I am not JK Rowling, and I don't own these characters. Well, maybe one or two, but this world is owned by the talented JK Rowling and I am not making any money on it.

A/NExcerpt from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone.

August Dinkley had never felt so nervous. A month ago, he was just a scrawny eleven year old farm boy. Then, a very odd woman with a strict face had shown up to tell August that he was a wizard and was going to a school for wizards. He had gone to a strange pub in London and a toothless old man had opened a wall.

August had been fascinated by the shops of Diagon Alley; buying his wand from another creepy old guy with silver eyes; black wizard robes from an old woman; and books from a pair of skinny guys (surprisingly young guys; August had been thinking that all the witches and wizards were old) and potion ingredients from a creep in a funny smelling shop.

At home, August had read his books, learning about the Wizarding World, and the history of Hogwarts.

Now he was actually at Hogwarts. They had crossed a huge lake with a man who could only be described as a giant, and entered the castle. August couldn't see everything he wanted to see, as the giant turned him and his other first years to the same stern witch he saw at his house. Professor McGonagall, as he was reminded, gave them a lecture about the houses at Hogwarts.

"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 like your family. You will have classes with your house, sleep in your house dormitories, and spend your free time in your house common room.

"The four houses Are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own history and has produced many outstanding witches and wizards. The Ceremony will begin shortly, I suggest you all smarten yourselves up." Professor McGonagall finished with a firm look and exited the small chamber.

Now, August watched as the talking hat that would sort them was placed on each new student and called out the name of their house. August was so nervous he felt like throwing up when McGonagall said, "Dinkley, August!"

August walked up to the stool and the hat was placed on his head.

"How curious," said a voice in his ear, "Very curious. Muggleborn eh? You've got courage certainly, but not quite... no matter, intelligent too, but you seem to want to rather stay back from a spotlight... That would mean your best house would be... HUFFLEPUFF!"The last word was shouted out to the hall, and a table on the far right erupted in cheers.

August took the hat off and hurried over to the table, where several students clapped him on the back. August shook hands with a few of them then watched the others being sorted. A boy with blonde hair walked, no, strutted up to the Sorting Hat. Professor McGonagall had barely touched his head when it shouted "Slytherin!"

On and on, the Sorting continued, until one name was called, and the whole Hall fell silent: "Potter, Harry!"

The Sorting Hat seemed to take a while to make its decision until it called out "Gryffindor!"

As the dark haired boy joined, presumably, the Gryffindor's table, August leaned over to the older student beside him, "Cedric, who is that boy? "

Cedric, a third year Hufflepuff, looked curiously at August.

"Harry Potter. " said Cedric. "Are you a muggleborn? " Cedric continued, noticing August's confusion.

"I ah, guess so.. My Dad is not a wizard, and my Mum died when I was six. So why is Harry Potter so big a deal?"

Throughout the rest of the Sorting, Cedric told the most incredible story August had heard.

"And the Dark Lord just... Disappeared? " said August when Cedric had finished.

Cedric shrugged. " I don't know. Some say he is dead. My Dad says Dumbledore doesn't believe that, and Albus Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer in our world. "

August looked up at the staff table, at the old man with the long silver hair and beard, strangely the first old wizard who didn't seem creepy. Professor Dumbledore was surveying the Hall as the Sorting was finished and although August couldn't prove it, he swore that Dumbledore winked at him, before standing up and saying, " Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. Before we begin our feast, I just have a few words, and they are Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

At these words, food magically appeared on the golden plates. August had never seen so many dishes of food. On his dad's farm, they never exactly went hungry, but it was mostly beef and vegetables grown in the fields. His Dad always said, "The land will provide what you need son. Anything more is just an added worry."

Despite that thought, August dug into the feast, thinking that Hogwarts was going to be a very interesting place.