“Nice work, Susan!” whispered a pink, blonde girl.

“Thanks, Hannah,” Susan replied. She was pink too, and she said, “I wish I was in Hufflepuff… I just feel that.”

Brooke’s eyes shone, and she interrupted Susan and Hannah. “OMM, me too!”

“Er… what does OMM mean?” Holly muttered.

No one answered. Instead, Violet cried, “Anyone wants to be in Ravenclaw? Honestly? The smartest, wittiest House?”

“Me!” yelled a boy. “I’m Terry–”

“Me too… I’m Mandy Brocklehurst (uh is this the name?).”

“Okay, thanks. No one else? MP, I can’t believe it.”

“Ehem, can anyone try to share what OMM and MP means?” Holly yelled.

All of the first years stared at her. Kristy, who was frowning at the headphones crossly, answered, “Oh My Merlin, and Merlin’s Pants, of course.” Then she went back to rolling her eyes at the headphones.

“Hi, what’s your name?” asked a girl gently.

“Hi,” interrupted Violet, “she’s ours. She’s our friend, thanks.”

The girl glared at Violet. “It depends on the House and dorm. Maybe I can be her friend too.”

“Yeah, she can, Vi.”

Violet sniffed. “Should I say sorry?”

“Yes.” The girl answered. “My name’s Aileen Porter. My father was a Muggle-born wizard, you see? I was really surprised when I got to attend Hogwarts! My mother always said she’d love it if I learned magic. She’s a scientist, so she hardly believed it when my father showed her magic.”

“Oh, nice to meet you.” Holly mumbled.

“Don’t be so shy,” Aileen continued. “I two older sisters; they’re twins. Mildred Porter and Miranda Porter, and I absolutely hate them.”

Holly regretted agreeing to talk to Aileen, but she supposed somebody could hate their siblings. “Oh… why?”

“Oh, Merlin’s saggy pants!” shrieked Kristy loudly. “Maybe there was a way to snuggle Wi-Fi if I’ve done it right, but I just totally ruined my chance!”

“What’s Wi-Fi?” Brooke asked cautiously, breaking out of the conversation between Susan, Hannah, and her.

“Muggle stuff.” Holly replied.

“Oh.” Brooke shrugged. “I don’t know how Muggles manage without magic!” she laughed. “So… you’re Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones? I know Amelia Bones! And Hannah – are you from the Sacred 28? Wow. That’s just plain amazing.”

“Shush!” Aileen hissed. “McGonagall just said she’s leading us to the Great Hall.”

“I hope she goes to Slytherin.” Violet muttered. She winked. “Good luck!”

“Kristy, we can hear your last name here.”

Kristy looked up. “No, you won’t,” she said ominously. Without hesitation, Kristy marched out from the line, faced McGonagall, whispered something in her ear.

“Yes, you may go sit – in the Ravenclaw table, quickly.” McGonagall said quickly. She coughed. “Abbott, Hannah!”’

So… that was possible?

After Hannah Abbott, there was Susan Bones. They were both Sorted into Hufflepuff.
Since it was alphabetical order, Holly assumed she would be first of her friends. Sure enough, soon, she was called by the elderly but wise-looking professor.

“Collins, Holly!”

Taking at deep breath, she stepped up. She could also see Brooke mouthing ‘Good luck’, and Violet winking.
Where would she be? Brave Gryffindor? Wise Ravenclaw? Kind Hufflepuff? Ambitious Slytherin? Hmm… wouldn’t it be nice it there was this Great Gryffindor, Radiant Ravenclaw, Humble Hufflepuff, and Slithery Slytherin, or something like tha..?

“Sit down,” hissed the professor. McGonagall and all were staring at Holly.

Feeling embarrassed, she pushed herself down the stool and waited.

“Ah? So!” A voice said.

Holly winced. “Who are you?”

“The Sorting Hat,” the voice replied. “Well… you have no idea what you are… but I know. This doesn’t define you… I’ve never seen a student so wacky inside the head!”

“Wacky? Do normal hats say that?”

“It’s the trend. I tend to follow it, you see? A word our hats use normally, for sure. Maybe? Well… I will announce…”

The hat was quiet for a moment. Then it shrieked, “GRYFFINDOR!”

Loud screams were heard. Holly looked around for her new friends. Brooke was beaming at her, mouthing, Gryffindor! Violet was sighing, but when she saw Holly looking, she gave a smile. Kristy didn’t do anything. She didn’t seem to acknowledge at all what was happening.
Holly, a bit disappointed by Kristy, but also encouraged by Brooke and Violet, sat down at the Gryffindors’ table awkwardly.
The whole of students fell silent suddenly.
It was Kristy’s voice who broke the silence.

“Hat.”

It was a single word, but Holly realized what she was talking about.

“Oops,” she whispered, and plucked the hat off her head, and returned it to Professor McGonagall.
She watched the others be Sorted.

“Granger, Hermione!”

What a queer name.
The overly excited first year was Sorted in Gryffindor. She shook a red-haired fifth year’s hand.
Finally…

“Holmes, Brooke!”

Brooke dashed out, pushed to Sorting Hat onto her head, and waited, eyes tightly. Holly hoped the best for Brooke. She seemed like a Hufflepuff type. Bright and cheery and optimistic. She was good at lifting spirits…. That is a Hufflepuff trait, right?

“HUFFLEPUFF!”

Well, whatever, The Sorting Hat must have seen Brooke’s mind and saw some Hufflepuff in there.
Brooke raced towards Hannah and Susan, looking breathless. There, she shook hands with the other Hufflepuffs. Brooke waved from the table, and started talking with a senior year.

“Longbottom, Neville!”

A wobbly boy walked up. He was in Gryffindor, which greatly surprised Holly. Well, where would he go? Hufflepuff? Maybe…. It suited him better than Gryffindor, anyway….
The boy had not returned the hat, either. Holly smiled in relief. So she wasn’t the only wobbly, awkward first year.

“Hi, are you a Muggle-born?” Holly asked eagerly.

The boy stuttered. “No – pureblood.”

“Oh. Okay.”

A boy was laughing so hard. Violet was glaring from the lessening crowd of unsorted first years, and Brooke was snorting. Kristy was rolling her eyes from the Ravenclaw table, too.

“Malfoy, Draco!” Professor McGonagall called.

A snide blond boy walked out of the crowd. Violet, with a disgusted look, stepped out of the way.

“That’s the laughing one,” whispered Neville, shivering. “He can’t be in Gryffindor, please!”

“Don’t worry. He’s so snide, he can’t.” Holly reassured. But who knew? If this shivering boy could be in Gryffindor….

“SLYTHERIN!”

“Obviously.” Holly muttered.

Draco Malfoy looked utterly delighted.

“Porter, Aileen!”

Holly raised her head. She hoped Aileen would be in Gryffindor, just like her. It was likely Violet would go to Ravenclaw… what about Aileen? She’d be in Gryffindor, oh, please!

“She’s probably will be in Slytherin,” spat a girl.

“She won’t. You don’t know her, do you?” Holly said, immediately stepping up to defend Aileen.

The girl snorted. She gave Holly a stern look. “My name is Miranda Porter, Holly Collins. I’m her sister. I know her better than anyone. She’s ambitious and…” She shrugged. “Much more. She deserves Slytherin; more than Malfoy!”

“Sure.” interrupted Mirand… what?

Holly looked at the old Miranda and the new Miranda. “Huh?” she mumbled.

“This is Mildred Porter.” Miranda said. “Millie, don’t you agree?”

Mildred, Millie, seemed to know. “’Course.” she answered, without a hint of doubt. She held out her hand for Holly to shake. “Nice to meet you. We’re both fourth years, and do call me Millie. Mildred is a horrible name.”

“Okay… Millie.”

Mildred Porter smiled. She flashed a look at Holly, and turned.

“Interesting. It’s taking her three minutes and two seconds!” cried Miranda.

“How can you tell?”

“She’s counting, silly!” Millie snapped. “Don’t bother her… wow, is she going to be a Hatstall? Legendary!”

Holly didn’t think Millie would explain pleasantly if she asked what a Hatstall was, so she waited quietly for Aileen.

Come on, Aileen, you can do it! Gryffindor!

“RAVENCLAW!”

Millie stopped. Miranda held her breath, whispering, “Four minutes and five seconds.”

Aileen Porter threw a look at her sisters, winked at Holly, and plopped up next to Kristy. Kristy sniffed and moved away.

“Potter, Harry!”

Immediately, all whispering stopped. Their gazes followed a thin boy with ruffled hair, round glasses, and a lightning scar at his forehead. He squirmed uncomfortably, and sat down on the stool, and closed his eyes tightly.
After thirty seconds or so, the Hat shrieked its decision.

“GRYFFINDOR!”

The boy looked relieved.
Finally…

“Thomas, Violet!”

Violet’s eyes gleamed as she walked up to the stool. Holly could see Violet muttering Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw, oh, please, Ravenclaw!

“GRYFFINDOR!”

Violet froze.

“No!” she shrieked.

“Miss Thomas–” said McGonagall sharply.

Violet sighed, and looked at the ground. “I’m sorry, Professor.” she mumbled. She trudged to the Gryffindor table, eyeing Kristy, Aileen, and the other Ravenclaws wistfully.

And finally the Sorting ended.

“Weasley, Ronald!” Even McGonagall looked tired.

The red-headed boy stepped up. Holly glanced back at the fifth year whom Hermione Granger was talking with, and thought they must be brothers.

“Whohoo, Ronnie!” yelled two boys.

“Quiet!” The fifty year hissed. “Fred, George, I’m telling Mother if you don’t quiet down.”

“Aw, Percy!” Fred and George chorused.

Percy glared at them.

“GRYFFINDOR!”

Ronald bounced down to meet Harry Potter.
Holly squealed.

“Oh my gosh, it’s the start!”

Even Violet looked a bit cheered up. “Yes – we’re first years of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!”