Disclaimer: Note, I will put ONE disclaimer and one disclaimer only, it takes up valuable writing time to write up a disclaimer at the top of every chapter, so I will put my disclaimer-ish stuff in here. I do not own Harry Potter or any relating subjects: i.e.: people, places, characters, objects. What I DO own is: Velvet Thorne and her past and a few other characters, as well as the plot, and some miscellaneous things that will be found throughout the story. Thanks for your time and attention, and we will now start off the story.

Hogwarts. Second year. Hermione Granger, lone. She looked down towards the tiny girl at her side. Brushing strands of frazzled hair out of her face, she leaned down. "Now, Velvet. Did you say your name was?" The girl nodded, "You follow along with the other first years to Hagrid. He's the unbelievably tall man with the lantern, and he will escort you to the Great Hall, where you will be sorted. Now run along, you don't want to miss your boat."

The little girl nodded, and ran off, huddling against the other students from the drizzle of rain that sprayed down upon them, old and new alike.

"Firs' years gather inter this boat!" Hagrid called. He was a MONSTER of a man. Three times as tall as her foster parent, and four times as wide. Her large blue eyes blinking against the stinging, icy bits of rain that fell down upon them as she stared at him. To her, it looked as if a large animal had crawled and died on his mouth. And another on his head. His hair and beard were long and scraggly. She wondered what sorts of animals might live within.

Hagrid boarded three students onto each boat. Velvet looked at the other two students on her boat. A girl with flaming red hair and freckles, and a boy with dark brown hair, and beady grey eyes. The girl blinked once more, and stayed at the back of the boat as the two in front of her chatted animatedly to one another. After talking for a while, the red-headed girl turned around, and looked at Velvet curiously. "Hello!" She said brightly, smiling. "My name's Ginny Weasley, what's yours?" Velvet looked at Ginny, and smiled weakly back. "My name's Velvet Thorne." The boy turned around, "Velvet? What kind of name is that?... What kind of mother names their child after a type of CLOTH?" Velvet glared at him, "My mother, that's whom." The boy sneered, "Well. MY name is Ward Huntington the Third." Ginny and Velvet couldn't help but snicker at his name, and he looked indignantly at them. "I am named after my father, and he was named after HIS father." Velvet shrugged. "I see. Well. My mother had the originality to come up with a name for me, and didn't have to copy off of someone else." Ward rolled his eyes, and shook his head. He turned to the front of the boat, and didn't speak at all until he was sorted.

About fifteen minutes later, the first year students were lined up in the Great Hall. Most of them looked terrified, cracking their knuckles, wringing their hands, biting their lips. Velvet however, was terribly intrigued by the sky above. She half expected the drizzle of rain to come down atop her head, though it stopped three or four feet before it touched the students.

Velvet looked to her left, where Ginny was standing on her tiptoes, looking over the crowds towards a table on the far right of the room. A banner that was scarlet, with a golden lion hung above them. "He's not here!" Ginny sighed, sulking. "Who's not here?" Velvet replied, "Ron." Velvet blinked, "I am afraid I don't know who this "Ron" person whom you speak of, is." Ginny flushed, "He's my older brother. I wanted him here to see me get sort- :" But Ginny was cut off as a loud eruption of clapping was heard as the Sorting Hat sorted the first student into 'Hufflepuff'. Velvet looked over at Ginny, "What exactly are we getting sorted for?" Ginny looked at Velvet. "Well. There are four houses. Gryffindor, where I hope to be sorted. Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, And." She made a face, "Slytherin. Gryffindor is the house that is known for. Bravery. That's the house that my WHOLE FAMILY was sorted into. Hufflepuff is known for rather kind people, but they are somewhat dim. If you know what I mean." She grinned, and so did Velvet. "Ravenclaw is known for students that are smarter than most, and do well in school. And Slytherin." She made another face, like a cringe. "Is where the Dark Lord's followers go. They are known to be quite rude, and mean." Ginny pointed to a blonde haired boy, whom was clapping loudly as a girl with trouncy black curls was sorted into his house. "That's Draco Malfoy. He's a Slytherin, incredibly rude. My brother and his friends hate him, and my father and his are enemies. If you want to stay safe, stay out of his path. For your own good." Velvet nodded, as CREEVEY, COLIN was sorted into Gryffindor.

About twenty minutes passed, and HUNTINGTON, WARD was called to the small three legged stool. Velvet pushed her way to the front to see where he would end up, "SLYTHERIN!" The hat shouted, and Ginny, who had appeared behind Velvet shook her head. "No surprise there. Remember how rude he was to us on the boat?" Velvet nodded. Time passed along quickly, and then "THORNE, VELVET!" Was called. "That's you!" Ginny said, nudging her forward slightly. A few raised eyebrows arose as Velvet walked up onto the stage. The girl could hear whispers as she walked up. "Velvet? What kind of name is that?" And some giggling. Velvet was rather nervous now, being in front of so many people! It was rather frightening. As she stepped up the stairs to the stool, her foot got caught on the end of her robes, and she tripped. Her face flushed as she heard students laughing. But she regained her dignity, and stepped up onto the pedestal, and sat down on the stool, as an old woman with glasses lifted the hat. The hat dropped onto her head, and covered her eyes, and nose so she had to breathe from her mouth.

"Who do we have here?..." The hat asked, "Velvet Thorne. What a unique name." The hat seemed to smirk, "Now where to put you?" It asked, "Definitely not Hufflepuff. You're much too wise, never would fit in. Nor Slytherin. Much too pure for Slytherin. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw are the two I am having difficulties with. Where to put you where to put you." The hat seemed to sigh, GRYFFINDOR! Velvet told the hat, "Gryffindor you say?... Why is that?...Ah.. I see. Because your friend is in Gryffindor. You are rather brave. After all that you've been through, I sense it. But you are also wise beyond your years, and Ravenclaw would suit you best. NO GRYFFINDOR!!!! Her mind screamed to the hat. "Are you sure?" Velvet nodded furiously. "One last chance for Ravenclaw. Not Ravenclaw? I suppose not, you're much too stubborn for Ravenclaw. Better be Gryffindor then. GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted, and emerged from beneath the hat a smiling girl. The woman smiled down at her, "Welcome to Gryffindor, dear." Velvet smiled, "Thankyou Ma'am." She smiled, then blinked. "Go sit down, now.." Velvet blinked. "Where?" She whispered, "Why where all the clapping and hollering is coming from!" The old woman smiled a bit, and Velvet nodded. She had often learned to drown out loud noises when she was listening for directions, which is why she hadn't heard them clapping. But, she looked at Ginny, who gave her the thumbs up, and Velvet went and took a seat next to "CREEVEY, COLIN" and the girl with busy hair whom had told her where to go. "Welcome to Gryffindor!" The girl said, smiling.

A few names later, and Ginny came bounding over to the table, sitting in between Velvet and Colin. The meal started, and they ate joyously, giggling, laughing, swapping tales and meeting new Housemates.

Bed time soon came, and Velvet followed the rest of the Gryffindor House out of the Great Hall to the Gryffindor Common Room, where they learned the password, Wattlebird. A very odd word nonetheless, but that was okay, because this was a very odd place. Ginny and Velvet marched up the stairs towards the dormitories, where their luggage had already been delivered. Laying on Velvet's pillow was her kitten, Nettik, or Tikki for short. The kitten was tiny, just like his owner, he was vivid orange with dark brown stripes. Velvet smiled, and sat down on her bed, Tikki climbed over to her, and sat in her lap, looking up at her with "Mrrroowwwww" She giggled, "Yes yes.. I assumed you would be hungry." She grinned, and pulled out a napkin with some grilled salmon within, and lay it down on the floor. She would've put it in Tikki's bowl, but she hadn't unpacked yet, and things don't just unpack themselves, even though the school IS magic.

The four girls who were in the dormitory introduced themselves.

Ginny Weasley, eleven years old, six older brothers. At the moment four attended Hogwarts, we already know that she has red hair and brown eyes, as well as freckles.

Next, was Christie McClowski, twelve years old, an older brother and an older sister, her sister attended Hogwarts, and was in Ravenclaw. She had dark brown hair, cut to her waist, and dark green eyes.

And last, was Jennifer Nichols, twelve years old, three older brothers, and one younger sister. Her brothers have already graduated. She was a dark skinned girl with beaded braids that hung down her back, and lovely chocolate brown eyes.

The girls all chatted for a while, before deciding it was time for lights out. They all dressed into pyjamas, wished one another good night, and drifted off to sleep.