There was no doubt in Bee's mind: there had to be a God. Because the fact that not a single student had been killed at the station was nothing short of a miracle. For there they all were, every student present and accounted for, making their way toward the castle, by boat and by carriage. Some had sustained minor injuries—cuts, scrapes, bruises, and the like—while others suffered from headaches, due to the explosion. Or, for those who were conscious at the time, the burst of unidentified power. For this, Bee thanked the deity above profusely.

After each student was double and triple checked, they began the journey to the castle. Bee didn't say a word, lost in thought about her non-attacker, and the mysterious message he carved into the wall.

"You're awfully quiet," Nick pointed out.

Bee's eyes slid up to meet his. "Just thinking."

"Should I be worried?" he teased. It was nice to see that, despite the large cut on his forehead, he hadn't managed to lose his sense of humor.

Rolling her eyes, be shook her head. "Not on my account."

There was an understandable lack of enthusiasm from the students as the castle came into view. Even Bee, though she was still delighted to finally see it, couldn't manage more than inward excitement. Still, the castle was beautiful, and almost exactly the way the movies portrayed it. The countless windows glittered with the light inside, and the surface of the lake gleamed in the moonlight. Truly beautiful.

Upon reaching the castle, a woman with a stern brow and a pointed hat approached her. McGonagall, she deduced. To Bee's disappointment, she looked less like Maggie Smith than she did a taller, more witch-like Judy Dench. "Ms. Elliot," she said, "I am Professor McGonagall. If you will come with me please. You are to be sorted separately, so as to avoid further embarrassment on your part."

Bee didn't bother to point out that singling her out in the throng of students to pull her aside for a private sorting was just as embarrassing, and instead followed silently. She tossed a glance back at Maddie, Nick, and Dennis, who each gave a small wave of encouragement. But Bee felt anything but encouraged.

They arrived in a small, empty classroom, the only furniture being a small stool, upon which sat the famed Sorting Hat. It vaguely reminded Bee of the movies' rendition, but even that seemed a tidy, new-ish hat in comparison. This had was dusty brown, with discolored patches and uneven stitching. But even so, she gazed in awed reverence at the item that would determine her place for the next year. She watched McGonagall lift the hat from its resting place, and took the now-vacant seat. A moment later, the hat was placed on her head. Oh, God.

Oh, my dear, there's no need to be frightened, a voice entered her mind, as if it were a thought itself, but the voice didn't belong to her. Bee felt the color drain from her face. I'm not all that scary, really. I just read your mind.

Right, Bee thought dryly, and the voice chuckled.

Now then, let's see... hmm. Interesting. Yes, very interesting. Well, it's obvious where you belong.

Bee shut her eyes, and for a long, agonizing moment, there was no sound, in her head or out loud, and then, with a loud voice, the hat cried, "RAVENCLAW!"

Oh, thank Merlin!

McGonagall smiled at her, and removed the hat. "Thank you, Ms. Elliot. Just one more moment, if you please..." She pulled out her wand then, and waved it in Bee's direction. Bee glanced down to see her robes transfigured before her very eyes, to match those she had seen Maddie put on less than one hour ago. Bee couldn't stop an excited giggle, which made McGonagall smile even wider.

"Thank you, Professor," she said sincerely.

"You're welcome. Now, if you'll follow me again, please, I'll escort you to the Great Hall."

Bee was silent once again as she trailed behind McGonagall. They came to a stop just outside a pair of ornate doors, and McGonagall faced her. "Go on in, Ms. Elliot, and join your housemates. I must fetch the first years for the ceremony." And with that, she left her by the door. Bee had a feeling she would really enjoy Transfiguration. She smiled, then turned to the doors, and with a deep breath, pushed one open.

All eyes turned to Bee as she entered the Great Hall, and her throat closed up. Swallowing hard, she walked slowly toward the table lined with blue-robed students, her new housemates. The looks she received from them ranged from indifference to curiosity, with the exception of Maddie and Nick, whom she spotted near the middle of the long table. At the sight of Maddie's smile, Bee relaxed, and quickened her pace, skipping into the seat next to her. She noticed the smirk on Nick's face, and narrowed her eyes in a playful glare, which only served to make him laugh.

"I knew you'd be sorted here," Maddie whispered.

Bee smiled in return, unsure of how to respond. She was so elated that someone was actually happy to have her around, that words failed her entirely. At last, she had friends - REAL friends, not the kind that existed only in books. She chuckled silently at the irony; until just a few weeks ago, she'd believed that this castle, this room, the very table at which she sat, did not exist beyond the pages of her oft-opened Harry Potter books. But here she was, a witch, a student at Hogwarts! It seemed too good to be true.

Bee's mind was in a haze throughout the sorting ceremony, having barely enough presence of mind to clap for the newest members of Ravenclaw house. Her house. She felt at home here, already.

Suddenly, the Hall went quiet. Bee's head swiveled she searched for the cause of the abrupt silence, and her heart stopped. There, standing at the elaborate podium, was a man who could only be one Albus Dumbledore. His silvery hair fluttered in a light breeze (where was THAT coming from?), and his half-moon glasses reflected the flickering candlelight, hiding his eyes from view; Bee was sure, though, that if she could see them, they would be twinkling with mirth.

Dumbledore smiled, holding out his arms. "Welcome, my dear students," he said in a kind, calm voice, "to another year at Hogwarts. It is truly a joy to see each and every one of you, particularly after the unfortunate events of only an hour ago." He became abruptly serious. "I'm sure you are all aware of the perpetrator of these events. I won't waste time speaking of him, but I would like to warn you all to be very cautious this year. No fortress is impenetrable, and no protective charm is unbreakable.

"But," he switched subjects, a sudden smile appearing, "that being said, I'm certain we shall have a delightful year! And now, everyone tuck in!"

Just like he is in the books, Bee thought with a wry smile.

"A real confidence booster, eh?" Maddie quipped, and the friends laughed. A moment later, their plates filled, and Bee smiled. Platters of chicken and dumplings, shepherd's pie, boiled potatoes, and some surprisingly delicious-looking vegetables lay before her. Bee took a little of everything, and even sampled the pumpkin juice in her goblet—and quickly abandoned it for the water glass next to it. She supposed it was an acquired taste. But the food was excellent, and once she'd finished her first plate, she dished up a second round.

"Blimey, you can eat!" Nick commented.

"What, just because I'm a girl, I'm not supposed to eat?" she countered.

He laughed. "No, you should see Maddie first thing in the morning."

"Oi!" Maddie exclaimed through a mouthful of chicken, and was laughed at in response.

Bee enjoyed talking and eating with Nick and Maddie. They were both so different from her, but at the same time, shared many similarities. Maddie was tough, a little sharp around the edges, but obviously cared very deeply for those closest to her. She also admitted to hating homework, but loving classes. She enjoyed learning, but the application part wasn't her favorite. Bee could certainly relate. Nick, on the other hand, found classes boring and tedious, and enjoyed his solitary studies. He was exceptionally sarcastic and smug, though upon observing him, Bee suspected he, too, had a softer heart than he was letting on.

Across the hall, sitting at the far table, was Dennis, who happened to catch her eye. He smiled warmly, and Bee concluded that he clearly belonged where he was, among the yellow and black. She returned his smile, then continued glancing around the hall. Her fellow students seemed to have already gotten used to her presence, and were ignoring her in favor of food and friends—for which she was very grateful. She let her gaze sweep across the faculty tables, and identified a few faces, based on her knowledge of the books. Hagrid was easy to pick out, being as large as he was, and looked very much like she'd always pictured him, with the exception of a bit more grey in his hair. Madam Hooch sat next to him, her spikey hair mostly hidden by a small, jaunty witch's hat. She looked classy and cool, and Bee couldn't wait to meet her in person. There were several other familiar faces—Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and Trelawney, for example—but her eyes stopped on the most familiar one of all. He was standing at the moment, having just been chatting with a few of his colleagues, and just now returning to his seat.

Harry Potter.

There he was, the title character of her favorite story. He was taller than she'd pictured, and a bit more filled out. She supposed his time playing Quidditch must have bulked him up. She couldn't clearly see his eyes from where she sat, but she was genuinely curious as to whether his eyes were actually as green as J.K. Rowling had described. Glancing over at Maddie, she realized her new friend had the very eyes she was thinking about. Surely Harry had those same eyes. Surely she hadn't lied about that.

To avoid being caught gawking at her professor (even if he was Harry Potter), she continued observing the rest of the staff. Her stomach lurched as she spotted the teacher sitting at the very end. His blonde hair and angular face seemed familiar to her in a different way. It was obvious who he was: Draco Malfoy. His hair, posture, and facial features all gave him away. But she felt something different... she felt almost as if she had seen him before. Actually seen him, not just the picture of him in her mind as she read about him. Perhaps he had been the teacher who had seemed so astonished that she was awake? Possible, but there was more to it than that.

Her heart stuttered as he glanced up and met her eyes. She ducked her head quickly, embarrassed at being caught. Why couldn't she have been caught staring at Harry Potter? At least that would have been understandable. Even if the series was a sham, he'd still gained quite a bit of fame because of it. The whole world knew his name. But Draco Malfoy... well, she supposed everyone knew his name, too, but that wasn't particularly flattering in his case. Still, she didn't have any good reason to gawk at him.

Too late, she thought morosely.

"All right, Bee?" Maddie asked concernedly. "You look a little pale."

Bee smiled faintly. "Fine. Just tired, I guess."

"Busy day," the redhead agreed with a grin. "We can head up to Ravenclaw Tower anytime you want."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm finished."

"Me too," Nick piped in. "Not really in the mood for dessert tonight. I'll escort you ladies," he added with a wink.

Maddie snorted. "Yeah, don't think you've fooled us for a minute. You're no gentleman."

"Why, Miss Potter, I'm hurt!"

"I think you'll get over it."

The friends swapped banter and witticisms the whole way up to the tower. At length, they approached a spiral staircase, and Bee smiled, knowing what was coming next. Sure enough, at the top of the staircase, they were stopped by a door without a handle. The bronze knocker, which took the shape of an eagle, stared ominously at them. Maddie reached forward and knocked twice, and the eagle sprang to life.

"Give me food, and I will live; give me water, and I will die. What am I?"

Bee mentally shuffled through a list of living creatures, trying to decipher the riddle, and judging by the quiet surrounding her, she guessed that Maddie and Nick were doing the same. As seconds ticked by, and Bee could think of no answer, she considered the question again. Perhaps she was going about it the wrong way. What is killed by water? she wondered, and then the answer came to her.

"Fire!" she beamed, and the door swung open.

Maddie smiled. "You definitely belong here.

As they entered the common room, Bee's smile nearly split her face. The circular room was decorated in blue and bronze, with elegant, yet very comfortable-looking furnishings. A grand fireplace stood opposite the door, with windows on either side. Bee wondered what she would see through those windows when it was light. Perhaps the Quidditch pitch, or the forest, or the lake... maybe it was an enchanted window that would allow the viewer to see whatever he or she wanted! Calm down, Bee, she told herself.

Maddie showed her around, pointing the way to the bathroom, the dormitories, and a secluded study area, with a sheet of parchment beside the door, on which one could reserve an hour of uninterrupted study time. There were no names on it yet, but Bee imagined that once classes started, it would fill up quickly. She followed Maddie to their dormitory. Four beds stood the circular room, the heads situated on the outside, with a small nightstand and a wardrobe next to each one. It reminded Bee of the dormitory in the movies, though this room was considerably lighter, with deep blue bedspreads and a high, pointed ceiling. She guessed that this was the top of one of the turrets.

Bee spotted a familiar, feathered friend perched beside one of the nightstands. "Artemis!" she cried excitedly, holding out her arm. Artemis flapped her wings and landed gracefully on Bee's arms, bending down to nip her fingers affectionately.

"She's beautiful," Maddie approached, holding out a hand for Artemis to examine, before lightly stroking her head. "I always wished my parents would have bought me my own owl, but we all share Hedwig, the family owl."

She grinned at the name she recognized. "I bet she's a great owl."

"The best, in my biased opinion. But still... I'd like my own, too."

Bee couldn't think of anything to say, so turned her attention to Artemis. "Have you been getting into mischief while I've been gone?" The owl's feathers ruffled, and she flapped her wings indignantly. Bee laughed. "All right, I'm sorry! You're probably getting hungry, aren't you?" Artemis' head bobbed, and Bee crossed over to the window, pulling on the latch and pushing the panes outward. "I'll leave the window open for you. Have fun." With another gentle nip, Artemis soared out into the night.

"I think I'll run and have a quick shower. You want to go next?"

"Yeah, a shower sounds heavenly."

Maddie disappeared, and Bee surveyed her surroundings again. She finally noticed her trunk set up next to the same bed Artemis had been beside. With a great leap, she plopped onto the bed, gazing up at the vaulted ceiling. She stayed like that until Maddie returned from her shower, then Bee took her turn. The water was warm, and smelled faintly floral. She loved it.

Back in the common room, the other girls had arrived, and were preparing for bed. They all turned to her as she entered, and she bristled a little at the looks on their faces. One of them was already in her pajamas—a skimpy, lacy outfit that barely covered anything—and the other was in the process of unpacking her trunk. The two girls bore the same tight, blonde curls, and nearly identical faces, which brought Bee to the conclusion that they were twins. They both looked at her with something between boredom and distaste.

"Bee, this is Layla and Laurel Brandt. Layla, Laurel, this is Bee Elliot."

"Hi," they muttered, then returned to their previous tasks, seeming wholly uninterested in Bee. She hoped it was only because she was new, and that they would eventually warm up to her. Maddie walked over to her and whispered, "They're both snobs. Ignore them." That earned a smile from Bee, and she did just that.

As Bee folded up her clothes, something fell out of the pocket of her skirt. It was her ticket, on the back of which was scrawled the words from the remains of Hogsmeade Station. She read them again, and tucked the drawer of her bedside table. Tomorrow, she would worry about that. Tonight, she would just enjoy the fact that she was here, at Hogwarts, in the house she'd always wanted to be in. For the first time in her life, she felt like she truly belonged.


A/N: The end is kind of lame, but I was getting bored with it. I don't want to spend too much time on unnecessary stuff. Next chapter will come... eventually... Sorry! Please stay tuned!