Disclaimer: The usual, I don't own any of the characters or anything to do with Harry Potter. All credit goes to J.K Rowling. Anyone you don't recognise is owned by me.

A/N: I'm sorry, I know its been ages since my last update, but my muse is such a flake. Oh and a lot of things from this chapter were borrowed from chapter seven of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone (Sorcerers Stone for you Yanks)

CHAPTER SIX – The Sorting

The students followed the man down a narrow path that opened onto the edge of a large black lake where a large fleet of boats lay.

"There's your first look at Hogwarts." The man said.

There was a loud 'ooh' as everyone saw the large castle perched on top of a high mountain on the other side of the lake.

"Now, no more than four to a boat."

Tom, Isolde and Minerva climbed into a boat followed by another girl with golden blonde curly hair. Once everyone was in a boat, the small fleet began to make its way across the vast lake. A short while later they were carried through an opening in the cliff face under the castle and into an underground harbour where they clamoured out of the boats and up a flight of stairs, where Professor Dumbledore was standing in front of a large oak door.

"Thank you Mr Mot I will take it from here." Professor Dumbledore said.

The man bowed and disappeared while Professor Dumbledore opened the door and stepped in, gesturing that everyone should follow. Tom's eyes widened as he took in the large entrance hall and the walls that were lit with large flaming torches. The ceiling was high and a marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

Professor Dumbledore led them into a small chamber of the hall. Everyone crowded in close. Isolde, who hadn't let go of Tom's hand since they exited the Hogwarts Express, pressed close to Tom, almost shaking in fear. Tom squeezed her hand gently trying to ease her nerves.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." Professor Dumbledore said. "The start of term feast 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 the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room."

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin." Tom caught Abraxas; eye and the blonde boy gave him a smirk. "While you are at Hogwarts your triumphs will earn your house points while any rule breaking will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour."

"The Sorting ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school in the Great Hall." Dumbledore said. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

He left the chambers and everyone began talking quietly among themselves. "Minerva, do you know how we will be sorted?" Isolde asked her new friend.

Minerva shook her head. "No. I'm afraid I don't." She said with a frown.

Tom hide a smirk, glad that the other girl was unable to ease Isolde's fears. He leant closer to Isolde. "I'm sure it won't be hard." He whispered softly. "It's only our first day. I doubt most of these kids have even opened their textbooks."

Isolde turned to him, sending him a small smile which Tom returned. She rested her head on his shoulder and stared up at the roof. The door to the chamber opened suddenly and Professor Dumbledore stepped in. "They are ready for you." He said. "For a line and follow me please."

All the students formed a line and followed Professor Dumbledore out of the chamber, across the Entrance Hall and through a set of double doors into the Great Hall. Isolde, who was standing in front of Tom turned and gave him a scared look before the entered the hall.

Tom looked around the hall, taking it in. It was lit by thousands of candles that were floating over four long tables filled by the rest of the students. These tables were laid with golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor Dumbledore led them there so they came to a stop, standing with their backs to their teachers so they were facing the other students.

Isolde leaned over to Tom. "Look at the ceiling." She whispered. Tom looked up to the ceiling which was a velvety black colour dotted with hundreds of twinkling stars.

Professor Dumbledore, who had walked off, came back carrying a small three legged stool and a frayed pointed wizard's hat. He placed the stool in front of the teachers table and placed the hat of top of it, before pulling a long piece of parchment out of his pockets.

"When I call your name, you will put the hat on and sit on the stool to be sorted." He said, unravelling the parchment.

Tom glanced at Isolde who was biting her lip, looking less scared then she had before. Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat and called out the first name. "Susan Andrews."

A small girl with mousy brown hair left the line of first year students, walking slowly to the stool before putting the hat on and sitting down. There was silence before the hat spoke. "Hufflepuff."

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Professor Dumbledore gently pointed Susan in the direction to the Hufflepuff table before he turned his gaze back to the parchment. "Annabelle Abbott."

Annabelle was also sorted into Hufflepuff. The next student, Jonathon Ackerley was the first sorted into Ravenclaw. Erebus was sorted into Slytherin as was Alphard and his cousin Lucretia. Isolde jumped when her name was called. Tom squeezed her hand before she slowly walked up and sat down while Dumbledore placed the hat on her head. It had barely touched her head before it shouted. "Ravenclaw."

Isolde shot Tom a relieved smile before she went to join her house. Tom watched her go, feeling a sense of dread before turning back to face the front.

Sophia Chitlock was the first Gryffindor, while Antonin joined Slytherin sending Tom a smirk as he walked passed. Abraxas was also sorted into Slytherin after having the hat barely touch his head. When Minerva was called up, Tom sneered hoping she wouldn't end up in Ravenclaw with Isolde. To Tom's relief, she was sorted into Gryffindor.

It wasn't long after Minerva's sorting that Tom's name was called. He walked up, head held high and sat on the stool, noticing Dumbledore's hesitation before placing the hat on his head.

"Well, hello Mr Riddle." Came a small voice causing Tom to jump a little. "Let's see what you have in here. Intelligence and talent fitting for Ravenclaw...hmmm...but you are also cunning...very cunning, you would do well in Slytherin There is also a thirst...a thirst to prove yourself. You would fit well in either house. However your blood calls to Slytherin...Yes, definitely SLYTHERIN!" the hat called the last part out loud.

Tom pulled the hat off and handed it to Dumbledore who was looking at him with a funny expression. Tom didn't notice it; his eyes were on Isolde who was sitting at the Ravenclaw looking upset. Tom felt a little upset as well. They had been separated. No one had been able to separate them before, no human, but a piece of fabric had been able to.

Looking at Isolde once more, Tom made his way to the Slytherin table, where he was waved over to a seat by Abraxas and the others he had met on the train.

The Sorting ended with another sorted into Gryffindor. Professor Dumbledore rolled up the parchment and walked off, taking the sorting hat and stool with him.

A portly man who was seated at the centre of the Head Table stood up and the Hall fell silent. "Welcome to Hogwarts." He said. "I am Professor Dippet, Headmaster of this fine institution. Before we begin the banquet I have a few notices. Please note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students. Also, no magic is to be used in the corridors between classes." He cleared his throat and continued, however Tom's attention was on Isolde, who was sitting between two girls at the Ravenclaw table. She was watching Professor Dippet, but looked at Tom when she sensed his gaze on her.

Their connection was broken when Erebus elbowed Tom in the ribs. "Aren't you going to eat Tom?" he asked.

Tom looked down at the table to see it was now covered in dishes full of food. His eyes widened, he had never seen so much food in his life. Erebus already had a plate full of food, while Tom's fellow Slytherin were filling up their own plates.

Sparing another glance at Isolde whose attention was on her own table full of food, he began serving himself, filling his plate with sausages, roast chicken, Yorkshire pudding and other things.

At the Ravenclaw table, Isolde tore her gaze away from her best friend to concentrate on eating. She couldn't believe that she and Tom had not been placed in the same house and to make things worse he had been sorted into Slytherin. Isolde of course remembered Minerva's warning in Diagon Alley about Slytherin being full of evil wizards. What if they made him evil? Or worse, hurt him.

Isolde's musings were broken by the girl sitting beside her, who decided to introduce herself. "My name is Alice Honeywood." She said with a smile. Isolde recognised her as the girl who had joined them in the boat across the lake.

Isolde smiled at her. "I'm Isolde Branwen." She said and they shook hands.

"I'm Acacia Boot." The girl on the other side of Isolde said. She was pretty with straight black hair and green eyes. Alice and Isolde greeted her and they all fell into an easy conversation about their upcoming classes and excitement about life at Hogwarts.

Isolde would occasionally look over at the Slytherin table to check on Tom, who was engaged in a conversation with another boy.

Before long the feast had ended and everyone began to make their way to their common rooms. "Come on." Acacia said to Isolde and Alice. "My brother is a Prefect. He can show us back to the Ravenclaw common room."

Acacia led them over to a tall boy who was calling for all first year Ravenclaws. He smiled at his sister, before leading them and the other first years to what he called 'Ravenclaw Tower'.

Once they reached the common room, he directed them to their dorms, giving them to take in the common room which was cosy looking room full of blue armchairs in front of a blazing fire.

Isolde, Alice and Acacia found their trucks had already been bought up and placed in front of their four-post beds with velvet dark blue curtains around them. They were joined by another girl, Evangeline Edgecombe who seemed even shyer then Isolde.

They all pulled on their pyjamas, deciding it was time for bed after the long day they had. The other three girls seemed to fall asleep quickly, leaving Isolde alone in her thoughts, feeling a sense of dread as she wondered what being sorted into different houses meant for her friendship with Tom.

In the first year Slytherin boy's dorm, Tom was laying in bed listening to the breathing of his dorm mates. He had never shared a room with anyone but Isolde and it felt strange not to have her with him. However he knew he would have to get use to not being around Isolde, after the conversation he overheard between two older Slytherins, which left him with no doubt that his friendship with someone in another house was a big no-no.

Ignoring the pain in his chest, Tom turned to his side and sighed, wiling sleep to come.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

A/N: I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Please review and let me know what you thought.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed.

ssjbura-briefs: Hopefully things won't turn out like in the song.

Seduce: Sorry, but i had to put Isolde in Ravenclaw. I agree though, Slytherin is a cool house.

asifyouknow: Here is your update. Sorry it took so long.

Null:Glad you like the story.

Midaria: Thank you for your review. I'm sorry it took so long for the update.

Superdani a.k.a Violet Fairchild: *cringes* Sorry!

Genuine Jennifer: Sorry its taken so long. Thanks for your review and i hope you like the chapter.