Chapter 5

(I actually bothered to look up how the houses were spelled this time.)

Soren heard Eglantine gasp as they walked into Hogwarts, being led with all the first years. However much to his annoyance, that was about all he could hear. He automatically tilted his head to hear better. It didn't improve anything.

"Try this." Digger muttered. He had his hands cupped around his ears.

Soren lifted his hands up and did that same. It really did improve things. At least a little. "Weird." He muttered.

Then one of the other first years noticed. "What are you doing?" He demanded in a condescending tone.

"Oh." Soren realized of course this would look weird. "Um, improving our hearing."

The first year snorted. "That's what you have ears for." He said. Then he shoved his way past them. The band awkwardly put their hands down.

Not that he got far. There was an older Other in front of the door, and that's where everyone stopped. "Now, before you can begin the feast with the other students, you must be sorted into your houses." She explained. "There are four, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin."

"What's a Hufflepuff?" Eglantine whispered as softly as she could.

Soren shrugged helplessly. He didn't really understand the concept anyway. But now, he'd missed most of the Other's speech and they were led into the great hall.

"Look at the ceiling!" Eglantine pointed up.

Soren looked up. Where was the ceiling? He knew there was one, but currently all he could see was the night sky.

"Wow. I can even see the different constellations." Gylfie breathed. "If this is a fake, it's a good one."

They all stopped up at front, there was one table with older Others sitting facing them. And in front of the two groups was a hat.

To the owls' surprise, it came to life and started to sing a song that reminded Soren vaguely of a Twilight song.

"What?" Eglantine asked softly when it finished.

"I think the recap is, Gryffindor is brave, Ravenclaw is smart, Slytherin is sneaky, and Hufflepuff is loyal." Twilight summed up.

Then the Other who'd led them in here called Eglantine forward. Eglantine's eyes widened and for a moment she stood frozen. Twilight gave her a push and she walked forward, sat on a stool, and the hat was placed on her head.

The hat laughed. Actually it sounded more like bark, and it sounded more like it was in Eglantine's head than outside it. Well this is new. The hat thought. I've never had someone formerly an owl before.

Eglantine's eyes went wide again. You know about that? She wondered.

Before she could ask it out loud the hat said in her head, Indeed I do. And I know enough that it's obvious what house to put you in. "Gryffindor!" It shouted for the whole room to hear.

One table in particular burst into applause. Eglantine staggered towards them, having a hard time functioning when her mind was focused on all the weird things happening.

Soren was called up next. "Gryffindor!" the hat shouted.

Soren blinked in surprise. He'd only just sat down. In fact, it hadn't felt like that hat had touched his head at all. But he joined Eglantine over at the Gryffindor table.

It was Gylfie next. The hat spent longer on her head than Soren, and shorter than Eglantine. It was apparently getting used to former owls. But this time something unexpected happened. "Ravenclaw!" Soren and Gylfie exchanged confused glances as a different table broke out cheering. Gylfie shrugged helplessly and walked to that table.

Then there was Twilight and Digger. Twilight was Gryffindor and Digger Ravenclaw. Digger was another fast decision.