Ch-3
Lily and Ruby had spent the entire time on the Hogwarts Express chattering away merrily. Ruby immediately knew that Lily would probably be her best friend for all her Hogwarts years. Lily felt the same.
Ruby couldn't have been gladder if she tried. Till now, she had been introduced to magic, discovered that she was a witch, and made her first best friend. And now, she was going to live in a castle to learn magic.
Everything was perfect.
Ruby presently stood at the front steps of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She had been rowed across the Great Lake with other first years by Hagrid, a half giant, and Lily's father's good friend.
Now, the stern lady who had given her the acceptance letter introduced herself as Professor McGonagall. She took the first years in for their Sorting.
Nervousness seeped into her. What if she was sorted into a house she didn't like? What is she didn't like her housemates? What if, what if, what if… She was the first student to be called to be Sorted. She thrummed with nervous energy and anticipation.
She walked over to the stool and the raggedy old hat was placed on her head. Instantly she felt a foreign presence in her mind. A voice spoke, "Ahh, a new student, huh? Muggle born too. Brave, cunning and yet wise. Oh, you are a tough one. Slytherin, Gryffindor or Ravenclaw?" She didn't think anything, though she wasn't particularly fond of Slytherin. "Chock-full of ambition and knowledge. But…." Out to the world at large, it said, "Ravenclaw!"
Happily, she walked over to the Ravenclaw table. If truth be told, this was the house that appealed to her the most. There had been a great cheer from the Ravenclaw table when she was sorted. After a few names, Lily was sorted, also in Ravenclaw.
Ruby whispered to her, "It seemed like an eternity before I was sorted." Lily whispered back," but it was an age. You were a Hatstall, Rube."