Slowly the train screeched to a stop. Sidney and Harry stepped out, hearing Hagrid's gruff voice yelling, "First years, this way!" They waved, but they weren't sure whether or not he saw them. They followed the crowd to the deep black lake, covered with small wooden boats. Hagrid said, "This is the Black Lake! Be careful in it; the giant squid dwells underneath." Harry and Sidney grinned at each other; a giant squid?!
Before long, they were all in the hallway towards the great hall. McGonagall had barely left, when three figures come out of nowhere. "So, these are the Potters." Sidney shrank back, behind her brother. The pale boy with blonde hair nodded to her, "Hey, you're Sidney, right?" She nodded, and spoke quietly, "Yes." He said, "I'm Malfoy...Draco Malfoy." He held out a hand, and she came up from around her brother. She shook hands, "Nice to meet you, Malfoy." He said, "Please, call me Draco." She nodded at him and they turned when McGonagall called to them to enter.
The first years stood in the middle hallway between two tables; the one on the right had bright red flags with lions on it, while the one on the left had blue flags and a raven on theirs. Sidney thought, oh, I see. These are the different groups you go in according to what you're like. She waited for McGonagall to speak. There was a shabby looking hat on a stool in the front of the entire school. It sang a weird song she didn't exactly understand. After the hat was done singing about how it was made, McGonagall explained, "You are to put this hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your house. The house that is called will clap the loudest so you know where it is."
The hat sorted many people and Sidney started getting nervous; which table would she sit at? Granger girl sat at the Gryffindor table, until they called Harry up. The school went deadly quiet. She looked at her brother, who was so small the hat fell to over his eyes. Finally after a few moments, the hat yelled out, "GRYFFINDOR!" Sidney clapped for her brother, until her name was called. She shifted from left foot to right as she walked up to the hat. McGonagall placed the head on her head; it fell to the tip of her nose. She heard it say, you are scared. You're skittish. You are very quiet and you are sly. But, most of all, you have been hurt along the way. She sucked in some air as he yelled out for the whole school to hear, "SLYTHERIN!" The table with the green banner clapped the loudest; she sat at the vacant seat.
Malfoy got up and sat next to her, "So, you're in Slytherin." She nodded slightly, "Yeah, I guess so." He smiled at her kindly, "You don't need to be scared; we're actually very nice." She looked behind her, where her brother sat. She sighed; he got the idea. He said, "Yeah...that's rare. For siblings to be in a different house." She looked at him softly; he seemed really nice. Why shouldn't she talk to him?
Dumbledore stood, "I would like to say a few words before we start our feast. As most of you should know, the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds. Our caretaker, Filch, has asked me to remind you not to go to the third floor corridor, unless you wish for an untimely death. That is all I shall say. Now, dig in!" Food appeared in front of them; Sidney only took the smallest roll from the dish and nibbled on it. Draco noticed and said, "You know, this is a feast. You can eat whatever you want." Sidney nodded, not really understanding. Her whole life she'd been eating the crumbs off Dudley's plate. She didn't really eat, anyway.