Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, ect. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. Please Review, Favorite and Follow! Oh, also in search of a Beta Reader! I guess I do own Hope though.

Thank you for all the follows, reviews, favorites and such! It means a lot to me! It really does! So, I'll be going on a vacation for thanksgiving and may not have time to make the new chapter so I decided to post this one earlier than I would have. Thanks again! Please bear with me while I'm gone!

"Italics" when the hat speaks aloud.

I smiled as I hopped off the Hogwarts Express, my newfound friends; Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley by my side. A tall, wide-set man with a large beard and beetle black eyes was seen through the throng of students "Firs' years! Firs' years 'his way!"

I grinned as I approached the man "Hagrid!"

Ron looked Hagrid up and down "Whoa."

"Hope! How are yeh?" He asked with a smile.

"I'm great, how are you Hagrid?"

"Good." Hagrid replied before yelling again "Firs' years!"

I looked around "Where are we going?"

"We get to Hogwarts by boats. We cross the Black Lake." Ron explained to us as we hopped into a boat.

Hermione grinned at the girl who had gotten into the boat shortly after us. She had red hair and brown eyes, well I'm assuming, it was pretty dark. Once everyone was in, the boats magically lurched forward and we glided across the lake's ink black surface. The castle not yet in view as we started to round a bend.

I slipped my hand into the water, smiling as it glided through my fingers. I felt something slimy underneath and pulled back with a soft gasp, a long narrow log of some sort bobbing into the water and dipping back in.

"The giant squid." A voice said next to me causing me to jump.

The girl smiled at me sheepishly.

An intake of breath was heard as the first boats rounded the bend and Hogwarts came into view. I gaped at the castle. It was rectangular is shape with a second part sectioned off, separated by a blank piece of land which I would later see as the central tower courtyard. Several towers and turrets hung off the castle. Many windows were alight with a flame and a grand staircase lead to a large pair of main doors. The castle gave off a mystical, magical aura.

Hermione and I traded a glance just as Ron turned to give me a grin. I grinned back at him muttering "This is amazing."

I glanced around the surrounding boats and sneered when I caught sight of my brother, who appeared not to have a head because of his ink black hair. A bright-haired blonde sat near him. I'm pretty sure it was Daphne.

The boats continued their journey towards the end of the shore. Once our feet had touched dry land, we all followed Hagrid towards the large set of solid oak doors. Hagrid heaved them open and we were all ushered inside. We were led up a flight of stairs, the one bellow we had left our trunks and owls, and stood patiently in a golden hall. A new pair of doors stood before us, marking the entrance to the great hall.

A stern looking woman with grey hair that was pulled back underneath her witch hat walked into the hall. She spoke "Welcome to Hogwarts. Now in a few moments you will pass through these doors and join your classmates, but before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Now while you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points, any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup."

A boy with chubby cheeks and pointed ears that stuck out jumped forward, pouncing on a frog and exclaiming "Trevor!"

A few kids snickered while the woman looked down at him, causing him to gulp "Sorry."

"The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily." She told us before entering the hall herself.

We all mumbled and whispered among ourselves, some looking around and trying to get a peek at the nearby corridors. A blonde boy stepped forward, hair slicked back with grey eyes, his eyes passed over us "So it's true then, what they're saying on the train."

Hermione, Ron and I all traded a glance.

"Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." He continued.

People whispered excitedly, little murmurs of 'Harry Potter' was heard. Hermione squeaked slightly "I've read all about him."

Ron looked at me "Wait, isn't your last name Potter?"

"Yes it is, but I don't want to me associated with that bloody Boy-Who-Lived." I growled at him.

He put his hands up in surrender "I was just asking."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just hate him with a burning passion." I said simply.

"This is Crabbe, Goyle," he nodded at each one "and I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron snickered at the name beside me as Hermione stated "James Bond fan is he?"

"You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others Potter, you don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort, I could help you there." He held out his hand.

I peered over a few heads to notice me brother's emerald eyes staring at the hand. His untidy black hair bobbed as he lifted his head back up and smirked. "I'll think about it Malfoy, but probably not." He told the blonde simply.

Malfoy's smirked dropped and was about to speak when the woman walked back in and said softly "We're ready for you now, follow me."

We all filed between two tables and marched down the center of the hall. Many students crammed their necks to see while others pointed out siblings to their friends. Hermione looked up at the ceiling as some had shouted 'Look at the ceiling!'

"It's not a real ceiling. It's bewitched to look like that. I've read all about it in Hogwarts: A History." She explained to the girl who had sat on the boat with us.

We finally made it across the vast hall and we piled around before a small part of the hall that was raised, where the head table sat. In front of the head table was a stool with a hat that sat on top and to the surprise of all of us, it opened at the seam and began to sing:

"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folks use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap"

The great hall burst in applause and the hat bowed its head in a sort of bow.

The woman from before looked down at a parchment in her hands, unrolled it a bit, and spoke to us "Now when I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses." She picked up the hat and read aloud "BONES, SUSAN."

The girl from earlier walked forward and after a moment the hat yelled "HUFFLEPUFF."

A few more students ran off to their applauding table when the woman called out "GRANGER, HERMIONE."

Hermione froze beside me and I nudged her slightly "You'll be ok."

"What if we're not in the same house?" She asked me.

I smiled at her softly "Don't worry we'll still be friends. Now go up there you bushy haired freak."

"I do not have bushy hair!" She declared as she walked forward.

"Do too." I stuck my tongue out at her.

The hat considered Hermione for a moment before announcing "GRYFFINDOR."

"MALFOY, DRACO."

Before the hat had even touched his blinding, slicked back hair the hat yelled "SLYTHERIN."

Malfoy smirked and sauntered off.

"POTTER, HARRY."

The hall immediately hushed causing me to huff and roll my eyes. People craned over the other trying to get of glimpse of the great Boy-Who-Lived. Harry walked calmly up to the stool. We must have stood there for at least five minutes as the hat mummed and Harry looked at it, making him looked cross-eyed.

Finally the hat stopped and Harry looked conflicted. The hat opened its seam and cried "SLYTHERIN."

Shocked silence followed as the Boy-Who-Lived made his way to his table, sitting beside a smirking Malfoy. Slowly the Slytherin table exploded into applause while the other houses clapped slowly. I shook my head, of course he would be put in Slytherin. It makes sense. I looked around to the Gryffindor table and caught Hermione's eyes. She widened them in response to my questioning eyebrow.

"Wow." Was all Ron said to me "I wasn't expecting that to be honest with you."

"I didn't either." I told him.

He nodded and smiled at me encouragingly when "POTTER, HOPE." was called.

I felt my whole body freeze and my legs clenched up. I shook my head, let out a deep breath, and marched up to the stool. I turned around to gaze at all the people looking at me in confusion. I know, a second Potter! No way! Well way.

My eyes locked on George's and I winked at him, causing him to chuckle silently.

I plopped onto the stool and flattened my skirt slightly, my eyes were then covered in black as the hat was dropped on my head. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard a voice in my head "Miss Potter."

"Um hello hat." I said with a slight smirk.

"Hmm, difficult. VERY difficult." The hat began "Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh yes. And a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?

"I don't know, you're the hat, isn't that your job?" I asked it innocently.

"A bit cheeky aren't we Miss Potter?"

"I don't know, you tell me." I said instantly "That's your job Mr. Hat so chop-chop."

The hat grumbled, a sort of low laugh "You could be great, you know. It's all here in your head. Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, there's no doubt about that."

I wrinkled up my nose in disgust "Oh gross… anywhere other than there! I have to suffer enough already just seeing that prick's face every day now. I could barely stand sharing a house with him."

"Ah Mr. Potter. Difficult to place, like you."

"Yeah, whatever, so where are you going to sort me?"

"So if not Slytherin… where to put you?" The hat asked again.

"That's what I just said! So how about in a house." I stated drawing out the how.

"Alight I got it!" he announced suddenly.

"Where?" I asked him.

"I think you know where Miss Potter. You'll be great Miss Potter, do not forget that your friends are always there for you. Love is your greatest asset."

I nodded "I won't. Thanks."

"Better be... GRYFFINDOR!" The hat yelled.

The hat was taken off my head as the Gryffindor house screamed and applauded, the Weasley twins crying 'We got Potter, we got Potter.'

I grinned as the other houses applauded a little less enthusiastically. I walked pass Ron who gave me a thumbs up casing me to grin and nod towards the stool, he was almost up. I sashayed over and sat down between Hermione and George. He laughed and put an arm around my shoulders and squeezed them. I blushed slightly and missed the look Hermione sent my way. I was soon shaking hands with as many people as I could reach around and was being introduced to another of Ron's siblings, Percy. Or Perfect Prefect Percy as Fred and George call him.

"WEASLEY, RONALD."

We all shut up fairly quick and looked over at Ron who had sat on the stool. The hat seemed to barley even think about it before exclaiming "GRYFFINDOR."

Ron looked relieved and hopped off the stool and made his way towards us, taking the seat next to Percy and across from us. We all grinned at each other, we were all in Gryffindor.

Once everyone had been sorted, the woman from before tapped her goblet with a spoon and sat back down as the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore stood up and announced, opening his hands out wide "Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you."

Food appeared on the silver and gold plates. All sorts of food you could imagine, including meats, vegetables, rolls, salads, desserts, and many more. Along with a small selection of juice and milk. The hall bubbled into life, students yelling over others to be heard. Many people like Ron were stuffing food onto their plate and shoveling it into their mouths.

I glanced at Hermione who was watching Ron with disgust. I asked "Is he — a bit mad?" thinking about the welcoming speech.

Percy heard me and started at me "Mad? He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Hope?"

He nodded towards the potatoes just as Hermione burst into laughter.

I glared at her "Hush up Granger!"

She wiped away a tear "I didn't say anything!"

"But I knew what you were thinking!" I cried.

Hermione simply rolled her eyes and allowed herself some more peas. I looked at Ron who had two chicken drumsticks, one in each hand, taking turns eating each of them. I started at him "Hey earth to Ron. How do you do that!?"

"Do what?" he asked through a mouthful of food.

I shake my head at him "That's gross Ron."

He ignored me and continues to eat as if there was no tomorrow.

I looked at George "So, what do you Gryffindors do for fun?"

Fred looked over at me as he and his twin exchange a look "Depends on what kind of person you are."

"Well Ron says you guys like to pull pranks. Got any room for one for prankster?" I raised my eyebrow and took a bite of some broccoli.

The twins glanced at each other again, then looked back at me with wide grins "Let's see what you got Potter."

I glance over at my brother who was talking with Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, but mostly Daphne. I grinned "Alright. You'll see how great I am later Weasleys."