A/N: Did you like the last chapter? If so please review! I always love a new review. So R&R!

Chapter Four

I looked around. I knew this was a really big school, but I had no idea there were this many people.

I felt really insecure. I was taller than everyone else, and I had really messy dark red hair and incredibly blue eyes. Even though Henry was older than me, he was still shorter. He was more short and fat than tall and skinny like me. I felt like everyone was staring at me. Though, everyone else probably felt the same way. For the first time ever I wished I could be eleven again. I might fit in better. I just walked along with the rest of the group, smiling nervously.

This was nothing like Arrowhead. There, there was just one table. There, you could go sit wherever you wanted as soon as you got in. Even if you were a firstie… Or a transfer.

I missed it there so much.

I wanted to go back and sit with Sara, Tommy, and Pete. I was closer to Sara, of course. And more than anything I wanted her to be standing next to me. She and I were like two peas in a pod. We had never been separated for more than twelve hours.

Our longest fight was only one hour long. That was when we were seven. I can't even remember what it was about.

Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted as the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, stood up to talk.

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! This year we have a special announcement. The Arrowhead academy of Magic was closed this summer and we have the opportunity to take two of their students.

We will be sorting them first. Porter, Henry."

Henry walked up and sat on a little stool.

The strict woman who eventually I learned to be Professor McGonnagal, put a large hat on his head.

He just sat there for a few minutes with the hat on his head. Then very suddenly, the hat yelled,

"SLYTHERIN!"

I let out a short gasp and jumped a little.

Professor McGonnagal took the hat off of him and pointed at a table where all the people had started cheering.

"Matthews, Skylar." Professor McGonnagal called.

I walked up to the stool and sat down.

She put the hat on my head and it started talking to me.

"Hmmm. Very smart. I see you'd do well in Ravenclaw. But then you're also very brave, apart from that little fear of boats. Let's see, I think you'd do best in…

GRYFFINDOR!"

As the hat was lifted off my head, I looked to see the table that was cheering.

I smiled and ran over to it.

I was so glad not to be in the same... Group, or whatever it was, with Henry.

Unfortunately, there was nowhere to sit, at least not that I could see. Then I heard someone call my name.

"Skylar! Hey Skylar over here!" It was Harry. I could see his friends objecting.

"What?" I said as I walked over to them.

"You forgot to take your cards back."

"Oh, right." I was a little disappointed. I was sure he was going to ask me to sit with them. I mean there was plenty of room there, but alas, poor me, I wasn't invited.

I took the cards. Then I sat down.

"Everywhere else is full. I'm sitting here." I said plainly.

"Okay, fine. You don't have to get so defensive." Said the person behind me. It looked like she was about to sit there and thought I was talking to her.

I tried not to laugh. The others who knew what was going on held back their laughter too.

She looked puzzled for a moment but then decided it was nothing.

The sorting continued for about a half-hour then Professor Dumbledore stood up and said smiling, "Dig in."

"But, there's no…. Wow!" I said the food suddenly appeared on my plate.

Ron snorted at me.

"What?" I said.

"Nothing."

I rolled my eyes at him.

"It's just you get so…I don't know, excited, at little things like food."

"Well at Arrowhead they have house elves bring the food up to us."

Hermione gave me a nasty look.

"What did I say?"

"Oh, you said you have the house elves bring up food for you." Harry answered.

"So?"

"So Hermione has this whole free the house elves thing going on." Ron said.

"She thinks house elves are mistreated and should be paid for their work and stuff." Harry finished.

"Oh. Well that's stupid."

"No it's not!" She objected.

"Yes it is. Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that you have your, beliefs and stuff, it's just I have a house elf."

"You do? Wicked!" Ron exclaimed, using his cute little British slang.

"Yeah. My point is I felt the same way until I asked him. I just said 'Dusty, I order you to tell me the honest truth. Do you want to be set free?' And he said, 'Oh, no ma'am! Dusty loves to work. Dusty would be very sad if yous set Dusty free!' or something like that. I don't really know the exact words. The point is they like work. So stop this little campaign or whatever it is you're doing. It offends them."

She just glared at me for a second and went back to her food.

It seemed as though I had stumped her. Which, I would learn in the future, is quite an accomplishment. Harry and Ron grinned at each other then at me.

I stared back, confused and annoyed. And they started eating. I shook my head and took a gulp of pumpkin juice.

It was time for bed and I was very tired. All of the people in my house went to the common room and I followed. I was ready to sleep.

I decided I liked it here.

I would still miss Arrowhead, but out of all the schools I could have gone to, this was the best.

A/N: Please R&R! And thanx to the people who have!