"Remember how fortunate you are," Hermione was told again. It was the third time that day and she knew she was fortunate, truly she did, but it was frustrating that she couldn't let her excitement show without being lectured again on the fortune of being a muggleborn with enough magic to go to Hogwarts.

All of the children at the Home were told this on a regular basis. They knew there were muggleborn children in different Homes that weren't so lucky. They were either nearly Squibs with just enough magic to make them a danger to muggles and themselves, or their magic was uncontrollable. Either way, they could not attend Hogwarts like those at her Home, the fortunate few whose magic was strong enough, behaved enough, that they could learn alongside proper wizards and witches.

She had come to the Home for Muggleborn Children when she was barely four years old, after her first instance of accidental magic. Hermione had seen a book her father had told her was too advanced for her current age high up on the bookshelf and she had wanted it so badly that it just came to her hand. Three days later, Snatchers came for her. She remembered her mother screaming and her father trying to fight, but she was apparated away before she could see what became of them.

Since then she had learned a great deal about the wizarding world. Indeed, her days were spent learning about wizard history and culture, things pureblood children learned as they grew up; she and the others were far behind.

The most exciting thing they learned about was Hogwarts, the school where the privileged few were allowed to learn magic. They were taught that it was the greatest institution of learning and after reading what became her favorite book, Hogwarts: A History , she could believe it.

For more than seven long years Hermione awaited the day she would get her letter. She among the oldest of her year of which there were eight: Hermione, Sophie Roper, and Sally-Anne Perks were the girls while there were five boys: Dean Thomas, Roger Malone, Kevin Entwhistle, Oliver Rivers, and Justin Finch-Fetchly, though Dean had loudly told them all several times that he wasn't muggleborn; he was a half-blood whose father died when he was little. He could just vaguely remember something magical about his father.

By the time of Dean's first accidental magic, his father was gone and it was only him and his mother. He was listed as muggleborn everywhere it mattered.

She had been there the longest by nearly a year, not that is mattered by the time they had all turned eleven and she was on the cusp of twelve. All that mattered was that they would soon be at Hogwarts.

Hermione already had everything she needed and had packed and re-packed at least a dozen times to the annoyance of those who shared her dormitory. The Home provided books, cauldrons, robes… everything needed except for wands. Wands were too particular to the witch or wizard to be secondhand so once a year they took their incoming students to Mr. Olivander's in Diagon Alley to test out wands. Hers was ten and three-quarters inches vinewood, dragon heartstring, slightly rigid. The moment her fingers met the wood she had known it was the one, arcing it through the air and seeing the red sparkles had only further delighted her.

It was the only thing that truly belonged to her now. Everything from the clothing she wore to the paste she used on her teeth were all property of the Home where she lived. Her wand, however, would be with her until it broke or she died, whichever came first.

"What House do you think you'll be in?" asked Justin as they dragged down their trunks to await transportation to Kings Cross.

Hermione frowned and thought about it. "Not Slytherin; it's not a place for us. None of the other Houses seem bad though. I'm not overly fond of Hufflepuff, but that's because I think the other two Houses value more traits I agree with, like chivalry and intelligence."

"Loyalty and fairness are good traits," said Justin as though she had insulted him somehow. She supposed she should have seen it coming as Justin was all about those things. When she had told the others about the Houses he had immediately proclaimed Hufflepuff to be the best.

"I agree with Hermione, mate," said Dean as he appeared. "Gryffindor is it for me."

"I said Gryffindor or Ravenclaw," Hermione reminded him although secretly she agreed. If she had any choice in the matter she would choose Gryffindor, but not even the book discussed how Sorting happened. She and the other girls had talked about Hogwarts last night, as only made sense for the penultimate night, and she knew Sally-Anne and Sophie were torn between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor as well.

"What about the other boys?" she asked.

"What about us?" asked Roger as he came down the stairs.

Dean rushed up to help him with his trunk. "'Mione is asking what House we think we'll be in."

"Oh, Ravenclaw," said Roger. She nodded; he was much like her in that he wanted to read every book that came into the Home. His marks were the closest to hers, though he never managed to be competitive the way she was. "Oliver, too, is my guess."

"What about Kevin?" she asked. He was a lovely fellow, but not the brightest among them. He tried though and he was always improving.

Roger's face screwed up as he thought. "Oh, I don't know. He's a tough one. What about you?"

"Gryffindor or Ravenclaw," she said evenly. She was not going to share her secret hope; they might think it was ridiculous. Hermione never wanted to appear foolish.

Roger nodded. "I can see you for Ravenclaw. It would be funny, wouldn't it, if we all wound up in the same House?"

"The chances of that would be astronomical," said Hermione. "Not least of which because Dean would never be caught dead in Ravenclaw."

He beamed. "That's certain. Whatever the Sorting is I will be for Gryffindor for sure."

The others joined them soon after and then the Matron of the Home appeared. "Are you all ready?" asked Miss Canterbury. "Good. We will be taking a Floo to Diagon and the train from there."

Hermione tried not to huff and puff as she dragged her trunk toward the hearth; it would be a relief once she could cast featherlight charms on her belongings and she was slightly put out that Miss Canterbury didn't offer it to the children; then again, the Matron was not the strongest witch.

She didn't like travelling via Floo, but it was the best way to go with a large group such as theirs. She awaited her turn patiently, watching as Dean and Justin and Sally-Anne all disappeared in a whirl of green flames, and then she took a handful of glittering grey powder herself. Hermione dragged her trunk into the hearth and said, "Diagon Alley," in a clear voice and tossed down her Floo Powder.

The fire flared and danced around her in an emerald halo. She watched dizzily as different fireplaces passed her by, then landed all at once, arms reaching in to steady her and help her out.

"Thank you," she told the boys. Dean further pulled her trunk out for her.

They were gathered around the hearth at The Leaky Cauldron and awaiting the other half of the muggleborn incoming first-years. Hermione sideled out of the way and peered around the pub as she stood patiently.

It was a tidy enough establishment. She waved hello to the owner, a bald man named Tom who returned the greeting with a nod, and eyed the row of shining tankards above him hanging from the bar.

They had never stopped for longer than it took to Floo in, but Hermione imagined the pub was quite nice overall. She knew they served food and that there were rooms for letting as well. With Tom in charge it would have to be good.

Eventually all of the children were present and the Matron stepped out of the Floo to shepherd them out to the train station. They each were given a little ticket for the ride and Hermione gazed down at it, reading over the route over and over again. It was orange-striped on the top and bottom, rather garishly colored, but she felt it was beautiful for what it represented.

The train ride was short since they were already in the city proper, mostly passing through the underground, which was also where they arrived. They travelled up to the main floor and Hermione was nearly overwhelmed. It was vast and open and there were muggles everywhere . She saw boutiques and coffee shops and so much else that it was difficult for her mind to keep up as she continued to follow Miss Canterbury toward the platform where they would find their train.

When they finally reached it it was near-empty; there was an attendant toward the loading area, but he was not paying attention to the large group of children with a woman leading the way.

She stopped at what seemed like a random part of the way but Hermione supposed could be three-quarters down Platform 9. "Now, you will need to go through the wall. It's perfectly safe. On the other side you will find the real platform."

They all glanced at one another.

"Any volunteers to go first?" Miss Canterbury asked.

This was Hermione's cue. She was always first to offer herself, so she raised her hand.

Miss Canterbury waved her forward and Hermione parted the wave of her peers. She straightened her shoulders as she stared down the brick wall as though that would move it from her way, then she jaunted forward, trunk in tow—

— and out onto another platform that was filled with children and their families. The children ranged from too young for Hogwarts to those on the cusp of adulthood. There were also animals, familiars such as the school allowed like owls and cats and frogs. Their calls joined the talking to create utter cacophony.

Hermione was staring around at these wizarding families, her first time truly seeing those raised into magic, unlike herself and her fellows.

One of said fellows bumped into her back and she rocked forward, catching herself before she could fall. "'Mi, you have to move. There's still six of us coming," said Dean.

Hermione nodded and dragged her trunk aside so that Dean could also find a spot to stand on the platform as they awaited the others. They came quickly enough, though there was a long pause between Dean and the next. After that, they were quicker.

"Well, this is it," said Miss Canterbury once they were all gathered again. "The Hogwarts Express. You're free to board. I will see you in June."

It was a cool goodbye but they expected nothing less. "Goodbye, Miss Canterbury," Hermione said, then led the way toward the shining red locomotive.

She passed a large open compartment in favor of smaller closed one and peered inside until she found one that was empty. Hermione opened the door and began to try lifting her trunk.

"Lemme help," said Dean, letting go of his own trunk to help heft hers up into the luggage area.

"Thank you. I'll help with yours," she said.

Roger was standing just behind Dean. "I'll get it. Sit down, Hermione."

She wanted to protest that she could help just fine but it was true that Roger had longer arms and would be of greater assistance to Dean, so she sat in one of the comfortable seats and watched as the boys easily put it up.

Dean glanced around the compartment with a keen eye. "Reckon we could all fit in here?" he asked.

"Four, six maximum, I think," answered Roger. He turned to the remaining muggleborns. "Four and four?"

There was a round of nods and Roger entered, soon followed by Oliver. The others nudged forward to check the next compartment.

"I wonder if they all know one another," said Oliver. Hermione knew he meant the halfbloods and purebloods that were milling about with their families before climbing onto the Express.

"Some but not all, I'm sure," said Hermione. "We'll be able to make friends. I'm sure of it."

"You'll make friends?" Dean laughed.

She was the least likeable among them and they all knew it, but they were also family at this point and got on well-enough after years of dealing with one another.

"More than you," she said daringly; Hermione admitted her faults and had worked on being less bossy, but she still was rather forthright especially for a girl.

All three of the boys laughed then and Hermione found herself satisfied with the interaction. She pulled out the book she had squirreled away and began to read.

The train started on its journey not long after and she occasionally glanced up to see farmland passing, spotted sheep a few times, little houses as they traversed the country toward Scotland.

At some point a woman with a trolley of sweets passed and the children stared longingly at treats they could not afford. They didn't have their own funds; there was no need as their necessities were sponsored by the Ministry. The woman nodded in understanding once she saw them and moved on.

It was a long journey but it allowed Hermione's fears to diminish. They changed at their leisure into their Hogwarts robes and Hermione beamed at putting them on, knowing that soon she would have the accessories for her House to show off. No one would notice her robes were secondhand and she hoped most wouldn't care that she was muggleborn.

When the train came to a halt her nerves returned. She shot wan smiles to the boys as they got her trunk down for her and the eight of them joined once more to make their way down to the village where the train had stopped.

"Firs' years this way!" called a voice and Hermione and the others directed themselves toward it with a hoard of other mostly-short, younger members of the crowd. "No more 'n four to a boat," said the vast man who steered them toward a placid lake nearby.

The man was the largest Hermione had ever seen and made her think of phrases like "brick wall." She absently wondered if he had giants blood to get so tall; he was hairy as well, with a long mane and beard around his face.

He pointed to the small fleet of boats and the children stopped gaping at him and began splitting off into the them. Hermione and the others exchanged glances and the same sets as the compartments entered the boats which then began to smoothly glide across the Black Lake.

Hermione had read about the lake in Hogwarts: A History ; it was said to house a tribe of merfolk and a giant squid, the only freshwater giant squid known.

She stared down at the murky water but could see nothing but ripples and her own reflection. She wasn't surprised. It was night after all.

The voyage itself was rather pleasant. She watched as the castle grew larger in her view, battlements and towers and torches lighting the stone. It was like something out of a fairytale. She thought it was perhaps what fairytale castles were based on. It was ancient, had seen ages pass it by. While it was warded against muggles, mugglesborns could have spoken about it to their families and could have influenced myth that way.

"Whoa," said Dean and she had to agree. They came to a stop at a dock and exited the sturdy little boats, gathered together as the gigantic man waved goodbye to them. In his place was a tall, stern woman.

"Good evening," she said. "I am Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall and head of Gryffindor House. While I am also your Transfiguration professor, tonight I am guiding you to your Sorting. There are four Houses in Hogwarts. They will be like your family. You will eat and sleep with your House and you will earn points toward the House Cup, which is awarded at the end of every academic year. The Houses are: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin."

Hermione could feel how charged the air became as the professor spoke. She had a lovely Scottish accent, not so thick they couldn't understand it, but thick enough to place.

"Please follow me," she said, and the awkward first years traversed the stairs into the Entrance Hall. There Hermione saw the magnitude of Hogwarts for the first time; there were multiple stairs leading in different directions and magical portraits climbed the high walls.

"Beyond these doors is the Great Hall. It is where you will be Sorted and join your House," said the professor. "Come along."

The doors parted and they entered the Great Hall. Hermione had read about it but it was different seeing it with its enchanted ceiling, the floating candles, the four House tables and their corresponding hourglasses on the far wall. She swallowed through her nerves as the students' eyes all turned toward the first years who had yet to gain their Houses.

"D'you reckon it's real?" asked a voice behind her. "What happens if it rains?"

Hermione turned to find a redheaded boy speaking to one with dark hair. "It's only enchanted to look like the sky outside," she said, adding as she blushed, "I read about it in Hogwarts: A History ."

They both stared at her as though she were a foreign creature and then the dark-haired one said, "Er, right. Thanks."

She turned around, hunching her shoulders a little as embarrassment overcame her. Hermione had yet to be Sorted and she already showed that she was a know-it-all.

Dean bumped shoulders with her. "That's cool; it's good to know we won't get rained on the next time it storms."

She shot him a grateful smile.

At the head of the hall Professor McGonagall had set out a stool and a raggedy hat. Hermione frowned as the woman came back to the gathered and waited.

A seam along the hat opened and it began to sing.

Oh you may not think me 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!

Hermione gaped at the Hat. It claimed sentience and while they lived in a magical world of beasts and creatures that could talk, she hadn't heard of a sentient accessory before.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward again, a scroll of parchment in her hand. "When I call your name please go to the Hat. Abbott, Hannah."

A small blonde girl parted from the crowd and walked toward the Hat. She sat and it took but a few seconds for the Hat to declare, "HUFFLEPUFF."

"Bizarre," Hermione murmured as she watched the next girl sorted. There were Hufflepuffs and a Ravenclaw Sorted before the first Gryffindor and Slytherin. Among the muggleborns, Kevin was the first Sorted, shortly followed by Justin.

With each name she grew more nervous until the Gs began and she knew it was only a matter of time. Dean squeezed her hand she was grateful.

Out of all of them she would call him her best friend. He was the most understanding toward her, the most likely to stand by her despite her flaws, the most like her in general other than her love of books and know-it-all behavior. Then again, when he first appeared he had talked about a muggle sport called football until he was metaphorically blue in the face. Quidditch, he had said, was just not the same though he eventually grew to like it.

"Granger, Hermione." She released his hand and walked toward the stool on shaky feet hoping that no one could see past the chin she held high.

Hermione plucked up the Hat and sat on the stool as she lifted the ratty accessory onto her head.

"What have we got here. Quite a bit of brains, I see."

"Hello," said Hermione. "I've never met a talking Hat before."

"Hello to you, too, Hermione. You're quite a gifted young girl. Brave, too. You've read about the Houses?"

"Yes," she replied. "I think I would like to be in Gryffindor."

"Are you sure? The lions can be a difficult lot and those in Ravenclaw will admire your intelligence. They will appreciate having such a bright witch among them.

"I've thought about it quite a bit and yes," she replied.

The Hat hummed in her ear. "You are brave and righteous and true and those are all Gryffindor traits, but you're also creative and intelligent."

"I know, but I would like to, well, be braver," she admitted. "I want to be my best self and I think I would do that in Gryffindor.

"You don't think you would find academic competition to push you in Ravenclaw?" the Hat asked.

She peered down at her feet from under the brim; they didn't quite touch the ground. "I will always push academically," Hermione said. "It's a part of who I am to challenge myself, which is why I believe I belong in Gryffindor."

"Where we belong is often a matter of what we value," the Hat said. "You seem to value wit and learning. Isn't that true?"

"Of course," Hermione agreed. "You can't be your best self unless you're constantly learning, but there's more to life than cleverness. There's being able to stand up and do the clever thing at the right time and that takes bravery."

"Why is it so important for you to be a Gryffindor?" the Hat asked.

Hermione thought a moment, putting together her words. "I'm muggleborn. I already have a disadvantage in this world. It will be difficult for me to find a place in it. I'm afraid that if I choose a place where I fit too easily, I will slide in and become another smart Ravenclaw. While there's nothing wrong with that, it's not what I want. I want to stand out because I'll have to if I'm going to make this world a place where I can live in it."

"I see," said the Hat. It then pondered. It pondered so long Hermione wondered if it had fallen asleep and then she wondered if the Hat could sleep. "In a way, " it told her, chuckling as it said, "I have the most curious dreams, too."

"You should keep a dream journal," she suggested, then could have slapped herself as she remembered the Hat had no hands with which to write.

"You're an interesting young lady, Miss Granger. It's been a pleasure Sorting you, but I think I had better put you in…

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Hermione whispered, "Thank you," and then shot up, setting the Hat on its stool. She gazed around at the students and it was easy to find the sea of red ties; they were cheering and whooping as she joined them. Though she knew it was not for her in particular but that they had gained a new member, she was gladdened.