Hello again!

It's Year One at Hogwarts. Which house will Athena be sorted into? What will she think of Albus, Scorpius, and Rose? Read and find out!

(obviously I don't own Harry Potter)

Year One: Sorting

I'm going to Hogwarts! I'm not a muggle! I'm a witch!

I had already picked up all my school supplies from Diagon Alley. Once I managed to exchange my muggle money for wizarding money at Gringotts, it was easy for find everything considering that I was already familiar with Diagon alley, and even more familiar with the book store. (In fact, I had already read all the books on my school list).

And thankfully I had saved up a lot of money, because I don't think my mum wanted to pay for school robes or books. She didn't even want me going to school until I told her it was free. She kept thinking I was crazy when I talked about 'wizarding school' so I eventually told her that I just applied for a free scholarship to some fancy boarding school. She bought it. Really, as long as I'm out of the house, I think she'd be fine with it.

It was time for me to head to platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross Station. I had packed my trunk the night before, and I slept with my new wand, Beech, 11 ½", Unicorn Hair.

The station was crowded, and the platform between 9 and 10 was even more crowded. I had looked up how to get onto the platform, but reading about running straight through a wall and actually doing it were two very different things.

"Dad. He keeps saying it."

"James, give it a rest."

"I only said he might be in Slytherin"

As if it was fate, it was the same family that I followed into the Leaky Cauldron two years ago. How ironic that I would now follow them through the platform again. If anything, they would give me the confidence to actually run at the wall.

One cart after the other, they made a run for the wall. It was now or never, so I ran in right after them.

'Wow' was my only thought. The Hogwarts express was in front of me. If this was a dream, I didn't want to wake up. I had almost forgotten all about the family, until I heard some students talking.

"Is that Harry Potter?"

"Yea, his youngest son, Albus, is a first year. Also Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley's daughter, Rose."

"Awesome. Do you think they'd sign something for me?"

I stopped listening. I'm sure Harry Potter didn't want to be signing autographs when he was sending his son off to Hogwarts.

Harry Potter. I had read about him. He is all over history books as 'The Boy Who Lived' and the boy who defeated Voldemort once and for all. He looked so much different then the pictures in the books. Older. But then again, it was practically 20 years since he defeated Voldemort.

And Albus Potter was the boy who gave me a Galleon two years ago. And he was in my year.

I didn't want to ponder the Potter family anymore. Students were still saying goodbye to their families, but as I didn't have any, I made my way to the train.

I was one of the first on, so I quickly stowed my trunk, and found an empty compartment. Looking out the window, I could see the Potter and Granger-Weasley family saying goodbye to their kids as they boarded the train.

My thoughts were interrupted by three other first year girls asking if they could sit in my compartment. Of course I said yes. The three of them seemed to already know each other. Probably from wizarding families. They asked my name, but soon after carried on with a conversation that they had been in the middle of, leaving me left out. It was alright though. I didn't have a lot of experience talking to kids my own age, so I would not have know what to say. Besides, I was too excited about going to Hogwarts, and I didn't want the other students to think I was weird.

The train had only been moving for about 30 minutes when Rose Granger-Weasley gracefully entered our compartment and made her introduction.

"Hello! I'm Rose Granger-Weasley. Nice to meet you!"

She sat on the bench, and asked for everyone else's names. When she started asking about the wizarding family names she recognized, I started zoning out. It wasn't until the compartment went quiet that I realized Rose had asked for my name.

"Oh. I'm Athena Grant"

"Grant? Are you related to Anthony Grant, who domesticated the venomous tentacula?" Rose perked up at this.

"Umm. No. I don't think so. But also, Anthony Grant didn't domesticate the tentacula. But he did discover many of the uses for it's leaves."

I realized as soon as I said it that I shouldn't have. For a split second, Rose looked angry that I had corrected her. She quickly changed the expression on her face, but I didn't miss it. "Of course, how silly of me."

"Easy mistake. I shouldn't have corrected you"

"So who is your family?"

"Umm… I don't come from a wizarding family."

Rose's cheeks went pink for a second, clearly embarrassed that she had forgotten about muggle-borns like me. "Oh. My mother is muggle born too. Hermione Granger. But I'm sure you know that."

I did know that. I read about Hermione Granger. She was the top of her class. And I'm sure Rose expects to follow in her mother's footsteps.

But I was surprised by Rose, and I wasn't exactly buying her act. The other first years in the compartment were clinging to Rose's every word, eager for the chance to be friends with the daughter of the famous Ron and Hermione. And it was clear to me that Rose was gauging the group to see if these girls were worthy of her friendship.

She clearly grew up more privileged than her parents. And although she is now using their names to make friends, I wonder what she would have thought of her own parents had they been first years. Muggle-born and hand-me-down clothes. Misfits. From the performance I'm seeing, they would not have been her top picks.

"Well I must be off. I want to meet everyone before we get to Hogwarts. But you guys might want to change into your robes soon. I think we are almost there."

We took her advice and changed. I was so excited to finally be in my Hogwarts robes. I had been waiting a month to wear them. (I would never admit it out loud, but some nights I would put on my robes, stare in the mirror, and pretend like I was already at Hogwarts).

Once we changed, the girls were gossiping all about Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and how Rose and Albus were going to be in their classes with them. I didn't get what the fuss was, and decided not to contribute to conversation (not like I was contributing before either).

I just stared out the window anxiously waiting until we arrived.

I didn't know what to expect as we walked into the Great Hall. I had read about it, but the words didn't compare to how beautiful the ceiling looked. It almost made me not notice the other 250 students seated at the four long tables. But of course, all of their eyes were on us, the 40 or so first years who were anxiously waiting to be sorted.

I heard murmurs come from the tables and the other first years.

"Albus Potter"

"A Potter. In our year."

"He's got his hair. He's got hair just like him"

I spotted Albus in front of me, standing with his cousin. Rose looked excited, but Albus seemed to be trying to avoid the seeking eyes of his peers. I felt bad for him. He didn't ask for all the attention, and he didn't seem to want it, unlike Rose.

I've done this job for centuries
On every student's head I've sat
Of thoughts I take inventories
For I'm the famous Sorting Hat.

I've sorted high, I've sorted low,
I've done the job through thick and thin
So put me on and you will know
Which house you should be in…

Professor McGonagall held the list of first years in her hand, waiting to call out each name.

"RAVENCLAW!" "SLYTHERIN!" "GRYFFINDOR!" "HUFFLEPUFF!" The sorting hat called one for each of the students as they went up. I was too nervous about my own sorting to focus on who was being sorted where.

"Rose Granger-Weasley"

I snapped attention when I heard Professor McGonagall announce her name. Partly because I wanted to know what house Rose was sorted into, and partly because I knew Grant would most likely be right after Granger.

McGonagall placed the sorting hat on her head, but it only took a second for the hat to shout out "GRYFFINDOR!"

Of course she would be sorted into the house of her parents. There were hoots coming from the Gryffindor table, most likely from the massive amount of Weasley cousins I knew were also in Gryffindor.

"Athena Grant"

That was me. I was terrified that my feet were just not going to move, but instead I found my body moving on it's own. McGonagall placed the aorting hat on my head.

Hmmm. Where to put you? I can see you are not Slytherin nor Gryffindor. It is Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff which suits you. You are Kind and Loyal as Hufflepuffs, and hard working too, but you also have a love of learning and intellect which aligns with Ravenclaw. Hmmm. Where to put you?

I had no idea where I wanted to be. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw both made sense. I had read about all four houses and the wizards that founded each. For some reason though, Ravenclaw intimidated me though.

Intimidated by Ravenclaw, you say? I can see that in your head. You don't like the competitive nature. Well if Ravenclaw isn't for you, then it must be…

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

I smiled and made my way to the Hufflepuff table where I was welcomed, not as loudly as Rose was, but I was thankful for that. Only one other classmate had been sorted into Hufflepuff so far.

I took a seat next to the Hufflepuff second years. The next student's name was called, and the second years started whispering.

"5 knuts on Ravenclaw." "No, I'm feeling Gryffindor." "Hufflepuff" "Slytherin"

They were all putting various amounts of money on the table. Betting on the sorting of the first years? It sounded cruel, but it was actually pretty entertaining to watch.

"RAVENCLAW!" The boy who won the bet looked excited as he pulled the money towards him. But I'm sure by the end of the sorting, he will have lost most of it again.

And so the betting continued. Every once in awhile, the students recognized a wizarding family name, and no one would want to bet against it.

"Scorpius Malfoy," McGonagall called, was once such name.

"Slytherin, obviously." The boy said, and everyone agreed. No one bet against Slytherin so no one put any money down.

I started hearing murmurs from all around, but especially the neighboring Gryffindor table, "Voldemort's Son" and "Belongs in Slytherin." That confused me. Scorpius Malfoy was the son of Draco Malfoy. But there was a buzz of rumours going around. I felt a little bad for Scorpius, but then again, I knew nothing about him.

The hat had barely touched his head when it called out "SLYTHERIN!"

"Shocker," the Hufflepuff second years muttered as the Slytherin house cheered for their new housemate.

McGonagall continued along with reading out names, and the upperclassmen continued betting on which house each would be sorted into.

"Albus Potter"

There were murmurs from all around of Harry Potter's second son. The Gryffindors were all excited, expecting to get another Potter in their house.

"Well this one's easy. Gryffindor." Everyone seemed to agree.

I don't know what it was, but I just remember overhearing Albus's brother teasing him about being sorted in Slytherin. My body had done it before my brain even had time to catch up. I reached into the pocket and pulled out some change, and laid it out on the table in from the the group of betting second years.

"Slytherin," I said. They all looked at me like I was crazy.

"Are you sure, first year? We don't want to take your money unfairly."

Actually, the money wasn't mine. It happened to be the change left over from when Albus gave me ice cream money two years ago. I had it in my pocket, intending to return it to him after I recognized him on the platform, but I didn't have the courage to approach him about it. And now, I don't think I'll get the chance.

The second years were all staring at me, and so were a few of the first years that could hear what was going on.

"A bet is a bet." I answered, hoping they understood that I wasn't going to back down now.

I realized that the sorting hat was taking a while for Albus Potter. Perhaps the choice of Gryffindor wasn't so obvious, or else would the hat have chosen already? Maybe I wouldn't be losing this money.

"Well ok then." A few of them pulled out money to put on Gryffindor.

It felt like it was taking forever, but perhaps it just seemed long now because I had money riding on it.

"SLYTHERIN!"

The hall was silent for a good couple seconds. And the look on Albus face was pure shock. Murmur started again, much louder than before.

"Slytherin?"

"Whoa! A Potter? In Slytherin."

"I guess his hair isn't that similar."

McGonagall had to usher Albus off the stage and hush the crowd. Scorpius was all smiles as Albus came and sat next to him. And Rose was shocked and upset, as was the rest of Gryffindor.

"Wow, first year. You really know how to call them," the second year said as he passed the pile of money over to me.

I almost didn't want the money. I felt bad that I had profited off of Albus's misfortune.

The Hufflepuff prefects led us down to the kitchens and showed us how to enter the Hufflepuff common rooms by taping barrels in a specific order and rhythm. We each had to try it out, but I don't think one boy was listening, because he tapped the barrels too quickly, and got doused in vinegar. After that, everyone was sure to remember how to enter correctly.

To the left, the boys were led to their rooms, and on the right I went with the rest of the girls. There were five of us, and five four-poster beds, each with it's own unique patchwork quilt. Our trunks were already beside our beds, as well as Hufflepuff sweaters, gloves, and scarves.

I ran over to my bed and flopped down. It was so comfy and homey. More homey than at home. This place was better than Matilda or anything I'd ever imagined. And classed hadn't even started yet. I never wanted to leave.

I hope you enjoyed. Reviews are always welcome (encouraged, in fact!)

Also, if anyone is interested in becoming my Beta Reader, PM me. I have some great ideas for where I want this story to go, but I'd like a second opinion.