To Sort

Lara

Later, when we decided to change into our robes, I left to find a boy free compartment. There was one just a little further down the train which only had three girls my age.

"Excuse me, I need to change into my robes" I held them up as evidence "I've just escaped from a compartment of five boys, do you mind?"

After they had certified that they in fact did not mind me using their compartment, we got down to introductions.

"My names Lily Evens, sixth year, nice to meet you" said an attractive girl with long dark red hair and green eyes. She held out her hand which I took, a little surprised.

"Evens? I think I heard the boys talking about you, James Potter ring a bell?" I said thinking back.

She looked mutinous at the distant James while the other two girl burst out laughing.

"Ugh, that little toe rag has been asking me out for years – he just can't face the fact I don't want to go out with him" she explained and I grinned. It seemed like to me that Lily would be the perfect balm to calm crazy little Potter into sanity. I decided however, for my own good, not to mention this perception.

"I'm Alice Smith and this is Eliza Attia" said a small girl with a sweet round face and short black hair.

Eliza was a slim girl with long blond hair that fell down her back in ringlets and she had a crazy bouncy feeling. Her silvery blue eyes were wide and insightful as she looked at me.

"You looked scared, you are alright you know. Nothing will hurt you at Hogwarts" I didn't quite know what to say to that so I just smiled and shrugged.

"Haha, don't worry about Eliza here. It takes time to get used to her observation and the occasional bangs that come from her side of the room" Alice told me as I pulled my robes over my head.

"Well, you have to test a spell if you want to go telling people, don't you?" Eliza said, not seeming to mind the comments about her.

"What house are you in anyway?" Lily asked, polite as before.

"I don't know, I've just moved down from Germany with my brother" I explained to the girls as I pulled my boots back on.

"You speak English very well, can you also speak German?" Alice asked.

"Yeah, I can speak German. My parents always spoke English to us though; something about them believing England is superior or something daft like that" I said guiltily, it was another of those moments when you realise you might have said too much and people would start trying to kick you away.

"I used to be able to speak some French, but I've pretty much forgotten it all" Lily said and I sighed in relief.

I sat there talking to this group for a while but eventually had to excuse myself. They seemed like an entertaining group and I looked forward to becoming better friends with them, perhaps even share house with them. However I felt lonely without my brother. He was like my second half, he completed my sentence and I could always feel him as a part of my thoughts. There was some sort of magic there I was sure, the way we could communicate, talk into each other's minds, was not normal.

"I'll just tell Potter that you send your love, yes Lily?" I said over my shoulder as I began to close the door.

"NO! DON'T YOU DARE!" I laughed and sent back, to the now red faced girl, a grin.

Entering the boy's compartment my eyes locked onto Alex before sliding to Remus's pale blue eyes, who had looked up at my entrance. His robes looked a little patched in places and I frowned. He was like a mystery I had to solve and I found myself running through possibilities.

"So, James, what the hell did you do to make Lily Evens hate you so much?" I said as I sat down in my original place between Alex and Remus.

"Nothing! I swear I have done nothing – apart from hate Snivellus who used to be her friend and let's face it, he is a slimy little git"

I had heard all about this Snivellus guy, who was the Marauders enemy, all about his greasy black hair and how he preferred the company of potions to actual people. The boy they had described didn't seem to fit what I would think of a friend of Lily's and left me in doubt at who had the right end of the stick.

"We're getting close to Hogwarts" said Peter, his small nose flat against the glass of the window.

"Don't do that wormy, you won't even be able to see it from here" said James.

"Yeah and you'll get you're slimy bogies all over the window" added Sirius.

The train screeched to a stop and there was the sound of hundreds of people getting up, opening doors and jumping onto the platform. Alex seemed to be getting agitated and I reached over to clasp his hand in mine.

What house do you think we'll be in? He asked me.

I shrugged.

Ravenclaw doesn't sound too bad, we are pretty smart.I replied.

Or Gryffindor, though dad would kill us even more if we are.

Yeah Gryffindor seems the best to me.

We jumped off the platform and began to follow the stream of students heading in one direction.

"Firs' years! Firs' years this way" said a loud, rough booming voice. I looked up and saw a tall man who towered over the students.

I bit my lip, should we count ourselves as first years? Alex was unsure as well, wedoneed to be sorted, and this isour first year?

"No. Alex, Lara come with us" called James ahead of us, seeing our indecision "we had some exchange students a few years back and they went in the carriages before being held up just before they went into the hall"

We followed the Marauders toward a line of carriages and then stopped in shock.

In front of us snorted a black horse like creature with large folded up wings. Its thin and lucent skin stretched over a skeletal frame and its face, with two glowing white eyes, was lizard like.

"Thestrals, the school has Thestrals?" Alex said shocked.

"What are Thestrals?" asked James, we looked at him shocked and I simply shook my head and climbed into the carriage.

Me and Alex had watched our uncle die when we were young and being the nerds we were we'd read about Thestrals a couple of years ago.

The Thestrals drawn transport rocked into motion and me and Alex eagerly watched down the road to see our first sight of Hogwarts.

Remus

Lara and Alex joined us in the carriages a moment after me and Prongs had climbed up. I was secretly glad they weren't going on the boat ride; I had got used to their strange combined presence.

They both seemed to complement each other and I noticed moments when they seemed to be talking quietly together without actually saying anything. They would sit there, their hands in each others, and effortlessly played off each other. When Lara had left to get changed though, Alex had seemed, for a moment, to be a little lost. He'd sat there looking unsure until James had started to engage him in conversation.

The moment I had seen Lara, however, I had been stuck by her strange beauty. She was sophisticated and elegant and yet it was like she was hiding a wild and passionate energy inside her. I'd found myself being irresistibly drawn to her and I'd had to make my face seem ordinary when she'd sat next to me (probably avoiding Pads obvious flirting).

I'd caught James smirking at me throughout the journey and I knew he'd noticed my interest. The others had been trying to get me to date someone for years but I knew that was not a possibility for me. I couldn't risk getting to close to someone.

They would be horrified, disgusted when they found out my affliction.

The two of them were leaning excitedly out of the carriage windows, keen for a glimpse of Hogwarts.

As we turned the last corner I heard them gasp and I smiled and exchanged looks with Pads and Prongs. I was naturally very proud of my school. I was lucky to be able to attend Hogwarts and wanted to share my wonder with others.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry gleamed down to us in the evening shade, its countless windows glowing seductively. The many towers rose majestically above the horizon and were reflected in the flat expanse of the lake, disturbed only occasionally by the giant squid. Surrounding the school the mountains climbed into the air and a faint rustle could be heard from the boarders of the forbidden forest. I was home.

The moon high in the air was a thin slice that reminded me that I wouldn't be changing for a while and made the night even more amazing.

Alex and Lara seem to be silently talking. Their eyes didn't seem to be taking in what they could see because there was not even a flicker behind them. As I watched Lara's hand squeezed his shoulder lightly and their faces became the same grim worried look they'd shared before when we'd been talking about their parents.

"Do you recognise the surname Grey?" I whispered to Sirius. He cocked an eye brow in my direction knowing what I hinted at. The families that he would be familiar with were not usually the nicest, being a Black.

"I'm not sure… it might be- but no, I doubt that. I could ask my Uncle, he wouldn't mind…" I nodded and concentrated on the castle coming further into view.

Alex

It was beautiful, there was no doubt about that, and had a homely glow to it. Lara and I exclaimed our amazement to each other.

I felt my heart clench though; some might not understand our fear of our father but then they did not know him. It wasn't just going to be an embarrassing howler or even disowning us – he would get angry. He was bound to torture us; he was mad and uncontrollable like that. Mother could usually calm him but if he did decide to it wouldn't be the first time for either of us. Then he would take us to the Dark Lord and make us swear our allegiance to him. This was if we were put in Gryffindor.

Father hated that house but he didn't mind the others as much. Ravenclaw was just a bunch of no-it-all's, and after all, intelligence was important (even if he didn't have much of his own). Hufflepuff was just a lot of cowards, who needed loyalty and fair-play? But they really weren't that bad; they would be easy to control. But Gryffindor… stubborn and argumentative, they always have to have their way and Dumbledore, the old crack pot, was the worst of the lot… blah blah blah…

He was mad. He'd lost his sanity. And he just didn't care.

Lara tightened her grip on my shoulder.

We'll find a way.

The coach stopped and we climbed out and walked towards a pair of large double doors.

The entrance hall was grand and looked as if it could fit a small house inside it. The large marble stair case twisted its way up and high above in the ceiling the crystals of chandeliers glistened. Every thing seemed to glow with its own subtle interior light and I watched as ghosts drifted in and out of walls, greeting students as they went.

Everybody seemed to be heading towards another pair of grand doors and I could hear a great commotion from within.

A witch stood looking over the students several stairs up. She had a strict manner about her and her greying hair was bound tightly in a bun. Her lips were pursed and she seemed to be looking for something. Just then her eyes met Lara's and she called over the head of students:

"Oh, Miss Grey, Mr Grey - over here please"

People's heads tuned towards us as we pushed our way through. I saw James give me thumbs up and Sirius and Remus were watching my sister. Hrmph. I'd never get used to the idea that boys might wish to date my sister – it was just weird. I'd have to give them a nice brotherly chat later.

"Good, now, welcome to Hogwarts. My name is Professor McGonagall, deputy head mistress. As you are probably aware, students at Hogwarts are sorted into Houses. These houses are like your families, you earn and lose points for your house and you live and spent time with your house in your common room. Usually students are placed in their houses in first year but you two will have to be sorted tonight with this year's first years. You will wait here for Hagrid to arrive with them."

We were waiting for about ten minutes before a group of about forty eleven year olds came into the entrance hall. It was amusing to see their awed faces and the mixture of nerves and excitement that played across their face. Many of them looked at us curiously at us and I could almost hear what they could see, their emotions were so high.

There were two tall striking figures standing above them. What if they throw me out? An incredible hall, the ceiling was almost out of sight. Each has glossy silver hair that glinted in the light. I can't wait! I'm going to learn magic! Their identical grey eyes followed us as we moved forward. Marble was sparkling under foot and up a winding stair case. Wearing black and looking over us, their skin pale. If only mother could see this. Who are they?

I blocked out the thoughts coming from them and felt Lara do the same next to me.

A tall, shaggy man accompanied them, the Hagrid Professor McGonagall had mentioned. He looked like a giant although black beady eyes peered out kindly from in amongst his messy brown beard and hair. I remembered him from when we had got off the train.

"Ah Hagrid, thank you, that will be all" McGonagall said appearing out of nowhere.

"That's all righ' McGonagall. I'll just go set meh'self up in the hall, shall I?" and he lumbered off in the direction of the hall. The professor meanwhile had begun to welcome the newbie's and explain about the house system.

It didn't take long. Soon Lara and I were standing at the back of the line of nervous kids. The doors were swinging open and we were walking forwards, almost as unsure of ourselves as the first years. The Marauders had skilfully neglected to tell us how we would be sorted into our houses and we were nervous about being the oldest in this ceremony.

We entered the most spectacular room. The ceiling seemed to open out onto the night sky which was clear tonight. The stars glinted above and matched the hundreds of candles floating in midair above four long tables. At the tables sat the rest of the school all staring avidly at the line of nervous kids (and us). We were walking down the centre of the room and soon came to a halt.

Professor McGonagall was standing ahead of us next to a small stool, upon which a grubby patched hat sat. Then just as I was about to ask Lara next to me what she thought we should do, because we had been standing there in silence for a while, the hat began to sing.

[Insert song from Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone– you all know the one]

Everybody cheered and Lara next to me muttered "I'm gonna kill those blasted Marauders – all we have to do is put the hat on"

McGonagall began calling the eleven years old up in alphabetical order and we waited for the G's to come up. But Grail, Gareth became Hufflepuff and then Harper, Bethany became Ravenclaw and we were still standing there. Finally Zabini, Drew became Slytherin and we were the only people standing, in the centre of the room, alone, with everybody looking at us.

Err… this is awkward!

"Now lastly we have two students who will be joining sixth year. Grey, Alex" with one last look at Lara I walked toward the hat. As I put the hat on and sat on the stool I felt the eyes of everyone staring at me.

Well, well another Grey and look at that - another waiting below. Such a connection, fantastic. So where to put you?

A voice in my head rasped, I could practically feel the hat searching through my thoughts, which was a very uncomfortable sensation.

Well you are certainly intelligent and very logical, Ravenclaw would suit you well. Or it could be Hufflepuff, there's certainly enough loyalty and the push to work for something… But then all that bravery, oh yes, you'd make a good Gryffindor but also a good handful of power to go with as well, which could be Slytherin… A thirst for independence, though your sister seems to be a key element of yourself… yes, yes…but where should you go?

Oh great, I could go into any of these places apparently, I wish you would just make up your mind. I could feel Lara ahead of me growing impatient.

Now, now a tricky customer needs time to find the best place, it's out of two choices I'd say – and I know best… now, better be… GRYFFINDOR!

I jumped as the hat shouted out the last word.

Remus

I watched as Alex walked toward the hat and placed it on his head. Lara was standing awkwardly in the centre of the room watching her brother. Just then, while I was still watching her, she turned her head and looked directly in my eyes. I stared at her and she stared back.

After a moment something seamed to distract her and she turned back to her brother. It had been on his head a long time and people all over the hall were shifting impatiently. I wondered what was taking the hat so long.

"Can't decide, eh? I hope they're put in Gryffindor" James muttered next to me and Sirius nodded in agreement.

Another minute passed and finally the hat opened its mouth and shouted for everyone to hear:

GRYFFINDOR!

Our table went crazy as we all clapped and cheered. Alex Grey walked over to me and the other Marauders and sat down next to Wormy, his eyes never leaving Lara.

"Gray, Larissa" McGonagall called, which seemed slightly pointless to me, seeing as she was the only person standing.

Lara

And here's the other Grey… you are a lot like you brother I must say. Intelligent, loyal, brave, powerful… not as much logic but then not even your brother made Ravenclaw, though it suited him well… but you are so very bold, yes and strong… well, it seems it would be foolish to split the two of you, as linked as you are, it seems one must learn with the other before you may eventually live apart… has to be GRYFFINDOR!