When the train came to a stop everyone clambered off and luggage was gathered. I didn’t really pay attention to anything. I occasionally looked up to the front. There was a dim orange glow but I couldn’t see the source from where I was. Soon we were at a large lake. Everyone was put into boats. Samson, Rosetta and I all were on the same boat. We huddled together in silence, the air cold bringing the smell of fish and wet grass. We entered the large castle structure known as Hogwarts. We stopped in a small plain room and in about two minutes we were lead into a huge room.

I admired the room with wide eyes, there were four long wooden tables across the room with a long table at the front of the room. There was a throne like seat in the center of the table. At this table were a group of elderly looking people. Some of them I recognized from some papers my mother and aunt had shown me. I recognized Minerva McGonagall, the headmaster in the throne like chair. Her grey, withered hair was tied into a loose bun on the back of her head. Her eyes were squinted slightly and she was covered in wrinkles. She looked like a withering old lady, slunked down in her chair wearing long silk dark robes. However, she held a strange beauty, an aura of profound wisdom and grace.

My eyes moved from her to the other members of the table. Most I didn’t recognize. Though there was Neville Longbottom the Herbology professor, Luna Lovegood the Care of Magical Creatures professor and Filius Flitwick the Charms professor. We all filed in carefully, my eyes being torn away from the table. We were all lined up against a wall and they pulled out this strange hat. I raised a brow and vaguely remember what my mother had told me. ‘The Sorting Hat’. That hat that decided which house you would be placed into. I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked down at my feet.

I slowly lifted my head looking at the four tables. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. I spotted Dixon at the Slytherin table, my chest tightening. He was chatting with some other kids. He glanced up and our eyes locked. I looked away and stared at Samson and Rosetta. “I want to get into Hufflepuff… My entire family has always thought I would be in Hufflepuff…” mumbled Rosetta, her eyes shining. Samson shrugged, “whatever house I am placed in I shall honor.” he smiled. I nodded a bit. I wanted to get into Ravenclaw. Maybe that would keep my parents happy. Keeping up the family tradition.

“Calanthe Malfoy!” bellowed someone from the front, I looked up quickly. Luna Lovegood with a sweet wide smile. She wore Hogwarts robes but with fingerless fuzzy green gloves and sunflower earrings with flowers braided into her long blonde locks.

I stared and watched as the Malfoy daughter walked up to the chair and took a seat. The hat was placed onto her head and she closed her eyes. In no time the hat shouted, “SLYTHERIN!” She stood up and the Slytherin table irrupted into cheers. She took a seat beside her brother and they looked at me, staring with sickly sweet smiles and narrowed eyes. I shuddered and looked down, simply listening to names and houses as the line moved along.

“ROSETTA LUPIN!” A pause of silence. “HUFFLEPUFF!” Excited cheering from the house’s table. She ran over and took a seat with bright, excited eyes. She easily began to make friends, her hair becoming golden curls that framed her face perfectly. “SAMSON BRODEUR!” Another pause. “RAVENCLAW!” Loud cheers. Then… “SELENE ENDICOTT!” I took slow steps up to the chair. I looked out and saw Samson and Rosetta staring at me hopefully. That made me smile a bit as I took my seat. I closed my eyes and waited, my heart pounding. I gripped my hands into little fists. “RAVENCLAW!”