Before Ariadne knew it, September 1st had arrived and she was on her way to Hogwarts. Ariadne was determined to find fault with everything, and had so far complained about the platform and its enchanted barrier, the crowds of people on the platform, and the height of the step up to the train itself, which had caused some problems when lifting up her trunk. The cage containing her owl Nivosus had come flying off the top of the trunk where it had been precariously balanced, and had rolled off down the platform. Nivosus was now sitting grumpily in her cage with her back to Ariadne.

'Great,' she muttered. 'Even my owl won't talk to me. That's a great start.'

Suddenly, the door to the compartment where she was sitting alone opened. Ariadne looked up from her book to see a small, red-haired girl look around it at her.

'Hello,' the girl said. 'Are you new? I've not seen you around before.'

Ariadne ignored her and looked back at her book. The girl mistook her quietness for shyness. 'There's no need to be shy,' she said. 'I used to be shy, but I've made loads of friends at Hogwarts and they've really helped me. I'm Ginny Weasley by the way.'

Ariadne had guessed this already. She had also guessed that Ginny knew exactly who she was, but didn't want to let on that she knew.

'Are you Ariadne Fortuna?' Ginny asked eventually, confirming Ariadne's suspicions. Ariadne gave the smallest of nods, hoping that if she was reclusive enough Ginny might go away. Sadly it didn't work - Ginny came and sat down next to her.

'What are you reading?' she asked, peering at the cover of the book. 'Oooh, I read that a couple of years ago. It's a first year book though... oh, you must be reading it to catch up with the things you've missed. My mum told me you've never studied Defence Against the Dark Arts before.'

'No, I haven't,' said Ariadne coldly. 'And if I have any chance of catching up, I need some peace to read this book.'

'Oh, sorry,' mumbled Ginny. She paused for a few seconds before launching into another question. 'Do you know what house you'll be in yet?'

'No,' said Ariadne shortly.

'Oh,' said Ginny again. 'Maybe you'll be in Gryffindor with me, then I can show you around and keep you company until you find your feet.'

'And why would I want that?' snapped Ariadne. 'I wouldn't want to hang around with you and your little friends, and I wouldn't be in Gryffindor if you paid me! They sound like a bunch of goodie goodies.'

Ariadne didn't really mean the last part, after all, her father had been a Gryffindor. However, she had realised that insults would be the only way to get rid of Ginny.

Ginny looked as if she was about to cry. 'I'm sorry to have bothered you,' she snapped back in a slightly shaky voice. 'I'll just leave you alone with your books and go and find the rest of my little goodie goodie friends!'

She stormed out of the compartment, slamming the door behind her.

*

Late in the afternoon the train finally pulled into Hogsmeade station. Ariadne was about to collect up her things when the guard called to her, 'Don't worry about them miss, we'll bring them up later.'

She climbed off the train and onto the platform. Ginny Weasley walked past with some of her Gryffindor friends and headed towards a group of horseless carriages that were waiting nearby. Ariadne was about to walk towards them to when a giant hand clamped onto her shoulder and she turned round to see a giant of a man staring down at her. He was at least twice her height and his hand took up the entire length of her shoulder with some to spare.

'You'll be Miss Fortuna,' said the man. 'Seen a picture of yeh. You're comin' with me, across the lake with the other new students.'

It turned out that the 'other new students' in question were all extremely nervy looking first years, all of whom jumped back when the man approached with Ariadne in tow. As he walked up to the side of the lake several small boats appeared, and he gestured for the first years to climb into them.

There was soon just one boat left. 'Ah,' said the man. 'Seems we've not got enough boats - forgot yeh'd be comin', see. Oh well, yeh'll have to share mine.' And with that, he herded Ariadne into the one remaining boat. As he climbed in behind her, she felt the boat sink alarmingly, but he didn't seem too bothered by it.

The boats moved off towards the castle. The man explained that his name was Rubeus Hagrid, and that he was keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Apparently a necessary role of a Keeper of the Keys was not minding if you got wet. For that is exactly what was happening. The boat was clearly not suitable for holding Hagrid and another person, and was rocking from side to side, throwing a lot of water over the sides and soaking Ariadne's new black cloak.

They made it to the other side without the boat capsizing, though Ariadne was soaked to the skin and dripping large droplets of water all over the floor in the entrance hall of the castle. As they walked through the corridor to what appeared to be the Great Hall, the first years in front of her were chattering loudly and excitedly. Ariadne had had enough of them. She got out her wand and muttered, 'Quietus'. Instantly, the group of first years fell almost silent.

'I suppose you think that's very clever Miss Fortuna,' came a voice from the doors of the Great Hall. A tall thin woman with her hair in a tight bun was standing there waiting for the group with a disapproving look on her face as she looked at Ariadne. 'I don't know what you are used to at Durmstrang, but here we do not allow this sort of behaviour. Kindly remove the spell please.'

Ariadne glared up at the woman, then muttered 'Sonorus,' and the chatter resumed.

The woman introduced herself as Professor McGonagall, deputy headteacher and head of Gryffindor house. She explained that the sorting was about to take place, and that they all had to place the sorting hat on their head to be sorted into their house. 'Right, ' she said when she had finished. 'If you'd all like to follow me please.'

She opened the doors to the hall and a torrent of noise hit the group. They were led down the hall between two long tables, and told to line up along the front of the room. Professor McGonagall began to read of names, and one by one the terrified looking first years stepped up to the stool, put on the hat and waiting until it shouted out the name of their house.

Once all the first years had been sorted, Professor McGonagall called out, 'Fortuna, Ariadne.' Ariadne stepped up to the stool, feeling she looked ridiculous. Everyone was looking at her, whispering and making the distinction that she was clearly not a first year.

Ariadne sat down on the stool and put the hat on her head. A voice suddenly whispered in her ear, making her jump.

'Hum, interesting, very interesting. A good mind, and plenty of courage, I can see that. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw blood, but I'm not sure you fit in there...'

Why not? Ariadne questioned the voice in her ear. She didn't like being told she didn't fit in.

'I can see further into your mind than you realise,' said the voice. 'I can see right into your future... hum, yes, I think so.... you belong in...SLYTHERIN!'

The last word was shouted out to the hall. The table on the far right cheered, but Ariadne's heart had plummeted. Slytherin? The bad house? This couldn't be right. Her father was a Gryffindor, her mother a Ravenclaw - how could she have ended up in Slytherin?

Without realising, she had walked over to the table full of cheering students wearing green striped ties and badges on their robes emblazoned with a serpent, the symbol of Slytherin house. Slytherin? And what had the hat meant about seeing into her future?

She sighed and looked up and down the table, catching sight of a boy slightly older than her with blonde hair, talking animatedly with two extremely large boys sitting on either side of him. As she stared, he turned to look at her, gave her a half smile and turned away.