Emmeline stared around the Great Hall with eyes as wide as saucers as she shuffled in with the rest of the first years. She wasn't sure that this room had a ceiling as she gazed at the sky above her before being brought sharply back to Earth by the Sorting Hat and its song. She could feel the eyes of hundreds of students fastened on her and the rest of the first years, which was not a very nice feeling at all. Emmeline was very glad that Stasya and Aurora were up here with her, and she scanned the House tables carefully until she found Derf at what must be the Hufflepuff table. She smiled nervously at him, fervently hoping that she and Stasya would join him there soon.

As Stasya was called up, Emmeline crossed her fingers inside her robes. The other girl knew A LOT of Hufflepuffs, and Emmeline was shocked when Stasya was sorted into a different House! Her own nerves seemed so much more apparent now, but she threw Stasya a small smile as she watched her go off to the Gryffindor table.

The line of people waiting to be Sorted seemed to move SO slowly after that. Emmeline had never thought about last names before, but she really regretted having an "S" name now. But finally, finally...

"Sparkes, Emmeline."

Emmeline's legs seemed much heavier than normal as she walked up to the stool and had her vision partially obscured by the Sorting Hat. This was kind of scary...

"Hmm...interesting, very interesting. Plenty of courage I see, and a strong thirst for independence. There's talent, and not a bad mind either, but where to put you?"

Emmeline jumped as the Sorting Hat started talking inside her HEAD! She didn't feel brave or smart or whatever the other Houses were at the moment, any House was fine for her just now... She knew her parents really wanted her to be in Slytherin, but Nanny had said any House was good, and that Emmeline should "be her own person at Hogwarts." So she thought she wanted to do that, whatever that meant...

"Ah. Well, in that case, better be:

GRYFFINDOOOR!"

Emmeline felt a sense of great relief as the Sorting Hat was pulled off her head and she made her way over to the red-clad students and Stasya. Barely paying attention to the cheers, she thought that it would be better if there was a House just for creature-lovers, or for everyone! Her mind already half-full of plans to sneak Derf into the Gryffindor dorm so he could be with her and Stasya, she smiled as she joined her House.