The Father and the Son
written by Lizzie Scamander
Tiberius Nott's first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has arrived. As the son of the Death Eater Theodore Nott, it will be hard for him to settle in. But maybe he will be able to help others ignore his past and find out, eventually, that the son is not the same as the father. IN PROGRESS
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
14
Reads
855
Unsurprised
Chapter 3
A tall woman stood in the doorway. Blonde hair grew to her shoulders, and sharp grey eyes sternly scrutinised them all.
"Professor Virneburg," Hagrid said, nodding his head in acknowledgement of her. "Here are the firs' years."
"Ah, Hagrid," Professor Virneburg said. "Well, I'll take them from here." She beckoned to the students, and turned briskly on her heel to lead them inside. Tiberius could hear Tamsin whispering excitedly under her breath, "Oh! Oh! Oh!" With every step, and see Maya beside him holding Gleam to her chest in one cupped hand. Most of the other students were equally excited, all except him. What was so amazing?
They mounted a stone staircase. Their steps echoed across the broad flagstones, and their black robes rustled. Professor Virneburg, who was dressed in robes of deep sapphire blue, reached the top of the staircase first and strode down a long corridor.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said, stopping before another pair of large doors. "Now a famous magical landmark of Britain, it is one of the most popular wizarding schools in history."
Everyone knows that, Tiberius thought impatiently.
"As first years, you will each be sorted into one of the four houses of Hogwarts," Professor Virneburg continued. "Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff."
Tiberius scoffed under his breath. Did she think they were stupid?
"I will now take you into the Entrance Hall, and there you will wait as I go and arrange the sorting in the Great Hall." Professor Virneburg opened the large doors, and they stepped in. The Entrance Hall was huge, ginormous - but this was not a surprise to Tiberius. Brutus had told him all about the architecture of Hogwarts, and this was what he had been expecting. However, the other students gasped in awe, and Tamsin was bouncing on the balls of her feet. Professor Virneburg, meanwhile, strode forward toward another pair of doors - how big did they get? - and bid them stay quiet. Then she slipped through and closed the doors behind her.
Instantly, whispers broke out. Tiberius folded his arms and stood still, biting his lip.
"This is amazing," Maya said, stroking Gleam. "I did not vink that it vould be so big."
"Hogwarts is huge!" Tamsin said, clasping her hands tightly together in her excitement. She turned to the boy who had joined them on the boat. "But what's your name?"
"Duri Chang," the boy replied, smiling.
"Chang?" Tamsin repeated. Her eyes grew wide. "Like Cho Chang?"
Duri grinned. "She's my mother."
"Your mother knew Harry Potter!" Tamsin blurted out, apparently without thinking. "And she liked him!"
There were giggles from the students. Duri flushed red, but Tamsin didn't seem to notice. "Nice to meet you!" She said.
"You too," Duri said, smiling again, but more awkwardly this time. Desperate for a distraction from Tamsin, he turned randomly to Tiberius. "Who're you?" He asked.
Tiberius hesitated. "Tiberius," he said quietly.
Duri was evidently curious for more. Tiberius swallowed.
"Tiberius Nott," he finished.
Duri stared at him for a second. Tamsin actually gasped and the other first years seemed to step away from him, as if he had just said something disgusting. Only Maya appeared unaffected. "Vhat is it?" She asked, still standing by Tiberius's side.
"Well - um -" Diuri faltered.
But then, at that moment, Professor Virneburg came back in. This time she opened the doors wide. "Come," she said briskly.
So, some first years still staring apprehensively at Tiberius, they entered. The Great Hall was almost as big as the Entrance Hall, with an incredible canopy of the night sky with stars winking down at them. Candles hovered independently above the four long tables in the room, where many, many students sat. Golden platters, goblets, and cutlery appeared as glittering ornaments on the broad wooden surfaces, and at the head of the hall there was a presentable table where the staff sat, along with the headmistress Minerva McGonagall, who sat in the middle. Professor Virneburg led them down between the tables, with the first years hurrying after her. Tiberius noticed a rickety wooden stool at the end of the row, up upon the raised platform where the staff table was. Upon the stool was a battered old wizard hat. And then it began to sing.
New students, new students, the start of a year,
All waiting to be sorted, so come right up here,
Place me upon your fresh little heads,
And I'll tell you right now where you'd better be led.
Will it be Gryffindor, the lion's great den,
Where courage and daring is your best friend,
Or would you prefer the cunning, proud snake,
Where clever, ambitious students are in the make.
But maybe Ravenclaw is best for you,
Where clever, bright students make up the large crew,
Where wit is prized and resource abundant,
And the eagle stands, of wonderful judgement.
Yet don't forget the kind and the fair,
Hufflepuff house is the loyalest here.
Gentle and equal they stand with kind hearts,
And do unto Hogwarts their good, caring part.
So there are the houses, the four of them great,
Where you will soon hurry, after my debate.
Come right up, let me look right in,
To your fine heads, let the sorting begin!
As the hat finished, everyone in the Great Hall burst into applause. When it had died down, Professor Virneburg turned to face them, at the same time producing a long length of parchment from inside her robes. "When I call out your name, come up and sit on the stool." Unravelling the parchment, she looked at the first name. "Boot, George!" She called.
A boy with fine features and sleekly combed hair walked promptly up to the stool. Sitting down upon it, Professor Virneburg placed the hat on his head.
There was a brief silence. Then the hat opened its mouth again, and yelled, "RAVENCLAW!"
The Ravenclaw table erupted into applause. The boy hurried over to sit down, and Professor Virneburg called out the next name. "Adams, Julia!"
A girl with long dark hair walked up to the stool, sat down, and put on the hat. The hat thought for a moment. Then it shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
Smiling, the girl walked over to the Hufflepuff table to take a seat.
And so it continued. Professor Virneburg continued to call out names and the named students would go up to the stool and put on the hat. Finally, Tiberius heard a recognisable name.
"Chang, Duri!"
Duri walked up to the stool. He sat down on it, his eyes bright and sparkling. Professor Virneburg placed the hat on his head.
This time, the longest pause followed. Tiberius stared up at the hat, wondering what was going on in its fabric brain. Then suddenly, it yelled, "SLYTHERIN!"
This came as a surprise. Tiberius found himself gaping as Duri hurried over to the Slytherin table and sat down.
The next student was called forward. A boy called William Smith was sorted into Ravenclaw, and then a girl called Daisy Jones into Gryffindor. Then Professor Virneburg called, "Longbottom, Tamsin!"
Tamsin walked forward. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement and a broad smile lit up her plump face. She sat down on the stool and the hat was placed on her head. The hall waited.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Yelled the hat.
Her smile even wider, Tamsin bounced over to the Hufflepuff table and sat down. Professor Virneburg consulted her list. "Krum, Maya!" She called.
Maya strode confidently up to the stool. The hat was placed over her dark head, and then the hat lapsed once more into its thoughts. Then it spoke.
"SLYTHERIN!" It yelled.
Maya took her place at the Slytherin table.
"Nott, Tiberius!"
Tiberius jumped as his name was called. Swallowing, he walked forward. All eyes in the hall were on him. He knew they were thinking about his name, about who he was, about his father...
He sat down on the stool. Next moment, the hat was covering his eyes. He waited. Then a little voice spoke into his ear.
"Ah, a Nott, is it? Hmm, let's see. A bit of cunning here, but no ambition - surprising, very surprising... Bold, very bold, I see, a bit of loyalty here... But yes, that is a lot of pride... Yes, I know where to put you - SLYTHERIN!"
Tiberius was not surprised. It appeared no one else in the hall was either. Professor Virneburg lifted the hat off his head and he went over to the Slytherin table to sit beside Maya. She was smiling.
"We are in vis house together," she said. "Good."
But Maya knew nothing about Slytherin house. Tiberius bit his lip. And nothing about the Notts.
