Gryffindor are the brave ones. The goody-goodies, supposedly the best house. Slytherin is the evil one, but they're just more ambitious than the rest. They still have hearts. Hufflepuffs are the friendly ones. They're loyal and they make friends for life, unless you went and killed their pet owl. They're very protective like that. And there are the Ravenclaws, the nerds. Learning is what seems to be their goal in life. Brave, ambitious, loyal, smart; the houses in four words. If this is so, where do I belong?

I came to Hogwarts five years ago, so I'm fifteen, almost sixteen. I'm the only person in my year to be in no house.  Yes, that's right, no house. It was so embarrassing to hear my name called to sit on the stool and try on the hat. Going in front of many people is a fear of mine. So it was even more embarrassing to not hear a shout from it, proclaiming my house. I was the first in three decades to have no house.

So the solution was to have my own dorm, but no common, to stay in a different house every two months, or to change my house every year and then to get sorted my fifth again. So of course, I chose the last one. Correction: my dad chose for me. He came to the castle, by floo powder, to decide what was best for me, without even asking. Yes, I would have chosen it, but Dad's too over-protective.

Anyway, my first four years were in different houses, and now I had to get sorted again. Of course, I could ask to drift some more, but that isn't much fun. It can be fun, I got loads of friends as the result, but I wasn't close to anyone.  I had no on to tell secrets to. First year, Ravenclaw; I got some good study habits, but they care more about school than friends. Second, Hufflepuff; they taught me to be friendly, but thought of me as an outcast. Third, Slytherin; these people could be fun but were way depressing. Fourth and last, Gryffindor; these people were fun too, but they were too goody-goody. No one really cared about me though; they just wanted information on the other houses. I didn't care at the time, but now, I want some friends.

Now, to the present. I'm on the train to Hogwarts. I've got my own compartment and I was reading a muggle book: Shade's Children, by Garth Nix. Muggles have this reading genre, science fiction, that I find almost addictive. I was about a third of the way through my book when the compartment door flew open.

"Hey, Karina. Mind if we--"

"Sit? We've been kind of--"

"Kicked out of ours."

It's hard to talk to the Weasley twins sometimes. We're in the same year, but no one would ever guess it. I'm quiet, while they, well, aren't. They finish each other's sentences all the time, while I barely can put one together. They can be cute, but they're annoying mostly. And, if they hadn't grown this summer, I would still be taller than them.

"Hey Frege." I was just in their house, so we were still kind of close. I call them both 'Frege' when they're together. "You guys didn't get kicked out, so don't lie. You want to know what house I'll be in, don't you?"

They looked at each other and seemed to be speaking telepathically.

"Well, yes. We saw that--"

"You're wearing first year robes."

"Do you get to choose--"

"Your house or what?"

Fred and George took a seat across the compartment from me. They were kind of cute; Fred had a really noticeable freckle above his left eye, while George had one on his right. They both had the same red, messy hair. I imagined running my fingers though it. I mentally slapped myself. I really need to stop daydreaming. "I get to try on that old hat again. I've got no idea what house I'll be in."

"Well," Fred started. It seemed as if he was saying this without his brother's input. "I hope you're in Gryffindor." George rolled his eyes and Fred hit his brother. "You made a great one last year." George started laughing, but Fred went on. "Plus, you look good in red and gold." By now, George was on the ground, laughing his head off.

I smiled. He was nice, but I don't think he meant it. Well, not at the time. "I'm not sure I want to be in Gryffindor…It's nice, but so is Slytherin. But Slytherin is too ambitious for me sometimes…Ravenclaw, too nerdy for me. Hufflepuffs scare me. Slytherin or Gryffindor." I laughed, but stopped. "I'll probably end up drifting again," I said bitterly. Drifting was something I really didn't want to do.

"Isn't that hard?" Fred asked, looking concerned.

"You have no idea." I was about to go into my whole spiel, but stopped myself. Why would I tell them? It's not like they really cared.

A large voice was heard, saying that we were about to arrive at Hogwarts. I shooed the Weasley twins out, so I could put all my things together. The train arrived at Hogwarts moments later. I stepped out and looked at the castle. "Gorgeous," I whispered to myself. I noticed Professor McGonagall walking toward me. "Hullo Professor."

"Miss Nepas. You do know that you're to be sorted today, right?"

"Yes."

"You'll be coming to the castle in the carriages, but you'll be sorted with the first years."

My jaw dropped. I was to be sorted with the little firsties? "Professor, please don't make me go up there like a little firstie," I pleaded.

"Well, I suppose you don't have too, but then you'd be a drifter again."

I groaned. "Can I be sorted before all the first years? Get it over with first?" She nodded and I smiled. It couldn't be that bad, could it?

Before I knew it, I was in the great hall, standing in the front will all the new first years. I looked up at McGonagall, knowing what would happen. She went into her little speech for the first years and paused before saying the first name. "Before we sort the first years, we have a fifth year that needs to find her house. Karina Nepas." I sucked in my breath and slowly walked up to the stool, ignoring the fact that everyone was staring at me. McGonagall smiled and whispered, "Relax, you'll be placed." I smiled shakily back at her and sat upon the stool as she placed the hat on my head.

A/N: I got kind of bored with my other fics. Hope you like this one. Once I get five reviews I'll add a new chapter. I'll do that with every chapter, so I hope it'll encourage you people to review more. Hee =P

9/10: I fixed a misspelling. Woo. Still waiting for four more reviews!