Nehru - pronounced Ne-Hu-Roo
______________________________________________________________

"McLaren Nehru!" A voice called out.

Trying not to look scared or intimidated I made my way over to the sorting hat.

I wondered which house I'd be put in. Gryffindor, the brave and loyal, Slytherin, the ones I'd heard were bad and mean. Or Hufflepuff who can find things easily. Perhaps even Ravenclaw, who were smart and keen. What I wasn't expecting was the sorting hat to shout "Brookes!" And a large stone wolf come down and welcome me to the house.

The headmistress, Mcgonagall, stood up and with a flick of her wand set a small table next to Gryffindor and the stone wolf growled and a purple banner with a black wolf on it joined in with the other floating banners.

The wolf touched my forehead for a second and I swore that the stone nose felt alive and wet, before it padded back up to where it came from and became a statue once more and left me to make my way to my lonely table.

A few more people came up and got placed in the other four houses.

The headmistress got up again and stood by the owl podium.

"Welcome, all first years and those who have come again for another year of learning, as usual, I have a few things to say. First years are to note that the forbidden forest is out of bounds and Mr Filtch would like me to tell you all that all Fred and George Weasley products are banned, including the ones that are being made now."

I heard groans from all the students in the hall and grinned remembering what happened when Professor Umbridge was there.

I had a brother, Montague, he was a Slytherin and he'd told me about what happened. Apparently McGonagall didn't mind.

"But anyway, time for the well awaited feast!"

Everyone cheered this time and I watched in surprise as my plate was filled with a delicious roast dinner and other plates of puddings and drinks and sauces.

I feasted well but I felt lonely without any company.

A ghost came and spoke briefly before going back to his house. I think his name was Nearly Headless Nick.

I was too polite to ask why he was called Nearly Headless but I saw why when a different student asked at their table.

Halfway through my pudding however, a student came in with what looked like and Giant.

"Sorry were late, Professor, this student was late for the train an I had to go get 'er" the giant said.

The headmistress smiled. "Not at all to worry Hagrid, come, child, the sorting hat will sort your house for you."

The girl walked to the beckoning teacher and sat on the sorting seat.

I heard growling and glancing up I thought I saw the stone wolf look angry or perhaps upset but no one else looked like they'd noticed so I looked away.

"Brookes!" The sorting hat shouted and I cheered as she came and a chair magically drew up next to me.

"Hey there." I smiled.

"Hey. My name's Indigo." The girl introduced.

"Nehru."

"Funny name." She commented.

"Unique." I muttered and attacked an strawberry that had dropped from my spoon.

We didn't speak much during the meal, nothing to do with the fact that the black/purple long haired girl ramming huge amounts of food into her gob and the food dribbling out her mouth that made me feel sick hearing, let alone seeing.

I was glad when she stopped every now and again when she dabbed her mouth with a napkin.

At the end the headmistress stood up and told us to go to our dorms.

The stone wolf jumped down again and lead us to our dorm which was far away.

"This part of the castle isn't normally used because there are no dorms or classrooms here." The stone wolf told us.

I frowned. "My brother said that the student who founded this house was a murderer and a werewolf." I said.

The stone wolf paused for a split second and carried on as if she hadn't. I say she because the wolf had a female voice to it.

"You'll learn about my history later on in the year, it will be for you to decide." The wolf answered.

We turned a corner and a couple smaller stone wolves came alive and sniffed us.

"Password for this week is the answer to this riddle.
What gets wetter and wetter as everything dries?" One of them asked.

Indigo groaned and I grinned. I liked riddles.

"Sponges." I said.

The small wolves smiled. "Correct."

They bowed and the wall behind opened.

Indigo walked straight through and I followed her but stopped when I saw that the wolf had began to walk away.

"Arn't you coming in?" I asked.

The wolf shook her head. "My place is with the other founders. Farwell Nehru, have a good year."

I smiled. "Thank you, Brookes." And walked into the dormitory.