Chapter 4: The Sorting Hat's Song. Four Houses, Four Girls

The train came to a stop and all of the students started to pile out. The girls joined hands so they wouldn't get separated in the mass of older students.

"Nobody let go this time," Adelaide warned.

"Firs' Years! Firs' years over here!"

The girls saw Hagrid towering over the rest of the students. Adelaide pulled the girls with her towards the giant.

Lyra looked around excitedly. She couldn't wait for the sorting or the magic that was to follow. Jade didn't know how to feel. She had always hated anything to do with the Harry Potter series, but she'd never even given it a chance. Yet here she was, her heart pounding in her ears. Though she would never openly admit it to the others, she couldn't wait for school. If Charlie and Lyra heard her say that, she would never live it down.

"Alright, no more than four to a boat," Hagrid warned.

The Black Lake was beautiful. Charlie could see Hogwarts reflected across its surface. Adelaide quickly claimed a boat. As soon as the first years were all seated, the boats took off by themselves. Charlie and Lyra looked at each other, and could barely contain their excitement.

Adelaide and Jade looked over the boat's edge into the water, which nearly caused them heart attacks. Less than twenty feet away, a giant tentacle shot out of the water, a fish in its grip.

The boats pulled up to the dock near the castle. One by one, the students got out of their boats. Lyra was the last to get out of their boat. She stood up, and as she was about to step out, she lost her balance. She would have fallen into the lake if Adelaide had not caught her.

"You're such a klutz, Lyra" Adelaide said giggling.

Lyra smiled sheepishly.

"I'll take them from here, Hagrid." Said a tall witch with square- rimmed glasses. Charlie looked up, instantly recognizing Professor McGonagall. She led the students into the castle. She stopped in front of a pair of large important-looking doors at the end of a corridor. She then turned to address the students.

"Now, through these doors, you will join your classmates. But first, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." Lyra saw Draco smirk. "Now, while you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points, and any rule-breaking will lose you points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the house cup."

"Trevor!" Neville shouted as he dove for the toad in front of the tall witch. Looking slightly embarrassed, he apologized for interrupting and went back to where he was standing, Trevor now held securely in his hands.

"I'll be right back. No one is to wonder off," McGonagall warned them. And with that, she left.

"So it's true then," Draco announced to Charlie's left, "What they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts."

Jade rolled her eyes as the students around her whispered excitedly.

Draco stepped forward with two other boys at his side. "This is Crabbe and Goyle," he said pointing to each of them, "And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Ron and Lyra giggled, but Ron tried to hide his in a cough.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask yours," Draco sneered at Ron. "Red hair, and hand-me-down robes. You must be a Weasley." Then he turned to Lyra, "And you're no one important.

Lyra went to lunge at him, but was caught around the arms by Charlie and Jade. "Well you're named after a constellation! Your parents must be hippies!" Lyra shouted at him angrily.

"What's a hippie?" Crabbe whispered to Draco

Draco couldn't answer. In fact, the only people who got the joke were muggle born students, so they were the only ones to laugh. Charlie tried her hardest not to laugh. After all, the image of Luscious and Narissa Malfoy in bell-bottom jeans and fighting for peace? It was just too much.

Draco decided to disregard Lyra's remark, and turned back to face Harry. "You'll soon find that some wizarding families," he turned to look at Ron and Lyra, "are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." Draco outstretched his hand for Harry to shake.

Harry stared at his hand for a second before looking up at him with a new sense of confidence, "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks."

Before Draco could reply, McGonagall returned with a rolled-up piece of parchment. She tapped Draco on the shoulder, who glared at harry before retreating back into the crowed of first years.

"We're ready for you now, follow me."

The girls held hands as to not get separated as everyone was led into the great hall, Jade looked up, mesmerized by the many floating candles. And the starry night sky above the.

"What happens if it rains?" she wondered

As if to answer her silent question, Hermione said, "it's not real the ceiling. It's just bewitched to look like the night sky. I read all about it in Hogwarts; A History."

Professor McGonagall placed the sorting hat on a stool at the front of the room. As it began to sing, jade jumped slightly.

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can top them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a steady mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

"Now, when I call your names, I will place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your house," McGonagall announced. "Hermione Granger."

Hermione walked up to the stool, muttering to herself to relax. Ron, overhearing Hermione, leaned over and whispered to Harry, "mental, that one, I'm telling you," Which earned him a nod from Harry and an elbow in the side from Charlie.

"Hmmmm," said the sorting hat, "right then, right. Okay, GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table cheered and Hermione happily hopped off the stool and ran to their table.

"Draco Malfoy," McGonagall called after a few minutes had passed.

Draco walked confidently up to the stool and sat down. The sorting hat didn't even touch his head before the hat shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" The Slytherin table cheered for their new and worthy house-mate.

Charlie leaned over and whispered to Ron, "I bet you ten sickles you get called next."

"You're on!" answered Ron confidently as he shook Charlie's hand.

Lyra, catching on to what Charlie was doing, winked at her and Charlie winked back. Adelaide had also heard this and was conflicted on whether or not laugh or scold the two pranksters later.

"Ronald Weasley!"

Ron paled as he heard his name and Charlie high-fived Lyra.

Ron walked up to the stool, his face paler than Snape's. The hat was placed on his head, and it snapped up as if it had had a sudden realization.

"Ah! Another Weasley. I know just what to do with you. GRYFFINDOR!"

Ron sighed in relief and headed to the table that housed his family.

As other students got sorted, Lyra felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She was being watched. She looked around frantically for any sign of whoever it was. That when her eyes met those of none other than professor Quirrell. He was staring her down. Subconsciously, Lyra reached for Jade and Charlie's hands. They looked up at their terrified friends and saw Quirrell, instantly becoming afraid themselves.

"Harry Potter," McGonagall called, snapping the girls out of their daze.

Harry looked petrified, and Adelaide had to push him forward. He walked nervously forward as the hall fell into a hush, the older students trying to get a better look at him. He sat on the stool, and the sorting hat was placed on his head.

"Hmmmm, difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see, and not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh yes- and a thirst to prove yourself…..but where to put you?"

Harry began to whisper to himself as fast as he could. Only the sorting hat and the four girls knew what he was saying.

"Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? You could be great you know. It's all here, in your head. And Slytherin will help you on your way to greatness, no doubt about that. Well if your sure….better be GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry sighed in relief and went to sit next to Ron. Fred and George kept shouting "we got Potter! We got potter!"

"Charlie Darksong," McGonagall called as the room calmed down once more.

Charlie was so excited; she almost knocked Adelaide over as she scurried quickly up to the stool. She quickly sat down, and the hat was placed on her head.

"Oh, interesting, an American hasn't walked these halls in over a hundred years. And there are four of…oh! Such a secret you all keep. But you! Such a smart girl, yes, and a great thirst for knowledge. Better be RAVENCLAW!"

Charlie smiled as the Ravenclaw table cheered for her. She took off the sorting hat, and sat with her new house. She waved to her friends as the other Ravenclaw students patted her on the back.

"Jade Assederra!"

Jade looked at Lyra nervously. Lyra only smiled and gave her a gentle nudge. Jade only glared at her friend before walking up to the stool. The sorting at was placed on her head as she sat down.

The hat sprang to life again and began to rummage through jade's mind. "Ah. Not as eager as your friend are you? But you're loyal. An outstanding trait for a friend; pure-hearted as well. You'll have to be a HUFFLEPUFF!"

Jade sighed as the Hufflepuff table cheered for her. Even as she walked over to the table she felt that, for the first time since they had arrived, she had a place in this world. She sat down next to a boy who looked to be in his third year. He smiled and held out his hand to her.

"Hi. I'm Cedric."

She took his hand and shook it. "Jade."

"Adelaide Blackwell," McGonagall said at the front of the room.

Adelaide hugged Lyra before walking to the front of the room, her head held high. She sat on the stool and the hat was placed on her head.

"Ah! Such a mature and cunning mind! SLYTHERIN!"

Adelaide walked over to the Slytherin table and sat as far away from Draco as possible. She ended up sitting with some second and third year girls who looked to be indifferent to everything. They caught sight of her and smirked.

"This one's different, girls,' said the third year with coal black hair. "I'm Dusk. This is Jessie, and this is Viper." Adelaide smirked.

Lyra was a little disappointed that all her friends had been sorted into different houses, but she remembered their promise, and stood up straight and smiled again.

"Alyra Heartnet."

Lyra froze for a second before slowly walking up to the stool as all her friends had. As the hat was placed on her head, she could feel it sorting all of her thoughts.

"So you're the last American. It's a shame your friends were sorted into different house."

"That doesn't matter, "Lyra thought, "We made a pact."

"Ah yes, your pact: a bond of loyalty and secrecy. But I wonder, can you four bare this secret on your own? Or will the weight of the future be too much for you?" The hat continued

"It'll be hard, I'll admit it, but I refuse to back down!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Lyra sighed knowing it was just the beginning as she walked towards the applauding Gryffindor table. A spot cleared for her in between the Weasley twins and across from harry. Fred and George patted Lyra's back as she shook hands with her new house-mates. She looked across the room and met the eyes of all her friends before taking her seat.

The sorting continued until it was just one last student who was placed in Hufflepuff. The students mingled for a moment before McGonagall tapped on her goblet with a fork, and Dumbledore stood up.

"Before we begin, I have a few start-of-term notices I wish to make: First of all, I'd like to announce that the forest at the edge of the school ground is off limits to all students."

His gaze lingered on Fred and George who, under his stern look, shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

"Ah, and our caretaker, Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that the third-floor corridor on the left-hand side is out of bounds to anyone who does not wish to die a most painful death."

Some students laughed, some didn't. Harry looked to Percy for conformation. "Is he serious?"

"Must be…"

"Without further ado, let the feast begin!" Dumbledore announced, and suddenly all the tables filled with food.

Jade stared in amazement. Suddenly she was reminded of how hungry she was and pulled her hair back before she piled food on her plate. Cedric smiled at her enthusiasm. That is until he saw something strange.

At the Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw tables, the students closest to the young Americans gawked at their necks. It was Adelaide that realized she was being watched first.

"What," she asked.

Dusk pointed at her neck, bored. "Didn't know first-years got tattoos."

Adelaide quickly picked up a clean spoon to use as a mirror. Sure enough, two inches below her ear was a green tattoo that matched the insignia on her Gringotts key. The insignia of Earth.

The other girls took notice of their markings as well. Each girl had been marked with Fire, Water, Earth, or Wind as had their wands. However, the markings on their wands were small and only on the handle as if it had been carved into the wood. They couldn't make any sense of it ll.

After the confusion of the marks had been forgotten, put off for another time, the students continued to mingle.

"I'm half and half," said Seamus, his mouth full of potatoes. "Me dad's a muggle. Mum's a witch. Bit of a nasty shock for him when he found out!" Everyone who had heard laughed.

Jade who had overheard Seamus, pulled out a small pen and a piece of parchment. "What's a muggle?" she wrote, and started to fold the paper into a small square. Cedric took notice of the paper-folding.

"Here, let me," he said as he gently took the paper from Jade and folded it into the shape of a crane. "Now, who are we sending this to?"

Jade pointed her finger at the Gryffindor table, where Lyra was having a heated discussion with Oliver Wood. Cedric lightly blew on the crane and, to Jade's amazement, the piece of paper flew off just like a normal bird would

"It doesn't matter!" Oliver argued, "Each player has a job. If the keeper is out of the game, the players shouldn't worry about the goal posts!"

"See, I think that once the keeper is unable to play that the team should work together. Mostly the chasers though." Before Lyra could finish her argument, a paper crane flew over and landed on her head.

She quickly took it off, opened it, and replied: "A human who can't use and doesn't know about magic." She folded it back up and turned to the red head on her right.

"Can you send this to my friend at the Hufflepuff Table?"

"I don't know, Fred, think I should?"

"Well, why not George? What's the harm in helping an ikkle first year?"

The twins patted and ruffled Lyra's hair before sending the crane back to Jade. Lyra was strongly reminded of OHSHC when they did this.

"Ah!" Lyra jumped from Ron's sudden outburst. She looked to see what had caused him to scream.

Sir Nicholas DeMimsy was in the middle of the table. His head was in the center of one of the serving plates.

"Hello. How are you? Welcome to Gryffindor!" he greeted the new students.

Suddenly the great hall was flooded with ghosts. The bloody barren tipped his hat to Adelaide and Jade was surprised to find the Fat Friar floating behind her. Charlie could be seen talking to the Grey Lady across the room.

"Good evening, Sir Nicholas. Have a nice summer?" Percy greeted.

"Dismal. Once again my request to join the headless hunt has been denied," he answered glumly.
"Hey! I know you, you're nearly Headless Nick!" cried Ron.

"I prefer Sir Nick if you don't mind," said Nick stiffly.

"Nearly headless? How can you be nearly headless?" asked Hermione confused.

"Like this," Nick replied, pulling his head to the right, where it was hanging on by only a small section of skin. Hermione turned away in disgust as Sir Nicholas put his head back on before flying away.

Charlie was mingling with her new house. They seemed interested in her American accent. That, and being the Ravenclaws, they always wanted to know everything.

"What's it like in America?"

"Why aren't you attending Salem's Academy of Magic?"

"What was the sorting het talking about?"

Charlie had answered every question as best she could without giving too much away. She worried about how much the sorting hat had said out loud.

That wasn't the only thing that worried her though. Where had the tattoo on her neck and the marking on her wand come from? When did it get there? Was it a sign? These thoughts ran through her head like wildfire.

When the feast ended, the students began to trickle out of the great hall except for the first years who were being led out by the prefects.

Jade and Adelaide waved to Charlie and Lyra before the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins were led in different directions. The Ravenclaws and the Gryffindors were led in the same direction for a few more moments.

"Do you have one?" Charlie whispered to Lyra.

"One what?" asked Lyra, looking thoroughly confused. Ok….so maybe not all of the, had noticed the new marks upon their skin. Then again, Lyra had forgotten her own birthday last year…

Charlie pulled a small compact from her robes to show Lyra that she had the symbol for water on her neck. "Whoa! That is-"

But before Lyra could finish, Percy and the Ravenclaw prefect split apart to continue to separate dorms.

"Gryffindors, follow me. Oh, and keep an eye on the staircases…they like to change."

Lyra watched as the staircases moved above her. "I hate stairs," she mumbled.

Harry, who had overhears, looked at her strangely. "Why?"

"Because I always manage to trip up the steps," she said as she started to ascend those in front of her,

"Trip up the steps," Ron said looking confused, "How do you-"

Before Ron could finish his sentence, Lyra tripped up the steps she had been trying to climb. She sighed as Harry helped her up. "That, Ronald, is how you trip up the steps."

The Gryffindors stopped in front of a large painting of an obese woman or the "The Fat Lady" as students were calling her.

"Password?"

"Caput Draconis"

They portrait swung open to reveal a door, and everyone flooded in after Percy. After he finished explaining where everything was, the students bolted to their bedrooms.

Lyra and the other girls across the castle laid their heads down and fell asleep. But the second Charlie, Jade, Lyra, and Adelaide fell asleep, something happened. They awoke again right where they had started this afternoon: in Lyra's living room.