First Of Many (Open) - September 1st

[Deleted]

Table seating chart here - if joining let Lexi (me!) know and I'll add you to the chart!
Posting Order: Willa, Sirius, Remus, James, Peter, Dorcas, Rufus, Guin, Mary, Lily, Zach,
Emmeline, Elliott, Cordelia, Meredith, Lydia, Bronwyn, Ethan, Joseph, Maggie, Viola

You'd probably hear a quill drop if someone happened to let one loose right then.

He'd been sitting on this bleeding stool for around five minutes - if he was counting right - and this 'wise' hat hadn't spoken up and sorted him yet. But nobody else had said a word for the past couple minutes anyway, so Sirius was left to his thoughts. In the first thirty seconds, the hat had oohed and aahed about nothing he found extremely important. So what if he was brave? So what if he was cunning? He was awesome - that was all that could possibly be important here.

He thought back to the train, meeting James and Peter and then Remus later on in the boats. They had needed a fourth person and the scrawny half blood - if he had to make an assumption - had joined them. Remus and James were fun, but Peter hadn't really said much, so there was nothing for him to judge the other first year on just yet. It would be wicked to get to know them better, even if they weren't pure and didn't go to all of the balls Mum and Dad liked dragging him and Reg to.

At these balls, Sirius had heard stories of what it meant when someone hadn't been sorted after five minutes - it was called a hatstall. It meant the hat was thinking of where to put him, if it was going to put him anywhere in the first place. But no, he wouldn't let himself think this way. That would be preposterous! He came from a long line of Purebloods and deserved a spot in this school. He had been accepted so the Headmaster couldn't choose to kick him out now that he'd arrived, right? Although he could barely see from under the hat, the Black boy looked down and out at the crowd of students watching and waiting expectantly. He caught the eye of a first year girl with a large blue - no, it's turquoise - bow in her hair and gave her a small smirk, exuding confidence that he was not feeling on the inside -

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Time stood still for a second. No one else appeared to be able to move or breathe, but they were nothing compared to Sirius. Sure, he had joked about not getting into Slytherin on the train over, but that's what it had been, a gag. He was Sirius Black, no one had ever not been a part of the noblest house before. What were his parents going to do to him once they found out? The boy dared a look at the Slytherin table, faces he recognized from Ministry events staring back at him with expressions of disturbed astonishment on their faces. There was no clapping, no celebratory cheer coming from Gryffindor table as he had seen with the students sorted before him. Suddenly, the hat was off and his vision free of cloth.

“You can go join your house now, Mr. Black.”

It was the Professor who introduced herself as McGonagall before they'd come into this hall to be sorted. Sirius rubbed the back of his neck as he brushed past the girl with the bow from earlier and headed to the left - to his new house table. Some of the Gryffindors smiled weakly at him, but he felt out of place. He could hear the whispers behind his back, the vague sound of someone else being called up to that ridiculous stool and he turned to watch - much preferring to have this bad attention off of himself.

[Remus Lupin]

Remus Lupin was incredibly nervous. In fact, he spent the entire train ride hiding in a nearly empty compartment, contemplating if he was going to vomit. It was the first of September, and he should be incredibly excited. He was at Hogwarts, and he was going to learn about magic. It was an opprotunity that he had been told at a young age he would never get to have, not after what happened when he was four. While his parents had been devastated that his life would never be the same, he had been more upset when they told him he wouldn't be allowed to go to school.

At least, until the first full moon after. It had only been then that he realized that life was far worse than him missing out on an education. It was painful, and it left him as a young boy with scars that he couldn't explain, ones that wouldn't heal. It was bad enough that he had the scar on his shoulder from the attack. And then life consisted of staying inside, reading his books, and avoiding other people. They had moved often, whenever someone would start to question his strange behavior.

His saving grace had arrived over the summer. A funny man had shown up on their doorstep, with a letter addressed to him. Remus Lupin had been accepted to Hogwarts. The man, named Dumbledore, had told his parents that he had a safe place for Remus to go during the full moons, and assured them that his secret would be safe. He could get an education, and he could have a normal life.

So far though, the trip had been terrible. He hadn't spoken to anyone, except the boys on the boat. He would have much preferred to be left alone and allowed to ride to the castle by himself, but they needed four people in a boat. There had been James, the one with the glasses. Then there was Peter, he seemed quiet and uncomfortable. And then Sirius, the one who was currently sitting on a stool with a hat on his head that wasn't saying a thing. Did it normally take this long to sort someone?

Remus had done his research, as soon as he'd gotten has hand on anything he could about the school. Before he could question the lack of sorting any further, however, the hat called out a house. Remus was surprised at how silent everyone was. So far, people had been cheering and clapping when people were sorted. Remus looked around, concerned at what was going on. He didn't have long to be concerned, however, before his name was called. He pushed through the students, looking at Professor McGonagall with a look of pure terror as she motioned for him to sit. He turned and sat on the stool, staring back at the wide eye'd crowd of students before his vision was covered by the hat.

"Ah, very interesting. I've never sorted anyone like you before. Very smart, studious. You would do good in Ravenclaw, but I don't think that's right. No, let's see. There's something about you, so it better be...GRYFFINDOR."

The hat was pulled off his head, and Remus slid off the stool, looking at the Professor before glancing out at the crowd. The Gryffindor table was clapping and waving him over, something they hadn't done for the Sirius boy. He hurried over, shaking hands with some of the students before he slunk down in the seat next to Sirius, trying to give him a smile that he hoped seemed friendly. He then turned to watch the rest of the students be sorted.

[Willa Robbins]

Hufflepuff Table

Willa sat under the hat, smiling patiently as she heard it murmuring and muttering in her head. Her feet swung lightly, toes brushing the dais in her new school shoes, as she waited for it to make a decision. She’d been watching this happen to her new classmates for ages it felt like, just waiting waiting waiting for it to be her turn! Some of the other kids had seemed confident, happy but unsurprised at their placements. Others had been nervous, anxiety written all over their young faces. Regardless, most had been met with applause from their new housemates, and although she still didn’t know where she would end up, she wasn’t finding this terribly stressful. There had been that one oddly familiar boy, the one who’d given her a smirk as he waited waited waited for the hat to sort him, who hadn’t been met with applause (well - besides that other new Gryffindor boy), and the silence had felt so strange before Professor McGonagall had called up the next student. She’d no clue what had caused that reaction, but figured she’d get a few claps, right?

Whatever House Willa was given, she’d make it a home. She was here, at Hogwarts - this was a school of magic, a place she’d be taught how to use her gifts. Sure, she would be missing her mother and father and sister sorely, but Danny was here and it would be so nice to be back with him! This was a new adventure - everything was new. The people the paintings the professors the castle the outdoors - there was no end of places to go, people to see! And Willa Robbins wanted to see it all.

Robbins, eh? Only the third of you I’ve sorted...father in Hufflepuff, brother in Ravenclaw...but you, what to do with you...good sense of rightness, loyalty - perhaps in Gryffindor -

The girl started to laugh.

Her brother complained ceaselessly about that house! They were loud, thoughtless - sure, from what she’d seen of them so far they seemed like a fun bunch, but she couldn’t possibly fit there!

No? No, you’re right - not looking to stand out, not so impetuous...and too kind a heart, team oriented. Better be - “HUFFLEPUFF!”

Professor McGonagall took the hat from her head, and as she stood to cheers from those in yellow-and-black Willa tightened her turquoise bow before excitedly dashing through the small group of students still to be sorted. She gave Johnny a wide grin as she passed him, and sat herself next to another newly sorted Hufflepuff at her new House table.

[Peter Pettigrew]

Peter fidgeted, tugging on his new school robes nervously. This had not been at all what he expected the sorting to be like. His parents had told him all about Hogwarts, had raved about it really, and Peter had been looking forward to going for more reasons than one. He wanted to prove to his parents that he was something, though what that was he didn’t know yet. He thought maybe he would find out here. He had been excited! And on the train, he had met the best two boys. They were funny and outgoing and they had accepted him. Him. Quiet, awkward, untalented Peter Pettigrew. And then they had met Remus and though the other boy seemed out of his element he was still a really cool dude. Peter thought they would get along well, seeing as they both didn’t have lots to say.

So he was excited about Hogwarts! He may have already made friends and the castle was magnificent, and… All that had quickly dissipated when they entered the Hall, really when that woman had addressed them outside the doors. Now he was terrified. What if he was put in Hufflepuff? His parents would be so disappointed. Or what if he was separated from James, and Sirius, and Remus? He didn’t think he would be as lucky to find more people to befriend him so easily. He watched as the hat stalled on Sirius, feeling bad for the boy, no one clapped for him. Except for Peter, his small hands came together automatically; happy Sirius had gotten into the house he wanted. Not too long later Remus was up and he too was sorted into Gryffindor, and Peter’s anxiety grew. What if he got put in Slytherin?

He didn’t have too long to think on it because before he could sort his thoughts out…”Pettigrew, Peter!” The boy yanked at his robes and tears welled in his eyes. What if the hat told him he was ridiculous and refused to place him in a house? He put the thing on his head anyway and it slipped low covering his eyes. In here it was easy to pretend a whole school was not watching him. Then a voice echoed in his head. “Ah Pettigrew you say!” Peter jumped and there was a smattering of laughter beyond the cloth barrier, more tears threatened to spill over. “Both parents in Ravenclaw, yes I remember them, brilliant minds. But you, you… you don’t belong there. Perhaps Hufflepuff…”

‘No!’ Peter shouted in his mind, his parents would disown him. “No? No I suppose not, too expectant you are…” Peter began to chant in his head, ignoring the ragged hat. ‘I want to be with my friends, I want to be with my friends, I want to be with my friends.’ The hat chuckled.“Very well then.” “GRYFFINDOR!” He could barely believe it, he was so shocked he sat a moment too long on the stool and blinked owlishly when McGonagall snatched the hat from his head with a stern look. He smiled brilliantly, running off to his table, who thankfully gave some claps. He sat next to Remus happily, smiling across at Sirius. “Now we just need James!”

[James Potter]

Gryffindor Table

"Potter, James."

This was it. He'd been watching as his new friends got put into Gryffindor - although it'd taken ages for Sirius to be sorted, probably because of his family all having been in Slytherin, and James had given a whoop at him being put in Gryffindor - and it was now his turn. James knew exactly where he was going, no question in his mind. Sure, his mum had been in Slytherin, and his mum was awesome. But his dad had been in Gryffindor - and given the choice between hissing or roaring, was that really even a choice? Godric was famous for his skills in battle with not only magic but with a sword too - and he had prized bravery and heroism and everything that the young Potter wanted to be. It would be a cut to the gut to not be put there, to not be seen as having those qualities within him.

But James wasn't worried.

He grinned, jumping up the steps and eagerly sitting on the stool. His view of the room was soon stopped as the hat slipped over his eyes, but he was still beaming. All the hat had to do was yell out his true House, and then he could join up with the boys, and their adventure could really begin. Sure, this was "school" - but they were just learning cool stuff about magic with other magical kids, not math and other boring things, and there was Quidditch. He was going to play for his House - he already knew so much from Mum that the thought of not playing hadn't crossed the optimist's mind.

This was all just going to be awesome.

A mind for strategy, highly ambitious - but too impetuous for Slytherin...

    Slytherin? You're kidding, right?

Not so, Mr. Potter. Your mother did very well there, after all...it too could help you on your way to greatness.

    Chuffed you know I'm only going up - but it's not going to be with them.

You do speak what you believe, Mr. Potter. For this and your internal fire, you'd fit best in - "GRYFFINDOR!"

Back to beaming, James sprinted to the table as soon as his new Head of House took the hat off of him, hoping that the decision had been quick enough that no one would question if the hat had thought about anywhere other than Gryffindor for him. He slid into the seat next to Sirius, clapping him on the shoulder as he grinned at the three of them. "We did it! This is just the start, fellas, believe me," he said, laughing in his excitement.

[Admin]

Dorcas twisted her fingers around the necklace her father had given her just before she stepped foot on the Hogwart’s Express for the first time. Her other hand held tightly onto Meredith’s. They had managed to make it to the castle in one piece, but now the young girl was stricken with fear. What if she didn’t get into Ravenclaw like her father? Slytherin didn’t seem such an attractive choice now that she had seen the other boys and girls who were being sorted there. Anastasia Meadowes thought it was one of the greatest houses alive, but if Dorcas was really honest with herself, she had never thought about herself having the qualities of those in the famous house of green.

Green doesn’t look good on me anyway, she thought, giving Meri’s hand a squeeze. Blue and red were definitely better suited to their refined Pureblood looks.

Ever since the tomfoolery that was Sirius Black’s sorting, things had been progressing quickly, and it wasn’t a whole lot later that the Professor was calling out her name, expecting her to walk up and take a place on the wooden stool. She exchanged a look with her best friend before starting her way to the front. She refused to lower her head and make it seem like she was nervous. A Ravenclaw was a proud sort of person weren’t they? She could pull this off, she knew she could. Despite how ready she told herself she was though, the girl would be lying if she said that she remembered anything up until the time the sorting hat spoke for the first time.

“Meadowes…a Pureblood are we? Such an interesting mind for someone so pure…”

I want to be in Ravenclaw. I want to be in Ravenclaw.

“Yes, you have a love for books and there’s so much pride involved with your work. A house like Hufflepuff could teach you many things…”

Ravenclaw.

“My, my, a stubborn one, aren’t you? I have the perfect place for you – GRYFFINDOR!”

Doe’s mouth dropped open as her new house was announced. Gryffindor? The hat was taken off of her head and she slowly made her way to the hooting and hollering table. She strained her neck, trying to find Meri in the crowd of left over students, but it was to no end. She didn’t know how she should feel. How would her parents react? She’d done no research on Gryffindor because she hadn’t believed there was the slightest possibility that she would end up here.

She sat herself down next to Black and a redheaded girl she had seen be sorted a little while before her, but she didn’t dare to speak to them. She was far too busy listening as ‘Mulciber, Meredith’ was called out. Her best friend took the stage and Dorcas prayed to Merlin that at the very least the two of them would end up together.

“SLYTHERIN!”

That quick thought had clearly not had enough energy behind it to work.

The blonde jumped off the stool and ran over to her new table, and Doe frowned. She already knew how her mother would react to this news. A loud remark came from the other side of Sirius Black and she peered around him to get a glimpse of the excited boy with glasses. Dorcas made eye contact with the rest of the boys he had been addressing. “Do all of you know each other already?” She asked, her curiosity overwhelming her.

She knew of Sirius through her parents and even then, she only knew him to be ‘rebellious’ and ‘to stay away’. That will be tough, now that you’re sharing a house with him. The point remained though, if she knew of Sirius, then she should also know the people he spent his time with, but she was at a loss. “I’m Dorcas.”

[Ethan Vanderhyde]

Slytherin Table

"Vanderhyde, Ethan!"

Like Mother or like Father, now you'll know for sure.

The young boy, one of the last to be sorted, walked with purpose to the stool, setting his eyes on the Slytherin Table before the hat dropped over them. Utterly undignified, wasn't it? The whole thing? This bloody hat that was obviously made for an adult, not children - he'd been watching for ages as, one-by-one, nearly without fail, his new classmates disappeared under it. Mouths twitching with anxiety or joy or other unfathomable emotions were all that could be seen besides nervously twiddling thumbs, swinging feet. Besides the hat and stool making them all seem smaller than they really were, they had to go through this process under the eyes of the entire school. Naturally by this point the majority were bored, as he would've been if he hadn't still been waiting to have his turn, so few were still paying attention. But it was still awkward to have strangers witness to this, the most important event in his young life, and he had no control over it.

Control, Mr. Vanderhyde?

Ethan gave a start as the hat spoke to him, in his head, and did his best to quickly recover his composure. It was just a hat. Yes, he thought peevishly. I don't think it unusual to want control over something as important as this. As his father had explained in great detail, one's House determined much. The Hufflepuffs - useless. The Gryffindors - thoughtless. The Ravenclaws - with a look up to the ceiling, where through the boards Anthea was keeping herself busy - interesting.

But the Slytherins - worthy.

If he were to write home admitting that he'd been sorted anywhere but Slytherin, Ethan didn't want to know the consequence. So it was with more than a little stress that he had a mental back-and-forth with the apparently sentient thing.

So it's less "control" than "security," wouldn't you say?

If you feel like getting into semantics.

My job is reading into semantics, young man. But I won't bother you any longer, it's quite obvious where you belong. Like father, like son.

Ethan's spine straightened at that, for although his father was a harsh man, he was self-made - he had come up from nothing, helped to greatness through the connections he'd made in the House, the skills he had honed there. And here Ethan was - coming from much more than nothing, with his mother's prophecy already foretelling his greatness.

There would be no limits for him, that was now certain.

"SLYTHERIN!"

[Deleted]

Marlene McKinnon was nervous.

She looked around the Great Hall taking in all the people in it. All the adults that were placed at the table in front of them. To her left and right students, all older than her. She took a few deep breaths as she tried to calm herself. She grabbed the end of her skirt, twisting it between her fingers, as she watched a boy by the name of Remus Lupin get sorted into Gryffindor. Her nerves were getting to her as she waited.

“McKinnon, Marlene!” She felt her breath catch. She took a few hasty steps forward, before slowing down to a more natural pace. She stepped up to the stool, and sat down. She watched as her vision disappeared behind the fabric of the old hat. Having watched it speak she wasn’t surprised when she heard it.

Ahhhh a McKinnon. I remember your parents. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, if my memory serves me correctly.

Can they hear you?

No, no, child, this is all between us.

Good. I don't want people hearing us.

It seems you take after your mother. Brash when you need to be. I think I know just where to put you.

Marlene smiled a little at being compared to her mother. She loved her mother, and found what she did fascinating. She actually wanted to take after her mother after she left Hogwarts. Just as she was thinking about that the hat yelled out.

“Gryffindor!” The hat was removed from her head and she hopped down off the stool. She saw, and heard, applause coming from one of the tables. She grinned broadly as she ran over to the towards the applauding students. She looked over at the table, trying to decide quickly as to where to sit. She spotted her friend Sirius sitting next to a few people.

Deciding to join people she already knew she sat herself across from her friend and gave him a smile. This all felt so surreal, actually being here. And Sirius being in Gryffindor with her? Even better! She’d always known he was different from the rest of his family, and that was clear to everyone else now, she supposed. She couldn't keep herself from saying something, she was excited.

"We did it!"

[Deleted]

He was a bit pissed off to see everyone clapping for the Lupin kid when they had just done nothing for him. Just because his parents and his cousins and his aunts and uncles had never been placed in a house other than Slytherin was no reason for all of this stupidity. All the same, Sirius gave Lupin a smirk - his parent had always said to keep his friends close and his enemies closer, and whichever one the bloke next to him turned out to be, he would be ready.

The new Gryffindor's interest was piqued when he heard a very familiar name being called out though - "McKinnon, Marlene."

They'd grown up together, and he knew that one day they were supposed to be getting married to tie their families together too, but she was much more than an arranged marriage to him. She was his friend. He'd always thought that she would end up in Ravenclaw like her dad - it was a really respectable house, and she was smart enough to fit in there but - What are the bloody odds?!

Now she was in Gryffindor too? A lot easier on her end of it, as she was still taking after one of her parents, at least she would make this experience, of being sorted into a house that so unlike himself, a little bit better. Soon she was sitting across from him and she grinned at her. "I reckon I'll be out before tomorrow morning." He teased at her excitement.

Students hopped on and off of the stool, being sorted into every house at random intervals, and a couple people he recognized from various Ministry parties went over to the Slytherin table. He didn't really care that he had broken a family tradition, he just didn't want to have to put up with the howlers his Mum and Dad were sure to send him. But he was so intent on watching the sorting that he completely missed that Dorcas Meadowes was now sitting next to him. Fancy that, he thought, her parents aren't in Gryffindor either.

Not too much longer after Loony Lupin had sat down, the other bloke from their boat was being sorted and what did you know? He was soon rushing over to the Gryffindor table amongst a ton of applause. Sirius gave him a slightly mocking thumbs up when he leaned over the half-blood and spoke about the last in their boat, but not in such a way that little Pettigrew would actually pick up on his annoyance. He didn't mean to be acting like a git, not really, after all James and Pete had both clapped a bunch for him despite the awkward silence that surrounded them. He was just sore that - for the first time probably ever - he was the one not being accepted by a new group of people. He was a Black, and had never faced that problem before now.

He didn't even want to know what his parents would think of this when they found out.

Sirius didn't have a long time to think on anything though - James was being called up to be sorted. If all went just like they'd talked about on the train, the he'd be joining them at the Gryffindor table, and knowing what he did know about the other bloke, he was pretty damn certain he'd get what he wanted. Seemed to be his way. When James had inevitably joined their group - and separated him from Dorcas by sitting in between them - he smiled genuinely. Nothing against good ol' Doe, as someone had once called her in front of him, but James was just so much more interesting.

But before too long, Dorcas was getting involved in the conversation and he decided to just answer her, "Nah - we all met today." After he spoke, he left it to the others to respond and looked away - back towards to the sorting.

The girl with the bow from before went on up to the stool and sat herself down, actually shaking with laughter - what's her story? He wondered vaguely before watching her run off the stage and sit down at the Hufflepuff table.

[Remus Lupin]

The whole sorting process was fascinating, and Remus clapped as Peter Pettigrew joined their table. He smiled at the boy when he sat next to him, although Sirius was seeming to be less than amused with the two of them. He shifted uncomfortably at the exchange, glad that James had joined them and was so incredibly upbeat. He leaned forward to look around James as a girl started speaking and introduced herself as Dorcas.

"Sirius is right, we met on the train. I'm Remus, by the way. Remus Lupin," he answered cheerfully. His parents had told him to be careful about making friends, given his condition. But the girl seemed sweet, and since she was a girl it wasn't like she would notice when he was absent from his dorm. Which meant having friends that were girls was probably a safer bet. Still, the guys he had met on the train seemed nice.

At least, two of them did. Sirius seemed to be bit miffed, and Remus couldn't possibly fathom why. He knew very little about the boy, other than the fact he was from a very wealthy pureblood family. But that was the extent of his knowledge, his seeing he hadn't exactly been going to pureblood related ministry events his whole life. Not that he had admitted to any of them that his mother was a muggle, but he hardly thought it mattered.He shrugged Sirius behavior off, however, and returned to watching the sorting as the others at the table exchanged words. 

[Meredith Mulciber]

The train ride had been everything her parents had told her about! She and Doe had sat together the whole way and they had chatted about Hogwarts and home. Meredith missed her parents a great deal, especially her mother, but being who she was she hide it very well. Mostly by spouting off inane facts she had learned about the school, or snapping at that Crane girl to stop babbling so much. She had showed up just after the trolley and had not left them alone. Luckily she was able to tug Doe away after the boats and they stood in queue to be sorted now without the pesky girl. "Here we go." Meredith said quietly to her friend as the sorting got underway.

Doe was fiddling with her necklace and Meredith found herself biting her lip anxiously, and when her best friend squeezed a little tighter Mere reached over with her other hand to reassure her. It wouldn’t be long, there was no need to be worried. Then in a flash filled with impatience Dorcas Meadows was up and all the blonde got was one last glance from her friend before her whole world shifted on its axis. Gryffindor! Meredith was never going to be sorted into Gryffindor, she just knew it! She didn’t want to be there; her parents would kill her for one, and for two most of them looked like common folk. They were supposed to be in Ravenclaw together! Then it was her turn and the girl stiffened her spine, marched up to the stool, and took her seat with her nose in the air, as if this was all below her. She gave the hat a little flick before placed it on her head, crossing her legs and folding her hands in her lap as the ancient piece of ragged cloth fell over her eyes.  

A love of learning I see, all those books to have read already!

I like to read, very astute. Meredith said in her mind, feeling waspish. 

“SLYTHERIN!” 

She all but ran to her table to join her new house, but she couldn’t help her glances to the Gyffindor table. She didn’t want to be there, Doe shouldn’t be there. This was not how it was supposed to go, the plan was they both become birds like Dorcas’ parents. Her parents would have been fine with that, they valued intellect a great deal even if they were both snakes, like she was now. She couldn’t help but be excited, and clapped along with the rest when Ethan Vanderhyde joined them. Though now she and her best friend were in opposing houses and that fact put a damper on her overall good mood. The Slytherin, Gryffindor rivalry ran deep, all the way back to the Founders; it would be a beast to overcome. Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe there was such a thing as a re-sorting, maybe Doe could get another chance to get it right. She vowed it would be the first thing she looked up when she found the library.  

[Deleted]

Guinevere bounced up the steps when her name was called, not at all nervous to be one of the first to sit upon the stool and be sorted. The small girl popped her lollypop in her mouth and put the old hat on. Her mother had told her all about Hogwarts and the sorting. So she wasn’t surprised when a voice spoke in her head, she even found it a little exciting and gave a giggle.

I have not seen such a vivacious mind in a very long time.

Thank you! You're really cool too!

The hat gave a hearty laugh that echoed in her head and the dark haired girl smiled around her lolly.

I see many great qualities in you young lady, the question is where to place you… Hufflepuff would serve you well; you would make many a friends there.

All Guin could think was that she did not look very good in yellow. The hat chuckled and the voice took on a reflective tone.

I suppose not. Defiantly not Slytherin either.

Defiantly not.

And not studious enough for Ravenclaw…

Before Guin could respond the hat had shouted…

“GRYFFINDOR!”

Guinevere shouted her excitement, her mother would be so proud of her! She hopped of the stool with the hat still on, did a little gig and then placed it on the stool she had just moments ago been sorted into Gryffindor on.

“Thank you very much Mr. Hat. We should chat again soon.” 

Guin made her way to her new house table amongst many applause and laughs; she hugged all the nearest people, including that Sirius Black bloke she sat next to who apparently had a very controversial sorting. She wasn’t quite sure why just yet but she would figure it out, it would be gossip as early as tonight she guessed. “I’m so excited!” she said to the dark haired boy. “My mother was in Gryffindor, what about you, were your parents in Gryffindor?” she asked, playing with her candy, she was reluctant to eat it. Then it would be gone.

So she played with it while the sorting went on, cheering when someone was sorted into her house and when Dorcas Meadows was sorted into Gryffindor, Guin stood and cheered as loud as she could. She had met Dorcas on the train along with Meredith and she had hoped they both made it into Gryffindor with her. And now the other dark haired girl had! Mere didn’t seem very friendly in the least, but Guin had a way of growing on people she was aware of. She was still young she knew, but she had always been very vibrant in all ways and some people were put off by her extroverted ways. Dorcas though, she felt could handle having her as a friend.

[Peter Pettigrew]

One thing Peter really enjoyed in life was instant gratification. And no sooner had he thought it, then James was joining them! The boy was far too excited to do anything but grin broadly. He looked up and down their table. Just in the immediate vicinity, there were a number of girls. He wasn’t quite sure about girls, they were pretty weird still, but he figured he would commit them all to memory.

 After all these were the people in his year, they would be together for the next seven years. He was also taking note of the other people being sorted, some were very expected. He was happy he didn't have to socialize with that other sort that liked to make fun of him on the rare occasion he had to see them. Still, in seven years they would all be graduating together.

Maybe more if one of them failed, were too stupid, like him. ‘What if I fail?’ Peter paled. Oh Merlin help him if he fell short in yet another thing. At least he would have friends if his parents turned him out. He had heard from his parents that James parents were not the most popular in the pureblood society. This meant they had to be nice people, because all the purebloods he had meet including his parents were horrid. Perhaps they would take him in. James took him out of his funk quickly, exclaiming that this was just the beginning. “Right, this is going to be so cool! We get to do whatever we want now!”

[James Potter]

James couldn't stop smiling. He all at once wanted to get to know his new friends and housemates better, figure out what dinner was, and write home to let his parents know the news. While they'd been supportive - We hope you get the House you want...make new friends...learn loads...no, don't bring your broom.. (whoops) - and he knew that they knew as well as he did that he'd get Gryffindor and land in with a bunch of fantastic other kids, he still had to tell them as soon as he could about this adventure so far. He'd met a grand group of blokes on the train, and now they were in the same House? They were roommates? James could flip out completely just about that! He was going from being the only kid in his house to living with other kids who could become his very best friends, and honestly - the only thing he could complain about, weakly, was wanting the Sorting to continue more quickly so they could get to dinner. All of this excitement was making him hungry for his first Hogwarts meal!

There was a growing gaggle of first years around his part of the table, and James could hardly keep up with all of the introductions. He'd have to get everyone's names down soon, but would be forgiven for forgetting tonight, right? Some of the kids seemed to know each other, but having been kept out of "society" for the most part, he got to start fresh right now. "Hiya," he said to the girls, giving them a smile in greeting, "James, James Potter. My Dad was in Gryffindor," he said to one of the brunette's question, "but Mum was in Slytherin. Figured I'd be here though." His proud smile was telling, and he leaned over towards Peter. "You're right, yeah we can - what should we all do tonight?"

(ooc: August of 2015. wow, sorry ya'll, my bad)

[Admin]

Dorcas looked over to the students that hadn't been sorted yet and gave Ethan a smile of encouragement. He had told her that he wanted to be in Slytherin, and she supposed there was some solace in the fact that her two best friends would have each other to hang out with in their new common room - But where does that leave you if they have each other and you have no one? She knew, of course, that she could make new friends, but there was no way anyone was ever going to mean more to her than Meri and Ethan. They understood her in a way that no one else could...she would just need to organize a time for them to spend some time together away from their separate houses, that's all.

The Gryffindor table seemed to being getting busier by the minute, and she smiled as Marlene McKinnon joined them all. They hadn't spent too much time together growing up, but the other girl was definitely a friendly face compared to some of the other people at the table. Had the blonde girl been hoping for Gryffindor? Doe tucked that bit of information away to share with Meri later on, how droll would that be to tell her? She put down the voice inside her mind that told her she was now also a lion, and would be making fun of herself. Maybe there was a way to get switiched to Ravenclaw somehow.

To say that Sirius looked like he would rather be somewhere else was an understatement. Maybe he was someone she could seek out later to speak with about going to Dumbledore about their house assignment. She was sure that if she had one more shot with the sorting hat, she could convince it to see things her way. She smiled in greeting to Lupin, a name she had heard in the past, but couldn't place where. A newspaper clipping of some sort, possibly...? The young girl took hold of her necklace underneath her robes, hoping it would bring comfort to her when she was in such deep waters. Why couldn't she have just been in a different house? Even Slytherin would be better than where she was now, she thought, as she looked over to the Snake's table and saw her oldest friends laughing together. Trying to distract herself, Doe looked across the table to the Crane girl from the train, "Have you heard much about what food they serve here?" It wasn't her best attempt at conversation, to be sure, but her tummy was rumbling after all of the excitement.