The Adventure of Hogwarts

"Good to know you named your imaginary friends something fitting," the girl replied dryly. "Name's Cassandra by the way. Call me Cassie, and I will kill you. Fair warning."

Lori looked at the girl-Cassandra grinning a bit. Cassandra caught her eyes, and held her gaze for a moment before rolling her eyes slightly.

Lori then turned her attention to the new girl, Matty. She was a pretty brunette, who like the other girl, was wearing her robes properly. It seemed that Lori was the only one who didn't give a flying ♥♥♥♥ if they were worn properly or not.

"My name is Lori," she introduced herself, feeling a bit stupid she didn't do so earlier when she sat down to Cassandra. "Nice to meet ya'll."

Matty chuckled at Cassandra's dry humor.

"Yes, all of my imaginary friends have very fitting names," Matty replied cheekily to Cassandra. "One of them is a skydiving instructor. His name is Franz Reichelt." She turned to address Lori. "Lori, eh, that's an unusual name."

Lori tilted her head in confusion. She never thought her name was unusual in the least. Sure, it was uncommon, but it was hardly rare.

"Really?" She questioned, scratching her cheek just below her scar. "I never thought so."

Matty opened her mouth to respond, but decided against it. She didn't want to offend this boy, especially since it was her first day and she had only just met him, so she changed the subject quickly to a topic she thought would be appreciated by every member of the boat.

"So what houses do you think you'll be in?" She asked. It seemed the safest question at the moment and she had heard many other first-years talk about this particular subject.

Lori's eyes light up at the inquiry and a grin crossed her face as she adjusted her flying goggles.

"I'll be in Gryffindor," Lori said, once again no hesitance nor thought she could be in a different house. "Where the brave dwell at heart."

"You seem awfully sure about that," Cassandra noted dryly. Lori nodded her head, completely missing the small slight.

"Yeah, I'm going to be a hero, and Gryffindors are the best place to be one," she told them with all seriousness. "How about you guys."

Cassandra whistled, unable to believe the only current "male" in the boat simple mindedness. She, however, would soon grow accustomed to it.

"I don't know much about the houses," Cassandra said with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "I'm new to this whole magic thing after all."

Matty nodded in agreement.

"I'm from a Muggle family, so I really don't know much about that either, but I think Ravenclaw sounds cool."

The small row boats began to move, and as Hagrid said, they moved on their own. They students sat still, looking off into the horizon as it moved across the dark crystalline cake. However, as it made a move around a bend, there were several audible gasps.

A large castle lay at the other end of the lake, illuminated in the darkness by lights. It was an awe inspiring sight.

As they got closer, it just got bigger, and Lori had to crane her neck up just to see the top of the towers. In the distance, she could make out the Quidditch pitch, where she would spend a good majority of her time in future years.

The boats finally docked, and the students were ushered out of the boats, up a small set of stairs and into a small foyer where all the students grouped up together, their robes and bodies brushing against each other as they pushed forward.

In front of the doors was an elder woman white grey hair and sharp emerald green eyes, her robes matching her eyes.

"Quiet students!" She yelled over the din, her voice one of authority. "In a few minutes these doors will open, and you will be sorted into your houses where you will stay for the next seven years with your classmates. You will be called alphabetically by your last name, so I'll ask you to sit tight."

Albert stared with apprehension at the doors, trying to calm himself down. It was finally here...The Sorting. It seemed no matter what happened during the ceremony, someone was going to be upset with him. If he got into Slytherin his dad would feel bad, and his sister had told him if he wasn't sorted into Slytherin she would kill him.

Any other house would make everyone angry...so it had to be Slytherin or Ravenclaw. Staring at his feet to ignore the situation he saw a caravan of spiders had decided to crowd at his feet. Stepping on them he threw the talisman off down a hallway. Turning to the doors, he yelped in pain as it slammed into the back of his head.

Turning he saw a grinning man floating behind the group. "Ickle Owlberg dropped his shiny thing. Good fer him Peevesy Weevesy was here to catch it!" The floating man then threw a water balloon into the crowd of first years and flew off towards the Grand Staircase cackling."

Matty walked up the steps to the Great Hall with the boy and girl that she had met on the boat. She found the boy a little more pleasant than the girl, but then again, Cassandra was quite funny in a sarcastic way, which Matty appreciated. She loved this place even more than she thought she would so far. The castle was massive from the outside, but it was even more intricate on the inside from what little of it she had seen. She had a suspicion that she would be spending weeks scouring the castle before she saw everything inside. It would definitely be a fun adventure, and maybe she could convince Nial or Lori to come with her.

The sound of the grey-haired woman's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, however, she was drawn back into them almost immediately. She had no idea what was going to happen next, but she had a feeling that it would be just as exciting as everything else today. Perhaps she would be taken on a guided tour of the castle, or be introduced to the professors, or maybe get a chance to find her room. She honestly didn't know what kind of protocol a school of magic had about it's first year students, but she couldn't wait to find out.

"Is that clear, everyone?" The elderly woman asked as more of a statement than a question.

Matty looked around in confusion as everyone else nodded. She leaned in towards Cassandra.

"What did she say?" Matty asked.

"She just explained everything to us," Cassandra replied. "Weren't you listening?"

Matty blushed in embarrassment.

"Whoops."

The children followed gray haired woman into the Great Hall. They clustered in the center of the room as an older gentleman stood in front of them with his arms outstretched. There was a goblet in his right hand and his left hand was spayed open. Audrey wondered if he was trying to part the students like Moses did to the Red Sea. Celebrations always seemed to turn people into prophets.

"Welcome students, welcome to Hogwarts!" The man announced to the room as the last of the first years made their way through the doors. "As many of you are already aware before you can begin your studies here you must first be sorted into any one of the four Houses. When your name is called, step onto the stage where the Sorting Hat will be placed on top of your head. It will shout out the name of the House it finds you best suited for and then you may step down to join your fellow Housemates."

Puck stretched out on Audrey's shoulders. He looked over at her with a sleepy expression on his face. "Oh, this always takes so long. Good thing your name starts with an A."

Audrey shivered a bit. She was nervous about stepping out in front of everyone, and even more nervous about what House she would end up in. It didn't help that apparently she was first.

"Almer, Audrey." The gray-haired woman called out.

Audrey let out a small squeek in surprise. Puck laughed and stood up on his hind legs. He grabbed a clump of hair in either paw and began flicking them like they were reins to a horse. "He-ya, he-ya!" He shouted as Audrey got her feet moving.

When she reached the stage the old man looked amused by Puck's antics. "Please remove your familiar, Miss. Almer."

Audrey grabbed Puck and clamped him against her chest. The man lowered the hat onto her head and at once she heard an internal voice that was not her own. She repeated the names of the three houses; Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Any one of them seemed less self destructive than getting into a house full of bullies.

"Fearful, doubtful, alone. You're begging for the Houses that would do nothing for you." the voice was very too the point. "You lack a lot, but you more than make up for it with power and determination. Why are you so afraid of the one House that would grant you greatness? The House of Slytherin will help you overcome your failures and become what you're destined to be. You are not your mother, Miss. Almer, and you are not your father. Step out of their light and embrace who you are."

"Slytherin!" the Sorting Hat's voice echoed across the room.

Audrey's grip on Puck tightened and the poor weasel let out a gasp of breath. Her mind went blank as she walked down from the stage and found an empty seat under the silver and green banners.

"Hufflepuff!" the Sorting Hat exclaimed as it sat upon a red-haired girl named Alyson Balderdash. She squealed in delight and hopped down to the Hufflepuff table.

The grey-haired woman examined the long piece of parchment that she was holding, as if she'd lost her place and was trying to find it again. Then, she looked up and her voice shouted.

"Matty Blackadder!"

Matty suddenly became nervous. As she walked up to the front of the Great Hall, she felt as though her legs would buckle under her. It didn't help that this was the moment where a talking hat would decide where she would spend the next seven years of her life. It seemed to take forever for her to reach the grey-haired woman and the hat. As she scaled the two small steps that led up to her destiny, she took a deep breath and a confident smile formed on her face. She could do this. Matty came to a stop in front of the grey-haired woman and whipped around towards the rest of the students, who were staring at her in excitement and intrigue. They were waiting. Waiting for her. She felt the old hat slide over her head and a voice rang in her mind.

"Confidence, wit, talent, intelligence. You should be in a House that compliments your talents and where your talents compliment your House. You are going to go on to do great thing, Miss Blackadder, so you should be in a House that helps you get there, the voice mulled inside her head. It was trying to sound like it was thoughtfully pondering which House to put her in, but Matty had a feeling it had already decided. I feel that you should be in...

"Ravenclaw!" the Sorting Hat's voice boomed out.

Suddenly, the Ravenclaw table roared to life in a fit of clapping and cheery shouting. The grey-haired woman pulled the hat off of Matty's head and Matty hopped off of the stage and, wide smile on her face, took a seat at the table underneath the blue and bronze banner.

Albert stood awkwardly in the group of first years, still soaked. As another student was sorted and left the stool in the front of the Hall, Albert heard the grey haired woman call out his name. As he shuffled toward the front of the hall, his shoes making squeaking noises as the water sloshed around in them.

As he climbed up the stone steps he slipped and bashed his elbow on the ground. As he struggled to his feet he heard scattered laughter throughout the Hall. The woman glared into the crowd and waved her wand, drying Albert off. "For heavens sake, Mr. Evanson, try to avoid getting soaked before meals anymore."

Nodding meekly, Albert put the Sorting Hat on his head. Albert sat awkwardly as silence sounded throughout the hall, with only light hums of thought in his head. Is it going to-

Say anything? Dear boy, in due time. You present a problem...

Problem? Albert thought. What problem?

Well, I'm meant to put you in the House that'll help you grow, flourish, etc...but no matter where I see you going, I see misfortune...quite a problem, you must realize...

Albert sat, waiting as the Hat kept thinking. As the situation got even more awkward, Albert heard a familiar voice giggling from the direction of the Skytherin Table. Liz....

"RAVENCLAW!"

As the Hat yelled into the crowd, Albert nearly jumped out of his skin in shock. That Hat had some impressive...lungs?

Walking towards the Ravenclaw Table to scattered applause, Albert shuddered as he thought back on the Hat's words. Doomed to misfortune? Any glee towards going into his dad's House had been effectively decimated.

Derrick waited as a few more kids were sorted, observing where they walked after the house was called. He still wasn't familiar with them and only had the slightest of clues as to what they all really represented.

Slytherin is a snake, obvious enough. He looked over at the green theme that the quiet girl with the ferret had been sorted into. He wasn't sure if he should take that as much of a representation though considering what everyone else sitting at the table was acting like.

Ravenclaw was a raven, lots of creativity there. He'd seen Al squeak on over to the table earlier. He hadn't looked particularly happy about it. He couldn't tell why considering most kids had been happy after they had been sorted.

Gryffindor, a lion, the yellow's not bad. So far he'd seen no one he knew sorted there though he recalled Lori being fairly enthusiastic about it.

That makes Hufflepuff.....the other one. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard his name called out. Fluffing his robes slightly Derrick walked up towards the front. The older woman watched him walk up and grabbed the hat as he sat down. Slipping it on Derrick wondered what exactly he was supposed to do when he heard a voice.

"Hmmm, Hall eh? You seem rather plain for a wizard."

Derrick's eyebrows furrowed slightly, what was the supposed to mean?

"Though you seem to be quite the leader. Bravery...or perhaps a little brash. If you can keep yourself thinking properly you might be quite the wizard. But that's quite the if."

Derrick wasn't sure if the hat could hear them, but he was thinking some very nasty thoughts and they were all aimed straight at it.

"Well then, I suppose you'll be..."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Derrick felt his ears ring a bit as the hat shouted. Slipping it off as he stood up ad walking towards the table as the crowd clapped. He made sure to give the worn piece of head-wear a good glare before he went to sit down.

Will's name was called, and for a minute his brow furrowed and he concentrated on the stage as he strode across it and onto the stool. For a minute is a generous phrase, though.

The hall was a wonder. Will tried to take it all in, leaning forward on the three-legged chair as his eyes danced across the beautiful chaos below him.

"You're looking for excitement. You'll find plenty of that here."

Will didn't freak out too bad about the voice in his head - although he did a little when he realized where it was coming from. He hadn't even noticed the hat slipping onto his head until now, and he had to admit it was a sudden and unexpected first impression.

"Knowledge seems important to you, as well ... And you realize you need help there. You could learn a great deal in Ravenclaw, of course. Yet you seem so determined to find all your answers in others around you! An interesting philosophy. Perfect for a ...

"HUFFLEPUFF!" Its cry rang out without any hesitation, his mind and ears reverberating with a branding whose purpose he still had no understanding of.

But I'll learn, alright, he thought, determined. He didn't know what all these other kids' problems were - he thought that the Hat had seemed pretty smart and had no doubts about its declaration. Hufflepuff.

Whatever that entailed.

Lori shifted her weight from one foot to the other as names were called and sorted. Some took longer then others, and as the minutes ticked on, she was getting quickly bored. Finally, her name was called.

As she strode purposely up to the front, she overheard some murmuring from the Gryffindor table from the elder students, along with some elder students from the other houses.

"Isn't that Davis-"
"Yeah-"
"Heard was a troublemaker-"

She ignored those snippets of conversation; her elder brother was a well liked student at Hogwarts, so she wasn't surprised some of the elder students were able to recognize her simply by her last name.

She sat down on the stool in front of the greyed-haired woman. She vaguely remembered Davis talking about her. McGonagall or something like that if she was remembering correctly. She sat perfectly still, which was an accomplishment in itself, as the hat was put on her head.

Ah, the younger Sevola is here I see.

The hat's silky voice took her by surprise, making her jerk slightly.

Such an ...interesting mind. Loyal, brave and ambitious. Three qualities of three houses. Where should I put you? Hmm, decisions, decisions.

Lori was surprised. Why the hell was this hat hesitating? She knew where she belonged.

Gryffindor. Put me in Gryffindor.

Oh ho, determined too. Such a strong headed child for one so simple minded. You are hardly making my decision easier. Although your want to be a superhero makes you best suited for Gryffindor; a lot other students have had similar mentalities in that house before. Not to say other houses haven't had such individuals. Ah well, best be-

"GRYFFINDOR!"

There was an eruption of cheers from the Gryffindor table, and one young man with wild brown hair and a small soul patch jumped in the air victoriously.

"YES WE GOT SEVOLA! WE HAVE SOMEBODY COMPETENT FOR A SEEKER NOW!" Another student tugged at his robes, making him look down. The boy's face had a look of confusion and shock as the other boy talked. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN FIRST YEARS CAN'T PLAY QUIDDITCH?!"

Lori grinned. Davis no doubt bragged about her flying skills if they were reacting like that. Walking over to the table, she sat down between Derrik and Cassandra, who had also been sorted into the house.

Albert sat at his house table, looking at the distant shapes of stars shown on the ceiling. He wasn't sure how he felt about his new House, but he had the weirdest feeling they knew exactly how they felt about him. Most of them glanced warily at him...like he was going to hex them or something.

Liz. he thought in annoyance. As he started eating a roll, he saw the only people who weren't looking away or sliding as far as they could were the other first years, including that girl who'd been sorted before him...Matty? Biting into the roll again he waved lightly to the other first year.

Matty noticed a dark haired, pale skinned boy sitting down the table from her, taking in a mouthful of roll. She recognized him from the Sorting. Alfred was it? She thought so, but she could be horribly wrong. She slid down towards him and smiled brightly. She was doing her best to be friendly with people, especially on her first day. She'd learned long ago that being friendly to everyone came in handy later.

"Hi there, I'm Matty," She introduced with a sing-songy ring to her voice. "Al...fred, is that right?"

Albert shook his head a little and swallowed the roll in his mouth. "Close. Albert Eva...Albert." A little embarrassed, Albert made a mental note that saying his full name made him sound like a prick.

"So, Matty? Nice to meet you." Albert held his arm out for a handshake.

Matty took his hand and shook it.

"Nice to meet you too. This is so surreal. I've never been in a place so, for lack of a better term, magical before," She looked up and noticed that the ceiling looked like the night sky. "Even the ceiling looks like something from a dream." She paused for a moment and then blushed a little. "Sorry, I'm being all starry eyed and filled with wonderment again. It's a bad habit. I'm seeing a therapist," She joked.

Albert looked at the cieling and shrugged. "Yeah, it's pretty nice I guess." Grabbing another roll, he smiled a little. "One time my dad did that to my room and said he had to sell my cieling...I got SO upset." Still grinning, he had another bite of roll. God, these things were delicious.