DISCLAIMER: Okay, obviously, I am J.K. Rowling and I didn't win the rights to it off eBay (I got outbid at the last minute, sheesh people)
The rest of the train ride was fairly uneventful. Having decided she was unworthy of their attention, the four boys ignored her, and Elizabeth was able to resume her book. She was reading Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring for the hundredth time it seemed. She felt closer to Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, even Gollum, than she did to anyone in her life.
At around noon, a plump witch with dark hair and eyes pushed a cart into their compartment. All four of the boys immediately jumped up and surrounded her. When she finally managed to serve them to their hearts content, she turned to Elizabeth, "Anything for you, dearie?" Elizabeth shook her head, grateful that her aunt had thought to pack her lunch. The dark haired boy- the one that made fun of her earlier- snorted and muttered, "Hufflepuff," before returning to his food. She ignored him and unwrapped a corn beef sandwich, her favorite. Taking a bite, she turned back to her book, getting lost once again in the land of hobbits and elves.
It was a little while later that the conductor announced their short arrival. Though already dressed in her robes, she was shoved out of her compartment, the boys insisting they needed their privacy to change. Not knowing what else to do, she began to wander up and down the train. Suddenly, it came to an abrupt stop, and Elizabeth was push off of the train by a wild throng of students ready for another year of schooling.
"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" Someone called behind her. She turned around and saw a giant of a man, twice as tall as any man she'd ever seen, and at least twice as wide. He had thick, bushy, tangled hair and a matching beard. He was ushering children her age into many boats sitting at the edge of an enormous lake. She moved toward him "No mor'an four ina boat!" He called. She got into a boat with a sandy haired boy, a black girl, and thickset boy with cropped hair. Nobody really said anything.
After everyone was settled, the boats began to magically glide across the lake. The boat ride seemed to last forever until, finally, they could make out a castle glittering in the distance. So this was Hogwarts…
Once at the castle, they were ushered inside by a middle aged witch with black, square glasses and brown hair pulled into a severe bun. She gave off the aura of someone not to cross. They were lead down the hallway, away from two large doors that sounded if there were hundreds of people chatting aimlessly away. They entered a small room. "You are to wait here until you are ready to be sorted," she explained. People around her began to murmur excitedly. She even caught sight of that black haired boy play-acting with his imaginary sword again.
Elizabeth felt slightly sick. Sorted? For what purpose? What if she still didn't belong anywhere?
Suddenly, everyone hushed: the witch had reappeared. They automatically formed a single file line and followed her into what appeared to be a giant mess hall. But the ceiling was most unusual. It seemed to match the sky outside so perfectly that if you didn't know any better, you'd think there was no ceiling. Gazing up at it, she noticed how clear it was that night, all the constellations and stars glittering perfectly upon an inky blue sky.
She turned her attention to the student body and saw that they all were starring at a stool with a patched and tattered black hat upon it. Silence filled the room until every last pair of eyes was on it. Suddenly, the rip along the brim propped open and the hat began to sing.
"Oh, you may wonder who'd want a hat as old as me,
But let me tell you all, I'm a hat with personality!
So step right up,
Hurry! Hurry!
I'm here to sort you, no need to worry!
You might belong in Gryffindor
Where all are brave at heart!
Or you could be a Slytherin
Where cunning sets them apart!
Maybe you're a Hufflepuff
Where loyalty's a must!
Or perhaps a Ravenclaw
Where wisdoms all they trust!
So come on up!
Let's have some fun!
For now, you all can see,
The sorting has begun!"
Butterflies began filling Elizabeth's stomach. This was it…