The first step into Hogwarts for Jenni was more than anything she ever imagined - and more than anything anyone told her. She was full of hope, excitement, and anticipation for what future years held for her, and she couldn't help but imagine all the people she'll meet and the grades she'll earn. But, her imagining got shaken out once James tugged her arm as the first years were being led by Deputy Headmaster, and Herbology Professor, Neville Longbottom into the Great Hall for their sorting.

Jenni looked up and couldn't stop staring and smiling at the ceiling, which wasn't like any ordinary ceiling. The school's ceiling showed the dark night sky, with the moon peeking from behind the clouds, and the stars twinkling a far distance away.

As she was admiring the ceiling, she heard faint singing from the sorting hat. And, Jenni's attention was drawn away from the moon when Professor Longbottom loud voice began to speak to the first years once the hat stopped singing.

"Now, as I call out each individuals name alphabetically, you will walk up here, sit on the stool, and I will place the sorting hat on your head. Once the hat calls out your designated house, you will walk to that house table which would be shouting the loudest," Professor Longbottom paused before continuing with the names.

"Adleen, Michael".

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Aif, Thomas".

"SLYTHERIN"

"Bott, Michelle".

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The names continued on, and Jenni's attention span would wander elsewhere until she heard familiar names. The name that caught her attention was of the boy who couldn't carry a conversation.

"Finnigan, Brendan".

After a few seconds the hat called out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Jenni heard a groan come from James and gave him a look, in which he asked defensively, "What?" Jenni just shook her head and went back to looking around until the names were in the M's.

"McLaggen, Melanie".

Melanie looked at Jenni with a nervous smile and said, "Wish me luck."

"Luck," replied Jenni with an encouraging smile.

The hat took a small pause before it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" Jenni, James, and Fred were clapping hard with big smiles on their faces.

Jenni was playing with her fingers and looking at every person walking up to the stool, waiting for the moment her name got called, and she knew she'd go before James and Fred.

She never really knew which house she'd be put into, for her father, an auror, was placed in Gryffindor while her mother, a Daily Prophet editor, was placed in Ravenclaw. And, everyone who knew her well enough told her how she always had her mothers' brain. She also knew very well that neither Fred nor James would be placed in Ravenclaw, and that they are both meant to be in Gryffindor. She began to feel worried if she wasn't placed in Gryffindor with her two best friends, or newer friend Melanie. And, it took hard nudges from Fred and James to knock her out of concentration as her name was called.

Her thoughts vanished, and she slowly walked up to the Hat. As the hat was placed on her head, she heard a small voice, "So, Jennifer Palmer, otherwise known as 'Jenni'. Yes… I see your concern, about being placed in Ravenclaw while your friends are in Gryffindor. You do have the intelligence to thrive in that house. But, I sense great determination, and potential for you. Yes… I know just where to put you… GRYFFINDOR!"

Jenni felt a wave of relief wash over her as the Gryffindor table shouted and hollered ridiculously. She looked over at James and Fred who were bellowing the loudest and started beaming as she walked down the stair to her house table and sat down next to Melanie, who gave her a hug.

Shortly after Jenni was called, James was walking up to the stool, as confident as ever without any ray of doubt in the house he'll be put into. And, after five seconds the hat yelled out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

James walked over to the shrieking table, with a few squeals from the younger girls, and sat in front of Jenni and said to her and Melanie, "Nice to see you again. It's been ages."

As the sorting went on, Fred would look at the Gryffindor table every so often to pass time by, sigh, then make faces at James, who made faces to his cousin in return.

Finally, "Weasley, Fred" was called and only after a second the hat screamed, "GRYFFINDOR!"

As Fred walked towards the screeching table he sat himself in between James and a platinum blonde haired girl named Scarlett Osborne who raised her eyebrows at him, to which Fred said sassily, "Do you mind scooting over a bit? I don't have much leg room." She shook her head, but scooted over anyways and he replied, "Thanks. Me and my legs appreciate that."

As the sorting came to and end, and the hat was taken away, Headmistress McGonagall stood up to make her speech, "Welcome first years to Hogwarts, and to all you returning students, welcome back. I do hope this year will start and end on good notes from each and every one of you. Before we start our feast, I would like to point out strict rules to you first years and returners. The Forbidden Forrest is, as it's called forbidden," she looked at James and Fred as she said that, "no one is allowed to be out of bed in the corridors past hours and if caught, will be given detention, no exceptions. Hogsmeade is out-of-bounds for all students under third year. I believe that is all of most importance. Now, let's eat!"

As she finished her speech, a wondrous amount of foods appeared all around; steak and kidney pie, chicken, beef, lamb chops, salads, potatoes and several other foods surrounded the staff and students.

James and Fred talked about pranks and people that Scarlett was astounded to hear, Melanie was intrigued by, and Jenni considered a conversation that will never get old.

Scarlett turned to Jenni and asked, "Will they always act and talk like this?"

"Honestly, if they never act like this, something in their mind is wrong," She replied.

"Well, as long as I never get the harsh end of one of these pranks, my life will be good," Scarlett remarked looking at the two boys who were so immersed in their conversation, they didn't hear her.

The food and talk came to an end when Professor McGonagall stood up to say that it was time for bed. The prefects for each house took charge with their first years. The two fifth year prefects, in charge for bringing the first years to the common room, shouted, "Alright, Gryffindor! Follow us!" The two Gryffindor prefects were Dominique Weasley and Frank Longbottom who showed them to the common room.

Once inside, Frank gave them instructions, "Alright you lot, so the boys dormitory will the third door on your left. As for the girls, third door on your right."

Many first years went into their dormitories, and soon after Jenni and Melanie followed suit after saying goodnight to Fred and James. The boys went to their room and introduced themselves to their roommates; Michael Adleen, Roger Peterson, and Brendan Finnigan.

Later in the night, James couldn't contain himself, "Oi, Fred," he whispered, "what do you think of Finnigan?"

Fred gave him a disordered looked, "What? Well he seems cool I suppose. Besides, what's it to you?"

James narrowed his eyes, "I don't know. There's just something about him."

Fred responded, "Alright, well… while you figure out your grudge against a guy you hardly know, I'm going to sleep." With that, he flopped himself onto his pillow and closed his eyes. James thought about what his cousin said, came to no conclusion, and followed his example and decided to sleep.

Meanwhile, the first year girls were awake, in their pajamas, and talking the night away. Luckily the following day is a Saturday so they would be able to sleep in if they so desired. The first year Gryffindor girls consisted of Beth Wu, Hannah Kelps, Melanie McLaggen, Jenni Palmer, and Scarlett Osborne. All five girls, to each of their surprises, got along famously with each other. They stayed up talking about their families, and aspirations.

Beth Wu is an Asian girl with fair skin, bright blue eyes, and stick straight black hair. She's muggleborn with a dentist father, and a stay-at-home mother, and has two younger siblings, an eight-year-old sister and three-year-old brother. She told the girls wants to be the equivalent of the "Head Chief of Police" in the wizarding world.

Hannah Kelps is a black girl with intricate braids, and light brown eyes. She's a half-blood with Ministry working parents, and is the youngest of four children. Her oldest and only brother was a Hufflepuff and is working part-time at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour to raise money to go on a trip with friends. Her twin sisters are in their sixth year and are both in Gryffindor. She wants to become the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement like her father.

Scarlett Osborne is a pale girl with green eyes, and platinum blonde hair. She is a half-blood with a muggle mother who works as a lawyer, and a wizard father who owns a small bookstore in Diagon Alley. She wishes to be a part of the Department of International Magical Cooperation.

Melanie, with her lively hazel eyes, is also a half-blood, and tells the group how she loves animals, and wants to become an animal healer in the magical world, similar to her mother who is a muggle and is a veterinarian.

Jenni explains to the group, who knows about her parents' death and briefed them on her living situation, about her father being an auror and how her mother was the Daily Prophet editor for eight years until her untimely death. She then told them her dream job, which she hadn't told anyone besides her parents. She told them how she wants to be a writer, and a successful one at that.

After they all explained their families and dreams with each other, it was nearly 2 o'clock in the morning, and felt it was time to stop talking and get some sleep. Hannah deemed herself the "Alarm Keeper" and set an alarm; late enough so the girls get rest, but early enough so they can make it to breakfast. As the girls drifted off, Jenni's mind protested against sleep, because it finally hit her, what she and James have talked about since mid-August clicked in her mind at 2:30 in the morning – she's at Hogwarts.