A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far, and to Waffles, I've had the Marauders Map planned for months. :) I couldn't do their first year without them finding it, as I do sort of want to stick to canon in some ways. The other ideas you had were interesting as well, I may just try to throw a couple of them in. :) I also want to thank Avalon Kore for reviewing, but I replied to them in PM so I won't make this note any longer.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 4: Separate Ways

"And just what, if you don't mind my asking, are the four of you doing out of bed?"

Anna could feel her stomach plummet at the Potion Master's words. Her first day of school and she was already going to be expelled. That had to be some kind of record.

The four first years continued to stare in horror at their professor, who stared back.

"Well?" Snape pressed.

Anna opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, trying to think of something to say. She couldn't make a sound, however.

"It was my idea, Professor," Chrys piped up. The three other students snapped their heads in he direction, shocked that she could even speak up. Anna wasn't going to argue, however, as her sister was telling the truth.

Snape turned his eyes on Chrys, "That doesn't quite answer my question, Miss Nymphea. What reason could the four of you possibly have for breaking curfew and attempting to break into the Headmaster's office?"

"Well," Chrys began, hardly phased by Professor Snape's tone. It seemed as if she felt she had immunity just because he was her head of house. "I think the Sorting Hat made a mistake when it sorted my sister into Gryffindor, sir. I'd heard from someone else that Professor Dumbledore kept the Hat inside his office, so..."

"So rather than speaking to the headmaster during the day," Snape started, and Chrys shrunk away from him slightly, seeming to finally realise how much trouble they were in, "You decided it would be best to break a dozen school rules on your first night in the castle?"

"Sorry, sir..."

"Might I add," Snape continued, "That it would make sense to have an adult as witness to another sorting? However, the Sorting Hat's decision is final; it is not up to your family to decide the house of their children." Snape's cold eyes moved to where Anna stood, sending shivers down her spine, "Your sister doesn't seem quite cut out to be in Slytherin."

'Listen to him,' Anna found herself thinking, hoping her sister would just drop it so they could take their punishment and, hopefully, go back to bed instead of getting expelled.

"With all do respect, sir," Chrys pressed on. Anna had to resist the urge to groan. "I disagree."

Snape said nothing else, and turned to the twins instead, "Well, that explains why the girls are here. And why were the two of you compelled to joining them?"

Anna could see from the corner of her eye that Chrys looked pleased with herself as she smirked at Fred and George, who had been oddly quiet for the entire conversation with the professor. It appeared even they knew when it was best to hold their tongues.

Or they just didn't know how they were going to talk themselves out of expulsion. Fortunately, they didn't have to. As if on cue, the stone gargoyle behind them suddenly sprang to life, catching the four students completely off guard as they had forgotten completely about it.

As the stone gargoyle moved out of the way, Professor Dumbledore himself came into view.

"Is something the matter, Severus?"

"I've just caught these students attempting to sneak into your office, Headmaster. Miss Nymphea," he gestured to Chrys, "Claims that the Sorting Hat has made a mistake in the sorting of her sister.

"I see," Dumbledore smiled, "And these two young gentlemen came along to witness this re-sorting?"

"I was just asking them their reason for tagging along, Headmaster."

"Ah," the headmaster's eyes twinkled merrily as he looked at the Weasley twins, "Your mother did warn me about the two of you. I did not think I would have that much trouble with you this early in the year."

The scowl on Snape's face clearly showed how unimpressed he was with how easygoing Dumbledore was being. "Headmaster, should we not be punishing these students for their blatant disregard for the rules?"

"Come now, Severus," he chuckled, "Where's your sense of adventure? You were a student once yourself. As I recall, you were caught out past curfew on more than one occasion." At this, Snape's face was distorted with anger. As if to prevent the potions professor from exploding, Dumbledore added, "That is to say we won't be letting these student go completely unpunished, but for now, I do believe I am being an ungracious host."

He turned on his heel and began walking up the steps, gesturing for the rest to follow. The surly professor strode right past the four students, his cloak billowing around him in a ridiculously bat-like manor.

"I'm sure Dumbledore will be reasonable," Chrys whispered to Anna as they entered the headmaster's office, a breathtaking room full of the most interesting objects Anna had ever seen. They bested even the objects she had seen in her father's study at home. The most breathtaking of all, however, was the beautiful phoenix perched beside Dumbledore's desk. Anna was brought out of her thoughts by Chrys's voice, "If he doesn't allow a re-sorting, I'll send an owl to mother straight away, so she can demand it herself. I doubt Dumbledore will be able to tell her no."

Anna simply nodded, not wanting to create a scene in front of her headmaster. She just wanted to get this whole night over with, re-sorting or no.

"Have you asked Anna if she even wants to be re-sorted?" one of the Weasley twins asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't recall asking your opinion," Chrys snapped back.

"Well, then," Dumbledore spoke to Chrys, immediately silencing a would-be remark from whichever twin had spoken before, "You believe there was a mistake in the Sorting?"

"Yes, Professor," Chrys said immediately, "I really don't think Anna should be in Gryffindor. I think as a Nymphea she's more suited for Slytherin. The Sorting Hat must have made a mistake!"

Dumbledore seemed to think about her words as he sat down in his seat behind his desk, Snape standing at his side. The headmaster waved his wand lazily and conjured up four chairs across from him for the students to sit in, "It is true, that on some occasions I believe that we sort our students too soon. However, even then, the Sorting Hat is rarely ever wrong." He held his hand up, preventing Chrys from protesting, "Furthermore, it is highly unlikely that your sister has grown enough in the past day for the Sorting Hat to change its mind."

"But that's what I'm saying, sir!" Chrys said once Dumbledore was finished, "The hat just made a mistake, it has nothing to do with how much Anna has or has not grown over the past day. If you'll let Anna try the hat on again, you'll see for yourself."

Dumbledore sighed, and Snape looked increasingly irritated with every passing moment. It appeared as though Dumbledore had realized that Chrys would not stop arguing until she got her way, something Anna knew she had picked up from their mother.

Anna could hear a few grunts of disapproval from around her, and only then did she notice the wall behind Dumbledore absolutely covered in portraits of Hogwarts' old Headmasters. She could see plenty of them shaking their heads at Chrys, while the majority of them appeared to be sleeping.

Anna sighed in her seat, she wished she were sleeping. It had to be well past three.

"Very well," Dumbledore finally said, apparently deciding to humor Chrys. "I will allow the re-sorting," he turned his gaze on Anna, "Under the condition that this is something Miss Anna wants, herself."

Suddenly all eyes were on her, and she didn't like it one bit. Four pairs of eyes were silently imploring Anna to tell her sister the truth, while Chrys was looking at her with a grin on her face, Anna knew her sister was doing what she thought Anna would want, and until then she just couldn't bring herself to tell Chrys that she wanted the chance to make her own friends. Anna and Chrys had been together since birth, and when she thought about it, there was a possibility that Chrys was just scared to make new friends and spend large amounts of time away from Anna. Maybe she just didn't want to lose her sister, who had been her only friend for eleven years.

Anna decided that it was good for them to be in separate houses. It would give them both a shot at independence. They were two completely different people, whether or not they looked the same. They needed to have separate groups of friends in order for them to both be happy in school. Anna already found some friends, now she needed to give Chrys the chance to find her own happiness, whether or not it involved her. Even if it meant not talking to each other anymore, Anna owed it to both of them to tell Chrys the truth.

"Chrys," Anna began with a sigh. Her sisters smile slowly vanished, as if she knew what was coming, "I don't want to be re-sorted."

"What are you talking about?" Chrys asked.

Anna spoke more firmly, "I want to stay in Gryffindor."

Chrys narrowed her eyes at Anna, "Why would you want to stay in Gryffindor?"

"Maybe she has taste in houses?" one of the twins suggested from behind Anna, and she returned the comment with a quick glare.

Anna held out her hand to stop Chrys from replying, "This doesn't concern them."

"I think it does," Chrys replied, "Clearly they're corrupting you already!"

"No one's corrupting me, and I doubt anyone could even do that in a day," Anna steeled her resolve, "I'm staying in Gryffindor."

"Well why didn't you tell me you wanted to stay in that house before we snuck out?"

"I tried," Anna replied, "But you wouldn't listen. You never do! Could you please just let me live my own life for once? Worry about yourself instead."

Perhaps she was being a bit harsh with her sister, especially since they were surrounded by others, but she wanted control of her own life, as well as giving her sister the freedom to live her own life with constantly worrying about Anna unnecessarily.

"But you're my sister," Chrys said, looking hurt, "Why wouldn't I worry about you?"

"You worry too much. It's gotten to the point where you're controlling me."

Chrys looked away from her, it was apparent that tears were forming in her eyes, "Fine. I'll stay out of your life then."

Anna was both upset that the conversation had ended in the agreement to go their separate ways, and relieved at the same time. She couldn't help but feel that the weight of the world was lifted off her shoulders. She no longer had to act like someone she wasn't just to please her sister, and her mother wasn't at the school to try and control her either.

She was finally free.

After Anna and Chrys's discussion in Dumbledore's office, the headmaster had escorted the three Gryffindors back to their common room, after deducting ten points from each of them for being out past curfew, while Snape escorted Chrys back to the dungeons. All the while, Dumbledore had told them stories about how he was just as adventurous as they in his youth. He also warned them not to be caught sneaking around the castle past curfew again, as Professor Mcgonagall's wrath was unrivaled. Of course, after Dumbledore had left them in the common room, Fred and George had announced that obviously Dumbledore meant that they were allowed to sneak around the castle as much as they wanted so long as they never got caught. Anna didn't doubt for a second that they'd be getting a lot of detentions in the years to come.

Chrys hadn't spoken to Anna at all since that night, and while Anna couldn't help but think that she should feel worse about what happened, she felt truly happy for the first time in a really long time.

Her happiness wasn't even swayed when she got an owl from her mother later that week, stating how disappointed she was that she was in Gryffindor, and with how rude she was to her sister. She simply shrugged it off; she wouldn't have to deal with it for months. She didn't plan on returning home until the summer holidays.

Fred and George were also having a good time (although they did have to deal with their older brother Percy nagging at them and a letter from home, surprisingly Charlie, their prefect brother, didn't give them any trouble). It took virtually no time at all for word of their midnight excursion to get out, and the two of them were really enjoying the interest the other students had in them after it. Anna preferred to give them all the glory so she could live a little more peacefully. That didn't stop Alicia and Angelina asking for her take on the events of that night, however, since it was fairly certain that Fred and George were adding to the story every time they were asked to retell it. Anna didn't mind telling them though, since over the first week of school the three girls had already grown close.

The first week had proven to be just as fun and exciting as the first day. Most of the professors, with the exceptions of Professors Mcgonagall and Snape, were still going easy on them in terms of homework, but as they progressed into the week and the first years grew more comfortable with the castle and the classes, they started to pile on more homework slightly.

Charms still proved to be Anna's favorite class, as it was really the only time she had to talk to the brown-haired boy with rectangular glasses from Ravenclaw, Brian Montgomery, whom she got along with very well. He made the class more fun for her, and he even helped her with her work in class when she was having trouble with something.

Transfiguration continued to be interesting as well, though it was very difficult compared to charms. Anna had to spend a fair bit of time just trying to keep up with the homework Professor Mcgonagall assigned. The only one who gave them more homework than her was Snape, and Anna had the feeling he was being harder on Fred, George, and herself simply because of the other night. Chrys, of course, didn't receive any of the extra homework the three of them had been assigned, showing Snape's everlasting favoritism toward his house.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was the most looked forward to by everyone, as it was the one class the Gryffindors hadn't had yet by Wednesday morning. It seemed everyone else had had it, and were all talking excitedly about how great the class was. Angelina, who had been excited for the class from the start, never stopped talking about how she couldn't wait to get into the classroom that afternoon.

They happened to be in Herbology at the time, which happened to be their easiest class in Anna's opinion, and a small, pudgy blonde boy in Hufflepuff sitting in front of them overheard her excited chatter.

"You haven't had the class yet?" the boy, Todd Avery, asked, surprised, "You're really in for a treat then! It's a really interesting class, and Professor Wells makes it really fun at the same time!"

"So we've heard," Anna mumbled, promptly receiving an elbow in the ribs from Alicia. Anna was tired of hearing about how great the class was, she just wanted to take it so she could see for herself.

As it turned out, they had the class with the Ravenclaws, something that made Anna immediately like the class a little more. She quickly searched out where Brian was sitting and took the seat next to him, where he greeted her with a bright smile.

"Excited?" he asked as she sat down.

"Definitely," she replied with a grin, "After all I've heard about this class, I hope I'm not disappointed."

Brian smiled, "I take it you've heard a lot about it as well? The Hufflepuffs wouldn't be quiet about it in Potions."

"Turns out they're just as loud about it in Herbology."

Brian laughed, just as a short woman with spiked brown hair entered the room from her office. She took in her students as she made her way to the front of the class.

Anna was about to find out just how right the other students were about the class.

A/N: I'm sorry this one took so long, been going through some stuff lately. So that is the last of the chapters I just had to edit a bit, so I actually have to write the next one. Bug me if I don't have the next chapter up in a couple weeks, but I'll try to get it up sooner. It might make it easier for me if I had someone to keep me on schedule. xD

Drew a picture of Anna! (And therefore Chrys, I guess. xD) Might eventually draw some of the more important OCs, like Brian. (spaces are dots)

ihavenoidea8 deviantart com/art/Anna-Nymphea-315996180

Please review! It would make my day!

And have a preview for the next chapter! :D

"Don't you two think it's forbidden for a reason?"

"But that's what makes it exciting, isn't it?"

"What's the fun in playing by the rules, Anna? Come on and join us, you might enjoy yourself."

"Merlin knows you could learn what fun is."