As the first years sailed, Albus looked down at the icy black water. He thought he saw it ripple for a moment, something big must have moved beneath the water's surface. It must be the giant squid, Albus thought excitedly. He looked up at the giant castle looming over him and thought of one thing only, wow. But wow didn't explain the full glory of it.

The castle's towers rose towards the sky like mountains. A bridge stretched across a gap in the mountains the castle was sitting on. A dense forest sat to the right of them. Albus couldn't wait to get inside Hogwarts and figure out where everything leads. Albus also was scared of getting inside and he half wanted to prolong the wait. He was nervous to find out which house the sorting hat would place him in. Would he be in the same house as his family? Or would he be in Slytherin? Albus' father had told him, right before he left for Hogwarts, that the bravest man he knew was a Slytherin but Albus didn't care if one man who went into Slytherin came out ok. He didn't want to get placed into Slytherin at all.

"So..." began Ruby, who was sitting next to him. "What house do you think you're going to get into?"

"Hmm..." Started Rose but Malfoy cut her off.

"Slytherin." He said sadly and Albus stared at him and replied with,

"I second that."

Rose glared at him. "Albus! Scorpius, you don't know for sure if you're going to get placed in Slytherin."

"Yes I do." He replied. "My whole family got placed in Slytherin."

"Scorp... Slytherin might not even be that bad! I mean, think about it... Um... I'm sure at least one wizard/which has turned out good."

"OK..." Is all he replied with. Albus rolled his eyes.

"Yeah whatever... What house do you think you're gonna get in, Ruby?"

"Why haven't you asked me which house I think I'm going to get into, Albus?" Glared Rose

"Dang, Rose, you have a temper." said Ruby.

"Jut another part of my awesome and special personality!" She fluttered her eyelashes and smiled dramatically,they all laughed.

"So?" Rose pushed.

"So... What?" asked Albus, raising and eyebrow.

"Ugh! Honestly Albus, it's like your head is full of bloody mindless rocks."

"Um... I think all rocks are mindless, Rose." Ruby observed.

"Whatever. You know what I mean. Anyway, I think I'm going to get into Gryffindor."

"Well, obviously. I mean, your whole family is from Gryffindor." said Albus.

"Yeah... But Gryffindor is still the best, in my opinion. What about you Albus?" Albus was half hoping the question wouldn't turn towards him. He had a strong feeling he was going to get placed in Slytherin so instead he said,

"Gryffindor, of course."

"What about you Ruby?" asked Albus, determined to get the conversation's attention away from himself.

"Uh... Hmm..." she began, her brow furrowed down into her eyes. It was kind of cute the way her left nostril twitched when she was concentrating and thinking. "Maybe... Hufflepuff." This startled Albus. He expected her to say Gryffindor like Rose and him did. But she said Hufflepuff... Why? He decided to ask.

"Hufflepuff? Why?"

"Well," she began. "I know both of my parents were in Gryffindor..."

"Yeah."

"But... I don't know. I guess I've always just liked the Hufflepuffs." Albus raised both eyebrows. "Well, I mean, they don't get very much attention and I still think they're really cool. Besides my favorite color is green and I definitely don't want to get in Slytherin and my second favorite color is yellow so... Tada. Hufflepuff!"

"Ah..."

The boats came to a halt on the shore but they didn't lurch like normal boats would when stopping. They rolled up the shore rather smoothly. The first years got out and looked around, not sure of what to do next.

"A'right, ya Squirts! I want three lines at the foot of those stairs! C'mon!"

Albus, Rose, Ruby and Malfoy ran over and lined up behind the other first years, all of them standing in the same line. Hagrid moved towards the front of the lines and told the first years to follow him. They walked up the stairs, shivering from the cold. The stairs seemed to go on forever, even though there were only three flights on the way to the top of the hill. The idea that Albus would be placed into Slytherin seemed to drag him down. He even tripped a few times, Ruby catching him before he could tumble down the stairs.

"Are you ok? Or are your feet just crooked?" she aked.

"Feet... crooked... What?"

She rolled her eyes. "Albus, something's going on and... I know we just met and stuff but you can tell me. Whatever it is, I swear I'm trustworthy."

"I believe you, Ruby, I just..." he sighed an exasperated sigh and almost tripped again, Ruby grabbing him under the arms.

"Albus..." She said, her eyebrows furrowed in a look of concern/annoyance. Albus looked around at all the students who could easily lean in and eavesdrop. Albus was scared of becoming a Slytherin and knows that many other students are but he's still scared of admitting it out loud.

"Later." He replied. She groaned and rolled her eyes, obviously frustrated. They reached the top of the stairs and Hagrid told them to wait there as he disappeared inside the castle.

A few minutes later Hagrid returned with a short little man with white hair and round glasses. He was short as in he was only three feet tall. He hobbled out next to Hagrid and said in a squeaky little voice,

"Hello, first years. I am Professor Flitwick, Deputy Headmister of this school and charms teacher. Now, if you will follow me..." The first years followed Professor Flitwick into the castle, Albus was shivering but not from the cold, from nervousness and anxiousness.

The heavy doors shut behind the last first year and they were on to experience the greatest seven years of their lives.