Surprise, Surprise

Finally the day arrived – she was finally going to Hogwarts.

The morning of September the first dawn bright and brilliant, with a spectacular sunrise. Grace rose early, too excited to sleep. She stood at the window in Ginny's room, watching the colors of the sky. The three trunks were packed and waiting by the door. Grace watched the sky until the sun had completely risen, then she went to use the bathroom before the others woke up.

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The morning hours passed quickly, and soon it was a quarter to eleven and the Weasleys and several Order members piled out of the Ministry cars at King's Cross Station. The eleven of them hurried down to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Grace knew what to do, Ginny and Hermione had told her all about it last night, that all she had to do was walk straight into the brick wall dividing platforms nine and ten, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it … to walk right into a wall? Wasn't that a bit … stupid?

"Come on," Harry urged, grabbing her elbow. "We've got ten minutes to get on the train and find seats …"

Grace clung onto her trunk as Harry, Remus, and Tonks pulled her through the wall. She drew in her breath sharply, bracing herself for the impact that was sure to come …

It never came.

Grace looked up cautiously, and saw a huge, scarlet and black train, billowing steam and waiting for stragglers. She and Harry moved out of the way moments before Ron, Ginny, Mr. Weasley, and Emmeline Vance came bursting through the hidden entrance. Hermione, Kingsley, Moody, and the rest of their luggage came through a few seconds after.

"Have a good year," Mr. Weasley said distractedly. "Sorry Molly couldn't be here to see you off, she's on duty right now, she'll be writing you soon …"

"Speaking of writing," said Remus, moving forward, "remember what we told you last year …"

"When in doubt, don't write it," chimed Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.

"Harry," Remus continued, "if you need someone to listen, I'm here, remember that."

"I'm fine, Professor," Harry said, and for the first time that summer he looked as though he truly meant it. Grace thought she saw Remus wince slightly as Harry called him "Professor".

"Right, there's an empty compartment up there," Ron said, pointing at a spot near the end of the train. "Let's go for it."

They gathered their things and started making their way across the crowded station, the adults following after.

Someone suddenly bumped into Grace, and the pile of books she was carrying fell out of her arms and scattered. She dived after them, and was soon separated from the rest of the group in a sea of people.

Grace knelt and gathered up her books. She had been carrying five of them, since they hadn't fit into her trunk, but she could only find four …

"Looking for this?" drawled a sneering voice. She stood up quickly and looked at the speaker, a boy around Harry's age with white-blonde hair …

The pieces fit together easily.

Behind Draco Malfoy stood a woman, the blonde haired woman that had convinced Grammy to take that trip two years ago …

They didn't recognize her, just sneered down at her in a nasty way. Malfoy spoke first.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I dropped my books …"

"Don't be in such a rush," he said. "The train usually never leaves until a quarter past eleven, you've got plenty of time."

Grace looked him square in the eye. So he thought she was just another stupid little muggle-born first year, did he?

"That's not what my cousin said, and he's been coming here for years."

"Oh yeah?" he sneered. "And just who would that be, firstie?"

"That would be me," came a welcome voice.

"Potter?" sneered Malfoy. "So she is a Mudblood, then?"

"No," Harry snapped. "She's a witch."

"Get out of here," Hermione added. She and the others had just caught up with Harry. "Before I tell Professor McGonagall on you."

"Or we could curse you right now, if you want," snarled Ron.

"Yes, that would bring back memories," said another boy, who had joined the argument.

Malfoy looked at the five of them, then muttered, "See you at school, firstie," and then stalked off behind his mother.

Harry glared after him for a moment, then turned to Grace and asked, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," she muttered. "I'm fine."

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Later, Grace, Harry, and Ginny were sitting in a compartment with the boy that had jumped into their argument (Ernie Macmillan) and some of his Hufflepuff friends. Ron and Hermione were supposed to be back from their prefect meeting by now, but they weren't.

"There's no way the Ballycastles'll beat the Tornadoes this year," Ginny was saying. "The Tornadoes are much more prepared for this season, and look what happened last year, no one thought they could do it, but they ended the season in first place …"

"It was just a fluke," argued Justin Finch Fletchley. "The Tornados were never any good before, why should they start now?"

"I'm telling you, last year was a sign, they're going to take home the Cup this summer."

Their compartment door slid open.

"Hi," Hermione said breathlessly. She looked happy about something. "Sorry we got back so late … Malfoy was, uh, being nasty to one of the first years again."

"Yeah … absolutely nasty," Ron said with a dazed look on his face.

Ginny looked as though she was trying very hard not to laugh, Harry looked murderous, and the others looked slightly bemused.

"Have a seat," Ginny said, pushing a pile of candy wrappers onto the floor. Ron sat down next to her and Hermione, blushing slightly, took a seat next to Susan Bones.

The rest of the train ride passed happily as they sped north, across purple moors, broad valleys, low, rolling hills, and wilder forests. It grew steadily darker as they drew closer to Hogwarts.

Finally, a voice was heard over the loudspeaker. "We will be approaching Hogsmeade in fifteen minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken up to the school separately."

Ginny sent the boys out so she, Hermione, and Grace could change into their uniforms and robes. Grace's fingers trembled slightly as she undid the lock on her trunk, though she tried not to show it. Whenever she thought of the Sorting that was to take place in front of the entire school, she couldn't help but feel a little nervous. What if she wasn't put into Gryffindor, where Harry and everyone else before her had been?

All too soon, they were pulling into the station and exiting the train. Grace was almost separated from everyone else once again by the massive throng of students, but Ginny grabbed a corner of her robes and held on tight. Grace saw the girls she had met in the Weasleys' shop standing to the side. Jess, Laurie, and Teri. She waved shyly and they waved back.

"Come with me, firs' years!" called a voice. "Firs' years, this way, please."

"You've got to get to Hagrid," said Harry, pushing her in the right direction. "Go on, now. We'll see you inside."

"Good luck," said Hermione.

"You'll be fine," Ginny added.

They looked expectantly at Ron, who had been gazing dreamily in Hermione's direction. "Huh? Oh, yeah, you'll be fine. Nothing to worry about."

"Thanks," she grinned, then fought her way over to where Hagrid stood at the front of a small group of students her age.

"There yeh are, was wonderin' where yeh got to," said Hagrid, beaming down at her. His height came as a shock, but Grace had learned to expect anything in the magical world. "I've heard abou' yeh, o' course."

"You have?"

"Friend o' Dumbledore's," Hagrid said, and he winked. Grace took this to mean Hagrid was another member of the Order of the Phoenix that she hadn't met yet.

"All right, there, any more firs' years? Nope? Everyone here? Then let's go!"

Hagrid led them down a path through a large clump of trees. They walked in silence in the dark, shivering at the cold and perhaps also out of nerves. Finally, they came to the edge of a giant lake, where 30 small boats were waiting for them. Grace's eyes traveled from the boats … out across the lake … up to a beautiful castle, large and important and homey at the same time, with lights lit up in its windows that were reflected in the shimmering waters of the lake.

"Four to a boat, that's it, now."

Grace started. Everyone else was climbing into boats, where should she sit? She rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet for a moment, then followed a blonde girl and a dark haired boy into a boat.

"Hi," said the blonde one. "I'm Marianne."

"Mark," the boy said sullenly.

"I'm Grace," Grace said. "Have you met before?"

"Yes, on the train. And he's been at my house before. Family stuff."

"Shut up, Marianne."

Marianne ignored him. "We're cousins, you know." She wore a smug look on her face. Mark looked depressed at that thought. "You are from a wizarding family, aren't you?"

"Yes," she answered shortly.

"I didn't see you on the train."

"I had to sit with my older cousin," Grace explained. "He's really overprotective."

"Bummer," said Mark. "I know what that's like."

"Yeah, my sister can be a real pain," Marigold said.

Mark and Grace shared a look as the boats began sailing across the lake to Hogwarts castle.

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They disembarked on the opposite shore and made their way up a flight of stone steps. Hagrid turned around when they came to a wooden door.

"Everyone here? Nobody fell into the lake, now did they?"

Once he was assured that they were all fine, Hagrid raised his hand and knocked three times on the door.

It swung open almost immediately. Behind the door stood a tall woman with sharp features and black hair – Minerva McGonagall, the woman who had taken Grace and Harry to headquarters …

Grace gave her a small smile. Professor McGonagall shook her head slightly, and Grace understood. Not here.

"Thank you, Professor Hagrid. I'll take them from here."

McGonagall led them through the door and into a huge room, with high-vaulted ceilings, marble floors, and a giant, curving, marble staircase. They walked through this hall into a small room. Professor McGonagall turned and stared down strictly at them all.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "The start-of-year feast will begin in a moment, but before you can take your seats in the Great Hall you must 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 house has its own noble history and has produced outstanding witches and wizards. You should all be proud to uphold the name of whichever house you are placed in.

"The Sorting ceremony will begin momentarily. You will all wait here while I make sure everything is ready. I'll be back soon."

And with that, she left the room.

The first years whispered excitedly to one another.

"I'd just die to be in Gryffindor, it's supposed to be the best of all."

"Harry Potter's in Gryffindor, you know. If we get in we might get a chance to meet him."

"Humph!" sniffed Marigold. "Gryffindor is all a bunch of noble idiots."

"Yeah, well Slytherin's for evil people."

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not! Mark, tell her she's wrong!"

Mark shied away from his cousin. "She's right, you know."

"Stop it!" Grace snapped. "You're all behaving like children. You heard the professor. Each house has its own –"

"We heard," Marigold snapped back. "And that's just a lot of rubbish she spews out to make sure that the ones who land up in Hufflepuff don't feel bad."

Several people spoke up in protest at this, but Professor McGonagall entered the room at that point, silencing the argument.

"We're ready now," she said. "Form a line and follow me."

The first years stepped out into the Great Hall. It was lit up in all its splendor, long tapers floating in midair, casting a rosy, golden glow over everyone and everything, glinting off the golden plates. Everyone was staring at them as the line progressed down the middle of the hall. The ceiling – bewitched to look like the sky outside, according to Hermione – was a deep midnight blue, with several purple clouds rolling lazily across the pure white moon.

They finally reached a four-legged stool upon which a dirty, patched, and frayed hat sat. The Sorting Hat. The hat ripped a little, but the rip was shaped like a mouth, and it began to sing:

I see the doubt in your face,

But trust me here, I know

That I am just a talking hat,

But your answer here is no.

I am much smarter than you think,

I have a brain inside,

To Sort you is my chosen gift,

So come on now, don't hide …

It was a thousand years ago

When the school first took its name,

And Hogwarts has survived although

Her enemies are far from tame.

The founders of our Hogwarts School

Were thought to be best friends,

But adversity and hardships

Almost led her to the end.

Godric favored bravery,

Courage and honor too,

While Rowena favored wisdom,

Having not one brain, but two.

And Helga, Helga Hufflepuff

Loved those with loyalty,

While Salazar, dark Salazar

Taught ambitious ones to reach …

And now that they are dead and gone,

The task's left up to me.

I must divide those standing here,

That's how it's meant to be.

So try me on and I will tell

To whom you should belong,

Don't worry about my judgment,

I've never yet been wrong!

The rest of the school burst into applause while the first years stared around at each other uncertainly.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. "When I call your name, you will sit on the stool and put on the hat and wait to be Sorted.

"Bellsy, Mallory!"

A girl with long, swishy brown hair approached the stool and put the hat on her head. The hat considered for a moment, before letting out a resounding SLYTHERIN!

The first one of the year, Grace thought to herself, a Slytherin. Imagine that. The table on the far right cheered as Mallory took off the hat and hurried off to settle herself there.

Davy Cortman became a Ravenclaw, Ellie Douglass became a Slytherin, and so on …

"Parkinson, Marigold!"

Marigold sauntered forward, and the hat barely touched her head before it shouted SLYTHERIN!

"Parkinson, Mark!"

Mark came forward rather timidly. Professor McGonagall set the hat on his head. The hat seemed to take a long time deciding with him. Finally, it screamed SLYTHERIN just like it had for his cousin. Professor pulled the hat off and Grace could see tears starting to form in his eyes. He stood up slowly and went to sit next to his cousin.

She didn't have long to think about this, though, because the next name that was called out was –

"Potter, Grace!"

The Great Hall erupted in whispers and several people stood up so they could get a better look at her. Grace turned, wide eyed, to face the staff at the High Table and the Sorting Hat. She looked anxiously down the row of teachers until she met Hagrid's eyes. He smiled and nodded at her. She sent a shaky grin back and started toward the Sorting Hat.

It was quiet and dark inside; the hat fell down over her eyes. "Well, well, well," said a voice in her ear. "A Potter, then?"

I guess so, Grace replied. I don't feel like one. Everyone says Harry and Mum and Dad were in Gryffindor and they were really brave and heroic, and II'm babbling, aren't I?

"Yes," answered the hat, and if it could have, it would have smiled. "You feel like you don't belong with them. You're not a part of that."

Yes. Exactly.

"But you are, you know," it answered. "Brave, I mean. In your own way. Let's see … you've got a keen mind, if not one suited for intelligence. And a little bit of cunning, you'll stop at nothing to get what you want."

Grace blushed under the hat as the memory of grabbing Harry's letter and making him chase her all over the Dursleys' house came back.

"And – oh … Yes, this is it. I've got the perfect place for you!

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

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A/N: Did you like that chapter? I thought Grace was going to be in Gryffindor too, but she ... didn't seem the type to me. By the way, the Sorting Hat's songs, I've always put them to the tune of that song from the movie Prince of Egypt ... Through Heaven's Eyes or something. I'll try to update soon. Thanks so much everyone who reviewed so far!

Disclaimer: Most of the characters and all of Hogwarts belong to JK Rowling. I was just having fun with her creations! Grace, the Parkinson cousins, Jess, Laurie, and Teri belong to me.