"This is it," Char whispered to me as we entered a giant room with floating candles. "We'll be sorted."

"Sorted…" I mumbled as I looked around the room. "What are the… uh… houses?"

"Goodness, you don't know?"

I shook my head sheepishly.

She smiled. "It's alright. A lot of muggleborns don't know."

"Muggleborns?"

She slowed her pace a little, falling behind the other students. "How much do you know?"

I shrugged. I hadn't expected there to be so much about this world. I thought I'd known pretty much everything there was to know.

"Well, the houses. We'll start there."

She began explaining to me that there were four houses. Like teams. You're sorted into one house according to your personality, skills, and etc. She told me there was Gryffindor. Where the brave and loyal ones go. And then Ravenclaw, where the clever and witty ones go. That one sounded really inviting to me. Then there was Hufflepuff - whatever the hell that is - they're sorted because they're very humble. People say they're just the left-over kids. That sounded aweful to me. And then there was Slytherin.

"There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin."

This came from the lanky ginger kid. He was telling the kid in glasses.

"Exactly," said Char. "Some Slytherins are good, see. They're just sneaky, like a snake. But some…. they're as venomous as a snake."

I swallowed. "I don't like the sound of that."

"I prefer Gryffindor myself. My mam was in Gryffindor and dad was in Slytherin…. He's not bad, though. He supports the muggleborns. My mam was one."

"What's a muggleborn, now?"

But before Char could tell me, they called her name.

"Ackles, Charmaine!"

Charmaine grinned at me, then went to the front and sat on a stool. I'd completely forgot to watch the others. I didn't even realize there was a stool.

The woman from earlier place a shabby looking hat on Char's head. I jumped when the hat began to speak!

"Ah, Charmaine Ackles. Yes…. very loyal, very loyal. You'd be great in Gryffindor, but alas. I think you'll do better in Slytherin!"

Char's face went pale as she stood from the stool. She gave me a sorry look as she joined a table of cheering kids in black robes with green trim. I felt my heart drop and my stomach turn.

"There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin."

"They're as venomous as a snake."

It couldn't be true. My first friend at Hogwarts and she had the potential to turn evil. Unless I was put in Slytherin. Maybe I could keep her in line.

The next few kids seemed to take forever to be sorted. He kid with glasses (Harry, was his name) was sorted into Gryffindor, along with, Ronald, the lanky ginger. The blond kid was sorted into Slytherin. His name was Draco.

What a strange name, I thought.

"Turner, Misty!"

As soon as my name was called I ran up to the stool, eager to know where I'm placed. Before I could even get comfy on the seat, the hat placed me.

"Gryffindor!"

No!

The woman nudged me to leave the stool. I joined the table with kids beckoning me toward them. They had red trim on their robes.

"Welcome to Gryffindor!" said a black kid with dreadlocks.

"You'll have great fun with us!" said one twin ginger.

"How about you try this ton tongue toffee?" said the other.

I shook my head. The curly headed ginger - where were they coming from! - from the train shook his head at the twins.

"Those are my brothers, Fred and George. Never trust them. They're troublesome. You look like a young girl who abides by the rules… like me!" He grinned.

I raised my eyebrow and his grin faded.

"Oh! No! About the rules! Not about being a young girl!"

"Lookie here," said the first twin.

"The newbie made Percy admit he's a little girl!" said the second.

"Shut it, you two!" Percy snapped at the twins. He stood up and sat near a girl that was at the table of kids with blue on their robes.

"Ignore him, mate," said the first twin. "I'm Gred."

"And I'm Forge," said the second twin.

I smiled as I shook their hands. I didn't realize making friends here would be so easy.

"So you're a first year," said Ronald. "I'm a first year too, though, you probably figured that out. I'm Ron."

"Yeah, I might be a mugleburn, but I can figure that out," I chuckled.

"Mugleburn?" his face screwed up in confusion.

"I believe she means muggleborn, Ronniekins."

"Shut up, git!" Ron snapped.

Harry leaned in. "Don't worry, I don't very much about this world either."

Ron nodded in agreement.

"Ron's been a big help, see, and I don't think he'd mind helping you out either."

"Him help her?" a small but stern voice said by Fred - or George. I don't know.

It was a girl with bushy hair. "She'd be better off with a toad."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Oh? A toad like you, I suppose."

The girl scowled at Ron, then turned back to me and forced a smile. "I'm Hermione Granger. I'll gladly be your mentor."

"Oh, come off it, Herman," said Ron. "You're a muggleborn just like her!"

"And yet I can cast a spell and you can't."

Ron mumbled something I couldn't hear.

"You have to help Harry out anyway, Ron," I said. "To help two people? That will stress you out."

Ron nodded, reluctantly I think.

A man with a long, white beard hushed the students and began talking. I couldn't register anything he was saying. I was paying attention to Char at her table. She was looking at her gold plate, crying. Why was she sad? Sure we were on opposing teams, but that's not so bad.

When the man finished speaking, a feast appeared on our plates. I didn't bother filling my plate. Between the snacks on the train and worrying about Char, I didn't have much of an appetite.

"Difg un!" Ron said with a mouthful.

"Oh, that's very charming," said Hermione.

Ron said something else with a mouthful, but I couldn't tell if it was 'shut up' or 'shove off'.

"You should eat, Misty," she said as she put a chicken leg and a roll on my plate. "This is one of the two feasts all year!"

I sighed as I picked at the roll and ate it crumb by crumb.

"If you haven't an appetite for the feast," said one twin, I deemed him Fred.

"You should eat this ton tongue toffee!" said George.

I shook my head again as I put green beans and mashed potatoes on my plate. I looked for a drink.

"Where's the soda?" I asked.

The gingers raised their eyebrow. "What's soda?"

I widened my eyes. "You don't-"

"-have soda," Hermione cut in. "We don't have soda. But we have water, pumpkin juice, and I think some tea is over there by Katie."

"Uhh," I didn't know what pumpkin juice was and I was picky with my tea. "I'll just take some, uh, water."

Hermione handed me the pitcher of ice-cold water. I had trouble pouring it, so Fred took it from me.

"You're too tiny to hold such a large pitcher," he chuckled. "Let me help."

After supper, the Gryffindors were taken to their common room and showed their dorms. I shared a dorm with Hermione, Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown, and Bridget Foster, another ginger.

I sat down on my four poster bed, next to Stray who had already fallen asleep. I wondered how she knew it was my bed? I blew off the question and assumed it was a crazy coincidence. I slipped into my pajamas and crawled into bed. Stray I pulled Stray up to my chest and cuddle her for comfort.

I felt weird, though, sleeping in a room with girls I've just met. I also felt a little homesick for my old bed. I also had a longing in the pit of my stomach for Char's company. I missed her terribly. I felt like I've been best friends with her for all of my life. Rooming with these other girls felt wrong.

I tossed and turned in bed. I kicked my blankets off because I was hot. Five minutes later, I pulled them back on because I was freezing. I was unbelievably tired, but sleep seemed more and more impossible.

Next thing I knew, Hermione was waking me up. "Get your robes on, we have to get to breakfast before Charms starts!"

"Five more minutes, mom," I mumbled.

Hermione groaned. "Get up!"

I finally pulled myself out of bed and started getting dressed. Hermione told me she'd meet me in the common room and I only had three minutes. I rolled my eyes as she left the room.

"Is she your friend?" Bridget asked.

I thought for a moment. Was Hermione my friend? She referred herself as my mentor, and maybe that's all she wants to be.

"Uhh," I finished tying my shoes and looked up at Bridget, who was snapping her robe closed. "Could you help me with my tie?"

She walked over and began slipping the ends through the loops she made. "Who tied it for you last night?" she asked.

"Uh, just a girl who was on the train with me," I answered.

"Is she the one who was sad at the Slytherin table?"

"Were you-?"

"I observe people," she said. "I'm sort of a wallflower. I figured the best people to observe were my roommates. I noticed you watching her with worried eyes. Is she okay?"

"I don't-"

"Misty! Time's up!"

Bridget finished my tie took a step back. "Looks good." She sat on her trunk and began tying her shoes.

I slipped on my vest and robe. "Thanks," I said as I left the room. I spinted down the stairs and into the common room. I stopped in front of Hermione, slightly winded. "Sorry, Bridget was helping me with my tie."

"Hmm," she said as she handed me my schedule. "Thankfully we have all of our classes together."

"Oh, that's great," I lied. Hermione glared at my lack of enthusiasm.

"We do have Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts with Ravenclaw, Herbolgy and History of Magic with Hufflepuff and Double Potions with Slytherin."

"Exciting." Once again, she glared at my lack of enthusiasm.

"Where's your bag?"

I shrugged. "In my trunk?"

"Brilliant," she mumbled. "Well? Run up and get it, then!"