A/n: I actually got this idea when writing another story…and it came out way longer than I thought!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Hogwarts… I mean, of course I do. That's why I'm writing this on a fan-fiction website!

Title: the truth behind, like pillars four

Summary: United we stand, divided we fall. We are only as strong as our weakest link. There are thousands of stories to be told and secrets to unfold. How Hogwarts really started to fall apart and how it seems to come a little closer each generation. Through the eyes of the sorting hat. The only way to save the school is to help it stand together. But if we can't work together, what hope is there for winning a war?

You've heard of me I'm sure. Right? I am the sorting hat. I've seen Hogwarts be built from the ground up. Seen it's darkest hours and brightest moments. Seen the mind of every student to walk through those doors. You think you know the story? Maybe. But do you know the truth? Of course not. Am I going to tell you? I wouldn't be here if I wasn't.

The beginning starts when the founders four built Hogwarts. Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor. You've heard of them right? Good.

At the start, things couldn't have gone better. Did you know Gryffindor and Slytherin were best friends? Inseparable. Funny how there houses hate each other now. Well, that's were the rift began. Now remember at that time muggles burned those thought to have magic. They were frightened and jealous. Greatness inspires envy, envy engenders spite, and spite spawns lies. Slytherin thought them untrustworthy and Gryffindor was loyal and trusting to a fault. The wizarding world as struck in the past as it is can't seem to get past the ancient prejudices. Slytherin left the school. And one by one, the remaining founder's pasted away. But they left me behind to aid the school in troubled times and sort the students. Slowly their most valued ideals died away. Chivalry. Honor. Nobility. Loyalty. Pure hearts and cleverness. Until all that was left were vague ideas and imprints of what could be rather then what really was. After all, at 11 you're not sure of your choices and the road you will take. Somewhere along the lines the colors of green and red. Yellow and blue morphed into black, white and shades of gray. The villains and heroes. Rivalries and enemies. Then the rift was sealed when Tom Riddle came around.

Now, Tom Riddle was a bright boy. Eager and willing to learn. He knew about honor. He was clever and sneaky. He was chivalrous when he wanted to. He had the blood as Slytherin himself. But there was bitterness in his soul. Of abandonment. Of a black sealed off heart. A fear of the unknown. A hunger for power. He was the only one desperate enough to act on the pureblooded ideals. Those Tom Riddle faded away and Voldemort was born. The black and white delusions were sealed. The war began. Albus Dumbledore soon became headmaster. His past haunted him but he had good intentions. I just hope things would turn out fine.

Then an odd group of children came around. James Potter; a true embodiment of loyal friendship. He would do what it took to protect his love ones. Even if he had a big head and a troublemaking tendency. He would bring laughter to these morbid halls. I knew I would see him often. Sirius Black; the white sheep in a Black family. I remember his family. His frightened younger brother who felt betrayed. His disowned cousin; Andromeda. His niece Nymphadora. Cruel Bellatrix. Confused Narcrissa. He would be another troublemaker and one that doubled his effort to prove himself. Remus Lupin; the werewolf. I knew he would find his friends in the end. He was brave once he got there. He had no confidence. Then little Peter Pettigrew. I didn't know where to put him. He was not loyal. He was not clever. He was easily ruled by fear. I put him with friends in hope the good would out shine the bad. My first mistake, much like that of Anakin Skywalker (I do sort muggleborns remember?). Lily Evens or Potter now. She had a temper. I knew she and James would end up together. But she had to rid herself of her own prejudices first. How she never noticed that she was the reason for the feud between Severus Snape and James Potter I will never know. Severus Snape, or Sev as she called him. He was raised to be Slytherin. Truthfully, I wanted to put him in Gryffindor but his cunning out weighed his brashness. Another mistake. Had he been in Gryffindor he might have had a chance. But he remained true of heart in the end. Funny how things turn out, isn't it? Funny how a moment can shatter lives.

Then the war ended, supposedly. Harry James Potter came. Scarily similar to Voldemort but with a fear of the spotlight and fear of turning evil. I knew of the soul fragment clouding my judgment but I also knew of the hardships he would have to face. It was a fall from grace. He would have to be a hero. That's enough to send anyone over the edge. Especially with Snape adamantly hating him as to not get attached. Hermione Granger really should have gone to Ravenclaw but she was much like Lily. She had the temperamental brashness and protectiveness that only belonged in Gryffindor. Ronald Weasley. I swear those Weasley's breed like Rabbits. He felt over shadowed. Maybe a famous best friend wasn't the best thing for that but it was best for the long run. The greater good. He was much like Remus Lupin in a way. With Sirius in Azkaban because of Pettigrew I knew the truth at the though of the pet rat. They would have to learn the truth. Draco Malfoy was brought up on the wrong ideals but he was much like his mother. Fearing what would be said if he denied them so he faked it. He formed a rivalry and forced it into hate from prejudices not his own. He had the seed of doubt in his mind. He would find the courage some time. Hopefully not too late.

It was a repeating story. The long, old rift drove a wedge between the houses. As long as they fought each other Hogwarts would not stand through a war. Like the pillars four. You take one away and the whole thing crumbles in on it's self. Together they stand a chance. Divided and they will fall. Crash and burn. And no one will like the ending. But, the truth comes out. Somehow, they finish the war and sealed the rift. Fix it up. It's not perfect but it's a start. Some honor and origins have been restored.

Then the next generation comes. Oh, they bear the scars on their hearts less heavily then their parents but they are not ignorant. Perhaps their parents did learn something from all the bad and loss that came from the war. The first is Teddy Remus Lupin. At least his father had a kinda-happy ending. He was another orphan boy. So, much like his parents. Another to question the though of having a child during the war. The eldest. He became Gryffindor. Victorie Apolline Nymphadora Weasley. If their names were any indication they belonged together. She followed him to the lion's den. Dominique Gabrielle was the first to go to Ravenclaw. She was much like her mother. Louis was more like his father. Gryffindor through and through. Another troublemaker. How those teachers were going to survive a third generation of the Potter/Weasley clan I haven't the slightest clue. Molly was so much like her namesake and Lucy was a little dreamer. Molly followed Dominique but Lucy followed her eldest cousin. Fred was also a reincarnation of his namesake, I wonder if that's fate's sense of cruel irony, a way to cause confusion and heartbreak. Roxanne was brash and every bit as temperamental as her mother. Rose was the first to follow the flower name tradition. She ended up in Lion red. Hugo Victor was one of the youngest. He again was dressed in red. I vaguely felt bad for McGonagall.

James Sirius was the splitting image of his grandfather and every bit a troublemaker as well. Only his father would expect him not to be. Albus Severus was his father's twin except without glasses and a lightning scar. And every bit as terrified of the sorting as his father had been. He became Slytherin but remained best of friends with Rose. You couldn't even tell who was in which house. Lily Luna had a rebellious streak. She might have been a lion but she refused to be compared to her cousin's. She was her father's little girl and she milked it whenever she could. She had the fire red hair and temper to match but the stars in her eyes as well. Lorcan and Lysander followed their mother into Ravenclaw but stuck to Lily and Lucy like glue. Alice and Frank were their father's children, but Susan followed her namesake, who was her mother's best friend. Juliet Wood was her father's daughter and never seemed to stop fighting with James until their seventh year. No wonder McGonagall burst into tears. Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy was his father in looks but nothing like him in attitude. He was Slytherin but as his mother was Hufflepuff he had no discriminations. He became Albus' best friend, along with Rose. Those two were much like Ron and Hermione. All the many others seemed to know each other through their parents. Like a vast expanded family spanning every house and every year. All different. Some fragile and naïve. Some strong and brash. Some bookish and some troublemakers. Some splitting images that reopen old wounds and some entirely their own person. But, the rift had been fixed.

That's the truth. That's the story of the founder's. of the discrimination and prejudices. Of the rift and rivalry. How the war began and ended. The aftershocks and how they all ended up. It may be tempting fate, but like think we finally got a fairytale ending. If a bit bittersweet. That's all that counts in the end. Now don't just stand there! Go one! Don't linger in the headmistress' office!