*At Hogwarts*

(Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's second year. ALL of them turned up normally *No flying car*)

Ron stared at the doors to the great hall.

'Calm down Ronald, Ginny will be fine.' Hermione said for the fifteenth time. 'She's really excited'

'Yeah! I know!' He said shaking his head 'When she's excited she always does something stupid'

'She's not you' Harry joked. Hermione laughed and Ron gave an evil look at the giant doors.

'I would give you these evils but the doors are more interesting' he said jokingly. 'I'm just worried that she'll do something she'll regret'

'Like what?' Harry asked, 'What could she possibly do?'

'Ronald's scared she'll be chosen for Slytherin Harry' Hermione said, 'But that really wouldn't be too bad. It could be worse'

'WORSE?' Ron shouted spinning back to Hermione 'What could be worse?' then he realised the door wasn't being watched and turned back around.

'Oh come on Ron. If she's going to be in Slytherin she won't change, she'd be picked for it as she ALREADY fitted it.'

'She could make friends with the wrong kind of people' Ron said evilly glancing sideways at the Slytherin table

'You sound like Malfoy' Hermione said

'He means Malfoy' Harry informed, Hermione rolled her eyes in a that-was-a-bit-obvious way.

'Look, Ron, She hates Malfoy like we do' Hermione told him putting her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to make him turn around but he never, he kept staring at the door

'She's never met Malfoy' Ron said spitefully as she removed her hand again.

'She met him in Diagon Alley, twice!' Harry replied incredulously

'Oh yeah.' Ron said realising 'hang on… twice? When was the second time?'

'The time with you was the second time' Harry replied yet again. 'The first time was with Hermione'

'We were in Madam Malkin's robe shop getting me some new robes.' Hermione said, and then in a whisper to Harry 'I felt terrible, Ginny loved the robes in there but she needed to get second hand stuff. I brought her the hat she liked when Mrs Weasley wasn't watching, but then Ginny felt bad' Hermione pulled an unhappy and guilty face.

'What did you do?' Harry asked slightly louder since Ron was no longer listening.

'I told her it'd count as her birthday present' Hermione said with a small sideward smile.

'In Diagon Alley she wouldn't get just how bad Malfoy could be' Ron complained

'He called me a mudblood and Ginny got so worked up at him, but I just told her everything about him. Didn't take too long' Hermione said

'What did you tell her?' Ron asked

'That he's a foul loathsome evil little cockroach who thinks he's better than everyone else just because his father is a governor of the school and that he was convicted as a death eater and got away with it because of money even though it's pretty obvious he was one.' She said matter-of-factly

'Sounds about right' Ron and Harry chorused.

'I don't know if she actually knew it was Malfoy though, just some random jerk'

Then there was a loud creak and bang. The giant golden doors opened slowly and Ron sprang to life. He was practically standing up trying to get a good view of Ginny. And he sprang around to face the front of the hall as they passed. The first years were mostly tiny except one girl who was almost as tall as Harry, she was wearing the normal school uniform but it looked odd because she had chosen a huge jumper that fell to just above her knees and almost entirely covered up the skirt that must have existed underneath, she wore the blackest tights that the group had ever seen and tiny black shoes. She looked very out of place, and she seemed to be aware of it as her face was red.

She along with the rest of the year group lined up along the teachers table facing the rest of the school, Ron put his thumb up to Ginny who looked ready to run.

'Ginny really has nothing to worry about' Hermione said. 'Even her uniform doesn't look out of place next to that girl.' Hermione whispered to Harry again and she stared at the girl who he also was watching. Ron shushed them both even though he didn't hear what they had said and watched as McGonagall placed the sorting hat on the small three-legged stool. All the first years looked pale and ill, they all stared at the hat fearfully. Its brim ripped open and started to sing its new song:

'Hogwarts was founded a thousand years ago,

By the greatest four sorcerers,

With so much to show.

They united in a school

And harmonious they would be

Apart from Slytherin,

Who made them all need me.

For they encountered disagreement,

Of what the school should hold,

Of who should dwell here

Of whom the school should mould.

Dear Gryffindor he wanted the determined and the brave at heart,

For then Hogwarts' good legacy would soon start.

Hufflepuff the loyal, wanted you to be the same,

For only then would Hogwarts remain.

While Ravenclaw thought hard, and what did she bring?

She thought it was a school so should

Allow the hard-working in.

But Slytherin decided, none of these would do

The pure of heart and cunning shall remain in school the whole way through.

So they decided to ask me,

And enchant me with what they know

So I can now choose, into which you house you'll go.'

Ron was now leaning almost completely over Hermione's empty plate, urging the sorting to begin. However Dumbledore stood up

'He doesn't usually make a speech now, does he?' Harry said

'Not usually so it's probably important, pay attention' Nearly-Headless Nick said scornfully.

'As many of you would have realised' Dumbledore began 'there are not only first years in the line up this year'

'Oooh' Hermione whispered to Harry avoiding Nearly-Headless Nick's gaze 'that's why she looks so out of place she's not a first year'

'Doesn't explain the clothes' Harry whispered back jokingly

'There is one second year in the line too, I hope those of you who are second year will welcome her into your lessons and help her with the work.' Dumbledore continued, the girl in the line was bright red now but her eyes sparked with pride as if to say she never needed any help 'let the sorting begin.'

McGonagall stepped forward and unrolled a scroll, suddenly Ron cheered and quietened up quickly as McGonagall, Ginny and Hermione all glared at him.

'When I read out your name, please come to the sit on the stool and I will place the hat on your head' McGonagall said to the first years and the second year girl 'Aberworthy, Kenneth.' A small boy jumped and shuffled over to the hat and its stool. There was absolute silence for a moment until

'HUFFLEPUFF!' the hat shouts echoed through the hall.

'Well at least we can hear it back here' said Harry cringing from the loudness 'was it always so loud?'

Another girl called Kelly Ashcroft had sat on the stool now, Harry put his hands over his ears slightly 'RAVENCLAW!' cried the hat.

'Bennett, Patricia' McGonagall said softly. A small blonde girl walked over to the hat, mumbling something to herself.

'HUFFLEPUFF!'

'Doesn't seem like it's in much of a Gryffindor mood, does it?' Harry joked.

'Harry!' Hermione said 'it doesn't matter what moo-'

'Don't blame me Ron cheered that it had shut up'

'Cara, Amy' a girl walked over to the hat and sat down gracefully, as the hat was lifted onto her head it almost looked nice on her straight hair, she was clearly the sort of girl who would look good in anything. But then the hat flopped over her eyes.

'SLYTHERIN!' it screamed