Rose, Hermione and Susan joined the crowd shunting their way across the platform. Rose still felt nervous; it was as if her feet had turned to lead. Suddenly she heard a loud voice calling over the crowd.

"Firs' years over here. Firs' years this way."

She turned to look in the direction of the voice and gasped in surprise. The man calling for them was huge, he looked wild as well with long tangled black hair and beard. He was rather intimidating, especially to someone as small as Rose but his voice had a kind of friendly reassurance to it. Rose couldn't help but feel like this was someone she could trust. She and Susan ended up separated from Hermione, jostled along by the crowd of young students trying to make their way over to the giant. They were shown to a fleet of little boats which they all clambered into in groups of four. Susan and Rose were joined in their boat by a boy called Justin and a girl named Megan.

As the boats set sail across the crystal clear water of the lake, Rose noted how beautiful it was here with the stars and the moon reflecting off the water. She then caught her first glimpse of Hogwarts itself.

Breathtaking.

There was absolutely no other word for it. The castle was looming on a cliff, lights sparkling from it's windows. Rose gasped in awe.

Once they reached the castle they were greeted by Professor McGonagall and told that they were about to be sorted, she explained the four houses Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin, and the house championship. Rose decided that whatever house she was in she wanted to help them win, she'd do her best no matter what. Professor McGonagall then led them away from the large hall full of chattering students where the rest of the school must already be, to a chamber off the entrance hall where they all stood huddled rather closer together than they would have done if they weren't all so ruddy nervous.

"How do we get sorted into our houses?" asked a black haired boy standing rather close to Rose. His back was to her so she couldn't see his face but his hair was quite untidy and he was nervously trying to flatten it down. It was a losing battle that Rose knew only too well.

"Some kind of test I think..." replied the ginger haired boy next to him "Fred says it hurts a lot but I think he was joking."

Rose tried not to listen to them. Just great. A test? In front of the entire school? Hermione was nearby as well and she was whispering about all the spells she'd learnt and wondering which one she'd need. Rose tried to tune her out as well. Her stomach was squirming with nerves.

"Don't worry, Roselynn," Susan whispered, although she looked quite pale and nervous herself, "it'll be okay."

Rose nodded shakily. She was already jumpy so she wasn't prepared for what happened next. Several people screamed. Rose jumped about a foot in the air and spun around quickly to see what was going on.

Ghosts. Real ghosts. About twenty of them. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they floated through the wall apparently having a very avid discussion. They hardly even noticed the group of shocked first-years. They seemed to be arguing.

"Live and let live, I say…we really should give him another chance," the ghost of a fat little monk was saying.

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know he's not really even a ghost-I say! What are you all doing here?" a ghost in a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed them

"New students?" the Fat Friar asked, beaming around at them all. "About to be sorted I suppose?"

Rose, along with a few others, nodded silently.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff," said the Friar genially "My old house, you know?"

"Move along, there. The sorting ceremony is about to begin." It was Professor McGonagall. The ghosts all floated excitedly through the opposite wall.

"Form a line please, and follow me," Professor McGonagall said.

Rose felt her legs shaking as she walked along, getting into line between Susan and Hermione who both looked nervous as well. They all headed towards the Great Hall, but once they entered even in her nervous state of anticipation she couldn't help but let out another gasp of surprise and awe as she looked up and saw a starry sky above her head.

"The ceiling is bewitched to look like the sky outside," Hermione whispered to her. "I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."

Rose nodded mutely. Once they reached the front of the Hall, Professor McGonagall put a stool in front of them and then sat a ratty old hat on top of it. Everyone stared at the hat intently. Rose watched it too, wondering what they were were going to have to do. Suddenly a rip in the hat's brim opened wide and it started to sing:

Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!

Everyone clapped and cheered as the hat finished it's song and Rose felt a bit relieved…all they had to do was try on a hat, that wasn't too bad. The ginger-haired boy from earlier seemed to share her sentiment.

"We just have to try on the hat then," he said to his black-haired friend. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."

Rose gave a tiny snort of laughter. She didn't know who this Fred guy was but he sounded like a lot of fun. Her focus returned to the hat…she was happy she didn't have to try and do any magic but at the same time she didn't really want all the attention that would come when she sat down on that stool in front of the whole hall. The hat was asking quite a lot of them after all.

Brave? Loyal? Smart? Cunning? She didn't feel any of it at the moment. As a matter of fact she felt like she was going to be sick.

"Now, when I call your name you will come forward, place the Sorting Hat on your head then you will be sorted into your houses," she explained to the first years, pulling out a scroll of parchment and unraveling it. "Abbot, Hannah."

A girl stepped forward and dropped onto the stool, she had blonde pigtails and her face was flushed. Professor McGonagall put the hat on Hannah's head and it dropped over her eyes.

There was a pause and then: "Hufflepuff!" the hat shouted.

The table on the right side of the hall erupted into cheers as Hannah went to sit with them, the ghost of the fat friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

Susan stepped forward from her place beside Rose and shakily approached the stool.

"Hufflepuff!" The hat shouted again.

Susan scuttled off to sit beside Hannah, giving Rose a grin as she went.

"Boot, Terry!"

"Ravenclaw."

The second table from the left cheered this time.

On and on it went.

Hermione ran forward when she was called and shoved the hat on her head. She sure was a lot more confident than Rose was.

"Gryffindor!"

Hermione went off to sit with her new house and Rose smiled.

A boy called Neville Longbottom sat on the stool for quite awhile before the hat declared him a Gryffindor, Neville looked relieved but jogged away to the Gryffindor table still wearing the hat and had to come back amid gales of laughter to give it to the next in line. Rose started to get more and more nervous. They were getting closer. Draco Malfoy swaggered forward confidently when his name was called. The hat had hardly touched his head when it declared him a Slytherin. On it went and then suddenly:

"Potter, Harry."

Whispering broke out like hissing fires as the name was called. Remembering the story from the train even Rose couldn't help but look around to see this famous boy for herself. It was the boy with the messy black hair. He looked pretty normal to her. She looked closely and noticed a lightning scar on his forehead, Harry looked about as terrified as Rose was feeling. She tried to shoot him an encouraging smile but she wasn't sure he saw it. He was too busy gazing at the hall full of people who were all trying to get a good look at him. The hat dropped over Harry's eyes. It took a pretty long time to make its decision. Rose could see him gripping at the edges of the stool and he was muttering something she couldn't hear.

"Gryffindor!"

Harry looked relieved as he walked to the Gryffindor table. He was getting the loudest cheer yet and a pair of ginger-haired twins were chanting 'We got Potter.'

Rose snickered at their antics and then before she knew it: "Rivers, Roselynn!"

Uh-oh.

Rose made her way forward, feeling shaky. She sat down on the stool, everyone's eyes seemed to be on her now. It was unnerving. At least she didn't have to say anything. She'd have stuttered up a storm and made a fool of herself. Professor McGonagall dropped the hat on her head and it slipped over her eyes, she was left in total blackness, staring at the inside of the hat.

Well well..what have we here, said a small voice in her head. I see plenty of desire to prove your worth..and talent. A strong work ethic…and yet a shocking amount of courage and loyalty. So where should we put you?

Rose sat there for what seemed like ages, the hat whispering things in her ear all the while. It seemed stuck between bravery and loyalty. Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Finally after about seven full minutes: "Hufflepuff!" The hat finally shouted.

Rose jumped up and joined the Hufflepuff table, sitting next to Susan as the others cheered her. Rose breathed a deep relieved sigh. She was out of the limelight and now she could relax. She watched as the rest of the group was sorted including Harry's ginger-haired friend who's name turned out to be Ron Weasley. He became a Gryffindor just like Harry and Hermione.

Once the final student had been sorted, Professor McGonagall took the stool and the hat away. Rose stared at her plate, now that the pressure was off she was suddenly ravenous.

A man in the middle of the staff table stood up. He was tall, wore half moon glasses and had a very long silver beard and matching hair. His nose was also crooked, as if someone had broken it.

"Albus Dumbledore," Susan whispered. "He's the headmaster and a very powerful wizard. My auntie says he's very important around the ministry of magic, too."

"Welcome," said Dumbledore, smiling brightly. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I'd like to say a few words and here they are: Nitwit, Oddment, Blubber, Tweak. Thank you." He sat down and everyone cheered again. Rose felt highly confused. She was about to ask Susan if she was sure about her aunt's claim that Dumbledore was as powerful as she thought but she was distracted by the sudden arrival of a very tasty looking feast on the dishes that had moments ago sat empty in the middle of the table.

Talk could wait. Rose was starving.

She piled her plate with chicken, steak and pasta and began to eat listening to the gradual bubbling discussion around her. Everything was delicious.

The feast passed in enjoyable conversation. Rose and Susan discussed their families and wondered about classes. Hannah joined in their talk as well and the three girls hit it off nicely. After a while, the meal vanished and desserts appeared. Rose excitedly helped herself to ice-cream and chocolate cake. By the time the desserts too had vanished Rose was feeling very full and content. She was also very sleepy. All she wanted to do was go find her bed- however that would have to wait. Dumbledore stood up again and started making various announcements:

-The forest was off limits to students.

Rose noticed that Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Gryffindor table as he said this.

-No magic in the corridors.

-Quidditch trials would be held in the second week of term.

Susan quickly told Rose in an undertone that Quidditch was the sport of the wizarding world, played on broomsticks. Rose perked up, that sounded like fun. Susan shot her hopes down, saying first-years normally never got to play much to Rose's disappointment. She'd definitely go for it next year, though. Perhaps mum and dad would get her a broom for her birthday in August.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to anyone who does not wish to die a most painful death."

Rose's sleepiness faded somewhat at those words and she stared at Dumbledore in utter astonishment.

"He can't be serious," she whispered.

"I dunno," Susan answered, looking at Dumbledore curiously. "Probably best to play it safe and stay away though."

They then sang the school song, the lyrics amused Rose as did the antics of the same ginger-haired twins who had chanted when Harry was made a Gryffindor. They finished the song last of all, singing to a slow funeral march. Once they had finished Dumbledore clapped the loudest of all.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes "A magic beyond all we do here…and now, bedtime. Off you trot."

Rose couldn't help but somewhat agree with Dumbledore's sentiment. She loved music. She'd played piano since she was six years old and it was one of her favorite activities. She felt grateful as they were dismissed, she felt really sleepy now and she wanted to be all rested up for her first day of classes next morning. There was a flurry of activity around the Great Hall as hundreds of people began to move towards the entrance.

"First years?" called a commanding female voice down the table "Follow me please."

Rose, Susan and few others followed the voice to find an older girl smiling down at them

"I'm Annie White, Hufflepuff prefect," the girl said as she led the group of first years from the Hall and along a path that led down to what seemed to be the basement. "We're right next to the kitchens," Annie said casually as she pointed to a stack of barrels.

The first years all looked confused.

"Watch carefully," Annie said, taking out her wand. "One wrong move and you'll be wearing vinegar."

She tapped her wand on the barrel that was two from the bottom and in the middle of the second row.

"Just tap out 'Helga Hufflepuff' on that barrel and watch."

The barrel opened to reveal a hidden entrance which all the first years then followed Annie through. They found themselves in a cozy looking round room decked out in yellow and black with plenty of squashy armchairs and a merrily crackling fire. Most of the room seemed to be underground but some moonlight was filtering through some round windows which sat right above ground level.

"Boys' dorms are down that tunnel," Annie said, pointing. "And girls' are down the other. Your stuff should already be in your rooms. Good night."

Rose and Susan, yawning and stretching, headed down the girls' tunnel where they found a round door with a sign reading 'First Years.'

They slipped inside and were soon followed by Hannah and another girl called Megan Jones. A row of four four-poster canopy beds were waiting for them.

Their trunks had indeed already been brought in. Too sleepy to talk much, the girls all changed into their pajamas and climbed into beds. Rose took a quick peek around before she also pulled out a stuffed purple dragon that she'd brought along from home out of her trunk and cuddled it close. She missed home and mum and dad a bit already but, looking around the room which was much like being in a little den, she knew this could be her home away from home.

She yawned again and closed her eyes. Tomorrow would be the start of her new life...and she needed her rest.