When the train finally pulled into Hogsmeade station, it was late in the evening and there was much scrambling to grab their luggage and depart the train. A familiar figure and voice met the X-Men team when they stepped onto the cobblestone platform: Hagrid. "Firs' years, firs' years this way!" he was calling, holding a large lantern in front of him. They pushed their way through the crowd of students and towards Hagrid's large person. He turned to find them all behind him, "You made it! You can leave yer luggage with Filch over there, tha's right." They left their luggage with the man Hagrid had pointed to, Filch, who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else but standing there. He was scowling at nothing in particular, that increased tenfold when they approached him with their suitcases. Argus Filch was a slightly hunched, extremely unpleasant man with a sunken, pasty face and thinning, greying hair. His eyes were pale, like Mr. Ollivander's, but they bulged slightly and were eerie. He had a shuffling gate, causing his brown coat to flap about his skinny ankles and when he took Kitty's suitcase from her, Logan distinctly heard him mutter, "Damn kids, never a thanks, what I wouldn't give to see the old punishments used again."
Logan decided that he really didn't like this man, especially when his dust colored; scrawny cat appeared at his ankles, her large yellow lamp-like eyes staring up at him with disdain and suspicion. He frowned, and the cat hissed, scratching at his leg. He pulled it out of her reach, only to find Filch standing next to him, scowling. "What do you think you're doing?" The cat slunk over to Filch where he picked her up. "Think it's funny to bother my cat do ya? Not a moments peace in all my years here and now I have nasty children and the professors harassing my cat." Logan clenched his fists, "Watch who you're calling nasty, bub," he growled. Filch sniffed, "Terrible. If I had it my way I'd-" "Alrigh' Filch enough of yer mutterin'. No one wan's to hear about what Hogwarts would be like if you ran it. I can tell you it'd be a livin' hell." Filch grunted and went back to muttering curses under his breath and stacking the luggage. "Sorry 'bout tha'. Not the best of conversationalists, Filch." Hagrid led them to the edge of a lake where several boats, most of them filled with students, sat rocking slightly on the dark water. "Three ter a boat, Professor X there's a carriage waitin' fer ya near the forest over there." He pointed to the darkly outlined forest where several students were still straggling to the carriages that waited to take them to Hogwarts. Storm stepped forward, "Charles," she began but Professor X cut her off, "I'll be fine Storm." Hagrid nodded at the Professor's retreating figure, "Course he will! Like I said before, no safer place than Hogwarts." Logan stepped into one of the boats, followed by Kitty and Kurt. Storm, Jean and Scott were grouped together, with Evan, Hank, and Rogue in their own boat. Logan could see Wanda and Pietro in a boat to the far right, and resisted the urge to extract his claws for what was not the last time. Hagrid stepped into the last (and largest) of the boats and hung his lantern on the pole protruding from it. "All righ' then? Everyone here? Then here we go, to Hogwarts." At his command the boats lurched forward, and began cutting through the glassy surface of the Black Lake. Hogwarts wasn't visible quite yet; a few twinkling lights were all they could see. When it did come into view, there was a collective gasp: the picture was nothing compared to the real thing. It was larger than the Institute, and everything the newcomers would expect of a castle. With its many turrets, the largest connected to the Great Hall, the large stone bridge where they could see the dark outlines of carriages being pulled across; it was a truly magnificent and impressive building. How a tiny decrepit ruin, no matter how fake, could hide such an extensive building was beyond comprehension. "It's like a fairytale," Kitty breathed and even Logan had to admit that it was just like he would picture a fairytale castle, if he'd read any fairytales.
The boats slid under a stone arch, through a wall of ivy, and into an underground harbor. Hagrid reached the dock first and pulled himself out of the boat. "All righ' no one fell in did they?" He gave them all a wink and chuckled. "Come on now, follow me." What seemed like an endless staircase stood before them, reaching up the rock face and leading to Hogwarts. Evan's face fell, "Seriously? A school filled with magical beings and we have to climb up a staircase that's at least five miles long?" Hagrid began to trudge up the slope to the bottom of the steps, "Don' worry, s'not too bad." He was right, it was worse. Of all the things to wind him, Logan thought, it was stairs. When they finally reached the top, Kurt had thought, at least seventy times, that it would be so much easier to "apparate" to the top. But one slip up was enough in his opinion. Rogue was ready to collapse and Kitty, upon reaching the top, did so panting. Hogwarts loomed before them, its windows twinkling brightly. Hagrid led them through a set of double doors and up, to everyone's dismay, more stairs. A tall, thin, serious looking woman stood at the top of the staircase, her black hair pulled into a tight bun and a green wizard hat perched on her head. She gave a small smile to the kids and pulled out a piece of parchment. "Welcome to Hogwarts. First years, please, through that door and wait for me to come get you for the sorting ceremony." She pointed to a door on their left and the students began to file in, whispering silently to each other. Kitty, Rogue, Evan, Kurt, Jean, and Scott followed suit and gave small waves before disappearing through the door, which shut behind them.
Logan, Storm, and Hank were now alone with the stern looking woman (Hagrid had disappeared) who looked them up and down before introducing herself. "Minerva McGonagall, deputy headmistress and transfiguration teacher," she said, holding out her hand. Logan hesitated and Hank shook instead, introducing themselves as he did. McGonagall nodded and motioned for them to follow her. "Professor Dumbledore has arranged for a small sorting ceremony, specifically for the four of you to help not only yourselves but the students too. It makes it easier if they know what house their professor is in." They came to a large, ugly statue of a gargoyle that tipped its head when they stopped in front of it. "Password?" it asked. "Lemon drops," McGonagall stated and the gargoyle swung out to reveal a staircase leading upwards. What is it with this school and staircases? Logan wondered, and followed McGonagall up them to a large oak door; she knocked. "Enter," a voice said, and they did.
They entered a large circular room that could only be the headmaster's office. It had many windows on all sides, and a great number of portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses. Hank eyed these curiously, why would anyone, of all the poses, want to paint numerous pictures of people sleeping? The room rose up two steps, with a vast number of rounded bookcases crammed with books, and a large desk in the center. Rounded staircases also sat against the right and left walls, leading to an upper level that held what appeared to be a large globe. The lower section they were standing on, had a fireplace to the left, next to several glass cabinets with odd instruments in them. A number of spindly tables covered with delicate looking silver instruments that did all sorts of odd things like whirring or emitting small puffs of smoke were placed in the center of the room. To the right, in between two more large, glass cabinets, sat a cabinet made of wood, the door slightly ajar emitting a strange blue-ish light.
The man sitting at the desk fit the theme of the office perfectly. Dumbledore sat with his fingertips together, staring at them over half-moon spectacles. His long beard went down past his chest, and was a silvery grey, though its original auburn was still visible in some places. His hair was just as long. His nose was crooked, and his eyes were a piercing, blue that twinkled as he looked at them. He wore robes of a deep purple, and when he stood up, they saw stars and moons embroidered onto them. Dumbledore strode past a fiery red bird, and after patting his head, lifted a tattered old hat from the shelf where it sat, and carried it down the few steps as if it were a treasure. It was then that Logan realized they had company. Professor X was there, watching Dumbledore with the hat, but he wasn't the only one. A thin, sallow faced man stood next to him, partially in the shadows, but his face still visible behind a curtain of greasy, black hair. His eyes were dark like Hagrid's but lacked the friendliness his held. He wasn't smiling, and looked ready for a funeral in his black robes. A small wizard, smaller than the children and who Logan guessed was part-goblin, stood next to the sullen man. He wore green robes and had a wrinkled face with wispy white hair that was receding and a wispy mustache and beard. He was holding a little dark green hat, that he plopped back on his head, only to snatch it off again because of the heat of the fire. (Logan couldn't understand why the fire was going when it was still summer.) A kind, motherly looking witch in a red dress and white apron was also present, a white nurse's cap covering her graying hair. Dumbledore had stridden into the middle of the room, and set the hat on one of the tables, and now opened his mouth to speak. "Friends, old and new, I welcome you back to another year at Hogwarts. I'll keep this speech short and simple, as hearing it twice is never as much fun. Before we head to the wonderful feast that's been prepared, I ask that you wait a little longer to properly sort our new staff members into respective houses." He picked up the hat again and looked around at them, "Who would like to go first?"
Professor X drove forward, and Dumbledore set the old hat on his head. Storm didn't understand how a hat was going to do anything, but let out a gasp at what it did. One of the hat's many creases opened much like a mouth, and it began to speak: "I've never sorted a full-grown wizard before, but it shouldn't be too hard. Now let's see, brilliant mind, o yes, no doubt about that. Brave, and kind, but there's something that sticks out. I must say you've done great things, and I believe you'll achieve even more but to help you…. Ravenclaw!" Dumbldore picked the hat up and turned to Storm, who let Dumbledore place it on her head. Again the hat spoke, "Well, well, smart, strong, brave, I'm not surprised I must be honest, a little easier this time: Ravenclaw!" And so the hat sat on Hank's head, and was considerably faster in sorting him, "O very, very kind heart I see. Hmm a little worried about something unwanted surfacing, but I believe you are strong and smart enough to overcome that, in fact I know. I must say, Hufflepuff!" Dumbledore brought the hat to Logan, who became nervous: the hat was just running its mouth about whatever it felt needed to be said. What would it say about him? He waited, and the hat spoke, "Well, I can see bravery right off the bat. Strong willed, and quite a troubled past we have. Very fragmented but don't worry that can be fixed. Bravery, definitely nerve, and daring no doubts there, yes I'd have to say, and I haven't been wrong yet: Gryffindor!" Dumbledore lifted the hat off his head and handed it to McGonagall, who, along with a short stool, disappeared out the door to attend to the first years. Dumbledore smiled at them, his eyes twinkling, "Well now, officially part of the Hogwart's family," Logan heard the sallow-faced man give a small sniff, "And now we may go to the feast!"
Kitty was extremely excited for being sorted. She'd heard from Jean and Scott that you were placed based on traits, and though the only house she'd been told was undesirable was Slytherin, she felt that she had the traits of all but Slytherin which made her very happy. Kurt yanked her arm, pulling her up a few inches: in her excitement her feet kept sliding through the floor, and this was the third time Kurt had pulled her out before anyone noticed. Rogue could see Wanda and Pietro standing a little ways away, and with their backs to her, she was shooting daggers at them. Pietro turned and saw her glaring. He weaved through the crowd, and came to her side, running a hand over his white hair. "Look, we've had our feuds in the past, but let's say we start over and try to be civil?" The other X-Men heard him, and turned to see who was talking, not really believing it was he that had said it. Jean stared at him, her mind working furiously to find an ounce of falseness in his words through her telepathy but had no luck. She gave a small shrug to Scott, and sent a thought to their friends: he's not lying. Rogue glanced at Jean, who gave a small nod. Rogue held out a gloved hand to Pietro and they shook on it. "I s' pose we can bury the hatchet," Rogue said and Pietro nodded, before slipping back over to Wanda. The door opened and McGonagall motioned for them to follow her, a stool under one arm and a tattered hat in her hand.
Logan and the others had followed Dumbledore and his now fellow professors to the Great Hall where they would feast. Storm was talking to Filius Flitwick, the small wizard who was the Charms professor and head of Ravenclaw house, while the sallow faced man: Severus Snape, Potions Master and head of Slytherin house, walked silently down the hallway, a little bit away from the group. Professor X and Dumbledore were talking cheerily about old times, while Logan walked with the group, but his thoughts as far away as Snape was. The hat had said his memories could be fixed, and so had McGonagall's letter to him. It had said to see Professor Snape for a potion, but how was he supposed to talk to a man he didn't know, nor particularly think he was going to get along with. As though he had read his thoughts (which in truth being a master of Occlumency and Legilemency, the equivalent to telepathy in the wizard world, he probably had), Snape slowed his pace until he was side by side with Logan, before reaching into his robes and pulling out a small vial of a silvery-blue liquid and handing it to him. "This is a memory potion, used to enhance the drinker's memory. Dumbledore told me that your memories needed to be restored, so it has a drop or two of a restoration potion that should help." Logan pocketed the vial in his jeans (which he'd kept on under his robes) and thanked him. Snape gave a curt nod and walked away. Logan decided that for the time being, Snape was not his favorite person, but he still liked him better than Filch.
The Great Hall was an extremely large stone room with a vaulted ceiling that seemed to disappear into the sky (it was bewitched to look that way). Four long, wooden tables sat parallel to each other, benches on either side of them with kids ranging from second to seventh year sitting at them and talking. On a platform sat another long table, reaching from the left side of the room to the right, and had chairs for each of the staff members. A large golden chair sat in the middle where Dumbledore was seated. A pedestal sat in front of the staff table with a golden owl on the front. McGonagall came in through the front doors, first years trailing behind her. When she reached the platform where the staff table sat, she set the stool down with the sorting hat on top. They waited; no one spoke as they watched the hat. It opened the fold near the brim, but instead of speaking, it began to sing.
Greetings to the young and old,
The thick and the thin.
I'm the sorting hat who's told
Where you'll fit in.
I'm sitting here
After all these years
I've become quite patched and frayed.
But I still sing and I still talk cause I was wonderfully made.
By the greatest magics of our time
Who now have gone to rot.
And I'm here to sing this rhyme
And do what they forgot:
To sort you in the house I choose
And out of what I don't.
I say to you I never loose!
And I probably won't
I'll look inside your heart and soul
And mostly in your mind.
To find the things that play key roles:
Hufflepuff if your kind
Brave and true to Gryffindor
To Ravenclaw the wisest under the sky
And still I say there is one more:
Slytherin the cunning and the sly.
To sort you out
That is my job and I'll never tire.
And where I pick without a doubt
Is where your fates transpire.
There was a round of applause as the hat finished, and McGonagall pulled a list out of her robe. "Now when I call your name, come up and sit on the stool." She looked down at the list, "Acre, Jacob." A blond boy climbed up the steps and sat on the stool. McGonagall placed the hat on his head, and it began to analyze him, finding the traits that would define the house he was suited for. Logan wasn't paying attention, he was too busy trying to listen to the whispered conversation between Professor X and Dumbledore, "Oh yes," he heard Dumbledore say, "Not four years ago I celebrated a century of existence." He chuckled, "Of course I received quite a few books, but not nearly enough candy. Only Minerva seemed to remember my regard for lemon drops." Logan refrained from rolling his eyes: how the serious Professor X had ever become friends with such an eccentric man as Dumbledore was a mystery. It did interest him to learn Dumbledore's age; if his hundredth birthday had been less than four years ago, he was just about one hundred and four! Of course, this was not so unusual: Logan was over a hundred as well, though how far over he didn't know. World War II was pretty clear but before that, it was all a little fuzzy. He fingered the vial Snape had given him in his pocket. He wasn't sure how to take it: did he just drink it or should he put it in something?
"Daniels, Evan," McGonagall said, pulling Logan back to the real world. Storm leaned forward a little in her seat, curious if her nephew would be put in the same house as her. The hat seemed to be taking its time, "Well I can say this is quite puzzling. You are related to someone I've placed in Ravenclaw," Storm blushed slightly at her being mentioned, "But there is something about that is different. I can see brains, quite smart, but not used to their potential." Logan snorted: the hat was spot on. Finally, it seemed to have reached a decision, "I think that you'd do well in Hufflepuff, but that's not the best place for you, no. Let's see, GRYFFINDOR!" The scarlet and gold table erupted in clapping and shouting, welcoming their newest member. Storm settled back into her seat and let out a sigh. Logan was perfectly happy to go back to his thoughts, but the next name to be sorted was one he just couldn't allow himself to ignore. "Darkholme, Anna-Marie." Rogue stepped onto the platform and sat on the stool, biting her lip out of nerves. Logan wished he could tell her it was okay, but he couldn't so he just watched. The hat had a hard time sorting her, and only the X-Men knew why: when Rogue came in skin-contact with someone, she absorbed their powers and memories, and most of them hung around. It was probably hard for the hat to find who was Rogue and who wasn't. "My my, quite a jumble here; now let's see, the true you is, hmm, brave, and daring. Little bit of nerve in there." Logan listened to the hat, recognizing the traits it was finding as the same ones it had described him with. He was not surprised, more pleased, when it called out her house: "GRYFFINDOR!" Logan clapped along with the rest of the Gryffindors, watching as Rogue sat down next to Evan. "Two down, Six to go," he muttered to himself, watching as Edson, Sara was sorted into Hufflepuff.
The next couple kids passed quickly, and when Jean was called she was sorted into Ravenclaw, causing the middle right table of blue and bronze to cheer. Kitty listened to each name being called, counting down the letters of the alphabet as Professor moved to each new one. Her heart began to race when McGonagall came to the "M" names: they weren't that far away from her last name, Pryde. She watched with apprehension as Pietro and Wanda Maximoff were both sorted in to Slytherin, and before she knew it McGonagall was calling, "Pryde, Kitty," and she was walking up the stairs and settling on the stool. The hat felt oddly light for something that could talk, but she supposed that was because it was a hat. "Well, right away I can see you're a kind soul, always ready to help others. I see you've helped more than one person who was lost. I can see your life is one that requires tolerance and patience, but also hard work and dedication, all which you possess. I think the best house for you would be HUFFLEPUFF!" Kitty let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding, and made her way to the black and yellow table. Logan watched as Kitty became a Hufflepuff, and saw that there were very few kids left to be sorted; less than ten kids remained. Among them were Scott, Kurt, and Charlie Weasley. Hank, who was separated from Dumbledore by McGonagall's vacant seat, watched with interest as Statin, Lucy was sorted into Ravenclaw, still trying to figure out how such a tattered old hat could know so much. He thought of what it had said, "O very, very kind heart I see. Hmm a little worried about something unwanted surfacing, but I believe you are strong and smart enough to overcome that, in fact I know." He pondered this: could the hat be right? Could he really control his beast form? Fully? The letter sent by McGonagall had said she could help, so maybe it was possible. He rubbed his wrist where a image inducer sat, covering his true beast form. He sighed, it was worth asking.
Scott heard his name called as though from far away and made his way to the stool and the hat. No sooner had the hat hit his head when the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" It was the fastest sorting yet. Scott walked in a happy daze toward the cheering table and sat down next to Rogue, "Good, I'm glad you're here or I'd have been stuck with Spyke here," she said, giving him a small smile. Scott smiled back and turned to the Ravenclaw table, slightly bummed he wasn't with Jean but happy with where he was put just the same. With Scott being the last "S" surname, they moved onto "T's" and after "Nymphadora, Tonks" became a Hufflepuff, the only two left were Kurt and Charlie. Kurt, with his last name being "Wagner" went first and was sorted into Hufflepuff as well, while Charlie became a Gryffindor with the hat saying, "I know you're not the first Weasley, and I don't doubt you'll be the last." Finally, all first years were sorted, the hat fell silent, and McGonagall made her way to her seat next to Dumbledore, who had risen and waited for silence. "Good evening! Another wonderful year at Hogwarts has begun; to our new students: welcome. To our older students: welcome back! First off, I would like to remind all students the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden. Also, Mr. Filch our beloved caretaker," Logan snorted which earned him a kick in the shin from Storm, "Has asked me to remind you of the list of banned items, posted near his office. Now, we have several important announcements, but before I get to those, everyone stand for the singing of the school song!" He flicked his wand and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, twisting into words. "All right, pick a tune, and here we go!"
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald,
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling,
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot.
It was quite possibly the most out of tune, off pace; disconnected singing the X-Men had ever heard. But in its own way, the school's enthusiasm was infectious, and Logan was surprised to hear himself singing along, rather badly, but singing just the same. That's the spirit Logan, Professor X thought. Logan turned to him and smirked, I never thought I'd sing anything like that. Now once did it cross my mind and you only live once right? Professor X smiled joined in the clapping before turning to Dumbledore again, "Music, a magic beyond all we do here. Now, first order of business is some staff changes. Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher, has taken ill. Professor Storm Munroe will be taking over in her absence. Also, Professor Kettleburn has recently lost his arm during a dragon mishap in Romania, and we are fortunate to have Professor Hank McCoy to fill in, who will also be the new Head of Hufflepuff house in Professor Sprout's absence. Lastly, our Defense Against the Dark Arts post has opened, and Professor Logan Howlett will be taking over. I hope you give them the utmost respect. Now, this year we have a visitor, Professor Charles Xavier, who will be staying with us for the year. Before we start the feast I have just a few words to say: Tuck in!"
Almost immediately, the tables became filled with a vast assortment of food: roast beef, chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, bacon, steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, peas, carrots, and much more. Several different types of drinks appeared as well: pumpkin juice, gillywater, tea, water, and cherry syrup. Logan was disappointed: he'd hoped for more firewhisky. Professor Flitwick, who was passing him on his way to Dumbledore, heard his grumbling complaints to Storm and leaned forward, pointing his wand at Logan's cup and filling it with firewhisky. "One of the most useful spells I've ever learned," he squeaked. Logan thanked him and began piling food on his plate. As he dug his teeth into a chicken leg, tearing some of the meat off, Storm gave a sniff of disgust. He turned to her and rolled his eyes, before pointing to Hagrid with his chicken leg, "It's not any worse than him." Hagrid was eating an entire chicken, and seemed to have discarded his silverware as well. Storm returned the eye roll and continued eating. When the first course was finished, it disappeared and was replaced with dessert. Dessert consisted of assorted ice cream, apple and lemon meringue pie, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs, jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, and rice pudding. It was safe to say all of the X-Men fully appreciated it: dessert at the mansion was usually store-bought cookies or ice cream. At last the feast ended, and Dumbledore dismissed them to bed.