Lucy Weasley stared around the platform, her heart was beating very quickly, and her palms were sweaty. It was the first day of school, and she felt very nervous. Unlike her older sister Molly, who had looked forward to her first year at Hogwarts, Lucy had dreaded it. She didn't want to leave her family for so long.

At the moment, her parents were putting her luggage on the train. She was left alone with Molly, who had a prefects badge on her chest. The older girl was smiling smugly at the Gryffindors who walked past with parents. It had been a dreadful summer for Lucy because of her older sister. She had been told several times by the girl that she would be watched over closely.

"Well," Percy Weasley said as he stepped off the train and rubbed his hands together. "This is it, Lucy, I know you'll make me proud."

Lucy just nodded. She knew what was expected of her. She would be sorted in Gryffindor house, just like her older sister and her parents. She also knew her father expected her to be prefect when she started her fifth year. This all made her very nervous, though she would never admit it. She glanced at her mother who was whispering in Molly's ear.

"Please take care of your little sister," Lucy heard her say.

This made her feel angry, but she didn't change her expression to show that she was upset. Instead, she allowed her parents to hug her good-bye. Molly then took her hand and led her onto the train.

"Of course I don't want you sitting with me. I have to go to the prefects carriage first, because I am a prefect, and then I am going to sit with my friends. I will come to you later to see if you are all right," Molly was saying.

"That's fine," Lucy muttered, inwardly she was thinking that she didn't want to sit with her sister anyway.

Molly took her into an empty compartment where her trunk was and bid her goodbye. Relieved, Lucy sat back and stared out the window. She could see her parents on the platform, but they were talking to some of her aunts and uncles. She could see many of her younger cousins running around. Lucy sighed.

She came from a large family of cousins, who were all very close, and most were the same age. Unfortunately for her, she didn't have a cousin starting at Hogwarts with her, so she would be starting her first year all alone. Molly had started with two of their cousins, but neither cousin wanted anything to do with Molly because she was arrogant and smug. In fact, many of the Weasley children felt the same way.

Figuring it was going to be a long train ride, Lucy stood up onto the seat to open her trunk. She had packed a book to read, so she rummaged through her trunk until she found it. She found a comfortable position to sit, and began to read. She wasn't through the first page when the compartment door opened, and two people stepped in. Lucy looked up from the book to see a boy and girl, both had brown hair, and brown eyes. They were tall, so she didn't think they were first years.

"Hullo," the girl said. "Mind if we sit here?"

Lucy shrugged and waved her arm at the seats across from her to show that it was empty.

"Thank you," the boy said.

Lucy watched as they put their trunks in the luggage rack, and then they sat down across from her. The two had similar features, so she wondered if they were twins.

"Ooh, you like "The Little Witch Series" too?" The girl asked as she pointed at Lucy's book. "I adore them. I'm on book number sixteen."

"Really?" Lucy asked interested.

The Little Witches Series was a popular fictional book in the wizarding world for witches. It had forty-nine different books , and was all about a pair of witches who solved mysteries. Lucy was on book forty-eight. She was looking forward to book fifty, which would be coming out after Christmas. Apparently there would be a huge secret revealed.

"Oh yes," the girl said. "My name is Sally by the way, and this is my twin brother Philip. Are you starting the first year also?"

Lucy nodded. She was surprised that the two were starting their first year. They looked as if they were in the third year.

"I absolutely adore red hair," Sally said as she looked at Lucy's hair, which was in pigtails courtesy of her mother. Audrey Weasley insisted on treating her youngest daughter as if she were five, instead of eleven. She didn't want to accept the fact that her children were growing up, in fact Lucy recently overheard an argument between her parents about whether or not they should have another child.

"You must be a Weasley," Philip said. "I heard all the Weasley children have red hair. Our father went to school with your Uncle Harry. He says the Weasley's are like rabbits."

Lucy had heard people say that as well, and it annoyed her.

"I have many cousins yes," she said. "I like having a large family. What is your last name?"

"Smith," Sally answered. "And I am sorry about my brother, he has a big mouth. I wish we had a big family but we don't. We don't have any other brothers and sisters. Do you have many siblings?"

Lucy shook her head and explained that Molly was her only sister. The train had started to move shortly after the twins had sat down. Lucy glanced out the window and watched as the country-side flew by. She soon found herself explaining her entire family to the Smith's who started to ask her questions. They mainly asked her about her Uncle Harry and his kids.

At times it could be hard coming from a famous family. The wizarding world knew a lot about her family, and there were times when their pictures had been taken in Diagon Alley by the nosy press. It had happened that summer when her parents had taken her out shopping for her school supplies. The next day, her picture had been on the second page of the Daily Prophet, underneath the caption had read: The next Weasley to start at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. What can we expect from her?

There were many people like Philip Smith who talked about how the Weasley's and their many offspring.

"So, what about your family?" Lucy finally asked after an hour of talking.

They didn't arrive at Hogwarts until later that evening. It had grown dark outside, and the lanterns in the train were lit. The twins and Lucy had changed into their school robes long ago. By then, she had relaxed around the two. The three had spent the majority of the train ride playing exploding snap.

As they neared the Hogsmeade station, Lucy and Sally had started a conversation about The Little Witches series, which was boring Philip. The boy was currently looking through different chocolate frog cards. As the train slowed down, Molly peaked her into the compartment. She hadn't shown up for the entire ride, which was surprising.

"Oh good, you've made some friends," she said and then she glanced at the twins as Lucy's face went warm. "My sister Lucy is very shy, so sometimes I have to help her make friends. I do hope you'll stick around her. She needs friends. She is too much of a bookworm."

Lucy wanted to sink through the seat. She had filled the twins in on Molly, but that didn't stop her from feeling embarrassed.

"I am a bookworm as well," Sally said. "I think we'll get along just fine."

"It's true, she is," Philip said as he rolled his eyes. "I'm glad she has met a fellow nerd."

Sally smacked him. Molly just shrugged, and then told them that it was time to get off the train because it had stopped, but to leave their luggage. We know Lucy thought to herself, for a voice had told them that about five minutes earlier. However, she didn't say anything. She followed her older sister out of the compartment and off of the train.

The older students were walking towards some horseless carriages, Lucy thought she spotted some of her older cousins among them. Meanwhile, a familiar voice was calling out:

"Firs' years this way! Firs years!"

Rubeus Hagrid, or Hagrid as he preferred people to call him, was an old family friend. He also worked at Hogwarts. He would be leading the first years to the castle. There was already a small group of first years crowding around him, though some seemed to hang back a bit. Lucy figured it was because of his size. He could seem scary because he was the twice the size of a normal person, but he was actually quite harmless.

Lucy and the twins approached him, the twins seemed nervous but Lucy assured them.

"I've known him for years, he is half-giant, that's why he is so big."

"We've heard of him," Philip said. "Our father said that he is also a big drunken oaf! Half giant! Giants are supposed to be really mean... and our father said he isn't very bright. The only reason he has the Care of Magical Creatures job was because Dumbledore felt sorry for him. I don't understand why he hasn't been canned yet. Our father said a Slytherin boy was attacked in one of his classes when he was in school."

Lucy was angry, usually she kept silent but she was about to retort when Hagrid asked if all the first years were there. She liked Sally an awful lot, but she wasn't sure if she would like Philip. She hoped that whatever house he was in, she wouldn't be there. He wasn't a very nice boy, and as Sally had rightly put it earlier, he didn't know how to keep his mouth shut.

The first years followed Hagrid down a steep path until they were led to an opening at the lake. Across the lake was the large castle with every window lit up. Everyone let out an excited gasp, including Lucy. It looked so magnificent across the lake, sitting on a high mountain. The lights reflected in the water.

There were many boats sitting in the water. Four people could fit in a boat, while Hagrid took up a boat by himself. Lucy and the twins joined an overweight girl in one of the boats. The girl gave them a shy smile and then gasped as the boats all lurched forward, and began to speed across the lake. There was nothing directing the boats, so it must have been magic that helped them along.

Several people were looking in the water for the famous giant squid. Many wizarding children had grown up hearing about it from their parents. Her father had told her to stay away from the lake because she couldn't swim very well, but it didn't stop her from leaning over the edge a little like many of the other students.

When they arrived on the other side of the lake, they followed Hagrid up a steep bank. When they arrived at the castle, he led them up stone steps, right up to an oak door, which he knocked on. The door was opened by a very ancient, but tiny wizard, who Lucy knew to be Professor Flitwick. She thought he might have been part elf because of his size. She had known him for years because of her family. Many people were surprised that he was still a teacher. Every year he claimed it was his last, but he always came back. Many people wondered if he would end up like Professor Binns, the History of Magic teacher. He had died in his sleep, but continued to teach at the school as a ghost.

"Welcome first years!" He squeaked and then smiled up at Hagrid. "Thank you for bringing them, Hagrid. Follow me, children."

They were led into a spacious Entrance Hall. Lucy thought her entire house could fit into it. It was lit by many flickering torches which gave it kind of a gloomy look. She saw the hour house hour glasses on the wall. She knew that soon she would be watching the red hour glass beat the rest of the houses. What if I am not though? She wondered and felt a shiver go down her spine as her eyes rested on the green hour glass representing Slytherin.

A year ago, her cousin Albus had worried about going in Slytherin because his older brother, James had told him he probably would be. It had been an ongoing argument for most of the summer. Everyone had reassured them that it would be all right if he did end of in Slytherin, but in the end Albus became a Gryffindor. Lucy hadn't thought much about it until that moment. She knew there wasn't anything wrong with Slytherin, some of the friends of the family were from that house. However, she didn't think her father would be okay with it And she didn't even want to think of how Molly would react.

The first years were led past a door where many voices came from. Lucy assumed that was where the Great Hall was. She felt shaky as she thought about how she would have to stand up in front of all those people. She just hoped that her cousins wouldn't make a scene. They were known for doing that...

Professor Flitwick took them all into a little chamber where he explained to them the four different houses at Hogwarts, and the sorting before he disappeared through a door. Lucy was still standing with the twins, who looked nervous. She glanced around the room at the many students. Some were whispering together, while other people looked around nervously.

She noticed one boy who was slouched against the wall. He had an indifferent look on his face, as if he were bored. He had black hair, and as he noticed her looking at him, she noticed he had dark brown eyes as well. He raised his eye brows as if to say what are you staring at? Embarrassed, she looked away. Her eyes rested on the girl who had shared the boat with her and the twins. She was very pale, and looked as if she would throw up.

Moments later, Professor Flitwick returned and told the first years to line up. Lucy got behind Sally. Once they were all lined up, they walked out the door that the teacher had came through, and into the Great Hall.

The room was very large, and had five different tables. The teachers table was at the front of the Hall, and faced the students. The four house tables were in four horizontal lines. Hundreds of students sat at them, in front of each student were golden plates and goblets. At the end of each tables there was a space, which Lucy assumed was for the sorted first years.

The Hall was lit by thousands of floating candles. Lucy glanced up at them and saw the ceiling her parents and cousins had described. It was bewitched to look like the sky. At the moment it was a cloudless night, so one could see many stars. As she stared she noticed a shooting star. She knew people wished on them at times. I hope I will succeed at Hogwarts without Molly interfering.

They were made to line up in front of the teachers table, and behind a stool where a very old, and slightly burnt hat stood. Lucy already knew that it was going to be a hat that sorted them. Her parents had told her so she wouldn't be nervous. Her cousins, Fred and James had told her that she would have to fight a manticore. She hadn't believed them, but she had still asked her parents how they really would be sorted.

Everyone in the Great Hall had their eyes on the sorting hat, waiting for it to sing. Lucy glanced over at the table which had a red and gold hanging over with it, with a picture of a lion. She spotted many of her red haired cousins sitting at the table, all of their eyes were on her. She smiled at them, before she looked back at the hat, which began to sing.

Long long ago in centuries past,

The Hogwarts four did meet.

They thought to build a school at last

That taught of magical feats.

Each had a house formed in his name

That valued different traits.

The founders sorted the children that came,

And left the rest up to fate.

Gryffindor favored the gallant,

While Hufflepuff preferred the kind.

Ravenclaw wanted the talented.

Slytherin chose those cunning of mind.

When at last they thought their work was done,

One question still remained:

Who would choose the worthy ones

When they had passed away?

Godric Gryffindor then had a thought

That his hat could do the dividing.

And that's when I was magically taught

To do all the sorting and deciding.

So now please don't hesitate

To place me on your head.

I'll tell you where you will make

All of your best friends.

Hufflepuff or Gryffindor,

Ravenclaw or Slytherin,

I know that you'll adore

Whatever house I put you in!

When the hat was done singing, Professor Flitwick stepped forward, and said:

"When I call your name, you will sit on the stool and put on the hat. When the hat calls out your house, you will sit at your new house table. Artin, Timothy."

A short boy ran forward, from the line, he pulled the hat off the stool, climbed onto the stool, and then place the hat on his head. It seemed to take a minute before it called out: "RAVENCLAW!"

A table in the middle erupted into applause. Timonthy hopped of the stool, handed the hat to Professor Flitwick and then ran over to the Ravenclaw table. Lucy wished she had a last name in the beginning of the alphabet instead of the end.

The boy with black hair was called after a while. His name was Matthew Kent. There was something about him that seemed unpleasant. She figured for sure that this boy would be a Slytherin, but to her surprise, he was put into Hufflepuff house instead.

A little while after that, Philip was called up. The hat wasn't on his head long before it put him into Hufflepuff, and then Sally followed him there. The overweight girl was also sorted there. Finally Professor Flitwick called:

"Weasley Lucy!"

A cheer erupted from the Gyrffindor table. Lucy couldn't help but grin a little, she knew it was her family. Once the hat was on head, it seemed to silence the cheers.

"Ah, another Weasley to sort. I believe there will be many more of you for me. For now, lets see where you are going to go. You seem to be a lot different from your family, and I think you would do well in Gryffindor. However, I can see what you want the most is to make friends and to be separated from your older sister."

Lucy was shocked that the hat knew how much she didn't want to be with Molly.

"Oh yes, I can see it all here. So I think you would be better in HUFFLEPUFF!"

Lucy felt a little relief as she pulled the hat off of her head. However, as soon as she did, she could hear everyone in the Great Hall again. The Hufflepuff house was cheering, but there was booing coming from the Gryffindor table.

"Re-sort! Re-sort!" Lucy recognized the voice to be James Potter's.

So it isn't a big deal if I don't end up in Gryffindor? Lucy thought sarcastically. She glanced over at the Gryffindor table where the cousins were outraged. She sought out Molly, who was staring with a look of shock on her face. She hadn't joined in out the cries of outrage. Their eyes met, and Lucy gave her a small smile. Her older sister gave a small nod, for a moment they understood each other, and then she took control of her house.

"Sit down, the sorting isn't over yet. I'm a prefect!"

Lucy grinned and then hurried to sit down at the Hufflepuff table beside Sally. She could hear Fred shouting at Molly.

"No Weasley has ever gone to any house but Gryffindor! She can't go to Hufflepuff!"

After the cousins had quieted down, the sorting resumed. Only a few more people remained, the last person was sorted into Slytherin house. After everyone was seated, Professor Flitwick carried the stool and hat away. The Headmistress stood up and smiled at everyone. She had only been at Hogwarts for a few years, having taken over after Professor McGonagall had retired.

She was an older lady, maybe in her fifties with blond hair that was slowly greying, from what Lucy had heard she was friendly but strict. Her name was Professor Selwyn Redford. She had spent the last few years trying to get the four houses to mingle with each other more than they did. When she had been at Hogwarts, she had been a Slytherin, and had been judged by the other three houses because of that. She had been cunning and ambitious, but she hadn't cared about blood purity at all. After the war, which she had apparently helped fight in, she hoped the houses would unite, but they hadn't.

From what Lucy heard, it wasn't as bad as when her parents had been in school, but it needed improvement. So Professor Redford had made it her duty to help it along better.

"Welcome First years, welcome back everyone else. Now that everyone is sorted and where they belong-" and she glanced over at the Gryffindor table sternly before she continued, "I would like to make an announcement before we enjoy the feast. For the past few years, the Ministry of Education, the school governors and I have been discussing inviting foreign students from other schools here, or for Hogwarts students to attend other schools for a year.

"Years ago, when many of your parents attended Hogwarts in fact, we hosted The Tri-Wizard Tournament. The students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons were accepted and some people even made friends. So after years of discussion, we have decided to invite students to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year. If it is successful, and I do hope it is, we plan to send students from Hogwarts to an international school in a few years time. After a long discussion, we have decided to invite students from a Canadian school here.

"Since they are from the other side of the globe, they will not be arriving until the end of the month. Three students from each year will be chosen to come visit. Now their school system is a lot different from ours, which you will learn over the course of the next month, and of course once they arrive.

Now, that being said, now is the time for Hogwarts news. Hogsmeade trips-"

Lucy stopped listening. Her family had hinted that there would be something going on at Hogwarts that year. She had kind of wondered if it would be the Twi-Wizard tournament again. She'd overheard her father mentioning foreign students. She had heard of Canada, but she wasn't sure where it was exactly.

Food suddenly appeared on the table in front of her. Professor Redford had finished her announcement. Around her people were starting a discussion about the Canadians coming to the school.

"Canadians at our school? What are they playing at?" An older boy was complaining.

"I think it will be interesting," Sally said. "I wouldn't mind meeting people from another country. I'm surprised first years are coming though. I thought it would be people of age."

"Canadian's don't even speak English, they speak French! They won't fit in here!" Philip said.

"They speak English," the shy overweight girl said and she blushed. "They speak french and English."

"What is their school like? Isn't it really cold there?" A girl with long blond hair asked.

"In some places it is," An asian girl answered. "My family visited there once. It's a nice country, but I am surprised they invited a country which is so far away from here. My parents knew that we would have foreign students here, but I thought it would be Beauxbatons or Durmstrang again."

"I knew it too," a tiny boy with a squeaky voice spoke up, "but I heard Egyptian students were coming! I am Trevor by the way, Trevor Creevey!"

Around them, the first years started to introduce themselves, all but Matthew. He hadn't even joined in on the conversation about the Canadians. He kept his eyes on the table while he ate.

"Do you think they will be sorted?" Lucy asked. "Where will they sleep?"

"Probably not but they'll probably have their own place to sleep," Philip said. "My father told me that Durmstrang slept in a ship," he then smirked at Lucy. "So that was quite the commotion your family put on. I guess it isn't acceptable for a Weasley not to be anywhere but Gryffindor. I thought your entire family went there. What happened?"

Now everyone's eyes were on her. Lucy blushed. She had hoped that no one would bring up her family outrage, but of course it had to be Philip who she was slowly developing a dislike for. She glared at him.

"The sorting hat thought I belonged here," she answered. "My cousins will get over it."

Matthew looked up from his plate and stared at her.

"If not, I'm sure if you really wanted to be Gryffindor it could happen. You have connections to Harry Potter after all. The Weasley's always seem to be granted favours just because of him. Who is your father anyway? You can't be Bill and Fleur Weasley's daughter, you don't have veela blood... that's definitely for sure."

How much more of this was she going to have to deal with? She was sick of people like Philip or Matthew. And she wasn't sure what the lastremark was supposed to mean. She wasn't as beautiful as her part Veela cousin's, but she knew she wasn't ugly.

"I like being a Hufflepuff, and even if I didn't, it wouldn't matter. I would still be here because the sorting hat's decision is final. Nobody in my family, not even my Uncle Harry could do anything about it. Not that he would anyway. And Not that it's any of your business, but my father is Percy Weasley."

"Ah, the one who walked out on his family," Matthew said. "I'm surprised you're Hufflepuff then. This house is supposed to be for loyal people."

Lucy gritted her teeth together. She wished she had been put into Gryffindor house. She had two people now who she disliked. She'd rather be with Molly instead of the two boys who were rude and judgemental.

"My father made a mistake that he was sorry for, and I'm surprised to see you're a Hufflepuff. You seem to be a judgemental jerk!" Lucy snapped. "Now leave me alone, and stop saying things about my family. You don't know any of us! Stop judging me before you know me!"

She was surprised at herself. Often when she was provoked enough, she would speak her mind but not around strangers. The first years, and many of the older students were staring. Lucy bit into a piece of chicken and chewed savagely.

"Well Lucy," Matthew said unperturbed by her outburst. "We have seven years to get to know each other, now don't we?" and with a wink he began to eat again.

When the feast was over an older girl began to call for the first years. Lucy joined her fellow Hufflepuffs as they walked over to the girl, and a boy who was standing next to her.

"Follow me," she told them. "I am going to take you to our Common Room. This will be the most direct path from the Great Hall. Of course there are other ways to do, but I'd advise you to take this way until you are comfortable around the castle. It is very easy to get lost here."

They were led past the older students to the main doors of the Great Hall. Molly was waiting by the doors with a group of first years. As they passed by, she touched Lucy's shoulder.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow. Let me know if any of our cousins give you a hard time," she said.

Lucy nodded and followed the Hufflepuffs out of the Great Hall.

A/N: More of a summary on my profile page. If you are interested in how old the New Generation is in this story, I have a list on my profile as well. It takes place a year after Albus goes to school though. This is the first of the Lucy Weasley series.