Victoria, Maddie, Edwina and Freddie, though looking up in awe at everything around them, managed to stick together as they were led through Hogwarts Castle to where the feast would be held. The first years entered the Great Hall to find the rest of the school already seated at their house tables. They were stopped in front of a long table where the school's teachers sat watching them. On a small stool sat an old and dirty looking hat, the Sorting Hat. Looking to each other and grinning, the four friends clasped their hands in front of them, doing their best to remain calm and quiet.

            Luckily, they did not have to wait long for things to begin. Before they knew it, names were being called to come up and be sorted.

            "Ash, Marcus." A black-headed boy made his way up first, sitting on the stool and having the hat placed on his head. After a few seconds of nervous silence from the other first years, the hat yelled, "SLYTHERIN!" Freddie spoke to Victoria behind his hand as the announcement was made. "Ouch, tough break. And the first one had to be a Slytherin…"

            A smug expression on his face, the newest member of Slytherin house made his way over to his table, greeted with much applause.

            "Brass, Edwina!" Grinning broadly, Edwina made her way up to the stool, her anxious and excited friends urging her on. She sat down and after what seemed like ages, the hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!" With a squeal of delight, Edwina skipped down, hugged her friends in passing and cheerfully made her way to the clapping and yelling Gryffindor table. Victoria took this moment to look for Harry…

            "I looked on the way in. He's not here." Maddie whispered to her as the next name was called.

            "Fatescuro, Alexander."

            "I wonder where he could be? Do you think he…just didn't come back?" Victoria whispered in response.

            "SLYTHERIN!" They looked up as yet another Slytherin was called.

            "Hathaway, Frederick." Maddie shook her head to answer Victoria's question as Freddie made his way up. Victoria took a look back to the Gryffindor table to see Edwina giggling at a second year boy who was whispering to her.

            "GRYFFINDOR!" Freddie hopped down from the stool, a lopsided grin on his face as he passed his friends. Victoria got to thinking about where Harry could possibly be… She heard the students names called, heard the Sorting Hat's decisions and the clapping from the houses, but she wasn't paying attention to that anymore… She hoped something wasn't wrong with him...

            "MacKenna, Victoria!" She felt Maddie pushing her. "Go!! You're the next Gryffindor!" Fully realizing what was about to happen, Victoria forgot all about the famous Harry Potter and made her way up to the stool. She sat down and smiled broadly as she met the eager and smiling eyes of each of her friends; two already seated at the Gryffindor table and one waiting impatiently to be sorted. Freddie and Edwina pointed to the empty seat between them that they had saved for her, causing her to smile even more, if that were possible. Next thing she knew the hat was on her head…

            "Well then, what have we here? A bright young girl…very ambitious and independent. You certainly have the willpower to go far! Yes…very far. I do believe that you will achieve all of your goals in…"

            She closed her eyes tightly then, waiting for what was definitely the very best moment of her life to date. "Gryffinfor, Gryffindor!!" She said it over and over in her head, feeling as though she were about to burst with happiness.

            "SLYTHERIN!" The applause began immediately and her eyes quickly popped open. Freddie and Edwina looked as though they had begun to clap, though their hands seemed to be frozen in mid air, shocked expressions on their faces. She must not have heard correctly, and they were obviously confused. Had the Sorting Hat not spoken clearly? Looking to Maddie she mouthed, "Gryffindor?" Maddie shook her head slowly, a look of horror on her face.

            The professor behind her prodded her to stand. "Go on now, go sit at your table. The others are waiting." She felt the weight of the hat removed from her head, and taking one last look at her shocked friends, she slowly and reluctantly made her way to the Slytherin table. Everybody was smiling and clapping as she took her seat.

            "Shocked to find yourself in the best house at the school? You should be proud." The second year boy next to her spoke and she looked up at him, recognizing him immediately. Malfoy…

            He smirked at her before looking back up to the unsorted first years. She watched the rest of the first years in silence, listening to the cheers that arose each time a new Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Gryffindor was announced. The table around her began to fill as new Slytherins joined. Soon enough she was surrounded. Only minutes ago this would have been an unfathomable nightmare. Now it seemed all too real. She pinched her leg under the table, just to make sure. "Ow…"

            "GRYFFINDOR!" She watched as her best friend Maddie left the stool, only able to muster a small smile as she joined the rest of her house. She immediately began whispering to Freddie and Edwina. A few minutes later the last student had been sorted, and after she had joined the Ravenclaw table, Dumbledore made his announcements and the feast began. The most glorious foods magically appeared in front of them, drawing "Ooohs" and "Ahhs" from the students around the hall.

            Victoria ate nothing as she tried to block out the conversation around her. She heard malicious remarks from Malfoy pertaining to Harry and his two friends Ron and Hermione, all of which received laughs and cackles from the nearby students. They had noticed that Harry was not there, and were all the happier for it. Nobody seemed to want to talk to her, which was lucky. She felt if she were forced to speak she might burst into tears. This wasn't how her first night at Hogwarts was supposed to be.