Disclaimer: I am 15, not blonde, and have short hair. Suffice it to say, I am not JK Rowling. Anything recognizable belongs to her, and I made the cover image on Doll Divine. com

Being on the train heading back to Hogwarts is one of the best in the world. No Dursleys, no cupboard, no endless amount of chores, guaranteed snacks, and food once we arrive at the castle.

"Raven, I do not know what your obsession with these things is, but here you go," my twin brother Revane said, handing me a few blood lollipops.

I snickered, enjoying his greenish look as I began sucking on one. "They're actually not that bad," I said around the lollipop in my mouth. "At least it's not real blood."

Revane rolled his blue-grey eyes, that were completely identical to my own. "Whatever you say." He suddenly straightened as Luna Lovegood walked into our compartment.

I smirked at him as his attempts to look good went to waste. "Hello, Luna," I said to my best friend. "Have you heard anything from the nargles recently?"

"I haven't," Luna said in her wistful voice. Her white blonde hair seemed even longer then it had been the year before. "But they have been talking to you, Raven. What have they shared with you?"

I took my lollipop out of my mouth. "Dark things," I said, staring at my feet but not quite noticing them. Echoes of tortured screams and grieving sobs travelled through my mind. "War is coming. It may or may not be short, but there will be death either way."

I felt Revane's shiver more then saw it. "Such cheerful fortunes you give, Raven," he said. "How about something happy. Who do I marry?"

"I do not know." I turned my gaze to Luna. Silvery grey eyes met my blue-grey. She knew what I was hiding from my brother. It was the reason why she didn't respond to his attempts to court her. There was no point in giving him hope where there was little. Though my own future looked as grim as his. I stuck my lollipop back into my mouth.

I stood. "I'm going to change." Grabbing my carry-on bag, I stepped out of the compartment and headed down the carriage corridor towards the rather small loo.

I locked the door and began to change into my Hogwarts uniform. Instead of the standard black skirt, I wore the black dress pants that the boys wore with my white button-up shirt, green and silver tie, and black sweater with green and silver hems neatly tucked into them. My black robes only reached my knees, the result of many arguments with Madame Malkins over how I refused to wear dresses.

I gathered my belongings and walked back to my compartment. Sitting down beside Luna, nearest the window, I watched the sun slowly set as the train continued its journey towards Hogwarts, a haven and a hell. I crunched on the remainder of my lollipop and placed the trash in my pocket. The remaining three were placed into my carry-on bag for stress cravings.

Luna and Revane ducked out of the compartment to change into their robes, leaving me alone. I crossed my legs and pulled out my amethyst sphere, the only truly valuable thing my relatives let me keep for the mere reason that I had more control over my magic when meditating with it.

I settled the sphere in my hands and rested my hands in my lap. I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing, hoping that delving into the ripples of time now would prevent the nightmarish visions. My magic began to pulse through the stone to the beat of my heart.

"Give me the prophecy." Lucius Malfoy's faces glared at me from the darkness between shelves of glowing orbs. His hand outstretched for something.

A woman's voice screamed, "I killed Sirius Black!"

"Harry Potter is dead!"

"Raven."

My eyes flew open as I broke out of my meditation. I looked up into Revane's eyes. "We're here."

Sure enough, the train was slowing to a halt at the Hogsmeade station. I quickly packed the sphere and followed my brother and friend off the train.

The second my feet hit the ground, a barking silver wolf and her gold mate came barrelling towards Revane and me. "Hey there, Lorien," I said, kneeling down and hugging my familiar.

"Have you been nice to the missus, Loth?" Revane asked, rubbing the gold wolf's head. As a group, we walked to the thestral-drawn carriages.

"Go on ahead," Luna said. "I need to wait for the next carriage."

"See you at the castle, Luna," I said, cutting off Revane's protest. I practically dragged my brother to the waiting carriage. "Hello, Sol, Fernando."

Sancho Fernando glared at me and my brother as we climbed into the carriage. "Did you lose your way to your muggle school, mudbloods?" Sancho's brown eyes narrowed and his mouth pulled up into a sneer.

"Couldn't have chosen more agreeable company, Raven?" Revane asked wearily.

"Ignore Fernando," I said.

"He's a Fernando too!" Revane gestured to Sol.

I rolled my eyes. Sol laughed, his green eyes dancing. "So is our sister. Sol Fernando, Ravenclaw," he said.

"Revane Evans, Gryffindor."

Fernando sniffed. "Blood traitor."

Sol shrugged his twin's comment off. "How was your Summer, Raven?"

"The usual," I said. "Though I did manage to sneak away enough to learn some martial arts from the local academy."

"What kind?"

"Taekwondo, I think."

"You don't even know what you took?" Revane burst in.

I glared at him. "I wasn't to picky on what I was taking, just that I was taking something."

Sancho groaned. "How soon do we get to the castle?"

Lorien barked a wolf laugh. Tell the pup that we will arrive momentarily.

I smirked. "Momentarily."

"How would you know, mudblood?" Sancho demanded.

"A little birdie told me."

Sancho glared at me as our carriage passed through the gates of Hogwarts. The wards slid over me like a warm blanket. Ah, it was good to be home. The carriage stopped. Fernando and Revane collided in their mad rush to get off the carriage and away from the other first.

Sol and I glanced at each other and laughed. "This would be why you had not met my brother before now," I said as we exited the carriage at a more sedate pace.

"I am unsure of who is the more reckless."

"Oh, that would be our cousin," I said with a grin.

"Ah yes, Potter would win the most reckless award now would he?"

We split up when we reached the Great Hall. The charmed ceiling still taking our breath away with the nighttime sky displayed across it. I sat down at the Slytherin table amongst my year mates, who were at best apathetic to my existence.

The Great Hall buzzed with the quiet chatter of friends catching up with each other as we all waited for McGonagell to arrive with the first years.

When the wooden double doors opened to let the first years in, the Great Hall fell silent. Everyone's eyes were on the nervous first years gathering at the front of the hall to be sorted by the Sorting Hat. I barely bothered to breathe as I waited for the Sorting Hat's song this year.

The Sorting Hat's brim opened and burst into song.

In times of old when I was new

And Hogwarts barely started

The founders of our noble school

Thought never to be parted:

Four people were using magic to place stones and wooden beams. The Sorting Hat was perched on the bearded man's head.

United by a common goal,

They had the selfsame yearning,

To make the world's best magic school

And pass along their learning.

A newer Hogwarts stood proud and tall against the blue sky. The first students were following a blonde-haired woman from the lake to the school.

"Together we will build and teach!"

The four good friends decided

And never did they dream that they

Might someday be divided,

The four founders danced around their classrooms, guiding the students through their lessons. The founder's passion evident in their shining eyes.

For were there such friends anywhere

As Slytherin and Gryffindor?

The bearded man with hair as dark as a dementor's cloak fought side by side with the brown-haired man with a small goatee. Hazel eyes defending emerald green, and emerald green eyes defending hazel.

Unless it was the second pair

Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?

The blonde-haired woman laughed at her dark-haired friend who was covered in flour. The dark-haired woman soon joined in the laughter, her brown eyes shining along with the grey eyes of her friend.

So how could it have gone so wrong?

How could such friendships fail?

Why, I was there and so can tell

The whole sad, sorry tale.

The four friends were gathered in a room. The brown-haired man with emerald eyes drew the others' attention.

Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those

Whose ancestry is purest."

The blonde woman with grey eyes stood next.

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose

Intelligence is surest."

The black-haired, bearded man with hazel eyes turned to face the others.

Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those

With brave deeds to their name,"

The dark-haired woman with brown eyes then stepped forth.

Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot,

And treat them just the same."

These differences caused little strife

When first they came to light,

For each of the four founders had

A House in which they might

Take only those they wanted, so,

For instance, Slytherin,

Took only pure-blood wizards

I vaguely noticed the glares being shot my way.

Of great cunning, just like him,

The brown-haired man stood beneath the Slytherin banner. His arms outstretched as he faced his chosen students.

And only those of sharpest mind

Were taught by Ravenclaw

The blonde-haired woman stood beneath the Ravenclaw banner surrounded by her students as she pointed out interesting things to the curious children.

While the bravest and the boldest

Went to daring Gryffindor.

The bearded man stood in front of his students beneath the Gryffindor banner. In one hand he held the Sword of Gryffindor, in the other he held his wand, ready to defend his students.

Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,

And taught them all she knew,

The dark-haired woman gathered her students around her beneath the Hufflepuff banner.

Thus the Houses and their founders,

Retained friendships firm and true.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony

For several happy years,

Groups of students from all four Houses walked through the hallways of the newly built school.

But then discord crept among us

Feeding on our faults and fears.

The Houses that, like pillars four,

Had once held up our school,

Now turned upon each other and,

Divided, sought to rule.

Friends from other Houses turned on each other in fear. Pointing fingers and yelling insults before slinking back within their Houses.

And for a while it seemed the school

Must meet an early end,

What with duelling and with fighting

And the clash of friend on friend

Spells flashed from opposing wands as the owners' swords clashed together. Their faces clenched in anger as their deadly dance continued.

And at last there came a morning

When old Slytherin departed

And though the fighting then died out

He left us quite downhearted.

As the brown-haired man turned his back on the school he loved, realisation dawned within the students' eyes, but instead of uniting, they turned away from each other, certain that it was the others' fault.

And never since the founders four

Were whittled down to three

Have the Houses been united

As they were once meant to be.

And now the Sorting Hat is here

And you all know the score:

I looked up at the Sorting Hat which seemed to be almost regretful.

I sort you into Houses

Because that is what I'm for,

But this year I'll go further,

Listen closely to my song:

Though condemned I am to split you

Still I worry that it's wrong,

Though I must fulfil my duty

And must quarter every year

Still I wonder whether sorting

May not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,

The warning history shows,

For our Hogwarts is in danger

From external, deadly foes

And we must unite her

Or we'll crumble from within.

I have told you, I have warned you...

Let the Sorting now begin.

The Great Hall burst into quiet murmurs at the conclusion of the Sorting Hat's song. I twisted my mother's golden wedding ring around my right forefinger. So the Hat was intelligent enough to sense the coming war and convey a warning. I glanced around the Great Hall. Very few students were taking its warning to heart, the majority was what was most likely the muggle-born and muggle-raised among the first years. I bit my bottom lip. They were too young to make the difference needed.

McGonagell gathered the hall's attention by starting to read out the names of the first years.

"Abercrombie, Euan."

A small boy who was visibly shaking walked up to the stool and sat down upon it. The Sorting Hat was lowered onto his head.

"Gryffindor!"

As Euan ran off to join his housemates, I wondered, not for the first time, what would have happened if I had been sorted there with my brother and cousin.

"Zeller, Rose."

"Hufflepuff!"

I glanced once more at the Gryffindor table and shook my head. No, it was better that I was sorted into the one house that was guaranteed to hate me, at least I knew the score.