Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Joss and Jo. I'm just having fun with it.

It was 10:56 AM on the first of September, and something very odd was happening in King's Cross Station. A small redheaded girl, no more than ten or eleven years old, was pushing a cart at full speed through a large crowd of people near platforms nine and ten. She would run for a few steps to gain momentum, then tightly grip the handle of the cart and put both of her feet on the back edge so she could ride it until it slowed down. The people in the crowd that was split down the middle as a result of the girl's unconventional mode of travel stopped what they were doing and watched her. They looked around for any adults who might be accompanying her, but there was no one in sight who looked concerned with anything more than the ruckus she was causing among the crowd. Strangers made eye contact with each other, shaking their heads in silent disapproval of the girl's behavior. Why was she pushing a cart with a trunk that must have been three times heavier than she was? Why, pray tell, did she have a noisy bird (it looked like an owl, but it couldn't be) in a cage on top of the trunk? These questions plagued the strangers' minds. Then, in a flash, the girl was gone. The people who had been watching her did a double take at the place where they had last seen her, but she was nowhere to be found. After a few moments of staring with gaping mouths, everyone in the crowd promptly went back to their business and tried in vain to rationalize the girl's disappearance. Most convinced themselves that the girl had simply turned a corner (there was no corner nearby), or that her parents had finally found her and scolded her atrocious behavior (her parents were not even in King's Cross at the time).

Muggles never see what's right in front of them.

Willow Rosenberg, slightly winded from her hurried trip across the station, stopped her cart just short of hitting a group of young people and their parents. She muttered an apology and pushed her cart toward the train, looking for an empty compartment. It wasn't until she was farther away from the crowd that she turned around to take in the scene. She was standing at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters from the first time ever, about to embark on the journey that would take her to her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her parents had wanted to take her to the station, but they both had important positions at the Ministry of Magic that took precedence over being with their daughter much of the time. Her father had taught her how to get onto the platform using the wagon she had played with as a child as the cart and the side of their brick house as the wall between platforms nine and ten. She didn't really need the instruction (she had read about it in Hogwarts, A History), but she had enjoyed watching him run at their house and trip over the unruly wagon when it swerved unexpectedly. They had said their goodbyes early that morning, and Willow had taken a train to King's Cross alone.

Being by herself didn't bother Willow at all. She didn't have any siblings, she was the only child in her neighborhood, and she had been home schooled all her life, so she always found ways to entertain herself. She loved reading. It had opened her mind, taught her to be imaginative, allowed her to see things she would never have noticed otherwise. Willow had spent the entire train ride to King's Cross staring out the window and taking in the scenery. She was prepared to do the same on the ride to Hogwarts, but part of her hoped she wouldn't have to. While she was fine by herself, she was looking forward to finally having an opportunity to make friends.

Willow looked at her watch. It was now 10:58, and the Hogwarts Express would be leaving in two minutes. Most students were already on the train now, but a few stragglers were hugging their parents and siblings goodbye. There were no empty compartments left, but she found one with only one other person a few cars down. A small blonde girl sat near the window, looking bored but possibly friendly. Willow made several failed attempts to lift her trunk onto the train. 10:59. Just as she was starting to panic, the blonde girl looked out the window and saw her struggling. A second later, she appeared in the doorway.

"Need a hand?" the girl asked.

"That would be great," Willow responded. "I was actually planning on sitting in your compartment. Okay, that made me sound creepy. I wasn't watching you or anything. I just don't know anybody here and I was looking for an empty compartment, but there weren't any left, and… I'm sorry. I don't have time to babble right now."

The blonde girl looked back at her. "I don't think you took a single breath while you were talking just now. That's impressive."

"Thanks, I think. Um. So. Trunk. Do you want to get this end, or—" but the girl had already lifted the trunk and started up the stairs. Willow stood gaping for a moment until the whistle blew, signaling that it was eleven o'clock and the Hogwarts Express would be pulling out of the station. She grabbed her owl and followed the blonde girl to their compartment.

The train was already moving before they settled into their seats. Willow kept her eyes fixed on her knees as she tried to think of a way to start a conversation with the girl, but to her relief, the girl spoke first.

"I'm Buffy," she said, smiling.

"Willow," she replied, looking up. "Thanks for helping me out with my trunk. You're really strong."

"Yeah, I've always been kind of naturally buff." Willow giggled. "What?" Buffy asked.

"Your name is Buffy and you're naturally buff. I don't know. It sounded funnier inside my head. Sometimes I shouldn't be allowed to say things." She shifted her gaze back to her knees.

"I think you're funny. You shouldn't talk about yourself like that." Willow didn't say anything, so Buffy continued. "Do you have any idea which House you'll be in?"

"I don't know. Both of my parents were Ravenclaws. I read a lot and I like learning, but I really have no idea where I'll end up. I think it's kind of hard to know your defining qualities when you're eleven." She furrowed her brow. "Sorting is weird."

"I guess so," Buffy said. "I've never really thought about it that way. My dad's a muggle, but my mom was a Gryffindor. I'm pretty sure I'll be one, too. I kind of can't stay out of trouble back home. In a brave way. I think."

"That sounds right for you, then. I think I could be in Gryffindor. I mean, I've never been the kind of person who looks for adventures or danger, but I don't think I've ever let fear keep me from doing anything. Being afraid of things and doing them anyway… That's kind of brave, right?"

"I think that's one of the most important kinds of bravery there is."

The two girls became fast friends. They spent the next few hours getting to know each other and talking about how excited they were to finally be starting their magical education. Just as they were finishing the sweets they had gotten from the trolley, the door to their compartment slid open and a boy with messy black hair stepped inside.

"Is there room for one more in here?" the boy asked. "There was a kind of mishap in my other compartment."

"Sure," Buffy said. "What's going on? Did someone start randomly hexing people? I hear that happens a lot on this train."

"Well… Not randomly." He took a seat next to Willow. "The mishap may have involved an insensitive joke on my part or an absent sense of humor on theirs. I'm not willing to admit which."

Buffy narrowed her eyes. "Okay," she said, "But I'll kick your butt if you try any funny business."

"She's strong," Willow added.

"Wow," said the boy. "You don't even know my name and you're both threatening to punish my ill-timed sarcasm. Two things: one, my name is Xander, and two, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

And it was.

The final few hours of the journey to Hogwarts were a blur of laugher and the beginnings of new friendship. When the train pulled to a stop, Willow, Buffy, and Xander emerged from the train proudly wearing their new robes. A humongous man with bushy hair and a beard to match appeared with a lantern.

"That's Hagrid!" Buffy said excitedly. "My mom used to help him take care of some of the animals during her free periods."

"He's…" Xander began.

"Gargantuan?" Willow suggested.

"I was going to say 'freaking huge,' but we'll go with your fifty-sickle word."

Willow gave a satisfied nod and turned to listen to Hagrid's instructions. "Firs' years!" his voice boomed over the crowd of students. "Firs' years over here!" He led them down a long, narrow path through a pitch black stretch of forest, away from the other students who were now piling into carriages that appeared to move on their own. They hadn't gone far when the students at the front of the line gasped. A few steps later, Willow could see exactly why. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry stood just beyond the lake in front of them. The castle was more beautiful in person than she had imagined. The towers and turrets stood proud and strong against a sky dotted with stars. Dim candlelight from the lamps in the corridors flickered through the windows and made wavy reflections on the lake. Willow couldn't wait to go inside and find her place there.

There was a long row of boats floating in the water near the shore. The three new friends secured one for themselves and began the traditional trek across the lake together.

"Are you nervous?" Willow asked the other two.

"No," they said simultaneously.

"What about you?" Xander asked, not taking his eyes off the castle.

Willow smiled. "No."

She was surprised to find that her answer was completely honest, at least until they arrived in the entrance hall. The first years were buzzing with excitement about the Sorting Ceremony. Willow tried to pay attention as Professor McGonagall, a witch with a tight black bun and green tartan robes, spoke to the group, but her thoughts were buzzing. She had made these two friends so easily, and she was already starting to like them quite a bit. What if they were all Sorted into different Houses? What if she didn't get along with the people she ended up with?

The door to the Great Hall opened, tearing Willow from her thoughts. Professor McGonagall ushered the first years inside and strode to the front of the room, where there sat an old hat on top of a stool. Willow turned to Buffy and Xander as Professor McGonagall began giving instructions for the Sorting. "Are you nervous now?" she asked.

"No," they said again simultaneously, but they sounded less sure of themselves. Willow's nerves made paying attention difficult, but she tried her best to watch her classmates be Sorted.

"Chase, Cordelia!" Professor McGonagall called. The hat sat on Cordelia's head for a few minutes before declaring her a Slytherin.

"Harris, Alexander!" Xander jogged up to the stool and tugged the hat down over his eyes. It didn't take long before the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" to the whole hall, and Xander bounded down the Gryffindor table with a relieved look on his face.

So Xander's a Gryffindor, Willow thought. Buffy said she thought she was going to be a Gryffindor. She's probably right. What about me? What do I even care about? All I've ever done is read and learn. I guess Ravenclaw wouldn't be so bad. My parents said there's a library in the common room. Even if I can't make friends there, I'll have plenty of schoolwork and books to keep me occupied. Maybe Buffy and Xander will hang out with me on the grounds on the weekends or something.

"Maclay, Tara!" A girl with big blue eyes and straight blonde hair that flowed halfway down her back walked slowly and cautiously up to the stool, her eyes fixed on the floor the whole time. She sat on the stool, placed the hat on her head, and waited. Something about the girl caught Willow's attention, but she couldn't figure out what. She seemed so gentle, her features so soft, her movement so graceful, that watching her made Willow's racing thoughts slow down. Willow looked around to see if she was having this effect on anyone else, but everyone else in the crowd looked either bored or terrified. It was as if the girl was giving off some kind of energy meant specifically for Willow.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat finally shouted, and the girl gingerly placed the hat back on the stool before joining the Hufflepuff table.

Maybe I'll be a Hufflepuff. That wouldn't be so bad either.

Willow's sense of calm remained as "Madison, Amy" and "Mears, Warren" both became Slytherins and "Osbourne, Daniel" became a Ravenclaw, but her anxiety mounted the moment she heard her own name called.

"Rosenberg, Willow!"

Willow took a deep breath and instinctively tried to gulp, but her mouth was too dry for it to have any effect. As she approached the stool, she suddenly became very aware of the hundreds of sets of eyes watching her.

You're going to be fine. Finey McFine-fine. Oh no. I am going to have thoughts like that while the hat is on my head and it's going to sort me based on that, isn't it? Okay, breathe. Relax. Finey McFine-fine.

She picked up the hat, sat down on the stool, and placed the hat on her head. After a moment, it began speaking to her.

"Well, Ms. Rosenberg, you certainly have a brilliant mind," said the hat. Willow jumped a little. She hadn't been expecting the hat to talk inside of her head. "Both of your parents were Ravenclaws. You certainly would do well there, but there's more in here than just intelligence. A strong sense of loyalty and justice… Hufflepuff would help you develop that. Here's a drive to succeed in everything and a desire to prove yourself. You could be a powerful witch, Ms. Rosenberg. It's all right here in your head. Slytherin would certainly love to have you. I see you have a thirst for adventure and quite a bit of nerve that you haven't had the opportunity to use yet. Gryffindor would give you plenty of opportunities to explore that part of yourself. But where to put you? Do you have any ideas?"

Willow's head was spinning. The hat was asking her to choose her House. It had called her brilliant and loyal, told her she could be powerful and brave… So what did she want? Her mind flashed back to the ride on the Hogwarts Express with Buffy.

Buffy said earlier today that being afraid of things but doing them anyway is one of the most important kinds of bravery. That's what I've always done. Maybe… Maybe I want people to see more of that side of me. I've always been a quiet bookworm. I want a chance to be something more now, she thought to herself, but of course the Hat overheard.

"I'll have to agree with your friend on that one. You'll certainly do well in GRYFFINDOR!" The Hat shouted the last word aloud, and the hall applauded as Willow removed the hat and went to sit in the empty seat next to Xander at the Gryffindor table.

"High five, Willster!" Xander said, holding up his hand and grinning.

"Willster?" Willow laughed, but she gave him a high five anyway.

"So the Hat talking to you inside your mind… I'm not the only one who was creeped out by that, right?" Xander asked.

"No!" Willow said a little too loudly. She looked around and waited until people had focused their attention back on the Sorting before she lowered her voice and continued. "Did you see me jump right after I put it on? I wasn't expecting it to talk."

"I saw the jump, but I thought that was just you." Willow tilted her head to the side and waited for him to explain. "Okay, I know I don't know you that well, but you seem like sort of a spaz. You know. That's just an initial impression with the babbling and whatnot."

"I might be offended if you weren't completely right about it," she whispered.

"Summers, Buffy!" Professor McGonagall called. Willow and Xander turned their attention to the crowd just in time to see Buffy stride confidently up to the stool to be Sorted. The Hat took only a few seconds before shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!" Buffy smiled and took the seat next to Willow at the Gryffindor table.

"Congrats, Buffy! You got the House you wanted!" Willow said excitedly to her new friend.

"Thanks. I wasn't worried. I can't wait to tell my mom, though. She'll freak. She's still all full of Gryffindor pride. It's kind of weird, actually, but I've always liked it. I guess I just have more of a reason to like it now." Buffy smiled. "What about you? Are you down with the lion? More importantly, did I actually just say 'down with the lion' to ask about your House pride?"

Willow chuckled. "I think I am 'down with the lion,' actually. The Hat told me I would fit well in any House, but I remembered what you said about bravery on the train and… Well, I'm here now. Not that you pressured me into it, because you didn't! I do want to be friends with you, but I wouldn't compromise my entire education to do it. Not that being in Gryffindor compromises my education! It's just that I kind of get all the Ravenclaw stuff already. It comes naturally to me. I want to be something besides the brainy type. The hat even said I wasn't all intelligence. It called me brilliant. I wonder if it knows how much I babble. Someone please say something."

"Dinner," Xander offered, and right on cue, the platters along the Gryffindor table filled with food. The Welcome Feast had begun.

When everyone was happy and full of food, the prefects led the crowds of tired students to their common rooms. As she was leaving the Great Hall, Willow saw the blonde Hufflepuff girl—Tara Maclay, she had been called—trailing behind her housemates on the way to see her common room for the first time. For the briefest moment before she turned the corner and went out of sight, Willow caught Tara's eye. The sense of calm she had felt earlier returned immediately. What was it about this girl that had this effect on her and nobody else? The energy she gave off was sad, yet optimistic; damaged, yet loving; broken, yet wholesome. It was a whole list of things that Willow couldn't even decipher. She knew one thing for certain: she wanted to talk to Tara. She didn't know if she would have any classes with the Hufflepuffs, but she would find out soon. The long day and big meal combined with the calming sensation she now felt was making her eyelids droop. When they got to Gryffindor tower, Buffy and Willow said good night to Xander and trudged up the steps to the first year girls' dormitory. Willow was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, and she slept better that night than she had in years.