"First years!" The deep voice boomed, cutting through the dark. "First years over this way!" The voice bellowed. Natasha caught sight of the man behind the voice. The man was extremely tall, at least 11 feet. His shaggy brown mane and beard covered most of his face. All Natasha could do was stare in total shock. "Come on first years over this way!" The man's voice bellowed, carrying in the night. Natasha watched as several older students passed by and greeted the man.

"Hello Hagrid." A third year girl said with a smile.

"Hi Hagrid." A fifth year male walking with her smiled as well.

"Hey Hagrid." A mixed group said as they walked past.

"Good evening students." Hagrid greeted warmly as students passed him by.

Hagrid made his way over to the group of gathered first years. Smiling brightly as he towered over them. "Come on first years, the boats are down this way. Don't worry about your things they will be taken to the school for you."

Natasha and the rest of the first years followed the giant of a man as he led them down to the water of a black lake where several small boats waited at the docks. She watched as Hagrid grouped off the students in groups of fours and assigned them to a boat. To Natasha's relief she had been standing close enough to Erica that she was put in the same group as her.

With a little bit of effort everyone clambered into the small boats, Hagrid and his large frame took an entire boat to himself. Once everyone was settled and ready the boats started off acrossed the lake by themselves like magic. Natasha couldn't help but chuckled at herself, of course the boats were being propelled by magic, and it was the exact reason why she came to this school, to learn magic.

Everyone sat in silence as the boats glided acrossed the seemingly endless lake. The stars above twinkled and shone, a few seemed to dance around and Natasha couldn't help but wonder if that was magic as well, or did the stars always dance?

After a few minutes of floating acrossed the lake the school finally came into view. Natasha couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her lips. She was thrilled to hear several other students gasp in shock and wonder as well. Seeing Hogwarts for the first time with her own eyes was such an amazing sight. It looked both everything and nothing like its picture that Mrs. Fogbottom had shown her, it truly was magical.

Once the boats came to a stop the students quietly made their way out of the boats and followed Hagrid inside. The students stayed mostly silent as they followed the large man through a hallway. They arrived at a room, and Hagrid ushered them inside before telling the Deputy Headmaster would be with them shortly. He smiled brightly down at them before nodding and walking away, shutting the door firmly behind him.

A few of the students started whispering rather loudly amongst themselves, talking of the sorting ceremony that was to come next. They talked of things that their older brothers and sisters told them they had to do in order to be sorted. Several students had been told there was an obstacle course. Others had been told they had to steal treasure from a dragon and depending on what they stole would decide which house they belonged too. Natasha trembled slightly in fear at the thought of going up against a dragon.

The room went nearly silent after a few minutes and the students just found themselves standing around waiting. Natasha saw movement out of the corner of her eye and managed to turn just in time to see several figures slide in through the walls from outside. Several students screamed which caused Natasha to jump. It was a bunch of ghosts.

Natasha noticed as Erica scooted closer to her. She felt the other girl tightly grab at her hand, it was a relief to know she wasn't the only one who was at least slightly afraid. Glancing down at their interlocked fingers, she glanced over to see Erica look away quickly. A pink blush was making its way up the other girls face yet she still didn't let go of Natasha's hand.

"Oh look it's the first years!" A plump ghost that looked like a friar said.

"I dear say you are right, hello young ones." A taller male ghost said. "My name is Sir Nicholas and I hope to see some of you in Gryffindor." He nodded his head towards a group of students before continuing on.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff." The plump one said merrily as he too nodded before leaving.

"The sorting ceremony is ready." A small voice said from over by the door, causing every student to crane their heads to see who was talking. There standing by the door was a small dwarf of a man; he looked to be about the same size as the goblins from Gringotts. It was the Deputy Headmaster Filius Filtwick. It was then that Erica let go of Natasha's hand and a small part of her couldn't help but feel disappointed and she wasn't exactly sure why. "This way students."

Together the students followed the small man out of the room and around to a large set of wooden doors. The whispers and murmurs from the students started up again as they wondered exactly what was going to be required of them. Filtwick turned to the students in front of the closed doors and smiled brightly at them.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Filtwick started and it almost looked as if he was trying to remember a speech that either he had written or that he had heard from someone else and wished to repeat.

"'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. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

The small man managed to say everything in one long breath. He stopped for a moment as if he was quickly going over everything in his head and once again smiled brightly. It would seem that he had managed to repeat his little speech exactly like he had planned. A small wave of his wand and the two large doors started to open.

Natasha as well as several other students gasped as the doors opened to reveal the Great Hall. Four long tables filled with older students sat in the middle of the Great Hall, house banners proudly hovering above the tables. To the far left was Slytherin, next to it Ravenclaw, then Hufflepuff, with Gryffindor on the far right of the room. The celling twinkled and glowed with what looked like stars. "It's bewitched to look like the night sky." Natasha heard a boy whisper to a small group of girls, they all gasped in surprise.

The group of first years were marched down the middle of the room to the front where a long table sat filled with teachers. In front of the staff table sat two stools, one with a tattered and dirty looking hat, the other Filtwick climbed up onto. He cleared his throat and loudly stated. "Let the sorting ceremony begin!"

Natasha noticed as the hat on the stool started to move. It suddenly looked as if it had eyes and a large tear in the front that could be a mouth. It nodded its self to each table in turn before swaying in an almost dance, before it 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 Gryffindors 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 folks use any means
To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!"

The other students started applauding and cheering loudly. The hat nodded and bowed to each house in turn. "That specific song hasn't been heard in at least twenty years." A female student to the left of Natasha at the Ravenclaw table stated loudly to the girl sitting next to her, making sure she was heard.

Filtwick called for the students to be calm so that he could start the sorting. "Frida Bardrick!" He called out.

A red haired girl stepped out of the crowd and made her way over to the stool. Filtwick lifted the hat to allow her to sit, before placing the hat on top of her head. The hat seemed a bit big, falling down and covering the young girl's eyes. The mouth of the hat started moving but Natasha couldn't make out what it was saying. After a brief moment the hat called out "Ravenclaw!"

The entire Ravenclaw table erupted in cheers and applause as the girl made her way over to the table. Several of the students stood to pat the girl on the back and shake her hand. A broad smile spread over her features, she was obviously happy with the choice that was made.

"Stanley Birley!" Filtwick called out.

A blonde pudgy boy made his way from the back of the crowd and sat on the stool, while the hat was placed on his head. Again Natasha could see that hat was speaking but couldn't make it out. She guessed the hat spoke to the wearer and what it said was not for her to hear.

"Slytherin!" The hat called out. The far table erupted in cheers just like the Ravenclaw table had and the boy made his way over to them.

Natasha's nerves started to settle as she watched the other students being sorted. It was obvious what the other students had said earlier was just their elder siblings teasing them. She stood and waited as Filtwick ran through the list of names. Anthony Clayborne, Elijah Corwan, Tara Durrant, Phyllis Erling. The students came when called, sat on the stool with the hat slumped down over their eyes and waited to be sorted. Every time a house got a new student the table roared to life with cheers and applause.

"Natasha Gates!" Filtwick called out, and Natasha nearly froze. Swallowing hard and taking a deep breath, she left Erica's side for the first time all day and made her way over to the stool, the hat covering her eyes.

"What do we have here?" She heard the hat speak to her in a near whisper. "I see a great deal of courage in you." The hat whispered and it nearly shocked Natasha that it seemed to be reading her. "A pretty good brain too, yes. Where am I to put you? You wish to be able to prove yourself as a Muggle. You're not afraid to work hard to do so." The hat almost seemed to be struggling. "But family and friendship constantly seems to be a thought at the forefront of your mind I see. Well no other place to put you then…"

"Hufflepuff!" The hat announced to the room.

The table just off to her now left hand side started cheering and applauding as the hat was lifted to from her eyes. Natasha gave a sigh of relief as she made her way over to the table; she almost thought there was no place that she belonged. Several of the students patted her on the back, giving her warm and welcoming smiles as she sat down.

Filtwick continued to read off names from his list. "James Potter!" Filtwick called out and the room seemed to fall almost eerily quiet. Every eye was on the black haired boy who stepped out of the remaining first year students. As the hat was placed on his head a few students started to whisper amongst themselves.

"I can't believe it, it's Harry Potter's son!" A boy a few seats down from her whispered loudly.

Who the hell is Harry Potter? Natasha thought to herself with a shrug.

"Gryffindor!" The hat called out.

This time the roar of applause from the Gryffindor table seemed to be ten times louder. Several of the students from the table stood and shook the boys hand and patted him on the back as he made his way to go sit down. What was so special about him?

When the students finally called down Filtwick continued with the sorting. Finally he called out "Erica Ryan!"

Natasha watched intently as Erica made her way over to the stool and sat down. She watched as the hat whispered in the other girl's ear, reading her like it had read all the other students. Natasha sat with her fingers crossed, leaning as far into the table as she could, watching, waiting, hoping.

"Ravenclaw!" The hat called out, and Natasha couldn't stop the disappointed groan that escaped her lips. It made sense, since Erica was sitting and reading a school book when she first met her on the train. She almost thought it wasn't fair, the only friend she had wasn't even in the same house as she was. Could they still be friends?

Filtwick again continued through the list of students finally calling out the last student Rose Weasley who was quickly placed in Gryffindor. The students talked amongst themselves for a moment before an older woman stood and called attention to herself.

"I am Professor McGonagall, your Headmistress. Before we start the feast I do want to go over a few things real quickly. I do want to remind students that the Dark Forest is off limits to EVERYONE." She stated firmly. "I also want to remind everyone that first years are not allowed their own brooms so if you brought one it will be confiscated and kept until winter break when you can take it home yourself." Her eyes seemed to settle on a few first year students making Natasha wonder if they had brought a broom to school with them. "I believe that is all. Let us eat."

In the blink of an eye the empty tables were suddenly filled with an enormous amount of food. Natasha's eyes widened as students started to eagerly pile mass amounts of food on their plates. The conversation at the table had a cheerful and carefree air to it. Natasha discovered that a handful of first years in her house had a Muggle parent as well as a magical parent, so they still grew up knowing much about the magical world but still had all the Muggle things. She also discovered that she was the only complete Muggle born this year. Not just in her house, but in this entire year worth of students.

As Natasha ate she kept up a light conversation with the students around her, but her eyes kept flicking to the next table over. She managed to meet Erica's sky blue eyes several times during the course of the meal. Erica would smile and nod at her, giving Natasha hope that the friendship they started on the train could be maintained even though they were not in the same house.

After some time the students were done eating and most just sat about talking amongst themselves. When the plates and dishes disappeared as quickly as they appeared, everyone turned their attention back up to the teachers table. Professor McGonagall once again stood to address the room.

"It is now time for bed." She called out. "Prefect's please help the first years find their way to your houses. Thank you all, and once again first years, welcome to Hogwarts."

Natasha followed as a few students called out for first year Hufflepuffs to follow them. The group was lead towards the kitchen; they turned down a corridor on the right hand side and followed it until they came to a stack of barrels in a nook on the right hand side.

"I need everyone to pay attention to this." A male prefect called out, pulling out his wand. He tapped the barrel two from the bottom; middle of the second row in a rhythm that he explained was "Helga Hufflepuff". He told them they did not have to say the words just get the rhythm right. The lid swung open and she followed as they took turns crawling inside.

After she crawled along the passageway she emerged in a beautiful circular room. The room felt very earthy with a low hanging ceiling which made Natasha think of a badger burrow, she figured that was probably the point. Even though it was dark outside the circular windows gave a beautiful view of the grassy yard. There was lots of burnished copper all over the place, and many house plants that either hung from the ceiling or sat on the windowsills.

"Although Professor Sprout is no longer the head of our house," A prefect girl started. "We still love to keep many of the plants that she loved around."

Natasha continued to walk around the common room, her eyes taking in the large overstuffed sofas and chairs. They were all upholstered in yellow and black keeping to the Hufflepuff theme. The girl who spoke before lead the first year girls off to the right of the common room, to the dormitories. With a paper in hand she assigned the girls to specific rooms, four girls to a room.

The rooms were just as beautiful as the common room. Copper lamps cast a warm light over the four-poster beds, each covered with a beautiful patchwork quilt. Natasha's stuff sat on a bed at the far left side of the room. She went over to her things shrugging her shoulders as to the location of her bed. Who was she to argue?

The girls talked amongst themselves as the changed into their sleepwear, before climbing into bed. Exhausted from the day's activities, sleep quickly over took Natasha. School started in the morning and she knew a whole new batch of excitement was coming her way.

A/N: Sorry this took so long. I started writing another story and have sort of been running with it for a few days. Check me out on Fictionpress under the same name. Also life has a funny way of suddenly surprising you, and those surprises kept me occupied for a few days as well. I did steal the Hufflepuff common room description Pottermore so I am NOT claiming credit to it. I am claiming no credit in any of this besides my original characters. Anyways would love to hear from you so please review, I will try to update again soon. Love you guys.