Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. That privilege solely belongs to JK Rowling.

Chapter 4 Welcome to Hogwarts

The door swung open to reveal a tall, severe-looking witch in emerald green robes. She scanned the crowd of first years with a penetrating, almost accusing, glare.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said the man.

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

She pulled the front door open to admit them into the entrance hall. The room was enormous, and Vesper felt exceptionally small within its confines. They followed Professor McGonagall into a smaller chamber off of the entrance hall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said once they had assembled into the room. "The start of term feast will begin shortly, but before you can take your seats in the Great Hall, you must be sorted into your houses. While you are here, your house will be like your family; you will have classes together, eat together, and spend your free time in your respective common room.

"The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Your triumphs will earn you house points and any rule breaking will lose you house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the house cup.

"Now," she concluded, "wait here while I see if the school is ready for you. I suggest that you smarten yourselves up while you are waiting."

McGonagall left the chamber and Vesper's nerves suddenly flared to life. Again, her mind drifted to the larch wand resting in her pocket. Could what Ollivander said about its origin be true; could this wand really be the product of Salazar Slytherin's twisted mind? And if it was true – she shuddered at the thought – would that impact which house she was sorted into? After all, if it was created by Slytherin wouldn't it only accept a master worthy of Slytherin's house?

No, Vesper thought vehemently, she would not be sorted into Slytherin. She wanted friends and honesty, not strategic alliances and crafty half-truths.

Perhaps she would be a Ravenclaw like Lee predicted. Her mother had been a Ravenclaw after all. She had liked muggle primary school well enough and she had gotten good grades. But school and studies weren't the most important things in her life, so maybe not Ravenclaw.

And Gryffindor…Vesper didn't think that she was all that brave and courageous, but she had never in a situation that required bravery. Or at least Vesper didn't think she had. The twins and Lee said that they were in Gryffindor. It would be nice to have some friends in the same house as her. However, the Sorting Hat probably didn't sort people into houses because they met some nice people in a certain house.

"Form a line, now; the Sorting Ceremony is about to begin," came Professor McGonagall's voice, putting Vesper's thoughts to an end. Following Professor McGonagall, they walked out of the chamber and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Remus' description of the room did not do it justice. Thousands of candles floated in midair casting eerie yet mesmerizing shadows across the walls and floor. The ceiling perfectly mirrored the beautiful night sky that they had sailed under not too long ago. Four long house tables were already filled with students. At the top of the hall was another long table where the professors were seated. Professor McGonagall led the first years to the empty space between the student and teacher tables. She quickly grabbed a stool that was placed off to the side of the hall. Placing it front of them, Professor McGonagall then sat the Sorting Hat on the stool.

Suddenly, a rip in the brim opened like a mouth, and the hat started to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindor apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The whole school applauded loudly as the hat finished its song. As the noise died down, Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will place on the hat on your head and be sorted into your house," she said. "Hannah Abbott!"

A girl with blonde pigtails slid past Vesper to get to the front of the hall. She placed the hat on her head, and after a moment –

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuff table broke into claps and cheers as Hannah, now smiling, jumped off the stool and walked to the table.

"Vesper Black!"

Vesper's heart stopped for a moment. She hadn't expected to be called so soon. Taking a deep breath, she walked towards the stool her entire body vibrating with nerves. The slight whispering did nothing to help.

Carefully, Vesper grabbed the hat, sat down, and placed the hat on her head. It instantly fell to cover her eyes.

"Hmm," said a voice in her head. "You wish to stand out; not very good for a house that values teamwork. And I sense great power within you, but you do not long to use that power for your own greatness. I do not believe Slytherin would be a good match either.

"There is a strong sense of adventure," the hat continued, "and a habit of taking risks, I see. You have a good mind as well, however…Let it be…GRYFFINDOR!"

Applause sounded as Vesper took the hat off of her head. She could see some people whispering at other houses, but at the moment she could care less. Grinning broadly, Vesper walked to where Fred, George, and Lee were waving her over.

"See, Lee; I told you she was perfect Gryffindor material," said Fred as she sat down in the empty seat next to George.

"Shut up, Fred."

"So…you're a Black?"

She turned to look at George and nodded.

"As in mass murderer Sirius Black?"

Again she nodded. "Is that a problem?" she asked. Her words came out braver than she felt.

"Course not," said George. "You seem nice enough. 'Sides, if one of us turns up dead at least we'll know who to blame," he said with a wink.

Feeling much better about her friendship with the twins, Vesper turned her attention back to the sorting. Susan Bones was sorted into Hufflepuff while Terry Boot and Mandy Brocklehurst were both sorted into Ravenclaw. But lavender Brown was sorted into –

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Vesper started cheering along with the rest of the table. The next Gryffindor wasn't announced until Hermione Granger. The bushy haired girl placed herself on Vesper's other side.

"Hi, I'm Hermione Granger. You're Vesper Black, right?" Vesper barely got a nod in before Hermione continued. "I read about your father in Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century. It's all very horrible that he killed all those people when they didn't do anything wrong, but I'm sure you're a nice enough person if you were sorted into Gryffindor. I'm so very pleased to have been sorted here; the hat wanted to put me in Ravenclaw, but in the end decided that Gryffindor would be better."

She spoke so fast that Vesper hardly caught all of what she was saying. Vesper also couldn't help but notice that the girl seemed to be vibrating with energy. Perhaps she would calm down once her nerves from the sorting dissipated?

Hermione continued to talk as the sorting continued. Not wanting to be mean, Vesper continued to listen to her chat about anything from her family (her parents were muggle dentists) to when she received her Hogwarts letter (both her parents were very pleased at the news). Thankfully, her talking had to pause fairly often each time another student was sorted into their respective house. Hermione seemed nice, but her rapid speech was starting to make Vesper dizzy.

"Harry Potter!"

The hall broke into loud whispers as a boy Vesper vaguely remembered as the Boy-Who-Lived stepped forward and placed the Sorting Hat on his head.

"I met him on the train," Hermione said. "He seems really nice, not showy at all."

"I would hope so," she said. "Though I think I'd feel sorry for any house that gets him; he's bound to attract loads of attention."

"Like you, you mean?" said George. "You're not exactly the most inconspicuous person, Miss Black."

Fred smirked and leaned closer to his twin. "Careful, George; they say violent behavior runs in families. Don't want to go finding your body near the greenhouses tomorrow morning, now do we?"

Vesper's retort was drowned out as the hat loudly proclaimed, "GRYFFINDOR!" and the whole of their house stood up to cheer the Boy-Who-Lived noisily. Fred and George started yelling, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Vesper just rolled her eyes as Harry took a seat a few down from where she and Hermione were sitting.

The rest of the few remaining students were sorted with Dean Thomas and Fred and George's brother Ron joining them at the Gryffindor table.

Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet, beaming at the students.

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

Vesper clapped with the rest of the school and started to dig into the now full plates of food. Lee and the twins kept Vesper and those around them entertained with tales from their first and second years at Hogwarts. More than once Hermione had to slap her hard on the back to keep her from choking on her food for laughter.

After dessert, Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Just a few more words now that we are all fed. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

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

Vesper distinctly got the impression that the comment was directed at the twins. Their grins confirmed it.

"Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death.

"And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Gryffindor first years followed Percy, Fred and George's older brother, through the crowd, out the Great Hall, and up the large marble staircase. Hermione continued to talk about Hogwarts castle and what she had read in Hogwarts: a history. The talkative girl was starting to grow on Vesper. Hermione had an enthusiastic energy that seemed to be infectious, and by the time they came to a stop, Vesper was nearly too excited about her lessons to even think about sleep.

The group had come to a stop at the end of a very long corridor, a portrait of a lady in pink hanging on the wall.

"Password?" she asked.

"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a hole in the wall. They clambered through it and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room.

"This is the Gryffindor common room. Boys dormitories are up these stairs and to the left; girls to the right. All of your belongings have already been brought up. Now, I suggest you all get some sleep."

Vesper did just so, falling asleep behind burgundy curtains to the hushed whispers of her new dorm mates.

Vesper's first few days at Hogwarts passed in a dizzying blur, although that might have been caused by the castle switching around so much. Just when she thought she knew a route to her class, the castle would decide to change itself around and she was back to square one. Fred and George were helpful though, showing Vesper where some of the most useful places were like the Great Hall, the Astronomy Tower, and the library (at Hermione's insistence).

Class was class, magical or otherwise. So far Transfiguration was definitely Vesper's favorite. Professor McGonagall was strict, but she was also extremely knowledgeable and talented in the subject. The notes for the class were difficult and complex, but sitting next to Hermione helped tremendously. By the end of their first Transfiguration lesson, they were the only two able to make some progress on turning their matches into needles.

All was well and good until Vesper's first Potions lesson. She wasn't sure what she had done, but Snape seemed to take an instant and severe dislike to her. When he had called her name during roll call, Vesper didn't understand why he would sneer at her like he did.

Although it seemed like she was saved. If Snape disliked her, then he hated Harry Potter. Right away he started asking rapid fire questions at Harry; questions that Vesper knew could only be answered by reading through the entire potions book. In fact, the only reason why she knew that was because of Hermione, who had insisted on rereading the book cover to cover last night. Vesper had thought rereading the book unnecessary, though now it seemed like a good idea. Hermione was clearly the only student in the room to know the answers. Her raised hand was waving wildly in the air, and she practically jumped out of her seat each time Snape asked Harry a new question. She only stopped her jumping once Snape called her a silly girl and told her to sit down. Hermione looked crushed at the comment.

Things didn't improve from there. As they brewed their potions, Snape swept across the room, criticizing everyone except a boy named Draco Malfoy. It only got worse when Neville Longbottom, a boy from Gryffindor, ruined his potion. It was one of the worst hours of Vesper's life.

But one thing nagged at Vesper in the back of her mind. Why did Snape seem to dislike her so much?

AN-Well there we have it; Vesper's finally settled in at Hogwarts. Up next, flying lessons and late night excursions.

Once again, thank you to all who have reviewed/faved/added alerts. You guys rock! Also, I'm sorry I haven't replied to your reviews. Graduating/exams/dance performances can really clog up one's schedule.

Next update in two weeks! Don't forget to review (I'll actually reply this time!)

Love Lora