A/N: Updates will get less frequent as they catch up on the section I am currently working on.
After they had clambered there way out of the boats they were lead by Hagrid up the a long staircase that had been carved into the cliff face and taken around to the main entrance to the school. The door swung open quietly as Hagrid and the group of first years approached it and out came a tall, black haired witch dressed in emerald green robes. May noticed that even though her expression was stern there was a caring look in her eye as she observed the whole group.
"The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid said with a smile wearing on his face, she replied with a slight nod and waved him past her.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." The Witch began as soon as Hagrid had passed out of earshot. "The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before that you all must be sorted into your houses. While you are here your house will be like your family," May noticed Kayleigh rolling her eyes as the older witch mentioned family, " your triumphs will earn you house-points, and any rule breaking will lose them. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the house cup." A gentle smile made its way onto the old witches face. "I am sure you will all be a credit to whatever house you are sorted into." After finishing what was obviously a well rehearsed speak the Professor beaconed for the group to follow her, they passed through the main doors of the Castle and then turning to the left through another set of equally majestic doors that seemed to open themselves to allow them entry. As they entered May was instantly in awe at the giant hall that was lit by thousands of candles that were suspended in mid air over the four tables, full of older students, than ran the length of the hall itself. The tables had been laid with glittering golden plates and goblets, at the top of the hall on a slightly raised platform sat a fifth table that unlike the others ran the breath of the hall, sitting at it were what May assumed to be the teachers. As they walked through the hall the group of first years moved themselves into single line.
"Could you just wait along here please." Professor McGonagall called out to the first years as the first of the group reached the end of the tables. The first years slowly began to spread themselves out in front of the in front of them sitting on an old stool was a very old and odd looking hat, May wondered what they could be expected to do with it. The rest of the hall seemed to go silent in anticipation, as if waiting for the hat to do something. Suddenly the brim of the hat twitched and it began to sing. May and the rest of the first years watched in awe as the hat piped out a jolly tune about the things the founders of Hogwarts valued and then a warning of a traitor already amongst them. As suddenly as it had started the hat went silent and returned to looking like nothing more than a dirty old hat. Professor McGonagall stepped forward a roll of parchment in her hand.
"When I call your name, you will come up here and sit, I will then place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your house." She took the hat in one hand and turned her attention to the list in her other. "May Barr." May took a deep breath and stepped up towards the stool, Professor McGonagall lifted the hat high and May sat down, her heart hammering in her chest and her breath came out in rasps.
"Hmm..." She heard the hats voice inside her heat say, "Another fine addition to the family Barr. Intelligent and witty, and courageous to boot. I think you will be quite happy in... RAVENCLAW!" May beamed out at the crowd as the last word was shouted so that the whole hall head it, the older Ravenclaws cheered loudly and she slid off the stool and went down to take her seat at the long table. As soon as the crowd over Ravenclaw's had stopped cheering for their newest member McGonagall called out another name, and several more people were sorted whilst May was too busy examining the main hall until another name called out by the Professor caught her attention.
"John Knox." McGonagall called out, and the small boy that had been with her on the train stepped out of the thinning pack of first years and made his way over to the sorting hat.
The Hat was placed on his head, and the creases that seemed to pass for it's eyebrows went into a thinking position. There was a short silence before the Hats brim opened again and announced its decision.
"SLYTHERIN" The Hat bellowed out to the hall. Over at the Slytherin table the crowd erupted into cheers much like they, and the other houses, had done for any others who had joined their ranks. John made his way off of the stool and over to the Slytherin table, but unlike the other first years who took their place at the end of the table he walked further up the table till he found a tallish girl with long flowing silky black hair. The girl turned and acknowledged him with a smile before forcing the person who was sitting next to her to make room for John. He placed himself down in the space provided and for the first time May saw him smile, he smiled in admiration at the girl he was sitting next to. Another two or three people were called out by the Professor before they reached another name that managed to grab May's attention.
"Robert McKay." McGonagall's voice once more rang over the noise of the clapping hall. The other boy who had been in the same compartment as May on the train rose out of the crowd, his chest puffed out and head held high. He sat on the stool, but was not there for long because as soon as the hat touched his head its brim opened wide.
"GRYFFINDOR." it roared out into the hall, and was meet with the loudest clapping and cheering the hall had heard. May looked at Robert, his face was full of pride and even though he had been a bit of a git on the train she was happy that he had main it into the house he had wanted to be in. Robert sat on the bench at the gryffindor table that was directly behind her but facing in the opposite direction. He was close enough though that she heard him introduce himself to everyone that he could reach.
"Kayleigh McWilliam." McGonagall had waited until the claps for Robert had dropped to an acceptable level before she called out the next name. This time it was the smaller girl that had been in the compartment with her was the one that stepped forwards nervously.
"That one is mental," She heard Robert telling the other Gryffindors around him, it earned him a few laughs from the red haired Weasley twins, and an eye roll from the bushy haired girl that had been at kings cross with the Weasley's. "A Slytherin if I ever saw one."
Slowly Kayleigh made her way towards the stool, moving very cautiously as if she was expecting the stool to attack her at any moment. When she finally managed to sit herself on the seat and the hat was placed on her head she gave a slight jump. May had a little chuckle as she did, obviously Kayleigh had not been expecting the voice of the hat inside her own head. There was a slight few seconds of silence in the hall, but Kayleigh face visibly relaxed during the short period.
"RAVENCLAW." May, along with the rest of the table erupted into applause and cheering, a very small smile appeared on the small girls face as she took off the overly large hat, placed it back on the stool and quickly moved towards the Ravenclaw table, she took the seat across from May who flashed a small smile as she sat down. The rest of the group of first years sat beneath the ancient piece of headwear and were separated out among the four houses, as soon as the last one had taken up their place at their new home, Professor McGonagall took both the stool and the Hat away out of a side passage. She re-emerged only a few minutes later taking her place sitting in the seat next to the old man with the long white beard dressed in extravagant who stood up as she was seated. Albus Dumbledore cleared his throat and began to speak.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..." He cleared his throat again before continuing. "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic Business." He paused allowing for the small murmur to die down before he continued, "They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds, and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises, or even Invisibility cloaks. It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Head Girl, to make sure that no student runs foul of the Dementors." As Dumbledore stopped for another pause, May and Kayleigh looked at each other, there was a flicker of fear within the smaller girls eyes.
"On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. Firstly Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." Kayleigh was looking at the ragged man standing behind the teachers table, she cocked her head slightly in an affectionate manner. May thought that her reaction was curious, and smiled a little again. As the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away Dumbledore saw fit to continue on his merry rant.
"As to our second new appointment, well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our care of magical creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties." The enormous man, who had taken them from the station and on the boats, stood up at the end of the staff table, his wiry beard and long hair easily concealing and facial expression he was making.
"That guy is a teacher?" Kayleigh whispered.
"Looks like it."
"Looks like some sort of giant." Kayleigh proceed to wonder out loud.
"My sister Katie heard a story from one of the boys in her year that his mother was a giant."
"The one we meet on the platform?"
"Yes. But I can't remember who it was that told her. Henry or something like that."
"Regardless looking at the size of him, I think it is more than just a story."
"I couldn't agree with you more."
"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore, " Let the feast begin."
The Golden plates and goblets that littered the tables were suddenly full of all sorts of food and drink. The faces of the students along the length of the tables lit up and they dived into the plates of food, collecting large piles of meats, vegetables and other foodstuffs and began to feast. May cheerfully filled her golden plate and poured a large measure of pumpkin juice into her goblet before looking over at Kayleigh who was carefully spooning vegetables from a large bowl onto her own plate and slapped several large pieces of roast beef beside the vegetables. Kayleigh looked down at her own plate with a small pile of potatoes beside a handful of chicken wings and considered how that girl could eat so much and still remain so thin. It will all backfire when she hits puberty, May thought to herself.
"Do we eat like this all the time?" Kayleigh's face flushed as she looked at her own plate.
"No, not all the time." May said through a mouthful of mashed potato. "Just a lot of it."
"Right, is that normal for wizards and witches?"
"Well not always, we are just like muggles for the most part. Just we can use magic to make food a little more plentiful."
"No magical diet pills then?" Kayleigh asked with a smirk.
"There are some crackpot fat busting options available, but none of them work. My dad once told me of one witch who tested her experimental diet potion and ended up doubling in size."
"She gained weight?" Kayleigh asked, gnawing at a large piece of roast beef.
"No... She ended up going to Saint Mungo's ten feet tall."
"Saint Mungo's?" Kayleigh tilted her head to the side, as if to further emphasize the question.
"A wizarding hospital. Sometimes injuries caused by magic are a little too gruesome and complicated for muggle doctors to deal with."
"I suppose that makes sense, since the magical world is hidden after all."
"You would be amazed how often it becomes uncovered, but the Ministry does its best to stop anyone from revealing us to the general public."
"Why?" Kayleigh's question was not what May expected.
"I... don't really know. I guess the magical world is afraid of what might happen if we were to be revealed."
"Maybe you don't give the muggles enough credit, they have done some amazing things without magic."
"Excuse me," A blonde girl with a vacant expression on her face said, facing May. "You are standing on my Quibbler."
"Your what?" choked May, coughing on her half swallowed mouthful of food.
"But she is sitting down," Kayleigh said to the blonde girl.
"It fell on the floor during the sorting and I only noticed when the feast began."
"Oh, right, sorry." May reached down and picked up the magazine which was under her foot. She glanced at the cover as she handed it over to the blonde girl, it was royal purple with an oil effect three dimensional picture of some odd creature.
"What is the Quibbler? I don't think I've heard of it before."
"No!" An older boy sitting beside her whined. "Why did you have to ask that?" He lay an arm on the table in front of him and buried his face in the forearm of his robes.
"It's a paper that tells the reader about dangerous and unusual creatures and things." The blonde answered May's question, completely ignoring the complaints and groans of the people around her.
"Please stop this torture..." The boy beside her whispered pleadingly, his eyes were open scarily wide and the pupils mere dark pinpricks in the centre of his hazel eyes. The blonde girl seemed as though she was about to continue but suddenly turned her head towards the ceiling and just began to stare into nothing. May glanced at the crazed boy beside her and he sighed in a relieved way before taking a long drink from his goblet. Kayleigh seemed to have forgotten about her and was looking up at the teachers table, and May was sure she was looking at Professor Lupin again.
"Budge up shortstuff." A deep voice said from her side and she saw her brother standing there, holding his plate and spoon for pudding.
"Rory, leave me alone."
"Ah come on, don't be like that." Rory pushed her over and squeezed in between May and the crazed boy and set his plate down just as the bowls and plates in front of them emptied and were replaced with plates piled high with various types of tarts and pies and jugs of custard beside bowls of fruit.
"You seem to know quite a few people here already." Kayleigh's attention had returned to May with the arrival of Rory, though she seemed uninterested in the desserts that now filled the table.
"Kayleigh, this is one of my older brothers, Rory. He's on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, he is a chaser but not a very good one."
"Hey! My own baby sister is against me."
"And he eats too much." The mountainous pile of pudding on his spoon stopped midway to his open mouth as his eyes darted around.
"Still, must be nice having siblings around to turn to." A small smile on her face as she watched May interact with her brother.
"No its not!" Rory said through a mouthful of cake. "All they do is steal your stuff and get in the way."
"That's funny because my older siblings are always getting attention from my parents and ignoring me in favour of them."
"That is not true! Do you know how many times dad wouldn't play with us because he was too busy changing your nappies or having to stop you from sucking his wand."
"Then let me ask you Rory, would you go to your sisters side if she were in trouble?"
"Oh in a heartbeat, no thought needed."
"Don't you have any siblings?"
"I have an older Brother."
"Didn't he come to Hogwarts too?" Rory asked, cutting himself another generous slice of cake.
"No."
"That is a shame. It can't be easy being the only one here."
"Well it wouldn't have mattered even if he had come here." Kayleigh muttered under her breath.
"Don't you get on with your brother?"
"It is hard to get along normally with a brother who was dating by the time you first went to school." A small yet sad smile crept onto her face."It makes for some awkward conversations."
"That is sad, it's never a good thing when family is kept apart."
"You learn to live with it, I barely see him. He lives on his own so is closer to a stranger than a brother." Kayleigh tried to smile whilst looking at May and Rory, but failed so instead elected to look back towards the staff table. Most people's plates were clean by that point and the bowls in the centre of the table emptied, the magnificent contents vanishing into thin air.
"Looks like it's time for bed." Rory said, setting down his spoon and standing up. A dark haired girl from further down the table stood up as well and walked towards him. "Ravenclaw first years if you will follow me, we will lead you to your dormitories."
"Night shortstuff." Rory said to May, giving her a slight slap on the back of her head.4
"I am so telling mum you all abandoned me on the train." He gave a light hearted chuckle to her threat.
"That was Katie's job not mine nor Leo's."
"You were all meant to be looking after me!"
"You survived didn't you."
"That was thanks to professor Lupin." Kayleigh interrupted the siblings.
"Yeah he is one cool teacher." Kayleigh nodded in agreement.
Without another word Rory shook his head at both girls and bid them goodnight heading out of the main hall and towards the Ravenclaw common room. The girls on the other hand went over and joined the rest of the first years who were crowding around the house prefects. After a few minutes of waiting the Prefects began to lead them towards the common room, and the place that would be there home for the months to come.