An announcement came through the train a half hour before the express arrived informing the students of their eminent arrival and to please change into their uniforms if they haven't already done so. Hermione left the carriage to find her trunk while Ron and Harry grabbed their uniforms to change in the boy's bathroom while Aria locked the compartment door and pulled down the blinds to change.

As the train pulled into a station labeled: HOGSMEADE another announcement informed the students to leave their luggage on the train as it would be collected. Staying close to Harry and Ron, Aria exited the train to see Hagrid calling for all the first years to gather around him.

"He's huge!" Hermione cried as she appeared at Aria's side. "Is he a giant?"

"I think Professor Snape said he was a half-giant," Aria answered as they followed Hagrid down a dirt path leading to a lake.

"I read in a book I got while shopping that giants live in colonies on the continent," Hermione told Aria. "The book said they were savages."

"Well clearly they can't be all savages because Hagrid seemed nice when I met him. A bit daft, but harmless and nice."

"Four to a boat!" Hagrid called. Aria and Hermione scrambled to keep up with Harry and Ron so that all four of them could get into the same boat. Several boats down Aria noticed Draco and his two goons climb into a boat with a girl with an upturned nose that made her look like a pug. Hagrid climbed into one boat and when all the boats were full, they automatically moved forward, gliding across the dark lake with only the waning moon and stars as light.

Aria peered skyward. In Cokesworth there were too many lights to see the stars and she rarely went out into the country. She'd gone camping once with her mum, but that was when she was little and didn't remember much besides having fun.

Overhead the stars twinkled, twirling together into a labyrinth of jewels against the night sky. Peace settled over Aria, stirring within her strength and courage, stealing away any nervousness she'd had about attending Hogwarts.

The boats turned around an outcrop of rocks. Aria was pulled from her contemplation of the stars at the amazing gasps of her fellow first years. Looking forward she gasped too. Hogwarts stood above the lake, its turrets towering above the lake, reaching, stretching for the sky. Warm lights of yellow and orange twinkled from the hundreds of windows, making the school's ambiance warm and welcoming.

"It's magical," Aria whispered.

"Well of course it is," Ron answered. "It's Hogwarts after all."

Too soon for Aria's liking the boats docked and the first years climbed out, filing behind Hagrid as he led them up stone steps into the massive castle. They moved through empty corridors lit by torches, carved in ways Aria had only seen in history books and on school trips to medieval castles.

In a large entry way between two sets of large ornate doors Hagrid told them to wait before slipping through one of the sets of doors. The soft murmuring of voices came to the first years before dying when the doors closed.

"What happens now?" Aria whispered to her friends.

"Now we get sorted into our houses," Ron whispered back. "I don't know how it's done, Fred and George said that we have to battle a mountain troll."

"But we don't have any magic," Aria pointed out, stomach clenching. Wasn't the acceptance letter enough proof that she belonged in a magical school?

"Fred and George don't always tell the truth," Ron told them.

"What are houses?" Harry asked.

"Like dormitories," Hermione told them. "I read about them in Hogwarts, A History. They're named after the Four Founders, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, Godric Gryffindor, and Salazaar Slytherin. We stay in these houses all seven years."

"Houses are very important," Ron added. "Lots of families stay in the same house. All my brothers are in Gryffindor, the House of the Brave. My parents were Gryffindors, as were most of my relatives on either side of the family."

The doors Hagrid had disappeared through opened again, this time, a severe looking lady appeared dressed in a smart emerald green dress and black robes, a witches hat sitting properly on her head. She carried a scroll in one hand and cast a stern, yet welcoming gaze over the group.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," the lady said, a Scottish lilt in her voice. "I'm Deputy Headmistress McGonagall, Transfiguration Professor. In just a moment I will bring you through the Great Hall to be Sorted. There are four houses: Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. These houses will be your family for the next seven years. Together you will win points and loose points and at the end of the year, one house will be awarded the House Cup. Now I'd like you al to line up two by two."

The children jostled each other to do as the woman asked. Aria and Hermione touched shoulders as they paired up behind Ron and Harry. Behind them were a boy and auburn haired girl. Hermione greeted them as Neville and Susan and told Aria she'd shared a carriage on the train with them before find Aria, Harry, and Ron.

"Did you find your toad, Neville?" Hermione asked.

"Yes." Neville opened his pocket and showed off an ugly toad. "He'd hopped into Susan's trunk."

The doors to the Great Hall opened. Professor McGonagall led them forward at a brisk pace. Aria felt the eyes of dozens of older students on her and the others, and she tried to ignore them by looking around. If it hadn't been for Hermione, she'd have stopped short at seeing the ceiling. It was filled with inky blackness and stars like the night sky outside.

"It's only enchanted," Hermione whispered. "I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

Aria needed to read that book. The school must have a library, or maybe she could borrow it from Hermione.

"We'll still be friends?" Hermione asked as they approached the head platform where a long table filled with adult wizards and witches sat. "Only . . . I've never had a friend before. All the kids teased me at primary."

Aria glanced at the girl in her obviously new tailor robes and uniform with parents as dentists. Did this girl, obviously from the right side of the tracks, really want to be friends with her? It was obvious standing next to Hermione that Aria's uniform and robes were second-hand even though they were clean and well pressed.

Well she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Of course," Aria assured her. "Even if we get put into separate houses. We can still study together and sit together when we have classes together." Hermione grinned, showing off the two overly large front teeth she had.

On a stool sat a ratty old witches hat. Professor McGonagall stepped onto the platform and gave the hat a little tap with her scroll. What Aria perceived to be a rip near the brim opened and the hat began to sing.

"You may not think me pretty,

You may not think me bright.

But put me on your head,

And I'll sort you out right quick.

You may be placed in Gryffindor

Where dwell the brave at heart;

Or Slytherin, it's counter,

Where the cunning make their friends.

Ravenclaw is where those

daring intellects live, and as

For Hufflepuff, they kindly take

the rest. So put me on your head

Don't be shy you see, for I may

be thousand's years old, but I'm

Still a Thinking Cap!"

Aria clapped along with the others, though truth be told, she wasn't looking forward to putting that hat on. Did they wash it? She remembered when she was eight and had gotten a hat in the charity bin at school for the winter and obviously someone hadn't washed it because she came down with lice.

Not an experience she wanted to go through again.

Professor McGonagall unrolled the scroll.

"When I call your name," she said, "I want you to come up and put the hat on your head." The first years nodded their understanding. Around them, upper years leaned forward in anticipation.

"Abbott, Hannah!" A cute brunette moved from behind Aria and Hermione to the stool, picked up the hat, sat on the stool, and eagerly plopped it on her head. After a short moment the Hat shouted,

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuff table on the far end of the hall erupted in loud cheers and clapping while Hannah hopped off the stool, placed the hat back on top, and made her way smiling to the welcoming table.

"Bones, Susan!"

The auburn haired girl beside Neville made her way up to the stool. After another moment the Hat cried,

"HUFFLEPUFF!" Again, the Hufflepuff table began cheering, though a large group also began chanting "Two in a row! Two in a row!"

"Bourne, Aria!"

Aria glanced at Hermione who gave her a shoulder nudge in encouragement. Aria started to the platform, earning encouraging smiles from both Harry and Ron. She picked up the hat, perched on the stool, and just saw Draco Malfoy's smug little face before she put the hat on. The urge to punch Draco Malfoy was strong.

"A bit aggressive, don't you think?" The Hat asked. Aria stiffened, then, relaxed.

Of course, she replied in her head. You can read minds.

"Something like that. Old Magic. Powerful Magic. Now, hush, while I try to place you. Muggleborns are always the most interesting to sort because they don't have any preconceived notions about much of the wizarding world or have family honor to try an uphold and convince me is of utmost importance." The Hat began to hum tunelessly.

"Lots of ambition to improve and prove yourself," the Hat commented. "You've had a bit of a struggle in life haven't you? Well, I can't say Hogwarts will be any easier, but with how you've handled everything in life so far, the only place to put you is SLYTHERIN!"

Aria took off the hat. The Slytherin table, on the opposite far end of the Great Hall, stood to their feet and applauded the sorting with a lot more pomp and a lot less ruckus than the Hufflepuff table. Aria put the hat down and made her way to the first empty spot on the end of the table to finish watching the sorting.

As "Brown, Lavender" came up Aria searched the Head Table for Mr. Snape, or Professor Snape now that she was at school with him. She found him sitting two away from the center of the table where an ancient man with a white beard watched the preceding from a throne like chair. That must be the headmaster. Aria turned her attention to Professor Snape who caught her gaze. He gave her a nod before going back to the sorting.

Lavender Brown was the first sorted into Gryffindor. Aria almost covered her ears, the cheers from the Gryffindor table were so loud. Lavender flounced to her spot at the Gryffindor table, a wide grin spreading across her face and she tossed golden curls over her shoulder.

Vincent Crabbe, one of the burly goons of Draco's was the first boy sorted into Slytherin and he sat opposite, scowling at her which she ignored.

The first of her friends to be sorted was Hermione. Aria perked up hearing the girl's name and watched as the girl made her way to the stool, muttering to herself. Aria almost laughed. Hermione was definitively the high-strung type.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Aria clapped for her bushy haired friend as she joined the scarlet and gold table.

A Daphne Greengrass was the next to be sorted and she came to Slytherin, smiling shyly at Aria and sitting next to her. To Aria's chagrin, Gregory Goyle was also sorted into Slytherin and he sat beside Crabbe. It was to Aria's delight to note that Daphne didn't appear overly enthusiastic about Goyle or Crabbe's sorting either.

Too soon for her liking, Draco Malfoy was called up. The Hat had barely been put on his head when it shouted SLYTHERIN and he was ensconced between Crabbe and Goyle.

"Greengrass," he greeted.

"Malfoy," the girl replied with a sniff. "Fancy meeting you here." She turned her gaze to the sorting and Draco leveled a glare at Aria. Aria raised an eyebrow at him.

"Potter, Harry."

All noise within the Great Hall ceased. An unnerving silence was broken only by the soft pops of torchlight and the steady breathing of the students and professors. Harry slowly made his way to the stool, aware of the deadly silence that the hall had taken. Aria bit her lip, her heart suddenly hammering against her chest for her friend. The Hat sat for several long minutes on Harry's head.

"Hatstall?" Aria heard a second year whisper.

"Everyone knows he's going to go to Gryffindor," someone else whispered.

"SLYTHERIN!"

At first no one from the Slytherin table stood and clapped like they had done for the other first years. The older years all appeared too shocked to do anything. Harry took off the hat and started towards the Slytherin table, though it was plain to see in his eyes that he was hurt yet unsurprised by the lack of applause.

"We got Potter." All Slytherin swiveled their heads to look at the person who'd spoken, a prefect male marred with the worst acne Aria had even see on a person and teeth needing braces. "We got Potter!"

"We got Potter" made it way up and down the upper years until there was a sudden explosion of noise and undignified cheers as the Slytherins leapt to their feet, applauding and welcoming their newest first year. Harry's eyes widened as the sudden welcoming, and he froze halfway to the table. Aria rushed to his side and yanked him to sit with her on her other side.

Several second years reached over and patted Harry's back, welcoming him to the "Noble House of Slytherin."

All the other tables stared at them with jaws hanging open. The professors too seemed equally as startled. Professor McGonagall had a hand over her heart, though the surprise could have been from the loud cheers the Slytherins had given. Professor Snape, Aria noted, was staring at Harry with the most calculating expression while the Headmaster appeared lost in thought.

Professor McGonagall, gaining her wits, shot off sparks with her wand which boomed throughout the Great Hall. The Slytherins immediately sat as if they hadn't exploded in loud cheers, and she returned to the sorting.

"I'm so glad you're here," Aria whispered to Harry.

"Thanks," Harry whispered back. "The hat was going between Gryffindor and Slytherin. He said my parents were Gryffindors, but that I'd make a powerful, great wizard in Slytherin. I told him I didn't care about being great and powerful, and that either house was fine as I had friends there. Then he chose Slytherin."

"Well we'd still have been friends either way," Aria stated.

The sorting continued and, slowly, the group of first years grew smaller. Children went to their respective tables. The Slytherins clapped politely for all their new students. Theodore Nott came to Slytherin as did Pansy Parkinson, the pug nosed girl. She shoved Crabbe down the bench to sit beside Draco.

"Weasley, Ronald!" Aria and Harry craned to see their friend make his way to the stood. He was second to last in being sorted. Over at the Gryffindor table Aria could see the three older red haired brothers preparing to cheer their brother's placement by standing to their feet.

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Weasley brothers thudded to their seats.

Again, like with Harry, an unnerving silence fell over the hall. Ron pulled off the hat and stared at it like it would bite him. Gulping, Ron put the hat down and, casting a confused glance over at his brothers, made his way to the Slytherin table. Daphne was kind enough to scoot over so Ron could sit between her and Aria.

Blaise Zabini, the last student, was also sorted into Slytherin, finishing the sorting. Professor McGonagall took the stool and hat out to an antechamber and returned, taking a seat between Professor Snape and the headmaster, who stood, his silvery blue robes sparkling in the torchlight.

"Welcome!" the man cried, his voice old like a grandfather's. "Welcome to Hogwarts. I'm Headmaster Dumbledore. Some important rules I feel that must be mentioned before we tuck into the scrumptious feast prepared for us. First, the Forbidden Forest that borders Hogwarts on the south and south-westerly side is just that; forbidden. It houses many creatures, not all of them friendly. Being caught within its boundaries is a sure way to earn yourself detention and loss of house points." He stared directly at the Gryffindor table and most of the students peered at the Weasley twins, but they weren't paying attention, instead, they were whispering furiously with their elder brother.

"Secondly, the list of banned items from Zonkos has increased," Headmaster Dumbledore continued. "You can get the complete list from our caretaker, Mr. Filch, at his office on the second floor."

Aria noticed a ragged looking man with a cat standing by the doors to the Great Hall. That must be Mr. Filch.

"And thirdly, the Third Floor corridor just off the Charms Hallway is strictly off limits this year, unless you want to die a most horrible and painful death." Aria's eyes widened. What sort of school was she attending?

Oh, that's right. A magical school.

Okay, before you execute me over Ron's sorting, just keep with the story. Everything will resolve itself and make sense in the end. Besides, I said this story was sort of going to keep with the canon. "Sort of" means that there are deviations.