Disclaimer: I do not own Saiyuki or Harry Potter.

CHAPTER THREE: SORTING AND HOGWARTS

The four stepped off the train, and felt their mouths drop open in astonishment at the sight that their eyes beheld. A large stone castle rose up before their eyes, an imposing image, far larger than anything they could remember seeing.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" cried a large man with a bushy beard.

"Damn, that man is huge," said Goku in awe.

"You got that right," agreed Gojyo.

Sanzo sighed, as Gojyo and Goku continued to banter back and forth, until he couldn't stand it anymore. "Shut the hell up!" he told them, annoyed. "I have been sitting in a freaking train for hours (A/N: How long is the trip to Hogwarts? ) and I am not in the mood to hear you two idiots arguing!" With that, he turned around and started walking towards the creepy horse drawn carriages. The company glanced at each other, unsure if it was safe to follow, but decided that it didn't really matter. If Sanzo didn't want their company, he could move. They did, after all, need to get to school too.

...

Finally they reached the school; The goddess smirked. They were finally there, and the game was about to begin.

...

The new students and the transfers lined up together behind the old lady that Goku remembered was called Professor Mcgonagel as she led the way into the dining hall.

"Here you will be sorted into your houses." she called out. "Please step forward as I call your name."

"Abbot, Chlesea"

"RAVENCLAW"

Goku felt his mouth drop in astonishment, much like the other eleven year olds that surrounded the company. "Did you see that Sanzo?" He asked excitedly, "That hat talked!"

Sanzo frowned in annoyance. He still hadn't properly rested from the trip and didn't want to deal with Goku right now. "I saw. Now shut up monkey."

Goku pouted but obeyed, as names kept being called and houses assigned.

"Avril, Samuel!"

"SLYTHERIN"

The names continued this way for a way for a while until...

"Hakkai, Cho"

Hakkai strolled up to the hat calmly servaying the potential danger. Unlike some of his companions he wasn't as quick to throw a fit and make hasty decision, if and when there was danger he would simply destroy the source. Until then however, he would learn as much as he could about the strange enviorment. Slowly he sat on the stool, remembering a time when it would have been much to small and felt the hat lower on his head.

How odd. A strange voice entered his head, decidedly out of place. I can't see anything.

Who are you? Hakkai asked through his thoughts.

I am the hat of course, and would you mind lowering the shields on your mind so I can sort you?

I would mind. Hakkai answered, put me in Ravenclaw.

But... the hat hesitated, but at the string of threats that was sent to it, RAVENCLAW! Put him in Ravenclaw and get me off his head!

Ignoring the camotion caused by the hats announcment Hakkai strolled to his assigned table and sat by himself.

More names where called.

"Gojyo, Sho." was called.

Gojyo made his way leisursly up to the hat and placed it on his head, all the while grinning. When he felt an alien presence in his mind, he froze for a moment before deciding that it would be best to make the first move. He confronted it head on.

What do you want. He sent. GET OUT! His rage swirled in flames of fire burning away any trace of the intrusion. Wait... the hat tried to gain access to the barred mind, but no entry was granted. It didnt matter, the hat couldn't have seen anything even if it wanted to. The defenses were full proof.

Gryffendor! It called, sighing at the loss of good information.

Thus the sorting continued.

" Sanzo, Genjo." The stern Professor called gaining the attention of the remaining group.

After glaring at the two idiots of the group Sanzo made his way up the center of the tables and glared at the hat. Thoughts of how to sucessfully destory the wretch thing that demanded his attention ran through his head. He didnt care if they wanted to sort him, or if it was something everyone did, it bothered him. It was noisy and pointless, a perfect combination to rile the priests suprisingly short temper.

He roughly sat on the chair, imagining the sight of the hat on fire. He could see it. But even he could see that he needed to learn more about this magic to destroy it. He would learn fire magic to destroy the hat.

Again, I can't see. The hat felt pure malice that was ementating from the mental block. I am just the hat, it hurried to assure the mind before it was destroyed by just the strength of the hate. Slytherin! It called. The hat did have a survival instinct and it knew a potentially dangerous situation as it was in was better avoided, the mind it was in held far more darkness then any of the other houses. The hat shuddered. What kind of children were they getting this year?

Despite the hat's ill tidings the names continued to be called.

"Son, Goku." As expected at the name there were titters and taunts. For the english it was a decidedly odd name. They monkey like boy lived up to the nickname as he skipped up to the hat. Unfortunetly however, he was to excited to sit down long enough to get the hat on his head.

The hall was roaring with laughter by the time Sanzo got up from his spot at the Slytherin table and caught Goku as he was bouncing around. "Sit down Bakazaru. Or else." he warned softly, as he bonked him yet again on his head. I really need to get a gun. Sanzo decided.

Goku had sat down at Sanzo's words and settled for bouncing his feet impatiently.

Oh another one. The voice was much more heisitant in this search of the mind. After the other three it wasn't sure what to expect from this mind.

Who are you? Goku thought almost yelling in suprise.

I am the sorting hat I look into your mind and find the house your best suited for. That hat quickly explained. Maybe this boy would allow it to see.

Oh. Goku thought, realising that the hat wanted acess to his mind. Do you want to see my mind? Is that what you want?

Yes! The hat jumped on the offered chance. Can you lower the block so I can see?

Goku hesitated, if Sanzo hadn't shared thier secret with the hat he probebly didn't want Goku to share either. I can't. If Sanzo didn't share, then I shouldnt either. He explained, it made perfect sense to him and he couldn't understand how the hat could suggest that he ignore what Sanzo wanted.

Surely you don't do everything he tells you to do, or not to. Hat slyly asked. If he could shake the impeccable trust the child showed, he would surely lower those shields.

Never. Goku's answer was short and to the point.

Maybe he wants you to share and thats why he didnt. The hat reasoned. It obviously wasn't, if the level of malice was anything to go by, but this stranger was the most friendly of the bunch.

No, Sanzo wouldn't do that. Goku was adament about that. Besides if we have mental shields, I would think they would be from the goddess. It's because of her we're here anyway. Ya' know?

No the hat didn't know. And it didn't want to know, this bunch was much more complicated then it had originally thought. If there was one thing the hat remembered in its long years, it was that it was never a good decision to mess with the Gods. Gryffindor! It called avoided the near castasrophe. It really wanted to know more, but there was nothing he could do at this point that wouldn't severly harm the children's mind. To break their sheilds... nothing good would come of that.

Goku hopped off the seat and bounced over to sit next to Goyjo.

It would be interesting, what these children would do.

A/N: I want to apologize for taking so long on the update. I had trouble coming up with something, so until I become re-inspired, updates might also be a little sparatic. Also, I am in Flordia for a week and do not have steady internet access anyways, so even if I do finish a chapter, I won't be able to update. But on the upside, it's a whole lot of writing time! I'll have something sooner if it kills me! ^_^