When I started writing Gale fanfiction, I very quickly jumped onto the whole Hogwarts AU bandwagon that all fic writers seem to have. But then it always begged the question: which houses do Levy and Gajeel belong to? Levy seemed pretty obvious to me as Hufflepuff (with an argument for Ravenclaw of course), but Gajeel was always a toss up. Go stereotypical and pick Slytherin, or be a bit untraditional? And after reading up on House descriptions...well, you can see what I picked :)

Maybe some other time I'll do a Gajeel-Slytherin and Levy-Hufflepuff, cause I shop those two houses like crazy lol :D

Chapter 1

Sorting Hat Fiasco

A hush filled the room, anticipation building as each and every student froze in their seats. Candles flickered and sputtered above their heads and the food in front of them sat forgotten on their plates. The head teachers murmured among themselves for several moments before calling his name.

"Gajeel Redfox. Step forward, please."

Whispers floated across the tables and Gajeel rolled his eyes. It wasn't as if he had asked to be standing up there like some sort of spectacle. He had been perfectly content to stay at home in the muggle world, but of course his dad just had to go missing, creating the perfect opportunity for the magic counsel to inform him of his new guardianship and send his rear end to the wizard school located who knows where.

"Gajeel Redfox. Step forward."

Even he could hear the barely contained impatience in the teacher's voice. Gajeel debated whether he should remain at the bottom of the stairs, but based on the smirks and side eyes the students dressed in green were giving him, he had already created enough of a spectacle.

The whispers stopped as he stepped up to the lone chair sitting on the stage. He slouched in the seat and crossed his arms, nothing like the timid first years who came in front of him. The teacher thrust an old, smelly hat on his head which caused another wave of whispers to start among the students. He sighed again and closed his eyes.

Sure, it was strange that someone as old as he was only just now getting sorted into some silly house, but he had a lifetime of public school under his belt, so no wizard school would intimidate him. His old man already told him of each of the houses: Gryffindor, which seemed to always be at the brunt of all the trouble, Ravenclaws who were too smart for their own good, and Slytherin which nobody seemed to like for some odd reason. His brows furrowed, trying to remember anything his father had said about Hufflepuff. The old man simply smirked whenever Gajeel asked and mentioned something about them being more than 'just the extras.' Whatever that meant.

"Now…let's see…" A raspy voice came from above his head.

Gajeel held back a jump, grateful that his eyes were closed.

"Ah, yes," the voice continued, not caring about the weirdness of the situation, "so much conflict…yet so much potential."

Gajeel growled low in his throat and whispered, "Just stick me in Slytherin already, why dontcha? Everyone knows that's where I'm goin' anyway."

To his surprise the hat chuckled. "Now don't let outward appearances sway you. One has to look deeper inside. To find the heart of the person."

He sighed and opened his eyes. The green clothed students leaned forward in their seats, even more confirming the house Gajeel knew he would be sorted into.

"Even they think I belong with them."

"Well, I do sense that you would do well in that house–"

"Then just sort me already, so I can get off this blasted chair," his growl grew louder and the teacher next to him arched her brow.

The hat chuckled again. "Not much patience, I see. Though I'm feeling a deep sense of justice. Right and wrong. A drive to rise above the challenges life throws at you. And…oh? What's this?" The hat twisted on his head and Gajeel got the distinct feeling it was peering deep into something he'd rather it stay out of, "...loyalty…a fierce loyalty to any you claim as a friend. Yes, you will do very nicely in…"

Why did it sound like he wouldn't get sorted into the house he wanted?

"Our final student will be sorted into…" the hat's voice boomed across the room, startling several teachers and students, including him, "Hufflepuff!

The room erupted. A group of students dressed in yellow and black stood and cheered, grabbing each other as they danced around their seats. The teachers gasped and murmured amongst themselves, giving him strange looks from where they sat. Gajeel yanked the hat from his head and threw it onto the chair, not even bothering to listen to its angry shout.

He stomped down the stairs and headed down the center pathway back to the main doors. He didn't have to deal with this crud. They could cheer all they like, but if they thought he was going to become some silly, quiet, perfect little student then they had another thing coming to them.

He was halfway down the walkway when someone snickered.

"Guess it's true…they'll let any stupid ole' person into the Puffs."

"Yeah, they always get the short end of the wand. Ready to be losers again this year?"

Gajeel froze in his tracks and flexed his hand. The laughing grew louder in his silence and other voices joined the first. Gajeel was used to the slander, the rude comments directed his way, but he was already in a foul mood, so no one would fault him for accidentally losing his temper, now would they?

He spun on his heel and stomped to the laughing boy. The group surrounding him scooted on the benches, giving Gajeel a clean opening.

The purple haired boy sniffed and raised his nose, the scar across his eye furrowing. "Wha–"

Gajeel had him lifted by the collar before the runt could even utter a peep. The room gasped and out of the corner of his eye, Gajeel saw a teacher stand up. Gajeel curled his lip and snarled in the boy's face.

"What did you just say?" he growled, watching how the kid's dark eyes grew comically wide.

He clawed at Gajeel's hand. "I…I…"

"Cause it sounded like you were insulting my house. But you wouldn't be that stupid, now would you?"

"Mr. Redfox! Do you want to earn the record of the fastest house to lose points?"

"We're just talkin'."

Gajeel dropped the boy back at his bench and stalked to the Hufflepuff table. The black and gold-clad students stared as he approached…some with fear, yet others with something he couldn't quite recognize. Students scooted to the side, clearing a small area in the sea of black and gold, and Gajeel sat heavily on the bench next to a small, blue haired girl. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, noticing she hardly came up to his shoulder.

Wonder what year she's in…

He grunted and crossed his arms, looking behind him at the staring students. They quickly ducked their heads and resumed their meal.

Satisfied they would no longer be bothering him, he studied his table and the kids that would now be his classmates. To his surprise many of his fellow classmates met his gaze and smiled brightly. At him.

Gajeel blinked and turned his head, startling when large, brown eyes peered up at him.

"What?" he growled, scooting back on the bench.

The blue-haired girl smiled, making Gajeel blink at the brightness. "I'm Levy, the house Prefect."

He snorted, turning to his food. Of course she just had to be the Prefect.

"It's nice to meet you. I think you're going to be exactly what this house needs."

His head jerked so fast his neck popped. The girl chuckled quietly, the spark in her eye shimmering like starlight. Gajeel heard shuffling and saw that many of the other students were nodding at the girl's words.

Gajeel snorted again and slouched in his seat.

Hufflepuffs were weird.