Again I own nothing, and a huge thankyou to my beta commingsummers! After a few hours of laughing, and pretending I know what we are talking about the train grinds to a noisy halt. "Come on then guys, we're here." Connor stands up and brushes off the plain school robes we all changed into about an hour previously. I nod, and stand trying to disguise my awkwardness. Everyone around me seemed to be completely at home in robes, their movements fluid and precise as if they wore them everyday. Then again they probably did. I on the other hand felt clunky, and awkward in the clothes I was wearing, and I had to keep fiddling with the bottom of them as it kept hitching and becoming uncomfortable. I stretch up to grab the small canvas bag that was sat neatly in the luggage compartment above my head. It falls down easily and I quickly throw it over my shoulder. Everyone else in my compartment however, seems to have brung large, old looking suitcases to hold all of their possessions. Again I found myself the odd one out without meaning to be. "Why do you have that little bag? Everyone else brings their things in trunks you know," Molly says rather obnoxiously. Not that it's a surprise she's been full of comments like that the whole way here. I raise my eyebrows, "It was a long journey, bringing a big bag like that would have been inconvenient. I hardly see why it's a problem," I reply smiling back at her in a rather sarcastic manner. "Just be quiet Molly, Lily can bring whatever bag she wants." Ally cuts in effectively cutting off the conversation. Molly blushes a deep red and mumbles a quick apology in Ally's direction. Before leading the way out of the cramped train compartment. If I learnt anything about Ally on the way here, it's that she is queen bee here and she is not be argued with. When Ally and I are the only ones left in the compartment she turns to me, "Sorry about her. We're only friends because our parents are. No-one likes her really." She says cruelly before smirking and sweeping out of the carriage. I'm damn glad to be on the right side of Ally at the moment. o0o0 "Firs'-years, firs'-years. Firs'- years this way. Follow me, down ter the boats," A large bearded man rounding up everyone in plain robes was the first thing I saw upon stepping off the train. Well that and hundreds, upon hundreds of robe clad teenagers milling on the platform and boarding the black carriages that appeared to be pulling themselves along. "Lily, Lily," I hear a small voice calling my name and I whip round to be brought face to face with Chrisie. The small blonde girl who I sat with on the train. "Come on, we're going on the boats." She gestures a pale finger to where a large group of eleven year olds are gathered listening to the huge man give instructions. "Righ' everyone get in a boat, four ter a boat. My names Hagrid," He shouts. There is silence for a moment, until he claps his large hands together causing a large boom, and everyone begins scrambling to get themselves a boat with their new found friends. A few minutes later I find myself sat in a small, rickety boat with Connor, Chrisie and Ally for company. Adrian and Molly find themselves sat with two quiet looking and very small girls, that Adrian is seemingly refraining from knocking unconscious. Honestly I've never met such a violent 11 year old in my life. We have been sat in silence for a few minutes, after having exhausted all possible conversation during the long train journey, when Hagrid calls, "Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Right on cue there is a loud chorus of Ohhs, from all the first years. Perched on top a large green mountain was a spectacularly large castle. It's windows were sparkling in the starry night sky, and it's turrets and towers were tall and proud. "This'll be yer's home fer the next 7 years, so you's better get used ter it." Hagrid calls. Home. I look at the spectacular castle in front of me, and it's hard to believe that just a few days ago home was a small shack in the Seam. Guilt pierces through me for a second as I remember my Father on his way back to District 12, and Capitol rule. I quickly shrug it off however when Connor leans it to whisper in my ear. "Brilliant isn't it, Hogwarts." He breathes. His breath smells of mint, and I smile in delight at his closeness to me. "Yeah it really is," I reply turning to face him, smile still firmly intact. o0o0 A few minutes later we have all clambered awkwardly out of the small rickety boats, and are making our way into the large castle of a school. There is only one word to describe Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry; magical. We were led up a large stone stairway, in a room with ceilings so high you had to squint to see it. Then Hagrid stopped abruptly in front of a large wooden doorway. As we all crowded around it Hagrid shouted, "Every-one here, you's all ok?" Then he raised his large fist and knocked three times on the large door. The door immediately opened revealing a tall grey haired witch, with a stern face. That immediately warned me she was not a women to cross. "The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said gesturing a large hand in our direction. "Thank you I will take it from here," McGonagall's tone was one that matched her face perfectly. She pulled open the door wide enough to allow all the first years to follow her through it. The entrance hall was large enough to fit my old house in it three times over. The stone walls were lit by the the flaming torches that hung at equal distances from each other. The ceiling here was even taller again, now too tall to make out at all, and a spectacular marble staircase that led to the higher levels. Our whole group followed Professor McGonagall across the stone floor. I could hear the drone of hundreds of teenagers coming from the right of the room, through a different door to the right of us. Alerting me that the rest of the school had already arrived. We however were led into a chamber just off the hall. We crowded in, standing a little closer to each other than we normally would have - not that I minded being squashed up next to Connor- and looking around nervously. "Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start of term banquet will begin soon, but before you can take your seats in the Great Hall, you must be sorted into one of the four houses. The sorting is a very important ceremony as your house will determine who you have classes with, where you eat, where you sleep, and where you will spend your spare time. You're house will become your new family for the duration of your stay here." She pauses, scanning the room for a second before continuing with her little speech. "The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Each of the houses has it's own noble history, and virtues. While you are at Hogwarts you're triumphs will earn you house points, whilst your rule-breaking will lose them. At the end of each year, the house with the most points will be awarded the house cup; a great honour. I'm sure each of you will be a valuable member of whichever house you become a part of. The sorting will take place in a few minutes, in front of the whole school, so I suggest you smarten yourselfs up." She says, her eyes lingering for a moment on a small blonde boy with a large smudge down his robes. I self consciously smooth my already flat hair down even more. "I shall come and collect you in a few minutes, when we are ready." She says curtly. "Please wait quietly." She sweeps out of the chamber smoothly. "How exactly do they sort us?" I ask Connor. The answer comes from a different part of the chamber, "I heard we have to fight a dragon" a boy calls. "I heard the houses are in order of how weak you are, and they electric shock you till you pass out, and sort you based on your time." A brown haired girl whispers nervously. I gulp, I didn't know any magic yet. How was I supposed to do anything? And in front of the whole school. My palms begin to sweat and I look around nervously. Seeing my expression mirrored on the faces of all the other first years in the room. I relaxed slightly, maybe there were other people who didn't know any magic either. After a few minutes of anxious muttering from around the room. Professor McGonagall comes sweeping back into the room. "Form a line, and follow me," She says curtly, addressing the cluster of nervous children in the room. Once she was satisfied with the line we had formed she pushed open the large wooden doors, revealing the Great Hall to us for the first time. That's it for today guys. This one was much quicker, and I will try to make them this quick in the future, but my life's quite busy at the moment. Please take a second to review, I didn't get any last chapter and they do mean alot me! :)