A young boy of age eleven stood inside of the castle walls, his bright blue eyes eager for when the doors would open and he would be sorted (hopefully) into Gryffindor. He was damp from the crossing across the great lake, but this didn't dampen the young boy's spirits. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet with excitement.

He looked around him and saw all of his fellow first years looking either agitated, worried, nervous, cocky, or excited. All in all, the room outside of the Great Hall was very quiet.

He noticed a young boy next to him with little, faded pink spots on his skin, an unmistakable case of dragonpox.

Poor bloke, thought the young boy. He also noticed that all the other kids around the kid with dragonpox wearily kept their distance. He seemed very put-down by this.

The young boy walked right up to the boy with dragonpox and thrust put his hand for the boy to shake.

"Hi!" said the young boy. "I'm Albus. Albus Dumbledore."

The boy with dragonpox seemed startled at first for someone to talk to him, but thankfully took Albus's hand. "I'm Elphias Doge."

Albus gave him a friendly smile. The doors to the Great Hall opened, revealing four long tables that were almost all the way full; there was just enough room for ten or so first years to take the vacant space. The huddle of firstyears began to bustle into the Great Hall.

"Best of luck," said Albus to Elphias.

Elphias nodded. "You too."

One of the Heads of Houses began to call out names, after which the Sorting Hat yelled out the various houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin.

Both Albus and Elphias grew more and more jittery as the Professor grew closer to the D's.

"Comito, Rose?"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Cyton, Michael?"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Dapple, Minnie?"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Dexter, Lacey?"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Doge, Elphias?"

Elphias grew extremely still, his eyes bulging out of his head. It was only after Albus gave him a hearty shove that Elphias walked shakily up to the stool and the Sorting Hat was lowered onto his head. After a split second of deliberation, the Sorting Hat cried, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table and Albus burst into applause as a very faint looking Elphias sat down at the table.

"Dunright, Senstra?"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Dumbledore, Albus?"

Albus practically sprinted to the stool, a few people at their tables laughed slightly and the professor said, "Eager, are you?"

Albus viciously nodded his head. The professor chuckled as Albus seated himself on the stool, sitting perfectly still as the Sorting Hat was lowered onto his head, falling over his eyes a bit so that he could no longer see his fellow students.

"Hmm," Albus could her the Sorting Hat say. "Lots of potential, yes... Lots of eagerness to please and learn, much bravery, your loyalty is great... Such a brilliant young mind... Yes, I can definitely see you becoming a great and influential wizard someday, it's all here in your head... Such a difficult decision, where shall we put you? I think that I've got it..."

There was a few heart-pounding moments as the Sorting Hat deliberated in silence. Then, in an earsplitting roar, he cried

"GRYFFINDOR!"

A huge grin spread across Albus's face. He punched his fists into the air, much to the amusement of his fellow students. He raced to the Gryffindor table, where he felt multiple sets of hands pat his back. He didn't know how, but young Albus was certain that he would one day

become a great wizard.