After a short car ride through Muggle traffic, which thoroughly annoyed Mr. Weasley, we arrived at a telephone booth. Wait a second- a telephone booth? The group stepped out of the car and Mr. Weasley instructed us to get into the booth. Figuring it was some wizard technique, I followed Scorpius into the booth. We all managed to fit in, although it was tight and I was pressed with my face up against the glass. I couldn't see what Mr. Weasley was doing but before I knew there was a slight sucking noise and we popped out into an area full of fireplaces. I was amazed at what the wizarding world could do.

People were walking out of the fires, as calmly as they would have walked through their home. A mass of people pushed through the hallways and I followed our group out into the gargantuan lobby. In the center was a beautiful fountain, with wizards and muggles holding hands around the globe. I turned to the group and suddenly noticed that Mr. Weasley was giving instructions.

"You kids follow me to my office. I'll floo in to Minerva and tell her where you are, she's probably worried sick! I'll see what she wants us to do." We nodded and obediently followed him to the elevator, stepping inside the metal structure. He pressed the one button and warned us, "Hold on tight!"

I was a second too late in grabbing the handle and hit the ground when the elevator shot upwards. I was plastered to the floor for the initial pick up but was able to stand up and grab hold of one of the loops hanging from the ceiling when the elevator calmed to a smooth rise.

"Are you okay?" Rose asked me and I nodded, unable to form words in this magical place. Even the elevator ride was breathtaking. When we reached the top floor, floor one, we all followed Mr. Weasley out of the elevator. There was a long hallway but only two doors as far as I could see. We walked to the first door and Mr. Weasley waved his wand in front of the sensor outside the door and typed in a code and walked in the door, holding it open for the rest of us. We filed in and I observed the large office. There was a long desk running up one wall and family portraits covering the other. At least, I assumed they were family. There were two redheaded boys standing with their arms around each other, one redheaded girl, a third, older looking redheaded boy, and two more adult men with red hair. Wow, he must've had a huge family.

We stepped through the plush white carpet over to a homely looking fireplace in the corner of the room. Mr. Weasley grabbed a pinch of green powder from a small vase sitting on the side and flicked it in the fire. "Wait a moment children and I'll catch you up." He poked his head into the flames and I gasped. However, the rest of the group laughed at my reaction.

"That's floo powder he used. It makes it so your whole body or part of your body can appear in another fireplace."

"Oh." I giggled at myself, relieved that Mr. Weasley wasn't just some nut. It was actually quite a comical scene, his butt poking out of the fire. A few minutes later Mr. Weasley pulled back out of the fire, ashes in his hair. We laughed and Rose pointed it out. He walked over to his mirror and brushed it out of his hair. He turned back to us, this time with a serious expression on his face.

"Minerva was worried sick about you children," he began, but before he could finish there was a poof and a woman with a tight bun and a wrinkled face appeared out of the fireplace.

You're correct I was worried sick! What got into you children! You're lucky it was an accident or you would have serious punishments! We had to postpone the sorting for you and everyone is anxiously waiting." She held out her arms and I looked at her confused.

"Well, come on now, we have to apparate into Hogwarts." I followed the suit of the other and grabbed her arm. "Wait a minute- according to Hogwarts: A History you cannot apparate in or ou-" her sentence was cut off and I felt a sucking, like everything was being pulled into my stomach, and then we were in an office, the walls covered by paintings of people. With a start I realized that the paintings were talking, greeting Professor McGonagall. My jaw about hit the floor as I examined the room and McGonagall said, "Alright, James show them to the line of first years and then get yourself to the Gryffindor table."

"Yes m'am" he replied, nodding his head and showing us to the door. We followed him down a long stone passage and through a set of wooden doors. I saw a line of nervous looking people like me and James led us to the back. "Good Luck" he smiled widely and sauntered back through the doors.

"What now?" I asked Rose and she shrugged. We waited for a few minutes until Professor McGonagall came out of the hall holding a stool with an old witch's hat on top of it.

"Follow me students. Stand in line until I call out your name. Then come sit it on the stool and place the hat on your head." She walked in front of us to the head table and set the stool down.

The hat perked up and I heard excited whispers fill the room.

"The Sorting Hat's song!" Rosie whispered. I looked at her questioningly but before I could ask anymore the hat began singing in a low voice.

One special student

Will shine this year

Revealing a deep story

But which house will she be in?

That's my job to determine.

She will be brave and strong

So Gryffindor it could be

But maybe she's clever

So don't rule out Slytherin.

Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are possible too

So let me show you what I can do.

I could see everyone in the hall looking around, thinking about possibilities for this special person. "How accurate is that hat?" I asked Rose.

"Dead accurate," She relied with an excited look on her face. I nodded and glanced around, seeing if anyone was suddenly sprouting powers. This was stupid. Obviously, the person isn't just going to jump out and say, "HI! I'M WHO THE HATS TALKING ABOUT!" McGonagall then began to call names, and the hat was barely on some peoples head before it shouted out the House and then sometimes it took almost five minutes. Each table accepted their new classmate with cheers and smiles.

Then I heard it call, "Jackowith, Eliseabeth." Rose patted my arm and wished me good luck. I stepped out of line and slowly walked up to my destiny. I sat on the small stool and pulled the hat tightly over my head. Immediately it began whispering.

"Ahhh. A challenge I see. You definitely have the stealth and cleverness of a Slytherin. Ohhhh but you are BRAVE. Gryffindor would suit you well. Obviously, you are loyal to your friends. Hufflepuff. But then I see how smart you are… This is fun!" I could feel the rough fabric rubbing up against my scalp as the hat debated my future.

"I think I'll put you in…"

Cliffy Review please!