A/N: Hello once again. A new chapter, and fairly quickly as well! I warn you now that my updates are random at best. They average at once a month. And I freely admit to using direct JKR quotes to move the story along. Eventually, they will taper off to maybe two a chapter, because I'm following the major events of the book, I sometimes use the direct quotes just because they are already said the perfect way, so why change them. Till next I update…

-Draconigena

Destiny's Games
-The Sorcerer's Stone

Chapter Three:
The Sorting

The Hogwarts Express rolled to a stop and the crowd of kids began pushing towards the exits. The night air was cold, and the platform Sevti found herself on was tiny. A lamp came bobbing over the heads of all the students and Sevti, who had excellent night vision, saw a great towering man with a wild beard part the crowd of students easily.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there Harry, the man boomed."

Sevti was mildly startled when the giant of a man beamed over the crowd at the skinny, small boy beside her.

"C'mon, follow me – any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Sevti bent over a bit to be able to talk to Potter in the noisy crowd of students.

"You know him?" she asked.

"Yeah! That's Hagrid. He's the one who took me to Diagon Alley!"

Sevti delicately raised an eyebrow. "Oh." She started walking with the flow of first years.

They made their way over the slippery ground of a steep and narrow path. Sevti saw the edges of a forest that made up either side of the trail. The trees stood silent and tall. They were menacing in the darkness and Sevti could hear the scurrying of creatures that were repelled by the light.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over the sea of first years. She noticed the crossbow strapped to his arm and his weary stance.

"Jus' round this bend here." He continued.

She walked around the bend, and froze in wonder. They were standing at the edge of a large lake and on a mountain at the other side of its black depths stood a castle that took Sevti's breath away. Soaring turrets and softly waving pennants were looming shadows framed by the moonlight that was directly behind the castle, forming a halo. Little specks of light from the windows made the castle twinkle and shimmer in the cool night air.

Sevti's breath was taken away. But that was not all. Sevti could feel the underlying magic of the castle. It seemed to reach out to her, surround her and finally accept her as its own. For the first time in a very long time, Sevti felt a sense of belonging. She gazed at the ancient edifice and smiled a smile of pure happiness.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, breaking her trance. He pointed to a fleet of little wooden row boats moored to a small pier. She shook her head to clear the sudden feelings that had bombarded her. She looked around to see if anyone had been affected as she had, but none of the kids seemed dazed as she had been.

She stepped towards the boats and cursed under her breath. What were they thinking, making a bunch of eleven year olds row across a lake in the middle of the night? She looked at the boats critically and sighed. Tradition was tradition.

She motioned for Potter and Weasley to wait as she jumped into one of the boats with a seasoned sailor's authority. She held the boat steady as the two boys, followed by Granger jumped into the boat. Thankfully, it didn't sink too low into the water.

She looked around for a set of oars and then smirked at her own stupidity. They were going to be magicked across.

"Everybody in?" Hagrid shouted. "Right then – FORWARD!"

Sevti settled down and continued to gaze at the majestic castle and its soaring turrets. They were sailing closer and closer to the cliff that it stood over. As the first boats reached it, Hagrid called for the kids to put their heads down. Sevti winced at Draco's close call with the roof of the tunnel and was sure to duck sufficiently to make sure she didn't bump her head. She pushed Weasley's head down further when he was about to be hit in the head by an overhanging rock, earning her a gash on the back of her hand.

She ignored it as they reached a hidden grotto in the cliff and the boats gently bumped up against the small pier that led to a clearing of rocks and pebbles.

They clambered up a passageway carved into the solid rock that made up the walls of the tunnel. Sevti subconsciously took the back to prevent falls and the like. After what seemed like an endless flight of stairs, they emerged into a patch of grass directly beside Hogwarts.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge front doors. Hagrid raised a giant fist and knocked on the castle door three times.

The door swung open at once, revealing a tall, stern witch. Her brown hair was tied back in a severe bun and a pointed hat rested on her head. Her face bore a stern expression. Sevti had the distinct impression that this was not a witch to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them form here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was a sight to see. The hall was large, and portraits of wizards and witches were placed tastefully along the walls. The torches that lit the hall from their brackets did not allow enough light to make out the ceiling, but Sevti could tell that it was vaulted by the dark outlines that she could barely make out. A grand marble staircase directly in front of the doors swept up to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall though the beautiful hall, passing a room to their right from which Sevti could hear the drone of some three hundred people. The Professor led them into a side chamber. They crowded in, standing rather close together, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding wizards and witches. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Sevti knew that the speech had to be the same one that McGonagall said every year to every new batch of students, because it rolled off of her tongue with the ease of something well practiced. She watched as Potter nervously tried to flatten his hair and smirked. It really was a lost cause.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

Sevti quickly took her wand out of its sheath and healed the gash on the back of her hand. After she was finished, she looked around.

The boys were looking positively green and Granger was by now muttering stuff under her breath that she had no doubt read in order to be prepared of whatever they threw at her.

She looked on as Weasley told Potter that it was some sort of test. She smirked. The look on their faces would be priceless when they found out all they had to do was put on a hat. But as tradition dictated, Sevti let them sweat it out.

Right then, Potter jumped and Sevti heard a series of gasps come from around the room. Some even screamed. She looked up to see about twenty ghosts float into the room, seemingly engrossed in deep conversation.

The ghosts rambled on about something or the other until McGonagall returned and shoed them along.

"Now, form a line," she told the first years, "and follow me."

The Professor lead them though the entrance hall to a set of double doors. She opened them and the new students trooped in. Again, Sevti subconsciously took to the back of the line.

When she emerged into the hall, the feeling of home that she had sensed since her first sight of Hogwarts converged around her and it took her breath away. The Great Hall was vast with a staff table at the front and four rows of tables were situated at right angles from it. The entire hall was lit by thousands of candles that gave off a flickering light that danced majestically across the room. The tables were lined with golden plates and goblets. She looked to the ceiling and saw a perfect reflection of the starry night outside. For the first time in a long time, she felt warm inside, and the brightness of her surroundings filled her with an emotions she couldn't quite describe.

The Professor led them to the head table and they turned to face the students. She silently placed a four-legged stool in front of them. On top of it, she placed a pointed wizard's hat. The hat was extremely dirty, and looked as if it had been mended more times than would be able to count and was in need for yet another.

She followed suit as everybody stared at the hat. Finally it twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and it began to sing.

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

You top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in you head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave of heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Honor, ambition, and cunning,

Are on what that house depends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The Hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song, and Sevti joined in. The hat had been very factual about the houses. Thankfully, it hadn't swayed into anyone's favor.

McGonagall came back into view. With her she carried a long parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott Hannah!"

A girl with blond pigtails stumbled out of line and put on the hat, which flopped down over her eyes promptly. After a moments pause –

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as she went to sit down.

Sevti watched the rest of the kids get sorted with rapt attention, putting names to faces and mannerisms.

Granger was sorted into Gryffindor, a fact that startled Sevti just a little bit. Maybe the girl just hadn't shown that side of herself yet, but Sevti could have sworn that she was a sure bet for Ravenclaw.

She watched with sadness as Draco sat on the stool and before the hat barely touched his head was sorted into Slytherin.

She watched with rapt attention, barely moving, when the Sorting Hat took what she thought was an inordinate amount of time sorting Potter.

She sighed with relief as he was sorted into Gryffindor and was greeted by what were unmistakably Weasley's older twin brothers, Fred and George, chanting "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

Then, the time for her name to be called came. With a grace that she wasn't feeling inside, she made her way to the small wooden stool. Her gut was twisting in knots. What house would she be put in? Would she be able to convince the hat to out her in Gryffindor?

She took the final few steps and picked the hat up gently and put it on her head. I was quite large, and so naturally it came down over her eyes and ears.

She sat gracefully on the stool.

Hmm… who do we have here? You seem to be and exceptional individual, Miss Sheikh.

And I presume you to be the Sorting Hat?

Why yes! However did you guess?

Very funny. I must be frank with you. I need to be placed in Gryffindor.

My dear, are you quite sure? Would that be your ideal house? You have the traits of all of the houses in abundance. You have cunning and honor, two of Salazar's greatest traits. You have a quick wit that Rowena would have loved in her time. You have loyalty enough that Helga Hufflepuff would beam with pride. And you have bravery the likes of which I have not seen since my former master, Godric Gryffindor.

Thank you?

No, my dear, don't thank me. These are your traits, your strengths, but looking into your mind, you have many secrets, and even some that I cannot see. You barriers are formidable. What do you have to hide?

Many things, none of which I can divulge.

Keep your secrets then. But where to put you? I have no doubt that you would do well in any house.

I would like to be put in Gryffindor.

I warn you that down that path lie many dangers and obstacles.

I am here on a mission. I know that I will face dangers.

Do you really? How can you predict what will happen the seven years you study here? I know that you are as aware as I of the coming rebirth of Voldemort, but can you really fathom what obstacles block your path?

Whatever comes, I will face. I am not afraid. I will be strong.

If you are sure… it is pointless pastime to argue with Destiny at work. You had better be…

"GRYFFINDOR!"

A/N: I admit it! I admit it! I changed the Sorting song! I always thought that the books were a bit biased about one entire fourth of the Hogwarts population. I plan to change that. Slytherins are regular students, and not inherently evil. They will be treated as people in my writing, not Satan manifested on earth.