"Prescott, Delilah."

The first year glanced up as her name was called. She was nervous, but it wasn't because the spotlight now seemed to be on her. It was because this moment was full of pressure. Once that Hat called out the name of a House, there was no going back. There was no begging the Hat to change its mind if she ended up not being comfortable with where she was placed. Besides, what was that she'd heard people say? There were good things and good people in each house?

She balled and unballed her fists in anticipation, took a small sigh, and then stepped forward. It seemed like minutes had passed since they'd called her name, but it'd only been a few seconds. She slid onto the chair and felt the Hat rest upon her head.

Slytherin.

Gryffindor.

Ravenclaw.

Hufflepuff.

That was the order she'd decided on. She wanted to be a Slytherin with Gryffindor being a close second. There was some shuffling about on the Hat's part, and then things seemed to get underway.

"Slytherin, hmm? I can see the ambition, but..."

But.

There it was. That one little word told Delilah that the Hat wasn't going to agree with her, and if it did, it wouldn't be an easy process.

"The bravery prevails. The daring and the nerve are what set you apart."

Delilah had wanted to be a Slytherin very badly. That's the house her mom had been in, and that's where she'd hoped in her very heart she would go. She could sense this wouldn't be the case, though, and in her thoughts, she started preparing herself for it. Gryffindor was her second choice, and there'd be good things awaiting her there. It wasn't her third and fourth choice, at least. Okay, I'll be fine with Gryffindor. More than fine. If not in Slytherin, then please be Gryffindor.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

...and just like that, Delilah was a lion. Oddly enough, she wasn't dwelling on Slytherin in her thoughts. It seemed like a memory as she looked toward the table of her new housemates. A lion. So that was that. She should get moving then. This was enough pressure for the timebeing. She slid off the chair as the Hat was removed from her head, and then she headed toward the house table.

Her new house's table.

After finally being allowed to actually stretch his legs and get off the train, Hooper was so amped to actually Hogwarts and boy did it not disappoint. The castle was EPIC although the boat ride over the lake was almost enough for him to throw up all of the sweets head eat on the train. Luckily for him and Parker though, he’d managed to stomach all four of his chocolate frogs, six Cornish pasties, a whole box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour beans (which had some foul flavours in but he’d ended up eating as a dare) and amongst other things that just seemed like they shouldn’t be snacks but were.

Pushing his mixed feelings about the Blood-Flavoured lollypop that someone had offered him, the first year couldn’t help but almost fall over himself in anticipation as he saw the castle for the first time and then when he stepped foot in it. Everything just seemed so over the top and large and daunting but oh so amazing! After the wait by the large doors in the entrance hall was over, Hooper walking into the hall next to Parker and his mouth dropped as he saw the number of faces around him and more importantly, the hall itself or more specifically, the ceiling. In all his years, he’d never experienced. If he wasn’t so mentally drained from the train and the sensory overload, he’d most likely be up for the next few days such was his level of excitement.

Doing his best to ignore the eyes that seemed to fixated on him and him alone, he moved forward surrounded by the other students, below the twinkling of the floating candles which would take him a moment to digest at a later point. As the silence steadily grew, Hooper’s eyes turned to meet Parkers for a moment, and giving him a nervous, wide smile, he waiting for the beginning of the…sorting? That’s what he’d heard some of the older kids call it on the train anyway. Practically ignoring the song, he waited quietly, his eyes looking around until finally, a…hat was brought out? Huh? Was he missing something? It wasn’t until other students’ names were called out that he finally figured out what was actually happening, or guessed it at least. It was the hat that sorted them out! Well, it had for Delilah Prescott anyway.

Waiting with bated breath, he stood there, hands clenched tightly and jammed into the pockets of his robes as he waited for his name to be called out. Until finally, after a few minutes, it was echoes out for all to hear.

“Ridley-Rush, Hooper!

Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, and down on the uncomfortable stoor and taking the hat, he jammed it on his head without waiting. Wearing the hat had seemed strange but when the voice spoke, he’d all but jumped off the chair in surprise.

“Aha, Hooper. I fine young man I see. Plenty of loyalty I see. You also value your family and friends very highly. A fine Hufflepuff you’d make. Lots of courage and a little cunning. Perhaps Slytherin or Gryffindor? Now this does make it difficult to put you somewhere.”

In all of his life, Hooper had never failed to find words to express himself but as soon as he’d found out he was going to be a wizard, that had all changed and now he’d found himself frequently speechless it seemed. He wanted to shout at the hat, to demand that he be put in the same house as his best friend Parker but somehow, the words simply could not find their way out of his mouth or even into a proper sentence in his head. After another moment of listening with his mouth sticking out from underneath the hat, wide open like he was trying to catch flies, another loud booming voice echoed around the hall with the words…

“Gryffindor!"

Taking the hat off, he looked back and flashed a quick, confident smile at Parker who was stilling waiting to be sorted because he just knew he’d be petrified and did his best to make like a tree and leaf the centre stage. Making his way over, he sat himself on the Gryffindor bench and exhaled loudly. He had done it! He was going to be a wizard! All that was left to do now was to wait for his friend to join him with the rest of the Gryffindors and then, they could hopefully find some food.

Mercer was bouncing on his toes as Marina made it through her sorting, and he was fully twitching by the time his own name was called.

"Branxton, Mercer"

And it was his turn! Mercer dropped onto the stool and the hat was slipped down over his forehead. It was nice and quiet inside the hat, with no one staring at him and the hum of student voices muffled. Just a sort of droning voice, and Mercer was well practiced at ignoring adult voices when the thoughts in his own head were more entertaining.

Like this place was so BIG, and he was still in awe over the boat ride and seeing the castle for the first time and then coming into the Great Hall. And he thought he'd seen a ghost and there were suits of armor and...

"... are you even listening?"

OH! That voice was the HAT! Nope. Not listening. Thinking about all the things and not listening. Could they just move this along, so Mercer could go to his new table and then his new dormitory and then classes and then making new friends and then meeting a ghost in person and then probably adopting his own thestral or something?

"You're exhausting. RAVENCLAW."

Yup, sounded right. Mercer hopped off the stool as the hat was lifted off his head. Hey, new best friends.

This was it. The MOMENT she had been waiting for. The moment she was SO sure about. Starr was seated at the Hufflepuff table, and she was 101% sure she would not be joining him there.

With the goal and red glitter in her hair falling out in small clumps whenever she walked, she waited patiently for her turn. She was near the end of the alphabet, but at least she wasn’t at the very end. Some of her friends had been sorted already - and in Gryffindor, too! - soooOOoo she was very excited to have a seat at that table.

“TOROS, ARDEN,” she heard her name called, and Arden skipped toward the hat, a trail of glitter behind her.

She sat on the stool, appalled at the lack of butt cushion and discomfort of it, but figured it would only be a few seconds. If that! The hat would immediately touch her head - as it was doing now - and declare GRYFFINDOR - and she almost stood up to go to the table when she realized the hat hand’s said anything yet. She was confused and was about to voice that when she heard the little voice in her ear.

“You have qualities that would befit a magnificent Hufflepuff, too, you know,” the voice said with a small bit of laughter. Arden bite her lip, and thought to herself, ‘But I want Gryffindor..I am a TOTAL Gryffindor…’ And the hat cackled lightly again. “You are outgoing, bold, and brave. But you are also loyal to your friends and family, and I see a kindness behind your decisions that would make a hardworking Hufflepuff. However, I do think your daring outweighs it all. I suppose I will humor you, dearie, and say…. GRYFFINDOR!”

Arden beamed, pulling the hat off her head and apologizing profusely for the glitter remaining on the inside. “I’m so sorry Mr. Hat - really - the glitter will come out eventually - it’s biodegradable because my mam is a vegan - “ she was spouting all the words sooOOOOOO fast before running off to the Gryffindor table to join the cheers and clapping.

Also, those two thoughts totally went together in her head, and she would clarify further if the hat cared to ask what glitter and veganism had to do with one another.

…speaking of…

Hogwarts…did serve vegan food…..right?????????

The Great Hall was IMMENSE. SO HUGE. SO LIT.

Sure, the young Perseus Baltazar comes from money and is familiar with fancy cavernous places. Some larger and more luxurious than the Great Hall, but in Percy's mind, there is only one Hogwarts and...

...it's Hogwarts.

The small boy bounced to the front when his name was called. Plopping his bum on the stool, he reminded himself to remain still as the Sorting Hat was placed on his head. There was a bit of silence, and during that silence, his eyes drifted towards the yellow and black table.

"Ah," the Sorting Hat sighed. "Hufflepuff, eh?"

Percy's eyebrows rose as he tried to peek upwards. The Hat didn't startle him. In fact, it reminded him of one of his grandfathers.

"I'm not your grandfather," the Hat responded. Percy murmured a small apology.

"My entire family is in Slytherin," he whispered. "They're hopeful I'll be sorted there too." He paused and frowned a little. "In fact, they didn't even ask me what I wanted. They just assumed. What if I don't want to be in Slytherin?" The young wizard stroked his chin. "What if I want to go a different route? But what if they disown me? They wouldn't do that, would they?"

"Hmmm--"

"I would still love them even if they landed Ravenclaw," Percy interrupted, deep in thought. "What matters is what's in my heart, right? Not--"

"HUFFLEPUFF!!!" the Sorting Hat shouted before the kid could keep going about his family.

Percy on the other hand didn't feel he had finished explaining his troubles to the Hat, but it has spoken. He was officially a Hufflepuff.

Yipeeeeee! Generational independence!

With that in mind, he hopped off the stool and made his way towards the Hufflepuff table.

Jacoby stepped into the great hall following the herd of other students. His twin brother right next to him. he glanced over to the Gryffindor table when he walked in to find his sister. She was easy to spot with her mass of curls. Yet he hadn't glanced at her for long instead taking more police in his brother. He watched as more students went up to the front. He was not looking forward to putting that hat on. What would it have to say about him?

"Rivers, Jacoby!"

With a glance to his left to see what his brother's eyes were saying he hoped that they would end up in the same house but wasn't holding his breath. He had honestly wondered if the different common rooms would know that he was not his brother and vice versa if they decided on a good ol switcheroo. He figured the Great Weasly twins had done the same thing.

Sighing he walked forward to let the hat be placed on top of his head. "Ah, see you enjoy the things like the great Weasly twins enjoyed." His eyes went to look up like somehow that would give him some clue as to what the hat was thinking. Surely the hat wasn't thinking just because the greatest twins to come through Hogwarts yet had been in Gryffindor that they needed to also be in Gryffindor.

"Ah, don't think you belong in Gryffindor do yah? Well then you seem to be a good fit for a fair other places. But we've learned from before not to place twins like you in the same place, better be..." Holding his breath he waited for the hat to announce to the entire school where he would be calling home for the next seven years.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"

With a deep exhale he glanced at his twin who still had to be sorted and began to walk over to his new table. Which if he was honest didn't make him feel all that bad because he was sure that the hat was right in keeping twins like him and his brother separate. Sitting down with his new friends he figured he'd get right into making friends and figuring out who he would have as an ally for the next seven years.

Where was Yukie Rasting? She was right there, squishing herself into the space between her twin sister and brother. By doing so, the eleven-year-old had allowed everyone to notice how much she was shorter compared to her two older siblings. The littlest Rasting didn't mind that she was the littlest, but the idea of them getting their sorting was exciting and overwhelming at the same time and so she wanted them to be together for it. It didn't dawn on her until the sorting started that it would be alphabetical, which went she'd go last in the trio, and so she held the hands of her siblings. Solidarity, strength, and whatnot. The only times she'd ever let them go were to clap for Mercer's, Marina's, Mozzie's, and Enzo's sortings, and to allow Mitsuki and Michael to head up for their own sorting. She let go of Mitsuki's hand first, transferring her now empty hand to Michael's so now she's holding his with both her tiny hands, until Michael had to head up himself.

Her hands felt empty as she clasped them together. All she had to do was wait. They had been waiting for this for so long, after all. She also hoped nobody complained about there being three Rastings taking up their time in this ceremony.

"Rasting, Yukie Selina."

She made her way towards the stool, muttering little 'excuse me's as she passed through the rest of her fellow sorties. There weren't a lot of them anymore, considering she was probably at the near bottom of the list, but manners were always necessary. Yukie picked up the sorting hat, gave it a little brush because there was a tiny speck of dust there (this poor old thing!), and then placed it atop her head as she sat. Of course, the hat slid down. It was too big for her, and she was left looking at the darkness of its interior. Maybe it was better that way.

It was a little quiet for a bit. "Hello?" Yukie greeted sheepishly.

Are you the last one?

"Huh?" Utter confusion.

The last Rasting?

"Oh...yes, I am...." She felt her ears prickle and her cheeks warm up. Yukie had no control over three of them being born on the same day, okay?? She swung her legs as she waited.

I remember your mother and father. Your siblings. Your uncles. Your grandfather. Well, of course it did! Yukie had always assumed the hat had excellent memory for remembering generations and generations of wizards being sorted in this great hall. Such valuable information. Imagine if it got stolen one day.

You've plenty of traits that all of the houses seek and treasure. You're also a little bit of everyone you've ever known. Something about that sounded really nice to Yukie's ears. It was comforting. She may be small, but she felt like the grandest person in the universe when the people she loved were involved, so perhaps the hat was right about that.

"That was nice to hear, thank you," Yukie mumbled. Keep your heart big and pure, young one. And do send my regards to your father, Lewis, and your sister, Rebecca. "Hmm? What? Why just them?"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

OH! Oh. That's why! As the hat's last words were broadcasted and echoed through the hall, Yukie slowly lifted the hat from her head, during which she saw cheers and clapping from the table with the yellow banners. If it were possible to have stars in her eyes, they'd be shimmering at this very moment.

Yukie smiled brightly as she made her way to the Hufflepuff table. Like where her daddy and big sister sat years before.

The great hall really was great. Huge. Full of people. It made Luca feel pretty small, which wasn't the best feeling or the worst. It just was. He wished Theresa was here with him 'cause she'd know what to say to relax him. She'd make a joke about the floating candles or wrinkle her nose at the sorting hat and how unsanitary it was that so many people wore it on their heads. Even just thinking of her calmed him some as he inched forward towards the dais. Which was also full of people. Adults. Adults he didn't know. Ugh.

It was going to take some time to get used to this place.

"Benetti, Luca."

"Present." Oh wait, he was meant to--right.

Running a hand through his messy hair and ignoring his burning cheeks, the eleven year old moved towards the stool and took a seat as the hat now on his head did its thing.

It talked a LOT. Hushed-like, which was good because Luca didn't want everyone knowing his business, you know. He shifted uncomfortably under it, surprised with just how well the thing could, like, READ him. He wasn't exactly an open book or anything and yet this ancient hat was calling him out on all his stuff. He didn't say a word to confirm or deny these things, but he felt exposed. Super exposed. Like heart on his sleeve exposed, which was a BIG no-no for him. "Can I please just know my house now?"

"Well, if you insist. HUFFLEPUFF!"


"Hufflepuff. Right. Cool. Uh, thanks." The hat was off his head as quick as he could manage and then Luca was up and moving towards his table. He had one of those now. He just hoped he really did fit there.

This was the most important day of Mozzie’s life. Okay, he had also said that about getting his wand but this was really really the absolute most important day. He had a wand, he had his textbooks and his school resources. He was in his basic school uniform with just a hope of the house he would be sorted into. He was certain that it wasn’t Ravenclaw like his father, his brain worked in very different ways to that of Rooney’s and it didn’t feel like he belonged to the house of blue and bronze. He did however, have his fathers old head boy badge pinned to the inside pocket of his cloak. He did the same with the prefect badge that his father had worn and his grandmothers own prefect badge.

Mozart was impatient by the time the first years were bustled into the Great Hall between the tables of already established students, dynamics and drama. It had been a long day, the train journey was a lot for an eleven year old and he didn’t know why no one thought about that when planning the whole day. BUT he had also eaten his entire month of pocket money in candy on the train for the first hour so he was absolutely on a sugar crash right now. Maybe. Probably. HE WAS FINE OKAY???!!! Stifling a yawn, Mozzie weaved himself through the other first years, under the legs of one who wouldn’t budge and found himself at the front of the gathered. He was already close to the front of the alphabet with his surname, so he would be called early… he just wanted to be here until then so he could see everything and also get up there quickly. It worked well, because soon after he settled in his new space and the nervous bouncing was screaming out of his pores, he was called up. Of course, his first reaction to ‘Bronwyn, Mozart’ was to look around for the person with his name but in OPPOSITE before it dawned on him. HIS TURN. HIS TIME. THE SPOTLIGHT WAS ON HIM.

Putting his bum on the stool and yanking the hat onto his head, Rooney sat wiggling with excitement and desperation for being sorted and then frustration that nothing was happening. ”Speak, please.” So he could go eat. Dad talked about the potatoes here all the time so Moz was pretty damn excited to turn into a mashed potato over the seven years here. But FIRRRRRRSTTTTTTT. MOZZIE GOTTA GET HIMSELF A HOUSE. A place to belong. People to call his own. A tower or a dungeon or a little warm place. Wherever it was, Mozart was excited to be there. He just wanted to KNOW!!

Nothing that made sense was said, so in true Moz fashion, he began to narrate over the old hat with an attitude problem. ”You’re so cool, Mozart Bronwyn. I’ve never sat on the head of anyone this cool before. You hair is nice and soft and I think your shampoo smells like oranges. I like oranges. Don’t tell anyone - the other old and stinky hats will judge me for liking oranges and not something more disgusting. Enough about me, let’s talk about you. You’re much better than your Dad. He wasn’t as much fun as you are. But you’re a good kid, you get that from your mum and your baby brother and your everything else. Not your boring dad. Let me think about this. Let me use my old cogs and find a home for youuuuuuu”

When he paused, it was almost like the hat took the only opportunity it was going to get for speaking and shouted over the next sentence that Moz was starting up. He wasn’t shocked with the shout of ”Gryffindor!” but it hadn’t been what he was expecting. Red WAS his colour though! With an excited squeal, and a round of applause for himself, Mozzie tossed the hat aside and leaped past the unsorted first years on his way to his new table. GRYFFINDOR. MOZZIE KNOX. A GRYFFINDOR. WHO WOULDA THUNK IT?!!!

Helloooo Hogwarts.

So far, Nerina was not disappointed. The great hall was bumping, the younger kids were all levels of adorable, and the ones her age and older were extremely pleasing to the eye. Plus the lighting in this place was everything and doing wonders to make the rhinestone snap clips that were adorning her effortless bob sparkle and shine. She was a vision, she was sure, as she waited in line with the little people to find out her house.

"Moretti, Nerina."

The fifth year grinned a little, moving to perch on the stool. The hat was atrocious looking, but the history made up for that and she adjusted it some as the magical headwear began to analyze her.

Ah, Curious to a fault, I see. "I'm sorry, faults? Never heard of them." Nerina crossed one leg over the other, hands resting on top. A fan of banter. "Who isn't? I for one find a lack of good banter boring." And opinionated. Perhaps a bit judge-y. "But never in a bad way."I know just the place for you. "I'm all ears here, hat."


"Ravenclaw!"

Pleased, Nerina Moretti let out a little squeak of glee and hopped up, setting the hat back on the stool and smoothing her hair. Ravenclaw. Just like Mackenzie. Like Cooper. Family. She already felt it was the perfect place for her.

"Evans, Angelo," had long since been called - three times in total - but 'Evans, Angelo Milano' had not moved. He was not Angelo. He was Angelo Milano. He was Milo. He was Not Very Present. He was Not Very Well.

It had started even before the train had begun pulling into the station, a feeling of peculiarity he had been combatting on his own terms. Then, at Hogsmeade station, an uncomfortably familiar, familiarly uncomfortable feeling, one which grew heavier with every step. As they'd glided across the lake in the boats, he'd not been able to look at the castle looming overhead without malaise taking hold, whereupon it would not let go. Now, in the belly of the beast, it was near intolerable.

Milo had the hood of his school robes pulled up and over his head, covering his ears, shielding his face, and providing makeshift tunnel vision. It did nothing to help, but it did block out the extraneous information threatening to overwhelm. This room was the worst he had been in yet, the one just beyond those doors a close second. And the grounds...

When all the names had been read, Milo stood there still, and it took no great leap in logic for the problem and its solution to be found. A moment later he was sat on the stool, still with his hood pulled all the way forwards, and the hat was lowered onto his head.

Through the fabric of his robes, he heard, but didn't listen. An antique, heavy with memory, haunted. The Sorting Hat spoke softly into his ears. Later, perhaps, he would revisit this moment, but right now they were beyond each other's reach. Whether by mercy or by design, it didn't take long for the Hat to declare its decision.

"RAVENCLAW!"

The word was solid enough, sharp enough to break through. The weight of the hat disappeared from his head, and Milo found himself on his feet, walking in the direction he'd been nudged and following the noise the rest of the way.

On odd-socked feet. One purple. One green. Striped.

He'd dropped his shoes into the water, halfway across the lake.

Gideon George Emerson entered Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry without the illusion of wonder that he assumed dazzled many first firsts on their first night in the castle. He had spent the last four years at Beauxbatons and the shine of attending any magical school had worn off. School was school no matter the curriculum.

And yet, the fifth year wasn’t not excited about this latest chapter, but he was certainly more subdued than his counterparts.

While Hogwarts did have a reputation for certain things, it was the most popular school for magical students in the UK. And Gideon needed that demographic to know him, like him even. So, he had launched a well-thought-out campaign to his parents that outlined why he needed to be at Hogwarts.

His father had been mightily impressed. His mother had her suspicions about things. But Gideon could manage those so long as the end result got him here. To Hogwarts.

He supposed he expected his sorting to be a short affair. The dark-haired boy was smart, intuitive and his father had been a Ravenclaw.

When the hat called out— SLYTHERIN— Gideon paused. Then adapted.

This was the rite of passage for every Hogwarts student - the sorting ceremony. Amos Forsstrom was feeling a mixture of emotions, as first years often did at the start of term feast, but his were particularly jumbled. They did that sometimes, and it was hard to focus on one. He waited patiently for the other students to get sorted first, making a mental note of ones he needed to avoid, and ones to claim as friends. Purely based on what houses they were placed in, of course.

Amos was a pureblood, he knew how this all went, and he knew about houses and their reputations. His family didn’t really have much of a pattern like some others did, but the small lad had a few ideas about where he could be placed. His first choice being Ravenclaw because he considered himself a sharp thinker.

“Forsstrom, Amos.”

His turn already??!!!! THUD, THUD, thUd…

That was his heartbeat at the sound of his name being called. His exterior remained calm and collected but his insides were SCREAMING. This was such a poignant moment, and he could not mess the walk to the stool up.

THUD, THUD, THUD.

His heart was in his mouth as he sat down, just pleased to have not tripped yet. The sorting hat pondered his placing for a very short time, appearing to be stuck between two houses, but before Amos could really display any kind of preference, it bellowed, “SLYTHERIN!” Huh… that was sure interesting.

Not his first choice but Amos was totally vibing with his new house. He VERY carefully stood, making sure not to step on his robes, and scanned every face at the Slytherin table before joining it. You couldn’t tell by his face at all, but he was pretty happy.

This was it ... the moment that Maxine had been waiting for her entire life. She was about to be sorted, as she stood with all the other first years in the great hall surrounded by so much magic she could feel in her bones where she belonged.

"Bixby, Maxine"

She heard her name, and took a nervous step forward, and then another. She smiled and placed the hate on her head, it was only stopped from falling all the way down her face by he ears. What would the sorting hat see? Her sister Vera was in Ravenclaw, she knew that it was possible that sibling were not in the same house, but she had kind of always assumed that's where she would end up.

"You have a sharp mind, young lady." Max smiled, that she did sir hat, that she did. "But your protectiveness for your sisters is matched by none." With that statement, Maxine's heart swelled with pride, if there was anything she was proud of, it was how much she loved and protected her sisters, even though she wasn't the oldest of them, she was definitely their defender.

And that was her best valuable trait... with her next heart beat, she let a out breath as that hat shouted to the great hall.

GRYFFINDOR

As Parker Renfrow stood with the other first years who were still waiting to be sorted, he felt as if every single emotion that it was possible to feel was coursing through his veins. He felt simultaneously excited and nervous. This was… there wasn’t a word for it! He could barely stand still, he was that excited!

He watched as his best friend, Hooper Ridley-Rush, was sorted into… Gryddindor Gryffindor!

“WOOOOOOO! GO ON, HOOPS!” He shouted, joining in with the applause and cheers of the other students. He was, admittedly, much louder than any of the other first years around him, though. Oops. He watched in complete awe as Hooper made his way to the Gryffindor table and sat down amongst his new housemates. That will be me soon, he thought, and a giddy giggle erupted from his lips. Soon he would be side by side with his best friend at MAGIC SCHOOL and their adventure would really begin!

The applause faded and the sortings continued, and Parker waited for his name to be called. Deep down, the fear that he wouldn’t put him in the same house as his best friend was bubbling away, but he was actively suppressing it. He was so certain that he would be a Gryffindor, just like Hooper! Any other possibility was just… just… stupid. Dumb. Laughable, really. Parker and Hooper were ALWAYS together. That’s just the way it was.

”Renfrow, Parker.”

And now it was time to see just how right he was!

As soon as Parker’s bottom hit the wooden stool, and he noticed that the entire school was staring at him, he started feeling a little nervous. But that was short-lived.

“Right then…”

"Woah!" Parker whispered under his breath when a voice – the Sorting Hat’s voice – echoed in his mind. This was WILD. If the hat could talk in his head, did that mean it could hear his thoughts?

“Ha! Quite right.”

"I’m in Gryffindor," he informed the hat, cheerfully, without hesitation. "Like Hooper. Hooper Ridley-Rush. He’s my best friend." He had no idea how this usually worked. He had vague recollections of reading something about the sorting process in one of his school works, but he couldn’t remember what it said, and he figured that it would save time if he just told the hat where he was going to be. But there was no shout of ‘Gryffindor’ echoing throughout the Hall. Instead, the hat continued to muse.

“Let’s see… You possess a deep loyalty, that’s clear. There’s a respect, too... for fairness… and compassion. Hmm. Something else… Potential… A desire to be more… Hmm. It has to be…”

”HUFFLEPUFF!”

What?

Parker felt the Sorting Hat being lifted from his head.

Hufflepuff?

The Great Hall erupted with cheers.

But……

Parker sat, stunned and unmoving, on the stool. He couldn’t be in Hufflepuff. He just couldn’t be… There was no way he had been put in a different house to Hooper. Didn't it hear what he had said? They were supposed to be together. That was… He didn’t understand… They were best friends. Like… didn’t that mean anything to the Sorting Hat!?

After a good twenty seconds or so, someone ushered him up and off the stool and towards one of the tables. The faces of the students staring back at him were friendly and welcoming but they weren’t Hooper. He didn’t recognise a single person. In a daze, he sat down beside a random Hufflepuff, turned in his seat, and desperately looked around the Hall for his best friend.

Summer had been looking forwards to this since she had first found out she was going to Hogwarts, but now that she was in front of the sorting hat waiting for her turn, she was starting to panic a little bit. What if she wasn't put in her mothers old house? What if her and her friend Desiree were put in different houses? What if she was put in Slytherin? None of her mothers sisters were put in that house.

A lot of different questions were going around her head, so much so she nearly missed the sorting hat saying her name.

"Summer Valentine!"

She nervously gulped before she started to walk over to the hat, she then waiting whilst it was placed on her head and she closed her eyes, what house was she going to be in.

Suddenly the sorting hat was speaking to her, could everyone hear this, but then she remember her mothers words before she had left home and she relaxed and let the sorting hat do it's thing.

"GRYFFINDOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Summer heart skipped a beat as she heard the magic words, she was in her mothers old house, this was epic, she couldn't wait until she could send a letter home and inform her parents and her auntie A.J because she had been in Gryffindor too. She got off the stool and raced towards the Gryffindor house table.

Salem-Rain had a long exciting and tiring day. Not only is she tired she is hungry. Salem-Rain gets really grumpy when she is tired and hungry. She still needs to be sorted before she can eat and then sleep.

Grumpily following the other first years to the great hall and waiting as patiently as she can she finely heard her name.

"Raines, Salem-Rain"

Salem-Rain stepped up to the stool, sat down and had the sorting hat on her head. She thought really hard that she wants to be in Slytherin. She heard a voice in her head saying are you sure. You would do good in Hufflepuff. She thought no I want Slytherin. You would also do good in Ravenclaw. Salem-Rain thought again I want Slytherin. I want my own path not the path of my other family members. I see she heard. The next words she heard was...

"Slytherin!!"

After Salem-Rain heard the house she was going in she happily hoped of the stole and headed to the Slytherin table.

Bonnie made her way into the great hall with the rest of her fellow first years. Her eyes were open so wide trying to take it all in. Was she seeing that right? The ceiling is actually changing! Bonnie was sure she had never been in a room this huge before. Looking around she noted the 4 other tables. Okay so these must be the houses people had been talking about. Now she was to be sorted into one but how?

She waited as patiently as she could and watched trying to get her mind to understand what was happening. So I have to go up there sit down and put some old looking hat on, whilst everyone watches. Excellent. As she got closer to the front Bonnie could feel her stomach flipping over inside.

‘Ness, Bonnie!’

She heard a few sniggers, yes that made her Bonnieness - this was not the first time and unlikely to be the last. Bonnie shakily made her way up to the stool, now would be a terrible time to trip. She felt the hat slipped onto her small head and then…darkness.

‘Ah what do we have here?!’

Bonnie was sure she let out a whimper. At first she thought the voice was someone shouting at her before realising it was the hat. It was still going on although she wasn’t taking it all in, then it shouted again,

‘GRYFFINDOR!’

She heard a round of applause as the hat was pulled off her head. Feeling more relaxed that was over, Bonnie hopped up and made her way to the welcoming faces of her new house.

Ooh, so this was Hogwarts? Desiree had looked forward to coming here since she could remember! As the child of two former professors, she’d heard stories about this place all her life, but seeing it for herself was even better. She stood in line with her fellow first years, her favorite doll in her arms. It was basically The Prince from Beauty and the Beast with its hair dyed black and scars painted across half its face so that it strongly resembled her dad.

A pang of sadness gripped her as her thoughts turned to her dad. He was so sad when they said goodbye this morning, and now she wasn’t there to cheer him up! Hopefully Mum and Adam would keep him company until she came home for the Christmas holiday. They’d better or she’d learn a spell to turn them into icky slimy frogs!

Searching for something to distract her from her homesickness, she looked around the room at the tables full of students. Yay, lots of potential new friends! She wondered which table would be hers. Hopefully Gryffindor! From there, her bright blue eyes darted to the staff table. She knew from her parents’ stories that the man in the biggest chair must be the headmaster. Mr. Headmaster kind of looked like Aladdin! Did he know that? As her eyes scanned the dais, she wondered which seats up there had once belonged to her parents. Hmm ... she knew that the seats went in alphabetical order so… Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms… She counted five seats from the far left. Ooh, did that dark-haired lady (Leanne) have her dad’s old job?

Before she could figure out who was sitting in her mum’s old seat, a voice called out, “Marchand, Desiree!”

Heart fluttering, Desiree walked up to the stool at the front of the room and sat down daintily, her hands neatly folded in her lap and her legs crossed at the ankle in a ladylike manner. So this was the famous Sorting Hat? “Hello, Mr. Hat!” she greeted. “Is it true that you used to belong to Godric Gryffindor? Do you remember him? What was he like?”

“I see you have your mother’s curiosity, but in other ways, you’re very like your father.”

Desiree giggled as she heard the hat’s voice in her ear. “You knew my mum and dad?”

“I remember your mother from her sorting,” the hat replied. “Your father, on the other hand, I never met personally, but I can see from your memories how similar you are. You have the same kind heart and sensitive nature.”

Desiree beamed. The hat said she was like her dad?! Best day ever! “Thank you, Mr. Hat!”

“Yes, kindness, loyalty, and a thirst to prove yourself. I think I know just where to put you…”

Come on, Gryffindor! Desiree thought. No sooner had that thought popped into her head that the hat spoke again. “Gryffindor, eh? Interesting choice, but I have something else in mind.”

Desiree’s face fell. “If it’s all the same to you, Mr. Hat, I’d rather be in Gryffindor, please.”

“No, I think you’d be better suited elsewhere. Better be… HUFFLEPUFF!”

What? No! She just had to be in Gryffindor! Her dad was once Head of Gryffindor! Didn’t the hat know? He’d be so disappointed in her if she went anywhere else! But it was no use. The hat had already spoken. Desiree left the stool and trudged to the Hufflepuff table, clutching her doll tighter than ever.