Harry, Ron, and I made a point of it to stick together when we exited the train.

"Firs' years over here!" A voice boomed, we walked up to a man that was at least eight feet tall. "'Ello Harry! How was yer train ride?"

"It was great Hagrid. How are you?"

We made quick small talk before everyone boarded the boats, four to a boat like Hagrid instructed. Eska flew off my shoulder a few times catch a fish but returned just as quickly as she had gone. By the time we reached shore, my shoulder was wet and I was shivering from the cold, but made no complaint of it.

We waited in a hall way on a wide but low set of stairs together, quiet and nervous. A boy with an Arian appearance approached us with a scowl over his features. The boy sneered about hanging out with the right sort of people while looking down his nose at Ron and me. Harry told him off and the boy stalked away.

I stuck my tongue out at his back in a spout of childishness. Ron, Harry and I shared a small moment of laughter before McGonagall came and lead the mob of ten and twelve year olds up to a small set of stairs that had a stool with an old hat perched upon it.

Murmurs in the C minor filled the hall while we stood and waited for instructions. The hat stirred before a seam near the brim opened and the hat began to sing.

"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 yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've 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 means

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!"

McGonagall began calling up students to put the hat on and it would announce the house to the entire hall. I was contemplating on which house I would be, definitely not Slytherin, I was not ambitious. I thought perhaps I would be in Ravenclaw, for I was intelligent.

"Potter, Harry", McGonagalls voice cut through my thoughts and caused the whole school to go silent.

Harry stepped forward nervously, taking his seat on the old stool while McGonagall placed the hat on his head. I watched Harry close his eyes and whisper something to himself before the hat made its decision.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

One table just exploded into hoots, hollers and whistles while Harry smiled and jogged to sit at the table. A few more students were sorted into their houses.

"Waka", McGonagall read, I could hear the whispers spread throughout the hall more quickly than before as I approached the chair.

I sat on the chair and gripped the edges nervously while she slowly lowered the aged, worn hat to my head.

"Ah, You could do very well in Ravenclaw, but I see where you truly belong", Rang throughout my head before the hat screeched its answer. "GRYFFINDOR!"

I jogged to where Harry sat, mindful of Eska, and sat next to him while McGonagall called up Ron.

The sorting was over soon afterwards and Headmaster Dumbledore gave a welcome back speech noting that the Forbidden Forest and a corridor on the third floor where off limits.

Food appeared on the empty plates before us and Dumbledore gave us permission to 'dig in'. Ron ate like a pig and Harry wasn't so polite in the manners department either. I ate a healthy portion of meats and vegetables.

When dinner disappeared and dessert appeared, I let go of all niceties and manners and dug into the sweets, testing the ones I didn't know and shoveling in the ones I did.

After dinner, Dumbledore stood and announced that we were going to sing the school song, and we could do it to any tune we wished. Everyone opened their mouths and began to sing along, including my self, I sang in a slow but high pitched voice.

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot."

Everyone finished at different times until only three were standing; two twins singing a very slow funeral march and myself holding the very last note of the song and stretching it out. The twins and I finished at the same time, smiling to each other before joining the other students off to the common rooms.

I was sticking with Ron and Harry- both of which had commented on my voice- while we followed Ron's older brother Percy to the common room. The common room was 'guarded' by a painting of an obese woman in pink.

Percy gave us the password before turning to the woman and giving it to her. The frame of the painting swung open, letting us into a comforting room with red and gold furnishings. Percy explained to us where the dorm rooms were and that we could no go into the opposite genders dorms. He also told us that our things would already be in our dorms. I was headed to my dorm when he stopped me.

"I will take your bird to the owlery", he demanded, forcing Eska onto his hand and stalking away with her.

I frowned after him before turning in for the night, snuggling into the warmth of the four poster bed provided for the students.