A.N: None of its mine I swear!
Thank you all for reviewing, I really appreciate the support.
Everyone go and read 'its all in the blood' by Sam-453 cos it's brilliant.
By the way, I changed Buffy birthday cos I can never remember when it is.
I don't know when I'm going to post next cos I've got tons of GCSE coursework (Damn you bloody GCSE's) so I decided I'll treat ya and give you another chapter early.
Oh, and you may notice that I got most of my description of the castle from the book, so sorry!
ALSO, got to say- ENGLAND RULES!!!!!!!!!! WE WON THE RUGBY WORLD CUP! AUSTRAILIA, U SUCK (I don't mean it by the way) JONNY WILKINSON, YOU ARE A GOD!!!!!!!
So, I glad I got that out of my system.
Anyways, on with the fic…
The small group had taken off their jackets and had placed their black robes on their frames. Willow and Buffy did each other's hair and made themselves look respectable, while Harry and Ron tried to cram all the remaining sweets into their pockets and trunks.
"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately." A voice echoed through the train. The four smiled at each other and the two red heads left the compartment first, followed by Harry and Buffy. They squeezed into the small narrow corridor, which was packed with people. As soon as Harry and Buffy came out, the students around them started to whisper and point.
"I think you're famous now, they're all talking about you." Harry whispered to Buffy. She looked around; people were staring at the pair, although not everyone had their eyes on Buffy.
"I think they're looking at you." Buffy whispered back, grinning. Slowly, the train came to a halt and the students piled out and started to hurry off the platform. Buffy and her friends moved with the crowd, shivering from the cold night air. They came to a halt as Buffy heard a familiar voice.
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here please! Allright there Harry, Buffy?" Hagrid yelled, his yellow bright lamp swinging high over their heads.
"Hey Hagrid." Buffy greeted. Hagrid peered down at the four and smiled.
"Happy birthday Buffy. Had a good 'un?" Hagrid asked. Buffy smiled and nodded.
"It's your birthday? You didn't tell us!" Willow exclaimed. Buffy shrugged, and she received three happy birthday's from her new friends. The four started to follow Hagrid with the rest of the new students. They followed him down a narrow dark path. It was completely quiet; no one whispered or made any sound.
"You'll get ter see Hogwarts in a mo. Righ' over this bend round here." Hagrid called to the small first years.
The narrow path opened suddenly on to the edge of a great black lake. From here they could see Hogwarts, a spectacular castle that looked as if it had been plucked out of a fairytale. It was perched atop a cliff, towering above the lake. It was a brilliant contrast to the sparkling sky dotted with stars, the castle itself was tall with turrets and fairytale towers, yellow light flowed out of some of the windows, casting a foggy glow on the castle.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid yelled. Buffy and Harry stepped into a boat, to be followed by Willow and Ron who seemed to be getting on like a house on fire.
"Everyone in?" Shouted Hagrid, who had a boat all to himself. "Right then, forward!" He yelled.
The fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the smooth lake. Everyone was silent, staring up ahead at the beautiful castle and the starry sky.
"Heads down!" Ordered Hagrid as the boats reached the cliff. Everyone obeyed and the boats carrried them through the curtain of ivy. The boats carried on down a dark tunnel until they reached a pebbled under-ground harbour. Everyone got out of the boats, and after Hagrid checked to see if no one had left anything (a tearful fat boy had lost his toad, but luckily, Hagrid found it in the boat), they walked up the cold stone steps and halted in front of a heavy brown oak door. He knocked on the door three times, his gigantic fist causing the door to shudder under his weight.
The door swung open at once. A tall black-haired witch in emerald robes stood there. She had a very stern face, cold eyes and a thin lipped smile.
"Thank you Hagrid. I will take the first years from here."
She pulled the door open wide and the first years climbed in. The entrance hall was so big you could fit a house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling stretched high above them, a grand staircase in front of them led to upper floors. Professor McGonagall led the first years across the stone floor. Loud shouts and voices were heard from a door to their right, but McGonagall led them into a small chamber. They squeezed in, closer than they would usually. Buffy was sandwiched between Harry and Ron, Willow sandwiched between Ron and a boy with sandy brown hair.
McGonagall turned around and faced the nervous looking students.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. Shortly you will be sorted into four houses, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own history and has produced outstanding witches and wizards. The Sorting ceremony is very important; the house you will be placed in will become your family. You will have class with them, sleep in your house dormitory and spend your free time in your house common room. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you points, while your rule-breaking will lose them. These points will be counted at the end of the year, and the house with the most will win the house cup, a great honor. The Sorting ceremony will begin shortly. I suggest you smarten yourself up while you are waiting." Her eyes flickered around the students. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."
She left the chamber and a nervous whisper broke out among the students.
"How do they sort us?" Buffy whispered.
"Some sort of test. Fred says it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking. I hope he was joking." Ron added, a worried expression on his face.
"A test? But- but I don't know anything. I haven't learnt anything!" Willow announced, horrified.
"No one has, Will." Harry reassured.
Willow flashed a nervous smile at Harry, but no one paid attention to Buffy, who was lost deep in her thoughts. A test? In front of the whole school. She hadn't even opened a book yet! Buffy looked anxiously around, relaxing a little when she saw other people looked terrified as well. Harry seemed to be lost in his thoughts as well, a nervous and scared expression on his face. Harry caught Buffy watching him and forced a smile.
"It will be fine." Buffy soothed, squeezing his hand. Harry nodded, watching Hermione as she whispered to anyone who would listen about all the spells she had learnt. He became more relaxed as Buffy hand squeezed his, some of his nervousness floating away.
Suddenly, he jumped about a foot in the air when a couple of people behind him screamed.
"What the-?" Buffy gasped, as she saw what everyone was looking at. Twenty ghosts had floated through the walls, all gossiping and arguing, not noticing the forty odd students below them. Pearly white and transparent, their voices started to raise higher, a heated discussion was obviously going on.
"Forgive and forget." A fat monk said. "I say, we ought to give him a second chance-"
"My dear Friar, haven't we all given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us a bad name, playing all those ghastly pranks and littering the halls with- I say, what are you doing here?"
A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had noticed the first years. Nobody answered his question.
"New students!" The Fat Friar said, smiling at them.
"Move along now. The Sorting Ceremony is about to start." A sharp voice interrupted.
McGonagall had returned. The ghosts gave a wave and floated away through the opposite wall.
"Follow me." She instructed.
She led the large group out of the chamber and into the Entrance hall. Two great doors where pushed back and the group followed McGonagall into the Great Hall. It was a large room, the ceiling high above their heads, enchanted to look like the night sky. Hundreds of candles lit the room, floating above four long tables that stretched the length of the room. A sea of faces turned to look at them, their eyes following the first years every move. The tables they were sitting on were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was a long table where the teachers where sitting. Mc Gonagall stopped the procession in front of the table, the teachers smiling at them. Silently, McGonagall placed a stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool, she placed an old wizards hat. Everyone stared at the hat. It seemed to twitch, and then, a rip near the brim of the hat opened wide like a mouth- and the hat started to sing.
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So
put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause when the hat finished it's song.
"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Willow.
"That can't be so bad, right?" She asked. Ron smiled and shook his head. Willow sighed happily.
"When I call out your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." Said McGonagall. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A pink faced girl with pigtails stumbled up the steps and put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Shouted the hat. The table on the right erupted in cheers and clapped as Hannah joined the table.
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted again. Susan sat down next to Hannah.
"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
The table erupted in cheers and Terry joined his house.
'Brown, Lavender' became the first Gryffindor and 'Bulstrode, Millicent' became the first Slytherin.
"Granger, Hermione."
Hermione practically ran to the hat, she jammed it eagerly on her head and waited.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Ron groaned.
After Neville, 'Malfoy, Draco' was called. The hat had barely touched his head when it shouted 'SLYTHERIN!'. He smirked happily, and ran off to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle.
Harry waited as his name was coming close.
"Mclay, Tara!" A small mousy haired girl stumbled up the steps and put the hat on her head.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted. The girl grinned shyly and hurried to her table.
A pair of twin girls were called.
"Patil!"
"Patil!"
Then;
"Perks, Sally-Anne!" Then, at last-
"Potter, Harry!"
Hushed whispers broke out in the hall.
"Potter?"
"The Harry Potter!"
"Bloody hell, the Harry Potter!"
Harry smiled at Buffy, Ron and Willow and stepped forwards, more whispers floating around the hall. He put the hat on his head and waited.
"GRYFFINDOR!" It shouted. Harry grinned and a tremendous uproar was heard. He grinned at his friends and walked in a daze to the Gryffindor table where people were congratulating him and thumping him on the back. Harry grinned at the twins and looked up at the high table, grinning at Hagrid who beamed at him.
"Rosenberg, Willow!" McGonagall announced.
"Good luck Will." Ron whispered, flashing her a grin. Buffy smiled and with a small push from Ron, Willow walked up to the stool. She placed the hat on her head and darkness fell over her eyes. She waited.
"Ahh...difficult...very clever, very determined and loyal...very brave as well. Interesting, you have a lot of power though, I know where you should go....GRYFFINDOR!"
Willow grinned and happily took off the hat. Practically skipping her way down to the Gryffindor table, she was greeted by Harry, and overcome with excitement; she hugged a very surprised Harry.
"Summers, Buffy!"
Buffy smiled nervously at Ron and quickly made her way up the steps. She put the hat on her head and sat down on the stool, waiting.
"Hmmm, difficult...very very difficult. Quite a pickle I've got myself into, a Slayer is always difficult, where to put you? Quite a good mind...plenty of courage, very brave girl, but your power comes from dark magic-so difficult, your dark slayer side fighting against your human light side...I think I know where to put you..."
"SLYTHERIN!"
It rang out through the hall. Slytherin. But she can't be in Slytherin! Willow thought desperately. She's supposed to be in Gryffindor with me and Harry and Ron! Willow thought. She couldn't understand how someone so nice could go to such an evil power hungry house. It just wasn't possible, it didn't suit Buffy.
Slytherin. The word kept on ringing in Ron's head, over and over again. The first new friend he had made and she was going to Slytherin. The house where Voldemort came from. Where the Death Eaters came from. She beat up Malfoy for goodness sake, how could she be evil?
Slytherin. This couldn't be happening. The coolest girl he had met for ages was going to Slytherin. The dark house. It couldn't be possible. The Sorting Hat must of made a mistake. Buffy was such a nice person, she didn't deserve to go to the house which had Malfoy and Crabbe and Goyle in. Malfoy looks positively shocked as well. This is not fair! Harry thought desperately.
Slytherin. She must be dreaming. The hat must be wrong, she was supposed to go to Gryffindor. With Willow and Harry. Not to Slytherin with Malfoy. That slimy git. She wasn't evil like them! Buffy looked at the sea of faces, picking up Ron's, Willow's and Harry. They looked as shocked as she was. Buffy sighed and removed the hat from her head. She stood up and placed it on the stool. She heard quiet cheers from the Slytherin table, word most of got round about what she did to Malfoy, but all she could think about was Ron and Willow and Harry. Her legs started to move, as if on autopilot. She walked a few steps, then:
"Wait."
The hall fell silent. Buffy turned around, watching the hat. It was so silent in the hall; you could hear a pin drop.
The rip near the brim opened and it said something. "I have made a mistake. Come back." It said. Buffy stared at it, shocked. Her eyes flickered up to McGonagalls. Hagrids. The teachers. They all seemed as shocked as she was. The hat's decisions was supposed to be final. Her gaze met McGonagall's. McGonagall silently questioned her with her eyes, and then Buffy's gaze met an old wizard with long silver hair. He had blue eyes behind half-moon spectacles.
"Go ahead Miss Summers." Dumbledore said, his face smiling, but it couldn't hide the complete shock in his eyes. "Try the hat on again."
Buffy nodded and slowly advanced to the hat. She picked it up, sat down on the stool and gingerly placed it on her head, darkness falling over her eyes. She waited, and then it came, the smooth voice in her ear.
"Sorry...slayers are just so hard. Haven't had a slayer in Hogwarts for 500 years, that one confused me as well. Slytherin is not the place for you, you are too noble and courageous for Slytherin. I have now chosen the right house for you."
"GRFFINDOR!" It shouted.
Buffy sighed with a relief, a genuine smile plastered on her face. She took off the hat and walked down the steps. Ron came up to her and they high fived, grinning at each other. She made her way to the Gryffindor table, which was cheering almost as loudly as they had for Harry. She grinned at the twins who cat called at her. Willow then ran up to her as she arrived at their table. The two girls grinned at each other, and then they hugged happily. They broke apart and Buffy walked to Harry, who broke into a smile. They high fived and Buffy squeezed in between Harry and Willow.
"That never happens. I think that was the first time the Sorting Hat did that." Percy said, shouting across Harry. Buffy raised her eyebrow and winced, not exactly ecstatic that she was the first exception. She turned her attention onto the Sorting. There were only three people left now.
'Turpin, Lisa' became a Ravenclaw, and then it was Ron's turn. A second after Ron had put the hat on; it shouted "GRYFFINDOR."
Buffy clapped and cheered loudly as Ron made his way down to the Gryffindor table. Buffy and Willow got up from their seats and as soon as Ron had appeared in front of them, hugged him tightly, knowing that he was turning red from embarrassment. Buffy and Willow let go of him and Ron sat down, the red colour of his face contrasting with his hair.
'Zabini, Blaise' became a Slytherin and McGonagall rolled up the scroll she had been reading the names from and took the Sorting Hat away.
Albus Dumbledore stood up and beamed at the silent room.
"Welcome!" He said brightly. "Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts. There is a time for speech making, but this is not it. Enjoy the food everyone!" Dumbledore finished, sitting back down on his gold throne. The hall erupted into applause.
"Wow!" Buffy exclaimed.
"What?" Asked Harry. Buffy pointed to the table and Harry followed her gaze. His eyes went wide as he saw what she was pointing to. The platters that were empty moments before were now filled with food. Chicken, chips, peas, jacket potatoes, rice, pasta, Bolognese and more things that Harry loved to eat. He hungrily piled some food on his plate, shoving his food in his mouth. He hungrily chomped it done like a wolf and swallowed, noticing that Buffy was watching him. "What?"
Buffy grinned.
"Attractive."
AN//, PLEASE review!
Also:
ENGLAND RULES!!!!!!!
I swear, I'm done now!
