The train ride to Hogwarts was...interesting, to say the least. Cassi soon found out that pretty much any time spent in the infamous Weasley twins' presence was...interesting. But she didn't mind at all.
While on the Hogwarts Express with Fred and George as her primary companions, she did many new things. She met Ron Weasley and his friend, Harry Potter, both of whom she liked. She helped a girl named Hermione help a boy named Neville look for a toad named Trevor. She consumed a Cockroach Cluster for the first time - not because she wanted to, but because the twins tricked her into eating one. Her eyes beheld the largest pile of empty Chocolate Frog wrappers she had ever seen in her life. She was told that her new nickname was Whisper. She liked it. She learned a bit about the Weasley family, about Hogwarts, about Quidditch, and about very little else. However, beyond her name (Cassandra Renner), her blood status (full), and her favorite Quidditch team (none, she hadn't heard of Quidditch), she didn't share much about herself. The twins noticed this, but didn't comment.
Cassi attached herself to Ron and Harry once the first years were separated from the other students for the Sorting. One of the staff, a huge man named Hagrid, told everyone to find a boat. Ron and Harry's boat was full, so she found herself in the last boat with an open seat. There were three boys in it - two looked big and slow and not very bright, but the third had sharp gray eyes and looked as though he would see through any tricks you tried, and would punish you for them. The second Cassi stepped into the boat timidly and sat down, he started talking.
"Hello. The name's Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." He threw a quick glance at her, as if daring her to laugh at his name. When he was sure she wasn't, he continued. "Well I'm not much looking forward to the Sorting ceremony, are you? I mean I already know which House I'll be in, so what's the fun?"
Cassi asked curiously, "How do you know what House you'll be in if you haven't been Sorted yet?" The twins had assured her on the train that she would be a Gryffindor, although they admitted that she would make a good Ravenclaw, too. All of it meant nothing to her for the present, but she had catalogued the information for later reference.
"Well I guess no one knows for certain until the Hat tells them, do they, but I'll be in Slytherin. I know it. My whole family have been for generations. I say, are you pure-blood?" Here it was. Cassi had hoped no one else would ask her this. She didn't mind telling the twins, but after people knew she was a pure-blood they always asked about her parents... "Yes, I am."
"Wonderful! What family are you from?" And there it was. Cassi wished she hadn't answered, but it was too late now. "My father's name was Renner." She cringed, waiting for the inevitable comment about "his name 'was' Renner?" But it never came. Evidently the name didn't ring a bell, but Draco was trying to pretend it did. "Ah yes, Renner..." He quickly changed the subject to something he knew more about.
"Did you see that great monster of a man, what's his name, Haggard, or something? I've heard he's the gamekeeper here, but he's not civilized at all and only Hufflepuffs like him. That's what my father said. The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws put up with him, but not the Slytherins! We know a monster when we see one. We know to keep creatures in their proper places. Why, just the other day our house-elf came up to my father and said..."
Cassi never heard what Draco's house-elf told his father, because just then Hogwarts came into view and took Cassi's breath away.
The castle was beautiful with its many turrets and archways. A forest formed one side of the grounds, while the other sides were open and grassy and interrupted only by a shimmering lake. Towers reached up majestically from among the battlements, and against the deep purple sky, Cassi had never seen anything more magical.
Once all the boats reached the shore and Trevor the toad was found and returned to Neville, Hagrid led the first years up to the main entrance to Hogwarts. There he handed off the students to a stern-looking witch in a large pointy hat with a feather in it. The twins had mentioned a Professor McGonagall? Cassi wished fervently that Fred and George were here to explain things. The professor led the students deeper into the castle. Cassi tried to make her way through the throng towards Harry and Ron, but ended up beside Hermione. She must have looked as nervous as she felt, because Hermione was giving her a reassuring smile when the witch stopped suddenly and began to address the students.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she began. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts." Cassi doubted it. My family has a track record of abandoning me and hating me, she thought grimly. I don't need any more family. Especially not one this big. She tried to refocus on what Professor McGonagall was saying.
"While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rule-breaking will lose House points." Cassi immediately thought of Fred and George and smiled. "At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup. It is a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours."
Here the professor advised everyone to try and look their best, and as she left, there was hair-smoothing and robe-straightening like Cassi had never seen before in a bunch of eleven-year-olds. Harry tried to tame his mane, Ron rubbed at a smudge on his nose, Hermione straightened her shoulders, and Draco ran a hand over his slicked-back hair. Cassi just stood there wishing for the twins.
The next few minutes were a blur, and without knowing quite how she got there, suddenly Cassi was standing in front of the whole school watching her future classmates be Sorted. Hermione Granger was made a Gryffindor. So was Neville Longbottom. Then Draco Malfoy became a Slytherin, then Harry Potter was a Gryffindor too. Gryffindor seemed to be the place to be; Fred and George were sending her encouraging smiles and thumbs-up whenever she glanced nervously over to the red-and-gold table. All too soon, it was Cassi's turn. What if the Hat couldn't decide where to put her, or worse yet, didn't put her anywhere? What if it sent her home and told her not to show her face in the wizarding world again? But her thoughts were interrupted when she sat down on the stood by Professor McGonagall and the Hogwarts Sorting Hat was placed on her head. She could hear it thinking.
"Good gracious, another dilemma. Children these days, so well-rounded they'd do fine anywhere. Well, well. The wit is strong, but pliable, good...the heart willing, but reasoning, good, good...the resolve is unyielding, but pure...and the mind is resourceful, but dedicated...where shall I put you? Where do you want to be put?"
Cassi thought. So far, all her friends were in Gryffindor. But what if that wasn't the best place for her? Slowly, she told the Hat, Wherever you decide is where I'll go. No matter what it is. You know better than I do. Even...even if it's Slytherin.
"Well played, my dear, well played," whispered the Hat, "an admirable answer, although you don't make my job any easier. Let's see...I think there's enough support...yes...I'll grant your wish today. Make it GRYFFINDOR!"
The Gryffindor table was all cheering, but Cassi smiled when she saw Fred and George standing on the bench and waving their wands as they shouted. She ran over and squeezed between them, and they both hugged her. Ron was sorted into Gryffindor too, and Cassi was so happy that the Sorting Hat saw the same qualities in her that it saw in her friends.