By the time we arrived at the Hogwarts station, I had bonded surprisingly fast with Ron, Hermione and Harry. Ron's sister Ginny, a friendly boy named Neville and a queer but kind-hearted girl named Luna were the new additions to my happily found group of new friends.

We hopped off the train and across the station, where I could see dozens of carriages lined up. Dark, skeletal grey horse creatures were tied to them, staring around peacefully. They were beautiful; in a haunting, twisted kind of way.

"Thestrals," Luna said softly, catching me staring. Her pale, dirty blonde hair shone in the dim light. She turned to me, eyes slightly dazed. "You see them…if you've seen death."

"Death," I murmured, glancing up again. A thestral snorted softly, releasing an opaque cloud of breath into the chilly air.

Harry and Ron headed towards the second carriage and Luna lightly tugged me along. I followed and then glanced behind me – Hermione was bustling around a gaggle of first years.

"Hermione," I said inquisitively, tilting my head. "Aren't you coming?"

A first year blew a loud, wet raspberry at another student, which caused a riot to lift its ugly head. For a brief moment, I wondered if I was that immature when I was eleven.

Hermione scrambled to calm down the students, her brown hair frizzing up spectacularly. She looked up briefly and saw me before quickly uttering, "You guys go first…I'm Head Girl, I have to round up the first years for Hagrid…didn't I tell you before?"

I nodded in understanding, "I'll see you later then?"

"Oof – get down! Sure!"

I turned on my heel and hurried to the carriage, which Ron and Harry had kept waiting. Thanking them, I blew a strand of hair away from my face and settled into the squishy – but slightly mouldy cushions. The thestrals began walking at a slow pace before jogging. Luna was reading the latest edition of 'The Quibbler' beside me and I didn't want to interrupt her so I turned to Harry and Ron instead.

"If Hermione's Head Girl," I began questioningly, staring Ron straight in the eye. He blushed furiously. "Then who's Head Boy?"

He and Harry glanced at each other and shrugged. Luna turned a page of her magazine.

"Merlin knows," Harry said decisively, blinking. "It might be Ernie MacMillan, I guess."

I didn't ask who Ernie was and we continued the rest of the ride in a chilly, yet strangely comforting silence.

Hogwarts was beautiful. It was the first thing I thought of when I saw the magnificent, enchanting castle. There were turrets and lights everywhere, lighting up the whole place with beautiful luminescent rays. Beauxbatons was lovely of course…but I preferred this ancient, regal feel over the perfected elegance of the crystalline walls of my old school.

"Audree," Ron nudged me. Hard.

Startled, I turned and realized we were at the entrance of the Great Hall already. Inside, I could hear hundreds of excited voices chattering. The last straggle of people were filing through now. I enunciated a move to go in, but I was blocked by someone.

"Miss Audree Avery?" The stern looking old witch asked me stiffly.

I nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

Her look softened, "I'm Professor McGonagall. I'm afraid you need to wait here with the first years to be Sorted."

"Oh," I blinked, surprised. "Okay."

Ron shrugged and gave a large grin before disappearing through the doors. I stood there, lost, as the first years piled in, looking wet and scraggly. Hermione led the litter, looking puffed out but proud. She smiled when she saw me and waved.

I watched and she and Professor McGonagall exchanged a few words. Finally, she turned to me and whispered, "Good luck" before vanishing through the doors of the Great Hall. A flutter of nerves was conquering my body now. A tight feeling squeezed around my heart as McGonagall told us to line up. After a few seconds of silent anticipation, the doors opened slowly and the first years and I filed through.

Four straight tables lined the hall, each filled with unfamiliar and familiar (Harry and Ron waved like buffoons at what I guessed was the Gryffindor table) faces. And then there was always Draco. I spotted him at the far end of the hall, his white blonde hair glinting gold in the rich light. He refused to look at me. The brunette girl next to him, his girlfriend I believed, stared at me hard with interest. Her name rang briefly through my mind.

Astoria.

And then I couldn't think anymore because the Sorting Hat and the stool (Hermione had told me about it) had been brought out. People around me gave me interested looks, especially since I was obviously the tallest and oldest out of the whole group.

I looked up and saw the old man that had featured in five of my chocolate frog cards. Albus Dumbledore. Unknowingly, I smiled at him, and he returned the gesture warmly.

He swept his gaze around the hall, "Let the Sorting begin!"

I was near the end of the line so I bit my lip and breathed calmly. Most of the female side of my family had gone to Beauxbatons, but a few had come to Hogwarts. All of them were placed in Slytherin. I expected nothing different for me. I was slightly disappointed at the thought; it would've been nice to be placed in Ravenclaw or maybe even Hufflepuff.

"Emery, Lila!" Called McGonagall.

Six people left to sort before it was my turn.

The nervous little blonde haired girl walked up to the stool and sat as the Hat was placed on her head.

"Hmm…" The Sorting Hat hummed thoughtfully. "Well, well well…smart…gentle soul, pure outlook on the world…hm, yes, I've decided…HUFFLEPUFF!"

I clapped politely as the Hufflepuff table burst into encouraging cheers.

"David, William!"

The list continued.

Finally:

"Avery, Audree!"

The whole Hall seemed to go silent. I took a deep, calming breath and stepped onto the small platform, seating myself on the rough stool. I could feel everyone's eyes on me – even Draco's, I noted with surprise. His eyes held no anticipation. He must've expected me to be in Slytherin as well.

"My, oh my," The Hat taunted in a high pitched voice. "Women in the Avery family tend to land in dear old Slytheree' don't they? Hmm…definitely a cunning edge…very intelligent, but a different kind of intelligent from the Ravenclaw kind...broadminded, uses things to advantage…hmm…"

All the traits listed were very obviously pointed at Slytherin.

So imagine my surprise when it's next words were:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Thank you for reading! Sorry I haven't updated in a few days T-T

I edited this but I think I missed some spots, so apologies 3

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