This was it. This was really it. Hogwarts.
Hesper had dreamed so desperately of this moment that it was almost anti-climatic how easy it had been to get there. She had woken up as usual, had breakfast in the nursery as usual, and then side-long apparated to London with her governess and her luggage which wasn't so very usual. From there she'd been dropped off on platform 9 3/4's and next thing she knew she was clambering into a little row boat with a handful of other children she didn't know.
Now she was here, she was finally free, but it suddenly seemed that freedom had a high cost. All of these people she'd have to get to know, the good impressions she'd have to make to get along, what if she didn't like her housemates? What if Aunt Jessamine didn't approve of where she ended up and could her great aunt have her moved to a different house if that was the case? She supposed her greatest fear was not fitting in, it had been so long since she'd spent time with other children her age she wasn't sure she'd remember how to make friends. What if nobody liked her? No, she couldn't think like that, she'd do whatever it took to make friends she wouldn't be left out, not anymore. Anyway, there was always Sirius, if she ended up in Slytherin she'd see him all the time! But then... She hadn't seen Sirius since he'd gone off to school, what if he was too mature and sophisticated to be friends with her now?
Then there were the classes. She had her brand new wand and all the textbooks, but she'd barely opened them and what if it so happened that she was bad at magic? She wasn't very good at her languages, what if it was the same for magic? What if she only excelled in classes like History of Magic? It was all very daunting, so much so that she almost wished the time hadn't come yet so that she could prepare somehow. Almost, but not quite. She would work hard to keep her great aunt happy so she didn't have to leave school early and she would come to love Hogwarts, even if she had to force herself to. It surely wouldn't be all that difficult though, from what she'd seen of the school thus far it was everything she'd heard it was and maybe more.
There were so many questions whizzing around Hesper's mind that she almost missed her name being called out.
She balled her fists up tight, bracing herself for the next couple minutes. I'm going to make friends and be good at my classes no matter where the hat puts me, I won't let a piece of clothing ruin Hogwarts! So what if it puts me in the worst house, what does a hat know anyway? she coaxed herself. I will like it here, I will. And I will make friends and if Sirius doesn't want to know me then I'll... I'll show him! She didn't know what that would involve but it made her feel a little more bold and in control of her fate. Whatever it took she'd make Hogwarts her home one way or another.
Determined not to show fear, she walked forward with her head held high and sat down upon the stool. What had her parents thought when they'd sat here, because she suddenly realized they must have sat on this very stool and worn this very hat. What would it see inside of her head? Could it see everything or just what she wanted it to see? Tell me where I belong, Hat. She furrowed her brow deeply as she awaited the hat's decision.
Hesper had dreamed so desperately of this moment that it was almost anti-climatic how easy it had been to get there. She had woken up as usual, had breakfast in the nursery as usual, and then side-long apparated to London with her governess and her luggage which wasn't so very usual. From there she'd been dropped off on platform 9 3/4's and next thing she knew she was clambering into a little row boat with a handful of other children she didn't know.
Now she was here, she was finally free, but it suddenly seemed that freedom had a high cost. All of these people she'd have to get to know, the good impressions she'd have to make to get along, what if she didn't like her housemates? What if Aunt Jessamine didn't approve of where she ended up and could her great aunt have her moved to a different house if that was the case? She supposed her greatest fear was not fitting in, it had been so long since she'd spent time with other children her age she wasn't sure she'd remember how to make friends. What if nobody liked her? No, she couldn't think like that, she'd do whatever it took to make friends she wouldn't be left out, not anymore. Anyway, there was always Sirius, if she ended up in Slytherin she'd see him all the time! But then... She hadn't seen Sirius since he'd gone off to school, what if he was too mature and sophisticated to be friends with her now?
Then there were the classes. She had her brand new wand and all the textbooks, but she'd barely opened them and what if it so happened that she was bad at magic? She wasn't very good at her languages, what if it was the same for magic? What if she only excelled in classes like History of Magic? It was all very daunting, so much so that she almost wished the time hadn't come yet so that she could prepare somehow. Almost, but not quite. She would work hard to keep her great aunt happy so she didn't have to leave school early and she would come to love Hogwarts, even if she had to force herself to. It surely wouldn't be all that difficult though, from what she'd seen of the school thus far it was everything she'd heard it was and maybe more.
There were so many questions whizzing around Hesper's mind that she almost missed her name being called out.
She balled her fists up tight, bracing herself for the next couple minutes. I'm going to make friends and be good at my classes no matter where the hat puts me, I won't let a piece of clothing ruin Hogwarts! So what if it puts me in the worst house, what does a hat know anyway? she coaxed herself. I will like it here, I will. And I will make friends and if Sirius doesn't want to know me then I'll... I'll show him! She didn't know what that would involve but it made her feel a little more bold and in control of her fate. Whatever it took she'd make Hogwarts her home one way or another.
Determined not to show fear, she walked forward with her head held high and sat down upon the stool. What had her parents thought when they'd sat here, because she suddenly realized they must have sat on this very stool and worn this very hat. What would it see inside of her head? Could it see everything or just what she wanted it to see? Tell me where I belong, Hat. She furrowed her brow deeply as she awaited the hat's decision.
