Students shuffled off the train wearing their black uniform robes and pointed hats onto a small rail stop. Most of the older students moved off the platform in one direction while a booming voice called out from the other, "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" Bruce looked over in that direction and saw a giant of a man with wild brown hair and a bushy, unkempt beard waving down the first year students. Bruce, Miles, and George all walked over to where the giant beckoned. He wore a brown moleskin jacket and carried an oil lantern in one hand while the other beckoned first years towards him.

When the train platform was cleared and he had a crowd of around forty or fifty first year students around him the giant introduced himself, "Greetin's on behalf o' Hogwarts. M'name's Rubeus Hagrid, Groundskeeper and Keeper o' the Keys. I also teach the Care o' Magical Creatures classes if ye wanna take 'em in yer third years an' up. Now, we're gonna head up ter the school by way o' the lake." He led them down from the platform to a set docks where a half-dozen little boats waited. Each boat was large enough to hold ten students, or five and Mr. Hagrid. At his beckoning they all filed into the boats. Once all were seated the boats launched themselves from the docks and took off across the lake.

As they rounded a bend Hagrid called out "Ye won' wan' ter miss this!" They passed around a low hanging tree over the lake's edge and saw Hogwarts for the first time. There was an audible gasp from several students, and even having read up on the school Bruce was impressed. His book had described a castle but Bruce had expected a more traditional fortress, not the eclectic combination of spires and towers and walls and walkways before them. A massive tower stood on an outcropping in the lake apart from the school itself, connected only by a single walkway that the boats passed under, and this was the only tower with a flat roof. The rest had pointed, slate roofs and were connected to the main body of the castle, itself several stories tall. Outer walls stretched from the lake and seemed to enclose a massive suite of grounds around the castle, which looked large enough to house an impressive courtyard.

Eventually the boats completed their short tour of the Hogwarts grounds and sailed through an open portcullis into an underground dock at the base of the castle proper. There Hagrid ushered them out of the boats and up a set of stairs leading to the main entrance hall where Professor McGonagall was waiting. Bruce couldn't hear their soft conversation, but after a moment Hagrid shook his head in a clear sign of defeat and continued on his way.

After the giant left she turned towards the assembled first-year students, "Hello and welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. My name is Professor McGonagall, Headmistress of the school. In a moment we'll continue up to the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony and Start of Term Feast, but before we do there are some important things to discuss. During the ceremony you will be divided into four Houses, they are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Each has their own proud history and traditions. At Hogwarts your House is your family. You will sleep in your House dormitory, eat meals with your House, attend classes with your House. Every year there is a competition between Houses to earn the House Cup, you will share in your House's triumphs and failures. Any achievements will earn your House points towards the House Cup and any rule-breaking will lose your House points. More serious infractions will earn you detention to be served with one of the staff or faculty and severe infractions may lead to your expulsion. Now are there any questions?"

If anyone had a question they didn't have the courage to speak up just then so, after a moment's silence, Professor McGonagall led them up a grand staircase into a massive dining hall. Again, no amount of reading could have prepared Bruce for what he saw. The ceiling, he knew, was enchanted to resemble the sky outside, and the illusion was perfect. He'd expected it to look like glass, but instead there seemed to be nothing at all between the room and the sky. Candles floated all over the huge room, providing a soft, even light everywhere. Four tables ran lengthwise with dozens of students seated at each and a fifth table up on a dais at the end of the room seated what looked to be the faculty and staff, including Mr. Hagrid.

There was a pearly white glow from various spots in the room. Ghosts, literal ghosts, had also seated themselves at the various tables. Bruce desperately wanted to speak to one of them, but stayed in line with the other first year students. Professor McGonagall stopped in the center of the Great Hall and pulled a rolled up piece of parchment from a pocket in her robes and a rail-thin man with long, greasy hair carried a stool into the center of the room. Atop the stool was a battered, old hat. A tear along the hat's brim opened up and, much to the astonishment of the new students, the hat began to sing.

It sang a story of four friends who went on grand adventures and did impossible deeds. It sang of how, despite their many differences, they learned to trust and respect each other. It sang of how they learned that their differences combined to form a greater strength than any had apart. Then it sang of how, their adventures complete, they decided to work together to teach the next generation. It sang of the virtues that each respected and how they looked for students who shared their ideals. The song concluded with the statement that the duty of choosing how to sort students had passed from the four friends to the hat that now sat before them and ended its song by describing the four houses,

"To Gryffindor you might go, if you value strength of arm and heart,
Or Ravenclaw, if in learning you see wisdom's truest art,
Or Slytherin, if you prize ambition and success in all endeavors,
Or Hufflepuff, if truth and loyalty are your greatest treasures.
Try me on for size and we will find just where you're meant to be,
My judgement's never yet been wrong, as you are soon to see.
"

Its song complete the hat became still again. The other students looked nervous but Bruce couldn't seem to manage it. He'd been astonished by the school and curious about the other students and he was anxious to speak to one of the ghosts, but he couldn't feel nervous. In a strange way he envied George and Miles, that they still felt enough to be visibly nervous about putting on a weather-beaten old hat and joining a magic school.

Professor McGonagall unrolled the parchment in her hand and began reading off the names of the new students. First up was Annie Brogan, who tried on the hat in silence for a few seconds before it shouted "HUFFLEPUFF" loud enough to echo through the room. Annie took off the hat and moved towards a cheering table with yellow and black decoration. George Cross and Miles Duncan both went to Gryffindor, while Julian Desmond was the first new Ravenclaw and Edward Fyers the first to join Slytherin. Bruce looked over to the Slytherin table and, sure enough, there was Talia al'Ghul at one end and Manchester Black and his gang at the other.

Bruce's was the last name on the list, but eventually he was called up to try the hat on. It was very large and covered his eyes when he pulled it on. Just as it settled down something not entirely expected happened. "Hello, Master Wayne," A voice sounded, not quite beside his ear. It sounded old, almost dry. It sounded very much like the hat had, but softer as though only he were meant to hear it.

"My, quite analytical. Well reasoned." Evidently it could hear his thoughts. Which would explain why it could sort students according to character attributes.

"Again very logical. So let's see where you belong, shall we Master Wayne?" It didn't wait for his permission, "I already see a keen mind and a logical demeanor. The mind of a detective, some would say. But there's more isn't there?"

Again it didn't wait before answering its own question, "Courage, yes. In abundance. A heart that would stand against anyone or anything that it felt was wrong. Great capacity for self sacrifice. Indeed you seem to fear nothing. No, that isn't quite right, is it? You don't fear death, but you do fear something. Tell me, Master Wayne, what is it that you fear?"

The hat was quiet for a moment, "Darkness. Not the darkness outside, but the darkness within. You have darkness in your soul, Master Wayne, and it scares you. It doesn't need to. If you embraced it you could be powerful, you could be great. You needn't be afraid of your own capabilities. The things you could do without your limits would make gods tremble and monsters weep."

"Not like him, I can't," Bruce whispered, thinking of the man in the alley, and afraid for the first time in years. "I can't lose control."

"Really?" The hat sounded vaguely surprised. "You've the capacity to be truly ruthless. And that isn't a bad thing, a ruthless man can make the world a truly better place, if he sets his mind to it. Tell me, Master Wayne, what is it that you want?"

Justice, that was the obvious answer.

"Are you sure it's justice you want, not vengeance? Justice is a different, and far more difficult, thing altogether. Embrace the darkness in your soul and I can open the path of vengeance to you. Is that what you want?"

Would he do anything for vengeance, anything at all? Looking deep inside himself, Bruce could see that the truthful answer was "No." There was darkness in him, but to become a killer like the man he'd seen three years ago? That terrified him.

The hat paused again and almost sighed, "Very well. Then I suppose there's no better place than RAVENCLAW!" That last came out loud, and one of the tables burst out in cheers. Bruce set the hat down and walked, calmly as he could despite his shaking knees, to that table and took the first empty seat.

If anyone thought Bruce had taken an unusual amount of time with the hat they didn't show it. Professor McGonagall rolled her parchment back up and the stool and hat were removed from the center of the room. After she joined the head table she turned back to the waiting students, "Before we begin the feast there are a few beginning of term announcements." A few audible groans filled the room, "I know, but I'm sure your stomachs can wait another minute.

"First of all, I'll remind everyone once again that the Forbidden Forrest is off limits to all students without exception. Thus the name." She seemed to fix her eyes on someone at the Gryffindor table when she said this. "Second, our Caretaker, Mr. Filch, wishes me to remind you of the list of banned items which is on display in his office and assures me he will punish anyone he catches with any illicit goods." None of the older students seemed to take either of these notices very seriously.

"Finally, we have two changes to the faculty this year. Professor Slughorn has decided to return to his quiet retirement and Professor Desmond will be taking over the role of Potions Master, which has left open the Defense Against the Dark Arts position," Professor Desmond politely nodded from his place at the head table and some of the older students chuckled at some inside joke. "This year we'll be joined by Professor Nygma, who will be taking over that position." Professor Nygma similarly bowed his head when his name was mentioned, a wide grin on his face.

"Now, enjoy." The instant she took her seat at the head of the table the empty serving trays covering all five tables suddenly overflowed with food. After three years in Britain, Bruce had learned to be cautious of English cooking but everything before him looked and smelled wonderful. He carefully served himself a small portion of everything within reach to sample. There was a moment of silence as everyone started stuffing their faces before the conversations that had doubtless been interrupted by the entrance of the first years and the Sorting Ceremony resumed.

Bruce looked around and saw a pale, silvery figure moving down the table. Her feet stayed on the floor and she appeared to walk, but she passed through the table as though she had no substance. She stopped to introduce herself and speak briefly with each of the new Ravenclaw students and a few of the older ones. Other ghosts looked to be doing something similar at the other three tables, floating over or around the tables, and none of the older students' reactions suggested this was at all odd.

The ghost stopped nearby to speak with Julian Desmond and Bruce managed to catch a few pieces. She had been Helena Ravenclaw, a relative of Rowena Ravenclaw for whom the house was named, and she spent her un-life in the school as an informal guide and mentor for new Ravenclaw students. Bruce forgot his dinner as he anxiously waited to speak with the ghost. Finally she bid Julian goodbye and continued down the table but apparently she read something in his face about what he needed to ask her, because she immediately asked, "Who was it you lost, and when?"

Bruce gaped and stammered out, "My parents, three years, how did you...?"

She knelt down to face him at eye level, "I've been dead for a thousand years. Many students have asked me the same questions and many times I've given the same response: I am truly sorry, but I don't have the answers you seek." She held up her hand as he opened his mouth, close enough that he could feel the chill coming off her the way body heat came off the living. "If they had become ghosts you would know by now, and because I have chosen this pale mockery of life I have not moved on from this world and I don't know what awaits in the next." Her proud features showed shame and regret, but her voice was tinged with empathy, "Whether you will see them again in the next life I cannot say, but I can say that you won't see them again in this one. I'm sorry, I wish I had another answer for you."

Tears welled up in his eyes, he'd thought he had run out of them but seeing the ghosts had reawakened a fleeting hope. Helena briefly rested her hand on his shoulder and the chill shocked him back into the moment, "What's your name, young man?"

His throat had seized up, but he managed to choke out, "Bruce Wayne."

She smiled sadly at him, "Welcome to Ravenclaw House, Bruce. Anything I can do to help you while you're here, let me know." She stood up to continue down the table, "You should try to enjoy the feast, as I recall it's delicious."

Much as he would have liked to do as she said, Bruce found his throat was too tight and his stomach too clenched to eat anything. He vaguely poked the food on his plate, but couldn't bring himself to try any of it. All around him the other students continued to gossip and catch up with friends they hadn't seen since the end of last term, they seemed inclined to leave him alone. Of course the ghost couldn't have told him anything, if she could have then Professor McGonagall would have known it and could have said something back in Diagon Alley. It had been a foolish hope.

A tap on the shoulder brought him out of his reverie. He looked around and saw Talia standing behind him, she motioned for him to make space and sat down next to him, facing away from the table. "I saw you talking to the Grey Lady, it wasn't hard to guess what it was about. You okay?" He nodded without speaking, but that clearly didn't satisfy her, "Look, Bruce, remember how I told you this country was just in a war? You aren't the only kid in this room who's asked one of the ghosts those questions, and there's others who will sooner or later." Then, abruptly, she changed the subject, "What were you talking to the Sorting Hat about?" He looked up at her in surprise and she added, "From what I hear, when it takes a while it's because the Hat needs to talk to you about something."

Unsure how much of the conversation he wanted to repeat, Bruce answered, "I think it was offering me a choice, but I don't know what it was."

Talia nodded, "Sounds about right. Well, you could do worse than Ravenclaw, I guess." She got back up and patted him on the back, "See you around, I need to get back to my own table before Manny tries to set it on fire or something."

After she left one of the other Ravenclaw students, a blonde girl with round glasses who was also wearing a prefect badge, looked at Bruce curiously, "How do you know Talia al'Ghul?

"I met her on the train. Why?"

"It's just that we started the same year and I don't remember Talia being that friendly with anyone, especially anyone outside of Slytherin. Not that she's mean," the prefect hastily added, "She's just pretty quiet most of the time and I've never heard her talk about herself much. She always acts like she knows something no one else does. I think she just likes to look mysterious." After a moment the prefect seemed to realize that she'd never introduced herself, "Sorry, I'm Elaine Beloc, one of the Ravenclaw prefects. When the feast is over we'll show you where the dormitories are."

The way she said it raised a question that Bruce hadn't realized had been bothering him, "Is it unusual for people to have friends outside their House?"

"No, not at all. There's plenty of clubs and study groups and stuff. Talia's just not in any I know of." Elaine went on, "And not everyone gets along in their House, either. Look over there at Barbara and Diana," she pointed towards two girls at opposite ends of one of the other tables, "They're both in Gryffindor and they hate each other."

Bruce looked back at the Gryffindor table and saw Miles and George engaged in a conversation with the dark haired girl Elaine had pointed out, Diana. Miles looked over and, nudging George, waved in his direction. Bruce waved back and smiled, feeling a little better at Talia's reassurances and the knowledge that at least he wouldn't be losing his new friends. His stomach eased and he started sampling the food on his plate. The Grey Lady had been right, it was very good.