Chapter 3: Hats that Sing

All the first years had been gathered and were being lectured by a stern woman with a very tight bun. Lexie was reminded a little bit of a younger Mrs. Tobias. Perhaps this is why she wasn't trembling like a lot of the other first years who quite frankly looked terrified. Lexie couldn't remember the woman's name, she had been too entranced by the castle to really pay attention.

She turned to a boy behind her and whispered, "Psst… do you remember her name? I wasn't really paying attention."

The boy concealed a grin, "Professor McGonagall I think she said it was."

Lexie quietly thanked him and turned forward only to be tapped on the back by the boy, "Frank Longbottom, nice to meet you."

Lexie smiled, making friends seemed a lot easier than she though, "Lexie Hall, it's a pleasure."

Frank smiled back and the two turned to face forward again as the students started walking towards two very large wooden doors. They were ushered inside and Lexie felt her jaw drop. The room was huge! In fact, she would even go as far as saying that 'huge' was an understatement. Students were sitting along four long tables and towards the front she could see Professor Dumbledore sitting with a group of other adults towards the front.

Lexie let her gaze travel from the students and up the walls towards the ceiling, her eyes practically bulging out of her head when she noticed the ceiling mimicked the night's sky. "Wow" she breathed transfixed by the sky. They were led towards the front of the dining hall where an old hat sat perched on a stool. All be damned, James and Sirius appeared to have been right.

Once the first years were all lined up near the hat she watched in awe as the hat appeared to sing.

I'm no ordinary hat,

But just you wait and see;

I'll find a place that's right for you,

And do it with such glee;

So don't be shy and don't be blue,

If you do disagree;

Because every house has a strength,

At least to some degree;

Will you be in Gryffindor?

Full of courage and more bravery;

Or perhaps in Ravenclaw?

With more brains and wit than the rest;

Then there's always Hufflepuff,

Patient, loyal, and knows what's best;

And lastly Slytherin,

A cunning lot that can impress;

So don't be shy and step right up,

To find out where you'll wind up!

The hall broke out in applause while Lexie was too stunned to really have a reaction. She had just witnessed a hat singing. Singing! Clearly there was a lot more to this magic thing than she had ever anticipated.

McGonagall then stepped up with a scroll of parchment and read from the paper, "Avery, Jared"

Lexie watched as one of the boys made his way forward and sat on the stool. McGonagall stuck the hat on his head and Lexie only had to wait a couple seconds before that hat belted out "SLYTHERIN!"

McGonagall took the hat from his head and the boy made his way towards the only table cheering and took a seat. That was the house James and Sirius didn't seem too fond of, but to Lexie they didn't look too bad. Some seemed a little sullen, but maybe they were just hungry since a few students at the other tables also had bored looks on their faces. Lexie watched as a couple other students were sorted before McGonagall called out "Black, Sirius." The hall had gone quiet again and Lexie saw the Slytherin table eyeing Sirius as he stepped forward.

Lexie watched as Sirius approached the stool and couldn't help but think how incredibly nervous he looked. In fact, for the first time she noticed that almost all of the first years looked nervous to be sorted.

Lexie couldn't see why, all they had to do was stick an old hat on their head, not exactly hard work. She then remembered what Sirius had said about his whole family being Slytherin, although she still wasn't sure what was wrong with that house. She watched as the hat was slid onto Sirius' head covering his eyes and waited.

Unlike the first boy, Sirius' sorting took a little longer but soon enough it called out in a clear voice "GRYFFINDOR!" Lexie smiled, she knew he was almost certain he would be Slytherin. She watched as Sirius looked shocked, but then smiled looking relived, and went to join the Gryffindor table while the Slytherin table looked a little taken aback and their sullen looks deepened, a few of them whispering amongst themselves.

Lexie waited patiently while more students were sorted, each table cheering when their house called out. She noticed a red headed girl step forward when "Evans, Lily" was called and Lexie recalled seeing this girl in her dreams as well, there was no mistaking that red hair and emerald eyes. She was also sent into Gryffindor.

Soon enough McGonagall called out "Hall, Alexandria." Lexie rolled her eyes; this woman was more like Mrs. Tobias than she though and she was not about to be called Alexandria for seven years. Right as McGonagall was about to place the hat on her head she said in a clear voice, "Actually it's Lexie if you don't mind."

McGonagall paused as she surveyed Lexie from behind her glasses, Lexie hadn't thought her voice had carried that much but the rest of the first years still left to sort were snickering and Dumbledore sent her a discrete wink from the head table.

The other students in the hall appeared not to hear her as they were all looking forward with puzzled expressions on their faces wondering why McGonagall had paused. McGonagall blinked once more and that seemed to bring her back to the present and remembering where she was she stuck the hat on Lexie's head without even acknowledging what Lexie had said.

"Hm very interesting" said a voice in her ear, Lexie shook her head slightly wondering If she was imagining things. "No dear, not imagining things at all. Quite bright, yes very bright indeed, although you haven't really had a chance to show it yet. Ravenclaw might do you well. Oh what's this, you have some interesting blood in you, wouldn't have expected that. I'll have to consider Slytherin as well, though you probably won't do as well there. You don't seem to have quite the personality for it. Plenty of courage though, you've been through quite an ordeal and managed to get away, yes very brave. Not very loyal to others though, not that you've had others you could count on but I don't think Hufflepuff will do. Hm, this is one of my toughest decisions yet, better be - GRYFFINDOR!"

Lexie grinned and swept the hat off her head unaware that she had once again pulled a fast one on McGonagall who had been reaching to take it. Lexie hopped off the stool and placed the hat in McGonagall's outstretched hands as she skipped towards the Gryffindor table. The thunder of applause had stopped abruptly as the whole hall was now watching McGonagall who once again looked dumbfounded by this girl and soon every house was chuckling, even several of the Slytherins had joined in.

Without realizing it, Lexie had officially left the realm of a 'nobody' first year and now many students were trying to remember her name to congratulate her on rendering McGonagall speechless.

Lexie grinned as she sat down next to Sirius whose grey eyes were dancing with amusement at the girl who was brimming with spunk. "So you managed to get yourself into Gryffindor, what did you do? Bribe the hat?" Lexie asked him.

Sirius scoffed, "Didn't have to," he grew a little more solemn, "It was close though, could have gone either way I suppose. I certainly know why you're a Gryffindor, you managed to stump McGonagall and embarrass her in front of the whole school. Twice! If that doesn't show bravery I don't know what does. What'd you say to her anyway?"

Lexie looked confused for a second before she shrugged, "Just told her to call me Lexie is all. Didn't know she'd take it like that."

Sirius chuckled; he found Lexie's bluntness oddly refreshing, even more amusing that Lexie was so nonchalant about the whole thing. There was definitely something about her that interested him and he knew she was someone he wanted to be friends with. He thought back to first seeing her though and thought it was odd she had stared at him so intently before, almost like she was suspicious of him. Sirius wasn't sure why that was and decided maybe she was just nervous to start Hogwarts.

Lexie and Sirius returned their attention to the sorting and applauded loudly when Remus, a small mousy boy whose name she didn't catch, and James made their way to the Gryffindor table sitting across from them with huge grins. When at last Lucy Zeller was sorted into Hufflepuff, McGonagall swept the hat off a head for the last time of the evening.

Dumbledore stood once the applause from the Hufflepuffs had died down.

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts and welcome new students! First off I would like to welcome Professor Magnus who will be your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor." He gestured to a stern looking man with a carefully trimmed goatee to his left. I have plenty more to say, but now is not the time since I am sure your stomachs can't wait any longer so enjoy the feast."

Lexie watched in awe as food filled up the entire table, she had a feeling it would take a while for her to adjust to magic, everything seemed completely surreal. Feeling like she was dreaming again, Lexie turned to Sirius who was already loading up his plate, "Sirius, can you pinch me really quick?"

Sirius frowned and looked at her, "Why?"

"I'm pretty sure I'm dreaming."

Sirius just laughed his bark like laugh and instead of pinching her he stuck a piece of biscuit into her still somewhat gaping mouth, "If you were dreaming would you taste that?" he asked grinning.

Lexie swallowed and grinned, "Nah, probably not. You're going to pay for that you know, it's rude to shove things in other people's mouths."

"Well I had to get you to close it somehow, you were starting to look like a fish out of water."

Lexie just sneered at him and turned to add food to her own plate, she was never allowed to just take as much of anything that she wanted and she planned on taking full advantage of the situation.

James laughed as he watched Lexie cram her plate with food, "Geez Lexie, I don't even think Sirius can eat that much." Remus and Sirius' laughter joined his and Lexie just scowled at them, her mouth stuffed with food and her cheeks puffed out making them laugh even harder.

She ignored them and went back to eating, she planned on completely stuffing herself, she didn't know how long this would last and figured she could get at least one good meal out of it. To the boys surprise she was able to clear her plate and when desert came she even managed some custard and treacle tart.

"Wow, I don't think I will ever underestimate you ever again," James said in complete awe.

Sirius was also staring at her, "Where do you even put it all? You're tiny!"

Lexie felt her mood drop a little, she knew she was tiny for her age, no doubt from years spent at the orphanage where food wasn't exactly abundant only to be starved by Celine followed by a brief period living out of rubbish bins. When Lexie couldn't take another bite she pushed her plate away and slumped on the bench, her head resting on her arms.

"Ugh, I feel kind of ill."

The boys chuckled, "Well that's what you get for eating enough to feed a hippogriff, I still can't believe you ate it all" James said amused.

Lexie frowned not sure what a hippogriff was but didn't think opening her mouth was such a good idea at the time.

Sirius looked at Lexie with a weary expression, "Lexie you look a little green, if you're just going to empty it all back on the table please don't do it towards me."

Lexie closed her eyes and mumbled, "Hush Sirius, there will be no discussing that. At least until I feel like it won't come true." Lexie kept her head resting on the table, she was already feeling a little better, just as long as she didn't have to make any sudden movements. So much for her brilliant plan to take advantage of the situation.

The boys were still regarding her carefully, just in case they had to move out of her way very quickly, at least her face was returning to its normal color. The food had disappeared and Dumbledore had risen once again.

"Now that your bellies are full, remember the Forbidden Forest is strictly forbidden for students to enter unsupervised. Also, we have a new rare species of tree on the grounds called the Whomping Willow and I ask you please do not go near it as it can cause injury. Mr. Filch has also asked that I remind you there is a list of forbidden items on his door. That is all, goodnight!"

Immediately students began standing to leave, the prefects trying to gather the first years while the Head Boy and Girl stood by to try and limit the chaos.

"Come on Lexie, it's time to go to the dormitories." Sirius said gently to the girl.

Lexie didn't respond right away and Sirius wondered if she had been sleeping, then she grumbled, "No you go, I'll just stay here a bit longer."

"Come on silly, you'll feel better once you start moving."

"Nah uh, pretty sure I'll feel worse."

Sirius looked at Remus and James wondering what to do, both shrugged. Sirius sighed, he wasn't about to leave her here alone and knew she'd never make it to the common room by herself. He stood up and gently pulled her up by her armpits.

"Sirius" she whined, "What are you doing?"

Sirius just smiled, "Come on, you can lean on me, but we have to follow the prefects."

Lexie did just that, putting almost all her weight onto Sirius as he put a firm arm around her shoulders and she stumbled forward. Never again she thought, a full stomach was not worth it.

Lexie kept her eyes closed while Sirius guided her with James and Remus trying to contain their laughter. They reached the portrait hole along with the other students where they were told the password by the prefects and ushered inside.

Sirius had to half carry Lexie just to get her all the way through the portrait hole and he set her down on one of the couches and plopped down next to her. The mousy boy from before was already sitting on one of the surrounding armchairs and James and Remus took two of the others.

The boy was shorter than the other three and looked surprised that they had sat next to him. He noticed the girl slumped on the couch and his curiosity got the better of him, "Is she okay? She looks kind of ill."

Remus smiled while James and Sirius laughed, "She ate too much at the feast, she's feeling a little queasy. I'm Remus Lupin by the way."

"Peter Pettigrew."

Sirius and James both introduced themselves still chuckling at the girl on the couch, "Oh shut up you two, it's not that funny."

Lexie was feeling a little better, the walk over had done her some good and she opened her eyes looking at the new addition to their group, "Lexie Hall, it's nice to meet you Peter."

"I'm sorry you're feeling ill, being sick isn't too much fun. I'm sure it will pass by morning though, I sometimes eat too much at times too."

"Thanks Peter, I'm glad someone can offer me a little sympathy" she replied glaring at the boys laughing.

Peter gave her a kind smile.

"Well now that you've gained the ability to speak again, I don't feel so bad about heading off to bed," said Sirius while James and Remus tried to hold in yawns.

Lexie realized just how exhausted she was as well and the five slowly got to their feet and ambled towards their respective staircases muttering a goodnight.

Lexie followed hers up and noticed a door marking the first year dormitory and made her way inside to where her trunk was waiting at the foot of one of the beds. Too exhausted to change she just pulled her robes off and kicked off her shoes before falling onto the soft mattress. Her eyes fluttered shut and she gave way to her dreams, dreams that had unexpectedly come true.