A/N: Thank to everybody for their comments and remarks!

©copyright -- nothing is mine I just play with it, all JKR etc…

Chapter 9: Sorted

The same night at seven, McGonagall visited with the sorting hate. Anabelle had been really nervous the last two hours. Harry and Hermione hadn't told her much about how the sorting hat worked. Harry had only said that if she really wanted something all she had to do was ask.

"Hello headmistress" Anabelle said politely.
"Hello dear, shall we sort you?" Anabelle nodded and went to take place on the sofa. McGonagall took the hat of her head and put it on Anabelle. It took a minute before the hat started talking to her.

"Please not Slytherin." She whispered just before the head was put on.
"HA, yes….I see…another Potter….must be careful with them." He said to her "A bit too young but a good memory…yes…enough courage…love for wisdom….hmmm... how about Ravenclaw?"
"That's not the same as my parents." Anabelle reasoned.
"I see…determination…did see that one coming…Gryffindor would be my second guess, how about that?"
"Yes" Anabelle said happily.

"She'll be a Gryffindor like her parents. She takes a lot after them; she desperately wanted to be in Gryffindor. Up till now I only knew two who asked this, seems a third is added now." The hat said out loud, Harry and Hermione looked at one another blushing, they had indeed asked the hat to put them in Gryffindor.

"Congratulations Mrs. Potter. I will like to see you on Monday in my transfiguration class." She handed her a timetable she had produced from her pocket before taking the hat and leaving them alone. Once she had looked over her timetable, she turned around smiling at her parents, who returned the smile.

The very next day, Anabelle was up really early, she looked over to her clock which said it was eight o'clock. She climbed out of her bed and headed for Harry and Hermione's room.

"Mommy, daddy it's morning" she said before climbing on to the bed, trying to rouse both her parents. Harry laid spooned to Hermione with his arm safely around her waist. Neither gave a sign of life, hoping she would still go back to bed. "Come on, or we'll miss breakfast and the shopping trip for my supplies." Anabelle pled.

"Alright…princess…gou get r-ready." Harry muttered, Anabelle went to the bathroom leaving Harry to wake Hermione. He began to slowly massage her back? Hermione just groaned her satisfaction.

"I…sure can walk up to this every morning." She mumbled. "Undoubtedly" She slowly turned around facing him, kissing him a good morning.

"Think we can stay here for another few hours?" she flirted with him.
"I think Anabelle would drag us out of bed so we could go shopping before those hours pass."
"To bad,…another time" she said before stepping out of bed, Harry followed a few minutes later, taking Lisa who had begun crying.

"Shh, it's alright. You don't need to cry anymore" Harry coed her to silence and soon Lisa was smiling and babbling. Harry changed her and dressed her before handing her over to Hermione who came out of the bathroom, dressed in a jeans and a tight shirt.

"See something you like?"
"If it wasn't for the children, I would jump right back into bed with you." He whispered into her ear, she relished the feeling that crept down her spin when he whispered into her ea.
"We'll have to sea about that later, love." She gave him another kiss before continuing. "Now get ready, I know someone who is anxious to get her supplies."

"Alright, I'll be ready in a minute." He said before entering their wardrobe. His eyes fell on beige shorts and a dark blue shirt. Once he was done he went down to see the rest who were all awaiting him.
"Can we go now please?" Anabelle pleaded. Harry conjured up their portkey and with a slight pull all five were gone to Diagon Alley.

"Alright princess, were do we go first?" Harry asked bemused at her.
"Uhm maybe the books…first?" she asked.
" I think that makes two of you who love to go to the bookshop." Both Hermione and Anabelle smiled at him.

After buying the required books for Anabelle, they restocked their potion ingredients and went to Olivander's for a wand.

"Ah Mr. Potter and Mrs. Potter." The old man exclaimed enthusiastically, "and you brought your whole family!"
"Yes, Olivander, we would like to buy a wand for Anabelle"
"Yes, hmmm…I'll see what I have." The went through his stacks and conjured up five wands. Harry gently nudged Anabelle to grab one.
"Just wave I my dear" She did as she was told and on the other side of the counter a case exploded.
"I-I I'm Sorry." She stammered before quickly putting down the wand.
"Don't worry happens every time, it's normal." He gave her another wand and the sink in the back erupted, gushing water into the room. Anabelle looked apologetic again.
"Well, try the next one no need to be apologetic."

In the end she had to test eleven wands before finding the right wand, a fifteen inch long wand, made from cedar with a feather of a hippogriff as a core. Anabelle had felt the connection the instance she had touched it, it had given her a tingling sensation in her fingers.

Their shopping trip was really calm this time, Teddy could walk to from time to time they had let him, Lisa had seen so many things the girl had fallen asleep in Hermione's soft embrace. Anabelle had all her supplies needed for school and all of that without any press in the vicinity.

They walked through the alley in the direction of the leaky cauldron, hunger started to get a hold of them and seeing as it was almost noon they opted to eat at the Leaky. Tom was more than happy to provide them with anything they wanted.

Anabelle was really happy when they returned to Hogwarts, she got a wand and everything she would need. The same night she was reading through the first of her many books, making note in the margins. Harry saw a young version of Hermione for a moment. Sunday evening Harry had to carry her up the stairs, she had exhausted her reading at least the twenty first pages in every book she had.

The first day of school for Anabelle went fluent; she had won ten points for Gryffindor which made some students flinch because of her young age. Hermione and Harry had let her free for the day, holding their breath somewhat. Hermione had reasoned with Harry, she had been concerned that letting her go alone would not be a good idea, seeing as children can be cruel to one another. Harry had talked her out of following her for which she thanked him afterwards.

"Mommy, daddy!" Anabelle yelled, walking towards them, they knew her last lesson of the day was DADA so they decided to wait for her to come out of the classroom.
"Hey, princess." Both replied. Hermione bent down, immediately receiving a hug.
"How did my princess do on her first day?" Hermione asked.
"GREAT! I even got points for giving the correct answer!"
"Really?" Anabelle nodded.
"And I got my first assignment to do too." She beamed.
"Better go eat quickly then, after that you can do your homework."

Anabelle nodded before walking to the great hall with them, dinnertime hadn't changed much, most still looked in disbelieve at Harry and with repulsion at Hermione and Anabelle.

"Why are they all lookin so weird at us, daddy?" Harry sighed, he couldn't say he didn't expect the question but he had hoped that she wouldn't have noticed it yet.
"Princess, some people are jealous of what we have. As for many of the girl they hoped to be in your mum's shoes right now."
"They don't want us to be Happy?"
"Let's say some less than others."
"That's not nice of them." Anabelle remarked.
"No, it's not but I'm never going to leave you."

Anabelle nodded and resumed eating while Hermione looked at him; a little blush had crept up her cheeks. She knew he was right, He was so sweet; she didn't really deserve someone like hm.

That night after laying the children sleeping, Hermione sat beside him in their common room, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Hmmm, you did great explaining things to her today." She complimented him.
"I had hoped she wouldn't notice everybody staring at us with those looks."
"They get used to it soon enough."
"I hope so; I don't want to have another situation like I had right after diner anymore." Hermione looked up, a questioning look playing on her face. "Today, again, someone tried to seduce me again, a sixth year student."
"And what did you do?" she asked teasingly, knowing he wouldn't cheat on her.
"I said I already got who I wanted as a partner and soon as a wife." She gave him a soft kiss, "Good boy" Harry smiled to, before resuming kissing. He ended up carrying her up to their bedroom, still softly kissing.

The first weeks of school weren't much exciting as they found themselves helping Anabelle, especially with the correction of her homework, Hermione refused to give the answer. Anabelle wouldn't be helped by too much help. She only had contemplated the work she had to do for potions, which was understandable so Harry had bushed her in the right direction.

Only at the end of September, had they encountered problems or at least Anabelle had. Harry and Hermione were walking down the stairs to the direction of the front door to get some fresh air when Anabelle came running from the door, her hair hung somewhat over her face and her cheeks seemed to be bright red, she had been crying.

"There's something wrong Harry, why is she crying?"
"I don't know Mione; hold Teddy with you for a minute." She took hold of Teddy's hand, holding him close. She had to make sure he wouldn't go after Harry.

Harry walked faster to meet get faster to Anabelle who was still running without looking in front of her. Soon both collided with a 'thump'.

"I-I-Im s-sorriie, mmister." She said between gulps of air she took in to try and control her emotions.
"It's alright princess, were here now." Harry said, comforting her while hugging her. Anabelle hugged back, burying her face in chest, again starting to cry her eyes out.

"Anabelle,… Princess…why don't you tell us what happened" Hermione had come up to them."
"I-It…just th-that…g-girls….they sa-said th-that I'm a-a stu-pid know it all or-orphan. Th-that you just ke-kept me from pu-publis-ty. A-and t-that-t you wou-would soon see y-our mistake a-and leave m-me and…and you w-would leave mum."

"We would never do that, why don't you show us who it was so we can talk to them." Harry asked, Hermione eyed him giving him a look that didn't let room for much mistake. She wasn't thinking about making good conversation, she was rather thinking of having those people meet the business end of her wand.

"Th-ey're just o-out the m-main doors, they took me with t-them say-ing they fo-ound something, they tho-ught was line."

Harry lifted the girl into their arms and looked over to Hermione. She was looking enraged, Anabelle had done nothing do deserve such a treatment; this had been exactly why she had been worried.

"Dobby, Kreacher!" Hermione called.
"Mistress My-knee called." Both elves asked.
"Could you please keep an eye over Teddy and Lisa for a minute, keep them warm and safe from danger and other students?" Both elves nodded, each occupying himself with a child. "Alright Harry, let's go talk."

They walked through the door, seeing multiple groups of students talking.

"Which group was it princess?" Hermione asked. Anabelle pointed to a group with sixth year girls from Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, "Good, now were going to confront them."

"Sorry, can we interrupt?" Hermione asked, her voice strained with anger.
"If really have nothing better to do." A blond girl remarked.
"Yes, I don't have anything better to do than to protect my family." Harry had been anger too and had cut of Hermione.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know we did any harm to anyone you consider family."
"I suggest you confess, and do not pay dumb against us." Harry threatened, "What has Anabelle done to you that you obtained the right to hurt her?"
"We didn't hurt anyone! We didn't even touch her!" another one screeched. "She's obviously lying!"
"She doesn't lie, parents don't need to ask if their children lie or not, we see when their genuinely upset." Hermione remarked.
"We didn't do her anything, we swear!" the blond said again.
"Physically at least, but you said enough to her." Harry countered.
"Right, as if you care what we said to an orphan."
"I'm an orphan to if you can recall you're history class!"
"You're different, your Harry potter…our Hero and maybe soon my man." A skinny brunette said. Harry felt repulsed, ready to bark the girl down but he didn't want to show such behavior for Anabelle's sake.

"I've got the family I wanted, I got a lovely fiancé and three stars of children and not in a million years would I want someone as pathetic as you are. You think you so great and wise well guess again. Making an eight year old cry isn't exactly a great accomplishment; you should all be ashamed of yourself. If I ever see you do anything to her or any of the one of our kids you'll regret it. Now I…" he was cut off by one of the girls.
"Oh please as I you can do anything to us!" one snapped.
"We are part owner of the castle, so logically we're on the board of governors overseeing the school. So believe me if I say I can end your careers here at the school girls. Now apologize and get out of my sight!" the girls palled, their faces white from fear. Every single one passed Anabelle apologizing for their behavior; she heard every single apology but didn't look up from Harry's chest.

Once every witch was out of sight, they returned to the interior of the castle, to Teddy and Lisa. Once Teddy saw them, he came to yelling "Mommy!". Hermione scooped him of his feet, hugging him gave Teddy a warm feeling he loved.
"What do you think Teddy, are we going for a 'walk-ie'?" Teddy squealed happily which made even Anabelle smile.

"I'm going to put you down Anabelle, are you better now?"
"I think so-o" she muttered, Harry slowly placed her down and took Lisa from Dobby who was struggling to not being pulled at his ears by Lisa's small hands.

"Thank you Dobby and Kreacher, you may go back now." The elves disappeared continuing their normal work while Harry and Hermione and the children went for a short walk over the grounds, the day permitted a small walk seeing as it wasn't too cold at the moment outside, probably one of the last days they would have gotten some rays of sun before an early winter settled in.