Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter OR Twilight, except for copies of the books.

AN: I'm glad you've all liked it so far! I'm going to update once a week so I have time to write new chapters. Thanks for the awesome reviews!!

teamjakeedward just to answer your reviews, Hermione figures out about the Cullens so quickly because, a) she's a smarty-pants, and b) because she's already in the Magical world, the concept of vampires, etc aren't so strange to her, plus it's obvious to her that there's something up with them.

Also, I know Jacob looks about twenty-something, but just remember that these guys have supposedly only just discovered their magic and he needs an education in it. Since this is the story they're telling everyone, most people accept that he's older than everyone else but still at school.

7. Sorting the Cullens.

APOV

Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay!

We're at Hogwarts!

This is even cooler than that time that Jazz let me spend three days straight in a shopping mall!

People were already staring at us, and we weren't even off the train yet! I just beamed at everyone who caught my eye. I honestly didn't get why Bella hated attention! She probably hit her head one too many times when she was human and messed up her brain. Knowing Bella, it probably did happen.

Ugh! What was taking my family so long? They should show a little enthusiasm! I groaned out loud. They were going so slow! I mean, seriously, what's the point of having superhuman speed if you're just gonna drag yourself along like a turtle?

Edward chuckled from behind me and I turned to glare at him.

Yeah, Edward, go ahead and laugh, but would you just hurry up?

"Sorry, Alice," he laughed.

How about a little sincerity next time?

He only laughed louder.

I couldn't stay grumpy at him for long; I was far too excited!

"Hey, Alice!" called a voice I recognised as Hermione's. At least she seemed happy to be here!

"Hi! Oh, this is so exciting! I can't believe I'm at a magic school! Aren't these robes awful? I mean, they aren't even designer! Do I have to put on that hat during the Sorting? It looks terrible and I already know what house I'm gonna be in, so there's really no point!"

We stepped off the train onto the platform. Hermione rushed off to find Harry and Ron, but I stayed behind, waiting for my family to show up. They sure took their time, too. When they finally joined me, Bella glanced around shyly.

"I suppose we just follow everyone else?"

I nodded. "There are carriages out on the street to take us to the castle."

Jasper took my hand and smiled down at me. "Shall we go, then?"

I started forward in reply, literally dragging him along behind me. I could hear the others following us.

"Ew!" complained Rosalie when she saw what was pulling the carriages.

"I second that," muttered Bella, "Edward, what are they?"

"I don't know," my brother admitted, frowning, "I…hmm."

"What?" I asked.

"It would appear that only very few people here can see them."

"Really? That's interesting. Do you know why that is?"

"I don't. However, we should find a carriage. We aren't looking very human standing out here in the rain."

We needed two carriages to fit all eight of us, and then we were heading up to the castle. It looked even better than it had in my vision!

"Wow!" we all exclaimed. Even Rose looked impressed.

Our feet made no sound as we lightly crossed the huge Entrance Hall and followed the students to the next hall along.

I heard Jasper beside me whistle as we took in our surroundings.

The students all sat at four long wooden tables, calling their friends over and laughing amongst themselves. There was a fifth table at the end of the hall where members of staff watched them. I spotted Carlisle and Esme sitting side by side at the end of the table, smiling and talking to a very short old man next to them. I also noticed several pearly white ghosts drifting between the tables. I inhaled deeply but could find no scent coming off them.

I looked up to see the ceiling reflected the night sky outside.

"What do you think would happen if it showed the sun?" wondered Bella, following my gaze.

I searched forward and saw us under the sunlit ceiling, sparkling in the sun's rays.

"We'll avoid the Great Hall when the sun's out," I told her.

Edward suddenly looked up sharply. "Dumbledore wants to speak to us," he muttered to the family.

Everyone stared at us as we made our way to the staff table, pointing and whispering. I took Jasper's hand and held it tight when I heard a small group of girls wondering in whispers whether he was single or not.

"Welcome to Hogwarts!" said Dumbledore when we stopped in front of him. "I trust you all had a good train journey? Excellent! Now, if you would like to wait here before the Sorting begins? It shouldn't be long now."

"Fifty-seven seconds," I told him promptly.

Dumbledore smiled at me. "I am sure you will love the subject of Divination, Mrs Whitlock-Cullen. I expect you will teach our Professor Trelawney a thing or two."

I grinned back. "That lady doesn't have a clue! Tea-leaves? Crystal balls? Purlease!"

Edward laughed quietly.

Precisely thirty-one seconds later, the doors to the Great Hall opened and Professor McGonagall, whom we had met in London, trotted toward us, followed by a line of nervous looking first-years. My poor Jasper must be overwhelmed by the hundreds of different emotions in the hall.

McGonagall stopped the kids when she came to a small wooden stool with the Sorting Hat sitting on it. My family joined the group of first-years and everyone looked at the Hat expectantly. I smiled, knowing what was coming next and waiting for my family's reactions.

The Hat started singing.

Bella gripped Edward's arm in surprise. Renesmee jumped back and Jacob stepped in front of her, staring at the Hat through narrowed eyes. A low hiss escaped Rose. Emmett, of course, just snorted in amusement. "What the f..!?"

Edward cut him off by whacking his shoulder. "We're surrounded by eleven year olds!" he reminded Emmett.

The Hat finished its song and earned a round of applause. Professor McGonagall now addressed the new students.

"Come forward when your name is called and place the Hat upon your head, so you can be Sorted into your houses."

The first boy, Euan Abercrombie, was placed in Gryffindor, as was the next student.

McGonagall went through all the A's, all the B's, and most of the C's while I was getting more and more excited.

Finally, she announced, "Cullen, Alice!"

Taking an unnecessary deep breath, I walked forward and picked up the Hat…

EPOV

This Hat really was fascinating! I heard what it thought as it Sorted each student, as if it had its own brain. The way it picked through the minds of the students was very similar to Aro's power. As soon as it touched the kid's head, it would search through every thought the mind had ever held in order to pick out their strongest quality. I was utterly intrigued.

I watched my sister lower the Sorting Hat on her head, and the mental conversation between them began.

"Well, well, well, isn't this different? A vampire at Hogwarts! I have never seen anything like it!"

"Yeah, yeah, Hat," thought Alice, "I've heard it all before. Just get to the Sorting, would you?"

"Let's see…" the Hat pondered, "hmm, a fortune teller. And you use your visions to go for the smartest choice. You gain wisdom from them…I'll have to say…RAVENCLAW!"

The Ravenclaw table erupted into applause as the pixie-like girl skipped gracefully over to them, beaming.

"Cullen, Emmett!" called McGonagall.

Emmett bounded forward and crammed the Hat onto his head, almost ripping it in half.

"Now this is difficult," thought the Hat, "You're so brave you're stupid, so Gryffindor would be the best option…"

"Aw, come on!" whined Emmett, "Gryffindor? Hey, put me in Slytherin!"

"Well, you do have a couple of Slytherin characteristics; frightening; a bit of a bully…"

I chuckled.

"…very well then. SLYTHERIN!"

"Hell yeah!" shouted Emmett, and took off down the hall to sit with the Slytherins.

"Cullen, Jacob!" announced McGonagall.

Jacob released Renesmee's hand reluctantly and took his time putting the Hat on.

"Okay, give me your worst," he thought.

"Ah, now; this one's easy! Mountains of loyalty – to your pack, your soul mate, your best friend…even to those who were once your enemies! HUFFLEPUFF!"

Jacob looked surprised, but I grinned at him, realising how right the Sorting Hat was.

We had to wait for Professor McGonagall to get to the H's before Jasper could be Sorted.

"Hale, Jasper!"

"Go Jazz!" squealed Alice, causing half the school to laugh. Jasper smiled at her in embarrassment and pulled the Hat on. It took the Hat a second to see how Jasper looked at things logically and always figured out the best way to approach a situation.

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Yay, Jazz!" shouted Alice, jumping up and down in excitement. Jasper took the seat beside her and pulled her into a hug.

"Hale, Rosalie!"

Rose looked at the shabby Hat with distaste before picking it up between her fingertips and setting it lightly on her blonde hair.

"Shallow, self-absorbed, anti-social, bitchy…"

A growl built up in Rosalie's chest. "I hope you're enjoying this, Edward! Say whatever you want, Hat, but if you've messed up my hair I will tear you to shreds!"

The last thought did it.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Rosalie stormed over to Emmett, who was cheering wildly, while Jacob howled with laughter from the Hufflepuff table.

I knew it! he thought.

I waited patiently with Bella and Renesmee, watching the other students as they were Sorted.

"Masen, Edward!"

I kissed Bella on the forehead and wished her and Renesmee luck before I moved forward and put the Hat on.

"Hello, young Edward," muttered the Hat in my ear.

"Good evening," I thought back politely.

"Hmm, let's see. Great intelligence. Extremely loyal to your family, especially your creator. But mostly brave, doing anything to protect your family, always doing the right thing. GRYFFINDOR!"

"Thankyou," I thought before taking the Hat off and going to sit with the rest of the Gryffindors, including Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Masen, Renesmee!"

Nessie left her mother's side and picked up the Hat.

"Aren't you a bit young to be here?" teased the Hat once it was upon her head.

"I'm about as old as the rest of the first-years!" she retorted.

"Very well. You have intelligence and bravery beyond your years! You would do extremely well in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. However, you are also a good person and you belong with your other half in HUFFLEPUFF!"

I watched with pride as my little girl crossed the Hall to sit with Jacob.

My Bella was now all alone amidst the first years. She was fidgeting nervously and were she human, her cheeks would have been bright red, a trait I still missed after ten and a half years.

"Jasper," I muttered, "please help her calm down."

Sure thing, he thought from the Ravenclaw table.

I watched Bella relax and flash a grateful smile at Jasper.

"Thanks," she whispered.

The remaining group was halved before Professor McGonagall announced, finally, "Swan, Isabella!"

Bella looked positively alarmed and looked at me with her eyes wide.

"You'll be fine," I encouraged with a smile.

She didn't hesitate any longer and placed the Hat upon her head.

"Ah, Isabella, I've heard much about you from your family."

"It's Bella," she muttered.

The Hat chuckled. "Of course, of course. Now this is easy! Twelve years ago, you knowingly walked to your death to save your mother and your love."

I cringed at the memory.

"A while later you saved your love from the Volturi, knowing there was a probability you would die. After that, you risked your life for your baby. When you were changing from human to vampire, you faced two days of agony without uttering a sound to save your love from emotional pain."

I froze. What? Bella had never told me this! Two days of agony? She felt it all? But the morphine…

"Edward?" asked Hermione, watching my face, "Are you okay?"

I didn't answer, frozen as I was after hearing the Hat. Bella snapped her head up when she heard Hermione and met my eyes with a mixture of horror and apology.

"This is why you kept quiet, is it?" continued the Hat, "Well, there is no doubt as to where you belong. GRYFFINDOR!"

My stress vanished when I saw Bella running towards me. I stood up to kiss her when she reached the table and we sat down together.

The Sorting ended with a girl named Rose Zeller and at a couple of words from Dumbledore, a feast appeared magically on the tables.

Bella and I filled our plates for a human effect, but just picked at it with our fingers.

A ghost known as Nearly Headless Nick glided over and sat between us.

"Welcome to Gryffindor house!" he said heartily.

"Thankyou," replied Bella shyly.

Nick was about to say something, but was cut off by Ron, who was chewing a piece of chicken loudly. He stared at the eating students wistfully. It seemed that ghosts were unable to eat.

"You're not missing out on anything good," I reassured him. "All this human food just tastes like dirt."

The ghost gave a small, appreciative smile before turning to talk to Harry, Ron and Hermione about the Sorting Hat's Song.

The dirt eventually vanished from our plates and Dumbledore stood up to speak.

"To our new students; welcome! To our old students; welcome back! As I am sure you have noticed, we have, besides our first years, eight new students among us. Though Alice, Emmett, Jacob, Jasper, Rosalie, Edward, Renesmee and Isabella are late in beginning their magical education, I sincerely hope you will treat them just as any other student at Hogwarts."

He paused to smile at us. "Having said that, I will now introduce to you our new members of staff. We are delighted, of course, to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will take over the teaching of Care of Magical Creatures in Professor Hagrid's absence. Also, I would like to introduce Professor Cullen," he gestured to Esme, "who will be teaching Muggle Studies, accompanied by Doctor Cullen," Carlisle gave a small wave, "who will also be assisting Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing. It is lastly my great pleasure to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

Dumbledore was halfway through an announcement when a small hem hem interrupted him. He looked expectantly at a short, squat woman who was wearing a fluffy pink jacket and matching headband in mousy brown, curly hair.

The woman – Professor Umbridge – cleared her throat again. She thanked Dumbledore in an annoying, high pitched voice and began a long speech about how the Ministry of Magic was planning on interfering at Hogwarts through her, although only Hermione, the teachers, and we Cullens picked up the meaning. She finished speaking and I glanced around at my family to see what they thought.

Keep and eye on the woman, Edward, Carlisle told me through his thoughts.

Emmett looked unworried, as usual, and Rose was busy examining her fingernails at the Slytherin table.

Jasper met my eyes, frowning, while beside him, Alice was staring at Professor Umbridge's outfit, looking mortified.

Jacob and Renesmee were whispering to each other urgently. For some reason, they both had an especially bad feeling about her.

Dumbledore dismissed us and we followed Harry up to the Gryffindor common room while Ron and Hermione went off to do prefect duties. Harry stopped in front of a painting of a fat lady who looked right at us.

"Password?" she asked.

Harry paused. "Er…" He looked at me for help, but I shrugged.

"She's a painting. She doesn't have a mind for me to read."

"Harry!"

I turned to see the boy Neville Longbottom running towards us. "Oh. Uh, hi, Edward, right? And Isabella?"

"Bella," she corrected automatically.

"I know the password! I'll actually remember it this time!" Neville held up a funny looking pot plant. "Mimbulus Mimbletonia!" he announced and the painting swung forward to reveal a hidden doorway.

"I feel like I'm in a James Bond movie or something," muttered Bella as she climbed gracefully through the portrait hole.

The Gryffindor common room reminded me of mine and Bella's cottage in Forks. It was small and cosy, with soft armchairs around a fireplace and tables scattered around the room.

It was also crowded with students, whereas I needed to speak with Bella privately.

Harry pointed out the two staircases leading to the boys' and girls' separate dormitories. I thanked him before taking Bella's hand and pulling her to the boys' dorm.

I found my suitcase sitting next to one of the beds and sat down, leaning my head on my palms in anguish.

"Bella…" I moaned.

I felt her sit beside me silently. "You heard what the Sorting Hat said?"

I couldn't look at her. "Bella, I am so very sorry! I never knew! I truly am a monster!"

"No!" said Bella firmly. She pulled my hands away and forced me to meet her eyes. "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, you listen to me! You are not a monster! We had no idea the morphine wouldn't work. It wasn't your fault!"

"But you must've been in so much pain!" I winced at the memory of my own transformation and couldn't bear the thought of my angel going through the same agony.

Bella grimaced but quickly straightened her face out. "Edward," she whispered softly, "This is exactly why I never told you. Why I didn't utter a sound while I was burning." She cringed again. "I knew that every scream I made would only torture you."

"This is all my fault!" I mumbled, "I should never have agreed; should have left you human!"

"I would've got my way in the end," she told me, smiling a little, "But what's done is done. It happened years ago! And I have never regretted it. The pain was worth it because now I have you forever."

"Forever," I agreed, and put my lips to her hand. I wouldn't speak with Bella about it again, but I would never, ever forgive myself for hurting her.

The dormitory door opened and Harry and Neville came in with two other boys we hadn't met yet.

"Oh!" exclaimed Harry, turning red when he saw me and Bella on the bed together. "Er, sorry. We didn't realise anyone was up here."

"That is perfectly alright," I replied, sliding Bella across so she was sitting on my lap with my arms around her. "You didn't interrupt anything. Bella and I were merely talking."

The two unfamiliar boys were staring at us in awe and I smiled at them politely. "I'm afraid I haven't had the chance to introduce myself yet. I am Edward Masen and this is Bella Swan."

"Dean Thomas," mumbled the first boy. As if they were just talking! If I found myself alone with that babe on a bed…

"I would appreciate it greatly if you stopped staring at my girlfriend like that, Dean," I told him, making my voice as cold as possible. As if he could feel the iciness of my tone, Dean shivered and looked down at his feet.

"Edward! No need to scare the poor kid," teased Bella. She grinned at Dean before turning her attention to the other boy. "What's your name?"

"Er, Seamus. Seamus Finnigan," the boy replied in a grumble. I didn't need my older brother's special talent to tell he was in a bad mood. I searched his mind to figure out why.

Can't believe I'm stuck back here with the nutter! He's either lying or crazy! As if You Know Who's back…

It didn't take long for Seamus to voice his thoughts and begin an argument. I was happy for Harry to know that both Dean and Neville believed him, and watched them fight with Seamus until Ron took advantage of his new prefect responsibilities.

To ease the tension in the room, everyone except Harry and Seamus began asking Bella and I about ourselves. After a while, Bella gave a realistic yawn and said she should be getting to bed.

"I'll meet you in the common room when these guys are asleep," I whispered as she reached up to kiss me.

"Don't keep me waiting too long," she replied, then, louder, "Goodnight, Edward."

"Goodnight my Bella. I love you."

She smiled at me and kissed me once more before she headed downstairs. As soon as the human boys heard her light footsteps fade away, they started whistling. I just laid back on my bed and waited for them to fall asleep so I could see my love once more.