She blinked "What about the other houses?" she asked curiously as we stepped onto the train.
"Well Slytherins are supposed to be the house of sly minds and ambition but have devolved in this day into a place entirely filled with Pureblood superiority nonsense. Some of the original will remains but not as much as it should ideally. Ravenclaw is the house of the ones who learn. We can have the traits defined by the other houses too but above all else we love learning. That said we can be rather abrasive when it comes to our knowledge. We enjoy showing it off. Not maliciously in most cases but to others it's hard to understand that. Hufflepuff is the house of the loyal who don't fit any of the other houses perfectly." I explain as I walk into an empty cabin.
"So which house is the best?" she asked as she took a seat opposite me.
"That depends on the person entering them. For someone eager for glory and success with the right pedigree? Slytherin. For someone who wants thrills and adventure? Gryffindor. For someone who want to know, spells, potions, magical beasts? Ravenclaw. For the ones that just want to have a warm comfortable life and are willing to work for it? Hufflepuff." I said with a smile.
"So everyone has a place." she said with a smile of her own.
"You just have to find it." I agreed.
"How will we know where we will be sorted?" she asked and I chuckled.
"Can't say. It's tradition not to spoil it for the first years. If you do end up sorted into Ravenclaw and encounter trouble find Terry Boot and Michael Corner, tell them I told you to find them. They should help you." I say calmly.
"Why can't I just find you?" she asked curiously.
"I'm taking part of the student exchange with Beauxbatons this year. I won't be at Hogwarts until next year, potentially at least. The future is a funny thing. I may truly end up in a different school next year as well." I said with a grin.
"Student exchange?" she asked with a bright gleam of interest in her eyes.
"Indeed. There is a set of conditions that have to be met for someone to be eligible but otherwise it's as easy as asking the right people. First is the student being exchanged must have high grades, at least E's in most classes. O's are best though as it makes the decision to agree easier. The second is you must learn the native language of the school you are going to. In my case French. The final two conditions are simply that the headmasters and parents of the students must all agree to the exchange." I explain frankly.
"So I could also do it if I can get all of that done?" she asked eagerly.
"Indeed. Fair warning however. You will have competition. Many will vie for that chance after my own ceremony this evening exposes it's existence to them." I warned with a chuckle.
She nods "How wonderful. Everyone will be trying so hard." she said with a smile.
"Yes. Have you studied at all so far? If not I suggest doing so for at least Potions. Professor Snape likes to put students on the spot to see who has given at least the minimum amount of effort." I say helpfully.
"Is he as terrible as everyone says?" she asked worriedly.
"He's not a nice man but if you aren't a Gryffindor, Harry Potter or terrible at following directions he's bearable. He does have a sharp tongue though so if you draw his attention be prepared for it." I warn.
"Perhaps I should give the book a skim after all." she says as she digs through her luggage for the book.
Once she's good and focused on that I finally pop the [search] I've been sitting on for nearly half a month now. Normally I would have used it up immediately but I decided I should save it so that my roll over time isn't mid month anymore. While technically nothing wrong with that I preferred the process being right at the start of the month so I can use the rest of the month to shuffle things as necessary.-
{Search function activated.... searching.... searching.... searching.... Target locked. Initiating trade window with target: Solaire , World : Lordran(Dark souls 1)}
'Oh, well that's interesting.' I thought with wide eyes as I read this newest customer of mine.
The world greyed and went silent as time froze and that oh so familiar screen appeared. It remained white for a moment before an image appeared on it. It was a knight wearing a polished close faced iron helm with a dark red feather out of the top right. His torso and legs were covered in a chainmail suit that was further covered by a dirty white sleeveless shirt with green shoulder tuffs and a huge red and yellow caricature of a sun with a face on it. -
On his wrists a pair of iron bracers without gloves and a leather knights belt tightened around his waist where a longsword sat. His feet and shins were covered in metal plate as well. On his back a large metal round shield sat with that sun sun caricature on it's face.