Harry's P. O. V

My stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, looked pale. We crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out onto a tiny, dark platform. I shivered from cold. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of us and I heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

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

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. None of us spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder.

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Neville and Hermoine followed us into our boats. "Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"

While we were travelling across the lake, there was a great commotion in the boat next to ours. Apparently, in the boat, somebody had almost pushed a girl into the water. Looking over, I recognised two people as transfers from the train Arthur and Amelia, but the other girl, the one that was almost pushed into the water, I didn't recognise, but she was very pretty from what I could see.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; we all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. We were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking us underneath the castle until we reached a kind of underground harbour, where we stumbled onto the rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then we clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out onto the damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

We walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, Oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.

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

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

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. I could hear what must have been hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right the rest of the school must already be here, but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. We 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 four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your 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 honour. 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 all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall.

"Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber. I nervously swallowed.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" I asked Ron.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

My heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole school? But I don't know any magic yet - what on earth will I have to do?. I looked around nervously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Nervously, I kept my eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead him to his doom. Then something happened that made me jump about a foot in the air, several people behind him screamed.

3rd person P. O. V

Looking ahead, about twenty pearly-white had entered and seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying, "forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance."

'My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name-"

The ghost wasn't able to finish speaking, he was cut off by a scream before England could've warned the Italies and America, they had already noticed the ghosts, causing North Italy to scream. Finally, the ghosts noticed the first years and the ghost wearing a ruff and tights asked what they were doing there.

There was silence as most people were too scared to answer.

"New students!" exclaimed the Fat Friar, smiling. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house you know."

"Move along now," said McGonagall, who had just returned. "The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin."

The ghosts floated through the wall. "Now, form a line," the professor told the first years, "now follow me."

Harry got into line behind a boy with sandy blonde hair, with Ron behind, with the nations scattered throughout the line, and they walked through a pair of double doors.

The Great Hall was beautiful. It was lit by thousands of floating candles over four large tables, on which were numerous golden plates and goblets, where the students were sitting. Looking above, Harry saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.

Harry heard Hermione whisper, "it's bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."

For most of the students, it was hard to believe there was even a ceiling at all and that the Hall didn't just open out to the sky.

Professor McGonagall silently placed a stool in front of the first years, on the top of the stool, she placed a wizard's hat. This has was patched and extremely dirty. The sight of this almost made France faint from disgust and had Harry thinking that his Aunt Petunia wouldn't allow the hat anywhere near her house.

Harry was wondering how an old hat would determine which house they belong in - maybe they would have to pull a rabbit out of the hat or something of that sort. Then, the hat twitched and a rip opened wide like a mouth - then the hat 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,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your 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 at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffis 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,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

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 whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."

Harry. smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but he did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; Harry didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment. If only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for him.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said, "Abbot, Hannah!

A blonde, pink-faced girl stumbled from the line, put on the hat, and sat down. A moment's pause-

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table to the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to the table. Harry saw the Friar from before waving at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"Psst, hey Arthur, shouldn't Gilbert and Ludva have gone next?" Jamaica asked.

"No, apparently, Dumbledore should be introducing us after the other children have been sorted," England replied as Susan Bones and Terry Boot were sorted into Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw respectively and Millicent Bulstrode became the first Slytherin.

Harry noticed that the sorting took different amounts of time for each person. Sometimes it took less than a minute, other times it took over ten minutes for somebody to be sorted.

"Granger, Hermione!" the bushy-haired girl, who was helping to look for Neville's toad, almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted as Ron groaned from behind him.

When the boy who had lost his toad, Neville Longbottom, was called, he almost fell on the way to the stool. It took a very long time before the hat finally decided, "GRYFFINDOR!". He ran off excitedly, still wearing the hat, before sheepishly giving the hat back to McGonagall.

When Malfoy was called, he sauntered over to the stool, but before the hat was placed on his head, it immediately shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" and he went to join his two goons; Crabbe and Goyle.

Now, other than the transfers, there weren't many people left. Harry was wondering why the transfers had not yet been sorted.

Finally, after Sally-Ann Perks, "Potter, Harry," was called at last.

As Harry stepped forward, whispers broke out from all over the Hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

The last thing Harry saw before putting on the hat was a hall of people straining to get a good look at him. Next thing, he was looking at the black inside of the hat.

Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness, yes - and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting...So where shall I put you?"

Gripping the edge of the stool, Harry repeated in his head, not Slytherin, not Slytherin.

"Not Slytherin, eh? said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that-no? Well if you're sure-better be GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted the last part to the Great Hall.

Percy, the prefect, got up and vigorously shook his hand while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff from earlier who patted his arm, giving him a feeling as though he had just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water.

Able to now properly see the high table now, he saw that at the end nearest to him sat Hagrid, who gave him a thumbs up to which Harry smiled back. In the centre of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Dumbledore who Harry recognized at once from the card from the Chocolate Frog.

Dean Thomas, a tall black boy, taller than Ron, was sorted into Gryffindor, Lisa Turpin became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. Shortly, the hat declared him a Gryffindor, and as Ron walked to the table, Harry loudly clapped.

When Blaise Zabini was sorted into Slytherin, McGonagall remained there and the transfers were still unsorted.

Dumbledore got to his feet, grinning down at the students as he spoke, "Welcome to new and returning students to a new year at Hogwarts. I am certain that you are all very hungry, but," at this, a lot of students groaned as he continued, "this year is very exciting here at Hogwarts. This is because, for the first time in almost seventy years, Hogwarts will be welcoming transfer students from all over the world. These students have been recognized by their governments for their achievements. They will kindly teach you students about their respective countries. Please give them a warm welcome as we call their names and the countries they represent."

Professor McGonagall straightened more, if even possible, as she said, "representing Germany, Beilschmidt, Gilbert."

An average height boy with white, spiky hair, ruby red eyes and wearing a cross and black gloves walked up to the stool with a smirk and a little yellow chick flying around his head. He was on the stool for about thirty minutes before the hat shouted, "SLYTHERIN!"

"Also representing Germany, Beilschmidt, Ludva," McGonagall said.

A short girl with blonde, shoulder-length, slicked backed hair, blue eyes, an emotionless expression and wearing a cross around her neck and black gloves walked to the stool with a stiff posture.

"Just put me with Prussia," Germany said to the hat.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted five minutes after she sat down.

"Representing France, Bonnefoy, Francine."

A girl walked up to the stool, making the jaws of most boys and some girls drop in amazement. She was beautiful. She had long dirty blonde hair in a French knot held back by a crown and sapphire blue eyes. Her uniform was well fitted and she was wearing a black pair of gloves. She walked very gracefully and used a white handkerchief to take the hat from McGonagall as she gracefully sat. About fifteen minutes later, the hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW."

Meanwhile, in the line, England was dying of laughter. "The frog, haha, in Ravenclaw, unbelievable." Jamaica, who was standing behind him kicked him in the knee and shushed him before he drew too much attention to them.

"Representing Russia, Braginski, Ivan."

A tall, childish-looking boy with pale, blonde hair, violet eyes, with a smile, that many people thought was very creepy, wearing black gloves and a white scarf, holding a metal faucet pipe nervously sat down on the stool. A short girl from the back of the line gave him a thumbs up and shouted, "you go Russia!"

"So much for not drawing attention," England said.

"Oh, shush. I'm supporting my friend."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The girl gave a small thumbs-up, while most of the other nations just had a wtf look on their faces.

"Representing Spain, Fernandez Carriedo, Isobel."

A tall girl with tanned skin, brown hair in a messy bun, green eyes, a cheerful smile, wearing black gloves, her robes looser but a tighter uniform and almost skipped up to the stool. "HUFFLEPUFF," the hat almost immediately shouted.

"Representing Japan, Honda, Kiku."

A short boy with black hair, brown eyes and an emotionless expression walked up to the stool. "RAVENCLAW!" the hat shouted in less than five minutes.

"Representing the United States of America, Jones, Amelia F."

A short girl with short, wavy wheat blonde hair, with star hairpins, and a cowlick towards the front, cartoonish blue eyes behind glasses, a skirt shorter than what it's supposed to be and black gloves. She strutted to the stool and confidently sat down. "GRYFFINDOR!" said the hat in less than a minute.

"Yo! Dudes! I'm in the house of heroes. Take that Ivan!" she said pointing to the Russian while standing on the table. He just hit her on the head very hard, not hard enough to knock her out though. She went sulking to the Gryffindor table, rubbing her head.

"Representing the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Kirkland, Arthur."

At this, there was more applause than anybody else before as an average height boy with messy blonde hair, humongous eyebrows, that looked more like caterpillars, bright green eyes and was wearing black gloves. He walked cockily towards the chair like he owned the world. It took the hat less than a minute to decide, "SLYTHERIN!"

"Representing Romania, Lupei, Vladislaus."

A tall boy with shaggy strawberry blonde hair, pinkish reddish eyes wearing a tiny, white, red and black hat seemed to be staying on his head that seemed to be staying on by defying the laws of gravity and black gloves. He sat on the stool for almost an hour before the hat declared him, "SLYTHERIN!"

"Representing Sweden, Oxenstierna, Berwalld."

A tall boy, about the same height as the Russian, with pale blonde hair, bluish-green eyes, glasses, black gloves and wearing a terrified expression, making those who saw it make them want to piss themselves. It took the hat less than a minute to declare him a "HUFFLEPUFF!" When he walked towards the table, the Hufflepuffs gave him a large amount of space.

"Representing the island of Jamaica, Sharpe-Gordon, Gabrielle."

A very short girl with very curly brown hair, a weirdly shaped clump of hair, detached from the rest, brown eyes, medium brown skin, wearing glasses, brown gloves, a braided bracelet, having a cheerful expression and walked with a limp. She was the same girl that shouted to congratulate the Russian boy. It took the hat half an hour to decide on "SLYTHERIN!" As she sat down, America shouted to congratulate her, causing a distraction.

"Representing Iceland, Steilsson, Emil."

A short boy with white hair, purple eyes, wearing white gloves and he had a puffin on his shoulder as he walked up to the stool and took the hat. It took the hat five minutes to decide on, "RAVENCLAW!"

"Representing Italy, Vargas, Feliciano."

An average height boy with auburn hair that had a curl on the left side of his head, brown eyes and a childlike cheery expression. It took less than a minute to decide, "SLYTHERIN!"

"Also representing Italy, Vargas, Lovino."

A short boy with brown hair, with a long curl on the right side of his head, hazel eyes, grumpy expression and eating a tomato. It took the hat over forty-five minutes to declare him, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Representing Finland, Väinämöinen, Tino."

An average height boy with pale blonde hair, violet eyes, wearing a white beret, a cross neck charm and with a very happy expression sat on the stool. It took the hat half an hour for the hat to decide "GRYFFINDOR!" He happily went to sit down beside America.

"Representing Canada, Williams, Matilda."

An average height girl with wavy, long dark blonde hair in two pigtails, with a curl, wearing a red beret and glasses with a shy expression and strangely had a baby polar bear in her hands which she put on her lap as she sat down. It took five minutes for the hat to decide, "GRYFFINDOR!"

A/N: Hello, next time I'll do the rest of the feast and some classes next but for now I'm exhausted.