Author's Note; Hi! Told you I would start working as soon as possible! No other reviews so far, but that's okay.

Disclaimer; I do not own Harry Potter—J.K. Rowling does.

Chapter III

We all just sat there nervously, wondering what was going to happen. Then something felt different, and I didn't realize what it was until I saw everybody getting up. The train had stopped moving. We were here.

"They get your luggage for you and bring it to the castle." Scorpius said after he saw Sapphire reaching for her trunk.

She nodded and followed us out. There were many buzzing first years, but the eight of us were not some of them. We exited the train and saw a huge, hairy man saying, "First 'ears this way! First 'ears this way! Two a boat!"

We all looked at eachother. "How do you want to split up?" Sean asked.

Ruby grabbed his arm, Dominique grabbed Sapphire's, and Rose grabbed mine. "Guess that leaves us then." Albus said to Scorpius and they both grinned.

We all climbed into the boats. It was such a warm night that if one of us got wet, it would dry easily. There was this giant squid thing following the boat and it was creeping us both out. When we were halfway across, I heard a splash.

I looked in the direction to see that Sean and Ruby's boat had flipped over. They came up gasping, Ruby's eyes wide behind her glasses. The big man reached in the water, flipped the boat right-side-up, lifted them out of the water, and put them in the boat. And he did this all just as he was passing by.

I was right when I thought that they would dry instantly—of course. We finally got to the shore and climbed out of the boats. The man led us into the castle and in front of a set of huge oak doors where a lady was waiting.

The lady had long, wavy brunette hair and deep brown eyes. "I am Professor Jackson. When you walk through those doors, you will see five tables. Stand in front of the one facing the door. There will be a stool in front of it with a hat on it. I will call your names off of a list and you will walk up, sit on the stool, and put on the hat. It will then sort you into a house."

Sapphire nudged me. "How many galleons to bet at least one person laughs at my name," She joked.

"None, I already know at least one person will be mean enough to laugh at your name." I whispered back.

"No fun! I was hoping to get some serious cash off of you!" She exclaimed, forgetting that we were in a crowded room with a teacher.

"Is somebody selling things?" Professor Jackson asked, looking around.

Sapphire quietly squeaked and hid behind Dominique. "*Cough**Cough*Busted*Cough*Cough*" I quietly coughed/whispered.

The doors opened just then, preventing Professor Jackson to look for Sapphire. "You got lucky." Ruby whispered.

As soon as we walked into the room, I gasped. It was beautiful. The ceiling looked exactly like the night sky outside, and there were floating candles, and ghost! About twenty ghosts all floating near the house tables.

The crowd of first years surged forward, everyone's eyes on us. Albus gulped and Rose put an arm around him. I couldn't see the stool with the hat on it. Damn my shortness! It started to sing (A/N; I not good at writing songs, so I'm gonna skip it.) and I found myself daydreaming. I was, however, pulled back into reality when I heard Professor Jackson call the first name.

"Adams, Michelle." Michelle Adams was a tall girl with black hair in pigtails. She walked over to the hat.

"RAVENCLAW!" It exclaimed after a few minutes.

Minutes? It could take minutes? What if it took an hour for me? Or, even worse, what if it immediately said Hufflepuff? Or Slytherin? I could take Hufflepuff a little better. They were at least loyal and not always cowards. Ravenclaws were smart and Gryffindors were brave. But Slytherins? They were usually evil. I wouldn't be able to take that. Being immediately sorted into the house that everybody fears. Monkey was an exception, she's just cunning. That's why she's in Slytherin. It makes sense! But I'm not cunning.

I was freaking out so much, I barely noticed when they called somebody I knew. "Malfoy, Scorpius." So many people booed and hissed at the name. They were judging him on his family's actions.

With his fists and eyes clenched shut, Malfoy sat down on the stool and let Professor Jackson put the Sorting Hat on his head. It was apparently whispering to him, because his face was calming down. His fists unclenched and he slowly opened his eyes. It appeared as if he was asked a question because he nodded.

The hat opened the rip that was his mouth, and shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The result was silence. Absolute and utter silence. The Slytherins looked confused, the Hufflepuffs were smiling, the Ravenclaws looked shocked, the Gryffindors looked disgusted, and Scorpius? He looked…happy. Happy that he beat the odds, got into Gryffindor.

I heard a noise to my left. It was Albus. Clapping. Clapping for his Dad's enemy's son. I caught his eye and grinned, joining in. Soon, all of the first years were doing it. It was all of the 11-year-olds. All clapping for their fellow classmate.

Scorpius sat down at the Gryffindor table and Professor Jackson cleared her throat. "Miller, Jonathan."

Jonathan was immediately sorted into Slytherin. I stopped paying attention again until I heard another name I knew. "Potter, Albus."

Albus gulped. Rose gave him a thumbs-up, and Dominique smiled at him. He walked over to the stool and sat down. Professor Jackson put the hat on his head. It immediately said, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Everybody cheered, especially the Weasleys and Potters. I was grinning. Two of my new friends had gotten their wish. I just hoped that I would too. I zoned out yet again—I did that a lot that day.

At least, until I heard a name that I definitely recognized. "Sapphire, Diamond."

Ruby patted me on the back, Sean gave me a thumbs-up, and Sapphire whispered, "Good luck!"

I could only hear the booming of my heart in my ears as I walked up to the stool. My palms were sweaty as I felt everyone in the room staring at me. I sat down and the booming faded to a dull thud. Professor Jackson placed the Sorting Hat on my head. It covered my eyes so I saw was brown.

"Ah," The Sorting the Hat drawled in my ear. "A daughter of P-oh! You don't know yet? Well it's hardly my place to tell you. Well you're impatient, competitive, talkative, and you obsess over the television shows 'House of Anubis' and 'Doctor Who'. Very hard to place."

Very hard to place, I thought. Does that mean I can't be sorted? What will happen?

"However, I do see one trait that belongs to a house. Bravery."

Bravery? Does that mean-

"Yes," the Sorting Hat interrupted. "GRYFFINDOR!"

There was cheering—actual cheering! Sapphire, and Ruby, and Pearl, and Jade, and Monkey, and Rose, and Dominique, and Sean, and the Gryffindors! They were all cheering. For me. Because they were proud of me, or proud to have me in their house.

I sat down at the Gryffindor table in between Scorpius and Albus. I had one seat on my right, and two on my left—just in case. "Sapphire, Ruby." Professor Jackson called.

I found it funny that because of our names, we were going in age order. Ruby was pale. I mean pale-r than usual. She was shaking from head-to-toe and I felt bad for her. She sat down and the Sorting Hat was placed on her head.

After about a minute, it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" I found myself clapping and cheering as she slid into one of the seats to my left.

"Wow," Scorpius whispered. "That was almost as fast as you."

"What?" I asked. It had felt like ten minutes.

"You were sorted in about 30 seconds. You didn't know?" Albus said. I shook my head.

"Sapphire, Sapphire." Professor Jackson called, and a couple of Slytherin girls laughed, only to be shushed by Monkey. A couple of Gryffindor boys laughed and I said, "Shut up. That's my sister, and it's not her fault our parents named her that."

To my surprise, they actually shut up. Sapphire blushed and sent me and Monkey grateful looks before sitting down. The Sorting Hat was placed on her head. After about five minutes, it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

I'm pretty sure me and Ruby were cheering loudest of all. Sapphire—to my relief—sat in the seat to my right. The next name called confused everyone, even the teachers. "Sean?"

Sean slowly walked up to the stool and sat down. I didn't think he would be nervous. He sounded so sure on the train that he would get Gryffindor. Maybe he was lying?

After about three minutes, the Sorting Hat said, "GRYFFINDOR!" Relief flooded Sean's face. Ruby was cheering especially loud as he slid into the seat in between her and Scorpius.

I didn't really pay that much attention until Professor Jackson called, "Weasley, Dominique."

The Sorting Hat was put on her head and immediately shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

She sat next to Albus, leaving a seat between them. "Weasley, Rose."

The Sorting Hat barely touched Rose's head when it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

She exhaled and sat in between Dominique and Albus. "That," she whispered. "Was so scary."

The headmistress stood up. Everybody knew her. It was Professor McGonagall. She taught Albus and Rose's parents and is still teaching. Well, she's technically not teaching, but she is in charge of the school.

"I'd like to welcome all of the students to a brand new year at Hogwarts." She started. I don't do well with speeches. Never have. I have ADHD, so it's hard for me to pay attention during long and boring stuff. It's a bad flaw, but it's the same for the rest of us.

I saw Sapphire and Sean's eyes glaze over immediately. Ruby tried to pay attention, but soon, she was just staring off into the distance. I wasn't even really trying. I was just looking around me. I mean, I do try most of the time. But it's hard.

But I was snapped out of my daze immediately when Professor McGonagall waved her wand and food appeared on the tables.

A feast! Nobody had mentioned a feast! Oh yeah! I piled dozens of things on my plate—roast chicken, roast turkey, corn, mashed potatoes, you name it! I'll eat anything except for seafood. That just feels wrong. Everybody but Sapphire, Sean, and Ruby stared at me.

"What?" I asked. I hadn't started eating yet. I was just grabbing what I thought looked good.

"Are you sure you can eat all that?" An older girl asked.

"Of course!" I exclaimed, digging in.

They all just shrugged and went to grab some food. And the dessert was just delicious! They had so many things, I would fill pages and pages if I tried to describe it all.

When everyone was finished eating, we were all basically asleep.

"I have a couple announcements now that you're all fed." Professor McGonagall started. "And this time, I hope that you'll actually listen." She looked at Ruby, me, Sapphire, and Sean. "Everyone should know that the Forbidden Forest on the grounds is just that, forbidden. There is to be no magic in the corridors between classes. And Quidditch trials will be held during the second week of school. If you want to play for your house, contact Professor Wood. Now, before you go to bed, we have a school song. Just pick your favorite beat and tune and sing along."

She waved her wand and golden cursive words appeared in the air. Me, Ruby, Sapphire, and Sean groaned. Along with being ADHD, us Sapphires were all dyslexic. Pearl and Monkey looked past that, always reading. I tried, but it was too hard. I usually just listened to audiobooks. But cursive? Forget it. I just tried to listen to other people and follow along best I could.

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."

Once everybody was finished singing and clapping, Professor McGonagall said, "Now all of you, off to bed!"

As a prefect led us first-years out of the Great Hall, Monkey caught my eye and gave us all a thumbs-up. The prefect led us up many staircases to a portrait of a fat lady in a pink silk dress. "Password?" She asked.

"Wugglemump." The prefect answered. It was the strangest password I had ever heard.

The prefect led he boys through one door, and us girls through the other. It opened to a winding staircase that had seven doors at the top. We went through the one that had a sign that said, First-Year Dormitories. The five of us walked inside to find a room with five four-poster beds and our trunks already brought up. We put our pajamas on.

"You know, it's funny." Dominique remarked.

"What is?" Ruby asked, yawning.

"That all of us were in the same compartment on the train and now we're all in the same house."

"Ugh, I'm to tired to think. Let's sleep!" Sapphire exclaimed so excitedly I had to laugh. She jumped into be.

"Agreed." Ruby said, plopping down on her bed face-first.

"Glasses." I reminded her seeing as she always forgot to take them off.

"I know, I know," she grumbled, taking them off and placing them on a bedside table I had just noticed.

"At least tomorrow's a Saturday so we won't have classes!" I exclaimed. (A/N; It really will be. I looked it up. September 1st, 2017 will be on a Friday.)

"Good night." Rose called, climbing into bed like Dominique and I.

"Good night!" I exclaimed back.

"Good night." Sapphire muttered, already half-asleep.

"Good night." Dominique said.

"Good night." Ruby mumbled, also already half-asleep.

I thought I would be way to excited to fall asleep, but as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light.

So, it took so long for two reasons. One, my sister keeps asking to go on the computer as soon as I start writing. And two, nosebleeds. I rarely have them, so when I do it takes like half an hour to stop bleeding and naturally I'm in a bad mood. I had two nosebleeds in a row. Anyways, review and if you also read Nina Potter and the Cup of Ankh, I'll be updating sometime this week.