A dark-skinned black-haired witch with a stern expression on her face opened the door.

"'Ello, Professor Brown. Here are the firs' years." Hagrid said. She nodded.

"Thank you, Hagrid, I'll take it from here." She ushered them in, and took them to a small anti-chamber. Then she turned to them all. "Quiet." The fidgeting students stopped immediately. "Welcome to Hogwarts. I am the Deputy Headmistress, Professor Brown. The Welcoming Feast will start shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you must be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony, as while you are at Hogwarts, your houses will be like your family. You will eat together, attend classes together, sleep in the same area, and spend your free time in your house Common Rooms.

The four houses are Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Each house has its own noble history, and while you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule breaking will cause you to lose points." Her eyes seemed to rest on Madeline, who was poking Michael in the back with her wand. "At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope you will be a credit to whichever house you are put in. I shall come collect you when we are ready to start. I suggest you straighten yourselves up a bit." Her eyes lingered on Mandy's cloak, which, for some reason, was tied around her waist, and Michael's hair, which Madeline had ruffled until it rivalled Jade's father's in untidiness. Jade played with her braid nervously. (AN: Hee, hee that rhymes!) Professor Brown swept out.

"I wonder what the Sorting entails." Mandy said thoughtfully.

"I heard that you have to fight a troll." Madeline said wickedly.

"You heard that from Uncle Fred. It doesn't count." Michael retorted.

"You know, sometimes I really hate you." Madeline said.

"Sometimes? I must be slipping."

"Relax, you just have to put on the Sorting Hat." Jade told Mandy. There was noticeably less tension in the room. Professor Brown entered a moment later.

"Follow me," She said.

The frightened first years followed her into the Great Hall, whispering nervously. Professor Brown clapped her hands once, twice to get their attention.

"Line up, please." They did. "Good." She took out a stool, and a very ragged hat, which Jade recognised from her father's descriptions as the Sorting Hat, and placed them in the middle of the stage. The rip in the middle of the brim opened, and the Hat began to sing.

"'Twas many years ago,

When I was newly sewn.

That Gryffindor came up with a plan,

Of a job that 'twould be my own.

He said to me,

'My dear Hat,

I have job for you.

When I am gone,

And the houses need filling,

My job shall fall to you.

Of course, I said, 'Yes, Godric,

I'll take that offer with glee.'

And so Hogwarts got a Sorting Hat,

I'd like you to meet me!

So whether you be loyal, sneaky,

Smart,

Or brave and bold,

Don't you worry.

You sit up tall,

And leave it all to me,

You'll go where you should be."

(AN: Ugh, I can't rhyme for nuts.)

Jade clapped along with the rest of the students, as Professor Brown took out a long list written on parchment.

"Amery, Armadella." A beautiful, black-eyed brunette walked over to the Hat.

"RAVENCLAW!" The Hat yelled. She went over to that table.

"Arson, Amanda." Mandy walked over to the stool, sat down, and put the Hat on her head. It covered her eyes totally, and most of her lower face too.

"GRYFFINDOR!" She got up, delighted, and skipped over to the Gryffindor table.

"Bark, Richard" A sandy-blonde boy with expressive coffee-coloured eyes walked over to the Hat, and became the second Gryffindor.

"Crabbe, Antony." An ugly, stocky boy walked over to the hat. Not an inch from his head it yelled,

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Darcy, Milton." A plump blonde boy walked over to the Hat, and became the first Hufflepuff.

"Evan, Sicily." A tiny, blue-eyed copper-haired girl walked over to the Hat, and was also put in Gryffindor.

"Goyle, Branson." Another hulking boy walked over to the Hat and was made a Slytherin.

"Malfoy, Lucy." There was a stunned silence, as the Lilliputian silver-blonde haired girl walked over to the stool, and sat down. Everyone held his or her breath, as the Hat was lowered onto her head. The Hat sat there for a long time, before saying in a rather subdued voice,

"Ravenclaw." All the students began whispering as the girl walked over to the Ravenclaw table. The students sitting around her edged away apprehensively.

"Parker, Luke." A grinning boy, with dark curly hair, and laughing brown eyes walked over to the Hat.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The Hat proclaimed. He walked over to the Gryffindor table, and sat down.

"Potter, Jade." Once again, people started whispering, and everyone was looking towards the first years, trying to see her. Jade took a deep breath, and walked forward, trying to ignore the way that even the teachers were staring at her. She sat down, and put on the Hat, immensely relieved when it obscured her vision of the rest of the Hall.

Hmm. Interesting, very interesting. How like your father you are, dear girl. But there's quite a bit of your mother in you too. Where should I put you? Let's see intelligence, oh yes, there's quite a bit of that. Bravery, my goodness, you're as brave as your parents are at least. Loyalty, ah, like a wolf in that respect. But I see cunning here too. You'd do fine in all the houses. So, my dear, where should you like to go?

"Please, could I go to Gryffindor?" Jade asked timidly. "It's where everyone in my family's been."

Very well, my dear. You'll do well in "GRYFFINDOR!"

Jade hurried over to the Gryffindor table.

"Cool." Luke Parker said. "We got Green-Eyes." Jade bristled, for some reason she didn't like the nickname.

"Don't call me Green-Eyes." She said.

"I dunno, Jade, I think it suits you." Mandy teased.

"Amanda." Jade said warningly. Mandy giggled, and leant over.

"I'm glad we're in the same house." She whispered.

"Me too." Jade agreed. She settled back to watch the rest of the Sorting.

"Warren, Melinda." A slender girl with waist-length brown hair, and hazel eyes walked over to the Hat.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The Hat yelled. Melinda smiled in relief, and sat down next to Mandy.

"Hi." She whispered. "My name's Mel."

"Mine's Mandy. And this is Jade." Mandy said. Mel grinned at Jade.

"Hi." She said. Jade smiled back.

"Hi." Then she tuned in, as a handsome guy with shoulder-length dark hair tied back in a ponytail and laughing grey eyes walked over to the Hat.

"GRYFFINDOR!" He walked down, and sat next to Parker.

"Hi" He said. "Name's Osiris White."

"Nice to meet you, Osiris." Jade said, smiling.

"Hey! Green-Eyes" He said happily. Jade's smile slipped.

"Not you, too." She groaned, her head thumping down on the table. After rubbing it, she turned back to the stage, just in time to hear Madeline get put in Gryffindor too. Quite a few students followed her progress to the Gryffindor table, which had gone totally wild when it found out that it had the daughters of all three of heroes who had saved the Wizarding world.

"Weasley, Michael." Mike walked over to the Hat, and waited a few seconds.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Madeline scowled, but cheered along with everyone else, as Mike became a part of Gryffindor. Finally, the last student, (Zabini, Chris) was sorted. (Slytherin), and the Headmistress got up to speak.

"Welcome," She began, "To another year. I am Professor McGonagall, your new Headmistress. Professor Dumbledore decided to retire at the end of last year to enjoy the…snowy beauty of Antarctica." There were a few smiles at this. "So, I would like to introduce your new Deputy Head, Transfiguration teacher, and Gryffindor's new Head of House, Professor Brown." Professor Brown inclined her head. "The rest of the announcements will be made after the Feast." There was much applause as the Headmistress sat down, and the students began to eat.

"Wow, there's a lot of food here." Jade said.

"I wonder what the mint humbugs taste like," Mel added.

"Dare you to try one." Parker said to Jade, obviously not expecting her to. She grabbed one, and popped it into her mouth.

"Crunchy, but strangely satisfying." She said with a smirk. The rest of the meal passed with no dramas, and when the plates were clean again McGonagall stood back up.

"Now that we have all eaten, I have a few more announcements. I should like to welcome our new DADA Professor, Professor Weasley. Our caretaker, Mr. Filch has decided to retire, and Annabelle Filch is taking his place. She wishes me to tell you that the list of things band at Hogwarts has been expanded to include muggle pogo sticks, ton tongue toffees, and lightning liquorice. Please adhere to her wishes. Now, if everyone will pay attention to their prefects, you may exit the Hall, and go to bed." Jade followed the Gryffindor prefect, Michaela Longbottom to the Gryffindor Tower, where she scratched her head,

"Damn, I've forgotten the password." She said.

"Check your front pocket, dear." The Portrait of a Pink Lady said kindly. Michaela did so, and found a piece of parchment.

"Oh yeah! Teddies." The Portrait swung open, and they walked in. "Girls' dorms to the left, Boys' to the right. See you in the morning."

Jade and her new classmates walked up the left set of stairs, and into the dorm marked First Year Girls.

"See you in the morning." She said to the others, and, after changing into her pyjamas, she fell asleep.

Whew! That was exhausting! R/R everyone!