The Sorting

A/N So hey, I decided to write this, after a while of debating with myself. It's going to be a bunch of one shots about the sortings of all of the characters. Have you ever wondered what it was like when Lily Evans put on the sorting hat? What about Albus Potter? Dumbledore? What about Luna Lovegood? I'm going to be doing all of those people, plus more! I'm also going to be doing a Hogwarts Express thing at the beginning, like Lily Evan's Hogwarts Express adventure, or Albus Potter's worries about Slytherin. Even Colin Creevey! I'll be taking requests for characters, and if you know the house they end up in, that would be helpful too. Real characters, please! No OCs... Unless I say so, later in the series. OK, so first chapter will be... Ginny Weasley!

"There it is Ginny, there's the train!" Ginny thought to herself, excited about finally getting to go to Hogwarts, after seeing Bill and Charlie and Percy, and everyone else go. Now it was her turn. Her stomach was churning with anticipation, and she had saved her pocket money her whole life for the trolley with all the wonderful HoneyDukes candies. Her mother pulled her into a strangling hug, and for a few moments Ginny couldn't breathe, but then her mother let go, and with tears in her eyes, said goodbye to Ginny, before busying herself with fixing Fred's robe. Ginny said good bye to her father, before boarding the train, and setting off to find a compartment.

Ginny had no trouble finding a compartment, but it wasn't empty. There was one girl in there. She had long, wast length, dirty blond hair, and was reading a magazine.

"Is this seat taken?" She asked, her voice cracking from nervousness. The blonde turned toward her, and Ginny took a step back. She was wearing some sort of huge, purple, radish in her hair, and had pineapple slices hanging from her ears. The girl seemed to notice Ginny's startled expression.

"Oh, don't worry, it's free. Just watch out for the nargles, they're infesting that seat." She said in a dreamy, faraway voice, that both calmed and freaked out Ginny. "I'm Luna Lovegood, by the way." She said, getting back into her magazine.

"I'm Ginny. Ginny Weasley. Lovegood... Doesn't your Dad publish that magazine? The Dribbler or something?" She said, sitting down on the plush seat, and getting her diary out.

"Oh, yes, my daddy writes the Quibbler. We just did a big story on how the Minister has been exterminating Crumple Horned Snorkacks for fun." She said, not looking at Ginny, but at he ceiling, as if there was a Crumble Toed Snacker up there. Or was it Crinkle Fingered Sticker?

"You know, this compartment has a bunch of Wrackspurts." She said, getting Ginny out of her daze.

"What is a WrockSpart?" She said, deciding that if this was the only friend she would make, she might as well make good use of it. Luna began to answer, but was interrupted by a large mass of bushy hair opening the big, glass door.

"Has anyone seen Harry or Ron?" She asked, before noticing that Ginny was in this compartment. "You're his sister, aren't you? Ginny, right?" She said, and Ginny nodded.

"Where's my brother? What's happened to him? She asked, all nervousness melting away at the mention of her brother missing.

"No one knows. I've asked Oliver Wood, and Fred and George, and Alicia and Angelina and Lee, even Neville, but no one knows where they are!" Hermione replied, her bushy hair flying as she sighed.

"Who are you, anyway?" Asked Ginny, having only seen Hermione once last year.

"I'm Hermione Granger. I'm Harry and Ron's best friend! I'm really worried about them. I've checked every compartment on the train!" She said, plopping herself down in the seat next to Ginny. "They're not here! What if they're hurt, or worse! What if they're expelled!" She cried, grabbing a tissue and wiping her eyes. Ginny put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and looked out the window. She saw a few trees and a flying car.

"Wait, what? No, I must have just imagined it. The only flying car I know of is Dad's, and Mum and Dad drove it home after we got on the train... Or did they?" She thought, staring harder out the window for some sign of the Ford Anglia. She didn't see anything out of they ordinary, so she looked back into the compartment, where Luna was now trying to comfort Hermione, who was sniffling into her hands, her eyes swollen and red.

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" The nice witch entered their compartment, pulling a trolley filled with sweets of all kinds. Ginny jumped up at once. She had saved 17 Galleons for this occasion, and she was going to get a sugar rush if it killed her! She pulled out the bag of money, jingling it happily, and bought one of everything that looked good, plus a bucket load of Chocolate Frogs.

"Here, Hermione, take some candy... 'm sure they're safe, just calm down..." Ginny reassured Hermione, putting one of the chocolate delicacies in her hand. The bushy haird preteen stared at it for a second, before enveloping Ginny in a breathtaking hug that rivaled her mother's.

"Thank you, Ginny..." She sighed, letting go and opening he purple package. The frog jumped out, trying to make a desperate bout for escape. Luna grabbed it, handing it back to Hermione before getting back into her Quibbler.

The rest of the train ride went by in a flash. Ginny, getting bored after an hour, opened her diary to write to Tom. Tom was wonderful, he understood her perfectly. He wrote back, he was patient, and it really helped Ginny with her worries. She wrote for another hour, and, as the train slowed, said a quick goodbye to Tom, and put on her hand-me-down school robes.

The train ride over, Ginny now had a fresh worry on her mind. The sorting. Ron had told her it was just a hat, but still... What about Slytherin? What if she was Hufflepuff? Would her family disown her? She was worried.

Ginny had heard about Hagrid, the giant gamekeeper, from Ron last summer. He was as large as Ron had described, almost 10 feet tall, towering over the terrified students. He led them around to the boats, which would take them to Hogwarts.

The first sight of the castle was as good as Ron had described it. A collective gasp emerged from the mass of 11 year olds, looking up at the towering black mass of stone, with it's windows twinkling invitingly. Ginny's worries left her for a moment, as she stared at the huge brick castle in front of her. It was beautiful.

Hagrid ushered them into the boats, telling them loudly that they could only hold four people.

Ginny got in, worry refilling her gut, and she sighed. Hogwarts, here I come!

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She was very intimidating, with her black, sleek, hair tied in a bun, and her emerald robes swishing around her legs. She was going to be her head of house, if all went well, in a few minutes.

Minerva McGonnagal led the terrified clot of robes into the main hall. It was almost as breathtaking as the outside of the castle, with candles floating around magically and the ceiling reflecting the dark, starry sky outside. McGonnagal led them to the center of the hall, then placed a stool in the center of the room. A hat was on top, the Sorting Hat, and, as Ginny watched, a rip opened up near the brim, and it began to sing. Ginny was entranced by the beauty of the song, and, at the end, was snapped out of her reverie by McGonnagal unrolling a big roll of paper, and began to call out names.

Countless names went by, faster and faster, some Ravenclaws, some Gryffindors, some Slytherin, and some Hufflepuff.

"Lovegood, Luna!" Called out Professor McGonnagal. Ginny snapped her head up in time to see Luna prance up to the stool. There was no doubt what she was going to be, and, in a matter of seconds, was declared a Ravenclaw by the Hat.

Before long, Ginny's name was called. She hurried up to the hat, tripping slightly. She could feel her brother's staring at her, but, as she put on the hat, the entire world slipped into darkness as the hat's brim slipped over her eyes.

"Well, well, another Weasley, eh?" Said a small voice in her ears. Her head tried to jerk around to look behind her, but she was stuck there, as if by magic.

"Hmmm... You seem brave, but smart too. Courageous, but intelligent. So what'll it be?" Said the hat.

"Gryffindor...Gryffindor..." She thought desperately.

"Gryffindor, eh? Alright. GRYFFINDOR!" That last part was vocal, and before she knew what was happening, she was being welcomed into the Gryffindor table, sitting next to Percy. As if a weight was lifted off her shoulders, she laughed, relief spreading quickly through her body. Now she just had to get through the year...

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A/N So what did you think? Should I do more? Give me some suggestions in the comments, anything will do, just no OCs...yet. Remember, read and review!