A/N: Next chapter! This is my favorite chapter I've written so far, in which all of the characters are sorted. I had fun playing with what the sorting meant to each of the characters. I hope you enjoy it too!

Chapter 3: The Sorting Hat

When the train pulled into the station, the students disembarked with murmurs of excitement, some in anticipation of the feast and seeing all of their old friends, some talking of classes and new spells and still others speaking of Peeves and taking bets on what sort of mischief he might cause this year.

But the first years seemed oddly quiet as they were guided away from the others by a massive Game Keeper who called himself Hagrid. Lily had never seen such a gigantic person in her life. He was three times as thick as any man, but also two feet taller, with a great black beard and wild hair atop his head. And yet he spoke in a jolly voice that made it hard to fear him.

Lily scanned the other first years as they moved in a huddle toward the boats. Their excitement was certain. Many had smiles on their faces. But no one, not even the children from good wizarding families, knew exactly what to expect. Lily was glad she wasn't alone in her worry.

They were to approach Hogwarts by a series of small wooden boats. Four students to a boat. She saw no paddles but perhaps magic accounted for that. She imagined magic accounted for everything here.

To her left, one student wondered if the water would be cold and someone on the right spoke of a giant squid that lived in the lake surrounding Hogwarts. Lily didn't think she would like to meet a giant squid. But they had to get into the boats no matter what, so one by one, they filed in.

Severus and Lily moved to the front of one boat and Lily took hold of the lantern. Two boys, who she heard called Remus and Peter, joined them, murmuring hellos as they did. They didn't stop to have a conversation though. Everyone was too eager to make any small talk.

When the boats were loaded they began to make their crossing. For a long moment, Lily didn't see anything in front of them but darkness. But then, like a fairytale melting out of the mist, the castle appeared.

It was something out of a dream, a great structure with a thousand windows lit by just as many flickering lights. Several towers jutted into the sky, tall as mountains to Lily in that moment of wonder. Her mouth dropped open slightly and she leaned forward in the boat, her grip tightening on the lantern. Beside her Severus wore a broad grin that was so rare for him. And Lily couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"What?" he asked, frowning.

"Nothing," Lily replied, giving him a smile. "I'm just… I'm really happy to be here."

Severus nodded, returning the smile.

For all Lily cared, she could fall into the lake right now and come face to face with the giant squid. Nothing could ruin this moment for her. It was simply… magical.

They were met just outside the Great Hall by a woman who introduced herself as Professor McGonagall. She was an old woman, with wrinkles creasing her face like crumpled paper, but her eyes were sharp as daggers and her posture straight and powerful.

When she had both welcomed and intimidated the first years, she led them into the Great Hall. Four long tables stretched before them, each adorned with their own colors. A table with yellow and black for Hufflepuff. Blue and bronze for Ravenclaw. Red and gold for Gryffindor. And green and silver for Slytherin. The newcomers shuffled after McGonagall, some ducking their heads as they noticed eyes on them and others striding forward confidently.

No matter the feeling, everyone would be sorted before the whole school.

Everyone would face the sorting hat to determine where they belonged.

The first name was read aloud, echoing throughout the Great Hall.

"Esther Allen."

Narcissa couldn't imagine why she was so nervous. She knew where she belonged. Slytherin, like the rest of her family. She had always known she would one day be in Slytherin. That was what she wanted.

But what if the hat told her she did not belong in Slytherin? How could she face her family, especially Bella, again? She could feel her sister's dark eyes from across the room. Watching her. Waiting.

The whole room seemed to wait.

"Narcissa Black."

Narcissa raised her chin and marched up to the stool, sitting down. She kept her back straight and her face proud. She was afraid, but she would not allow the whole school to see. She was a Black. She was proud of it. Everyone here knew the influence of her family and would not dare cross her.

She had nothing to fear.

Promise in this one. A kind heart, perhaps. But very proud blood and a proud family.

Nothing to fear. Her pride would not allow fear.

Yes, it seems you are quite sure. Better be…

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table erupted into cheers. She was their first new student. Narcissa smiled, rising and moving quickly over to the table. She sat down next to Bella who grinned ear to ear, looking almost proud.

"Well done, Cissy." She shrugged. "Not that I ever doubted you. You are a Black."

Narcissa smiled. Nervous or not, she knew this was where she belonged. This was where she had to belong.

The lurching in Sirius' stomach grew when Narcissa was named a Slytherin. The word was music to her ears but would not be for him. In truth, he was far more terrified of being told he belonged in Slytherin than being told he didn't.

To hear Slytherin would mean he was just like his family. And he didn't want that. He hadn't wanted that for a long while. Here at school, he was free of them, and he wanted a different family.

But what if he didn't have a choice? What if, through and through, he was a Black?

"Sirius Black!"

He clenched his jaw and moved up to the stool. He stared straight ahead, trying to focus on nothing as the hat settled on his head.

A fair bit of mischief in this one. Not much concern for learning, but clever in other ways. And another member of a proud family.

'That doesn't matter,' Sirius thought. 'I'm not like them. I don't want to be with them.'

So you would abandon their legacy? Risk their disapproval to stay somewhere else?

'I don't need their approval. I need mine.'

So you are willing to take that risk?

Sirius barely had to think about it.

'I am.'

"GRYFFINDOR!"

All of Sirius breath left him in a loud 'whoosh'. A sigh of relief. The word was like a cry of victory in his ears. 'I am not a Black. I am different. I am brave.'

He stood and ran to the Gryffindor table without even glancing at the Slytherins, his smile broad. They clapped him on the back. They laughed with him and shook his hand. He felt welcome.

For the first time in his life, Sirius felt as if he was enough.

"Lily Evans."

Lily didn't know quite what to think of the strange hat as she approached the stool but she didn't want to ask why it was used or how this system worked. Severus had told her what each of the houses meant. Hufflepuff took the kind and loyal. Ravenclaw took the wise. Gryffindor accepted only the bravest. And those with great ambition and cleverness went to Slytherin.

She didn't know what she was, really. She hadn't thought about placing herself in one group. She supposed she had a bit of each but she could not decide which was most prominent.

Slowly she sat down on the stool, staying very still as the hat was lowered onto her head.

Yes… very bright, this one. Very intelligent indeed. But kind at heart as well. You could do well in more than one place.

'I'm not afraid," Lily thought, not knowing how true that was. 'Wherever I belong, I will go. I'm not sure myself yet.'

The unknown… unsettling indeed.

The hat was silent for a long while. Then—

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Cheers erupted from the table and Lily stood, smiling and moving toward the table. She almost forgot about Severus until she began to pass him. A quick glance and she saw he was disappointed. He had wanted her to be in Slytherin. Lily had not thought to ask the hat for that.

It seemed she was braver than she was clever.

One of the boys from the train, Sirius Black, who had made fun of Severus, moved to the side to let Lily sit. But she merely glared at him, turning up her nose and sitting in another empty seat.

She would not be so quick to forget his insults to her friend, even if they were in the same house.

She may have been mostly brave, but she remained fiercely loyal.

It came as a source of relief to her. Despite the hats words, she was not just one thing now. She was still many things. She was still Lily Evans.

Alice Fortesue was truly nervous for the sorting, having no idea where she properly belonged. Being of pure blood, she knew all about the houses but the very idea of being expected to know where she should be for seven years was flustering. Loyalty, wisdom, bravery and cleverness all seemed like very important things. She did not consider herself very brave or wise or clever. Was she loyal? Perhaps she was. But Hufflepuff was mocked so often…

Alice's name was called, snapping her from her thoughts. She hurried up to the stool, sitting down in a rush. She wanted to get this over with.

A good friend here. Kind at heart. Fiercely loyal. There is little question.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuffs cheered. Alice felt flustered for a moment; she had not been sitting long before the hat had decided. For a moment, she didn't know how to feel. But as she moved over to the Hufflepuff table and saw their genuine smiles and felt their encouraging pats on her back, she couldn't help but smile.

These people now surrounding her were so friendly. And there was nothing wrong with kindness in Alice's mind.

Remus hadn't realized how close it was getting to his name until Frank Longbottom was sent to Gryffindor into a crowd of cheers. His name rang out next and he stiffened, unable to move for a moment. This was it. The hat would look into his mind and sort him. But what if the hat saw the werewolf and refused? What if he simply sent him back home, deciding he had no place here.

Peter gave him a slight nudge with his hand and Remus forced himself to walk forward and sit upon the stool. The hat settled upon his head.

Hmm… difficult. Very difficult.

Remus closed his eyes, trying to calm his breathing.

On one hand such an intelligent boy. But… there's something else.

'A monster,' Remus thought. 'A monster inside of me.'

Yes there is a fire deep inside of you. Determination. How much bravery it must take for you to even sit here now.

Remus relaxed a little. He wasn't talking about his condition? He didn't even care to mention it?

You are brave indeed. And you will need brave friends to help you. Better be…

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Remus burst into a smile. He was sorted. Sorted into a house. He belonged here at this school.

Perhaps it was foolish to think but the sorting seemed so final. Now that he had been placed… they couldn't possibly send him away.

He had a home here, despite what he was. He had a future.

Peter Pettigrew didn't know what he was, but he knew what he wanted to be. He knew he wanted to join the other people he had met on the train. He knew he wanted to keep the friends he had already made.

Perhaps he got nervous a lot, but as he sat upon the stool and felt the hat upon his head and listened to the hat deliberate in his head, he considered that he could be brave. He didn't want to be an embarrassment and go to Hufflepuff. And he couldn't change the fact that he was not wise or clever. Those were talents someone had to be born with.

But brave… he could choose to be brave.

Bravery is always a choice. Indeed…

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Peter beamed and jumped from his seat, bounding toward the table. It was a choice in the end. His choice. And for now he chose to be brave.

James Potter was more confident than any of the other students. He strode up to the stool with a fire of determination in his eye and not an ounce of fear in his heart. And he wasn't afraid. Why should he be when he knew exactly where he belonged?

The hat didn't pause long to doubt him. Perhaps it was so overwhelmed by his certainty that it had no choice.

It shouted "GRYFFINDOR" moments after it hit his head and James arose, beaming, and ran to join Sirius at the table.

This was where it all began.

Severus had hardly paid attention to much of the sorting. He kept on casting glances at Lily. Seeing her smile and laugh with the other Gryffindors. He wanted to be sitting with her. He had so desperately hoped she would be put in Slytherin. She was clever after all. She could have been…

Now they were separated. And Severus couldn't very well join her in Gryffindor. Gryffindor was all about brawn over brain. They didn't think things through. They were far too careless.

They had Lily.

He barely noticed his name being called and when he did he stumbled up to the stool. The snicker of James Potter sounded muffled to his ears as he sat down. Lily watched him, an encouraging smile on her face.

A clever mind this is. And great ambition. You long for something greater. You have all of your life. And perhaps, with the right encouragement, you will achieve it.

Severus might have smiled if not for the slight doubt that had crept into his heart. A part of him wanted to follow Lily. No matter what house. She was his friend. Maybe he wouldn't like anyone else but… he wouldn't be separate from her.

The hat said nothing, as if waiting for him. In the end, Severus shook his head. No. He belonged in Slytherin. He couldn't…

"SLYTHERIN!"

He exhaled, torn between excitement and disappointment.

In the end, he was not brave enough to follow Lily Evans.

In the end, fifty-one new students join Hogwarts. Seventeen Gryffindors, eight Hufflepuffs, twelve Ravenclaws and fourteen Slytherins.

James Potter was the quickest to be sorted. The hat rested upon his head only four seconds.

Stella Reed was the slowest. The hat waited on her head for nearly six minutes before it named her to Ravenclaw.

But regardless of time or house, they were each Hogwarts students, welcomed equally by the school.

Only time would tell if such equality could last.

A/N: That's the sorting hat! I don't think Alice was originally in Hufflepuff but I wanted representatives from all houses so I decided to put her there. Other than that, its all canon. REVIEW and tell me what you think!