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Rabastan had been looking forward to this day for six years, and now, here he was, at Hogwarts, waiting for his turn to be sorted. He glanced over at his brother, who was smiling at him and leaning in to talk to the boy next to him, who Rab recognized as Rookwood. The sorting really was taking forever. Who cared where the rest of these cretins ended up? He wanted to be sorted already!
Abbott, Adams, Black…
There was a gasp and an uproar from the Slytherin table as Bellatrix jumped to her feet, and Rab couldn't help but smirk. Bellatrix Black had been a thorn in Rab's side since she'd come to the family holiday party two years before. She'd spent nearly all her time at the party with his brother, and Rab had hated it. Worse when she'd kissed him under the mistletoe, and all the adults had just been amused. It was gross! How dare she kiss his brother? The uproar died down with a glare from McGonagall, and the sorting continued, though Rab could still hear Bellatrix's hissing threats.
Brower, Clark, Cook…
Ugh…if this didn't speed up, he was going to push past whoever was next and take his turn anyway. This was ridiculous. Too bad all of the sorting couldn't be as entertaining as Black's sorting. Ah, well. Still, it would be fun to torment her about it in the months to come. Something to distract her from his brother.
Davies, Dorsett, Evans...
Rab huffed noisily as the boy next to him whipped around to watch the redhead who'd been sorted into Gryffindor and was sitting as far from Black as she could without seeming rude. If he were right about who the boy was, he had nothing to worry about, no matter which of them he was interested in. Potters were always sorted into Gryffindor, after all…
Fawcett, Foster, Greene …
Come on, come on! This was taking forever! The smallest boy, sallow-skinned and black haired, was glowering up at the hat as though he blamed it for taking so long. If that one didn't sort into Slytherin, Rab might have to seek him out. All the other students, including his own cousin Evan were more nervous or excited. Whoever that boy was, at least he had some sense. They'd be sorted where they were sorted. Why not just get it over with, instead of dwelling on it this way?
Howe, Ivers, Jackson …
Rab glanced at his brother again only to find that he was being distracted by that girl. He narrowed his eyes. Not okay. If he didn't get sorted soon, he was going over there regardless to tear out all of that scraggly hair. He'd have considered using his dagger, but Ro had insisted he keep it at home. Rab had argued, but he'd lost the argument. Still, he wasn't about to let her slobber all over his brother. It wasn't okay. At all.
Jones, Kern…Lestrange.
It took McGonagall calling it twice for Rab to notice, but then he hurried to the hat. Finally! He settled on the stool, then looked up at McGonagall, who was glowering at him with a disapproving look. She set the hat on his head, and then, only a second later, it was calling out to the hall.
"Slytherin!"
Rab grinned, jumping up off the stool and hurrying to his brother's side.
Rodolphus was grinning at him, and scooted away from Bellatrix to give Rab space. Rab smirked at the girl, then settled between them, leaning into his brother's side.
He'd never doubted it for a minute. After all, Slytherin was where he belonged.