He was at awe. The words that described Hogwarts in his books did not do the place justice at all. The 11 year old half-Japanese could not believe he was finally in Hogwarts, where only the best of the best wizarding children are admitted. Smiling, he gently pushed his way forward up to the very front and stared at the old dusty hat on a stool. It was the same old hat that sorted great witches and wizards from the past, and contributed greatly to the wizarding world.

He waited patiently for his turn, and managed to stay calm when he noticed that the crowd of first years were thinning out. Anytime now, his name will be called. Any moment...

Jacen Riley Reed!

Jace’s ears turned pink as he heard his name. He bravely took steps towards the waiting sorting hat, and bowed at the person doing the sorting. This is it. In a few moments, he will have a colour. He will have a new identity!

Humming. That was the first thing he heard when the Sorting Hat was placed on his head. It did funny movements at first, and then stopped as if realizing something very important.

“You did NOT forget your underpants, did you?” Ah yes, yes. The memory was so strong; the Sorting Hat couldn’t pass up the chance to ask for a little bit of laughter. “Teehee! Yes, young one. I know your father, and I can still remember his Sorting.” The Sorting Hat chuckled—which sounded like it was dying. “I’ll tell you a secret. Ryden was so excited to get to school and be sorted that he forgot to wear one! Hahahahahaaaaaaaaa!!!”

Jace’s face went pale, and his jaw dropped on the floor, shocked at the revelation. His dad told him that the Sorting Hat could never lie. It can see through everything. However, why pick such memory when it could have told him great stories about his papa, such as how he was when he was 11?

“Lesson learned on the first day, I believe? Never forget it, or you’ll get cold in this rather drafty castle, little...RAVENCLAW!” the Sorting Hat bellowed his House name for everyone to hear. “And please extend my regards to Ryden. I like that boy.” The Sorting Hat hummed happily again, obviously pleased with this behaved, zen-child. “Off you go, Ravenclaw Jace. Fly high.”

Jace, still shocked with the Sorting Hat’s humour, joined the Ravenclaws and tried his best to forget what it said.

Merlin, his papa was embarrassing!

Lex couldn't help but look up as they filed into the Great Hall. Was that the night sky? Where was the ceiling? It took a couple seconds of observation (and a few of his fellow first years bumping into him) for him to realize that it was the ceiling, ensorceled to resembled the sky. "Whoa..." he whispered. He lowered his gaze and focused on the front of the hall.

As the Sorting Hat concluded its song and the students ahead of him began to be sorted, Lex looked all around the hall. So, these colorful tables were for the different houses? Lex mused over the lyrics, already forming an idea of which house would be most suited for him.

"Montague, Alexander."

Lex returned his focus to the front of the hall. He pushed his way through the crowd of students and sat on the chair. For the first time, he realized just how many other students and teachers there were in there with him... Thankfully, the Sorting Hat fell over his eyes, obscuring his view. If he couldn't see them..

"They can still see you, you know." came the voice from within the hat.

"True. But I don't have to think about them if I don't see them." The hat seemed to laugh at that.

"Youthful logic. You'll grow out of such mentality. But logic as a whole... Your intuition... Your willingness to observe..." it mused. "Yes, putting you there is obvious, but I think you'll cause a stir... But then, so did the two that came before you in their houses..."

"Sorry?" replied Lex. "What others? I'm the first in my family."

"Yes, it would seem so..." chuckled the Sorting Hat. "Best wrap this up, eh? Go cause some mischief. Ravenclaw!"

Lex stood, removing the hat and returning it to the professor who'd handed it to him. He headed for the Ravenclaw table, not quite hearing the enthusiastic cheers from his new house for his musing over the Sorting Hat's words. He wasn't one for mischief, was he?

Sorting Hat!
SORTING HAT!
S O R T I I I I I I N G H A A A A A T ! ! !

Tenacius couldn’t keep still! Ok being all squishy and sprinkly and chilly in this bloody lovely Scottish climate may have something to do with that, but mostly he was just broom to the moon EXCITED. He was bouncing and fidgeting and tiptoeing and clapping and hooting and wisecracking and trying his darndest best to not just run up to the stool, seize the hat and shove it onto his head. Why did his names start with letters from the bottom half of the alphabet? Why do they even go in alphabetical order in the first place? Why didn’t they just tell them what house they're gonna be in with their letter? Why doesnt the world do things right and on time from the get go???

"Tenacius Astor Salander"

Finally! The curly-haired kid bounded for the dais, droplets of water trailing behind him. But then wet shoes is happening and he nearly skidded all the way through to the other side, only managing to stop as he sent the stool clattering down to the floor. Oops.

Stool back in place and him settled onto it, the Hat now lowered onto his head. Tenacius sat staring out into the dimness of the funky smelling fabric. There was a presence in the darkness, he could feel it.

"Hi!" he greeted it out loud, his side of the conversation carrying over the expanse of the Great Hall.

"Hello there Tenacius. My aren't you excited to find out what your House is."

"You bet I am! Been waiting all day-- no-- all SUMMER!" he beamed.

"That’s good. Your enthusiasm for this process is quite delightful, quite different from when I conversed with your father all those years ago."

"You mean he didn’t like Sorting? He always said to me he was very proud of being a Slytherin."

"He... didn’t quite appreciate the wisdom of the process when he started here. I couldn’t blame him really, given his past. But he went on to do great things didn’t he?"

To this Tenacius nodded happily as the Hat wiggled back and forth on his head "He sure did! So should I go to Slytherin now?"

"Wait, slow down Tenacius, lets not get ahead of ourselves." The Sorting Hat intoned "I can see that you admire your father very much, and want to make him proud. But following him into his old House and doing everything he did isnt your path to achieve greatness.... YOUR brand of greatness."

For the first time in probably ever, Tenacius was speechless.

"So..... I'm not going to Slytherin?" he was so confused.

"No. Because now is the time for you to choose your own path, to make this your own journey."

And with that, Tenacius felt like a weight was lifted off him, like a new found sense of freedom. Did he put that much pressure on himself that he wasn’t even aware of it until the Hat pointed it out? But right now, right this very second, he was being given the chance to chart the course of his life, to be the Captain of his destiny.

But... what would his dad say?

Sensing the boy's feelings, the Hat whispered gently "Tenacius, taking the first step to being your own person doesn’t mean you love your father any less. Your bond with him will remain unbreakable, that I can assure you. But you must understand, you are your father's son, you are not your father. You are Tenacius, not Stradivarius."

The boy's shoulders lowered as he relaxed "Ok." he murmured.

"In your heart of hearts, two paths lay before you Tenacius. One path leads you to roar with the brave and noble-hearted of Godric Gryffindor, while the other lets you soar to the heights of enlightenment with the avant-garde of Rowena Ravenclaw...."

"Ravenclaw?..." the boy blurted out "But aren't those the smart kids? You know the ones that actually read dictionaries for kicks??"

"Intelligence comes in many forms Tenacius. This you will come to realize on your journey."

He pondered the Sorting Hat's words. And then an impulse "Can I... take a peek? At the tables I mean."

"Of course."

Tenacius gingerly pushed the brim of the Hat upward and looked across the Great Hall, watching the students in blue. To think that he could actually be considered as one of them! It gave him all sorts of profound confidence and a surety that felt new to him. Then he shifted his blue-green eyes to the red-robed ones, and he felt something deep within him. Something that felt right.

He lowered his hand and the Hat plopped back snuggly onto place. He smiled to himself. He knows now. And so did the Sorting Hat.

"Thanks for helping me out Hat."

"It is my honor, Tenacius Salander."

And after what seemed like an age, the Sorting Hat finally declared:

GRYFFINDOR!!!

As the hat was lifted from his head, Tenacius felt something swished about his robes. They've turned RED! And with the happiest of smiles, the curly haired boy bounded off the dais and joined the students dining under the Lion's mane.

Sollys followed the trail of first years into the Great Hall and watched as one by one each first year named made their way to the front for sorting. Her mom hadn't told her she would have to sit in front of everyone and be sorted. " Sollys James," she jumped slightly started she wasn't ready to hear her name called so quickly. She took a deep as she stepped on the platform and the hat placed on her head. what if the hat decided she didn't belong anywhere would they chuck her out of school? No that was silly after all she had gotten her acceptance letter.

" A James.... loyal like your mother I see... smart too. Your mother did well in Hufflepuff but you... Where to put you.... hmm?... Ahh yes! now I see it. You will do well in...

" RAVENCLAW!"

Sollys smiled with relief as she hopped off the stool and made her way to the Ravenclaw tables. There was absolutely no mistaking now it was meant for her to be here.

This was the part that made him a bit nervous. Jaemin didn't much see the point in Sorting, because it was getting in the way of his exploring. But it was a necessary thing, and as the first years continued to be called in alphabetical order he fidgeted, playing with his own fingers as a cold ball of something icky started forming in his tummy.

This hat thing, his dad had told him, was going to get all up inside his head, pull everything apart, and use it to figure out what he was best suited to. And the houses... they were all supposed to be really different, but as he watched Hedgehog Holder (Julia, he tried to commit to memory. The sorting hat had called her Julia) head for the Ravenclaw table he couldn't help but wonder if that was really awfully true. Surely he and Hedgehog Holder had things in common? Surely she had things in common with the students heading to the Gryffindor table, and to the Slytherin table, and to the Puffleluff table.

How did it decide these things?

"Song, Jaemin."

His name sounded much nicer in that order. The small boy shuffled this way and that, through the crowd of remaining first years, his hand up in the air in an attempt to make sure they didn't move on thinking he had changed his mind about attending the school. He had a tendency to disappear in crowds. And high grass. Hopefully they mowed that massive front lawn regularly.

Nervously settling himself on the chair, feet dangling a bit off the floor because of the stool's legs, Jay closed his eyes, and the hat was settled on top of his head.

"I have a very tiny request, if that's okay," he whispered. The hat moved, and he could hear the soft grumbling of it; he scrunched up his nose, thinking very very hard about what it was. It was probably all very loud for the hat, considering...

"Alright, alright. Just this once," it said finally, and the small boy smiled and wiggled in place. The hat made a sound, as if clearing a throat it didn't have, and then it began - softly at first -

"There's bravery here, oh yes, it's true
But follows it comes caution too
Sure as your feet can't touch the floor
You'll never be in Gryffindor."

Jaemin swung his legs a bit more. One down... the voice grew a little louder, though he wasn't sure if it was just his because his ears were so close.

"You're a hard little worker,
dedicated, that too,
But your lack of patience?
Not Hufflepuff for you."

He was so totally patient! The most patient ever! Jaemin bit his lip, looking at the Puffleluff table. Not that one, either...

The hat's voice grew a bit more.

"And you're smart, my dear lad
have a bit of a wit
however, I fear,
Ravenclaw's not the fit."

Jay straightened up on the stool, eyes moving to the Ravenclaw table where Hedgehog Holder was sitting. Not that one either. Which meant...

"The ambition, my boy
Little dear, Song Jaemin
You, clever young child
Belong to Slytherin!"

He popped up off the stool in excitement almost immediately, whispering a quiet thank you to the hat that probably went unheard. For a moment, after he took it off, he looked it it pensively; the thing shifted in his hands, then grumbled at him again.

"I'm not sorting your hedgehog. Off with you."

He grinned, handing the hat off carefully to one who had placed it on his head, and took off toward the green table.

Sam shoved her hands in robe pockets as she waited for her turn, every now and then leaning out of the line to see what was going on up front. It was taking far too long to get to the tail end of the alphabet in her opinion, and all it did was impress her disappointment that the sorting only involved a hat. She already had one of those!

"Tyler, Samantha!"

She held back a scowl as she made her way up to the stool and the hat was dropped on to her short hair and promptly dropped over her eyes. Nobody called her Samantha, not even her Pa. And anyway, Sam much better suited the boy-ish appearance she had adopted.

And then she heard it; the hat was in her mind. It spoke almost immediately, and she fidgeted nervously. She didn't know where she might up, and didn't really mind either. Just to even be part of it was amazing.

"You've not had it easy,
But of this I am sure,
You'll soon start to thrive,
In RAVENCLAW!"

She gasped as she heard it shout out to the room, and not just in her mind. Ravenclaw? But that was where the clever people were! She stood as the hat was lifted off her head, and gave it a curious look.

Well, that was that then. With a shrug and a crooked grin she headed off to the blue table. Hopefully her new housemates wouldn't look down on her spelling too much.

Woooooooooooooooooooow... no wonder why the Great Hall was called the GREAT hall. It was truly GREAT! It was AWESOME! Matt was in awe as he followed his fellow first years into the main area where they were supposed to wait to be sorted. Look at all those older students watching them! There were SO MANY PEOPLE there!! How COOL!

Sorting time!! RAAAAHHHHSDKLFSDNFKJSDNFDJK!! He couldn't WAIT!! He knew what house he belonged to, but he couldn't WAIT to make it official!! AKJFSNFKJSN COME ON, CALL HIS NAME ALREADY!!!

But it took time. A looong, loong, looooOOOOooooOOOOoooOOOOooong time for that to happen. In the beginning Matt was paying attention to the sorting of other kids. It was fun to watch how nervous or scared or excited or all of the above they were! But then it started to get too repetitive and Matt quickly got bored.

His thoughts diverted back to his awesome stormtrooper helmet that was now tucked under his arm. Nope, he wasn't putting it away; first because it was BRAND NEW and second because it was too awesome. He wasn't wearing it at the moment, of course, because he wanted to properly SEE EVERYTHING.

And he probably wouldn't be able to put the Sorting Hat on if he had the stormtrooper helmet on, now, would he? Of course he wouldn't!

MERLIN, it was taking AGE- "Matthew Meriwether."

He EYED the person who called him by his full real name. "Matt Solo, please." Just sayin'.

The boy rushed to the stool and put the Sorting Hat on his head with one hand, while the other secured his awesome helmet on his lap. THIS WAS SO EXCITING!! He wondered what the hat was going to tell him.

"GRYFFINDOR!!"

That was it?? THAT WAS IT?? HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TIME TO KICK HIS LEGS, BUT WOOOOOOOOOOOOO YAAAAAAAAAAAS, HE KNEW IT, HE KNEW IT SFKLJEFNSKJNFJK!!!

Matt jumped up at once and raised his free fist in victory. "GRYFFINDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOR!!!!" He mimicked the hat as best as he could before taking it off his head and rushing towards the RED TABLE!!! ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!!

OLIVIA. WAS. FREAKING. OUT.

Dramatically, too.

Of course, the moment she'd found her way into the Great Hall after their cozy carriage ride, the tiny blonde had ripped off Oliver's tie...and then, had turned his house robe inside out, so the Slytherin patch wouldn't be visible. Bwaha, if it wouldn't have been for Blaise and Bentley, she'd most definitely would've forgotten that one! They were terribly brilliant...Well, Blaise was. She'd just met Bentley...

...BUT HERE SHE WAS! IT. WAS. ALMOST. TIME...and she was standing in line, practically vibrating from the excitement of it all!

N....M....O....

"Phillips, Olivia."

ACK! At the sound of her name, the small blonde wobbled on shaky knees; shaky because her bones were obviously just as excited as the rest of her tiny being. How so much joy, excitement, and utter mischief could be contained in such an itty person, the world would never know. Always the showman, though, Olivia waved and flailed at everyone within sight as she made her way forward.

"Yes, that's me!"

Pausing to bobble a curtsy at the stool, sorting hat (which WAS especially manky), and the person calling the names, Liv all but RAN forward; jamming the hat down around her ears. Eager? Eager.

Wel-

The moment the voice had first whispered across her mind, Olivia had cut right across it; her enthusiasm and...well, bossy!nature taking hold at once. Mum and daddy had BOTH told her how this worked.

"Mr. Sorting hat, this is a very important moment in my life...and I NEED you to place me where I want to go. See, I've been dreaming about being in Gryffindor my whole life. My daddy was a Gryffindor, and I want to be just like him. He's kinda my hero."

...but Slyth-...

"I know what you're going to say...and of course, that wouldn't be completely unfortunate. My favorite person in the entire world is a Slytherin. Phillip Romalotti, my cousin. You sorted him last term...and my mum was a Slytherin, too, yes. I think she and my dad have a bet going..."

She'd been rambling, the words pressed together in fevered utterances. It was probably a good thing that this hat could properly see into her mind, as this entire conversation might've been too blurred and mulled to be properly understood.

....Are you quite finished?

"I had to make sure you knew."

Vaguely wondering if she'd offended the hat, which was a silly thought indeed as hats couldn't be offended...she fell silent; finally content to get on with it. She'd presented her case. She just HAD to make sure the hat understood...


"GRYFFINDOR!"


"YES! YEEESSSSS!" Flinging the hat off, she jumped up and punched her small fist into the air...and also did a weird...victory dance right there in front of the stool and entire Hogwarts student population. Olivia, of course, didn't care one single bit. She'd just received her GOLDEN TICKET, basically.

GAH. SHE COULDN'T WAIT TO WRITE TO HER DADDY...and break the news to her mum. TEEHEHEHEH!

Even though Callum had known all along this was how things were done, that did not make it any easier as the first years entered the hall together, all eyes on them. There was a part of him that wanted to avoid everyone's gaze, to stare straight ahead and not connect with all the ones that fell upon him, but he could not fight the urge to search for his sister. It did not take long - he found the red of Gryffindor badges, then her exuberance coupled with her very blonde hair caught his eye quickly, and he smiled, offering a wave her way. There were other familiar faces he recognized along the way, but halfway up the aisle he tore his gaze from his classmates to instead peer upward. The enchanted ceiling was far more wicked than he had anticipated, the floating candles made him smile, and before long, the first years at large had reached the front of the room.

Many students went before him, many to each house, and he fidgeted as he waited with the hem of his robe sleeve, trying to be calm and cool and think through his statement. He wanted to be open and receptive to what the hat said about him in its analysis, but he wanted to make sure it also heard what he had to say on the matters of where he ought to go.

He was thinking it through, running through various statements he wanted to make when Charlotte's shout of "HI CALLUM" made him turn with a broad grin, his ears tinted pink, and he waved back. If Char had not told everyone already, Hogwarts would soon know that they were siblings, so there was no use being embarrassed by her antics. They would be attached at the hip soon enough, aside from when they potentially had to split to their separate common rooms, but at least if he was Ravenclaw like their parents, they were both up in towers, he knew that much. Better to be a Ravenclaw than a Hufflepuff in that sense.

"Kettleburn, Callum!"

Oh Merlin. This was it. That was HIS name they finally called, and the eleven-year-old took a moment to conceal any visible fear before pushing his way through his yearmates standing in front of him and walking up toward the stool. He hesitated briefly to throw another smile back at Char, a silent attempt at communicating that he hoped she would not be sad if he ended up a Ravenclaw, then cleared his throat purposefully and took a seat on the stool, his eyes squeezing shut in anticipation for the hat being lowered upon his head. And the moment it made contact with his floppy hair, his brows furrowed, focused on what it had to say, forcing himself to be an active listener before sharing his perspective.

Ah, another Kettleburn - mmm, yes, there's astounding intelligence, no surprise there, and a clear thirst for knowledge, there's no doubt about that... wit and wisdom far beyond your years... there is no doubt that you would do well in Ravenclaw like your parents...

None of this was news to Callum, and the more the hat went on, the more Callum was already coming to terms with his being placed in Ravenclaw. He would be separated from Char, but he would be an eagle like his parents, so it would not be all bad. Davie was there, too, he thought, so it would be okay--

...Mmm, but what's this, now? Remarkable bravery right down to your very core... courage... determination... ohhh, yes... bold, selfless, perhaps to the point of recklessness... curious... courteous and chivalrous... mmmhmmm...

Well, he knew those things were true, too, but did it not speak volumes that the hat had noticed his brain first? Any of his Gryffindor traits he was sure came from Char's influence, so Callum was not sure if they counted fully. But, then again, his Ravenclaw traits likely came from his parents... so did those not count since he learned from them? Or was it blood? What DID matter here? His brows furrowed and he opened his mouth to ask how the hat would decide--

Ah, yes, that is the question here... but I think we both know what matters is what matters most to YOU, dear boy... and it is all here, in your head, crystal clear... do not despair... better be...

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Mouth agape, Callum's eyes shot open and honed in on Char at the Gryffindor table - his sister - his HOUSEMATE! Him, Callum Kettleburn, a Gryffindor! Spoken by the Sorting Hat itself!

"CHAR!" His face bright with boyish elation, he took off toward his new housemates and ran as fast as he could to squish his sister in a hug.

A Gryffindor! Like his sister! Like--

...What would his parents say?

Ryland may have read about the Great Hall, but to actually see it was another thing entirely. Now that she was actually in the castle and it wasn't just an oncoming looming mass being approached far too quickly by boat, it was quite pretty! The old look was pretty in right now, according to their dad's interior designer, and that's exactly what this school went for. Though, being a centuries old castle with tons of history didn't exactly hurt either. Biting her lip and picking a stray bit of candy pink off of her thumb so her nails looked cleaner, the blue eyed girl waited. Luckily her name was pretty close to the beginning of the alphabet, and that's what they seemed to be doing, so there was a likelihood that she would get whatever this ceremony was out of the way quickly. Not that she wasn't excited for it all, she was, excited and hungry. However, not knowing what was happening was freaking her out a bit. Or more than a bit.

“Ryland Elizabeth Crowlin.” Upon hearing her name, the brunette closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath before opening them again and heading up to be sorted. This was it. There was no more scanning the students to see if she recognized any of them from school or looking at the professors to see if any of them looked like the type to be mean. The eleven year old was about to be officially sorted, housed and starting her new education as a wizarding person of the world. And that was kind of what propelled her forward.

Something was placed on her head, and her first instinct was to reach up and try to touch it. Her hands began to shake when she moved them however, making her look more nervous than she was and she put them down again.

“Ah, Ryland Elizabeth. They Ray to your sister's Jay. The jam to her peanut butter and the toothpaste to her mouthwash. Question is, who are you without her?” The talking was coming from above the young student, and to make sure she wasn't missing some fabulous show with a man swinging down from above, the blue eyed girl looked up, seeing nothing but the brim of a wide hat. Oh cool, she was going to start her year off with head lice.

“I'm Ryland. Without Jay, I'm still Ryland.” She refused to let her voice quake. She refused to let a hat scare her, a piece of felt that was probably as old as the castle.

“Who is Ryland? What does Ryland like? What do you offer to the world?” She didn't have lip balm with her at the moment, but she wished she did, because the kid was sure she was biting her bottom lip off.

“I'm funny, or I believe I'm funny, I love my friends, hanging out, shopping, watching dad run his business.” She trailed off, not sure if any of this was needed. Apparently it was not, as the hat continued making observations that she didn't know it was possible to make after being plopped on her head.

“No, not important. What is importat is that you have a thirst for knowledge that's going to get you far, and your book skills aren't shabby. Ravenclaw!” Wait, did the hat just call her mean or dumb? Was it rude to argue with the hat? Because Ryland honestly felt like she needed to at that point. She couldn't have been that smart right? There was the Ryland that managed to set a corn chip on fire with a magnifying glass and some time. There was the Ryland who managed to make a scary human body out of macaroni and Ketchup for Halloween that had her Kindergarten teacher scrambling for mom and dad. Smart kids didn't do that.

The hat was taken off of her head and the only thought she dared to think while she walked over to the table with her new house was, that was weird.

Katherine had been waiting for this moment for almost all her life - or ever since her magical abilities showed. And she'd been even getting READY for it - she knew it was just a hat, but what if the Hat asked her IQ questions to test her Ravenclaw abilities? So, of course she had got ready for that kind of a test, and as she waited in the line, her nerves were over the roof. She couldn't even ENJOY the beauty of Great Hall because Merlin, all she ever wanted was to be in Ravenclaw. She was trying to keep calm, but she was also visibly fidgeting and as the names flied, she couldn't even keep up - though she did vaguely see that Callum and Tory or whatever were both sorted into Gryffindor (Callum </3) and Sollys became Ravenclaw (GOOD!). Then the M- surnames were called out and -

"Moss, Katherine Mary!"

It was her. IT WAS HER. She was frozen on the spot for a moment, before she mentally reprimanded herself and forced her legs to cooperate. She slowly walked to the stand and eyed the stool and the Hat. This was it. This was her fate. She took a deep breath and sat. She didn't even know what she should say, apart from figuring out that chanting Ravenclaw continuously would look pathetic and completely unwise. She would just have to answer any and all questions, then. The Hat was lowered on her head and she took a deep breath -

"RAVENCLAW!"

Wait - what!? THIS WAS IT!!!!!!!!???????? THE HAT DIDN'T EVEN TOUCH HER HEAD WAIT - she BREATHED, wiped one single tear of relief and quickly took off the Hat. She smiled BRIGHTLY at whoever was looking at her, and quickly half-ran to the Ravenclaw table that was cheering.

R A V E N C L A W .

SHE DID IT! She felt so sheepish for getting ready for questions, but HEY - S H E D I D I T SHE WAS A R A V E N C L A W ! ! !

Nerves were evidently vivid amongst Vivie's guts, yet she felt a deja vu moment more than anything else. Most didn't have the opportunity to be sorted twice and it certainly wasn't on her life agenda. Either way her feelings were the healthy type of nerves more than those causing distress. She was ready for this, ready for a new family, surroundings and well adventure to broaden her muses.

With a somewhat solemn face, the blonde watched as the first years took their place and were guided into one of the four houses of Hogwarts. Their sorting procedure fascinated her; as did their houses. She'd read a little bit about their characteristics here and there and she'd often speak about them with others but, for the life of her, she could not diminish a single house that she felt suited her most. She had snake ambition, bravery of a lion, hard work of a badger and a small amount of raven-wits. Of course though, some of those characteristics were exceedingly more prominent than the others.

'Genevieve Marie!'

Her name was called and thus her feet began to briskly move towards the stool and the mysterious sorting hat. The blonde took her seat and within a split second later the hat sat firmly on her blonde waves.

'You are certainly quite the all rounder, aren't you?' The hat boomed into her mind. She wasn't hesitant at all, in fact, she responded quietly but sternly that she was brought up to be as such and that some of her characteristics weren't with her from birth. The hat agreed and then began further with it's thoughts. 'That is the very essence of it, you are most strong in what is natural to you and thus I will put you in...

'GRYFFINDOR!'

The red house cheered and Vivie couldn't help but respond to them with a smile. Her bravery had always been there, more than anything else. A lion then she would be, a very strong one indeed.

"Stevens, Mishenka!"

Mason felt sick as she made her way towards the stool and the sat down as gracefully as she could muster. She put the hat on her head and closed her eyes.

"Interesting,” muttered a small voice, bouncing around in her head. “I sorted your father and his before him, but none of them had a mind quite like yours. A mind for plans and thoughts, represented mostly by those in Ravenclaw. You hold a certain cunning and ambition that so greatly fits with Slytherin, and the power, yes the power!"

“But you have courage. Nobility that fits well in Gryffindor. Oh? You don’t want to be in Gryffindor do you? Very well . But there is more to you."

"You have a powerful mind, great and fast-witted! Gifted, some would say!”

No! I don't want to be a Gryffindor or Ravenclaw!

That was all that Mason thought as the hat said that. I don't belong in the house of the brave or the fast of wit. But then . . . where do I belong?

“No? Well then. What of Hufflepuff? You have a kind heart and loyalty, loyalty to a fault it would seem. . . well if you want it, then it is yours. You will be-

"SLYTHERIN!” declared the hat in ringing tones.

Her heart missed a beat and then began to beat normally again. She belonged with the snakes. The knot in her belly loosened and she could breath again. Mason had always know deep down that she would be a snake, and she was more than happy to have been sorted there.

A smile was plastered on her face as she removed the hat to great praise from her new House. She stood up and beamed as she walked happily to the Slytherin table.

Whhhhhy? Why did they have to go in alphabetical order? And why did S have to be at the very end of it? She was cold and wet, and couldn't even enjoy the celing like Emmaleigh had told her to. She wanted to go find out what her house was. It was probaby Hufflepuff like her sisters, but itat wouldn't be fair.She had already watched Mel get sorted into Gryffindor. And then Torrance went there too, and then Ace. She fidgeted now, but if it was from nerves or excitement, no one could tell, not even herself. Probably both.

“Swynford, Samantha.” the professor called out.

She stepped forward with squishy, squeaky shoes and sat on the stool. “This was it.” She thought to herself, as the hat was placed on her head.

“Ahh, a Macmillan...” It mused to itself. “I've seen many of you before.”

"I'm not a Macmillan any more, I'm a Swynford." She told the hat.

"True. True." Said the hat. "But that doesn't change the fact that you have Macmillan blood running in your veins.But, I have a long history of placing Macmillans in Hufflepuff."

"But," She tried to interrupt.

"But you are a Swynford, I know." It said not letting her. "But I've placed nearly all of them in Hufflepuff as well. Just look at the last one I was placed on. You should know though, I'm not to resort your family. I am to sort you now."

"So I am not going to Hufflepuff then?" She asked.

"I did not say that. Now let me think. You are not very ambitious, nor are you very cunning. I think you would not do well in Slytherin. Ravenclaw is out as well, I think. You have no real thirst for knowledge. You are loyal though, very loyal. Hmmm." It spoke in her ear.

"What about Gryffindor?" She asked the hat. "That's where my friends are. I wanna go there."

"Yes, child yes, let's consider Gryffindor. You are loyal yes, but more than that, you crave adventure and excitement. I can feel your wet hair, and know how it got that way. You are not the first, even tonight to place me on their head wet, even tonight." Sam lifted the hat slightly, to gaze over at her friends at the Gryffindor table. "Hmm, yes. Yes. I do think you would make an excellent Hufflepuff for loyalty to your friends. But I think, yes, you will be amazing in GRYFFINDOR!"

"Have fun child." It said before being take off of her head.

"I will," She said hollering at it with a grin on her face as she bounded to the table with her house, and her friends, not even noticing that her robes had turned red.

Elliot shifted nervously, the words of both his parents ringing in his ears. How they didn't care what house he ended up in even though he secretly suspected his mother was going to fuss if he didn't end up in hers. He'd been preparing for this moment since he'd learned about Hogwarts and what it meant to be a wizard. He straightened up, eyes flicking left and right as the sorting hat called out to him "Elliot Choi!"

Shuffling nervously up onto the stool, the hat was placed on his head and he chewed his lip as it began to speak:

Ah, Elliot Choi. You'll be interesting to place. I sense a conflict of houses in your head.

Wit and logic you may possess
Intellect with nary a flaw
But I suspect you won't be at your best in wise old Ravenclaw.

Ah yes but then there's cunning
Ambition to no end
It seems you'll make your mother proud
You belong in SLYTHERIN

Elliot released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, grin washing over his features as he stepped down from the stage. The sounds of cheering from the Slytherin table deafening him as he moved to take his place in the house of his mother. He supposed his first time away from home wouldn't be bad at all. Besides, the hat did say he was full of wit and intellect and all that other stuff his father valued. He was just a better Slytherin. And for that, he could not complain.