Chapter 2

As they stepped off the train, there was a giant man calling out, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! C'mon, follow me – any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

They followed the giant man down a dark, steep, narrow path. After a while of walking, the giant man called over his shoulder, "Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec, jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh" sound as many of the first years saw Hogwarts for the first time.

"No more'n four to a boat!" the giant man called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.

Sirius grabbed onto Cassie as they made their way for the boats. It was no surprise that James also ended up in the same boat. Though, Remus seemed to have beat Peter to their boat as he was the fourth occupant.

"Everyone in?" shouted the giant, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!" The boats started to move forward as one across the lake towards Hogwarts. As they approached the castle, the giant yelled, "Heads down!" The glided into a tunnel that led to an underground harbor. They climbed out of the boats, went through a passageway, and up a flight of stairs until they were in front of a large oak door. "Everyone here?" the giant asked before raising a gigantic fist and knocking three times on the castle door. The door opened to reveal a tall, back-haired, stern looking witch. "The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," the giant told her.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here," Professor McGonagall replied. She then led the first years into a small, empty chamber to give them a welcoming speech. "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. 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 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. I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." She left the chamber.

Students started telling other students the creative ideas of how they heard the sorting happens. Cassie and Sirius gave each other assumed and knowing looks since they were some of the few who were actually told about the sorting hat before coming to Hogwarts.

Then one of the first years let out a shriek. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance –"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost – I say, what are you all doing here?" A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years. Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?" A few people nodded mutely. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall. "Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

They formed a line and followed Professor McGonagall into the Great Hall. She led them up to the front where she placed down a four-legged stool with the Sorting Hat on top of it. After a few moments, the Sorting Hat started to sing about the four houses. When the Sorting Hat finished its song, the whole hall burst into applause. The Sorting Hat bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward and unrolled a long parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she announced.

Cassie tuned out the sorting until she heard "Black, Cassiopeia" called. She walked forward, put the hat on her head, and sat down.

The hat then started speaking to her. Hmm … well your family would be pleased you don't have many Gryffindor or Hufflepuff characteristics. Definitely a bookworm. Really, your ideal present is books? Cassie blushed red while being glad that the hat covered enough of her face that the blush could not be seen. Yet, you want to be in Slytherin. All because you're scared that your brother will actually end up in Gryffindor and you hope that by you being placed in Slytherin will calm her down. Well, you do have the cunning and survival instincts of a Slytherin. "SLYTHERIN!"

Cassie heard applause from the Slytherin table as she took off the Sorting Hat and placed in back on the stool. She glanced at Sirius and noticed he looked disappointed. She walked towards the Slytherin table and her smiling cousin, Narcissa Black.

"Cousin," Narcissa greeted her. "I see you will be joining us in Slytherin, and here everyone was thinking you would become a Ravenclaw."

At that moment, Cassie's fear was realized as the Sorting Hat called out "GRYFFINDOR!" for Sirius. Narcissa pulled her down onto the bench before a scene was made, and gave a look to the rest of the Slytherins as if telling them not to mention what just happened; a Black being sorted into Gryffindor.

The rest of the sorting passed in a blur for Cassie as she tried not to break down knowing that showing emotion in front of Slytherins was a fatal mistake.

AN: There are parts of the first book in this chapter. One, it is very hard to write the way Hagrid speaks. Two, why not add in McGonagall's welcome speech?