Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.


The train slowly came to a screeching halt. The four friends who seemed to have known each other for longer than just a nine hour train journey all filed out with their respective familiars trailing behind them; Harry's snake; Ginny's Badger; Hermione's Eagle; and Ron's Griffen. As they stepped onto the platform a booming voice echoed along the walkway:


"Firs' years over 'ere! Firs' years! How you doin' Harry?" Hagrid asked as they approached the source of the racket. "Just fine Hagrid - please meet my new friends: Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley," Harry replied humbly as they joined the crowd of first years that surrounded him.

"Nice to meet you three! Everyone here? Alrigh' lets go," Hagrid started wandering down a path towards what seemed like a dock with around a dozen boats rocking in the water.

"No more 'n four to a boat," Hagrid requested as he took a boat all to himself.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry all managed to get seated in a boat together as the crafts moved in unison after a tap of his uberella from Hagrid. The sights were amazing as they gently sailed under a coven of vines and rounded a corner.

"Here we are, Hogwarts!" Harris exclaimed over the low chatter as a large castle came into view - it was simply magnificent with all its many windows and spiralling towers, not to mention the light that poured from each of the perfectly crafted windows that illuminated the grounds.

As the boats came to a halt and everyone filed out Hagrid once again took the lead and led them all up to the large door that seemed a prominent feature on the front of the castle: the door was engraved beautifully with depictions of snakes and badgers aswell as griffins and eagles.

All four smiled as Hagrid subjected the door to four booming knocks and then conversed for a little with the stern looking woman that had answered his call. After a nod from the lady Hagrid proceeded through the door and into the hall.

Once the woman's gaze had left Hagrid it snapped back to them as she turned on her heel sharply and, stated more than asked, "You will follow me!".


The woman had proceeded to tell them about the four houses - in a biased order might I add - and had retreated into the great hall leaving the students to tidy themselves up for the sorting.

Much muttering was going on in the crowd around them: "I wonder how they sort you?", "I heard you have to pull a rabbit from a hat!", "I hope not! I don't know any magic!" The last of these comments was spoken by a small, pudgy boy with a toad clasped in his hand.

"Follow me, please!" The woman had returned and was ushering the frightened first years through the great oak door and into the hall that lay concealed behind it.

Once they were all through the doors Ron muttered something to the others, "I can't wait to see their faces!"

The lady - Proffesor McGonagall she had said - placed a scruffy dirtied hat on the stool that stood in the centre of the stage-like platform.

Everyone, apart from the four friends who simply stood their with bemused looks on their faces, was astonished as a crease appeared just above the rim of the hat and it opened wide, and said:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;

Or get in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you have a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any mean
To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
(Taken from Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone)

The crowd burst into rapturous applause but we're suddenly cut off as the hat started talking once more:

"But this year is different; for four in our numbers need not try me on and so I ask: Lord Gryffindor please take a seat!" The crowd gasped as Ron, with a smirk on his face and his griffin behind him, marched up towards the Gryffindor table and sat down. The hat continued:

"And now Lady Hufflepuff, I could request, please step forward and take a seat!" Again shocked murmurings broke out as - this time Ginny - walked out of the queue of first years and proudly sat at the Hufflepuff table. The hat, again, continued:

"I know might I ask, the Lady Hufflepuffs charming husband: Lord Slytherin! Will you take a seat?" This time - to even more shock than before from the flabbergasted crowd - Harry maneuvered out of the queue, snake wrapped round his shoulders, and perched on the end of a chair at the Slytherin table.

"And finally," the hat exclaimed, "Lord Gryffindor's wife: Lady Ravenclaw; please join the clever minds!" And of course, this time Hermione stepped out of line and sat down at the table of wit and learning.