Disclaimer: I DO own it! I'm JK in disguise! Well, not really...

A/N: The long awaited chapter of the sorting hat! Drum roll, please!

Delayed Start: 7. The Organizing Apparel

"Oh, Ron," said Hermione, "I'll take you to the infirmary. Come with me."

She led the still-groaning Ron off in the other direction from the rest of the students. Aileen watched them go, and then turned to Harry. "Harry, where do I go?"

"It would make sense for you to go in with the first years waiting to be sorted. I'll show you the way." He led her quickly to the main entrance, bypassing the other students so they could get there faster. "In there." He said, pointing. She followed his directions and walked into the great hall, surrounded by tons of younger children.

"Ah!" said an older voice as she stepped in, "Aileen Curter. Come with me."

Aileen turned around towards the voice, which belonged to an older woman with a large pointed hat. "Me?"

"Yes you, is there any other Aileen Curter I should know about?"

"No ma'am."

"Then come with me. Quickly now." She led Aileen off to the side, and had her sit down in a chair. "All the first years will be sorted, and then you will be called up. At that time, you are to go to the front of the room, and get sorted into your correct house."

Aileen nodded. "I understand." Then the woman left, and went up to the front of the room to sit with many other older people, one of whom being Professor Dumbledore. She looked around the great hall, and quickly found Malfoy sneering at some snide comment that one of his goons made. She looked across the room, and saw Harry. Neither Ron nor Hermione were back yet. Suddenly her head snapped to attention as Professor Dumbledore began to speak.

"Welcome again, dear students. This year we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Umbridge (A/N: Ooh! I kept something in correctly after all!)." A short, fat lady stood up, and nodded her head, as if to acknowledge herself. Aileen didn't like her. "Of course, all of our other teachers will still be with us. Professor Snape," he said, motioning towards a paler faced man with greasy hair, "Professor McGonagall," who Aileen realized to be the same woman from before, "Professor Sprout, Professor Trelawney, and, of course, Hagrid. "The giant man shocked Aileen, But he gave all the Students a big, friendly wave, which made her feel better.

Dumbledore trailed on, about the rules, different arrangements, and other such important tasks. During his little talk, Aileen spotted Hermione and a much healthier looking Ron enter the room and take their seats next to Harry. Finally, Dumbledore came to the sorting hat.

"The first years will be called up one by one, and the sorting hat will be placed on their heads, to decide which house they will go to. Now to start."

Everyone became attentive as the first student was called.

"Anon, Katrina." A little girl happily bounced up to the chair and sat down, the hat on her head.

"Gryffindor!" cried the hat. The students at the Gryffindor table cheered, and little Katrina merrily ran to the table and sat down.

"Azgarch, Thomais."

"Slytherin!"

"Beterra, Ramona"

"Ravenclaw!"

Aileen watched, as one by one, all the first years stood up, and all were sorted to their houses. As the last boy was sorted into Hufflepuff, Dumbledore spoke again.

"Before we end the ceremonies for tonight and begin our feast, we have one more student to sort."

"Curter, Aileen."

Aileen gulped. She slowly stood up, and made her way to the chair that her future would be decided in. Her hands shook slightly as she sat down and the hat was put on her head.

"Ohh, are we nervous?" Aileen's eyes bulged. She knew it talked, but she didn't know it could talk to people.

"Well, lets see what we have here. Oh, my, an ability to talk to snakes? You would be perfect in Slytherin. What? This is interesting. You have an amazingly courageous spirit, and such loyalty. What a candidate for Gryffindor. My, though, you are so shy, such a Hufflepuff trait. Yet you are so intelligent. A stunning Ravenclaw! Hmmm.. This is quite difficult. I haven't had such trouble since Harry Potter came here. Hmmm..."

Aileen gulped, and looked down. She was so worried. Finally the hat seemed to decide.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Aileen was shocked. Happily shocked, but shocked nonetheless. Gryffindor? How did she... But it was too late for that now. The hat was removed from her head, and she went over to sit with Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the cheering Gryffindor table. Dumbledore spoke for the final time that night:

"Let the feasts begin!"

Plates full of delicious food immediately appeared, and all the students grabbed as much as they could stuff onto their plates. Aileen turned to Hermione. "I can't believe it!" she said, happily. "This is awesome! I can't believe that I got in!"

"I know! This is great!"

"Yeah," put in Harry, "Now we can all stay friends."

"Why wouldn't we?" asked Aileen, confused.

"It's a known fact that Slytherins and Gryffindors NEVER get along," said Hermione quietly.

"Oh. Well then, I'm even more glad that I got in!" she smiled.

"Weh! Shish Gwreat!" Ron said, his mouth full of food.

"Ummm," said Aileen, a bit surprised that he would eat anything now.

"Boys never learn." Said Hermione, shaking her head. Ron just smiled sheepishly at them, then went back to eating.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

At the common room

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

"So, the password is 'Reundle', right?" asked Aileen for the umpteenth time.

"Yes, Aileen, it is." said Hermione, starting to get annoyed. They were in the girls dormitory, and Aileen had just finished taking care of Charlie and Amaya. "Lets go downstairs, then we can talk to Harry and Ron."

"Why can't we talk to them up here?"

Hermione raised one eyebrow at her. "Because, they can't come up. If they try, the stairs turn into a slide."

"Oh," said Aileen, a little quiet. "Hey! Did they ever use it as a slide to like play on?"

Hermione shook her head, a little surprised at Aileen's wacky idea.

"I know! We should try it!" She cried, startling a few of the other girls in the dorm, and making Hermione gape. "Come on! Let's do it!"

She pulled Hermione down the stairs, and into the common room, where both Harry and Ron were sitting, relaxing. "Hey guys!" she called, causing them to turn their heads, "I have an idea!"

Five minutes later, not only Harry and Ron, but all of the Gryffindor boys were flying down the newly made slide, and crashing into various pieces of furniture. They would get a running start, to see how far they could get up, and as the stairs transformed, they fell flat on their face and slid down.

Ron got the farthest up before falling, almost halfway. But he eventually succumbed to it as well, spinning out of control and knocking over a lamp at the bottom. Luckily it didn't break, probably protected by magic. Everyone laughed once he was able to get up and rub his head.

"That hurt!" he groaned, rubbing it more. At that, everyone laughed harder. Aileen was the happiest of them all, not thinking once of the classes that were to come tomorrow.

A/N: Haha, no surprises there. I'm pretty predictable, most of the time. Of course she got into Gryffindor, lol. I mean, what was I going to do stuffing her into Hufflepuff? Anyway, time for the reviews.

Lovebuggy: Oh, yeah, that's good. Personally, my favorite is pumpkin. It's soooo good.

Sever13: As a reviewer myself, I know how to make them happy. I'm glad you like my responses. The main conflict won't happen for a bit, at least a few more chapters. But I might bring it here sooner. I'm not sure.

Well, that's that chapter. Next time should be her first day of school. So, I'll get it out Saturday again. All right? Okay then.

C U Saturday, Kyogera.