Disclaimer: I don't own it. Wish I did though...

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Chapter Fifteen: The Sorting

Hope was still awake when she heard Dumbledore moving around so she got up. Glancing at the time, she sighed when it only read six o'clock . Quickly throwing on some jeans and a long sleeved shirt that was laid out for her, she made her way out into his office and stopped when she heard him talking.

"Who is going to take her, Albus? I can't if she's not speaking to me!"

"Maybe her head of house can take her. We'll see which house she'll be in."

"She'll be in Slytherin. She's got to be cunning to fool the Dark Lord," Snape argued. "Who will take her then?"

"I wouldn't be so sure, Severus. It's true, she's as cunning as Slytherin himself, but she's also very intelligent, like Ravenclaw, and brave, like Griffendor, and loyal to the light side, like Hufflepuff. She could go any direction."

"Fine! But I don't want her going to Diagon Alley with Flitwick or Sprout. They wouldn't know how to protect her in case of an attack!"

"Severus, we will figure it out when it comes time for that. For now, I need to go and wake Hope up so we can size her robe to fit her. Otherwise she'll walk into the entrance hall looking like a muggle."

Hope decided to make it known she was there. "I'm actually already awake."

"Hope! Good Morning, child. I was expecting you too sleep in after the late night. Did you sleep well?"

Hope's only answer was to shrug. "So you need to fit me for a robe, Headmaster?"

"Actually, Professor McGonagall is going to. She's due anytime and is much more talented at these things than I am."

Hope nodded just as the door opened to reveal the older woman. She looked surprised to see Hope already in there.

"Hello Albus, Severus. I presume you are Miss Collins?" The woman asked. At Hope's nod, she continued. "Very well, where would you like us to do this?"

"We could to it in the room I stayed in. It would be less crowded than in here," Hope said, with a pointed look towards Severus.

"Hope, I think we should talk…"

"Excuse me Professor, but I have things that need to be done. Maybe later," she said with a curt voice before turning and leading a very confused McGonagall to the guest quarters. After a few minutes she was wearing a black robe that fit her perfectly.

Hope walked out to rejoin the headmaster and be escorted down to the great hall, but was confused when everyone stared at her.

"What? I really want to know where I'm going to be living for the next year, so can we get this done with, breakfast is starting soon!"

"Hope, look at your robes." Severus said as if she were mad.

"I saw them, can we go!?"

"No, they're not normal robes."

Hope exasperatedly looked down and gasped. Her robes were white rather than black.

"Ugh. How in the world did that happen?"

Dumbledore laughed. "Not a big deal, we can change them back." With a flick of his wand, her robes were black again, only to change back to white a second later.

"Bloody Hell, what is happening?"

"Don't worry about it. Let her robes remain white. I'll look into it while she's shopping and try to figure out if it has ever happened before."

With those words, everyone in the room filed out of his office and headed down to the great hall. Severus and Dumbledore went ahead to the head table while McGonagall stayed outside with a wrinkled hat and a stool.

After a few minutes the chatter inside the hall died away and Dumbledore's voice was heard.

"Good Morning students! This morning we have a surprise for you all before we start our meal. We have a new student joining us and her sorting will take place at this time. Please welcome Hope Collins."

Hope and McGonagall entered to the thunderous applause in the great hall. Following her future professor up to the front of the hall she sat on the bench and felt her mouth drop open when the hat that was placed on her head began to talk.

"Cunning, very cunning. You'd make an excellent Slytherin. But sometimes your bravery overcomes your cunningness, especially when a friend is in danger. You're intelligent and loyal, but those houses would bore you. But which house do you prefer?"

Hope didn't know much of what the hat was talking about, but she really didn't care what house she was in.

"No preference eh? Why don't you be a good witch and call over the headmaster."

Hope sighed but shook her head. If the stupid hat wanted the headmaster it could get him itself.

"We'll see who can wait this out, you silly girl."

Several minutes passed with both just sitting there. Hope refused to lose to a hat, but she was fighting to stay awake. Everyone was wondering what was taking so long and finally a student voiced their question.

"The stupid hat won't make up its mind, and so it says it has to talk to the headmaster but he's all the way over there," she yelled back to the student.

Everyone laughed at the way Hope phrased her statement and turned to look at the now rising headmaster. Dumbledore approached Hope with a twinkle in his eyes.

"You just love causing trouble, don't you Hope?"

"It's not my fault! I didn't change the robes, and I didn't tell the stupid hat to get stuck on which house I belong in! Just put me in both, for goodness sake."

"Hmm…" The hat started speaking again. "That is a good idea."

Dumbledore looked shocked for a moment before recovering. He turned and removed the hat from Hope's head and motioned for her to follow him into a side room. Right before entering he clapped his hands and gave the rest of the school permission to eat, with the exception of Professor Snape and McGonagall, who were to join him.

Once inside the room, Dumbledore explained the situation and devised a way to make this work. Hope would choose which house she wanted to sleep or eat with, and would have a bed in both dorms. The class schedules would be redone so that the Slytherins and Gryffindors had all their classes together and so she would just tag along.

The only problem that persisted was the emblem that would be on her robe. Her mascot would resemble a griffin standing up, wings outstretched, with a snake wrapped around it, and the two looking at each other. Instead of having the name of the house under it, it would have a G and a S tangled together.

With all the details figured out, the four people returned to the great hall and went to make the announcement.

"We thank you all for your patience in this matter. Hope Collins will be placed in Gryffindor house…" He has to pause due to the thunderous roar coming from the table. When the quieted down, he continued. "…and she will also be placed in Slytherin house."

The Slytherin house applauded as well but it wasn't as deafening or excited. Draco looked ecstatic as did Blaise from the Slytherins.

Hope started walking toward Hermione and was enveloped in a hug from her new friend. She ate a little bit, and then was dragged around and introduced to everyone.

"Which dorm are you sleeping in? What about classes? Are you always going to sit with us? How are points going to work?"

She was faced with questions like this from every Gryffindor she talked to. Eventually, she made it out of the hall and was on her way to the Gryffindor common room with Hermione and Ginny, when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Turning around, Hope ran face to face into Severus.

"Hope, I'm going to be showing you the Slytherin common room, and then you're going shopping in Diagon Alley with me and Professor McGonagall. Draco will be waiting by the stairs on the seventh floor in half an hour; he'll lead you down to my office. Don't be late," he said before starting to leave.

"Yes, because who would want to make your precious Draco wait, right? I'll be there, don't worry about that," she said in a huff before turning and walking off, leaving a very upset Snape behind.

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A/N. Hey!!! Here's the next chapter. Getting interesting isn't it?? Yipee...okay, another chapter tomorrow. Love ya'll, please review.

Kayla