Still commenting on the train journey, giant Gobstones and how lucky they were that their robes didn't get to smell like a troll's arse, Merida and Rapunzel changed into their respective uniforms and, true enough, they felt the machine slowing down.

"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately." A magically enhanced voice came through.

While Rapunzel busied herself with shoving the rest of their feast onto her pockets, Merida finally rummaged throughout her trunk in search for her wand. There was no way she was going to go around without it any longer.

"Hurry!" Rapunzel exclaimed when the Hogwarts Express finally came to a stop.

They weren't the only ones to have that idea. Hundreds of students were already trying to push their way out of their compartments, cramming the corridors. Rapunzel took Merida's hand to make sure they weren't separated in the river of bodies driving them to a small and thin platform. It was a chilly night, provoking the students to hurl together as they got out, making it harder to know the way they should take.

"I think we should go there."

As Merida was following the larger group, Rapunzel spotted a smaller one being left behind.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

The booming voice caught their attention as did the lamp that floated over their heads, proving Rapunzel right. Without letting go of each other's hands, the girls followed the small crowd as it gathered around a giant of a man. He was even bigger than Merida's father, who was considered huge by the Ministry's standard. Even more, he had a lot of dark hair surrounding him in a mess of beard and bushy eyebrows, making him a big blur of hair everywhere.

"Firs' years follow me!" He boomed again. "Mind yer steps too!"

He started down a steep path, made more slippery by a recent rain, and everyone followed him slowly. Rapunzel and Merida tried to get closer by dodging the students before them but the trail was too narrow and uneven to get too far. A boy in front of them managed to fall to the floor, dragging another boy and a girl, who would have started cussing if the man hadn't spoken first.

"Here yeh go. Yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts!"

He had stopped at a bent on the road that drove them to the edge of a great black lake. At the other shore, a huge castle loomed on top of a mountain. The windows glittered all over the stone walls and on the many towers and turrets that made it up, matched by a distorted but still recognizsable reflection on the lake water.

Every kid of a winzarding family imagined and dreamt of the day they would come to the castle, picturing it on their minds. Merida's stood short against the magnificence of the real one and, as per Rapunzel's bewildered expression and the loud "Ooooh!" that had accompanied the view, so did everyone else's.

"No more'n four to a boat." Their guide announced, making Merida spot the fleet of little boats waiting for them on the lake shore.

The girls took one, followed by two others. One of them had a round face and a bushy reddish brown mop of hair while the other one was dirty blond and had huge protuberant eyes.

"Everyone in?" The man asked. He had a boat to himself because not even a first year was able to fit there. "Right then. FORWARD!"

All boats started moving at once. They glided swiftly across the water, barely disturbing it. Small rumors and expressions of wonder were heard here and there, everyone watching the magic castle grow as the approached the cliff it was perched on. Rapunzel squeezed Merida's hand, her mouth open and her eyes reflecting the windows lights almost as good as the lake surface had. Merida smiled and returned the gesture.

"Heads down!" The man yelled again, as the first boats reached the cliff.

Merida would have missed the order but Rapunzel pulled her head down, thus avoiding her already unruly hair to get tangled with the ivy curtain that hid a wide opening on the cliff's face. The trip continued along a dark tunnel that ran underneath the castle until they reached an underground natural harbor consistent of rock and pebbles. It was a lot more slippery than the other shoreline had been. Another student tripped, provoking a lot of sneers from the trio following him. Merida was about to say something but Rapunzel pulled her excitedly; she was taking advantage of the momentary chaos to come up to the front.

The first years followed the man's lamp through a passage on the rock, coming out onto a damp stretch of grass right in the shadow of the castle and then up a flight of stone steps were they were crowded again, this time in front of a huge oaken front door. The man then proceeded to knock three times with his gigantic fist.

The door opened wide at the signal, a young man standing at the middle. He had a slightly rounded face and friendly eyes that made him look somewhat paternal. He was also tall but in a normal way, not like the man that had brought them there. Their guide faltered for a brief moment, he seemed confused to see the other man open the door.

"The firs' years, Professor Longbottom." The bigger man said, pointing at the closest kids.

Murmurs immediately sprang to life, without mattering how nervous they were. Everyone coming from a wizarding family could recognize that name.

"Thank you, Professor Hagrid. We'll go from here." Professor Longbottom was swift on his response, avoiding any more commotion.

He stood out of the way, allowing the small crowd of students to enter. Merida couldn't stop looking around, wanting to absorb everything around her. If the castle's exterior had being imposing, it was nothing compared to the interior. She had been to manors of different important families but even the bigger one would fit comfortably within the spacious walls lined with torches. Which was even more impressive, considering this place had almost gotten down to its foundations barely eight years ago.

Neither the walls, ceiling, nor the huge marble staircase on the farthest end bared sign of it. Merida's mother had commented about talk in the Governors Board of putting some kind of tribute to those that fought here. It had been heavily opposed in the end by most of the staff. Even if the Second Wizarding War was the most recent, it wasn't the first war Hogwarts had faced. Keeping a monument on the Entrance Hall would only be a constant reminder of the War, lost relatives and an excuse to keep wounds open.

Professor Longbottom made them follow him across the room, their feet clapping softly on the stone floor. The group passed alongside a huge double doorway from which the sound of hundreds of voices was audible, sharing light about where the rest of the students were gathered.

"Wait, where are we headed?" Someone on the front asked. Merida hasn't been the only one to hear the voices.

"You'll see soon enough." The Professor answered cheerfully as he crowded them all again on a side chamber. "First of all, welcome to Hogwarts. The rest of the students are gathered for the start-of-term banquet but you won't be able to join them until we have determined which House you'll be in."

An excited murmur started to form again, and again the Professor stopped it by continuing his explanation. This time though, he used a monochord tone that gave up memorization and repetition.

"Sorting is a very important ceremony because while you're here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You'll have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory and spend your free time in your House common room.

"The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin." For each name, he raised a finger on his right hand. "Each has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you're at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rule-breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup, which is a great honor."

By the last part of his speech he was getting out of air, reinforcing the fact that he was merely reciting from memory, much like Merida did when she had to recite precepts on behavior or the like.

"Just make sure you honor your House while you're here. We'll begin shortly and don't worry; the Sorting Ceremony is nothing to be afraid of. I'll return when we're ready for you."

He left through another door, different from the one they had entered.

"Did he tell us how they sort us?" asked a girl, the one that had been pushed when the first boy fell. She had blond hair tightly secured on a braid and all her robes were soiled with mud.

"No, he didn't." A boy with a pink face with a round nose and dark brown hair pointed.

Now that she thought about it, Merida wasn't sure about the procedure either. She had discussed with her parents about what House she would be in, not about how it was decided.

"Well, the Professor said not to worry." Another boy, leaning on a corner pointed. He had short pale-blond hair, spiked everywhere. "It shouldn't be that hard."

Some of them were actually reassured but not all. Rapunzel took again Merida's hand.

"What happens if we don't fit in any House?" She asked. "Do we get sent home again?"

One of the girls that had laughed at the boy that tripped on the harbor laughed at her, making Merida frown. She had a pointy jaw with a dimple on it and straight brown hair.

"You probably end up in Hufflepuff if that's the case." The girl said with an unpleasant tone. She was accompanied by another girl and a boy. Both of them laughed with her.

"Hey! That's…!"

"The Sorting Ceremony is about to start. Follow me." If Professor Longbottom noticed he had just barely stopped a fight, he didn't show it.

Merida fell behind the boy that had fallen on the harbor, he still looked quite crestfallen, and Rapunzel got after her. They crossed the second set of doors onto the Great Hall. Hundreds of faces turned to them, distributed over four long tables prepared with golden plates and goblets for each one. Ghosts floated around, apparently as interested in them as the rest of the students.

It was only when Merida saw herself in there, thousands of floating candles above her head and a stormy sky that wasn't about to chill her to the bone, that she finally realized that she was indeed in Hogwarts. She was ready to start her biggest adventure and she already had someone to share it with.

Professor Longbottom brought a four legged stool and placed it on the front, where everyone on the Great Hall would be able to look at it. On top, he put a ragged, dirty old wizard hat. Merida wasn't sure what was expected of them at that point. A rip appeared near the brim of the hat, making it look as if it had a mouth.

A mouth it was indeed, for the hat started to sing.

An ugly hat you see standing here

Only, there's only one like me

See, I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

For years my judgment stands tall.

I'll sort you according to what

You have laying underneath.

Here we go, were would you be?

Will your place be along

The Gryffindor brave and bold?

Perhaps you fray best

With the Ravenclaw wise?

Are you ambitious as a Slytherin?

Or a Hufflepuff loyal and true?

Sorting you is my work

But you like to split on your own.

To this, a small tip I let slip

Above the Lion and the Eagle,

Sooner than the Badger or the Snake

Was the Winged Hog that gathered you here!

The whole Hall filled with an enthusiastic applause and murmurs. The hat just contented itself with bowing once to each table. After that, it just lay still.

"Trying on an ol' hat. Is tha' it?" Merida asked, confused.

"Professor Longbottom did actually say that it was nothing to worry about." Rapunzel tried to conciliate her. "Do you think it'll let us choose?"

"When I call your name, get in front and put up the hat to be sorted." Professor Longbottom said, unraveling a long roll of parchment. "Anderson, April."

A shy girl with a fringe covering her eyes stepped forward to put on the hat. It fell all the way to her nose. It took a while, with everyone watching for the hat to say something.

"RAVENCLAW!" It shouted.

The second to the left table was the first one to burst on applauses and cheering as they welcomed their new member.

"Barry, Morticia."

This time was a dark skinned girl with dreadlocks. She looked defiantly at the tables before the hat covered her eyes. In her case, the answer was almost immediate.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The left table took their time cheering. Before it had gone out completely, Professor Longbottom called the next name on the list.

"Bradley, Oscar."

He went to Ravenclaw and the list continued. Bundy, Kristen, the girl with the dimpled chin, was the first one to be sorted into Slytherin. The second to the right table had their chance to cheer as she joined their ranks. Merida's nerves were actually calming down. Trying an old hat wasn't much of a challenge and she wouldn't care much which of the Houses she ended up in. 'Burke' and 'Cardelle' went to Gryffindor; 'Chamber' and 'Choplin' both went to Ravenclaw and 'Conrad' became the first Hufflepuff, giving the right table their opportunity to welcome a new member.

At last the Professor came to the name.

"Corona, Rapunzel."

Rapunzel's name roused some rumors that haven't been heard before, despite being impossible to decipher what was being said from where they stood. No doubt it was the spreading her story to those that didn't knew it already. Rapunzel gave Merida a last squeeze before letting go of her hand, a small smile on her face. When she finally reached the stool and the Professor was about to put the hat on her head, Rapunzel wore much the same expression she had when she had taken the purple Gobstone on the train. The hat felt to her nose and it took a while for it to announce loud and clear for all the Great Hall to hear.

"RAVENCLAW!"

Drat. Suddenly, Merida's hand felt incredibly cold without Rapunzel's in it. She had gone to probably the only House Merida had zero chance to get in.

Without knowing her new friend's mental struggle, Rapunzel beamed when the hat was taken from her head. She gave Merida a thumbs up sign before joining April at her cheering new table.

In the meantime, Dorny, Joseph got sorted to Gryffindor. Then, it was her turn.

"Dunbroch, Merida."

Here goes nothing. She thought, going to the front with long, confident strides. Merida sat on the stool and located Rapunzel sitting on the Ravenclaw table, given her a reassuring smile. Professor Longbottom put the hat on her head but it took a bit of tugging to get it past her hair so that her eyes were covered. Everything was black inside.

"Well, not a hard one to place. Lots of courage, no doubt and a headstrong heart." A small voice whispered into her ear. Merida panicked.

Ravenclaw, please send me to Ravenclaw. Please!

"This is interesting." The voice continued. "You are the second person today to ask for a House where you would not shine. And you are indeed aware that Ravenclaw is not your place. What is it? A friend? Well, I do advice you to not let me interfere with you there. You are definitely a – GRYFFINDOR!"

The last word had been shouted at the entire Hall. Merida took out the hat and walked shakily to her designed table. She was able to exchange a sad smile with Rapunzel before she was caught up on the Griffindor's embrace. All of them were cheering for her, including the guy from the train, so she got caught up on it quickly. By the time 'Fellner, Leanne' was sorted into Gryffindor after seven whole minutes with the hat, Merida was as enthusiastic as the rest of them.

The Sorting Ceremony continued and Merida took the time while 'Fleet, Herbert' was on the stool to study the High Table. Of the people seated there, she could only recognize the one that had guided them trough the lake, even though she didn't know which the subject he taught was. Professor Hagrid took up one of the table sides all for himself, followed by a young dark-skinned woman. Merida could only guess the about the Headmistress, whom she thought had to be the one sitting on a golden high chair at the center. She was a stern woman with a severe look on her. Definitely the image she had for Professor McGonagall.

"Frost, Jack." Professor Longbottom claimed.

The Great Hall went to silence so sudden that Merida's attention snapped back to the ceremony. Curios as about why, she eyed the boy as he got to the stool to receive the Sorting Hat. He had been the one that tried to reassure the whole group back when they were waiting on the antechamber. In the dime-light, Merida had guessed him to have pale-blond hair but in the full-lit Great Hall it looked silver. Was that even possible?

"Really?" A voice came from one of the students close to her. "Frost? As in the Nicholas North Frost?"

Merida eyed the boy again as the hat was put above his eyes. She did recognize the Name Nicholas North. He was a powerful wizard and even more than that, a philanthropist. He had taken to himself a huge part of the effort to counteract the Ministry of Magic campaign against Muggles and Mugggleborns during the last years of the Second Winzarding War. Indeed a name to bring silence to the Great Hall. However Merida squished her brains for the extra tidbit of information, she couldn't recall about him having a son.

For just the split of the second, Merida wished she had paid more attention to her mother's lectures. She dismissed the thought just as quickly. It was highly improbable that being on top with the gossiping would help her either with Charms or Transfiguration.

End of Chapter

Well, I still have no beta so feel free to point any mistakes. As for the song, as lame as it still is, I have nothing better to show you.

To florairmatylee, thank you for your continuous support! I do have to admit that the fandom kind of drove me away precisely for that reason but here I am again, trying to give it a new try.