A/N: I'm soooo sorry!!!!! i was kinda busy lately so i didn't have much time to post chapter 5...this story was planned out somewhere in march and chapter 5 was like written somewhere in april...anyway...this chapter has to be my fastest writing record so far...written in just two days...so if u found any mistakes...( i haven edited the story yet), well...dun sue me okay? i know tt my english isn't perfect...

Chapter 5: The sorting.

" All here, Professor Chang." Eswaran replied.

" Good. You may go now. I'll brief them on what's going to come." Professor Chang replied curtly.

A chill of horror dawned on Janice. What's coming later? Why isn't she allowed to sit with the older students? Suddenly she remenbered, she had to go through the sorting, as stated in the Harry Potter books. Suddenly, Professor Chang's voice interrupted into Janice's thoughts.

" Well, pupils, welcome to Yap Ee Chian. In a few minutes you will be sorted into your houses through the sorting ceremony. The houses are Mohammed, Narayana, CuiHua and Ivanov. Once you are sorted, your house will be like your home. You will sleep in your house dormitory and you will assemble in the common room for important announcements. The school also happens to follow a meritocracy system. Your triumphs will earn your house points while your foolishness and negligence will lose your house points. Understand? Now follow me. It's almost time." Professor Chang replied.

With that, the doors behind Professor Chang opened and slowly, they began to follow Professor Chang into the Great Hall.

In Janice's opinion, the great hall was the most magnificent place she had been to, besides Vertic alley. Several candles, which were suspended in mid-air, lighted the hall and the sides of the hall were lit up by a lot of lamps. Just as Janice was wondering how did they manage to suspend the candles in mid-air when Landy whispered" Hey look, Janice! There's actually a bewitched sky! Just like Hogwarts!" True enough, there was a bewitched sky where the ceiling was supposed to be.

Suddenly, they came to a halt. Janice realised that it must be time for the sorting. Professor Chang then placed an extremely dirty wizard's hat on a stool. Then she took out a very long piece of parchment and announced," Now, when I call your name, you will come forward and put the hat on, where you will be sorted to your houses."

" Hui Ling, Ang!"

A girl with oval spectacles stood up and put the hat on. Then.."

" NARAYANA!" shouted the hat.

The table on the extreme left burst into cheers to welcome Hui Ling.

" Ming Li, Aw!"

A girl with chestnut brown hair stood up and put on the hat.

" IVANOV!"

This time, the table on the extreme right burst into cheers to welcome Ming Li.

" Pey Shan, Janice Chan!"

What? It was her turn now? Janice thought in her head. Slowly, she got up and put on the hat. She could hear someone inside the hat speaking.

" Tricky. Very Tricky indeed. I see a good mind in you, a bit rash on times, but plenty of bravery, I can see. Might grow up into a powerful witch with a choice of two extremes... But a bit lazy on times and indecisive, I know where to put you now... how about CuiHua!"

Janice could hear the hat shouting the house name to the whole school. She hastily took off the hat, and walked towards towards the CuiHua table, where the older students were cheering on her arrival. Hastily she found an empty place to sit and took a look around the hall.

Janice could now see the teacher's table very clearly now. Behind the teacher's table bore the schools coat of arms in colour. Red with a golden Phoenix, Green with a silver cat, Purple with a golden peacock and Dark Blue with a silver eagle.

Just as she was busily staring at the school crest, she could hear Landy's name mentioned. It was then she finally tore her eyes of the flag and watch Landy. Janice could see that Landy had gone white when her name was mentioned. As later put on the hat, the hat immediately screamed " CUIHUA!" This time, Janice cheered along with the older students. Landy, upon seeing Janice, rushed to the CuiHua table.

" I can't believe it! We are actually in the same house!" Landy shrieked.

" So do I. Do you think that the boys will be in the same house as us?" Janice enquired.

Just then, the hat, sorted another student into CuiHua house. Looking to see who it is, it was none other than Lawrence.

" Well, we are in the house now, what's next?" Lawrence said, the moment he sat down.

" Will Boon Kee and Chee Hao be in the same house as you?" Landy asked.

" I think so, I mean, everyone in our family always got sorted into this house." Lawrence mumbled.

Just then, both Boon Kee and Chee Hao walked towards the CuiHua table. From the grin on their faces, Janice guessed that they are in CuiHua house.

" Well, now the five of us are now in the same house." Boon Kee declared.

" I wonder when does the feast start? According to my parents, the food served is really something out of this world." Chee Hao said dreamily.

" Is food all you care about?" Landy retorted.

" Pardon me? If you haven't eaten for like ten hours, would you care for other stuff?" Chee Hao retorted.

At this moment, food appeared on the tables. There were all sorts of food on display. Janice had expected the food to be something similar to the Harry Potter books, but the food served was actually Asian food, which actually surprised her. There was fried noodles, Fried rice, Laksa Satay, Chicken Curry, Nasi Bryani, Roti Prata, Nasi Lemak, Chicken Stew and other foods that Janice didn't know of. Ravenous, Janice piled her plate with a bit of everything and began to eat.

" The food here is heavenly." Lawrence said thickly, through a mouthful of Satay.

For once, Janice had to agree with him, as the food was as what Chee Hao had said, out of this world.

As they ate, the topic turned to schoolwork.

" I heard that Transfiguration was a nightmare." Amelia, a first year replied.

" Well, if you just pay attention to what the teacher says, you'll be just fine." Seng Kiat, a prefect assured.

" What will we be doing on our first lesson?" Landy asked.

" Well, you'll guys just be starting small on the first few weeks, like turning a matchstick into a needle or something like that." Seng Kiat replied, his mouth full of Nasi Bryani.

When all the food had been cleared, there was desert, Ice Cream, Mango Pudding, and Asian delicacies of every sort. Unable to resist the temptation, Janice tasted every desert even though she was very full.

When the desert was finally cleared, an old man wearing pale blue robes sitting in the middle of the staff table stood up. As he stood, Janice could hear Boon Kee whisper " That's him! The headmaster of our school! Professor Lim!"

" Well, now that you have eaten, I have a few things to announce. First Years should take note that Sinister Forest is out of bounds and maybe some jokers here would like to note of it too." he replied, looking at some students from the Mohammed table.

" Also, First Years ought to take note that the village, Segassem villa is out of bounds until they have turned sixteen, that is, in their fourth year."

" Also, no magic is allowed to be carried out in the corridors unless it's necessary."

" Quidditch auditions are now available. Any student wishing to play for their house team may consult Madam Lee for more enquires."

" For the first years, you will have to choose an co-curricular activity (CCA) when you are in school for your weekend activities. For the list of CCAs, they are listed in your house notice board in your common room."

" Would all students please take note that the sixth floor corridor is strictly out of bounds to all students unless you wish to die?"

"What's in there?" Janice mouthed to Lawrence.

Lawrence simply shrugged his shoulders, meaning he did'nt know it too. Just as Janice was about to ask Boon Kee, Professor Lim interrupted again.

" Well, its pretty late now, why don't we sing the school song now before we go to bed?" He suggested, his eyes twinkling. Janice, this time, could see some teachers rolling their eyes or suddenly becoming very stiff.

Professor Lim then took out his wand and waved it in mid air. There some white ribbon-like substance, which actually twisted itself into words.

" Just sing the song with any rhythm you like, and off we go!" He said, waving his wand like a conductor.

Yap Ee Chian Yap Ee Chian,

Yappy Yappy Ee Ee Chian

Please teach us something

For we are stupid and dumb

Our brains filled with nothing but dirt and dung,

And let us learn till we die of learning too much

Professor Lim then waved his wand vigourously to the last few lines of the song, which at last, left some boys at the Mohammed table and Lawrence, Boon Kee and Chee Hao singing it to the tune of a Funeral March and to the tune of ' in the end'. After singing the song, Professor Lim shooed them all to their dormitories.

" First years from CuiHua house! Follow me please!" A prefect from their house shouted.

Perhaps Janice had eaten too much or something, for she was feeling very sleepy. As the prefect took them to their dormitories, Janice did not even realise that she had walked past portraits with people that moved, or staircases that moved around, or ghosts that waved to her. All she cared was how tired she was and longing to sleep in her own bed.

Janice suddenly realised that they had stopped, and looking up, she realised that she was standing right in front of a portrait of a Chinese women in a baby blue cheongsam.

" Mi ma? "(Password in Chinese) She asked, her spiral curls bouncing as she talked.

" Xian Nu" (fairy in chinese) the prefect replied.

The lady then put her fan down and pressed something on her table. She then moved aside and there was a hole on where she used to sit. Gladly, she climbed in and found herself in a large room with some armchairs and bookshelfs against an air-con.

" Girls, your dormitories are just around the corner of the right staircase the right staircase, for boys, your dormitories are just around the corner of the left staircase your trunks are already inside." He said.

Gratefully, Janice climbed up the stairs, and found a sign that said, 'First Years Dormitories'. When she got in, she found her trunk in one the beds against the window. She gratefully took out her pyjamas from her trunk and changed it before sleeping. The moment her head hit the pillow, Janice was already fast asleep.