Breaking with tradition

After getting to know each other a little better with a simple presentation, Silvia and Soisen were currently watching the debate taking place between Hermione and Luna with amusement.

On one side, there was Hermione who only believed in proven, logical and evidenced facts.

On the opposite, Luna was explaining theories and the existence of unconfirmed creatures. At least, not yet, but that would change in the future.

Soisen had to intervene a couple of times, but overall the discussion only brought Luna and Hermione closer together.

-You don't really believe that, do you, Soisen? -Hermione asked him when they were close to arriving at Hogwarts.

Luna turned and looked at him with her usual self-absorbed expression.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to consider that we haven't discovered all the magical creatures that exist and we should be open-minded in that regard. You've read a few books on magizoology, Hermione, before you discovered you were a witch, did you think the existence of fire crabs was even possible? They are creatures that spit fire out of their butts, literally.

The argument presented caused Hermione to stop her stubborn counterargument and reflect. In fact, she couldn't claim that there would be no magical creatures left to discover.

-And Luna, I would suggest you write a notebook of notes about those creatures you mention. After all, it seems that no one else has been able to see them and they could help you look for them if they are interested.

-Sure, that would be fun! -Luna responded somewhat more cheerfully, as usually the others categorically denied her explanations. Soisen instead went ahead and gave her a chance.

-By the way, which House do you think you'll end up in? -asked Silvia to Luna.

-Mmm -Luna pondered for a few moments while looking at the roof, which apparently had something interesting that no one else saw- If it had been last year, I would have said Ravenclaw, but things change, so I'm not sure.

Soisen raised an eyebrow, understanding that the change was due to the appearance of Galegold house.

-I think we should change, we're about to arrive," Soisen got up and left the compartment to give the witches privacy. Only when they were all done, they changed their positions and waited for their arrival at the station.

This year they were not too lucky and when they got off the express, a rainstorm made an almost instantaneous appearance. The silver lining was that since they were not first years, there was no need for them to use the rafts, so they walked to the carriages prepared by the school waiting near them. Luna had no choice but to follow with the first years.

-Are the wheels of the carriages enchanted? -Hermione asked interested as she watched the vehicle move forward with no apparent traction force.

-No," Soisen denied as he looked out the window at the figures in front of the carriage, "We're being pulled by thestrals.

-What are thestrals? I don't see anything there.

-They are creatures that can only be seen by those who have witnessed and accepted death," Soisen replied, "They have long been feared for their appearance and bad reputation, much misunderstood in fact.

-What do they look like? -Sylvia asked with interest, since she couldn't see them either.

-Imagine very thin black horses, to the point that they are almost skeletal and with huge murcielago wings attached to their backs.

-Soisen," Hermione called with an uncomfortable expression, "Can you see them?

-Yes, though I wonder why," she said honestly with no intention of hiding it.

Which death was it that made him able to see them?

Cyrah? Lily? The question intrigued him a little, but he knew there was no way to know the correct answer.

-If I'm not mistaken, they are carnivores and are attracted to blood. But these thestrals must be the ones Hagrid looks after, so they must be friendlier to people, I think he once told me about one called Tenebrus during one of my visits.

Hermione and Silvia for their part, felt uncomfortable that an invisible, flesh-eating creature was near them. The description they heard didn't calm them down much either, so when the carriages stopped in front of the castle, they left in a bit of a hurry towards the Great Dining Hall, leaving Soisen behind.

Soisen approached and carefully examining the creature's attitude, he was able after a little patience to stroke the thestral and it was a curious sensation. Its skin was smooth, but soft and slightly elastic. The others looked at him strangely, since from their point of view he was waving his hands in the air without meaning.

-You really seem to be a misunderstood creature," he muttered under his breath. He felt no threat from the thestral, who was looking at him almost as curiously as he himself was. Only when everyone got off the carriages did Soisen step aside to let the thestrals leave and seeing the first years approaching, he headed for the Great Dining Hall as well.

Another advantage of being first in your House was that you didn't have to compete for seats at your assigned table. Although it was a bit comical that only he was seated at a table as big as the others, while the others were nearly full.

Wait, if he was the only senior in the house, would that make him Prefect and Delegate by default? Wow, it didn't dawn on him until now.

Maybe no one else thought of it, since he didn't get any letters with the appropriate insignia.

-Heh, looks like Dumbledore isn't fulfilling his responsibilities properly as Head of House," thought Soisen somewhat amused, "I have to nominate someone else. Perhaps Professor Sinistra? As a teacher of Astrology, she has a reputation for being somewhat strict, but she is intelligent and highly regarded. I think she could fill the role quite well.

His thoughts were interrupted as he saw the doors to the Great Dining Hall open and the first year students entered, following Professor McGonagall like disoriented ducklings to the mother duck.

He was intrigued, how many new students would his house have?

-When I call your names, you must come forward and the Sorting Hat will place you in one of the four... five houses," the force of habit was still strong in Minerva and if it weren't for the fact that she saw Soisen out of the corner of her eye, she would have actually been embarrassed to forget the new House.

-Luna Lovegood.

The little witch walked happily to the stool and after the hat was placed on her head, it only took a few seconds before the result was known.

-Galegold!

Soisen started clapping calmly, in fact, he suspected that Luna might go home, but he wasn't one hundred percent sure. Luna's robe colors changed to those of the fifth house and she happily approached the table, sitting right next to him.

The selection went on and only two more people were mentioned for Galegold, which wasn't surprising, most no doubt preferred to go to the familiar houses and didn't understand how great their house was. Just when I was thinking that was it?

-Ginny Weasley.

-Galegold!

The expressions on Percy, Fred and George's faces when they heard the hat were priceless.