I just realized that i reintroduced Connor to Hermione last chapter, so I fixed that oof :)

I don't own DBH or HP, thanks.

X-x-X

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. The air was as cold as ice when Connor finally hopped off the scarlet train, the cold air attacking his pale skin. Connor breathed out a puff of warm air, the cold atmosphere letting him see the wisp of oxygen.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"

Connor glanced over to the booming voice, a massive man was standing in the pathway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard.

He saw Harry bob his head, and Connor quickly walked over to the Boy-Who-Lived, adjusting his robes along the way.

"Yer the one from 'Murica, aren't ya?" He looked up to the giant and nodded, "The name's Hagrid."

"Yes - ah - my names Connor, Connor Anderson."

"Welcome to Hogwarts," The giant beamed, his lantern swinging.

Connor smiled, "Thank you."

"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Stumbling, the massive hoard of children followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. Darkness followed them all around, the only source of light being the flicker of Hagrid's lantern in which they followed and the glow of the full moon. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

Turning the curve, there was a loud "Oooooh's" and "Ahhhhhh's."

Connor widened his eyes.

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.

Settling in a random boat near the front, Connor yelped as the boat he sat in shook suddenly, the giant deciding to share a boat with him.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid.

Everyone yelped out agreements.

"'Righty then - FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

Hagrid quickly checked up on all of them, "Everyone here? Okay then, let us head inside."

He knocked on the oak door exactly three times.

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch with greying hairs in emerald-green robes stood there. Connor recognized her as the same witch from before.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid, stepping aside.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." McGonagall responded, nodding to Connor who stood at the very front, she allowed the doors to open wide so the group of first years could come in safely.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," McGonagall started, "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.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

She stopped, her eyes scanning at every single student, distinguishing various aspects of every child.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She then left the small chamber, and the room went silent, you could hear the small trembles of the student next to you and the crackles of the file.

Connor overheard Harry ask Ron about how they were going to be sorted, and Ron unconsciously responded loudly about how it hurt but thought his twin brothers were joking.

Bad idea.

He looked around anxiously and saw that the comment got everyone terrified. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need.

Then something happened that made him jump about a foot in the air - several people behind him screamed.

"What the -?"

Connor's eyes grew wide, about twenty or so ghosts entered the room through the walls and seemed to be arguing. One of them was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance -"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years. Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them, "About to be Sorted, I suppose? Well, I Hope to see you in Hufflepuff - my old house, you know."

"Move along now," They turned to see Professor McGonagall appear through the doors, "The Sorting Ceremony is about to start."

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

They formed a line and filed out into the Great Hall. Four large, vertical tables sat parallel to each other, each facing a table where what he assumed were the teachers sat in an orderly fashion. Candles hung in mid-air, providing light to each one of the many students who sat at each of the four tables. Looking up, where the ceiling was supposed to be was replaced by the close-up view of the night sky.

Reaching the front, he saw Professor McGonagall place a small stool with a ragged wizard's hat with a pointed top in front of them.

Connor stared at the hat curiously for a few seconds before jolting slightly when he saw the hat twitch before it began to speak - no, it was singing!

"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 cap 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 Hufflepuff's are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've got a ready 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!"

(Belongs to JK Rowling, page 93-94)

As the hat finished, the hall burst into applause - Connor himself clapped along happily - as the hat bowed to each of the four tables before becoming still again.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down.

A moment's pause - "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.

Connor did not have to wait long for his turn. The Transfiguration teacher soon called "Anderson, Connor," and he made his way to the wooden stool while the old teacher placed the Sorting Hat on his head.

"A traveler from America, I suppose?"

Connor jumped.

"W-Where did that come from?" He muttered.

"Do not fret, Connor. I am the Sorting Hat, and I see you have a clever mind. You'll make a great Ravenclaw. But maybe… Perhaps Slytherin, you are quite ambitious…"

Connor shivered, he felt like his mind was exposed to the world.

"No one likes to get sorted, Connor. People DO say that their mind is the place they feel safest, no?"

He agreed.

"See? Anyways, you are very intelligent, Connor, you and your intelligence will go very far. I think I know what my decision is. Better be-

"SLYTHERIN!"

An eruption of wicked cheers rose from the table bathed in green as the other tables clapped politely, and Connor rose from the stool and made his way towards the green and silver table.

Hey! Sorry for the long wait, I've been busy with enrollment to university, haha. However, a break is coming up soon, so I'll try my best to get a few chapters up!