Title: Games, Changes and Fears (2/?)

Author: Chosentwo4381

Email: chosentwo4381@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: I'm not J.K. Rowling. Most of these aren't mine. I'm not making any money off any of them either way.

Summary: Another 5th year fic. New students come, the 'old crowd' regroups, and a lot of growing up and some romance occurs.

Pairings: Multiple and changing

Author's Notes: Rest of the fic gets dedicated to you if you catch the references to all the books that I drew the names of the first years from. I'm also really ignoring the events of Book 5. I like mine better. It's a happy place.

The train pulled into Hogsmeade station right before dinner. The students piled off the train and into the horseless carriages. Ceridwen, Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Ginny shared one with Neville Longbottom, while Pat joined the rest of the Gryffindor fifth years and Parvati's twin sister Padma in another. As soon as the carriages reached the front doors of the castle, Ceri and Pat were greeted by the stern visage of Professor McGonagall and ushered off into a small room off the Great Hall where the Sorting Hat and stool were waiting.

            "Alright then. Ceridwen, you first. Just sit down and place the hat on your head," the Deputy Headmistress directed.

            The girl sat and pulled the hat down on her head. *Not ambitious… You're too wide open for the machinations of the Slytherins. Loyal yes, and dedicated to what's important to you. Intelligent, but not dedicated to learning at the exclusion of all else. You'll fight for others, but sometimes shirk at fighting for yourself, bit odd that, but you'll do well in Gryffindor!* She took off the hat and stood, moving aside for her twin. He sat and put on the hat. *Your sister was it that I just sorted. Twin hmm… Mischievous mind you have here, reminds me of some other twins a few years ago. You're cunning, but that's a must for those pranks you pull, but you are more loyal than that. But what a mind you have! There are other things there, yes, but I can't ignore that. Don't worry, you'll still see your sister even though you're in Ravenclaw!*

            The professor nodded and took the hat from Padraig as he stood. "Get into the Great Hall quickly now. The first years should be here any minute. The banners will show you your house tables." The twins walked quickly across the corridor and into the large room. A quick look up at the ceiling confirmed what Hermione had told them about the enchantment, and then they looked at each other.

            "I guess this is it," Ceri began.

            "Yeah. I'll see you at breakfast. Don't worry. The hat said we'd still see each other."

            "Alright then, I guess it's to our tables with us." Pat just nodded and they went their separate ways.

            Pat sat down next to Padma Patil, while Ceri took a place across the table from Ginny. Fred called down, "Hey what's Pat doing over at the Ravenclaw table?"

            Ron responded before Ceri had a chance to, "He probably got sorted there you great prat."

            Ignoring the boys, Ginny noticed the slightly forlorn look on her new housemate's face. "Are you okay?"

            Ceridwen nodded, "Yeah it's just weird. Johnson wasn't a boarding school, so we never had to deal with this sorting stuff. We shared a room until we were 7 and then in our new house our rooms were across the hall from each other. Even when we were playing different muggle sports, we were always in eyesight of each other, and we went to all of each others games, even practices got out at the same time. The only times we weren't together were when we were out on dates and even then we sometimes doubled. It's just going to take some getting used to."

            Ginny nodded. "Maybe you could talk to Parvati, she and Padma got split up as well."

            "Maybe I will." Before she could say anything else, the doors to the Great Hall opened and the new first years came in behind Professor McGonagall. She sat the three-legged stool down and placed the Sorting Hat on top of it. The rip opened and it began to sing.

            *Many, many years ago when I was newly sewn

            There lived the greatest wizards the world has ever known

            The Hogwarts 4 weren't selfish, so they endeavored to teach

            All the magical students that were within their reach.

            Now each of these four founders had traits they dearly loved

            And these students were the ones that they took great care of

            With Lord Gryffindor of wild moor

            Dwelled the strong and brave

            From green glen came Lady Ravenclaw

            To teach her clever kin

            While those of ambition and cunning

            Brought Lord Slytherin from fen

            From broad valley came Lady Hufflepuff

            To nourish the loyal within

            While they lived their students they chose,

            Then they were dead and gone

            But the school itself still continued on

            They could not live forever,

            But now they live through me

            So put me on so I can tell you where you ought to be!*

            Applause broke out among the older students, while the first year students looked calmer after hearing the song. Professor McGonagall stepped forward unrolling a scroll.

            "When I call your names please step forward, take a seat on the stool and place the hat on your head.

            Annice, Magda." A small girl with curly blonde hair and violet eyes was the first to be sorted.

            *Ravenclaw.* the hat shouted after a moment then applause rang out from that table.

            Austin, Robert became the first new Hufflepuff. The sorting continued, but none of the group of Weasleys, Potter, Granger, or the Fletchers were really paying attention. Until, Fletcher, Ian was called. The hat was placed on his head and almost immediately he became a Hufflepuff. He was then followed on the stool by a Galadriel, Pippin, a girl so small that she looked like she was related to Professor Flitwick, who ended up a Gryffindor.

            "That's interesting. Three children at Hogwarts at the same time, and none in the same house," Hermione commented.

            "Our mum was a Hufflepuff, our Dad was a Gryffindor, and his sister was a Ravenclaw. It's not that odd," Ceri piped up.

            "You'll find," Ron began, "that Hermione will use almost any excuse to research, even if it's not that big a deal."

            "Well, Ronald, my research has saved yours and Harry's arses more than once," Hermione replied indignantly.

            Harry protested, "Don't bring me into this. I wasn't the one maligning your study habits."

            The impending argument was cut short when they realized that the sorting was coming to an end. The last three students were waiting. Roark, Howard became a Gryffindor, while Toohey, Ellsworth, and Young, Adam both became Slytherins. Professor McGonagall took the stool away while Dumbledore stood up from his place at the top of the Head table.

            "I have a few announcements to make before we quell those raging monsters that some of you seem to have in your stomachs." A wave of chuckles was heard in the Great Hall. The headmaster waited for the amusement to be managed before he continued. "The Forbidden Forest, is as the name implies, forbidden to all Hogwarts students. Some of you older students would do well to remember that. The trio and the Weasley twins smirked at that. "Hogsmeade visits are for students third year and above. Permission forms should be turned in to your head of house by the end of next week. Finally, we are entering hard times in our world. Lord Voldemort has returned," most of the students shuddered at the name, "and the only chance we have at defeating him, is if we remain united through everything that happens. Remember Cedric Diggory, and remember that to do right is not always easy, but anything worth it seldom is." His twinkling eyes surveyed each table in turn. "Now let us fill our stomachs so that we may better fill our minds another day."

            Food suddenly appeared on all of the tables and students dove in.

            "Hey Ceri," Harry spoke up. "We're having quidditch tryouts the third weekend of term. You'll be going out for keeper right?"

            "Definitely. I've missed playing," she replied.

            "Oi, Harry," Seamus Finnegan called out from further down the table. "We going to have a full reserve team this year?"

            Harry nodded, his mouth full of food, as Alicia Spinnet spoke up. "With five of us leaving at the end of this year, we figured if we wanted to have Gryffindor's name on the cup for years to come, we'd better have a side trained up."

            Excited chatter spread around the table after that pronouncement as the news was passed on to prospective reserves. Ceridwen turned to Ginny, "You're trying out right? For reserve chaser at least?"

            Ginny nodded, "Yeah, I'll give it a try. We should practice together some. It'd give me a chance to play against a real keeper, and you can get back into practice as well."

            "Sounds like a plan, Ginger."

            Hermione overheard that last part. "Ginny is actually short for Virginia."

            Ginny spoke up, "You can call me Ginger if you like. It's unique. I've never had a nickname other than Ginny or Gin before."

            Ceri grinned, "Ginger it is then."

            Before Hermione could make another comment, she was drawn into whispered conversation with Ron and Harry.

            Ginny rolled her eyes at them. "They're always like that. Really rather reclusive. It's a bit annoying actually. More than a bit really during the summers when they are all at our house."

            "So who do you hang out with during the year if not with them?"

            "Colin is probably the person that I'm closest to in my year. He's the blond boy down there with the camera sitting by his plate."

            Ceri nodded. "What about girls though? You can't hang out with a boy all the time"

            Ginny shrugged, "I'm not close to any of the girls in my year. I talk to Hermione sometimes, when the boys are being too quidditch obsessed for her tastes."

            "We're quite a pair aren't we? You aren't close to any of your year mates, and I don't really know any of mine."

            "Guess we're stuck together then," Ginny replied with a smile.

            'I can definitely think of worse things than being stuck with a beautiful girl.' Ceri thought. Aloud she replied, "Guess so, Ginger."