Disclaimer: I don´t own Harry Potter or its characters.

Chapter 2: A Strange Sorting

Lightnings,

With my most regretful apologies, I would like to tell you that Hogwarts will not need you after all. My deepest apologies on worrying you as I did – you have to understand: you are too young.

I apologize again for worrying you with the safety of the students at Hogwarts. I have found that they are quite safe without your assistance, and several security measures have been added against unwanted guests.

Enclosed are some Lemon Drops, as an apology gift for causing you problems and worry.

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

Headmaster of Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft, and Wizardry.

As Nightmare read the letter, all the Lightnings fidgeted in their positions, wanting to see what it was about. They would have to wait a little more, because when Nightmare finished reading it, flames began making their way thought the parchment, burning the letter, and causing the others to wince. It must have been really bad.

Nightmare stared at the ashes in puzzlement which made Flame and Wind exchange worried looks; that was a rare occasion, indeed.

"So," Rock started. Everybody's heads turned towards him. "What did it say?"

Nightmare took a deep breath, and the rest of the Lightnings waited in anticipation, fidgeting.

"Apparently, Dumbledore doesn't need us anymore." Everybody started letting out protests. They had gone to them and revealed the Lightnings for that?

Tornado stood, shaking his head. Looking at Nightmare, he said, "Then, what are we going to do?"

Flame smiled mischievously, knowing her boyfriend more than well enough to know what he was thinking.

"We are going anyway, of course. I didn't meet my parents again for nothing." With that statement, the meeting was finished. Nightmare turned from his group, walking over to one of the sofas in the room.

Wind got up and took Echo´s hand, pulling him to a library that they had two doors away from the main room. Tornado and Blade both went to practice their dueling skills, betting with each other about the results of their oncoming match. Rock and Frosty retired to their rooms, the airy blonde and the earth elemental claiming it had been a long day and leaving Flame and Nightmare alone in the warm room.

Flame watched Nightmare, who didn't seem to notice she was there. Nightmare was facing a fireplace that they had all put on that room, because of the coldness, flames dancing in the wood.

Twirling a lock of hair around her finger, Flame stood and determined, walked towards Nightmare, who was lost in thought. She sat with him, taking his hand.

"You did the right thing, Nightmare." she said, knowing he was still doubting if revealing themselves to the Order was for the best or not. Many saw him as invincible, or thought he always was certain about his decisions, but she knew best. Even with all the power he had, he was still a child, just like any Lightning. Yes, every Lightning needed help, but so did Nightmare, and she was determined to be the one who gave it to him.

He looked at her, determination in his emerald eyes, the flames of the fireplace reflecting in them.

"I only hope it's for the best." he whispered, returning his gaze to the fire.

"It will be for the best, you´ll see." she said, with so much determination in her voice, Nightmare couldn't help but believe her.

"I really hope you´re right about that." He whispered, before closing his eyes, and relaxing at her side.

.

Albus Dumbledore was chatting happily to a suspicious Minerva McGonagall, who thought something had just happened, and she couldn´t stay quiet about it.

"Albus, you seem more...happy this morning" she said, her eyes on the Headmaster as Albus took a slip of pumpkin juice and laughed, eyes twinkling madly.

"You think, Minerva? I feel normal." he said, receiving strange looks from the teachers, who all thought the same as the Transfiguration Professor. Yes, Albus Dumbledore was weird. But not that weird, was he?

"Certainly, something´s happened, you weren't this happy when you discovered the Lightnings were kids." Minerva stubbornly said, planning on not giving up on the subject.

"Don't worry, Minerva, it's nothing. Please, don´t stop eating because of me." The Headmaster turned back to his food, to his Deputy Headmistress's annoyance.

Both were eating breakfast in the Great Hall, as all the staff members were. It was a week before the holidays ended, and all the professors had come back already, to sort out their classrooms and schedules and such things that all Professors do.

Dumbledore thought everything was now going according to plan. After being furious at finding the long lost twin of Charles Potter, (which he discovered after invading the Marauder's minds – which, of course, they didn´t notice) he tried thinking more about it, and truly, he wasn't so happy about that, obviously. Harry Potter, in his opinion, was better missing, thus as why he had send the letter to the Lightnings. Dumbledore hadn´t gotten an answer yet, but he expected it to arrive soon. And anyway, it wasn´t like he cared what those kids would think about it.

Just then the doors opened, revealing the eight teens Albus Dumbledore had been thinking about, and he really had hoped he wouldn't have to see again.

Harry Potter walked confidently to the middle of the hall, the rest of the Lightnings following him with a grin or a smirk, in Tornado´s and Blade´s cases, on each of their faces.

"What are you doing here?" Dumbledore said in an annoyed manner, surprising his colleagues in his sudden change of humor. "I recall sending you a letter stating that you aren't welcome in Hogwarts?"

"You did," Nightmare said, nodding his head. But his pose didn´t change, which infuriated the Headmaster even more."It just didn´t felt like it was the right thing to do, and we'll protect the students, if you want it or not."

Dumbledore rose from his comfortable armchair in anger, bringing mutters from the teachers.

"What are you doing here?" the Headmaster repeated half-exasperated, half-annoyed. "You are not welcome here."

Wind took a step, bringing her in front of Nightmare and closer to the Headmaster. Albus's foot twitched, as if he wanted to step backwards.

"You see, Headmaster, you have to let us stay. We are underage, after all. Isn't there a Ministry law that says that all underage wizards and witches, no matter who they are, have to be schooled?"

Dumbledore felt trapped. He knew the law, of course. He had helped write it. Trapped by his own ideas!

"Alright," Dumbledore said, frowning. "You can stay, but I warn you, I better not see you close to Charles Potter, or Voldemort will be the least of your problems."

Tornado and Blade snorted. "As if," The thought of interacting with Charles Potter was obviously foreign to them.

Dumbledore looked over the Lightnings, frowning when he counted eight instead of the seven he had been introduced to. "You seemed to have added another member since we met last," he said inquiringly.

Flame and Wind rolled their eyes in unison, causing a smile to appear on Frosty's lips while she played with a water drop she had summoned from the Lake earlier, the dreamy expression never leaving her face, thought her eyes held a look of amusement.

"Well, I was visiting my parents when the rest went to the Order meeting. My name is Rock. I can control the earth." Rock, having taken out a stone from his pocket when he started speaking, began playing with it, morphing the rock into different shapes. Dumbledore, who froze for a while, did not know what to say.

Flame, quite noticeably, was growing impatient. Fire was beginning to tickle her hands, occasionally spurting out in a column. Previous shock forgotten, Albus stepped back; it didn't hurt to be safe, after all. It was a good thing he did because she snapped moments later, a column of flame sped to the place he had previously occupied.

"Now, as much as we want to stay here," she growled, "we are not leaving Hogwarts ´til the year ends, so maybe you will want to show us our rooms or something."

Nightmare calmly placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to stop her bad mood.

"Shh - Flame," he said soothingly. "Come on, breath in, breath out."

Flame obliged, and some Lightnings rolled their eyes at them. This was not a new conversation between the couple; Flame had a nasty temper.

Albus frowned, but then nodded when Flame looked at him impatiently, her hands still playing with fire. He stood from the left table, leaving the hall. He knew the Lightnings were following because he heard footsteps. He walked a bit before stopping in front of a gargoyle.

Once he got there, Albus murmured the password ("Chocoballs"), and entered his room. Albus looked at his shelves, eyes passing by various silver instruments, decorations, and trinkets before they rested on an old, battered hat.

The hat stirred, and looked at the headmaster.

"You need a Sorting, headmaster?" said the hat.

Dumbledore nodded in reply.

"Then, I may speak about the houses first. The houses were founded by four friends: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. One day, Slytherin said, tired of the mixing of bloods, and the danger it caused, 'Only those with pureblood, and ambition I may teach.' Gryffindor replied angrily, 'Then, only those with chivalry and courage I will.' Ravenclaw told them sternly, "Only those who want wisdom would learn from me." To that, Hufflepuff replied gently, "I will teach all who want to learn from me." Then, the founders..."

"We do not have time for Hogwarts: A History; so please, just sort them," Albus snapped at the hat causing an indignant expression to appear on its tattered cloth. The girls in the room smirked, amused by the hat´s indignation.

Albus sighed. "Who wants to get sorted first?"

Blade smiled, saying, "I will." And he stepped forward.

Dumbledore placed the hat on his head. It stayed mute for a second then yelled, "SLYTHERIN!"

Dumbledore's frown deepened, especially when he saw the Lightnings clap Blade on the back, each of them smiling.

Rock stepped up next. Dumbledore set the hat upon his head gently, looking at the Earth master.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat called. Albus pondered that, well, at least it wasn't another Slytherin.

Rock went to his group; they congratulated him as well, and pushed Tornado forward to go next.

Tornado turned around, glared at his innocent looking friends, and went to where the Headmaster and the hat were, muttering, "Thanks guys, that's really nice," as the Headmaster placed the hat on his head. The group waited for nearly two minutes, before the hat screamed at last: "SLYTHERIN!"

Albus Dumbledore became more and more anxious, and his frown more noticeable, when the Lightnings welcomed their friend in the same manner as Blade. His thoughts were interrupted when a dreamy blond took a step, waiting to be sorted, and Albus set the hat on her head.

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat chanted a short time later, and he felt a little wave of relief.

Echo took a step, and taking the hat from Frosty´s hands, placed it in his head, sending a glare to the Headmaster

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat screamed after a while.

Wind was next, and after Echo sat the hat on her head, she smiled at him. "RAVENCLAW!" the hat said. Wind took off the hat and smiling, passed it to Flame, who had been standing impatiently. You could tell by an odd glow around her hands that she was tempted to let them catch fire again. She placed the sorting hat on her head, and it screamed a moment later, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Flame smiled, and gave the hat to her boyfriend, who winked at her and placed it on his head. His sorting was certainly the longest, and if you asked him later, he would say the hat said something between the lines of 'Brave, wise, ambitious and loyal, and certainly powerful but your braveness and nobleness certainly are your most defining characteristics.'

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Nightmare's lips turned upwards, and then briefly turned downwards, as if he wasn't sure whether to be happy or sad.

Albus Dumbledore frowned once again, now, with Harry Potter in Gryffindor, it would be more difficult to keep the Lightnings away from Charles Potter and friends.

Behind him, Fawkes trilled sadly and quietly at his master, knowing the pain that Dumbledore was causing to all those of the light.

Author Note:

Ok, as you see, this chapter was only edited. It´s ceirtainly diferent, but not so diferent like the last one. (And even the last was only slightly different.)

And, I kept my promise to update everyday if it was an only-edited chapter! YAY!

I want to thank all of the readers who have stayed with me since the start, and the onces who already start and those who help me keep updating, and having inspiration!

I´ve put a list of some of the reviewers, favorite story or author in the Profile. Please check it. I had written down each of them on my notebook, but my font isn´t very clear. If there´s some mistake, please tell me, and I will change it. If you did review, or push the favorite story or author button, but you don´t appear on the list, tell me anyway, and I´ll write you down. Thank you, wonderful people!

So, I´ll say goodbye until tomorrow! Adios!

Lily