Nearly Headless Nick.

  Seeing some of the udents not uanding what "nearly headless" meant, Sir Nichos 'kindly' demonstrated by showing his head, which was barely attached to his body by a thin piece of skin—a gruesome sight!

  However, Eda paid no attention to this, as she was busy eating. Her manner of eating was not crude; rather, it was quite elegant. The knife and fork in her hands moved in sync like a well-oiled mae, allowio chew quickly and e a lot.

  After everyone was full, the food was repced with desserts, giving everyoime to chat. The twins were crag jokes, making Alicia and Angelina ugh while holding their stomachs.

  Finally, the desserts vanished, and Dumbledore stood up again, bringing the hall to silence.

  "Now that everyone has had their fill, I have a few more words before we start the term."

  "First-year students should hat the forbidden forest on the school grounds is strictly off-limits to all students. Some of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

  Dumbledore paused briefly, then tinued, "Additionally, Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to remind everyohat magic is not to be used in the corridors between csses. Quidditch trials will be held in the sed week of the term. Aerested in joining their house team should tact Madam Hooch."

  "Now, before you go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore said enthusiastically. However, the other professors didn't look as pleased, their faces were stiff and they did not share the headmaster's enthusiasm.

  Dumbledave a light wave of his wand, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, twisting and turning high above the tables like a serpent, f words.

  "Everyone pick their favorite tune," Dumbledore said, "Ready, sing!"

  And so the entire school began to sing loudly:

  Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,Teach us something please,Whether we be old and bald,Or young with scabby knees,

  Our heads could do with filling,With some iing stuff,For now they're bare and full of air,Dead flies and bits of fluff,

  So teach us things worth knowing,Bring back what we've fot,Just do your best, we'll do the rest,And learn until our brains all rot.

  The singing was a cacophony, with everyone singing at different tempos and in different tunes.

  Eda chose to sing the school song to the rhythm of "Steel Torrent," getting herself all fired up.

  The Weasley twins, oher hand, opted for the "Funeral March," and its slow melody meant that by the time everyone else had finished singing, the Weasley brothers were still going.

  Dumbledore ducted the final few bars with his wand, and when they finished, his appuse was the loudest.

  As she cpped, Eda felt that the "Funeral March" was missing the sound of a suona, a traditional instrument, to truly capture its essence.

  "Ah, music," Dumbledore said, wiping his eyes, "a magic beyond all we do here! Now, it is time for bed. Off you go to your dormitories."

  At his words, the students stood up and began to leave, filling the hall with noise.

  The new Gryffindors followed Charlie Weasley, weaving through the noisy crowd, exiting the Great Hall, and climbing the marble staircase.

  They walked through corridors filled with portraits, passed doors hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries, and navigated several staircases and a final corridor before Charlie finally stopped.

  At the end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman dressed in pink.

  Eda silently memorized the route from the Great Hall to the on room.

  "Password, Dear?" the woman in the portrait asked.

  "Lio," Charlie said.

  The portrait, having received the correct password, swung forward to reveal a circur hole in the wall.

  Crawling through the hole, Eda finally ehe Gryffindor on room, a cozy circur room filled with plush armchairs and warmed by the fire crag in the firepce.

  Under Charlie's guidance, Eda, Angelina, and Alicia went through a door leading to their dormitory.

  tally, they were all assigo the same room.

  Ihe dormitory, there were five four-poster beds draped with deep red velvet curtains. The beds looked far more fortable than the hard beds Eda had beeo at the orphanage.

  Although there were five beds, only the three of them would be occupying the room. This was a relief for Eda; fewer people meant fewer problems.

  Their trunks had already been brought up.

  Exhausted, Angelina and Alicia ged into their pajamas and fell asleep almost immediately without saying much.

  Eda, having ged into her pajamas as well, y on the soft bed, feeling quite fortable.

  She was tired too—after all, the journey from London to Sd had been long and tiring—but for some reason, she couldn't fall asleep.

  Turning onto her side, Eda could just see a sliver of the sky through the tower window.

  She y there, staring bnkly at the patch of sky, lost in thought.

  She didn't know how much time passed, but eventually, she drifted off into a deep sleep on the soft, fortable bed....

  _______

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