See Chapter One for the disclaimer
***
Katie Flint sighed under her breath and exchanged a sympathetic look with her daughter. Marcus was busy extolling his daughter to stay clear of all boys who weren’t related to her, to mind her Grandfather, and to not let herself be caught up in one of her Weasley cousins’ pranks. Elizabeth Flint stood there calmly letting her father vent all his worry.
“Daddy, I’ll be fine,” she said soothingly. “I’ll write immediately after the sorting feast to let you know I’m alright. Aden has said he’ll save a seat for me at the Slytherin table.”
“Did I hear my name?” Aden Malfoy sauntered up to the Flint group, the mirror image of his father at the same age. “Hey Cuz, you ready to get on the train?”
Elizabeth grinned at her best friend. This time last year she had been inconsolable when Aden had left for his first year at Hogwarts. Her uncle Draco liked to tease her that he still wasn’t sure who had cried more, Elizabeth or her Aunt Gin. “I’m ready.”
Katie hushed Marcus’s mutter of disagreement. Bending down she wrapped her arms around her eldest daughter’s shoulders. “Just remember honey, everyone gets homesick in the first week. If you feel upset or lonely there are lots of people there to look after you. Your Grandfather has been waiting for eleven years for you to join him at school. Not to mention Aden having to get through last year without you; and if for some reason you end up in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw the Weasleys will look after you.”
Elizabeth smirk was eerily reminiscent of her father, “And what if I end up a ‘Puff?” she teased.
Her mother returned the look wryly. “Honey, there is too much of your father in you to ever be a Hufflepuff. Of that I am completely certain.”
“Enough of this mother-daughter time,” Marcus said firmly. “It’s my turn now.” Bending down Marcus scooped up his daughter in a big bear hug. Elizabeth giggled and buried her face into his neck. “I’ll miss you Lil’beth,” Marcus whispered.
“I’ll miss you too, Daddy.” Elizabeth replied. Being reunited with Aden was one thing, but she was going to miss her daddy terribly. Wrapping her arms tightly around his neck she inhaled his familiar scent, storing it up in her memory.
“Marcus,” Ginny interrupted sympathetically, “the kids really need to get on the train.”
Reluctantly, Marcus returned his daughter to the ground. “Write directly after the feast,” he reminded her.
Elizabeth nodded in agreement and turned to pick up her bag from the ground. Turning she found Aden being given last minute hugs from his parents. Aunt Gin was giving her final instructions to stay out of trouble this year. Elizabeth couldn’t help giggling when Uncle Draco amended that to “Don’t get caught.”
Extracting himself from his parent’s Aden Malfoy caught her eyes, “Come on Elizabeth, let’s find a compartment.”
*******
Elizabeth waited nervously outside the entrance to the main hall. Deputy Headmistress McGonagall had just finished her famous “Your House is Your Family” speech that her father had assured her hadn’t changed in living history. Elizabeth privately agreed with him that there was a definite bias against Slytherin in the speech. Was it really necessary for McGonagall to curl her lip as she said the house name?
She caught the eye of fellow first year Jonathan Weasley and smiled. Although not related by blood, Elizabeth had been around the ever-expanding Weasley brood all her life. With all the red haired children running around Wizarding Britain it would probably be a good twenty years before there wasn’t a Weasley waiting to be sorted on 1 September.
Elizabeth straightened her shoulder as the great doors swung open. She smiled at the exclamations of wonder from the students around her, the ceiling was impressive the first time you saw it, okay she admitted to herself, it was still impressive and she had been coming to Hogwarts to visit her Grandfather all her life. Elizabeth found Aden holding court at the Slytherin table and grinned at him before seeking out her Grandfather at the Head table.
“Alcott, Melissa” …
“Bones, Amelia” …
“Butterworth, Jacob” …
Elizabeth let her mind wander until her name was called, politely applauding as each student was sorted.
“Flint, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth tried not to flinch as the hat grabbed at her head.
“Now Miss Flint where to put you?” the Hat mused.
“Are you open to advice?” she asked silently.
The Hat seemed slightly startled at that. Elizabeth decided to take the silence as agreement. “Well my grandfather is only a couple of feet away from here and if you even think about putting me into Hufflepuff your days of being a talking hat are over. However, on the positive side your career as a rag in the potions classroom may just be beginning”
There was silence for a moment in the hall, until finally the Hat managed to choke out, “Slytherin!”
***
The real end.
***
Katie Flint sighed under her breath and exchanged a sympathetic look with her daughter. Marcus was busy extolling his daughter to stay clear of all boys who weren’t related to her, to mind her Grandfather, and to not let herself be caught up in one of her Weasley cousins’ pranks. Elizabeth Flint stood there calmly letting her father vent all his worry.
“Daddy, I’ll be fine,” she said soothingly. “I’ll write immediately after the sorting feast to let you know I’m alright. Aden has said he’ll save a seat for me at the Slytherin table.”
“Did I hear my name?” Aden Malfoy sauntered up to the Flint group, the mirror image of his father at the same age. “Hey Cuz, you ready to get on the train?”
Elizabeth grinned at her best friend. This time last year she had been inconsolable when Aden had left for his first year at Hogwarts. Her uncle Draco liked to tease her that he still wasn’t sure who had cried more, Elizabeth or her Aunt Gin. “I’m ready.”
Katie hushed Marcus’s mutter of disagreement. Bending down she wrapped her arms around her eldest daughter’s shoulders. “Just remember honey, everyone gets homesick in the first week. If you feel upset or lonely there are lots of people there to look after you. Your Grandfather has been waiting for eleven years for you to join him at school. Not to mention Aden having to get through last year without you; and if for some reason you end up in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw the Weasleys will look after you.”
Elizabeth smirk was eerily reminiscent of her father, “And what if I end up a ‘Puff?” she teased.
Her mother returned the look wryly. “Honey, there is too much of your father in you to ever be a Hufflepuff. Of that I am completely certain.”
“Enough of this mother-daughter time,” Marcus said firmly. “It’s my turn now.” Bending down Marcus scooped up his daughter in a big bear hug. Elizabeth giggled and buried her face into his neck. “I’ll miss you Lil’beth,” Marcus whispered.
“I’ll miss you too, Daddy.” Elizabeth replied. Being reunited with Aden was one thing, but she was going to miss her daddy terribly. Wrapping her arms tightly around his neck she inhaled his familiar scent, storing it up in her memory.
“Marcus,” Ginny interrupted sympathetically, “the kids really need to get on the train.”
Reluctantly, Marcus returned his daughter to the ground. “Write directly after the feast,” he reminded her.
Elizabeth nodded in agreement and turned to pick up her bag from the ground. Turning she found Aden being given last minute hugs from his parents. Aunt Gin was giving her final instructions to stay out of trouble this year. Elizabeth couldn’t help giggling when Uncle Draco amended that to “Don’t get caught.”
Extracting himself from his parent’s Aden Malfoy caught her eyes, “Come on Elizabeth, let’s find a compartment.”
*******
Elizabeth waited nervously outside the entrance to the main hall. Deputy Headmistress McGonagall had just finished her famous “Your House is Your Family” speech that her father had assured her hadn’t changed in living history. Elizabeth privately agreed with him that there was a definite bias against Slytherin in the speech. Was it really necessary for McGonagall to curl her lip as she said the house name?
She caught the eye of fellow first year Jonathan Weasley and smiled. Although not related by blood, Elizabeth had been around the ever-expanding Weasley brood all her life. With all the red haired children running around Wizarding Britain it would probably be a good twenty years before there wasn’t a Weasley waiting to be sorted on 1 September.
Elizabeth straightened her shoulder as the great doors swung open. She smiled at the exclamations of wonder from the students around her, the ceiling was impressive the first time you saw it, okay she admitted to herself, it was still impressive and she had been coming to Hogwarts to visit her Grandfather all her life. Elizabeth found Aden holding court at the Slytherin table and grinned at him before seeking out her Grandfather at the Head table.
“Alcott, Melissa” …
“Bones, Amelia” …
“Butterworth, Jacob” …
Elizabeth let her mind wander until her name was called, politely applauding as each student was sorted.
“Flint, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth tried not to flinch as the hat grabbed at her head.
“Now Miss Flint where to put you?” the Hat mused.
“Are you open to advice?” she asked silently.
The Hat seemed slightly startled at that. Elizabeth decided to take the silence as agreement. “Well my grandfather is only a couple of feet away from here and if you even think about putting me into Hufflepuff your days of being a talking hat are over. However, on the positive side your career as a rag in the potions classroom may just be beginning”
There was silence for a moment in the hall, until finally the Hat managed to choke out, “Slytherin!”
***
The real end.
The End.
Slythhearted is the author of 3 other stories.
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This story is a favorite of 76 members. Members who liked Second Impressions also liked 1541 other stories.
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