A stern looking woman opened the door and lectured them a bit. Wait a minute... it was McGonagall! The woman who broke into her TARDIS!
They were sent into a side chamber to wait for something or another. She wasn't really paying attention. Well - not until something made the eleven near her jump. The Doctor nearly screamed herself - the Cybermen had found her! She needed to get everyone away.
After further observation (and discrete scanning by her sonic), the Doctor realised that they were actually impressions of artron energy - basically ghosts. As she had never encountered them, they would have no reason to recognise her and they seemed quite nice.
The Friar was talking to some of the students and they were smiling, unsettled, at him. Unfortunately, before she could talk to them, McGonagall chased them off.
The first years were then led through the doors to the front of the Great Hall. Hundreds of faces stared at them all as McGonagall put down a stool. She then placed a hat brimming with artron energy - it was probably sentient too! - down on the stool.
The Doctor's observations were proved right when the hat started to sing.
"Entwhistle, Kevin" was the first of their group to be called up to the stool. The hat soon declared "Hufflepuff!"
Justin was next, being sorted into Hufflepuff and then it was The Doctor's turn.
'Hello - could you lower your shields a bit? Otherwise I won't know where to sort you.' the hat asked.
'Will it hurt?' the Doctor asked.
'If your memories are painful.' The hat tried to reassure her.
'OK' the Doctor answered. She didn't want to stay on the stool forever.
"Get me off!" the hat shouted suddenly. 'How far are we through?'
'About half.' The Doctor replied unsurprised by the hat's reaction.
'This is half!'
'Yes.'
'I really don't know where to put you. I've seen at least 13 personalities. So it's up to you - you choose.' the hat muttered.
'What are the mascots of the houses? Wait - there's a badger! The badger house please.' The Doctor couldn't stop her mind going to Badger who had protected her even against other Time Lords.
"Hufflepuff" the hat declared and the Doctor went to sit by Kevin and Justin who cleared a space for her immediately. Anna and Anne were next. Anna went to Gryffindor and Anne came to join them. The Doctor and Kevin had to practically squish each other but they fit so...
None of the others joined them: Kellah, Dean and Leo ended up in Gryffindor with Anna while Roger, Sally, Lisa and Alice ended up in Ravenclaw.
The Doctor was glad that the Muggleborns were sticking together - it was always good to have someone to watch your back. 'How long has it been since someone's looked after you?' 'It doesn't matter.' 'Yes it does.'
The Doctor dreamed that night. Dreamed of all the things she had built, of all the things she had destroyed, of all those she had saved and of all those she had killed. She dreamed of the lonely child who always seemed to lose.