A/N I meant to get this up earlier in the week. It took me a couple rewrites to get it to where it is now. I don't know how long I plan on making this, I just know that it'll definitely span two years - with more focus in Asuna's second year (POA). McGonagall's speech is taken from SS because it's such a good one for the first years.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter related. The idea is mine, the main character and her mother are mine (although I used a name from SAO).

Chapter 4: Sorted

The train ride was long, but short at the same time. Asuna had plenty to help pass the time, especially with the group of girls in her carriage.

"So what house do you think you'll be sorted into?" Hermione asked. Asuna looked at her wide-eyed, unsure of what was being asked, "Oh!" she looked like she understood Asuna's confusion of knowing nothing of Hogwarts. "Well there are four houses at Hogwarts. There's Gryffindor, the house of bravery and leadership, that's my house," she beamed, "Ravenclaw, the house of the smart and proud, Hufflepuff, the house of the modest, gentle and kind, and Slytherin, the house of the clever and cunning." She paused with a sour look on her face, "Once you arrive to the great hall, you'll be called to be sorted and a magical hat is placed on your head. The sorting hat chooses the best house based on your magic."

Asuna smiled weakly, wishing she had more of an interest in any type of history knowing information was in her Hogwarts: A History book. After going shopping she packed and repacked her trunk but didn't bother looking at any of her school books.

"I've heard not many good wizards have come out of Slytherin," Luna said, almost in a dreamlike state. The girls looked her way, taken aback by the simplicity of how Luna's comment was made.

"Are you the only one who can do magic in your family?" Hermione asked Asuna knowingly.

Asuna bit her lip. She briefly heard Ginny mention that her whole family could do magic and was in Gryffindor, which made her wonder if the Black family was in one house continuously and if all of them did horrible things. Was that how things worked? Her mother said the whole family, which she wondered if it was a big family or not, was the most horrid in the wizarding community, so is her Black surname the no good that's come from Slytherin?

Lost in her thoughts, she almost didn't hear Ginny say her name. "Asuna?"

"All my mom told me was that I get my magic from my dads family, but I don't know anything else about him. I didn't even know I was a witch until Professor McGonagall came to my house this summer," she felt a sly smile cross her face in memory, "but I sort of knew even though my mom would try to tell me otherwise, I used to practice floating things in my room."

Asuna wished she could ask more without giving herself away. Her mother didn't know the extent of how known her father was, but Asuna assumed he was widely known when her mother mentioned that she found out from a couple of her magical friends before moving away.

Ginny nodded and smiled, "I'm sure you'll love and fit into your house no matter what, and you already have at least two friends if you're placed in Gryffindor!"

Asuna smiled at her friends then frowned, "But what if i'm chosen for Slytherin? What if my magic comes from a bad wizarding family? My mom insisted she knew nothing of my fathers family."

"From the little time we've spent with you, I don't see you as the Slytherin type." Hermione offered. Her face twisted sourly again and she seemed unsure if she wanted to continue speaking, "Slytherin witches and wizards are concerned with blood status. They're all mostly pure-bloods, meaning that everyone in their family is a witch or wizard. You said your magic comes from your dad, meaning your mom is what they call a muggle, a non-magical person, so a Slytherin wizard wouldn't look her way."

That almost made Asuna feel better. She figured she would just focus on her studies and magic. If her father and his family were bad people, that didn't make her one and she was raised by a wonderful mother. There's no way she was Slytherin.

oOoOo

It was dark by the time the train pulled to a stop. Hermione wished the others luck and walked off to find her fellow second years. The three girls stepped off the train and immediately heard someone calling for first years. They walked towards the voice and Asuna's hands flew to her mouth at the sight of the giant.

"Firs' years this way! Follow me!"

The giant waited a few more minutes before walking down a pathway. The crowd followed him and a collective gasp was heard as they came in view of the castle. The giant kept walking down the path and Asuna saw it widened out and stopped at a large lake.

"No more'n four to a boat!" The giant hollered as he climbed into his single boat. Asuna, Luna, and Ginny climbed into a boat together and after a couple minutes, they all started floating towards the castle. The boats glided into a cave in the cliff the castle was on and then stopped at an underground tunnel. The giant waited for the first years to join him on land and began walking up a path to the castle doors.

He knocked on the doors and waited. Asuna saw Professor McGonagall open the doors and smiled at the first years. She led them through the entrance hall to another set of doors, and began speaking after coming to a stop in front of them.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room.

"The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rule-breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours."

Professor McGonagall told the first years to stay put and she walked through the door. Asuna felt Ginny put her hand on her shoulder in support. All Asuna could think about was if the hat would sort her into Slytherin, she just had a feeling that the Blacks were a Slytherin bunch. Her thoughts took her through a song the hat sung and most of the sorting, snapping back to reality when she heard Luna's name called.

"Lovegood, Luna!"

She saw the blonde bounce up to the seat and the hat was lowered onto her head. It sat, almost in thought, before it called out "RAVENCLAW!" Asuna smiled toward her friend and then looked at Ginny with worry.

"It's going to be okay no matter where you get put, Asuna." Ginny smiled and whispered at her friend. A few more names were called as they reached the end of the alphabet.

"Weasley, Ginevra!"

Ginny squeezed Asuna's upper arm and walked away with a smile. She sat down on the stool and the hat barely touched her head before shouting "GRYFFINDOR!" Asuna looked over at the table and saw Ginny join Hermione and a group of kids with the same hair as her, she smiled realizing that was probably the big family she talked about.

"Young, Asuna!"

Asuna gulped and nervously walked up to the stool. The hat was placed down on her head and all she could think was I am not a Black, over and over, telling herself that she was good.

"A Black, huh? I thought they didn't have anymore." A voice whispered in her ear. The hat was talking to her. "You certainly have the Black magic coursing through your veins, but ah, that Black. You are not like the others I have placed. Very well. I know just where to put you."

Asuna could feel herself getting clammy. What did the hat mean, that Black? She jumped when she heard the shout from the hat.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"