One week later…

"Okay Harry, try to act normal."

"Yeah Dad, it's easy to act normal in a train station full of muggles while pushing an owl across the train station." Harry quipped as James led the way through the busy station. Harry had heard many stories of the famous platform- genially disguised between platforms nine and ten.

"Alright Harry, here we are!" James said, gesturing at platform ten. But there was a line. A rather large family were already gathered at the Platform 9 3/4. They consisted of a rather pompous looking boy, around fifteen, two twins and a young gangly youth that looked to be Harry's age or older pushing carts. Alongside them was a portly woman who could only be their mother and a little girl. The entire family had flaming red hair.

"Why does Percy get new robes?" One of the twins complained.

"Because Percy is a prefect." The mother replied fondly. James' face broke into a grin.

"Molly Weasley, how are you?" The woman turned around, her face breaking out into a smile as well.

"James Potter! Well it has been awhile! Here to drop off Harry I presume?" Harry tried to ignore the gaping faces of the Weasley boys. But, he could still hear the twins whispering,

"If that's James Potter, then that must be THE Harry Potter!"

"Wow! Harry Potter…" Harry tuned them out and turned back towards his Dad.

"Yes actually. Isn't one of yours starting this year?"

"Yes, Ron here." Molly said, gesturing to a rather tall lanky freckled face boy. "Boys! Keep going through the platform, I'll meet you on the other side. So how's work been James?"

"Pretty quiet, actually. How's Arthur been doing?" Harry stepped past James and watched Percy and the twins run right through the wall of the platform.

"Do you want to go first?" Ron asked. Harry gestured for him to go first. Nodding, the lanky boy followed his brothers. Looking over his shoulder, Harry saw that James was still in conversation with Mrs. Weasley.

"Um, Dad?" James looked up.

"Right! Excuse me Molly; I have to get Harry to the other side of the platform." He turned to Harry. "Go ahead; I'll be right behind you." Harry nodded, shutting his eyes and charging straight at the brick wall of the platform, just as he saw the previous Weasley boys do. There was a 'whooshing' sound and Harry opened his eyes to reveal a rather old fashioned station, with a scarlet train decorated with the Hogwarts symbols. Parents were ushering their kids around and some kids that looked to be about Harry's age were struggling with their luggage.

"Alright there Harry?" His Dad's voice came from behind him. Harry spun around. He hadn't even heard his Dad come through the platform.

"Dad…geez!" Harry muttered. James grinned and grabbed Harry's luggage cart.

"We best be going, so you can find a seat on the train!" He said cheerfully, pushing Harry's cart along. Once they came to the carriage that held the luggage and the animals, James took Harry's trunk and lifted it in with ease. Harry helped by putting Hedwig next to it.

"Thanks Dad and well…bye." Harry mumbled. It would be the first time he would be separated from his Dad for more then a couple hours. He was scared, but it wasn't about to let that show. His Dad drew his into a one armed hug.

"Send a message to me with Hedwig, once you get a chance Harry. I'd like to know if you made it safely or not."

"Yeah, I'll do that." Harry replied. James knelt on the floor in front of Harry, trying not to let the worry show on his face. But he would be in Hogwarts which was the safest place for him.

"Hogwarts is great Harry! You'll have fun! But," James' face turned serious. "Be careful. Don't go wandering off by yourself." Harry nodded as the train blew his horn. James stood and ruffled his son's hair. "Bye Harry!"

"Bye Dad!" Harry said, quickly shouldering his leather pack that contained his uniform on the other shoulder. He raced up to the train and boarded. He would be lying if he said that he didn't look back.

After securing a spot in an empty compartment, Harry couldn't believe his luck. He sat back, leaning his head again the window, watching as the train chugged steadily along the dark tunnel.

~"Do you mind? Everywhere else is full." Harry looked up to see a vaguely familiar mop of red hair and a face dotted with freckles. He recognized him from the Weasley family. Harry hastily moved over.

~"Not at all!" He said, gesturing to the seat. The boy grinned slightly and sat down in the seat across from him.

"You're Harry Potter right?" He asked. Harry nodded, racking his brains for the boy's name.

"You're Ron Weasley, right?" Ron nodded.

"Do you really have the…scar on your forehead?"

"Yeah," Harry said, slicking back his fringe so Ron could see the scar. He supposed if he was to be friends with Ron, he might as well know who he was.

"Awesome!" Ron grinned. Harry found a grin spread across his face at Ron's reaction.

"Thanks..." Ron turned red.

"I mean, the shape is pretty cool…"

"Yeah, I guess so…" Harry mumbled, abashed. Ron opened his mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by the door to their compartment opening. Harry recognized Ron's twin brothers from the platform.

"Hey Wonnie, just wanted to check up on you…make sure ickle Ron Ron's making friend." Ron looked furious, but introduced them anyways.

"Harry, these are my brothers, Fred and George." He said, gesturing what name belonged to each twin. Harry had no idea how he would remember. The twins were dressed in identical sweaters, not to mention that they were identical.

"Hey, um I'm-"

"Harry Potter!" The twins chorused.

"We know! Dad mentioned you once…he worked with your Dad on a case once." Fred announced.

"Not to mention you survived You- Know- Who." George said in a hushed voice. Harry was starting to feel quite overwhelmed. Thankfully, another Hogwarts student came, announcing that the tarantula of a boy named Lee Jordan had just laid eggs. With a cheery wave, the twins sauntered off.

By the time his brothers had left, Ron's face had turned a shade of tomato red.

"Sorry 'bout that…they're harmless…really…"

"I liked them." Harry said honestly. It was true. The twins seemed like people Harry could easily get along with now that first introductions were out of the way.

"Do you like Quidditch?" Ron suddenly asked. Harry grinned.

"Yeah!"

The two boys had fallen into a comfortable conversation about Quidditch, when the trolley lady came around.

"Anything off the trolley dears?" She asked.

"No thank…all set here." Ron replied. The gold in Harry's pocket felt extremely heavy. He reached into his pocket. After all…his Dad said to buy food on the way there…

Five minutes later, Harry and Ron were swapping wizard cards back and forth. Harry had an entire collection stashed in a box under his bed at home. He was pleased to find out that Ron was an avid wizard card collector too.

"What d'ya get this time?" Ron asked as Harry unwrapped his third chocolate frog.

"Dumbledore." Harry sighed, placing it on his lap. "I've got about ten of him." Ron laughed.

"I've only got six." Harry turned over the card, and read the details about the great wizard on the back.

"It's funny…for an all powerful wizard, he seems quite…normal."

"Normal? Anyone who was feared by You-Know- Who isn't normal in my books." Harry let it go.

"Ouch!" Ron exclaimed.

"What?" Harry asked, perplexed.

"Sorry…Scabbers." Ron reached into his pocket and pulled out a rather large, old, fat rat. A finger was missing from one of his paws. "Pathetic, isn't he?"

"Kinda…" Harry said, who couldn't help himself to mentally compare Scabbers to Hedwig.

"Fred and George showed me a spell how to turn him yellow. Wanna see?"

"Sure." Harry said. Ron took out a battered wand.

"This is my brother Charlie's wand." He explained. "It's why it looks so…used. My family isn't very rich."

"It's not that bad…" Harry said. Ron rolled his eyes at him and raised his wand.

"Sunshine-" He was rudely interrupted by a girl with bushy brown hair throwing open the door to their compartment.

"Have any of you seen a toad, a boy named Neville has lost one. You're doing magic? Go on!" Ron and Harry just stared blankly at the girl, who had managed to utter all this in one sentence, without breathing. Clearing his throat, Ron began again.

"Sunshine, daisies, bottom mellow… turn this stupid fat rat yellow." A quick jet of light burst from the tip of his wand, rebounding off Scabbers and hitting Harry squarely in the glasses. His lens cracked.

"Oh God Harry, I'm so sorry, I-"

"Is that a real spell? Well, it's not very good is it. Here, let me show you how it's done." With that, the bushy brunette flounced into their compartment as if she owned the place. "Oh come on Sophia! Don't just stand there!" Harry and Ron shifted their gazes back to the door of the compartment. Both of their jaws fell open. Coming in to sit beside the bushy haired know-it-all girl was possibly the prettiest girl either them had ever seen. Her hair was long, and wheat blond. The way it framed her face accented her soft silver eyes and high cheekbones. Her skin was flawless, except for the few freckles that dotted her face around her nose. Her lips were full, hiding rows of extremely white teeth.

"For example…Occulus Reparo!" Harry's lens was immediately restored.

"Thanks uh-"

"You're Harry Potter!" The girl said in a hushed voice.

"Um yeah, I-"

"I'm Hermione Granger. This is my friend Sophia Wilder." Sophia smiled in response.

"Pleasure to meet you Harry and-?" She looked questioningly at Ron. Seeing that Ron's tongue was currently impaired, Harry answered for him.

"This is Ron Weasley."

"Nice to meet you Ron." Ron nodded dumbly.

"Well, you two better change, the driver says we'll be arriving in a few minutes. Bye Harry…Ron." With that, Hermione wretched the door open, Sophia following close behind her. After they left, Ron threw himself on the seats and moaned.

"I'm a failure. She probably thinks I'm an idiot."

"Cheer up! She's going to Hogwarts too Ron, I'm sure you'll see her again!"

"Then make a bigger fool of myself?" He demanded.

"Get to know her better." Harry replied wisely. Ron smirked at him.

"Very well, O wise one!" Harry laughed.

The train came to a slow halt beside a dark, gloomy train station. It had rained earlier, and night had fallen since then. Harry and Ron jumped out of the train, looking around for any sign that told them where they were supposed to go. They got their sign in a gigantic, bushy- beard man holding a latern.

"First years!" He hollered. "Over here! First years!" Harry and Ron raced over.

"Hey Hagrid!" Harry called over the gaggle of first year heads. Hagrid's beetle black eyes crinkled into a smile that was hidden under his shaggy mound of hair.

"Hello Harry!"

"You know him?" Ron asked in a hushed voice that Harry could barely hear over the crowd.

"He took me shopping for my back to school things. My Dad was busy." Harry replied.

"Whoa…" Ron said in amazement.

"Alright, we've got everyon'? Good, first years, follow me!" Hagrid called, and turned and started to walk along towards the exit of the station. Everyone followed him. They walked down a dark, forest path before coming out on the edge of a lake, lined with small boats, also attached with lanterns.

"Get it a boat everyon'! Only three to a boat!" Hagrid called. Obediently, all the first years found groups of three and got into the boat. Harry saw Ron looking around for Sophia, but she had already gotten in a boat with Hermione Granger and a small, red headed girl. Instead, Harry and Ron partnered up with a round- faced boy named Neville. As soon as everyone was loaded up, the boats started to glide across the water, revealing a big, majestic castle. Random lights from the windows dotted the walls, giving it a mystical feel. Harry's excitement grew. He couldn't believe that he was going to be staying here this year. He glanced over at Ron and Neville, whose eyes were as wide as saucers.

"Whoa…" Ron muttered.

"Yeah." Harry agreed.

After the boats stopped, there was a mad rush for the first years aiming for the enormous oak doors.

"Oy!" Hagrid hollered. "Single file now!" At the sound of Hagrid's booming voice, the children immediately fixed their positions. Putting down the lantern, Hagrid ambled up to the front of the group and pushed the doors open with great effort. After he pushed them halfway, the doors seemed to get the message and started to open on their own. Hagrid entered the castle and the first years followed. The castle was as majestic inside as it was outside. The sleek, sandstone columns and arches gave the castle an unfamiliar, yet homely, medieval feel. After climbing two flights of stairs, another pair of great oak doors came into view. A tall woman stood by them. She was practically encased in flowing emerald robes, and a formal pointed witch's hat. Her features were sharp, accented by her strict bun at the base of her neck.

"Thank you Hagrid." She said smoothly. "I'll take it from here." The first years stop walking uncertainly. There was something about this woman that was truly intimidating. She glanced at them, the sharpness of her eyes made many of the first years mistake it for a glare.

"Who's that?" Harry whispered to Ron. Ron shrugged. The woman cleared her throat.

"My name is Professor McGonagall. I am the deputy headmistress here at Hogwarts. Through these doors is the Great Hall. The Great Hall is where the sorting ceremony takes place and you will be sorted into your houses. Your houses are going to be like your family. Your successes will earn you point, and your rule breaking will make you lose points. The house with the most points at the end of the year will win the house cup." The first years nodded as whispers broke out, some bouncing up and down impatiently. They wanted to get sorted.

"What house do you think you'll be in?" Harry asked Ron quietly.

"Gryffindor I suppose." Ron muttered. "My entire family so far has been in Gryffindor. But I think I have a cousin twice removed that was in Ravenclaw and a great aunt that was in Hufflepuff. How about you?"

"Both my parents were in Gryffindor too." Harry whispered back. Ron opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Professor McGonagall's sharp voice echoing around the corridor.

"Silence!" The first years immediately fell silent. "Good. We're ready now." With that, Professor McGonagall pushed the great oak doors open. Harry was blown away with what he saw. The ceiling in the Great Hall was only barely visible under the starry night sky looked like a window to the outside. Candles floated in the air over four tables filled with students. A table at the front resided the teachers, with Dumbledore sitting in the elaborate headmaster's chair. The first years followed Professor McGonagall up to the front, close to the teacher's table, to a stool with an extremely old tattered looking hat sitting on it.

"The sorting hat." Ron breathed beside him. His voice was excited before it became fainter with nerves. Harry glanced at Ron's face, only to see it pale and clammy.

"What's the sorting hat?" Harry whispered to Ron.

"That's the thing that decides which house we're in. I suppose your Dad forgot to mention it to you. But all my older brothers wrote home about it, so I guess that's how I know it."

"So we-" But Harry was cut off by the sight of the hat, opening what Harry had once thought was a tear and singing,

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 top 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 steady 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!*

"Wow!" Ron said, applauding loudly along with the rest of the first years.

"I know!" Harry agreed, clapping until the palms of his hands began to sting.

"Alright then." Professor McGonagall said sternly, which quieted the entire Great Hall. She unrolled a piece of wound parchment. "Now, when I call your name, step forth and I will place the hat on you, and you will be sorted. Any questions?" All the first years empathically shook their heads. "Very well then. Hannah Abbott!"

Hannah Abbott was the first one that was sorted, as well as the first Hufflepuff. The entire process seemed to be relatively quick. Hermione and Neville became Gryffindors, and the hat barely touched Draco Malfoy's head before the Sorting Hat put him in Slytherin.

"I knew it!" Ron whispered to Harry, shaking his head with disgust. Malfoy, on the contrary looked exceptionally pleased and nearly skipped to the Slytherin table, where he was greeted by his new house members.

"Harry Potter." The entire Great Hall fell silent. Ron shoved him rather roughly when he realized that Harry wasn't going to move. Harry stumbled up towards the sorting hat and slowly sat on the stool. Professor McGonagall place the hat on his head.

"Ah…Mr. Potter at last. I've heard much about you. You are as I thought you'd be…you are difficult to place." The Sorting Hat's voice said in Harry's ear.

Please don't put me in Slytherin Harry prayed, remembering Draco Malfoy's sneer of happiness when he was placed in his house of choice.

"Not Slytherin? I find that you would thrive in Slytherin Mr. Potter. You have a good mind, and I can see much hidden talent within you. You are destined for greatness Mr. Potter- and Slytherin will help you attain your full potential."

Not Slytherin. Harry repeated like a mantra in his head.

"Very well then. GRYFFINDOR!" A huge smile broke out across Harry's face as he opened his eyes and saw the entire Great Hall (except the Slytherin table) erupting in cheers, with the Gryffindor table in a standing ovation. He clambered down, taking a seat next to Hermione, who patted his arm soothingly. He didn't realize he was still shaking from the stress the Sorting Hat had given him. But, he couldn't wipe the stupid grin off his face. He couldn't wait to write to his Dad.

The rest of the sorting was pretty uneventful. Ron became a Gryffindor, along with Sophia. Ron took his place beside Harry, and Sophia slid into an empty space beside Hermione. Ron was clearly thrilled to be sitting so close to her. Finally, when the last boy was sorted into Hufflepuff, Dumbledore stood and the noise of the Great Hall slowly diminished. Dumbledore was clearly a man of few words, because all he did was clap his hands and say,

"Let the feast, begin!"

"WHOA!" Ron exclaimed. Harry turned to the once empty golden plates only to find them overflowing with everything he liked to eat. He grinned widely for the second time that day and started to heap his plate. He was definitely going to like it here at Hogwarts.