Finnlay had been nervous on the train, nervous at the station, nervous in the boats, and now nervous in the castle. He was so unsure of himself. Even when the giant doors were opened and he first beheld the Great Hall, the only effect it had on him was to make him feel small and inferior. He HATED that feeling. He didn't like feeling like he didn't know anything about anything, either, and that was what this unknown world was forcing him to admit.

So there he stood, listening as each of his fellow classmates took their turns putting on some old, ratty hat. It looked really dirty and likely had lice eggs and all other sorts of things living in it. And he had to wear that? Wizards were a strange lot.

Finally, "Muir, Finnlay!" was called. A pit formed in the bottom of his stomach. He wasn't ready! He wasn't prepared! There was no way to know what was expected of him here, how was it fair to do this to them as soon as they arrived?!

Ever so slowly, he shuffled his way through the half of the first years that remained un-Hatted. He sat on the very wobbly-looking stool (seriously, couldn't wizards just like.. wave their wands and fix it?) and winced as the disgusting hat was placed upon his head. So now what?

"Woah!" he exclaimed aloud as a voice began to talk to him. He hadn't known what to expect, but a voice in his head wasn't it. But after its initial remark of 'interesting,' the hat was silent. Curiosity continued to mount until finally the voice came again. 'Brace yourself,' was its only suggestion before it shouted out "Ravenclaw!"

Utterly nonplussed, Finnlay snatched the filthy cap off his head as quick as possible, dropping it onto the floor as he made his way towards his new housemates. Knowing nothing at all of this house's reputation unsettled him, so he was cautious as he took his seat. Here goes nothing!