Author's Note: Do not read this unless you plan on reviewing it! And don't laugh at my Sorting Hat song. I know it's really stupid.

*~*Chapter 2--The Sorting*~*

Harry, Hermione, and Ron stepped out of the train at Hogwarts, closely followed by Almalia. Harry took a deep breath.

"Oh, God it feels so good to be back!" he said. "If Dumbledore makes me spend one more summer with those--those. . . . . oh I don't know what they are! If he makes me spend one more summer with the Dursleys, I swear, I'll. . . . I'll. . . . Okay I'll shut up now."

Almalia and Hermione giggled while Ron tried not to smile.

"What?" Harry asked, looking at them.

"Nothing, nothing at all!" Hermione exclaimed, pushing Harry in the direction of the Hogwarts castle. "We'd better get a move on! Look, everyone else is already headed over there!"

They went to the entryway and up the stairs to where the Sorting Ceremony was to take place for the first-years. Hermione eagerly began to look around at all the new kids.

"What are you looking for, Hermione?" Ron asked.

"My cousin wrote to me and told me that she got accepted into Hogwarts! I'm looking for her!"

"What's her name?" Harry asked.

"She lives in a wizarding family. She never told me she lived in one, and I scolded her for that. Her name is Algorithia Starbit. I hope she's a Gryffindor."

Harry and Ron began scanning the crowd for someone who looked remotely like Hermione.

"Is that her over there?" asked Almalia, pointing to a girl who was unmistakably related to Hermione.

"Yes! Algorithia!" Hermione called. "Algorithia!"

The bushy-haired first-year turned and looked for where the voice was coming from. Hermione threw up her hands and began waving them around wildly.

Harry grabbed hold of them and pulled them down. "Herm, you're embarrassing me! You look like someone who just got hexed with Jelly Arms!"

"Hermione, there you are! I've been looking for you since I got here!" came a voice from behind them. Hermione pushed Harry away and ran to her cousin.

"Oh, Algorithia, I missed you so much!" she said, giving the smaller girl a hug.

"Yeah, I missed you, too!" Algorithia's voice was small and squeaky, much like Gamadri's had been in Harry's dream. This occurred to him, and he eyed her suspiciously.

"What is it, Harry?" asked Hermione, seeing the thoughtful look on her friend's face.

"Oh!" Harry exclaimed quickly. "Nothing! Nothing's wrong."

"Hm." It was now Hermione's turn to eye him strangely. She raised one eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Uh, yeah. No, wait. Oh, I'll tell you and Ron later."

"Not me?" asked Almalia, sounding very left out.

"Oh, you wouldn't understand it. Only my best friends do, no offense."

Almalia crossed her arms and began to pout, making herself look very much like a two-year-old.

Hermione rolled her eyes and turned back to her cousin. "So, what house are you hoping to get into?" she asked.

"Well, at first I thought Ravenclaw, because my boyfriend is most likely going to be in there."

"You have a boyfriend?"

"Yeah! See the guy with freckles and brown hair over there?" She pointed at a boy who was talking to Seamus Finnigan.

"Yes. Is that him?"

"Mm-hm." Algorithia caught his attention and waved flirtatiously at him while batting her eyes.

Hermione snorted, causing her cousin to turn and face at her, her face slightly red.

"What?" she asked indignantly.

"Nothing!" Hermione said, in exactly the same way Harry had.

"Well, anyway, back to the houses. Since you're in Gryffindor, I really want to be in there so I can bug you!"

Hermione glanced at Ron and Harry. "Typical," she muttered.

"What was that?" asked Algorithia, raising one eyebrow like her cousin did so often. "Sorry, you must have said it too quietly."

"Sh!" Harry said to the two girls. "Dumbledore's coming, and he has the Sorting Hat!"

They watched as the tall man brought the ragged old hat forward and set it down on a stool in the middle of the Great Hall.

Then they listened with interest to the Hat's new song:

Hello one and all

This year is about to start

But before you stuff your faces

Please hear my little part

I'm the one who tells you

The house in which you'll be

I judge by character and goals

Not money or blood, you see

The houses made by the mighty four

Are still here to this day

So listen while I tell you

What each of them would say

Great Gryffindor would say "Hello!

You seem like a brave child!

I'd like you in my house this year

And every year for a while."

Kind Hufflepuff with goals enough

Would say, "Greetings, my friend!

We Hufflepuffs strive to do good

And help others till the end."

Sly Slytherin, picking carefully

Would say, "I love my house!

The ones in there grow to be great

And all without a doubt!"

Wise Ravenclaw, with ready mind

And endless cunning wit

Says, "I enjoy the company

Of those who aren't gits."

So there you have it, ladies and gents,

The quotes of Hogwarts four

So put me on, don't be afraid

And question me no more!

And with that, the entire hall burst into applause.

"Seems like the other songs were a heck of a lot better than that one, but oh well!" said Harry, shrugging. "The hat must be getting old and losing its touch."

Professor McGonagall stepped up with her annual first-year list. "Abernathy, Ken!" A small, pudgy boy toddled up to the stool and jammed the hat on his head.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted.

"Acker, Dennis!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Bourgeon, Phyllis!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Callistrode, Kelly!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Callistrode, Kendon!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Callistrode, Kendra!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table exploded with applause as Kendra Callistrode walked smugly over to join their table.

She took one look at everyone, taking in their faces as "Everna, Ilian" became a Ravenclaw.

Finally, Algorithia's name was called.

"Granger, Algorithia!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

Hermione looked very disappointed, and Algorithia shot her a mournful look before putting a smile on her face and walking over to join her "boyfriend.

They sat through the rest of the sorting, and as "Zellani, Nathan!" became another Gryffindor, Dumbledore stood up to address the students.

"Oh, wait, Albus! We forgot about the new sixth-year!" called Professor McGonagall.

"Oh, yes, we did, didn't we?" Dumbledore said, sitting back down.

Almalia had suddenly turned a very pale white.

"What is it, Almalia?" asked Ron, rushing to her side.

"That hat--can it. . . . read your mind?" she whispered.

"Well, yeah, in a way it can. It reads your character more than your thoughts," Harry replied.

Almalia gulped and gripped the edge of her chair.

"Why? What's wrong?" asked Hermione.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong." She sounded like she was lying, but no one wanted to say anything that might have led to an argument.

"Ferinthrup, Almalia!"

Almalia got up and slowly, almost hesitantly, walked up to the stool. She placed the hat on and began to think.

You put me in Gryffindor or else I'll make sure that you are destroyed! she thought at the hat.

Well with that attitude, you belong in Slytherin, the hat replied.

Put me in Gryffindor or else! I don't want to be in Slytherin, I don't want to be in Hufflepuff, I don't want to be in Ravenclaw! Put me in GRYFFINDOR! She almost shouted that out loud, but remembered everyone else was in the room.

I know what your plans are, and Slytherin is full of Harry-haters.

Almalia opened her eyes. Really? Well, be that as it may, I have two reasons why I cannot go there. One, you are on Dumbledore's side, so you may very well be trying to trick me. Two, I have orders from my master to go to Gryffindor.

The hat sighed in Almalia's head. Well, if you're absolutely sure.

Yes, I am, she thought firmly.

Very well.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

No one cheered. They were all looking at her strangely. All four house members were staring at her. The hat hadn't even taken that long to sort Harry Potter! Even the teachers were eyeing her suspiciously.

Although she was melting of embarrassment inside, Almalia held her head high and walked over to the Gryffindor table.

"What did you say to that hat?" Harry whispered when she had sat down.

"Oh, shut up," she said crossly.

Dumbledore stood up again, causing the entire Hall to look at him rather than Almalia. "Ahem, well. Uh, welcome, everyone to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! As most of you know, Hogsmeade is off limits to first- and second-year students. I look forward to an eventful, wonderful year with you all! Now eat up!"

The Hall burst into applause again and began to eat the food that appeared on the tables.

Almalia ate very slowly and played with her food. She kept on thinking, What if the hat tells Dumbledore? What if my master's plans are too hard for me? What if. . . what if Harry finds out?

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Okay, that's the end of chapter 2. Chapter 3 to come very soon. Please review!