A/N:

Updated 11/19/13

Still revising some chapters but looking forward to continuing, I still have my old outline and some new ideas, we'll see where it goes.

Thankfully the ride in the coach didn't take so long that small talk ran out, mostly I simply asked after classes the others were taking and more socially acceptable concepts. Let it not be said that an heir of house Ollivander could be left wanting in any of the more formal social graces.

The idle talk continued until, with a final shuddering of the carriage wheels, we had arrived at the castle gates.

From what the others said of their own experience first year I was bit jealous of not riding up the castle in the first year boats. It sounded like a wonderfully magical way to catch sight of Hogwarts for the first time.

The castle was a magnificent sight to behold from afar but it was another matter altogether to look upon it and imagine living behind the beautiful walls. The stones did look aged and the turrets were sloped a bit, but the beauty that came from the weathered look was still enchanting.

I found myself more thankful than when I first stepped onto the crowded platform at Kings Cross, and certainly more grateful than the anger I'd held towards Auggie when he first told me of what his intentions were.

But upon entering the great hall I found myself in front of a stern witch who was dressed in a severely conservative silver robe. She was dressed in robes of both great quality and simplicity, the point was clear this was not a woman who bandied about her station, but took a simpler pride in it.

She also looked very much like someone who didn't tolerate nonsense.

With her silvery hair tightly bound on her head I could plainly see the cuff in her ear. It was a thick solid looking metal, obviously something she took pride in because the glint of setting sunlight light had it ablaze with a glittering shine, obviously well kept.

Taking just a moment to analyze her figure and look at the colors swirling around her body I was suitably impressed. The dove white with thin bands of teal formed a loose haze around her body, at least eight inches on all sides, and was moving statically in diagonal patterns. She also smelled very strongly of lemon grass and another herb I could hardly detect.

She wasn't the most powerful or aged woman id seen wondering the streets of Diagon, Nocturne and the other alleys, but she was assuredly not a push over either.

Her eyes flashed blue fire as I finished my thoughts and I found myself wondering what in the Morgana's name I had done. I hastily checked my Occulemancy shields on the chance she was reading my thoughts and found them as secure as they had always been, layers of steel and deceit crafted into the ideal defense.

My heart constricted in my chest as I was brought back sharply to the facts of life at Hogwarts, no matter what Miss Lovegood had said, this was a school run by the light. And I, with this fierce matron scowling down on me, so clearly did not belong within its walls.

But before I could voice any question, perhaps even a plea to return home immediately, she had begun speaking, her voice as severe as her demeanor suggested.

"My name is Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Head of House Gryffindor. And you, Mr. James, since you do not yet have a house designation, will follow me to the first years and be sorted as if this were, is, your first day at Hogwarts." But she continued even as she began walking away. "As you should have been at age elven."

Being patronized is one of my greatest pet peeves, and my anger my greatest failing.

Thus it's inevitable that I had to respond.

Carefully of course.

"And I do regret coming to the magnificent school of Hogwarts so late in my education" I began not fighting hard to push real awe into my voice, "I had other interests I had to pursue, Augustine is mentoring me in Wandlore and Craft, He felt it was his duty to have his Heir come to school as thoroughly learned as possible"

And with as much other knowledge as could be crammed into a Childs head as possible, of course, but she needn't about know that.

The Matron, Headmistress, looked down at me with softer eyes, "I do understand Mr. James but you would do well to understand this is not traditional in the least, students have been pulled out of school earlier to begin a learned apprenticeship but it is not highly condoned the opposite way."

And again with a gimlet eye on me we were on our way once more.

The room she led me to was filled with a group of wide eyed children all the glowing shades of the rainbow, even a whiff of different and subtle smells here and there of the more powerful children.

I couldn't help but over hear some of the nervous chatter around me. It was all to do with the sorting and all the outrageous things they might be forced to do to prove they were in one house or another.

Some theory's made more sense than others, but I was sure how battling a Troll would let it be decided if you were in one house of the other, maybe it would depend on how quickly you won?

McGonagall then called everyone to attention and explained what would be happening much to the relief of everyone, and began leading us toward the great hall. When we entered the huge room, easily large enough to fit the whole of Diagon alley in it, I immediately felt the stares and heard the whispers rise from all four tables.

Ignoring them all I stared contently up at the enchanted ceiling and waited for my name. The book 'Hogwarts: A History' didn't do justice the powerful charm work and simple elegance plied into the very rafters to make such a realistic night sky.

"James, Eli" Rang out across the hall before I'd realized.

I walked forward to the small three legged stool and sat down with grace, as much as I could muster, it seemed everyone in the Hall was looking right at me.

McGonagall placed the old hat on my head and I waited for something to happen.

"Now, now boy, lets not get impatient, older students are such a joy to sort" The sarcastic voice, that must be the hat, rumbled in my head.

'so you are sentient?' I thought to the hat.

"Merely enchanted headwear Mr. James, the thoughts of all four founders pulled together into a hat. No if we're done with the questions I'm going to sort you now" the voice said.

I was burning with curiosity about how the hat had been created, but I let my thoughts quiet, only asking one of my many questions.

'Do you speak of what you find in someone's head?'

" I do not Mr. James, Salazar saw to that, not wanting every child who ever put me on to have their secrets banded about, especially since all his own sprogs would eventually wear me. Now be silent and let me take a look at what you're made of"

The hat was quiet for a few moments and then began a running dialog, much like someone who thought out loud.

"Hmm, yes, yes, a burning drive is there, the ambition, enough to choke on, all very focused though, revenge or just spite really. You want to better yourself, but it's not really for yourself now is it? All for your Dark Lady, really.

No Slytherin is no good for you, you'd be disgusted in the first week and a murderer by the end of a month.

But you are clearly Dark, to the depths of your bones and deep in your soul. The whole of the lighter houses would be uncomfortable with you; you'd never have a real ally with them.

No real thirst for knowledge though, and if I were a different sort of hat, that would be that and you would be sorted right into Gryffindor, where someone with your courage ought to go, but it's a new age and to do that would turn out very poorly indeed.

Better be RAVENCLAW!" the hat shouted the last bit aloud and finished in my head once more "Though I hope not to regret it."

I took of the hat and with a sharp bow to McGonagall I walked toward a smug looking Miss Lovegood and the very happy Twins from the train even as my robes trimmed themselves in blue and my Hogwarts crest became one of bronze and blue with an eagle emblem

StarGuide2013