Chapter 3: Sorted Out

"Are you daft?"

"I swear I don't know what happened, one minute I was getting an extendable ear to show the bloke, and the next he's writhing on the ground like someone is choking him."

Nim felt like his head was underwater, or that someone had placed rather effective earmuffs on him. He could just barely make out the words as he blinked.

"Merlin's beard, he's okay." A shadow peered down. Soon it came into focus, it was Professor Coremund who was knelt over his body.

"Ugh, what…what happened?" Nim sat up slowly, holding his throbbing head with one hand.

"Easy does it." Coremund helped him to his feet. "Does anyone have any chocolate?"

Weasley held out a chocolate.

"Does anyone else have a chocolate?" Coremund asked the crowd. Weasley rolled his eyes.

"I've got a frog…" A timid boy approached the front. He had a mousey face and a pair of front teeth that were a little larger than the rest, not helping. His hair was jet black and knotted. He held out his hand as a chocolate frog leapt out. Some gasped in the crowd.

Professor Coremund just reached out his hand and snagged it before it could get far. Nim had to blink to make sure he hadn't been seeing things, but as Coremund held out the now twitching semi splattered frog and offered it to him, Nim convinced himself the lightning fast reflex wasn't imagined.

"Thanks." He took and ate it, feeling instantly better.

"Is there anything in this joke shop that could present immediate danger like a rope or something?" Coremund asked Weasley as he stood up. A man in a suit walked up as he said this. "Oh, hello Mr. Yance."

The man addressed as Mr. Yance nodded. "I came as soon as I heard. I figured one from the Ministry should be present to ensure this is handled properly." He turned his attention to Nim. "I'm supposing that this is the boy. Nim is it?"

"Yes sir." Nim said. He felt red and embarrassed. Everyone was staring at him, like he was a spectacle or something. Just a few days ago, he thought he'd die in that piece of trash his grandpa called a house. Now he was being strangled in the middle of a magic shop in a street full of magicians…in front of an audience. For a moment, he wondered if this was some sort of television stunt and he was the actor.

"Good boy. Let me have a look." He walked over and examined Nim's neck. "It wasn't an object in this place."

"How do you know?" Coremund asked. A look of relief washed over the face of Mr. Weasley.

"Dark magic. It leaves…traces. I'm actually shocked you didn't detect this Coremund." Mr. Yance put a hand in his pocket and pulled out a strange electronic device. He waved it over and around some of the things in the shop.

"Well, err…" Coremund seemed at a loss for words. "Dark arts were never much of my forte…"

"Nothing in this joke shop is dark. Mostly harmless and annoying, but not truly dark…don't all of you have more important things than to gawk?" He glared at the onlookers who immediately began to disperse. "I guess that clears this up then. Nothing previously registered in this shop could have caused the incident."

"You do realize you sent away all of the suspects don't you?" Professor Coremund said.

"I doubt it." Mr. Yance patted Nim on the shoulder and turned away. "My guess is anyone stupid enough to have stayed would have reeked of Dark Magic. But I sense nothing. I will be keeping my eyes out and put my men on double time. I recommend not traveling anywhere alone for awhile. Good day, and do be careful son." He turned and smiled, waving a gloved hand at Nim.

Nim gave a wave back and the man left.

"I think it's best if you stick with me for the rest of this excursion." Coremund said. He sounded like he had been angry, but was calming down. Nim guessed there was some sort of tenseness between him and Mr. Yance…it reminded him of his family. He felt suddenly cold and began to shake at the thought of a fight between his parents. "You alright?" Coremund asked. When Nim didn't respond, he got knelt down and looked at the boy. "Nim? Nim come back." He snapped.

Nim took a breath and caught tears that were beginning to form. He felt the salty sting in the corners and took a deep breath. He looked into the warm, yellow eyes of Professor Coremund and nodded.

"Just, think about here. When I'm reminded of…things out of my control, I just have to focus on the now and not what has been or what could be. Here." Coremund reached into his pocket and gave him a small, blue, and glassy stone. "Take this stone. Feel the weight in your hands. The smoothness of it's surface. The cool, calming temperature. This is now your stone. If you think, there's something you can't deal with, past or future, use this stone to bring yourself back to the present."

Nim accepted the stone and began to feel it. Soon his thoughts were drawn to the stone. It felt ridiculous, yet somehow calming. Soon, he could feel the warmth of the joke shop, the laughter of a young witch as she played with a small, puffy animal, and then the understanding face of Professor Coremund. With another deep breath, Nim nodded. He was okay.

"Good boy. Okay I took the trouble of getting your books, sorta…a present for your birthday if you will."

Nim had almost forgot. "Oh right, my birthday is tomorrow. Thanks." He smiled.

"Anytime. So all that's left is robes, magical items, and a pet. Let's not make waste, it's starting to get late."

Before they left, the shop owner, Mr.. Weasley approached them.

"I'm truly sorry for whatever happened…I'd like to give you…something to show how sorry I am. How about this?" He held out a wand.

"A wand?" Nim asked.

"It's not just any wand, it's a Trick Wand. One of my trademark items. If you swap it with someone else's wand and they use it, it turns into a random object. It'll give you a good laugh." He smiled. It was earnest. Nim accepted it.

"Thanks." He waved. He followed Professor Coremund to finish his errands promptly after.

By the time Nim had been fitted for robes and they'd finished shopping for a cauldron and other magical items, which Nim hadn't the faintest idea what they were for, the sun was beginning to set. A warm orange glow covered Diagon Alley and the witches and wizards began to pick up their pace, trying to get all of their shopping done before nightfall.

"Saved the best for last." Coremund grinned. "Time to pick a pet. I remember the first time I got a pet…" He looked lost in thought for a moment and then shook his head. "Never mind. So the pets that Hogwarts students are allowed are an owl, cat, or toad. Technically this isn't required, but I think you'd benefit from bringing one."

They entered the shop, it was dimly lit, but pets were strewn throughout the entire store. Cats were running rampant, owl were caged up and dangling from the ceilings and floors, and toads were hopping in aquariums lining the back walls. A pungent smell wafted into Nim's nostrils and he wrinkled his nose.

"I'll just be here if you need me…I always found it best if the pet is chosen by the student directly. Gives it a more personal feel." Coremund leaned against the wall in the back of the shop and Nim nodded. He began to wander about, looking at all the animals.

The colors alone were enough to make his head spin. A calico cat darted in and out of owl cages filled with brown, white, and even a couple black owls. A yellow toad croaked loudly in the aquarium close behind. Nim started to get overwhelmed, but just rubbed the smooth stone in his pocket and took a breath. He figured it best to decide what type of animal he was drawn to and go from there.

First he looked at the toads. He picked one up and it croaked. There was a marshy sort of musk to it's breath. Nim gagged and put it down. Okay no toads.

Next he looked at the owls. He bent down and looked at one of the black owls on the floor. It screeched at him and fluffed its feathers as if being bothered. Nim had to raise his hands just to bat the flying feathers from their flurried frenzy. After taking some steps back and the owl finally done having its fit, Nim decided it really wasn't in his best interest to take on something so temperamental.

He turned to the cats. Most of them were preoccupied, some were licking themselves in places that made Nim shudder. They coughed hairballs, hissed at each other, and one even started jumping from cage to cage, causing the other animals to lose it.

Back to square one.

Nim started to feel overwhelmed. He'd made no progress. He felt lost. The immense nature of this shop was starting to be too much. He sat down and buried his hands in his face. This was all too fast.

Then he felt the warm rubbing of a face on his elbow. He looked down and saw the most beautiful bicolor cat he'd ever lay eyes on. It had a mostly white face with a black spot that covered it's right ear. It's back was black all the way to it's tail, but it had a white stomach and paws. It climbed onto Nim's lap and lay there as if it had always been.

"Hello there." He smiled.

Nim ran his hands through it's soft and fuzzy fur, feeling the vibrations as it purred at his touch. He'd never had a pet before. His parents never had much money and grandpa certainly wasn't going to get him a cat if he wouldn't even buy him a new t-shirt. It smelled like oak, just like the floors he used to walk across growing up. For the first time since his family had died, he felt like a piece of home had returned to him.

"How much for this one?" Nim hadn't actually seen the shopkeep yet, but as an elderly kind woman appeared as if from thin air, she knelt down and he knew it was her.

"Fancy this cat eh? You two make a fine pair. I don't like to sell until I know the name of the animal. Go on then, she's waiting." She gave a large toothy grin.

Nim looked at her and thought for a moment. It didn't take long, there was only one female name that came to mind, which would suit the pet that made him feel home, which he hadn't felt in almost 2 years.

"Miranda."

"A gorgeous name. Take a little time to know Miranda, you two have a lot of time to spend together and the initial bonding is important. I'll be waiting at the counter when you're ready."

Nim and Miranda sat there. He didn't want to move. He was starting to feel warm and comfortable. But from looking at the weathered watch, he knew that Coremund was probably anxious to get a move on. Eventually he stood up. Miranda followed.

After paying, they walked back to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Now unfortunately, I do have to send you back home to your grandpa; I'm not allowed to remove you from your guardian's care permanently. However, I'm staying here the night at the Leaky Cauldron. You are welcome to use the guest room across the hall, I checked with Tom Jr, the owner, for the night. Would you rather spend a night before going back?" Coremund asked.

"Absolutely." Nim nodded.

"I figured as much." He handed Nim a key that said "guest" and walked off.

Nim had a great night, looking at all of his textbooks, petting Miranda as she strolled about the room, and enjoying a piece of Ludvig's Lavish Licorice that he'd picked up in the item shop. The next day he got dressed and enjoyed a quick breakfast with Coremund.

"Alright Nim, I do have to get going for the real reason I came here, so we are going to have to part ways." He pulled a ticket out of his pocket and handed it to him. "I've arranged for an escort to pick you up to board your train. You'll want to be ready by 8am sharp on the morning so that you'll have time to catch it. I do hate leaving you with…Argus…but…"

"It's okay. I appreciate all of this…" Nim smiled. The two stood up and Nim threw his arms around Coremund. "Thank you Professor."

Coremund patted the boy's head and hugged him back briefly. They used the portkey and Coremund waved as he vanished after dropping Nim off.

For the next few weeks, Nim read as much as he could. Unfortunately, he didn't understand most of the stuff in the books and didn't dare ask his grandpa for help. The elf arrived as promised and took over caring for his grandpa. Occasionally, the elf would also make Nim breakfast and wash his clothes. Nim had purchased a couple of outfits from Diagon Alley and was excited to wear them.

Soon, September 5th arrived and Nim couldn't wait to board. As instructed, a short man appeared at 8am with a car and Nim got in. They drove to King's Cross station where he was dropped off. He was going to thank the driver, but as he turned around, the man disappeared.

It was a little after 10am when Nim stepped into King's Cross. The train left at 11, and Nim didn't want to be late. He was too afraid he was going to miss it. However, his ticket didn't exactly make sense. He walked to an officer.

"Excuse me…is there a platform nine and three quarters somewhere?" Nim asked.

"What is this some sort of joke?" The officer asked. "Bug off you little runt." He continued on with whatever invisible non helpful patrolling he was doing.

Nim walked around a bit. He wished that Professor Coremund could be there to help him…He once again felt lost in a world he knew almost nothing about.

He pushed his cart full of things to platform nine and looked around. There was no one in between platforms nine and ten. He tried standing where he thought three quarters would be and blinked. When his eyes opened he was still in between the two platforms looking like an idiot.

"Out of the way."

Nim wheeled around just in time to see a boy with a cart running towards him. He just had time to get out of the way as the boy ran into the nearby brick column with the number 10 just on the other side. Nim let out a yelp, but instead of the large crash he expected, the boy simply ran through the wall like it was invisible.

He blinked. There was no way that was possible. Even for magic, that seemed too odd. Nim took a breath. He wheeled his cart around and faced the wall. He felt his heart pound and his chest tightened. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and ran forward, throwing his hand up in front of his face.

"Woah woah! Not too fast, you'll bash right into the train."

Nim felt a firm grip stop the cart and looked up. A taller, paler person looked at him. He had sandy brown hair, and wore black robes. He had a blue badge on them with a big letter "P" on it. He had a goofy grin.

"First time on the express?" The person asked.

Nim nodded. He didn't know what to say. He felt foolish.

"Not to worry. Name's Chapman." He held out his hand. Nim shook it. "I'm one of the Prefects for House Ravenclaw. Given any thought to which house you might be interested in?"

Come to think of it, Nim recalled something about a house cup that Professor Coremund had mentioned. This…Ravenclaw must be one of them.

"Umm no, I'm sorry I don't know much…" Nim rubbed his shoulder.

"Alright, alright I'll try not to spoil too much fun. Just be sure to get on the train, it's taking off soon. I think I heard a whistle." The boy waved and walked towards the front of the train.

Nim looked around at all the young witches and wizards. They were hugging their parents, some crying, some unable to contain their excitement to get away from them, and others teasing their younger siblings who seemed upset they couldn't go. It made him feel very aware that he was alone.

He took a breath and walked onto the train, remembering to secure his trunk before picking it up. Miranda, who had been lazing about on top of the trunk gave a little hiss, but followed him. He chuckled and noted a waft of something that smelled fresh, as if walking by a bakery. He wanted to follow the scent, but then he heard a train whistle as steam began to billow. The other students in the hallway started filing into the nearby cars with excited chatter. Not wanting to feel left out, he ducked into the nearest car.

"Try the next one." One of the girls in the car giggled. Nim looked. There were five girls already crowded into the car. He apologized, blushed, and shut the door looking in the next few. They were all the same, full of people. Finally, the seventh car had an open seat and he walked in.

"Hello, oh!"

Nim jumped.

"Sorry." The voice said. It was soft, yet soothing. His eyes fell onto the familiar green hair from Olivander's wand shop. "I wasn't expecting to see you again." She smiled. He sat next to her.

"Yeah, how's the wand?" He asked.

"Oh, quite marvelous. I've been having the most fun time trying out various charms, nothing too advanced and always in the privacy of my own room of course. I managed-"

"Bored."

Nim turned his attention to the nearby boy sitting directly across from him. He had a sort of snobbish air about him. His platinum blond hair and emerald green eyes stood out against his pale complexion. In fact, Nim gathered he'd probably burn if he stood in the sun for more than a minute.

"Nobody was talking to you William." The girl said. She snarled.

"It's Bill, thank you very much. And I'm sure our new guest wouldn't care for such droll conversation would he?" He shifted and held out a hand, still keeping the other one folded on his chest. "And you are?"

"Nimbus…oh but you can call me Nim." He held out his hand and touched the other. As he did, there was a jolt. It was just like the moment he'd touched his wand.

"Ouch!" Bill pulled his hand back. "Watch the static will you?"

Nimbus was sure it wasn't the same sensation as static. It was so specific and didn't hurt. It intrigued him.

"Sorry." He shook his head. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too, just don't…touch me for a bit until I know you are de-electrified." Bill put his arm back into the cross formation on his chest. He had his leg crossed over and his nice black slacks gave him a very proper look.

"H-hi Nim."

Nim had been so intrigued by the shock and his conversation with the girl, he had failed to notice the final member of the car. But as he did, he gasped.

"You." Nim said.

"Hm? Do you know Cyril?" The girl asked.

"Yes," Nim smiled. He held out his hand. The familiar mousey frames and teeth looked back at him. "Cyril huh? Thank you so much for the chocolate earlier. I feel loads better."

"G-good." The boy quickly shook the others hand, squeaked, and took it back.

"No need to be shy Cyril, no one's trying to hurt you."

"Easy for you to say Rowena," Cyril stuttered. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Sorry about that, Cyril is…a little shy." Rowena smiled. "Quite a nice fellow though. Have you read up on all of the Houses? I hear great things about Gryffindor."

"I…no I haven't read up. Can you tell me about them? I'm a little behind." Nim turned his attention to her. With Cyril unable to even meet his gaze anymore, and Bill seeming like he'd rather eat a bug then participate in conversation with the others, Nim figured he'd get the most out of this trip by conversing with Rowena for the time being. She opened her mouth, but stopped as the train lurched. They all looked out the window as it began to move. Families were waving and crying as their beloved children rode off on the Hogwarts Express. The train wheezed and whirred as it spun to life and soon, the platform started to move away. The waving continued until they could no longer see the platform. They were driving through green countryside full of colorful flowers, flying birds, and serene lakes.

"Houses right?" Rowena asked. Nim nodded. "Hogwarts is known for having four Houses. Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Each house is related to a founder of the school. I don't know much else, but supposedly Ravenclaws are smart, Gryffindors brave, Hufflepuffs fair, and Slytherins…evil."

"Knock it off. Slytherins are ambitious." Bill said. He shot Rowena a glare.

Rowena giggled a bit. "With how much you praise the house, I just had to tease."

"Whatever." Bill huffed and turned his head again.

"Anyways, I know the headmaster was a Gryffindor. I also heard my mother talking her best memories were in Gryffindor. I can't wait to start taking classes." She grinned.

"Me too."

The others looked over. Cyril had spoken up for the first time since the train had left the station.

"You are?" Rowena blinked. "What are you looking forward to?"

"I've always been fascinated with stars…and stuff. I saw Astrology was a subject." Cyril turned bright pink and began to stutter again.

"Yes, it's very good to know about the celestial bodies. They help with magic abilities." Rowena said. She clasped her hands together. "Oooh, I'm so excited."

"I couldn't tell." Bill said. He let out a chuckle.

"And you aren't excited?" Rowena snapped.

"Sure, but I'm not flaunting my excitement all over the place." Bill made a motion with his hands that was flamboyant. "I already know I'm going to be Slytherin. My whole family went to Slytherin and I don't plan on breaking tradition."

"Suit yourself, I just know a number of famous dark wizards came from there." Rowena folded her arms. Nim gathered the pair of them weren't going to be best friends anytime soon.

"That's like saying sometimes crayons are black. News flash, not all crayons are black and in fact over 99% of them aren't." Bill scowled.

Before anything else could be said, the door opened. The four looked over. A young bright eyed woman with a bonnet and a maid outfit was wheeling a cart.

"Can I interest you in some wizarding treats?" She asked and batted her eyelashes.

"I don't…have any money…" Cyril said. He let out a sigh.

"I shouldn't spend anything." Rowena said. Bill didn't even bother speaking.

"What are these?" Nim got up and started eyeballing everything on the cart.

"Why, those are Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. Careful with those, you could pretty much get any flavor."

"And those?" Nim pointed.

"Chocolate Cauldrons…that one seems pretty straightforward."

Nim started to get the feeling he was annoying the lady, so he reached into his pocket. "I'll take two of everything." He placed some coins on the cart. "Does that cover it."

The entire cabin was silent for a second. The lady stared in disbelief and then recomposed her complexion. "Yes of course!" She immediately unloaded a number of the items into the compartment and once satisfied. She walked down the hall to the next cabin. Nim could swear he heard her humming a happy tune.

"Going to stuff yourself full of cheap candy?" Bill asked.

"Of course, but I'll need some help." Nim grinned and started tossing candy to the others, making sure to give a chocolate frog to Cyril and thank him for his earlier.

All four of the students tore into the candy and began to laugh as the frogs hopped everywhere, Bill chomped down on a booger flavored bean, and Cyril spilled a jelly slug on his robes. For a moment it seemed like everything was fine between them. They'd forgotten all about their earlier argument. Even Bill had become less cold towards the others. Nim noticed a grin that could probably start a war for a brief moment. When he wasn't sulking, Bill was kinda fun. Cyril seemed to have gotten over his initial shyness and was laughing with the rest of them. They all talked about the treats and started talking about things they were looking forward to.

Since Nim didn't know much about Hogwarts, he found this particularly useful. He learned that the Headmaster was a bit of a celebrity, having defeated some dark lord, being a Triwizard Champion, and having a scar which was in the shape of a lightning bolt. Classes ranged from defense against the dark arts, to history of magic, to charms. He also learned that pictures moved, unlike "muggle" pictures. According to the others, muggle was the term for non-magical folk.

"Blimey, so you're saying that you've never had to deal with gnomes?" Rowena asked Nim. At some point, the conversation had shifted from Hogwarts to…just magical things in general. Nim shook his head. "Lucky."

"Yeah, all they do is wreck gardens. Quite useless otherwise." Bill chimed in. "Thinking about joining a Quidditch team?" It was as sharp a turn in the conversation as most of the discussion had been thus far. They were all too excited to stick to one topic for too long. Nim grinned, he knew this one.

"I don't know, but I'm sure it would be fun to watch."

"So you have heard of Quidditch at least?" Bill asked. He stifled a snicker.

"Yeah, it's where you…ummm score points and stuff right?" Nim asked. He felt stupid all of a sudden. The others laughed.

"That's like every sport." Rowena said. She smiled. "Quidditch is a sport that can last weeks or be over in minutes. The basic idea is to score points using a Quaffle while avoiding Bludgers. Meanwhile, one player searches for a tiny golden item called a Snitch. The player who catches the Snitch ends the game. Scoring with a Quaffle earns you 10 points, while catching the Snitch earns you 150 points."

Nim nodded. This was all too much information, but he wanted to at least show he appreciated the effort.

"It's a little more complex than that, but the team with the most points wins." Rowena finished.

"Oh thank god, I wasn't sure if you were ever going to stop talking." Bill said.

"She did a good job…" Cyril said. "No need to be mean."

"I just can't stand how much we have to sit here and listen to Miss Know-It-All." Bill looked out the window. "Oh thank god, there." He pointed.

The others looked out the window and noticed a gorgeous castle overlooking a glistening lake. It sat atop a hill and in the orange glow of the setting sun, it seemed to rise with prominence.

"We'll be there soon, we best be getting our things." Bill stood up. "It was nice to meet you Nim." He offered his hand. Nim went to shake it, but felt the same sensation as their hands neared each other.

"Right the static." Bill took his hand back as if forgetting the earlier incident. "Let's try this again in a non carpeted scenario. Cyril." He nodded to the shorter student. He was about to leave when-

"And me?" Rowena added.

"Oh yes, it was a thrill to meet the greatest mind of our time." He stuck out his tongue and left.

"What an ass." Rowena rolled her eyes. The train stopped soon and the others gathered their belongings and left. There had to be hundreds of students. Nim had to try not to get lost in the crowd of black robes. He stuck close to Cyril and Rowena as they made their way to the gates of the castle.

"All first years gather here, everyone else to my left." A booming voice called out. Nim recognized Hagrid from the Leaky Cauldron and waved.

Unlike at the Cauldron, Hagrid gave a smile and waved back. Nim wasn't sure if this was out of kindness or obligation.

Once the crowd had settled, Nim looked around. He already felt like he was lost. There were so many witches and wizards that he didn't know where to start keeping track of them all. Only Bill, who stood towards the front, and Cyril and Rowena on either side of him were recognizable.

"Alright, as tradition, we will be climbing into these boats and entering the castle from below. Be sure to follow each other and don't dawdle." Hagrid motioned for them to follow.

The students followed, each got into a boat, and were guided, as if by invisible beings, across the lake. Lanterns hung in the sky all around the lake, giving a glow in the now darkened sky. It felt like being in a dream, and Nim didn't want to wake up. He looked down and saw several fish swimming in the glow. He also swore he saw a large tail flick and immediately turned his attention back into the boat. Just what was in this lake?

The boats soon arrived underneath the castle, a set of stone steps lead up. Hagrid helped them all off the boat.

"Oy Nim, sorry about earlier, I'm not very good with social stuff. No hard feelings?" He said as Nim stepped out of the boat.

"It's fine. Thank you." He shook the man's hand. No shock. Interesting.

As he started to go up the steps, a hand clapped his shoulder. Though he felt an odd tingling sensation, there was no shock this time.

"Guess the static's gone down."

Nim turned to see Bill behind him. The pair of them dragged behind the others.

"I see." Nim nodded. He smiled.

"Listen, you seem like a cool guy, kinda slow, but cool. You aren't like those other two. I'd like to be friends." Bill said.

"I'd like that too."

"I plan to get into Slytherin. I think it'd be best if you did too." He grinned.

"You get to choose your House?" Nim asked.

"Not exactly-"

Before Bill could say anything else, all of the students stopped. At the top of the stairs, Professor Coremund stood. He quickly winked at Nim and then cleared his throat.

"Welcome 1st years. Today marks a special occasion. You will be sorted by tradition into one of four Houses: Ravenclaw, Griffindor, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff. I will lead you into the Great Hall momentarily. As we call your name, step up, sit down, and we will sort you. You will then join the House you will be living in for the next seven years. From there, you will begin your journey into schooling. I am delighted to see what the next seven years bring for you all. Follow me if you will." He gestured as he began walking towards a large set of wooden doors. They opened as he waved his hand and a great bellowing of excited chatter filled.

There were candles dangling in mid air and four long tables filled with a plethora of students. They all ranged in age, height, and color. Nim started to feel overwhelmed as the first years were lead to the front of the room.

He looked at the table at the front as they approached. There were a number of older witches and wizards, who Nim assumed to be the Professors, who sat. They were all bright eyed and seemed enthusiastic to see the fresh crop. In the center was a wizard whose hair was ghost white. He had a very thin white beard and a scar that stood out against the receding hairline. He assumed based on his limited information, that this was Headmaster Potter.

Professor Coremund took a scroll, given to him by the Headmaster, and looked out at the hall. "Alright, one at a time I am going to call your names and you will sit on this stool and be sorted by-"

"Bushy, bright youngsters that I get to sort."

There was a jovial tune that started as an old hat, that sat on the stool became animated and sang.

"For whom get to live in a House of Hogwarts,

Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Slytherin,

You all will find solace and homes to all fit in,

Don't think too much let me do all of the sifting,

For sorting is what I do best…let's BE-GIN."

There was a roar of applause as the hat stopped singing. Nim couldn't help but join in.

"Supposedly it sings a different tune every year." Rowena whispered to him. Nim nodded.

"As I was saying," Professor Coremund cleared his throat again. "One at a time I am going to call your names and you will sit on this stool and be sorted by the Sorting Hat. You have all been briefed on what to do after." He winked. "First up-"

"Excuse me Professor."

Coremund turned around as Headmaster Potter raised his hand.

"Yes Headmaster?" Coremund seemed a little irritated at being interrupted twice, but kept his composure in front of the Headmaster.

"Let's do it in reverse order this year. Nothing like changing things up in my opinion." He grinned. It was a playful grin, maybe with a hint of mischievousness. As if he'd just interrupted some great plan.

"As you wish." Coremund bowed and then looked at the scroll and muttered some gibberish that Nim didn't recognize. The scroll glowed and then dimmed.

"Zarlot, Elmire."

A very slender girl with auburn red hair walked to the front. She had a green bow that dangled slightly, making her look a bit like a disheveled christmas present. She sat down on the stool and the hat rested on her head. After a moment it exclaimed, "Slytherin!" The hat was removed and Elmire skipped over to the table. The Slytherins, clad in green, cheered loudly, while the Gryffindors, clad in red, booed. Nim figured there must be some sort of animosity between the two houses.

A few more witches and wizards were sorted before…

"Wynne, Rowena."

"Good luck." Rowena winked and walked up, her green hair shimmered in the dim light. Her rosy completion contrasted the old, tattered hat as it was lifted over her, but before it could be settled, "RAVENCLAW!" It shouted.

Rowena smiled and walked over. The table welcomed her with open arms.

A few minutes later, "North, Cyril," was called. The hat had to think a few minutes, practically draped over all of the small boy's head, and finally settled on Hufflepuff. Nim was a little disappointed, as he'd hoped to be sorted with all of his friends, but if he could even be with one of them, he'd be fine.

Every time a Gryffindor was sorted, roars and cheers from the Gryffindor table caused Nim to hold his hands over his ears.

"Kensington, William."

Nim watched as the blond boy mouthed "Bill," scowled, and sat on the stool. The hat was placed, and much like he predicted, he was placed in "Slytherin!"

All of his friends had been put in different houses. Nim felt alone. He held his stone close in his pocket and prayed he'd be with at least one of them.

Soon he was the only one left. The last person to be sorted.

"Albacore, Nimbus."

Nim walked up. His palms were sweating and he felt like he could faint at any moment. This was the most tense he'd ever felt. He nervously sat down, stumbling a bit. There were some laughs as he re positioned himself. He closed his eyes, and felt the hat rest on his head.

"Not Gryffindor…" He said silently. He would honestly take any of the other three houses.

"Not Gryffindor eh?"

There was a low, scratchy voice in his head. He was a little surprised and jolted.

"No need to be alarmed. Guessing you haven't heard about me. I'm going to give you a quick assessment based on what I see. You don't seem to be the brightest bulb in the shed, nor are you particularly ambitious. I'm definitely not going to place you in Slytherin or Ravenclaw. You don't seem to want Gryffindor, but I believe it could push you to be brave, which you desperately need, and I suspect, secretly desire. I could be boring and put you in Hufflepuff, though you seem kind and just enough. It is what you want."

"Please Hufflepuff. Just not Gryffindor." Nim begged.

"You remind me of someone years ago. I listened to him and placed him where he wanted. But, I should have stuck to my guns then, and I'm going to stick to them now. You are braver than you realize. GRYFFINDOR!" It shouted out loud.

There was a loud applause and cheers bellowed through the hall. Nim felt his heart sink as the hat was removed. He looked to his friends, Rowena in Ravenclaw, Cyril in Hufflepuff, and Bill in Slytherin. He would not be joining any of them. One word surfaced to his mind as he stood up and trudged over to Gryffindor, despite his warm welcome. It was a word that he'd never say aloud, one that summed up every feeling of despair he had in this moment.

Shit.

A/N: Disaster with a capital D. While most would dream to be in Gryffindor, our hero dreads it. How will he handle this early curve ball? How will the different houses affect the early friendships he made? I'm excited to see where this goes as much as you are :) As always, please feel free to leave reviews or comments, let me know how I can improve or your thoughts as you read. Also I hope this chapter wasn't too long...let me know if it was.