Hagrid hollered, "Firs' years, to the boats!"

Lyra looked as if she were about to faint. "Boats! No school buses?"

Hushed, anxious murmurs spread throughout the huddled group of first years. The older students were boarding carriages that appeared to be drawn by invisible animals.

"C'mon, now, get on. They're just 'round the bend."

Slowly, the first years followed the half-giant. Lyra kept tripping, looking over her shoulder as if she expected something to jump at her from the darkness. Ted walked by Hagrid, looking around. Harry had always told him Hogwarts was his home.

It was a vast castle, protruding over a mountaintop.

"On the boats. No more'n four to each one, now."

Lyra squeaked, "In the boat?"

"No, Mudblood, I think we'll let you stay here while we all go off to Hogwarts." a voice whispered from behind, low enough so that Hagrid could not here.

Ted turned and saw a black-haired boy, his nose upturned in a sneer. "Who're you?"

"Ted. You?" He felt oddly intimidated.

"Rolan Rosier."

Ted didn't know what to say. He didn't recognise the name.

"Rosier?" Hagrid clenched his fists. "Yeh're dad's in Azkaban, isn't he?"

"Yes," grunted Rolan.

Ted had a feeling that Rolan wasn't much different than his imprisoned father. He boarded the boat, Lyra doing the same. Twins went on with them.

"FORWARD!" yelled Hagrid, pointing a pink, tattered umbrella in the direction of the castle. The fleet of boats glided forward effortlessly. Lyra's eyes were richoting around, as if she couldn't get enough of the scenery.

"I'm Emma Neal."

"And I'm LeeAnn Neal."

They had short hair.

Emma spoke (Ted noted she was the one right behind LeAnn), "You're Ted, aren't you? Spoke up to Rolan, did you see, LeeAnn."

"Brave bloke." Her sister nodded solemnly. "He's been a right git for the past eleven years. He lives next door to us and gives us he---"

"LeeAnn!" Emma shoved her sister.

"Sorry," she said, grinning slyly, "Can't help myself."

The boats reached the other side of the lake, and the first years stepped out. They followed Hagrid as if in a trance to the grand doors. He knocked on it loudly.

The door opened.

There were giggles of delight as they stepped through the magical interior, the waving portraits, the stony silence, the torches running along the walls.

"This here, er, is the Great Hall." Hagrid said.

Chattering echoed throughout the enormous room. Lyra glanced up at the floating candles and whimpered.

"Lyra, that's normal for wizards and witches." Ted whispered.

A flock of ghosts drifted over them.

"Don't mind 'em. They like showin' off to yeh little ones." Hagrid grunted, scowling at the ghosts.

Lyra fainted.

Rolan began to laugh loudly, "Poor little Mudblood! Couldn't take it, could she?"

Hagrid scooped the girl in his arms, "Go and follow Professor McFyd up there, the really squat one. He's goin' to take yeh through the Sorting. Go along, then. I'll be takin' Lyra to Madam Guserva."

They walked across the room, where there were titters.

"Midgets!" yelled one.

When they reached Professor McFyd, he grinned giddily. "You all will be going through the Sorting. You simply put on that old hat, and it'll tell you where you're supposed to go! Good luck!"

Ted felt oddly alone without Lyra.

LeeAnn nudged him. "How does a hat decide where you're going to be? What does ' where you're supposed to go' mean?"

Emma glared at her, "Hush!"

Professor McFyd cleared his throat, then clapped his hands. "To the Sorting then, and then our dear Professor Sonisis will be able to welcome you once again!"

He placed the black hat upon a stool.

"Some may see me as an ugly hat

But, really, I am far from that

You see, I'm very smart

For I can decide where you start

Once you put me on your little head

My thoughts will analyze at you, enough said

I use my brain

And by that I will obtain,

The very place for you to be

It's not that hard, you see?

And out I holler a name

Whichever House you are, none is lame

I am the Hogwarts Sorting Hat!

There's Gryffindor, for the brave

They crave for every soul to save

Not at all for the faint of heart

Though some of them may be tart

Hufflepuff, for they're loyal

At chaos, they never recoil

Patrons of being just

Patience here is a must!

Ravenclaw, for the wise

No matter the size

Here, they're studious (with a slight lack in looks)

And very, very scrupulous

Slytherin, for the cunning

Known for their words, not for running

Also sleek and ever-so sly

In here, they're sneaky, my oh my!

That's all for this feast

At the very least,

You must trust in me

Let the Sorting begin, I'm ready, you see!

The entire hall burst into applause, as the Sorting Hat's mouth widened into a grin, nodding at each table. It suddenly became very still again.

"We just put on the hat?" Ted asked to no one in particular.

Professor McFyd began to call out the names in alphabetical order.

"Altmark, Theo!"

The boy, who had a cocky smile, sauntered up to the stool, placing the hat over his head. It fell right over his eyes, but he continued smiling.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

A roar came from the Hufflepuff table.

Ted began to ponder which House he would be placed in. He had been explained the Houses and how the points worked, but he had never really considered where he wanted to be. He supposed Gryffindor, where every single one of the Weaselys and Potters had been in. He felt self-conscious, hoping fervently that's where he would be. If he were not, he would feel slightly outcast.

"Azarcate, Alexandra!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherins rose to see her, smirking.

"Balzer, Adrian!"

The dark-skinned boy sat on the stool, wincing as if waiting for a reprimand. The Hat immediately hollered:

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Beausajor, Ian!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The Ravenclaws cheered loudly, making room for him to sit beside them.

It went on, Ted sweating slightly more each time the letters grew closer to 'L'. And finally,

"Lasky, Loretta!"

Ted felt his heart lurch to his throat. A tap on his shoulder made him shudder. He turned, and it was Lyra, who looked slightly pale.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Hi." Lyra whispered, "I'm alright now."

It didn't look like she was in good health though, because her eyes looked slightly disoriented.

"Lenn, Lina!"

"RAVENCLAW!

"Lorne, Lyra!"

Lyra smiled tentatively at Ted, stumbling to the steps. She lifted the hat, about to put it on her head, when she began to wail.

"Ms. Lorne, dear, just put the hat on." Professor McFyd said pleasantly. Ted wondered if he ever didn't seem to smile and bob happily.

She complied.

There was a slight pause, then "GRYFFIDOR!"

There was raucous laughter from the other tables, from the irony of the situation.

She tripped her way to the table, where she met the eyes of the Gryffindors. She buried her face in her hands as the next dozen of people were called.

"Lupin, Ted!"

Ted walked as if drawn like a magnet, not really thinking. He placed the hat on his head, cringing as if waiting for a reprimand.

The Hat began to murmur, "Hm…there's definitely brains. Would do you well in Ravenclaw. But a slight defiant trait, yes, definitely there. You want to prove yourself too, that's always a good thing. Tough one…"

Gryffindor, Gryffindor, Gryffindor…he chanted in his mind.

"Gryffindor, you say? You would do might well in Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff, you know?" But the Hat didn't give him a chance to answer mentally, because he cried out:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Ted couldn't help but grin as the Gryffindors yelled happily for him.

"Ted, is it?" one said, "Congrats! We're the best House, you know. The Auror, Harry Potter was in here ten years back!"

"Yeah, he's my godfather."

There was a greater roar at this.

"Really? The Harry Potter?"

"No way!"

"Harry Potter, the Auror! Your godfather!"

"Blimey, mate!"

Ted sat next to Lyra, noting how the other Houses' students were standing to see what the sudden cause in noise was about.

"Now, now, children, settle down!" Professor McFyd said loudly.

"Who's Harry Potter?" Lyra asked.

"He's the Supervisor of Aurors. He's really good."

"That's it?"

"Well, he did fight Voldemort and finished him off once and for all." Ted found it difficult to be modest about this. He turned to watch the rest of the Sorting Ceremony.

LeeAnn skipped to Gryffindor, and Emma was sent to Ravenclaw.

And he watched as the names were called, when the letter 'R' arrived.

"Rosier, Rolan!"

The hat had barely brushed his head, when "SLYTHERIN!" came from his lips.

He looked in Ted's direction, raising his eyebrows as if to say, "See? I'm in the cooler House.". Ted couldn't resist rolling his eyes.

"The brat!" LeeAnn hissed. "Slytherin! Ha!"

When the Sorting was over, Professor Sonisis, the headmaster began to speak.

"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, students from the previous year and the new ones. There are no changes in the staff. There are, however, several additions to the list of banned items…"

Professor Sonisis had drooping lids and a lazy mustache. He droned on monotonously, looking strange next to the bright Professor McFyd.

"Thank you. Now it is time to eat. The house-elves have prepared a feast with minimum salary, thanks to the Ms. Granger of the Ministry's Rights of Magical Creatures." He didn't look pleased at all.

The plates filled with luscious food.

"Wow," Lyra said, sighing as she saw pumpkin juice appear in her goblet. "I guess I'll have to get used to this."

"Yes, you do." Ted said, grabbing a pasty.

Please, please review. I want to see how I'm doing *review*cough*review.