Soon, too soon the girls thought, they had really enjoyed the trip, the train pulled into the station. It was much darker outside now, and the stars had started popping out on the sky. As they followed a huge man down a path, each of them realised that they might nor be together like that anymore, cause after the sorting they might be in completely different houses. Thankfully they soon were faced with the glorious sight of Hogwarts Castle, and all such thoughts slipped out of their minds, at least for the time being.
They divided when they had to find seats in the small boats by the waters edge, but hurried together as soon as they reached shore again. Immediately they felt the fright diminish as they huddled together, and was truthfully glad to have someone they knew facing the same. Soon they were ushered trough an impressing set of doors into a magnificent Hall lined with older students. But still, even under the scurrying glances of the elder, they took in the beauty of the dark sky they could see in the ceiling, and the wondrous amounts of floating candles scattered about the hall, several feet above their heads. The eleven years olds where shepherd to the front of the fall, facing the teachers tables. Soon a three-legged stool was brought out, and an old hat placed on top of it.
To the shock of the youngsters, the brim opened and the hat began to sing a song of the founding of the school and the four houses they could be chosen into. The nervous youngsters, however, noticed little of its words trough the fright (and, to some, the relief, it's wondrous what older siblings can come up with).
Lily, Dani, Wiona, Helen, Lisbeth, Drew and Erika had gathered in the front, and had a clear view of the teacher who unrolled a scroll and started reading up names. And the first in the girl-group of seven was "Chali, Erika!" Erika smiled weakly to them before making her way up to the hat. She landed on the stool and moments later the hat fell onto her head. She didn't have to wit long. Soon the brim opened and called out "GRYFFINDOR!" Lily could see Erika grinning wickedly while she found a seat at the cheering table. But too soon Lily's name was called and she soon found her self up in front of everyone with a hat covering her eyes and an amused voice in her ear.
"Another Evans." It mumbled. Another? Lily wondered. But it ignored her.
"Well, I've never met anyone so appropriate for all four houses, but I'll make my decision and place you in "GRYFFINDOR!" The last word was called out loud, and when Lily made her way to the available seat next to Erika it still rang in her head.
Soon everything was forgotten, when a grinning Drew joined them at the Gryffindor table, closely followed by Lisbeth, Helen, Wiona and, finally, Dani. Lily was glad to see all her friends from the train by the Gryffindor table, including Sirius and James.
After a quick speech from Headmaster Dumbledore (in an attempt of keeping them out of the Forbidden Forest, and so on) the tables were filled with dishes upon dishes. The eyes of the first years were bulging to the extent of almost eye-popping. But that lasted but a minute, soon they were digging in, filling themselves with food, at such an extent that several of the older pupils were forced to wonder of these new kids actually were animal-cubs in disguise. But then they remembered their own first year, and, grinning, turned back to their own food with new-found interest and hunger.
The tables were soon cleared of both the dinner and the dessert, and the house prefects where given the responsibility of leading the sleepy eleven-year olds up to their new homes. The Gryffindor-kids hardly noticed the moving stairs, the vanishing doors, the short cuts or the ghosts, but when they finally reached the portrait of a lovely lady in pink they paid attention.
"The password is 'nibblewumb' everybody, that is 'nibblewumb'" One prefect announced, and with that the portrait swung open letting the children climb into their common room. Now the boys and the girls separated, and were herded up the stairs of a tower. At the very most top the first-year girls found a door labelled 'first-years' and piled inside. With barely concealed squeals of glee the girls claimed a four-poster each, and watched with amazement as their luggage magically appeared at the foot of their beds.
Lily jumped excitedly in her bed. To her left was Erika, and to her right was Helen. Left of Erika was Dani, and left of her again was Drew. Right of Helen was Wiona, and right of her was Lisbeth. Unable to stay in their beds for a moment longer the girls hurriedly gathered in the middle of the almost circular room. Then, silently agreeing, they began investigating what was now their domain. The entrance was between Helen and Wiona's beds, and an open space between Erika and Dani's beds led into a room with a fire, some sofas and chairs around a table, a couple of desks and bookshelves. A door on one side of that room led into their bathroom-department, and one on the opposite led into a wardrobe department, with heaps of shelves and closets, mirrors and the like.
The girls managed to unpack within a short amount of time, much because of Dani and Lily, who were the only ones who really managed to handle their wands yet. Then they gathered in the centre of the room and sat crossed-legged on the floor, palm-to-palm, in a circle. The seven girls understood each-other better than they would dare to think. They sat quietly for a while, only gazing into each other's eyes. Lisbeth was the first to speak.
"We study, for four years." She began. Drew picked up after her.
"We don't care about our looks, beyond good hygiene, that is."
"We give people the opportunity to get to know who we are." Helen continued.
"Without the chance of being fooled by an sweet appearance." Wiona said.
"Or too much skin showing." Dani said, grinning.
"Then we'll know who are our true friends." Erika added.
"And when we begin our fifth year." Lily said, "They won't know what hit them!" The seven girls grinned at each other, satisfied with their decision. They sat palm-to-palm for another minute or so, before braking the circle and getting to bed without another word.