Amber was herded into this giant magnificent hall with floating candles as light, and the night sky reflected in the ceiling.
Thousands of eyes followed her and the first years.
Holding on to her necklace, she stopped at the front, where a single stool and an old hat lay.

One by one students where called and houses where branded, until alas, Amber was called up.
The sorting hat Immediately said "SLYTHERIN!"
Amber hopped off and jogged to the jeering Slytherin table where she was received with several strong pats on her back.

ooc: where is the Slytherin House table?

Damon had got off the train at last and entered the feast area. He was here at last. The area in which he would spend his next 7 years of education. He saw the 4 tables laid out in the places but first he would need to get sorted.

Damon saw the stool with the old parched hat upon it. He walked up to the stool and jumped up placing the hat on his head. He waited anxiously wondering what choice house the hat would have for him. After what seemed like hours the hat made its choice. "You will be in Ravenclaw!". Damon was very pleased at this choice and walked over to their table.

This was it, this was the day that she was finally going to be sorted. All those years of waiting and speculation was coming to an end. Her hands were shaking slightly as her name was called. They got even worse as she walked to the front of the hall and stepped up to the hat. She made a conscious effort to stop them. Arabelle Reynolds did not show fear.

The main question on her mind was - Where was she going to be sorted? Most of her was hoping for Ravenclaw, the house her brothers were sorted into. All of the stories of their house sounded fun and it seemed like she would like it a lot.

The other part of her wanted to be sorted somewhere else. Anywhere else. She wanted to be different, not the girl carrying on the Reynolds family Ravenclaw tradition. Maybe she'd make a nice Gryffindor.

The hat was covering her eyes now. She took a deep breath and waited for the judgment. The frayed hat was talking to her now, saying all of her strong qualities. It sounded like she was headed for Ravenclaw!

Until...Slytherin. That was one of the last houses she expected. Taking the hat off her head, Arabelle made her way over to the Slytherin table, but not before letting a small smile grace her lips.

This could be fun.

After a beautiful ride across the lake with her four friends, Bella, Carter, Choluna and Tori, Keeley had finally entered the great hall. It was beautiful! With a sky filled... ceiling? She would have had time to contemplate this, but the professor standing beside the hat had called her name. She stumbled up to the platform nervously. Sure, she could act onstage, but being herself in front of people was the hard part. She sat down onto the stool, almost falling off. She looked at the four tables below as the hat listed all of her good qualities. After what had seemed years, the hat bellowed Ravenclaw!

Sara had enjoyed the long ride here to Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She had spent most of her time with her new friend. Drew. Who would have thought that she, Sara Elizabeth Lyons was a witch!

Waiting for her turn under the sorting hat, Sara contemplated her life, as a witch. The house she was sorted into, would help in sculpting her future.

Then, she heard her name being called: "Lyons, Sara," by the witch at the front of the room. Sara quickly ran up, sat on the wooden stool, put on the tattered, black hat ... and waited...

"Huffelpuff!!!" proclaimed the hat. Sara quickly removed the hat, placed it on the stool and ran toward her new family, the people sitting at the Huffelpuff table.

Patroclus was led with the others into the Great Hall. Leaving their boat behind them, the first years ensued into the Hall. A overwhelming sense of Wonder gripped Patroclus, he was here, and it was Beautiful, a thousand candles floated in front of a ceiling bewitch to display the night Sky.

Finally his name was called "Hudson, Patroclus"
Patroclus sat on the stool, his heart pounding like a thousand pixies jumping on a drum, the sorting hat was slipped onto his head
"Hmmmmm lots of brains, but also a Strong personality....hint of fear, but who doesn't, got to be GRYFFINDOR"

Emily walked up to the stool standing right in front of the entire school, she swallowed hard. She sat on the stool, a feeling of a bittersweet hybrid of terror and excitement overcame her. The hat was slowly placed. The hat had a slippery whisper, its s's slipped sensually out of its mouth (did it even have one?) "oh well this should be easy, you are very clumsy, we all know where you belong" out loud the hat said "HUFF..." it stopped dead mid-sentence. in emily's ear it sais again " but you have quite the aptitude for charms. Every spell you have attempted, you havent failed! i may have to rethink your house" and then it's booming voice yelled out "RAVENCLAW!!!!!" Emily smiled and hopped down off the stool and ran to her table.

Rafe walked up nervously. He didn't know what to expect. He was hoping to be in Slytherin. That seemed to be the place all his friends he met at Diagon Alley were going. He thought in his head, Please Slytherin, please Slytherin...

His mum would be so proud if he ended up in that house. He walked up with confidence. This was it, there was no turning back.

The hat was place on his head and it spoke, "A lot of darkness I see...Hmm...Lycaon, not a name that has walked through these doors of Hogwarts...but, there's A LOT of bravery there too...hmm, where to put you?"

The hat seemed to be contemplating what felt like forever. Rafe's mind was set on Slytherin, but he had a feeling that the hat couldn't read thoughts.

"I think you'll do best in....GRYFFINDOR!!!"

Rafe frowned. I suppose it's better than Hufflepuff... He hopped down and joined his fellow Gryffindors. And with the greetings of his fellow Gryffies, he felt a warmth sweep over him. Maybe this won't be so bad. He smiled.

Upon stepping into The Great Hall for the very first time, LouAnn Purple came to a complete stop and took a few moments to truly take in her surroundings and appreciate them for what they were worth. No amount of galleons in the world could purchase another moment that would be quite as exciting and remarkable for her. The ceilings were just as she'd read they would be, enchanted to appear like the actual night sky she'd just set her eyes upon a few minutes prior. The tables were positioned just as she'd always pictured them---four of them, each in their own little row, taking up the entire length of the Great Hall. The other schools she'd previously been to---all five of them---would never be able to compare to the one she'd just entered.

Seeing the Sorting Hat just up ahead, LouAnn started walking again, a nervous feeling creeping up on her and taking over her entire body little by little. Why can't we just draw houses from a cup? Or, why can't they just look at us and tell us where to go? She knew none of those made any sense, for being sorted into a house was a very serious event in a wizarding child's life; but the last thing she wanted right about now was for focus of any amount at all to be on her. She waited in line between two obvious first years, feeling like a giant next to them as she waited her turn. She turned around and glanced at all four house tables---Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. It honestly didn't matter to her where she went. Not really. She just wanted to be labeled a something and then go and sit down.

Her turn to take the stand came sooner than she expected it to, and she slowly took a seat on the provided stool and allowed the hat to be placed on her head...

Wait, what? Roam the corridors with what sort of backbone? I'll have you know I've experienced plenty in my lifetime to prove that I've got a strong enough backbone! I may not be Slytherin material, but I'm certainly no flobberworm! LouAnn scowled at the hat, then waited while it studied her a little further. She hadn't suspected it would take this long, although, maybe she was just overestimating the time she'd been underneath the hat.

Evelyn walked down the aisle with the rest of the first year students. She was extremely nervous on the inside, but her face was set into a frown, etched with determination and something...else. She was here finally. Her parents told her briefly about what the place looked like on the inside, and she looked up slightly, barely moving her head, to see the ceiling that looked like the night sky as they described. Her mouth forming into a smirk, she lowered her eyes and her gaze was set on a stool with an old hat on it.

This was going to be a great year if she played it out properly. All the first years stopped in front of the stool while waiting for their name to be called. She knew what house she was going to be in already. It was inevitable. But she couldn't help but be a little anxious of the thought, 'What if I'm not put into that house? What if i become a Hufflepuff or something?' But she quickly burned the thought when her name was called.

Lifting her gaze from the ground to the hat, she slowly slid past a few students, barely touching them, and walked up to the stool. Sitting down, she looked down at the floor again, not wanting to watch people's expressions of either boredom or excitement. She half expected the old hat to yell out the house before touching her head, but it was silent. She kept the hat on for another thirty seconds, still silence. Rolling her eyes, she was just about to take it off when it whispered in a slow, angry voice, "I don't like your kind, Ms. Evelyn Flores. The last one of you I've seen made a mess of this world." She was mortified at what it said, irritating and embarrassing her, and surely everyone else could here what it was saying. "Shut...it!" she muttered. "Just...sort...me. I know where I'm going anyways. And I'm not like that. I can handle it."

"I knew you would say that." A few seconds later of possibly growling at her, she didn't know, the sorting hat yelled: SLYTHERIN!

Closing her eyes, she took off the hat, and walked towards the Slytherin table, briefly glancing back to the headmaster, making sure she had her small innocent smile on her face though. When she turned back, the frown replaced it, and she continued walking.

He thought sailing on the dark lake was quite fun but as he stepped inside the Great Hall with the other first years, it did not take much time for him to see that there were much more things to admire inside the castle. He forgot the lake and his plans about it when he saw the sky reflecting ceiling and candles floating around. No, ceiling was the best! The scenery of a starry dark sky was charming but seeing the sun shine up there should have been more beautiful and energizing than that.

When the boy behind him pushed a little, he stopped looked up and around. The line was moving and he was just standing there. He shrugged at the boy recklessly and when turned back to do that he took his chance to check whether Rose was somewhere back in the line which was, unfortunately, an unsuccessfull attemp. He had to wait. But he hated waiting. There was nothing to do anyway. Than, in a sudden, the lines of a song came to his ears and he smiled with awe as he rose himself on his toes to see the old hat sing the song. 'That's bloody cool!' he thought imagining a long conversation full of jokes with the hat.

Giving up trying to spot Rose in the line, he just kept watching the others being sorted by and the old, but cool hat. Once every child was sorted one of the tables was cheering loudly which was the reason that made Joshua more and more impatient and excited.

Finally, right after a girl (he recognized her at that very second:Rose. She was in the font of the line not back) who was sorted into Slytherin took her place on the cheering table, he heard his name being pronounced and hurtled towards the stool. He sat there and waited confidently for the professor to put the hat.

''GRYFFFINDOR!''

Josh jumped as the hat shouted out since he did not even feel the hat touching his head. Looking confused but proud as the crowd of Gryffindor table cheered. He stood up, glanced at the other unsorted students cooly and made his way towards the cheering table.

Choluna walked down the hall to sit on the stool where she would be sorted! She couldn't believe it! The hat was put on her head and said "You will fit in well with RAVENSCLAW! "YAY!!!!!!! I GOT IN THE HOUSE I WANTED!!!! WOOOO HOOOOO!!!! I'M SO EXCITED! I..." Oops! She had gotten over excited again and everyone was staring at her like she was a lunatic! She stepped down, face pink, and walked over to where the other Ravensclaw members were!

As she walked into the Great Hall, she was mesmerized by all the beauty one room could hold. Smells wafted through the air of taffy apples and pumkin juice. And what's that? Tiny little magical sandwiches with the Letter H emblazened on them. Mmmmm but first things first.

She ever so cautiously walked up to the Sorting Hat. The hat was put upon her blonde curls and she was nervous. She'd always thought of herself as a Griffendore, but low and behold, the Sorting Hat says to her, "Too delicate a fairy to be placed in any old house... only Hufflepuff will do for you".

And with that, she went directly to her table to introduce herself.

Melissa saw the hat as she entered the Great Hall. That's all she had to do? Wow, her dad was great for advice. She stepped up to the hat and put it on. It dropped over her eyes so everything was black. She took a deep breath, thinking about Slytherin. SLYTHERIN! The hat finally made it's desicsion. That took longer than expected. Melissa's dad had been in Slytherin. She decided not to worry about it and headed to the Slytherin table.

It was finally Bella's turn to be sorted and boy was she nervous. So far 2 of her friends, Keeley and Choluna, were both in Ravenclaw so she was hoping to be in the same house. She steped up and the hat was placed on her head. The osrting hat said all sorts of things, even made fun of her for wondering off from being nervous to thinking about books, then to thinking about bunnys. Finally she heard the hat call out," RAVENCLAW!"

She went with a smile and her book to the table to sit with her friends.

Timothy stepped forward to the sorting hat, as soon as it was placed upon his head, he heard a strange voice within the confines of his mind. He listened silently as it discussed his options, it Finally came to rest upon....

RAVENCLAW!!!!

Timothy quickly ran to the table that he was assigned too.

Chris walked into the Great Hall soon after his brother, and looked along the separate house tables. He watched as his brother was sorted into Ravenclaw and walked calmly forward to take his turn with the magical sorting hat. He sat and placed the hat upon his head. He heard a strange voice inside his head talking about which house he was to be put into. The choices came down to Slytherin and Ravenclaw. The hat made up its mind and announced to the crowd, "Slytherin!"

Chris smiled and removed the hat, he was very happy with its decision. He ran swiftly to join his fellow Slytherin students at the assigned table...

Jacoby steped up to the stool. He put the sorting hat on his head and for a few seconds it was quiet. Oh so very silent. the it spoke in his mind. "Well Interesting...you've seen a lot in your past. Much more than I would have ever thought of a child such as you." Child what kind of hat knows time and age... " Don't Judge me by my appereance." The Hat said Irratably."Well, lets see now...Bravery is not scarce with you is it, not afraid to speak your mind, but intellegece is very dominant among you...Oh Yes, yes,you have many other very important Traits ... But I see it as the most obvious Decision, I see you as a Great...RAVENCLAW!" Yelling the final word out to everyone.

Excitement and sudden rush of energy made him jump down from the stool quickly, drop the hat clumsily on the stool and half run over to his new table.

He was HERE. Tibi was actually HERE. Staring up at the ceiling of the Great Hall, Tibi forgot about Willie Crocker, about Ella's constant stream of new friends, about werewolves, about everything! He was at HOGWARTS and...

He was about to put an old hat on his head?

Tibi quickly realized that this hat told them what house to go to. Brilliant! Tibi thought. He anxiously awaited his turn, staring out at the tables, waiting to find out where he would go.

"Pryce, Tiberius!" Tibi heard a voice call out his name. It was his turn! As the hat slipped onto his head, and then over his eyes, settling somewhere around his nose, he heard a voice.

"Hmmmmm, could this be? The only son of Tirion Pryce, come to Hogwarts at last? My. It seems like only yesterday I sat on his head. He was a strong boy, a brave boy, a mighty Gryffindor descended from Gryffindors!"

His dad. The sorting hat knew his dad. Well, if knew could be the right word. Tibi's heart swelled. His dad was a Gryffindor! Maybe he would be in his dad's house!

"But you... hmmm, no, not Gryffindor for you. Your strength is of the mind. Quick. Witty. Yes..... Better be, RAVENCLAW!"

Tibi's heart initially sank. He had never thought he'd be in Gryffindor, but then the hat had mentioned his dad and he'd gotten his hopes up. But the hat told him what he already knew... that he was a thinker and that Ravenclaw was the house for him. As the hat was removed from his head, Tibi spied the Ravenclaw table and bounded happily toward them.

Timidly, Tavelon approached the front of the Great hall and sat himself on the stool, he toes barely scraping the floor. He really hadn't thought very seriously about sorting. He would enjoy Slytherin... But the personality wasn't entirely there. Ravenclaw would definitely be for him. Gryffindor... maybe... but Ravenclaw yes. He felt the hat drop down just past his ears and immediately he heard soft breathing as if another person was inside his head.

"Not Hufflepuff, not Hufflepuff" Tavelon thought to himself. He heard that the trick worked... that you could request certain things.

"Not Hufflepuff? You are a good person though. Rather indecisive. You don't really show qualities for the others" The hat whispered. What was that supposed to mean? That I'm too cowardly, stupid or not ambitious enough to be in the other houses? Hufflepuff was bland. He didn't want any of that.

"You want to be those other things... but in your heart, I know where you belong. You will learn that that is where you belong, too....

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Looking terrified up at that stool JD, glances back at the tables behind him. Do I really have to put that thing on. It can read my thoughts!!! Ready to bolt at any second, he sees he's up next.

It's not gonna read my thoughts, nuh uh, no way. He thinks to himself, afraid to even get any closer. Backing away from the stool, he runs away to the back of the hall.

Sasha stood and walked up to the sorting hat as her name was called. She sat on the stool nervous where to be placed. She'd love to be courageous, and she was for the right things. Slytherin, well she had to admit she was very cunning. She fit her last name well. She was very intelligent, but she didn't want it to be based on those things. The only thing she knew, she didn't want to be in Hufflepuff. She felt the hat ease on her head.

'Please put me somewhere I'll fit in, please!'

"Well you are quite difficult aren't you? There's definatly courage, not afraid to speak your mind, intelligence, cunning, but...your heart is so pure, one the brightest I've seen through the years, and honesty runs in your veins. hmm" the hat whispered
Sasha grew anxious with the hat's silence. She just closed her eyes adn prayed for the best.

"With a heart full of fire and light you've got to be a HUFFLEPUFF!"

Sasha opened her eyes and smiled, though it wasn't her top choice she'd be happy. She stepped down from the stool and walked over to the Hufflepuf table to join the others.

As the line grew shorter, Skye was fearing the sorting more and more. Normally, the girl wasn't nervous, but this seemed too important to mess up on. Not that you could, either way. Finally, she heard her name called and nervously clambered up to the Sorting Hat, watching her step carefully. She sat down, but not for long. As soon as the hat touched her head...

"RAVENCLAW!"

Skye looked startled at the hat's fast desicion, but that was soon clouded with relief, and then smiling. Taking the hat off, she carefully ran over to the Ravenclaw table. Her new house's table.

Penelope moved along in the sea of other first-years who were making their way to the front of the Great Hall. Still remembering with wander the boat ride in and then trying to take in every site inside the tremendously beautiful room, she almost didn't hear her name when it was called.

"Hopkins, Penelope," spoke the witch who was standing on the raised platform, holding the sorting hat, and standing beside a small stool. With a start and a sharp intake of breath, the butterflies that Penelope had been suppressing began beating their wings harder than ever. With shaky legs, she made her way to the the stool. She gave a quick glance at the older witch, turned around and sat down. This was it, Penelope thought to herself. This is really where it all begins.

The hat was placed on her head, nearly covering her brown eyes, wide with anticipation. Penelope nearly jumped as she heard the Sorting Hat speak: "A bit shy, yes. But also loyal, hard-working. You will be most at home in...HUFFLEPUFF!"

Penelope finally let go of the breath she had been holding and smiled as the cheers erupted from her new family at the Hufflepuff table. She walked toward them with a new sense of purpose, ready to begin this new chapter in her life.