Quest of the Seekers: Elements of Transformation

Year One at Hogwarts

Chapter 3: Sorting a Separation.

Note: All my author notes will be displayed at the bottom of the chapters.

...

The 4 new friends stepped off the train onto the platform where they heard a rough voice calling out.

"Firs' years! First years to me, please!"

A big man in an overcoat and carrying a lamp was calling forth the first years to him.

"Hello first years. I'm Rubeus Hagrid but just call me Hagrid. Now, let's move. I'll take you right to the school in the boats."

Hagrid took them to a lake where they could see Hogwarts in the distance. Brad was so shocked that he was babbling. They were set to ride in the boats (4 to a boat), which were magically pulled toward the castle. Tyler, Jacke, Reggie and Brad all climbed in a boat together and rode to the castle. When they reached the shore all the first years were led to a staircase where a witch with a top pointy hat and a stern face was looking at them and spoke when everyone stopped in front of her.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, before you can all sit and enjoy the feast you'll have to be sorted. The Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. These houses all have their own history and unique qualities. Please wait here until we are ready. It shouldn't take too long."

The witch left and at once everyone went into conversation. Tyler turned to his new friend Jacke.

"So Jacke, what house do you hope to get in?"

"Well, I'm not really sure. My dad was in Gryffindor but my mom was in Ravenclaw. I guess any of these houses would be okay. Reggie, Brad, how about you guys?"

Reggie looked ready. "I want to be in Ravenclaw. My dad was in there and from what he told me, he said that I would love it."

Brad seemed distant. "I just want to go to where I belong. I hope that you guys go to where you want. I don't know about the houses like you do but it can't really make that much of a difference, couldn't it?"

"No, I guess it doesn't...Tyler, you didn't say what house you'd like to be in."

"Well Jacke, I believe that, maybe I should go in..."

But he never got to finish because the witch was back.

"Okay everyone, you could enter now."

The kids were all led to a great hall with 4 table rows and seats that had the older wizards and witches. The roof of the room had a sky that matched the clear night sky outside. The front of the hall had a table that had a table that seated the professors and the headmaster. Finally, before the staff table was a stool that had a raggy, old hat. The four new buddies went together to the middle of the line and stopped at the stool. Then the headmaster stood.

"Greetings young children. I am Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Welcome, and to all our older students I say welcome back. Please begin the students' sorting, Professor McGonagall."

The witch named McGonagall turned the hat to them and it ripped open and starting to sing with a raggy voice to match it's appearance.

"When this school opened long ago,

a great friendship started.

The founders had made a pact,

to never let them be parted.

They took students good with wands,

and got their learning here.

Where they could meet others,

and master magic without fear.

Now with the terror outside these walls,

it may seem it will last forever.

The only way to get it to end,

is for all to come together.

Now here comes a brand new hope,

who has a clever ploy.

He and his great brand new friends

will bring unity and joy.

Now if you are put in Gryffindor,

you are chivalrous and brave.

If placed into Ravenclaw,

to knowledge are you a slave.

All the ones in Hufflepuff,

are all loyal at heart.

Slytherins on the other hand,

are cunning from the start.

Now that we have that done,

you can be sorted.

Let it now begin!"

Then the hat died down and there was clapping and silent murmuring throughout the hall. Tyler knew what it was all about. They were all talking about the new hope the sorting hat had mentioned. Was it about him? Tyler knew that the 'hope' he was to bring was to present and future parselmouths but the rest of the wizarding race? However, if his ploy was discovered then Tyler would be found out and people will think he and his father were bad, dark wizards. Tyler also wondered how his new friends fitted into all this be it that the family prophecy didn't mention them and the fact that Tyler just met them. After a few seconds of worry, Tyler had calmed down because he realized nobody knew his full name so he was safe. Then the witch named McGonagall took a scroll and spoke.

"When your name is called please step up to the stool and I will put the sorting hat on you head and you will be sorted into your houses. Alan Appleby!"

"Hufflepuff!", shouted the hat and was followed by clapping.

"Maggie Barlaine!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Matthew Caraway!" A boy with brown hair and an unreadable face stepped up.

"Slytherin!"

"Brad Carter!" Brad stepped up and tried the hat. A voice filled in his ears.

"Ah, yes, I can see a little bit of hard loyalty and compassion in you. Perfect for a hufflepuff, yes. However, there is the want to learn everything about the new world. This is good Ravenclaw material. Hmm, tough choice."

'Well can you tell me which side you think is stronger because I want to go to the place that best resembles me' he thought back to the hat.

"Oh yes, well that choice will have to be..."

"Hufflepuff!" Then Brad went over to the Hufflepuff table.

"Laura Collins!"

"Ravenclaw!"

Soon it became Reggie's turn. "Reginald Falkner!"

Reggie put the hat over his head and heard the same familiar voice from the song. "Mr. Falkner, I see you are set for going to Ravenclaw like you're father. Well, I must say that it's not a bad choice, for you love exploring knowledge which I sense amongst the highest I've had the chance to see."

'So, am I in, because my father said he was dead sure I would find myself there for sure.'

"Yes I agree that the best choice would have to be"

"Ravenclaw!" Then Reggie joined the Ravenclaws.

"Jennifer Gardner!"

"Gryffindor!"

Then, it became Tyler's turn. "Tyler Solemn!"

Tyler went and sat on the stool and Professor McGonagall put the hat on his head and he heard a voice in his head.

"Don't worry Solemn, no one could hear me or should I say Slytherin."

"Please don't tell anyone, please."

"Don't worry Slytherin, there is no need for me to reveal your secret or didn't you hear my song."

"So, you knew I was coming?"

"Yes, I sensed it and now it is time to sort you. You are quite the cunning one aren't you? A taste for adventure, a strong sense of pride and will power. A parselmouth, like your ancestor, and even have his wand. And you strive to not let your parents or kin down especially with a prophecy over your head."

'You can see the prophecy too?'

"Yes I can see it in your mind. But like I said earlier that I don't tell of anything I find to others be it personal."

'Wow, pretty sensitive for a hat' he thought sarcastically.

"You have a sense of slytherin humor as well. No question here that I'll send you to"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Tyler went to his new house table and looked on at the stool to continue watching the sorting until it came to Jacke. He saw Jacke looking at him puzzled, which made Tyler a little queasy. He remembered that Jacke said he hoped to get into Gryffindor and he was just sorted into his desired house's worst enemy: Slytherin.

"Jacke Walker!" Jacke went to the stool and tried on the hat.

"Hmm. Well Mr. Walker, I see courage and good chivalry in you. A good taste for adventure and excitement. Hmm this matches your friend's taste exactly.

'Which one?'

"Mr. Solemn."

'But he's in slytherin. I heard that slytherin house brings out a lot of dark wizards. Also, we just met, it's not like we're best buds.'

"Are you sure about that? I believe that you two could be great friends. Give me the benefit of doubt. Better yet, give it to him."

'Well, I you just sort me please? I don't want to think too much on this now.'

"Well based on your feelings and character, I would say that you are good enough to fill your desire for"

"Gryffindor!" Then Jacke joined the Gryffindors while Tyler clapped along seeing as Jacke got to go to the house he wanted.

The sorting ended with Claire Zephyr being put in Ravenclaw. Then Dumbledore stood and spoke to the students. He explained the forbidden forest is out of bounds. He explained that there was a list of forbidden items on the caretaker's door and finally that no one should be scared of being attacked by Voldemort under his watch. A few of the first years looked relieved as he said this and the feast began. Food popped out on the plate and everyone started eating. Tyler was driven from his meal to a kid, which he saw trying on the sorting hat earlier.

"Hi. I'm Matt Carroway and you are?"

"I'm Tyler Solemn and it's a pleasure to meet you, Matt."

Then they were interrupted by a much older kid with black, greasy hair and a hook nose.

"Hello there new slytherins, I am Severus Snape."

"Oh, a pleasure Severus. I'm Tyler Solemn and this is..."

"Matt Carroway. Good to meet you."

"Listen, I know you are new but let me tell you a good piece of advice, boys. Avoid those Gryffindors and especially those Marauders. They're nothing but pranksters and think they're above the rules, so watch for them. They're over there."

Matt and Tyler looked at the Gryffindor table to where Severus was pointing. There was an untidy haired kid with glasses sitting next to a kid with tamable black model hair laughing next to him. Across was a boy with brown hair and looking a little ill and he was next to a mousy haired, plump boy. The four of them seemed to be very close friends and appeared to be chatting like everything was right in the world.

"Oh and maybe I should warn you to stay close together because the other houses are always against us especially Gryffindor."

Matt looked at Severus thankfully. "Thank you for the warning, Severus."

"Well, I don't think they look that bad." This gave him a shocked look from Severus. "I mean, I er...my friends all got sorted to different houses so they can't be all bad, right? Thanks but no thank you, Severus. I do appreciate the advice though."

Severus looked at Tyler with a fascinated face while he spoke. "Well, maybe you should make some new friends within your house for now."

Tyler looked on at the Gryffindor table to where Jacke was sitting and he nodded to him while Jacke nodded back after capturing his eye. He moved his head pointing out of the great hall and Jacke appeared to catch on to the fact that he wanted to meet him outside later. Tyler just wished he would and not have been told like he was to stay clear of slytherins.

After the feast, Tyler, Jacke, Reggie, and Brad all gathered together right out the door to the Great Hall.

"The Ravenclaw seven years told me how to watch for Slytherins."

"Yeah, I got the same from the ones in Hufflepuff and they said that they'd be after me because of my blood."

"I haven't got anything from the older Gryffindors, what about you Tyler?"

"They told me to watch my back on all the houses because they all could be against us. I defended you guys though. We don't have to listen to them, right?"

There was a long silence between the four of them until Brad spoke finally.

"Look...why don't we forget what they said and try to stay friends. I can't explain it but we may have just met but I feel like I knew you guys forever. I mean if we were in the same house then we would still be friends so even though we are separated let's not act any different. Let's promise ourselves that. A pact."

Then as one the other three said ok and all of them shared laughter. Tyler spoke and Reggie's expression looked like he knew what was coming.

"Look I have to go to my new dormitory and I think you all need to too. We'll talk tomorrow at breakfast."

All the boys went 4 different ways with the other first years. As Tyler went with his new housemates he knew his friends were thinking the same as he was. "Staying together in different houses won't be easy."

A fifth year prefect led them to a stone wall with a piece the size of a door was in front of the rest of the wall.

"Now to get in you must say the password and the password to get in is 'wormwood.'"

The stone slid to the side revealing a hole in the wall which they all stepped in leading to a big room with lamps sofas, chairs, a roaring fireplace and staircases (one going down and the other going up).

"Welcome to the Slytherin common room!"

AN: This Severus Snape is indeed the future Professor Snape but I thought I would show an unexpected side to him that I believe he only shows his fellow Slytherins. Next chapter will make tensions rise. Starting School on Your Terms.