The moment Forrest had been dreading.

The moment of finding out he really was a good-for-nothing after all.

All the grandeur of Great Hall and the castle in general seemed to have diminished greatly. The world consisted only of the Hat over there that would basically shape his future. He probably looked paler than most of the students in the line--and whereas many seemed to be commenting on the charmed ceiling and floating candles and all, his eyes were locked on the Hat over there, and his brain was revising the plan he'd made for getting into Gryffindor.

Be brave, don't hesitate while answering, sound confident.

UNluckily, his surname started with the third letter of the alphabet, so it would be his turn very quickly. He didn't tremble, at least. He only felt so cold as his hands sweated coldly. What is the big deal?, his other side kept asking. Your father's already proud of you.

But if he learnt I'm sorted into the WORST house--

Then he won't find out!

Before he could rehearse enough what he'd prepared--before he was ready--before everything and anything--it was his turn to be sorted. He didn't even know what to do! Why didn't he peek at others anyway? What if Alexa had been the one messing with him and there really was a test and he wasn't magical at all? How was a HAT supposed to decide where he belonged to realistically? Magical or not, it looked like a simple hat! This was certainly a test and he was going to fail it. Because a hat couldn't read their minds, could it? He was going to fail--he could already hear the booing of people. What would his father think of him, then? You aren't even a wizard? You played with us?! Do you know just how MUCH those things costed us, Forrest? Do you even have a IDEA? G--GET OUT of my sight!

Oh Goodness, oh goodness, please let me be an authentic wizard--he started walking--I can't fail in this, please let me an inspiration--ANYTHING!--he arrived at the stool--please please PLEASE--he put on the Hat in slow motion--

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

What? He opened his eyes, ignoring the tears of utter fear. Not that he could see much since the Hat had fallen down half his face--but he half-expected a professor to escort him towards the exit. The Hat had barely touched his head!

Seconds passed by and nobody came. In fact, a table he couldn't see clearly was clapping.

'Didn't you hear, Forrest? You're sorted into Hufflepuff. No doubt. One of the best suited to Hufflepuff that I've sorted, in fact!'

"I'm--I'm a WIZARD!"

'No doubt you are!'

Giggling incontrollably, he removed the Hat quickly and hopped off the stool to join Hufflepuffs.

HE WAS AN AUTHENTIC WIZARD!

Okay, Tanner you're next. Stand up straight, don't embarrass yourself, hope to get into Hufflepuff with Nate.

This was all she could think about as she watched the boy in front of her get sorted. Her arms tingled in anticipation and her light blue eyes were wide with nerves. She was probably pale as a ghost right now. And hungry. Why did she have to fall asleep on the train and miss a giant chance to eat? Why did she have to wake up so early in the morning? Why did she have to skip breakfast? Uggh. Interesting day already.

Emotions bundled up inside her and rolled around her stomach. There was fear (of course) nervousness, anticipation, curiosity, to name a few. On top of that, the feeling that she wanted to go back to her real parents and go to school and sleep came back swinging, and hit Tanner hard across her insides like a one- two punch. She heard someone yell Hufflepuff in the background and crinkle her eyebrows. What was a Hufflepuff, exactly? Would she possibly be one?

As she walked over to the stool, every emotion intensified. A smile crept onto her face, because that seemed like the thing to do, and she watched everyone be covered by fabric as the hat got placed onto her head and fell over her eyes.

Interesting. Interesting indeed.

Whoa, was the hat talking to her? Was this normal? Was she hallucinating? Was this one of those times in the movies were you get really hungry and hallucinate the world around you, and right now she was sitting on a kitchen stool with a beanie on her head?

You're the Doobly kid, right?

And the hat knew her name. Awesome. Wait, how did a hat know her name? She nodded gently so that no one else would see.

They were Ravenclaws, you know.

Okay, what was a Ravenclaw? Why was a hat talking to her? What in the world was happening?

You fit the bill... sort of. You like reading, no?

Again she nodded. Apparently she wasn't whatever a Ravenclaw was. Unlike her birth parents. Was this a good thing? A bad thing? An in between sort of thing?

But you don't seem like the studious type. You're very bold though. Very bold. Might you be a Gryffindor?

Okay, so she might be this thing called a Gryffindor, now? Seriously, what the heck was this hat talking about?

no, no, you don't seem like a Gryffindor. And you're nothing like a Hufflepuff. Might you be a SLYTHERIN!

the hat yelled loudly to the crowded hall and cheers came from all about. Okay, so she was a thing called a Slytherin? Somehow she got her feet to move and walk over to the table that yelled the loudest, which she guessed was them. Something like that. Maybe she was wrong. Whatever.

When was it his turn? Nashville wanted to know when he was going to join the rest of the Slytherin's. He was hyper ad excited and really really wanted to know when it was going to be his turn to be sorted.

Hello?

Now?

How about now?

Maybe not.

Nashville just stood there waiting and waiting. Cash, Nashville, someone called. A grin grew on Nash's beautiful face. It was time.

It had felt like moments or even years, Nashville just sat on the wooden stool, but in reality it had only be a second or two. Then he heard the Sorting Hat bellow out what house he was to be in.

"HUFFLEPUFF"

Hufflepuff? What kind of name is Hufflepuff? Nashville took the dumb hat off of his head and threw it down on the floor. He had lost control and was going to make a fit about it...or maybe not. After he threw the hat at the ground it made Nashville feel a lot better and kind of happier.

Nashville walked past the other students that were waiting to get sorted. He was done with his sorting, he was mad about his sorting. He wasn't a Hufflepuff at all. He was and will always be a Slytherin, he knew that and people had told him that he would fit great in Slytherin. Well maybe being a Hufflepuff wouldn't be that bad? Right? There were some people that he knew that were Hufflepuff's...like Bliss and MinnieMoo! So it couldn't be all that bad. But he had his eyes on Slytherin.

Fidgeting terribly as she stood at the foot of the dias, Bay worried about what was about to transpire. The hat had already sorted several others into houses and while some had been happy others had seemed disappointed. Honestly, she didn't know which house she preferred. Her one true fear was getting up there, putting the hat on, and nothing happening. That would mean this had all been a mistake, she wasn't a witch, and would have to go back to the orphanage.

Bay Turner

Her heart rate kicked up as she slowly slunk up the steps and sat gingerly onto the stool. She closed her eyes as the enormous hat was placed on her head. The 11 year old started shaking. Please do something, please do something, please do something....

I don't just do something dear, I do the most important thing in this castle. I will sort you into your house which will be your family and home for the next seven years.

Green eyes snapped open in surprise as the voice sounded in her head. Her little shaking body took on an excited quality. She was a witch! That hat was talking to her so she belonged here!

Hmmmm....a deep seated need to prove yourself and be excepted. A bit shy but some courage lies beneath. Interesting. A fair amount of cunning and intelligence and a strong set of values. And where to place you......hmmmmm....

Bay waited with more than a little anticipation and listened as the hat talked about her. How did he know these things? From what it was saying she could be placed anywhere!

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

A squeal of delight issued from her lips as the hat was whisked away and Bay jumped off the stool. The first year Hufflepuff! did a happy dance right there in the middle of the hall and then skipped down to join her house at their table!

Stark, Ascanius.

That was his name. Don't wear it out. No seriously, could they not say it again? He had heard them the first time, yeah?

Climbing up to the sorting hat, WHICH by the way was the silliest way to ever get put into a house or whatever this school did here how was a piece of fabric supposed to know him better then he knew himself... yeah exactly... it wasn't, he plopped down in the seat and waited for the hat to be put on his head. Nod and smirks to the pretty older woman who was putting it on his head. Heh.

He had to admit though, sitting here was a pretty sweet deal. Ascanius got to scope out the Great Hall and it did not disappoint. Pretty girls EVERYWHERE. And a really pretty girl sitting over in red section. She had long brown hair and looked really, really hungry. Beam.

Anyway, he leaned back in his seat and felt the hat go on his head. WOAH WOAH WOAH. NOT SO ROUGH WITH THE HAIR! He had to look presentable after he stepped down and stuff, which he would regardless because of reasons, but still. Don't dent the 'do.

That was when the hat started to talk to him. FREAKY MAGIC HAT!

He wasn't really paying much attention to what the hat was saying because he was horribly bored and stuff, but he did catch something about how he was vain or something. Then he hat kept talking about his mind was unlocked potential and how he was this and that and BLAH BLAH BLAH. Oh look, the older women at the table were nice looking too. Hogwarts... way to work it. Heh.

Suddenly he heard someone say something about something-thin. His eyes snapped open and he scowled. He was NOT thin. Or scrawny or any of that. Jealous idiots.

Someone clarified the word again. SLYTHERIN. Oh... was that supposed to mean something? That was when someone pointed out the green table. He shrugged and hopped down. Sure, he'd sit there. Whatever floated their boat.

Ascanius out.

Kahlan found herself surprisingly caught up in the grandeur of the hall, her eyes wandering around the room despite feeling sort of awkward that the rest of the school were going to watch her be sorted when that happened. But everything here... everything was so magical!!! So much more than anything her parents had ever described having experienced in the school that they went to and Kahlan found herself grateful she’d chosen this school to go to. Truthfully she felt that if her parents and brother didn’t have something like this they really did miss out!

Completely nervous the first year stood amongst the group of others surrounding her, feeling awfully self-conscious with the rest of the students watching the sorting. Somehow though, she managed to cover it up with a self assured grin, covering up all her nerves as she watched some of the others getting sorted before her.

“Moriarty, Kahlan” hearing her name called she walked up the stairs, trying to seem as calm and collected as she could instead of running up nervously. Taking a few deep breaths she sat herself on the chair and waited; now knowing that she had the attention of a few people as she bit her lip seeing the size of the school. There were sooooo many people!

‘Hi?’ she asked the hat internally; remembering how some of the older students told her that the sorting hat could read people’s minds. Of course she highly doubted a hat would be able to do something like that.

I can read your mind, child.

‘Um... sorry?’ she tried, though it ended up more as a question though she did feel almost sorry for doubting that a hat could read people’s minds. ‘So where are you going to put me anyway, this seems a bit... weird’

I sense that there is a large amount of loyalty there, but you’re eager to prove yourself, shame that your mother doesn’t notice.

‘Leave my mother out of this, she doesn’t matter to me’ the girl thought angrily, her imagination running wild with the thought of burning the stupid hat.

No need for that Kahlan... I can sense a lot of ambition in there, to do with proving yourself. You want to show your family that you can be just as good as they seem to think your brother is, and finally have some of the attention that he gets from your mother, you can’t lie to me no matter how much you lie to yourself.

‘Stop talking about her’ the blonde ordered, glaring up at the hat again.

With your ambition I think you’d do well in... Slytherin.

‘NO!!!!’ she yelled in her thoughts, thinking about an earlier conversation she’d had with Sylvester and how he was hoping for Gryffindor. ‘Can you put me in Gryffindor? Please I’d really like to be somewhere with someone I know’ she thought, ignoring the fact that she’d met a really nice Slytherin girl on the train to Hogwarts. Her thoughts were preoccupied with the plans she and Sly had made on the train.

You don’t belong there though... it doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to be friends with the boy whatever the outcome of his sorting is.

‘Please?’ she tried one more time, trying to appeal to its sensitive side if it had one.

“SLYTHERIN!” it called, not exactly what she wanted but it still left her with a smile plastered to her face as she walked over to the table to possibly find Sonea or some other first years, or other people in general to talk to.

The boat ride had been rather fun. He had spent the entire trip with his head over the side trying his hardest to see what lay beneath the water. He had heard about the giant squid from his parents and of course Z went on about it all the time. Michael was sure that it would make a good wrestling opponent. But to his disappointment the squid didn't make an appearance, although he could have sworn that he saw a silvery flash from a mermaid's tail. Well that's what he was going to tell everyone anyway.

So now he stood in the Great Hall after disembarking from the boat and making their way into the castle. Michael stood and watched as other first years got sorted and he shifted from foot to foot in anticipation. He couldn't wait to get up there so that he could put the hat on, but another part of him was kinda dreading it too. What if he and Zahra's carefully laid plans backfired and they didn't get what they wanted?

"Michael Toussaint."

Well there was obviously not much time to think about it now. Michael took a deep breath, patted both his pockets to make sure that Pig and Perseus were still in place and made his way up to the front of the dais, and as he took his seat he hoped that Z did not back out on their deal.

The hat was placed upon his head and Michael waited with bated breath for what was to come.

..

...

....

.....

Nothing was happening. He just sat there while the hat uhmmed and ahhed for a moment before going silent altogether. Michael was starting to panic a little. Why was the hat taking so long? He KNEW he belonged here. So why...?

"While there are a couple of houses that would be good for you. I think that in the long run that you would do better in....SLYTHERIN."

See, he had a feeling that might be the case. Michael didn't jump off the stool the moment the hat announced the house he should go into. He didn't go running off to his supposedly new house table. No he just sat there for a moment taking a few deep breaths before speaking to the hat. "Excuse me Mr Hat." He said in a low voice. "But I would rather go into the house of Gryffindor, if that's okay with you?" He felt the need to explain the pact that he and Zahra had made and why he would make a good lion and yadda, yadda, yadda, but instead he just sat there waiting patiently to hear what the hat had to say to that.

"GRYFFINDOR it is then."

Now Michael pulled the hat off his head and jumped up from the stool. He'd done it. He was in Gryffindor. He had to go and find Zahra.

"Kaul, Zyanya."

Finally.

She glanced nervously at the hat that was before her and took the final few steps towards it. She sat down and cringed as the hat was placed on her head. She could see a lot of people staring at her. She spotted Amara who had just been sorted.

The hat was quiet as if it was pondering over the various possibilities for her. She closed her eyes in fear and just thought one thing. Amara.

Just then, as if to prove her wrong, the hat shouted,"RAVENCLAW!"

Zyanya jumped up from her seat to hear the Ravenclaws cheering. She smiled. Though she had got the house she wanted, Amara was not going to be with her. Well, she knew she had to arrive at this moment eventually.

The big and brooding hat. It sat at the centre and students lined up one by one, getting sorted into their houses.

She waited patiently for her turn...her turn...

"Kaul, Amara!"

She walked coolly towards the old hat. She gave it a look, sat down and closed her eyes. She could feel the hat being placed on her head. Eerie little feeling. And then she waited. She knew where she belonged.

"Hmm..so many aspirations..." it trailed, the small voice echoing through her head.

YES!

"Dreams, methods..... yes... a Slytherin" it trailed slowly. Her heart fluttered with joy. Atlast, what she wanted was here.

Come on, say the word!

"But you're bravery dominates it all!" Wait, what?

"Trust me, you would do well in that place...it is for you...bravery above all" NO NO, you're getting it wrong! Undo! NOW!

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The hat shouted aloud for the hall to listen. Claps erupted from one corner of the table, probably the lions welcoming a new hand.

YOU DID NOT! YOU LOATHSOME HAT!

"Run away to your table now, missy. And thank me, I've done you great good" it said, with a flourish.

She walked towards the table, a scowl on her face and a grudge on her mind.

*Romulus did not like the look of the little boats for three reasons. One they did not look very sea worthy. Two, why did they need to take boats when all the other students weren't? And three, he was not a good swimmer. Holding on to the post that held the lamp Romulus tried to tough it out. In a boat near by he saw the boy he had talked to at the broom shop, Michael. Michael showed no fear and was even leaning out of the boat looking in the water. Romulus didn't dare look over the edge of his boat, he was already feeling sea sick. Finally coming a shore he walked inside of the castle with the other students.

He had read all about Hogwarts but seeing it in person was a completely different tale. It was so huge! And that was when the nervousness set in. Walking into the great hall he saw his brother give him a thumbs up from Hufflepuff. Looking to the other side he saw Zoe giving him a warm encouraging smile while she sat at Slytherin. He then looked up at the staff table and looked for his eldest cousin Cece, the school healer. Finally seeing her he gave her a little nervous wave. Then the hat came out. He had read about this but was nervous about putting it on.*

Tilstorm, Romulus!

*Steadying his nerves he slowly walked up to the stool and the hat was placed on his head.*

Ha! Another Tilstorm! I know just the place for you-... But wait... Hmmm

*For a long while the hat said nothing. Rom looked around feeling even more nervous and embarrassed than before. Maybe his setting dads pants on fire with magic was just a fluke. Maybe he didn't belong-*

The obvious choice would be Ravenclaw. You are very smart, that is easy to see but I see the things in your head that are not so easy... Slytherin would make you great, but your heart is not one of a Slytherin. No no no...Hmmm better be Hufflepuff!

*The sudden yelling of the house choice almost made Romulus fall off the stool. Hufflepuff? But that was the house his older brother was in. They were completely different so how could they be in the same house!? Placing the hat back on the chair he walked over to the other first years that were sorted into Hufflepuff and sat down.*

Isobel stood in the queue of students with bated breath, watching as each one approached the hat and got their house. Tora, she saw, was Sorted into Ravenclaw, as were a few other first years she'd noticed on the way. As the names being called got into the L's, she became convinced she was going to be skipped, and when Laning, Isobel was called out, she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

On shaky legs, she walked up to the hat, feeling like everyone was looking at her. Well, everyone was looking at her. She took a deep breath, and picked up the hat, sat down on the chair, and plopped it onto her head. It was, frankly, enormous, and slid down over her eyes. She knew she looked ridiculous, but at least everyone else had too.

Isobel jolted in her chair somewhat when the hat started to speak to her. It muttered something like "Brave at heart but values knowledge, hard-working yet ambitious, what to do...", and a moment later it shouted, loud enough for the whole hall to hear, "RAVENCLAW!"

The whole thing had been surprisingly quick, and Isobel took off the hat, placed it gently down on the chair, and bounced off to the Ravenclaw table among the applause. Ravenclaw wasn't what she'd expected, but hey, she wasn't complaining.

Kace was next right? He could not believe it. He was shaking so much. He thought to himself "please let me be in hufflepuff.."

Lecium, Kace was called out. This is it. Kace was going to find out his future. He climbed up onto the stairs and sat down on the stool. His hands were sweating and his heart was racing. He heard the hat talking. Wait a minute....hats could talk? He was scared still. "I see a hardworker underneath this hard. You seem like a hard worker and loyal and true...hmm..you seem to be in..." After he waited what seemed like a minute, that hat opened his brim and said

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

He breathed a sigh of relief. He did it. He was in the same house as his sister. His mom would be proud and even his grandparents. They were fellow puffs. He smiled and went over to the table and sat down with his housemates.

Natasha was trying to look calm, and collected as she waited her turn. The group of first years was getting smaller and smaller. Was her name on the list at all?

"Black, Natasha!" She heard her name called loud and clear. With legs that felt like they would fail her any minute, she walked up to the stool, where the hat was placed on her head.

She did not know what she was waiting for, but at first, nothing happened. In her mind, she was wondering and wondering what she was supposed to do.

Then a quiet voice spoke to her. "Just relax child, I will look into your mind and see what house is best suited for you." It told her. "Difficult, very difficult." The voice told her. "You are brave, strong willed, logical, but also honest and loyal." The voice started going through several of the events in her early childhood.

Wait, did the voice just mention her father? Did it have access to memories she had lost? Her mind was spinning, throwing out question after question, all of which were ignored. She almost jumped at the voice shouted one word, for all to hear.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The hat was removed from her head, and barely even realising where she was going, she walked to the Gryffindor table.

When her name was called Tora whipped her head back to the (now vacant) stool where she would soon be sitting from previously staring longingly at the Hufflepuff table. Gram would be proud in whichever house she was placed in, but personally Tora wanted to be like Gram and be in Hufflepuff. She walked over to the stool and vaguely wondered how the Hat had a mind of its own and what spell was used to create it.

Then the Hat was over her head and speaking to her inside her mind. Tora had expected this of course, but it was still a bit of a shock to actually have the Hat there. In her MIND.

"You want to be Hufflepuff I see." the Hat's voice said immediately.
"Of course." Tora said out loud before she realized the Hat could probably understand her if she just spoke in her mind.
"I want to be just like Gram"she continued silently.
"Ahh, I'm afraid it is too late for that. You are your own. Now. On to your Sorting. you wish to be Hufflepuff but you're you're claustrophobic, and you tend to scare people off at first with your temper, no? No. You're definitely not Hufflepuff."
"What? Why? Those can't be the only reasons!"
"They are. I notice you are brave... very brave. 'You're more hurt by hesitation than by what you are hesitating to do'. That's an interesting statement young lady. Gryffindor would do you well."
"Gryffindor doesn't sound too bad I guess. Gram would be happy... But sometimes I just wonder what it would be like to be in Hufflepuff, ya know?"
"You're not a Hufflepuff. Although I do see curiosity in you. A vast amount. In fact... all your brave deeds seem to be grounded in-"
"Loyalty?"
"Curiosity. You are brave because you need to be brave to find an answer. Oh and for the last time you are not Hufflepuff!"
"Then what am I?!" Tora said exasperatedly aloud. (forgetting again that she only needed to say it in her head.

"RAVENCLAW"

"You'll love me for it someday."

Ravenclaw. RAVENCLAW? Tora didn't know what to even think. Only that she wasn't a Hufflepuff. Real tears started to burn in her eyes as she handed back the Hat. She never cried, and so she wouldn't cry now. She set her face and mainly followed her ears to the table cheering the loudest, not trusting her tear-blurred eyesight to lead her to the blues, the Ravenclaws. Where she belonged.
She only brightened a little when she wondered how she would love that Hat someday. It was never wrong, and so there must be a reason for Tora to be a Ravenclaw. She could barely wait to find out what the reason was.

"Dragongrass, Aphrodite"

Okay .. its Aphrodite's turn and she stepped forward to sit in a chair that has been provided.

"Let see.. another Dragongrass...hmm ..you do know and realized that I put your Father in Slytherin, your mother in Gryffindor and your brothers in Ravenclaw.. do you?"

Aphrodite has not been able to say anything and she was only able to do a small nod,

"You inherited your father's cunning and mother's courage, and even intelligence from them both .. It is difficult to decide .. hmm"

Aphrodite heartbeat pounding and relentless ..

"GRYFFINDOR!" Sorting Hat said and she immediately stepped to the Gryffindor House Table. * Phew *