[King's Cross Station, Muggle London]

[1st Sept, 1989]

[TPP]

Nate Alexander-Irene Grey was lugging his school trunk towards the solid archway of the infamous nine and three-quarters.

He pushed himself through the wall but not before cursing Ottaline Gambol, the crazy minister of magic, who had the bright idea of using a train. Sure, it would go unnoticed but it was a stupid idea nonetheless. All this drama to go to a school.

He looked at the bloody engine that was bellowing steam like a pressure cooker. He was accompanied by his mother who bid him goodbye as he moved into the train and moved into a compartment at the end of the train. As he took a seat by the window, he waited for the train to leave and leave it did at exactly eleven.

As he was watching the fields outside from his window, the compartment door opened. In came the two people Nate would have wanted to religiously avoid at Hogwarts. Fred and George Weasley were grinning at him like loons. Nate was truly scared right now. He knew these kids were the spawn of a dementor.

"Hello, can we sit here?" asked one of the two.

Now Nate could be rude or suck it up and hope to Circe that he would not be violated in some worrisome fashion.

So he flashed them the best smile he could muster, "Sure! why not?"

They put the trunks at the carrier and than sat down and introduced themselves.

"This is Gred and I am Forge. We are the Weasley Twins." one of them introduced.

"Nate Grey."

"Like William Grey?"

"Yes he is my grandfather."

"Dad likes to talk about him, says he is a very powerful wizard."

"He is."

"What house was he in? Gryffindor?"

"Slytherin." That wiped the smile of their faces.

"He was a snake?" whispered twin number one.

"Yupp, well Slytherin was not as bad as now in his time."

"He went there before you-know-who?"

"He actually went there later but it was not as bad. Slytherin truly fell into blood supremacy after the declaration of squib rights in 1968. It was the cause of many pureblood riots and is attributed to Voldemort's first rise to power." Nate ignored the gasps at the mention of Tom's name.

"You speak his name?"

"Well I do have a chance of surviving a fight with him." Nate stated smugly.

"Braggart." said one of them.

"Oh please I could take him on."

"Nah you can't."

"I can."

While the twins and Nate were going through their routine. The compartment door opened again as an old lady asked whether any of them wanted something from the trolley which all three of them rejected. Nate did so because he did not like most magical sweets while the twins did so because they had sandwiches.

Sometime passed as Nate was reminded to change by the twins as they were about to reach the famous Hogsmeade station.

When the train finally stopped, Nate was instructed to leave the luggage as he got off the train.

At the Hogsmeade station stood a lone man that was taller than any man Nate had seen, it was of course Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of key at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"First years to the boats and the rest of you lot to the carriages."

Nate joined the other first years near the dockyard.

"No more'n four students on a boat."

When everyone got settled in their own boats, he bellowed ,"Onwards then."

The boats started moving and Nate could feel the wards washing over him as he watched the massive castle that Hogwarts was. When they docked in the boathouse of the castle, Nate would admit he was pretty excited to check out the castle, an opportunity many in his last life would kill for.

They walked up to the massive gates of the great hall where a stern looking woman who Nate assumed to be McGonagall was waiting for them. On seeing her, Hagrid bellowed,"I've got them, first years all here Professor McGonagall."

"Thank you, Hagrid," she turned to the students, "Welcome to Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will be entering the Great Hall where you will be sorted into your Hogwarts house. Remember, your house is your family in Hogwarts." she spoke in a precise and formal manner.

She opened the large door and Nate could hear chattering.

"The 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."

Nate could hear discussions of possible methods for the sorting ceremony. He could also hear the twins trying to scare people. The amount of stress in the air was palpable.

Suddenly there was a shriek and followed by more shrieks, Nate presumed the reason to be the Hogwarts ghosts. The ghosts seemed offended at the first year's reaction at their arrival.

Before long the actual sorting began when McGonagall placed a stool along with a very old wizard's hat just in front of the teacher's seating area. The hat sang a weird song.

"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;

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 Hufflepuff,

You'll make your real friends,

Those loyal, true and unafraid

Of toil and trouble.

But if you're none of these

You'll be in Slytherin,

Where you'll find yourself in good company

With those cunning folk the hat would place in there."

After a short applause McGonagall said," Now I will call your name, and you will come here sit on the stool so I can place the hat upon you to determine your Hogwarts house."

People were called and sorted into their houses. When it came to Nate's turn and the hat was placed upon his head.

It stated in his mind,'Well well well, what do we have here, ambitious one aren't you.'

'Whatever do you mean?'

'Declaring that you will defeat death is ambitious, no?' Nate realized the hat could not see his past life.

'It is brave as well.'

'No, it is not. Only those who fear it, see Death as an enemy.'

'Forgive me if I do not wish to go to a pit full of venomous snakes. I will choose Gryffindor.'

'What makes you think you have a choice?' The hat asked sounding amused.

'How many in Slytherin will leave Hogwarts alive if I went there.'

'Fair enough, Mr. Grey. I hope you succeed in your quest to defeat death, and I dearly hope it is not a pyrihhic victory.'

'Thank You.'

" Gryffindor!!!"

Nate moved to the table of the brave.

A few sortings later, a pair of excited twins joined him.

As the sorting ended, Dumbledore started ,"Welcome, my dear students and esteemed faculty, to another year at Hogwarts. Let us embrace the boundless possibilities that this new year holds, and remember to abide by the rules for the preservation of our magical community. Seek knowledge, take risks, and cherish friendship and community. To another year of learning, friendship and adventure at Hogwarts.

Let the feast begin."