CHAPTER THREE – TRAINS AND HATS

A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long. I've been a little busy…. Summer's not supposed to be busy! HELP! And I've been writing non-fanfic stories, and I've been stuck on this one, so… here it finally is!

Reviews:

Mini Mischief – Yeah, that's where I got the name. :D

borriscaz – Thanks:) You're the first person to come across my story without me telling you to read it! I'll check out your story again.

The rest of the summer passed in an impatient blur. Soon it was September first, the day Marilyn would go to Hogwarts. She arrived early for the train. She said goodbyes to her parents, got on the train, found an empty compartment, and waited for the train to leave. Trouble curled up and went to sleep on the seat next to her. A few minutes before eleven, a redheaded girl came by and asked if she could sit there. Marilyn said yes, and they started talking. The girl's name was Lily Evans, and she was a fourth-year Gryffindor. Marilyn told her about Durmstrang closing and that she didn't know anything about Hogwarts yet. She also asked what Gryffindor meant.

"There are four Houses. Gryffindor's supposed to be for people with courage, Ravenclaw's for intelligent people, Hufflepuffs value loyalty and fairness, and Slytherins are arrogant idiots who think only purebloods matter," she explained. "Most of the Houses get along okay, but no one likes the Slytherins and they don't like anyone else. Have you been told what House you're in yet?"

"No, I didn't even know there were Houses," Marilyn said, feeling very clueless.

"Oh. Well, I'm sure they'll be sorting you soon, probably tonight. I hope you're in Gryffindor."

"Uh, thanks." She didn't consider herself very brave though, especially not right then. "What's Hogwarts like?"

Lily went off on a long description, mostly saying Hogwarts was wonderful. The Quidditch teams sounded awesome to Marilyn, even though Lily said people acted like it was much more than it was. She said most people were nice, but it was clear she hated someone called James Potter. Classes sounded tough but not horrible. Lily told Marilyn that in third year everyone had picked new classes, but she wasn't sure how the teachers would deal with Marilyn's schedule. Through the whole thing Marilyn was thinking Hogwarts sounded a lot better than Durmstrang, and wishing her parents had sent her to Hogwarts in first year.

About halfway to Hogwarts, another former Durmstrang student came in. "Hi," she said.

"Hi," Marilyn repeated. The girl was Georgia Laskreth. They had never exactly been friends, but not enemies either. Marilyn did the introductions.

The three of them chatted for the rest of the ride. At one point the conversation turned to Quidditch, which Marilyn was enjoying, but when they noticed Lily getting bored they switched to something else. Trouble caused a slight interruption as he stole a leftover Cauldron Cake from lunch and went running off with it. Once Marilyn caught him, the ride continued normally.

When they got to the Hogsmeade Station, Evans showed Marilyn and Georgia the way to some carriages, which seemed to be unattached to anything that might pull them. One of Lily's friends joined them. She had dark blue eyes, opposite to her straight, dark-blond hair. She was a little tall, but not enough to make Marilyn feel like a shrimp.

"Where were you the whole ride? I didn't see you anywhere," the new girl told Lily as the carriage started to move.

"I was sitting with these two. They're new here," Lily replied. She said everyone's names. Her friend was Emily Vairsha.

"Nice meeting you, and I hope you like it here," Emily said happily. "Look, you can see Hogwarts now."

Marilyn and Georgia rushed to the window. A huge castle was just coming into view, lights shining cheerily from windows, towers black against the gray-blue sky. The road they were on went through the gates and right up to the front doors. They were passing through the gates now, and rattling their way up to the school.

Finally, the carriages stopped. Marilyn jumped out, closely followed by Georgia. They started hurrying up to the school with Lily and Emily, but a teacher stopped them.

"New students are to go to the left when you get inside the doors, and wait until you're sorted."

Marilyn nodded and said to her new friends, "See you, then," before following Georgia through the doors and into the room to the left. A few people were already waiting there, and a few more came after them. They all hung around nervously, till the same strict-looking teacher came in.

"Hello, I'm Professor McGonagall. In a few minutes you will be sorted, but I need to explain a few things first. The four Houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Each has its own qualities. Houses are like families while you are at Hogwarts. You can earn points for your House, or lose them by breaking rules. Now, follow me into the Great Hall, where you'll be sorted."

All the kids followed her in a line, heading for a huge room with five tables: four long ones with kids sitting at them, and one at the top of the Hall for teachers. The new students were led to the front, between the teachers' table and the rest of the students. A stool was in front of them, with a very old hat on it. A rip opened up and began to sing:

Years ago, when Hogwarts was new,
The four founders of this school
Formed a House each
Of students they would teach
Gryffindor chose the brave ones
Intelligence was what Ravenclaw loved
Slytherin liked slyness best
Hufflepuff was fair to the rest
I will place you where you belong
Don't be scared, I haven't been wrong

The Hat became still once more. Professor McGonagall unrolled a list and said, "When I call your name, sit down and put on the Hat."

She began reading names, but Marilyn was too nervous to do anything but wait for her own name. She didn't feel exceptionally brave or intelligent, and she definitely didn't want to be in Slytherin. Maybe Hufflepuff will accept me, she thought.

"Eastrin, Marilyn."

Uh-oh. Oh no… oh no… oh no… she repeated in her head as she went up to the stool and sat down. She put on the Hat. A second later she jumped. The Hat had talked!

"Hmmm…" was all it said. Brilliant opening statement, Marilyn thought. The Hat went on after only a short annoyed pause, "Just beginning Hogwarts?" Marilyn started to think, How does it know? but partway through it started talking again, mumbling to itself. "Intelligent, definitely, maybe Ravenclaw… bravery – Gryffindor? Fair and loyal… Hufflepuff? No… Not Slytherin, of course…" After thirty seconds it asked, "If you could choose, which House would you be in?"

"Wha… um…" Marilyn stuttered, unprepared for that question. She had assumed it would make the decision, no opinions asked, but maybe it was making one last test. "I don't know really…. Gryffindor sounds awesome, of course, but I don't think I'm very brave…. Ravenclaw is good, and I'm not that bad in school, but I'm not great…. Hufflepuff would be fine…. Please don't put me in Slytherin, though. It sounds awful."

There was silence for a few seconds. Then the Hat decided, "Gryffindor."

Marilyn was glad it didn't just shout it out before telling her. This way she had time to find out the reasoning. She could tell the Hat was about to call out its decision, so she hurriedly interrupted, "Why'd you put me in Gryffindor? Really, I'm not brave, and you said in your song that courage was a quality of Gryffindor."

"So it is. You do have it, even though you might not realize it. It might even be a good sign you don't know it, or you might be too proud to be in anything but Slytherin. Gryffindor it is," it said with a very final tone. When Marilyn didn't argue, it shouted her House out.

Marilyn took off the Hat and rushed to the Gryffindor table. She joined Lily and Emily.

"Congratulations!" Lily said excitedly.

"Gryffindor's awesome, you'll love it here," Emily agreed.

Lily laughed. "Of course you say that, it's your own House!"

"So? It's true," Emily argued playfully. She seemed about to continue, but Lily cut her off.

"Shh, the Sorting's still going on."

"You were just talking too," Emily complained. Lily ignored her.

It felt like fifty people were sorted, even though it was only four, and then it was Georgia's turn. The Hat took a long time deciding for her too, but in the end it screamed, "Ravenclaw!"

"Why does it take so long on some people, and go so fast on some?" Marilyn asked no one in particular.

"The Slytherins are easy, 'cause it's obvious when someone's stupid enough to be that kind of person. The rest are a little harder, 'cause most people have more than one quality. So someone can be brave, intelligent, and fair, but the Hat has to decide what their strongest quality is," Emily explained.

The Sorting for everyone coming from Durmstrang was over, and the first-years came in. Marilyn watched as they went through the same process she'd gone through, waiting for their name, sitting on the stool, putting on the Hat, waiting for it to decide, taking off the Hat, and going to their tables. When there were no more first-years left to be sorted, McGonagall carried the Hat on the stool out of the Hall.

Dumbledore, the headmaster, stood up and began talking. "Welcome, old and new students. Speeches should wait until after feasts, so I won't keep you away from your food any longer." He sat back down.

"Whoa!" Marilyn gasped. The empty plates on the tables had suddenly filled with food – delicious food, and tons of it. She realized she was starving, and piled food on her plate. When the food was gone, dessert appeared in its place, and when that was gone, all the remaining bits and crumbs disappeared.

Dumbledore stood again, this time to make his speech. "There are a few things I have to tell you. Firstly, the dark forest is out of bounds to everyone. Secondly, Durmstrang closed at the end of last year, and we have a few new students transferring from there. I'm sure you will all make them feel welcome here. Thirdly, Quidditch try-outs will be on the fifteenth. Now, off to bed."

Everyone got up at once and headed for their dormitories. Marilyn followed Lily and Emily. "Are either of you on the Quidditch team?" she asked as they walked.

"I'm not," Lily said. It was obvious she didn't have any desire to be.

"I'm not either, but I wish I was," Emily said sadly. "Are you trying out this year?"

"Yeah, I think so," Marilyn decided.

Soon they came to a portrait. A prefect told them the password. The portrait swung outwards, and they climbed through the hole in the wall behind it. The Gryffindor common room was very comforting, with the fire crackling and throwing light on the armchairs and tables in front of it. The three of them went up a set of spiral stairs and came to their dormitory. Marilyn changed and fell asleep at once.

A/N: How do you like/dislike it? Criticism is welcome, as long as you try to say it nice while still getting the point across.:) And yes, I know this chapter was mostly talk, but I don't want to leave out the getting used to Hogwarts stuff. By the way, all the stuff against Slytherins is coming from Slytherin-hating Gryffindors, so don't bother telling me not all Slytherins have to be evil ;). I know they don't have to be, they just are. Jk.
Next chapter's coming… when I get around to it. I'll try to hurry.

P.S. Dang, I'm having troubles with bold, italic, and paragraph breaks again. I have no idea what goes wrong when I load it up, but if anything's a little odd that's why.