A/N: You know the deal

"So what house are you hoping for?" I asked as we filed into the aisle.

Kendrick shrugged and we exited the train. It was pitch black outside and I found myself shivering from the cold. "Is it always this cold in September?"

I heard Kendrick snort. "Where are you from in the States, anyhow?"

"Georgia."

"Well, yes. This is Britain. It gets cold here quickly." I wrapped my robes around me tightly but it didn't seem to help any. Just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, I saw a lamp appear over our heads.

"Firs' years over here! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"

Harry? Surely not Potter. Doing a quick calculation in my head I realized it probably was the legendary Harry Potter. I had only read about him over the summer, how he had defeated the greatest dark wizard of our time at the mere age of one. The author seemed rather enthused, but I could only view it as sad. He was just a baby, he wouldn't remember. All he probably ever knew was that his parents were gone. Empathy overtook me; after all, orphans have a tendency to feel for one another.

I looked up to see the biggest man I had ever seen. He was a giant of a man, with wild black hair and a great, fluffy beard. I caught my mouth hanging open and closed it quickly. Likely, he was at least half giant. He was too huge not to be.

"C'mon, follow me-any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" The man was going down an incredibly narrow path. With it being as dark as it was, I found my feet occasionally falling into divots along the path. Twice, I nearly completely fell flat on my face.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," He boomed at us, "jus' round this bend here."

I heard the group collectively "Oooh!" Reflecting off a black lake, was a castle. Not just any castle, a huge, lofty castle with turrets and towers, all filled with sparkling windows. The sight made me reflexively intake a breath. I had never in all my life seen anything so magnificent. In Georgia, the closest thing we had to castles were the old plantation homes. This had those beat. By a long shot.

"No more'n four to a boat!" The man shouted. It was at that moment that I finally noticed the small boats lining the shore. I looked at Kendrick and we waved me on. Hurriedly, I scrambled inside, hitting my shin as I did so.

"Ouch!"

"What did you do?"

"Ran into the boat."

I heard him snort again. A girl with dirty blonde hair and a rather chubby boy got in behind us. I took a brief glance behind me; the two of them looked as nervous as I felt. This was all so very foreign to me. As we sailed nearer and nearer towards the castle, my heart's race increased. I don't belong here. I'm a girl from a trailer park in Georgia. I don't belong in a castle...On and on the anxious thoughts came, until finally, I thought I was going to be sick.

"Heads down!" The man called. There was a curtain of ivy at the cliff and we all ducked our heads. The dark tunnel spread before us and I was thankful I wasn't claustrophobic. We must be traveling under the castle. I thought to myself, briefly. The boats docked at an underground harbor and we all jumped onto the pebbled shore.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" The man called out to the Neville boy.

"Trevor!" The boy came running, holding out his hands eagerly. There's one mystery solved.

We all followed the giant up a passageway before we finally arrived on grassy ground. Stone steps loomed before me and my heart rose to my throat. My mouth was dry from anxiety and I hoped we wouldn't be required to say anything.

"Everyone here? You there, still got your toad?" He raised his massive fist and knocked thrice on the oaken door.

I'm still not certain exactly what I was expecting to see upon opening of the door. Perhaps, my mind was conjuring up a monster or a dragon. All there was, however, was a rather stern looking woman with black hair and square spectacles. Right, don't make her mad.

"The firs' years, Professor McGongall."

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

I knew that we would be fine. The history book informed me that all there was to sorting was the placing of the hat upon our heads. Still, I felt trepidatious. The entrance hall was massive, with stone walls and an enormously tall ceiling. I noted the grand marble staircase that seemed to wind forever upwards. I was definitely out of my league. Why couldn't I be at Salem? Their long, wooden buildings were considerably less intimidating.

Regardless, I followed the professor along with the rest of the group. Voices reverberated throughout the castle and I couldn't help but wonder if they were all students. We were led to a smaller, empty chamber off the main hall. I felt like a sardine in a can, being thronged together with such a large group.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. 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..." She continued her speech but I wasn't listening. All I could think of was the fact that I was in a castle, in a foreign country, crammed together with a group of kids I didn't know, far away from all I had ever known. It wasn't pleasant, it wasn't fun, and I just wanted my mom. My mom, who I would never see again.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her words drew out from my thoughts and I looked around nervously. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

I certainly wasn't going to say anything. Hermione Granger, on the other hand, was whispering furiously about spells she had learned and anxiously questioning which ones she needed. Naturally, when we were all already spooked, the ghosts showed up. Twenty or so people screamed, while I nervously rubbed my hands together. Given my previous encounter with a ghost, I wasn't too keen on any of them.

They seemed friendly enough but I wasn't taking chances. "New students!" The Fat Friar exclaimed enthusiastically. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few silent heads bobbed in assent. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old House, you know." He stated enthusiastically.

"Move along now. The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." McGonagall was back. I watched as the ghosts floated off in varying directions. Good riddance.

We followed Professor McGonagall through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. What a place it was. Lit by thousands upon thousands of floating candles, the room seemed vast. Four incredibly long tables were lined with golden plates and goblets, each flanked with students. She led us up to the long table, at which the teachers sat. One glance upwards revealed a twinkling ceiling filled with a replica of the night sky.

The professor placed a four legged stool in front of us. Then came the pointed wizard's hat. I couldn't imagine a more shabby looking accessory, patched and frayed and dirty. All eyes were upon the hat, like we expected it to eat us. The sudden twitching of the hat made me jump in surprise. As the rip near the brim began to sing, I found myself panicking again.

Don't lose it now, Scarlett! It will all be over soon. You'll get Sorted into a House and then you can go to sleep. Don't panic.

The hat finished its song as the crowd burst into applause. The hat itself bowed in response.

Professor McGonagall held a long roll of parchment in her hands. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. Abbot, Hannah!"

A blonde girl with pigtails stumbled towards the stool and put on the hat and sat down. One moment later the hat had an answer.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" It shouted.

The table to the right cheered and clapped as she sat down at their table. The Fat Friar waved eagerly at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped. My stomach lurched. What if it doesn't have a place for me? What if it says nothing and I have to go back to Alderton Manor? I don't have a home anymore. What's going to happen to me?

"Brockelhurst, Mandy!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Brown, Lavender!"

"GRYFFINDOR!" The farthest table to left burst into cheers. Millicent Bulstrode became the first Slytherin.

"Corner, Michael!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

Surely, I wouldn't be sent back. Just because I wasn't from here didn't mean there wasn't a place for me. Right?

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

I can distinctly remember the overwhelming sense of fear as Professor McGonagall called, "Flannigan, Scarlett!"

My stomach jumped in loops and my heart raced heavily. Nervously, I approached the stool. Carefully, I placed the hat upon my head and sat down. Now what?

"Hmm, interesting. An excellent mind, I see." The hat's voice echoed in my mind myself exams aware of my hands trembling. "A quest for truth. Always seeking truth. Loyal but not easily. Brave but smart about it. Subtle, not showy. Ravenclaw or Slytherin? Slytherin or Ravenclaw?"

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat shouted. With great relief, I slipped the hat off and headed for the cheering Ravenclaw table. I sat next to Michael Corner. We grinned with relief at each other and I resumed my attention to the others.

I made it! Yes, I made it! Hermione was sorted into Gryffindor, which was big shock to me. She seemed like she belonged at our table. Neville Longbottom was named a Gryffindor as well.

A boy named Draco Malfoy barely had the hat touch his head when it shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" Something about him made my spine tingle and I decided I didn't like him.

"Potter, Harry!"

It was like time stood still. Here was the boy that the others idolized, were fanatic about. Where would he be put. The crowd was on the edge of their seats as the hat dropped over his eyes. Moments later, a loud "GRYFFINDOR!" was shouted, to the great pleasure of the Gryffindor table.

Cheers of "We got Potter!" rose from their table. I noticed the delight upon the man who could only be the headmaster's face. He was seated in a large gold chair, at the very center of the table.

"Smythe, Kendrick!"

I secretly hoped he would end up in Ravenclaw, just so I'd have a friendly face around. Sadly, it was not to be. After what seemed like ages, the hat finally gave a very loud, "SLYTHERIN!"

Sighing, I looked around my table. Nope, not a single familiar face. The last Ravenclaw, the girl I recognized from the boat, was Lisa Turpin. She plonked down next to me, a big, gappy smile on her face. "Hi! Lisa, nice to meet you!"

She was certainly friendly. I took her outstretched hand. "Scarlett. Likewise." I forced a quick grin and she smiled back. I looked down at my plate and hoped I wasn't required to eat anything. The thought of food made my stomach turn.

The headmaster rose to his feet. "That's Albus Dumbledore." Lisa whispered into my ear. "He's the headmaster. Rumor has it that he's a bit mad."

Great. Gossip. Just what I always liked to hear.

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

"Thank you!"

Upon returning to his seat, the congregation cheered and clapped. Lisa Turpin whispered in my ear again. "Told you."

Maybe I was mad too, but looking around the room and having read a brief description of each house, I couldn't help but feel I understood what he meant. Nitwit would probably be the insult given by Ravenclaw. Blubber: Gryffindor's. Oddment, given the bigotry of Slytherin, could only be used to refer to all those not in their house. And tweak, was related to Hufflepuff, as they felt the others needed to be tweaked. Then again, it very well could have been the lack of sleep I'd had the night previous. Who knows for certain?

What I did know, was that I was disappointed that Kendrick had been sorted into Slytherin. They were, by far, the most disliked of the Houses. And for good reason. Their history of dark wizards and general hatred of non-purebloods was legendary. I shuddered to think he could be like them, but then again, I had only known him for five hours. Clearly, I wasn't a good judge of character.

I looked down again to see the table was filled with every type of food imaginable. My stomach flipped and I looked over to the Slytherins. Kendrick was listening to Draco Malfoy with seeming disinterest. Prove them wrong, Kendrick. I didn't want to think that someone who was my intellectual equal could be evil. Maybe it was naive, but I just couldn't help myself.

Lisa chatted away during dinner; no one seemed to notice I wasn't eating. When everyone had finished, dessert appeared and the routine continued. I occasionally nodded now and then to make it appear that I was listening. She seemed nice enough. Frankly, I just wasn't in the mood. I made a mental note to try to be friendlier in the morning.

At long last, the desserts vanished and Dumbledore rose to his feet. The room quieted. "Ahem- just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their House teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Everyone at the table looked at one another uncomfortably. Was this a joke to freak out the first years? No, couldn't be. Everyone else seemed just as spooked.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" The last thing I wanted to do was sing, so while the rest of the school sang along, I took a sudden interest in my fingernails.

When the pair of redheaded twins finished their funeral march, and Dumbledore dismissed us to our dormitories, Lisa and I followed Penelope Clearwater, the prefect. Upstairs, we climbed, with portraits whispering eagerly amongst themselves. Eventually, we came to the fifth floor.

"While the other Houses have a password, we instead must answer a question posed by the eagle. To get it wrong encourages the continual search of knowledge." I stifled a yawn as the eagle knocker sprang to life.

"Where did Rowena Ravenclaw hail from?" The voice was odd and creaky. All I could think about was going to bed and putting the day behind me. I didn't take anxiety well.

"The Glens." The door opened with a creak and we all filed in. A wide, circular room revealed itself as we entered. The ceiling was dome, painted with stars. Blue and bronze tapestries hung upon the walls. Large, arched windows looked out to the mountains surrounding us. Bookshelves seemed to cover the remaining wall space. A door directly opposite the entrance led to the dormitories, or so the prefect said. Next to the door stood a marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw, a diadem upon her head.

Wearily, I followed after Lisa Turpin through the door. We were directed to the girls' dormitory up the spiral staircase and I finally allowed myself to yawn. Five beds greeted us upon entry into the room. Each was placed into a nook near a window, with a wardrobe on one side and a desk on the other. Rich, blue, velvet curtains framed the bed. I found my trunk was to the left of the center bed. Merlin was already sleeping soundly upon the bed. I was too tired to make chit chat with the other girls, who all seemed to have gained a bit of excited energy. I threw on my pajamas and slid into bed, thinking about how differently my life was turning out.