"Gryffindor!" The Sorting Hat bellowed and my whole body froze. Gryffindor? Oh, no, no. I was supposed to be a Slytherin! Just like my brothers and my mother and father, like every Kirkland before me! Kirklands were Slytherins - not Hufflepuffs, not Ravenclaws and most certainly not Gryffindors.

"T-There must have been a mistake!" I quietly stammered to myself. My cheeks flushed scarlet as I caught sight of my brothers - Scott, Patrick and David - their mouths hung open in utter disbelief.

"There has been no mistake, Mr. Kirkland." McGonagall assured me. "You belong to Gryffindor. You'll be a fine edition to my house. I know you Kirklands are recognised for your Slytherin-based family and this is quite the shock, but you, my dear boy, are a Gryffindor!" She lightly tapped my shoulder and ushered me towards the table of my new house. I hopped off the stool and bit my lip a little too harshly. A few of the older years, including one of the prefects, nodded at me politely. I didn't receive the response most did. Usually, the Gryffindors would be bouncing up and down in excitement at gaining a new house member. I, however, proved to be an exception.

I hesitantly scuffled my way over to the table. Suddenly, without warning, a smiling boy with his wire-framed glasses askew and the bluest eyes I'd ever seen threw his arm around me. He stood a good deal taller than I and he felt a lot heavier, too.

"Welcome aboard!" He cheered. "This means that you're awesome and brave too, right?"

"U-Uh..." I stuttered dumbly.

"Don't worry! I'm the hero!" He loudly proclaimed. "My name's Alfred F. Jones and I'm Gryffindor's newest hero! Besides you, of course, but you don't really seem like the heroic type, I mean, brave and all, sure, but-"

"Quiet! Sit down, they're still sorting first years!" A bushy-haired third year scolded us. The red-haired boy beside her rolled his eyes at her antics and earned a book to the head in return. Opposite them sat an amused boy with an oddly distinctive scar.

"Sorry," Alfred gushed. He pulled me down and forced me to sit on the bench. I shot one last glance towards my brothers - my disappointed and somewhat disgusted brothers - our parents were bound to isolate me from the family even further.

"Why does everyone keep on givin' ya' funny looks?" Alfred asked innocently. I continued to tear my bottom lip with my teeth. "I'm a Kirkland. Kirklands are Slytherins." I frowned.

"Well," Alfred snorted. "You're a nice change, right? Refreshing... Merlin's beard, your eyebrows are huge..." He commented.

"Scott's spell went wrong." I responded almost instantly, aggravated. The boy was already getting on my nerves.

"They look kinda' like baby Puffskeins!" He smirked.

"Bloody git!" I seethed. "Leave me alone... I've just been sorted into the wrong house and I'm going to get disowned because of it!"

I let my head hit the polished wood of the table. Alfred rubbed circles into my back; I arched forwards at the contact.

"There, there now Artie," he whined patronisingly. I groaned.

"Shut up, American..." I mumbled. I hoped he was American, especially after the encounter with the apparent Canadian on the train. That didn't end well.

A faint cry of 'Slytherin' in the background taunted me. I bit my lip harder.

"Hey, what's your wand made out of?" I turned my head on the cool surface of the table to find the idiot twirling my wand between his fingers.

"Unicorn hair and hazel, nine-and-three-quarter inches, now give it back!" I mumbled. He passed me the wand.

"Awesome! Mine's dragon heart-string and ebony, twelve-and-a-half inches." He smiled.

"Please leave me alone," I begged whilst burying my head into my arms.

"No can do, Artie!" He practically shouted. The bushy-haired girl demanded he lower his volume for a second time as her fingers twitched on the spine of her thick book.

"Hermione!" The ginger scrunched up his nose as the girl attacked him again, for whatever reason.

"You know, I have a brother too! He's Canadian and he's been sorted into Hufflepuff and his wand is maple and dragon heart-string!" Alfred babbled about anything and everything.

"Mattie said he met a French boy who has Veelas as relatives! Ain't that cool?"

"Sure Alfred."

"I want to duel! Promise me you'll have a duel with me soon!"

"Of course, Alfred."

"We're gonna' be best friends, Artie-"

"Don't call me that!"

I was almost heartbroken. I'd been sorted into the completely wrong house. I'd never be able to live it down. Despite this, I found myself unable to frown. I cracked a small grin as the final student was sorted into Ravenclaw; even though Slytherin was out of my reach, happiness wasn't. The American would surely keep me on my toes.

Things were going to get undeniably interesting.

Author's notes: I have revised this chapter. I found a few mistakes and corrected them (20th of May, 2012). I'd like to thank West26058, Awesome Fangirl and The UK's Most Awesome for being the first three reviwers; I will reply to your reviews separately.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hidekaz Himaruya's Hetalia Series and neither do I own J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter Universe. I do not own any characters belonging to the universes, or any locations, etc., etc..

As implied, this story starts with Harry, Ron and Hemione in their second year. This means that Ginny, for example, is in her second year and Alfred and Arthur (As well as Matthew and a whole host of other characters) are in their first year. It does tie in with the canon-Harry Potter universe, so in Alfred and Arthur's first year the Prisoner of Azkaban will be at large.

Thank you for reading and reviewing,

~Iggyloid.