Author's Note: It's been a long time since I last updated this story, so I can only hope that the wait was worthwhile. I'm not happy with this chapter myself...actually I'm not happy with the story either, not in its current state. It's probably going to change dramatically at some point, though I don't know when yet.
The Orbs of Darkness
Chapter Four: SortedIt was early when Stephanie awoke the following morning. She had followed her father into the Ravenclaw house, and was now determined to prove that she deserved to be there. She knew Harry had assumed she would go into Slytherin, she had seen it in his eyes. The accusatory glare was enough for her to keep her distance over the summer, though she found she wanted to talk to him, just to keep from being so lonely. Her new parents were always busy with something or other, often leaving herself and Harry with the friends they lived with. Often she had wondered why they had adopted her. Clearly they didn't have the time for Harry, so why get another child? Perhaps they wanted Harry to have someone close to his own age to talk to…if that was the case, what they wanted and what was were two completely different things.
She glanced out the window as she pulled her new robes on. These robes bore the colours of Ravenclaw. Hopefully her brother would notice the blue and silver of her tie and collar of her jumper. Maybe then he would stop being quite so hostile towards her.
The sky outside was a beautiful, clear blue, promising a good day for the weather. It was still too early to go down to breakfast, so she made for the common room instead. There she plucked a slim book off a shelf and settled down to read until breakfast time.
Harry stared at the clear sky from his bed. He'd slept badly for his first night back at Hogwarts. Part of him wanted to know which house Stephanie had gone into, the other part was sure it had been Slytherin. Ron had resolutely ignored him for most of the day before. Harry hadn't been able to face going to the Welcoming Feast and the Sorting of new students. He rolled on to his back. Sighing quietly he gave up on getting any more sleep, deciding instead to get his belongings ready for the day ahead.
He expected the common room to be empty when he emerged from the dormitories, but Hermione was sitting by the fire. She looked over at him from her seat.
"Couldn't you sleep either?"
"No." Harry joined her.
"Stephanie really isn't that bad, Harry. You should give her a chance."
"I'll give her a chance when she gives me one."
Hermione rolled her eyes and stared back into the fire again.
They sat in silence for a while. Eventually other students began to arrive in the common room and head out to breakfast in small groups. Harry and Hermione joined the first few that headed down to the Great Hall for an early breakfast.
Harry automatically glanced at the Slytherin table as he sat down, but he couldn't see the blonde head of Stephanie, only that of one Draco Malfoy. About halfway through the meal he spotted Ron enter the Hall, but he sat with Fred and George. Ginny seemed to have found a few people to talk to, for she was laughing about something with them. He quietly returned to his breakfast, though not really feeling hungry.
Hermione prodded him uncomfortably in his ribs.
"What?"
She nodded towards the doors. He followed her gaze as Stephanie walked down the hall between the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables. He saw Malfoy trying to engage her in conversation, and expected her to sit with him, but she turned and sat with the Ravenclaws.
"Why's she sitting there for?"
"Honestly, Harry. She was sorted into Ravenclaw." Hermione scowled, noting the mildly surprised expression on Harry's face. Luckily Professor McGonagall appeared at that moment and stopped Hermione from remarking further. Instead she studied the timetable she had just been given.
Stephanie glanced over at the Gryffindor table as she entered the hall. Harry was watching her, along with the bushy haired girl from the train. She headed for a seat further along the Ravenclaw table, proud that she didn't have to wear green and silver uniform.
"Hey babe." A silky voice drawled from somewhere on her right. She ignored it. "What's up? Don't want to talk to me."
Stephanie fixed a glare on the white-blonde boy. "I don't talk to snakes."
He raised an eyebrow, but didn't reply. She continued along the table a bit further to a free seat, dropping lightly onto the bench and resting her head in her hands. Way to insult your real mother. The voice in her head sounded remarkably like a female version of the boy that had just tried to chat her up. She reached for the plate of bacon as the deputy-headmistress walked along the table handing out timetables. She took hers, but didn't bother to look at it until she'd finished eating. She had Herbology first thing, with the Slytherins. Something the girl on the train had said came back to her. 'Watch out for the Slytherin lot, they can be pretty nasty if you're not one of them.' Evidently the girl had known she wouldn't be going into Slytherin, though how she had known was beyond Stephanie.
Author's Note: Like I said, I'm not happy with this chapter. If anyone can give me a few tips I'd be really grateful. I do listen to the people who send me reviews because I really want to make my stories better.