Author's Note: First off, I'd like to thank Leviathan, Naeginnie6, and Shannie, who have reviewed my modest writing piece. Aw, you guys are so kind! Really, I'm blushing! But to clear a few things up, Sorry Leviathan, I worded that sentence a bit oddly, but I fixed it just for you :)

And Naeginnie6, of course I'll tell you when I update (which will hopefully be frequently)

Shannie, lol, I'm glad you like those vicious kangaroos. They're not docile at all, those kangaroos....

Disclaimer: Again, I own nothing. I own no character's, places, thingies, etc. Wish I did though. Ha, you can't sue me for wishing! I wish, wish, wish, wish, wish I did!

McGonagall, at once, brought up the traditional stool and aged Sorting Hat. Then, to the great amazement of the nervous first years, the hat began to recite one of his infamous songs.

"I'm as old as any hat may be,

frayed in places, as you see.

Nonetheless, my mind's in tact

There is no means of truth I lack.

The Founders made me, long ago

to sort out student to and fro.

They knew too well of the time span difference

And poof! I came into existence!

Wise Ravenclaw, with all her wit

Needed pupils with smarts and grit

People who had respect for teaching

So all knowledge was within their reaching.

Shrewd Slytherin was ambitious, no doubt

His students did not muck about

They are determined, stout, and great.

There is no challenge they can't take.

Kind Hufflepuff knew no wrong

With gracious people her kind belong

Hard-working and honest, forgiving and true

There's nothing Hufflepuffs can't do.

And finally, there's Gryffindor the Bold

For in his house, it's courage that's the hold

Daring and compassionate are what Gryffindors are

Such people are destined to go far.

Now you know, so please don't fret

I will see what house you'll get

I've yet to send a student astray

And fish will fly on that fatal day!"

When he finished, the hall erupted into applause. Even the to-be-sorted first years couldn't help but smile as the old hat dipped the front of his rim down, as if to bow. The deputy headmistress cleared her throat, "When I call your name, please step up and place the Sorting Hat upon your head." she ordered.

"Andaline, Henry."

Henry, a rather tall boy with sharp defiant eyes and a shaky smile, walked up and proudly place the hat on his head.

"Can you believe what Dumbledore's doing?" Ron whispered to his friends. He was bursting to voice his opinion of the issue.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the Sorting Hat proclaimed as Henry strutted over to the Gryffindor table, plainly enjoying the cheers (well, cheers from everyone but the Slytherins).

"To tell you the truth, I'm still in shock over the whole announcement." Hermoine replied back in a whisper, once the cheers had died down. "I wonder what he meant exactly by 'necessary precaution that requires attention'? Is it so important that he has to leave the school while-"

"You-Know-Who's running havoc about." Ron finished for her.

"Becker, Rebecca."

"Ravenclaw!"

"Exactly." Hermoine agreed. "Without Dumbledore, Hogwarts is in-"

Once again, Ron cut her off. "A big, deep pit of bloody bad trouble?" Ron offered helpfully.

"Something like that." Hermoine said as she smiled, much to Ron's surprise.

"Jefferson, Mily."

A short girl with auburn hair walked up to the hat, almost twitching with apprehension and looking at the hat with great mistrust.

"RAVENCLAW!"

"I suppose he needs to leave for alliance purposes." Hermoine concluded. "With Sirius, Lupin and Mr. Fletcher." She of course was referring to a few selective members of the Order of Phoenix. The Order, as it was called for short, was a group newly revived under the guidance of Dumbledore and was the only strong defense against the uprising of Voldermort. The Minister of Magic, Fudge, still refused to believe that Voldemort had truly returned to power, and constantly insisted to the wizarding world that the spontaneous attacks were efforts of rebellious warlocks. That theory was ludicrous, at it's best, and everyone seemed to see that but him. Yet Fudge was stubborn, and he wouldn't allow the Hit Wizards to track down the offending Death Eaters. Thus, the Order needed- no, had to- succeed in its purpose. Or else everyone who defied Lord Voldemort was doomed.

"Obviously enough." Ron replied, a little harsher than he intended to. "Mrs. Figgs...you've heard her name mentioned before, I'm sure, had recently recruited a handful of Aurors, under Fudge's nose. I imagine Dumbledore's needs to be with the Order to plan an attack against You-Know-Who."

"Keldrick, Roan."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"How would you know?" Hermoine asked, curiosity lingered in her voice.

"Norrenham, Jason."

"Well, I do have family working in the Ministry." Ron answered loftily.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the Sorting Hat belted out.

"Oh! Right!" Hermoine remembered suddenly. Mr. Weasley had been discreetly doing sleuth work for Dumbledore. His innocent position in the Ministry was simply too perfect. No one suspected him of assisting the Order, something that Fudge had forbidden anyone to do. In fact, he offered his help openly to Dumbledore...last year....after the horrid Tournament...when Harry was in the hospital...wait a second....Harry!

Alarm bells rang off in her head as Hermoine looked at her silent friend, sensing something was dreadfully wrong. Harry was pale as a ghost, and virtually not moving whatsoever....seemingly petrified....except for the slight shaking in his hands. His green eyes were wide with shock and he seemed oblivious to his surroundings.

"Harry?" Hermoine asked gently.

"What's wrong with him?" Ron asked suddenly, now aware of his friend's fairing. "What's wrong?"

Then, FLASH! The entire enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall lighted up with a blinding green color. Every student instinctively covered their precious eyes in order to protect them from the painful light. Everyone but Harry Potter. Because Harry Potter was screaming bloody murder. Harry Potter fell from his seat onto the floor, twitching, and screaming, unable to take the pain flooding from his scar, and still screaming. Why wouldn't it stop? Make it stop! The hurt...the pain.

"STOP!" Harry yelled out hoarsely. Someone, a teacher perhaps...or was it Hermoine? Dumbledore? Someone, indeed quick-witted, found their wand and shouted "CEASEPROTOMOS!" at the enchanted ceiling, shattering the charm upon it. The bright, burning, painful green light was put out like a flame under water. But Harry was still on the floor, twitching. For in a time span of what seemed like a century, people finally came to their senses and a few started to surrounded the twitching Harry. Then came utter chaos. Younger students ran around, in hysterics.

"What that hell was that!" someone yelled out. Teachers were trying to help people calm down. Crying, screaming, shouting, everything had enveloped the hall.

Draco, who had somehow gotten himself at the head of the large circle that was enclosing Harry, sneered disdainfully at the withering Gryffindor on the floor.

"Oh look, it's Potter showing off for sympathy again." Malfoy's cutting voice rang out clearly over the hysteria. "What a wimp." he then lowered his voice, so the professors (who were trying desperately to obtain order among the students) couldn't hear. "Too bad Potter's faking it. Otherwise he could have joined dead Diggory. What a shame."

That cut many people, and Ron lost control to his anger, and allowed his emotions to rule. At that time, his emotions wanted to beat the shit out of Malfoy. With a roar of fury, Ron hurled himself at Draco, and threw a well aimed punch at the blond boy's nose. Ignoring the blood rushing down from his nasal, Draco furiously kicked Ron in the shin, forcing him down, and hit Ron in the eye. Crabbe and Goyle awaited anxiously for instructions, but Malfoy ignored them. He wanted to hurt Wealsey by himself, so the whole damn school could see that he was indeed superior to the muggle-loving scum.

Ron, preparing himself for another punch from Malfoy, drove his elbow into the Malfoy's side, just before someone forced the two fighting boys apart. With a cold horror of sudden realization dripping down his spine, Ron looked up with his good eye into Professor Snape's merciless and outraged glare.

Oh shit, Ron thought unintelligible.

"Granger and Thomas, take Potter down to the Infirmity." Snape looked, with disgust directed mainly to Ron, at the other two. "You two. My office. NOW." he commanded venomously.

As Ron and Draco followed Snape to the doom that awaited them, Dumbledore called for everyone to calm down, and this time they obeyed. The Sorting continued on, for it still hadn't finished, and the first-years seemed to be beyond fear after that little pleasant display.

"Riven, Zack."

"SLYTHERIN!"

What Ron wouldn't give to be anywhere, anywhere at all, except following Snape down to the dungeons right then.

Author's Note: Ah, the plot thickens. So what was that fateful flash of light? Ha, I can't tell you, that would give the plot away! Also, since Draco is favored among my list of characters that I favor, I decided he shall be read about a lot in chapters to come.