Hello, happy New Year everyone! I'm sorry I couldn't update or wasn't on for such a long time… *facepalm* I got distracted and some other things happen… I promise I'll try to be on more!

~The Magical Review Corner~

Anon: Thank you! I feel so loved now… I thought that Fiona and Ben's back stories were a bit Sueish, and I'm trying to tweak them a bit. Abigail did appear in the story actually… she was the red headed girl in the same boat as Ben and Fiona. But otherwise, thank you for the review!

Pinkbeauty6: Hogwarts does sound like foot diseases if you think of it... sound it out. Hog-warts. Thank you for the review!

So, that is the end of my magical review corner. Now, onwards with the story!

Listening To- I Dreamed a Dream

The Very… Exciting Sorting Ceremony

Hogwarts

September 1st, 1991

To be honest, as that door opened, Ben was a bit nervous. It was in a few moments that he would be sorted, in a few moments; his life would change dramatically, for better or for worst. His life was hanging on a thread, and this sorting could potentially cut it.

Fiona on the other hand was jumping up and down, squealing with excitement. "Isn't this amazing!" She whispered to Ben. But he wasn't listening to her, as a very tall, intimidating witch entered the room. Her very appearance commanded respect for everyone and Fiona immediately shut up at the sight of her, straightening her tie.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said the giant, stepping aside.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She pulled open the door to reveal a very large room, with torches casting an eerie look onto the room. A marble staircase led into the upper floors, and a multitude of voices emerged from a door to their right. "The rest of the school must be here already…" Fiona muttered, staring at the older woman.

She then went on to make a speech about Hogwarts and the Sorting, something which Ben was paying no attention too. Father had already given him this speech, so why should he listen to it again? Fiona was fidgeting next to him, nervously flattening down her hair and tucking her shirt in. The red headed girl he previously met on the boat was paying close attention to Professor McGonagall, staring intently at her.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall, leaving the cold chamber. "Please wait quietly."

As soon as she stepped out, the room broke into whispers. "I'm so nervous!" Fiona whispered, turning quite pale. "What do we have to do for this 'Sorting'? Are they going to make us fight?!"

Ben rolled his eyes at the absurdity of that statement. Fight? What phooey! The only fighting he heard of at Hogwarts was… well, to think of it, he never did see any fighting going on at Hogwarts.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." Ben overheard two boys talking about the Sorting. He scoffed, kneeling down and rubbing some dirt off his shoes with a white handkerchief. These shoes were made of fine Italian leather… he shuddered at the thought of Father's punishment for getting them dirty. Perhaps he would make him do all of Samantha's chores… but that wasn't a surprise. Father spoiled Samantha and Melanie to the point of no return; all of Ben's respect for his Father had run out that moment.

At that moment, several people behind him shrieked, including Fiona. Ben jumped, clutching his wool scarf. "What was that?!" He cried out, looking around. He looked at what everyone else was gaping and gasping at and saw at least twenty pearl-white, transparent figures gliding through the air. They seemed to be arguing about something.

"Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance-"The fat monk speaking was cut off by another ghost wearing tights and ruffles, something very unfashionable for this year.

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say what are you all doing here?"

Ben didn't realize he was asking the students until Fiona nudged him in the shoulder.

"New students?" Ben and Fiona nodded, staring in awe at the ghosts. Ben hadn't been aware of ghosts haunting the school until now; Father didn't bother to tell him about it.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know." Said the monk (who was actually called The Fat Friar. Ben didn't know this yet.) The other ghosts and the monk floated away, continuing their debate on a certain man named Peeves.

"Move along now." Said Professor McGonagall, snapping Fiona out of a daydream. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

"Now form a line." Ben did as told, standing behind Fiona. "And follow me."

They slowly trudged to the doors that led to the Great Hall. Very carefully and slowly, the old woman opened the doors.

Ben gasped at the wonderfulness of hall, soaking in the beautiful décor. Thousands of candles cast a warm glow over the Hall. The golden plates on the long tables seemed to glisten in the light. Students stared at them as them walked passed, making Ben and a few others a bit uncomfortable. Here and there between the students ghosts observed the long line of first years, shining a pale silvery color in the light. The effect was very soothing to Ben, but for Fiona, it made her nervous as a cat near a dog. Ben looked up and saw a black ceiling dotted with stars and he gasped softly, smiling for the tenth time today. "This place truly is heaven on Earth…" he whispered to himself, bringing his head down to look at the stool that Professor McGonagall placed in the middle of the room. On that stool was a dusty, patched, and frayed old hat, with century's worth of grime on it.

The hat began to sing, not to Ben's surprise. Every pureblood wizard knew of the Sorting Hat's song; it changed every year and was never the same. While the hat sung, Ben thought what might happen if Father found out he had shared compartments with a Muggle…

Ben was abruptly snapped out of his thoughts the whole school erupted in cheer, clapping for a girl who got sorted into Hufflepuff. He sighed, glad that he wasn't called first. Imagine what would happen if he was unaware of his sorting! Disastrous for his reputation, and his family's.

As the list went on, Ben's eyelids began to drop. It was an exhausting trip, and honestly… he was getting tired. More people were called, and "Brown, Lavender" became the first Gryffindor. As more, and more, and more people were called his eyelids slowly closed, and the world slowly became dark…

"Harper, Fiona!"

His head snapped up the moment the last syllable of her name was called, staring intently at the girl.

Fiona inched her way to the Sorting Hat, giving Ben a nervous smile. She sat on the stool and closed her eyes, letting the hat black cover her head.

Two minutes passed before the hat shouted out, "GRYFFINDOR!" Fiona grinned and gave Ben a thumb up as she ran towards the Gryffindor table, receiving a few pats on her back as she sat down.

As the sorting continued on and on, Ben's eyes began to wander to the Gryffindor table. Fiona was doing alright, as he could see, laughing with a brunette girl. She would be alright there, and once he was sorted into Gryffindor, too, perhaps Fiona, the brunette girl, and himself could form a trio… Yes, that would be fun.

The red-headed girl (whose name was Abigail, according to the Professor) was sorted into Ravenclaw. "No surprise…" Ben scoffed, thinking of the giant books he had seen the girl lug around at the station. She joined a few other girls and boys, whispering loudly amongst themselves.

After a few more minutes of waiting around, Ben's legs slowly started to become numb. Standing around in a straight line was hard! He would crouch down and pretend to tie his shoes every now and then, so he could give his weary legs a rest. When this entire thing was over, boy would he like to just flop down onto his bed and take a nice long nap… just as the boy was about to fall over, a name was called. A name that Ben had heard his father whisper and a name that he had seen all over the Daily Prophet.

"Potter, Harry."

Whispers and murmurs filled the crowded room as the skinny, scrawny boy stepped up to the Sorting Hat. How did Harry Potter, the Savior of the Wizarding World, the Boy-Who-Lived look so pale and neglected? "He has his mother's eyes…" said a whisper that floated towards him. And most importantly, what house would Harry be in? The entire schools waited with bated breath as the Sorting Hat choose, prodding and poking through the boy's mind. Not a whisper was spoken, not a needle dropped, not a mouse moved in that castle during those dreadfully long minutes.

Finally, the Hat chose.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The entire Gryffindor house erupted in cheers at this news. Some students from the other houses stared with wide eyes as the boy leaped down from his seat and towards the table, where Fiona and some other students greeted him with names and pats on the back. Ben breathed a sigh of relief. When he was sorted into that house, perhaps he could even make friends with the boy… that would be good for his family's reputation for sure.

The minutes seemed to past faster after that. Before Ben could even say "He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named", he was walking to the Sorting Hat. With a sigh, he closed his eyes tightly and waited for the darkness that signaled the hat was placed upon his head.

He hated the feeling immediately. It made Ben feel as if someone had poured cold water all over his black hair, and it sent shivers down his spine. Perhaps it was only him who felt it… maybe it wasn't. "Very ambitious…" A voice murmured in his head, making Ben nearly jump in his seat. "Stubborn, not a bad mind either… a thirst for power and to prove yourself to the world, to redeem yourself in your father's eyes. Interesting combination. Now, where should I put you? Slytherin wouldn't be a bad choice…"

That word made a shiver run down Ben's spine. Slytherin. No! He couldn't be sorted there, into the house of the snakes… what would Father think of him?

"Not there, please!" He begged the Hat. "Anywhere else but there!"

"But Slytherin will help you on your way to greatness…" The Hat retorted. "Why not there?"

Before Ben could protest anymore, the Hat shouted out that one word that would change Ben's life.

"SLYTHERIN!"

With a long face and heavy feet, Ben reluctantly set the Hat down and went towards the Slytherin table.

Finally done with the chapter! Sorry this update took so long, I was busy with school work and stuff… *cough cough* totally not procrastinating on this fanfic. I totally didn't forget it, either. *cough cough* So, what did you think? Critic is always welcomed!

Also: Flames will be used to burn marshmellows.

Funny Cat