ChickWithThePurpleGuitar: Oh, thanks for letting me know. It was a mistake. In the original drafts I had Harper and Vaisey with reverse roles, I guess I just copied it down incorrectly. Anyway, thanks again.
darklilyofthevalley: I was thinking the same thing. You'll find out in the next chapter what I eventually decided.
And also a big thank you to my other reviewers: max artemis potter, Cookie05, and Masterofbugs123. I'm glad you guys like it!
The rest of the ride was silent. Annabeth sketched some building ideas, while Aleron read his book. But Annabeth was only half paying attention to her fortress. She simply couldn't get that thought out of her head. If the Dark Lord was back, then there probably would be a war. This must have been what her mother was talking about.
When the exited the train, Annabeth saw a woman call, "First-years, over here. Follow me, please." She glanced at Vaisey, who shrugged, and decided to follow her.
Annabeth looked around. There was a total of about twenty first-years. She had imagined more. After all, Hogwarts: A History said that each year averages at about one hundred and forty four students per year. This wasn't one hundred and forty four - - not even close!
Aleron, seeming to read her mind, frowned. "I thought there would be more. My brother said that there was at least a hundred in his year." He scanned the area with his eyes, as if expecting eighty students to pop out from the bushes. He shook his head. "Weird," he muttered.
A boy who had apparently heard their previous conversation, turned around to face them. "That's because everyone's parents are too scared to send their kids away, you know, with the whole rumored return of the Dark Lord and all," he said, with a slight bragging tone in his voice, as if he believed that he was smarter than everyone else. "Even some of those who don't believe he's back aren't sending their children to Hogwarts because the Daily Prophet is going on about how Dumbledore is insane. Who could blame them? What kind of parent would want their kid going to a school that's being ran by a nutcase?" he smirked. "My parents, that's who. I suspect they just wanted me out of the house." He grinned broadly, as if that were the cleverest joke in the world. He looked around, expecting everybody to laugh.
"I don't blame them," Annabeth whispered to Aleron, who smirked.
"Anyway, Vaisey, aren't you going to introduce me to your new friend here?"
Vaisey scowled. "Annabeth, this is my neighbor, Forrest Harper. He has . . . issues."
Harper raised an eyebrow. "Issues?" he repeated. "Such as?"
"Not knowing when to shut up," replied Aleron smugly.
Although Annabeth was aware of the Sorting Hat, nothing could have possibly prepared her for this. The hat opened wide like a mouth and began to sing. Yes, sing. It was so random, Annabeth had to bite her tongue to stop herself from bursting into hysterical laughter.
In times of old, when I was new,
And Hogwarts barely started,
The founders of our noble school
Thought never to be parted.
United by a common goal,
They had the selfsame yearning
To make the world's best magic school
And pass along their learning.
"Together we will build and teach"
The four good friends decided.
And never did they dream that they
Might some day be divided.
For were there such friends anywhere
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,
So how could it have gone so wrong?
How could such friendships fail?
Why, I was there, so I can tell
The whole sad, sorry tale.
Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those
Whose ancestry's purest."
Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose
Intelligence is surest."
Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those
With brave deeds to their name."
Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot
And treat them just the same."
These differences caused little strife
When first they came to light.
For each of the four founders had
A house in which they might
Take only those they wanted, so,
For instance, Slytherin
Took only pure-blood wizards
Of great cunning just like him.
And only those of sharpest mind
Were taught by Ravenclaw
While the bravest and the boldest
Went to daring Gryffindor.
Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest
and taught them all she knew,
Thus, the houses and their founders
Maintained friendships firm and true.
So Hogwarts worked in harmony
for several happy years,
but then discord crept among us
feeding on our faults and fears.
The Houses that, like pillars four
had once held up our school
now turned upon each other and
divided, sought to rule.
And for a while it seemed the school
must meet an early end.
what with dueling and with fighting
and the clash of friend on friend.
And at last there came a morning
when old Slytherin departed
and though the fighting then died out
he left us quite downhearted.
And never since the founders four
were whittled down to three
have the Houses been united
as they once were meant to be.
And now the Sorting Hat is here
and you all know the score:
I sort you into Houses
because that is what I'm for.
But this year I'll go further,
listen closely to my song:
though condemned I am to split you
still I worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fulfill my duty
and must quarter every year
still I wonder whether sorting
may not bring the end I fear.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
the warning history shows,
for our Hogwarts is in danger
from external, deadly foes
And we must unite inside her
or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you...
let the Sorting now begin.
"Well, that was cheerful," she muttered.
Everyone clapped once the hat was finished. Annabeth shrugged and joined in.
A woman, whom had introduced herself to be Professor McGonagall, cleared her throat and pulled out a roll of parchment. "Abercrombie, Euan," she said in a heavy Scottish accent.
A small boy with rather large ears slowly walked up to the stool where the hat rested. McGonagall placed the hat on the boy's head. It was far too big on him and covered almost his entire head. It was a rather comical sight to watch. The only thing keeping the hat from falling to Euan's shoulders was his enormous ears.
Everyone watched quietly for a about a minute, and then the hat suddenly shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Abercrombie's tie changed from black to red and gold stripes. The inside of his robes changed as well, to the same rich scarlet color, as he made his way over to the Gryffindor table.
"Chase, Annabeth," the woman called.
For a second, Annabeth froze, too shocked to move even a single muscle. Curse her father for having to have a name that started with the third letter of the alphabet.
Vaisey gave her a small, encouraging push. He gave her a thumbs up.
Annabeth gave him a shaky smile back, as she slowly made her way up to the stool. She shut her eyes as McGonagall put the Sorting Hat on her head . . .
The complete plot of this story is not yet set in stone, so if any of you have any suggestions, that would be great. I can't promise I will use them, but I'll take them into serious consideration. Please let me know in your reviews!