This was it. Sophie could barely contain her excitement as she followed her fellow first years to the front of the great hall where the Sorting Hat sat looking rather shabby on its little stool. She was practically bouncing on her feet as she barely paid attention to where others were being sorted. Luckily, she did not have to wait long as her surname came early in the alphabet.

"Duncan, Sophie!" cried the professor leading the ceremony.

Heart almost leaping from her chest, Sophie walked briskly to the stool and sat down, adjusting her robes. The hat was placed on her head, and immediately the din of the students in the great hall seemed to magically disappear. Ha, magically, of course.

Sophie didn't know much about the houses, only what her mother had told her. Her mother was hoping she'd be in Hufflepuff house like she had been, but from what Sophie did know, she highly doubted she would be placed there.

"Indeed not," murmured the voice of the Sorting Hat in her mind. "Friendly enough, but there's a lot of ambition there I see. Cleverness as well. Ravenclaw might suit, but there is a strong thirst to prove yourself..."

Sophie felt relieved that Hufflepuff was immediately taken out of the running. She loved her mum, but she never took anything seriously. Ravenclaw didn't sound so bad. She was a tad offended the hat hadn't mentioned Gryffindor at all though. Surely she was also quite brave and could be a good leader.

The hat seemed to chuckle. "Best be...SLYTHERIN!" it declared to the great hall.

Sophie stood and beamed. Slytherin. Some might stay it had a dark reputation, but Sophie knew there were plenty of brilliant witches and wizards from Slytherin house. She would be proud to join them and make a name for herself there as well.

She practically bounced over to the serpents' table.