"Welcome to Hogwarts." An old witch in green robes stood before tall intricate doors, a scroll in her hands. The students who were chatting before immediately quieted down at the sound of her voice, but (Y/N) could not bring herself to pay attention. The halls were beautiful and big, and in the swarm of students (Y/N) felt uncharacteristically small, but she was excited to see which of them she would be getting to know.

"In a few moments," Said the woman. "You'll pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin."

(Y/N) and Draco shared a knowing look. They were certain which house they'd be put in.

"While you are here, your house will be like your family." She continued. "Your triumphs will earn you house points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be rewarded the house cup."

(Y/N) felt something heavy on top of her foot and she looked down, picking up her robe just slightly to see what it could be. There, just atop her big toe, was a slimy, fat toad, sitting calmly as if that was where he should be. She was never fond of toads, so she hurriedly brushed it off with a squeal and roughly backed into Draco.

"Hey!" He shouted, but the toad hopped across his feet, too, and he yelled in fright and hurried around (Y/N) so she might protect him, but she could offer him nothing.

"Trevor!" A boy with brown hair broke through the wall of students. He picked up his toad gently, apologetically looking between the students and the stern woman at the top of the stairs. She eyed him carefully as he backed into his place.

"Sorry." He muttered.

(Y/N) brushed off her robes as Draco simply scoffed and looked the other way. One thing was for certain, (Y/N)'s start at Hogwarts was certainly interesting.

"The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily."

The woman turned around and walked into the room behind the two closed doors. (Y/N) craned her neck to see inside, but all she could see were groups of older kids sat close together at tables. It was quite underwhelming from everything she expected to see. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Harry shuffling around. She turned, smiling brightly at him.

"Aren't you excited?" She bounded over to him. (Y/N) couldn't even let him answer before she was asking more questions. "What house do you think you'll be in? I hope I'm in Slytherin. Everyone in my family has been in Slytherin for decades."

Ron Weasley, who (Y/N) hardly noticed standing beside Harry, crinkled his long nose and scrunched his eyebrows together. "Not exactly something to brag about." He muttered.

(Y/N) narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you implying?"

"Nothing," Ron shrugged.

She was no idiot; she knew the rumors associated with Slytherin House of evilness and cruelty. But she knew her family was different, and she would be, too.

Before (Y/N) could say a word to Ron Weasley, Draco made his way over to the trio. He smiled smugly, as if he knew he was about to get his way. "So it's true then, what they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts."

Students began whispering amongst themselves. All of them were eager to pay attention to their conversation now that they were aware there was a celebrity in their wake.

Draco nodded at the two boys behind him. "That's Crabbe and Goyle. This is (Y/N). And I'm Malfoy." He gave a cocky half smile, and (Y/N) rolled her eyes. "Draco Malfoy."

(Y/N) almost pointed out that she and Harry needed no introduction, but she knew doing so would only embarrass Draco when we was trying to make an impression. While she would typically do such a thing, this connection was a very important one to make.

Ron Weasley snickered quietly. (Y/N) knew her godfamily did not have the best reputation because of their old fashioned views, but she didn't much appreciate Ron laughing at the family name. She crossed her arms defiantly. "What's so funny?"

"Don't be so upset, (Y/N)," Draco said. "It doesn't matter what he thinks. Red hair and a hand-me-down robe? He must be a Weasley."

(Y/N) did not like Ron laughing at her, but she didn't like Draco making fun of him, either. She didn't find it a very potent way to make friends, and it was just downright rude.

"You'll soon find that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. Don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort." Draco outstretched his hand and smiled as politely as he could. "I can help you there."

Harry met (Y/N)'s gaze and she smiled cheerfully at him. He moved his eyes to Crabbe, then Goyle, and then finally, back to Draco. He didn't seem impressed with the lot of them. "I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks."

These weren't children accustomed to not getting what they were after. Typically, children were too afraid of them to say no. Draco, finding making new friends would be harder than dropping a name, glared at Harry, appalled that he would ever turn him down. (Y/N) felt disappointed as well, but was better at hiding her dismay than her counterpart.

She was about to apologize for Draco's behavior when the old witch came back from the room. She tapped Draco on the shoulder with a rolled up piece of parchment. With one last glare, Draco backed off. (Y/N) retreated with him, not entirely fond of how her year was starting out. At least, she told herself, she'd have him.

"We're ready for you, now," she said, turning on her heel. "Follow me."

(Y/N) and the other students filed into the great hall. As she looked around, the young student forgot all about the incident with Harry just moments before. Candles floated near the ceiling enchanted to look like the night sky. Four long tables lined the room where all the older students sat, and at the very front there was a table for the professors. The plates were silver with bronze goblets sparkling against the mahogany tables. The Great Hall was everything (Y/N) dreamed it would be, and it made her even more eager to get a glimpse of her classrooms, dormitories, and common room.

(Y/N) ran into Crabbe when he came to a sudden stop. She glared daggers into the back of his head, silently cursing him for not being more aware of his surroundings. The woman introduced the headmaster, an old wizard with a long silver beard. (Y/N) knew him as Albus Dumbledore. She'd never heard anything particularly good about him at home, but as (Y/N) looked at his half-moon glasses, she thought the elderly wizard looked nice. His kind blue eyes fell on her, and he smiled. It was nice to finally see a friendly face.

"I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce." Dumbledore said. "The first years please note that the dark forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch," He pointed to a raggedy old man holding a cat with beady red eyes. "has asked me to remind you that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you." He took his seat and waited for McGonagall to continue. (Y/N) was a bit jarred that they passed along like he hadn't mentioned certain doom in their school.

"When I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses." She unraveled her scroll of parchment and read the first name on the list. "Hermione Granger."

A girl with frizzy brown hair pushed past (Y/N) and hurriedly took her seat on the stool. She was beaming with delight and looked a little more than pleased that she got to go first out of everyone. The witch placed the hat on her head and then–

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table erupted in rambunctious cheers. Hermione hurriedly hopped off of the stool and took a seat at the table.

"Draco Malfoy,"

(Y/N) gave Draco a nod of encouragement before he ventured forward. The hat barely touched his head before it decided his house.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Draco smiled proudly and walked to the Slytherin table. (Y/N) gave him a thumbs up as he sat.

"Susan Bones,"

A ginger girl approached the stool, the hat touched her head, and then the hat yelled, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Ronald Weasley,"

Ron was slow to approach the stool. (Y/N) wanted to tell him to hurry up; she was dying to know which house she'd be put in, but she was able to keep herself quiet.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

(Y/N) saw him sigh in relief as he walked over to the cheering table, taking a seat next to one of his brothers.

"Harry Potter,"

The Great Hall fell silent at once and everyone watched with piqued interest. Everyone leaned forward, hoping they would be able to have Harry Potter in their own house. After all, he was a legend among them, to share a house with Harry Potter would be quite a story to tell for years to come.

Despite their rocky beginning, (Y/N) hoped that Harry would end up in Slytherin with her and Draco. She was sure that after a while, he would come around and realize she really wasn't a bad person. Then, after a while longer, he'd warm up to Draco, too.

She began to grow impatient. Harry was on the stool for longer than any student that night. She wished the hat would hurry up and make it's decision.

His eyes met hers, and (Y/N) was brave enough to venture a reassuring smile. Harry smiled, too, and (Y/N) began to think that perhaps not all hopes were lost. Then, she saw Harry's lips moving, and for a brief moment, she thought he was saying something to her, but his voice was much too quiet for her to hear. Was he talking to the hat?

And then, through the silence came the deafening roar of "GRYFFINDOR!" and the students at the table cheered with all their might. Harry beamed and he hopped down from his seat, looking more than relieved.

"Quiet down, everyone." The witch said sternly. She waited until the cheers subsided to call the next name. "(Y/N) (L/N),"

(Y/N) took a deep breath and then took her place on the stool. The hat was placed on top of her head, and it slipped over her eyes, covering her in complete darkness.

"Oh..." Said a small voice in her ear. "Oh my... So you're the one they warned me about."

"Me?" (Y/N) knew she would look incredibly foolish talking to a hat, of all things, but she couldn't stop the question from parting her lips. "What about me?"

"I take my job very seriously," The hat payed her no attention, and (Y/N) grew annoyed with it. "A sorting is no game, Miss (L/N)... If I had my way..."

The hat's riddles were doing nothing to ease (Y/N)'s nerves. Just put me in Slytherin, she thought. Please, just put me in Slytherin.

"I wish it were that easy," Said the hat. "I'm sorry to disappoint, but there are other decisions at hand, Miss (Y/N)... That being said—GRYFFINDOR!"

(Y/N) felt her blood run cold and all the air left her lungs at once. She how much trouble she would be in once word got out she wasn't in Slytherin. (Y/N) began to worry Lucius might not even want to care for her anymore and she'd be put out on the streets. The hat was lifted off of her eyes and she felt them begin to water. She was unsure if it was because of the sudden brightness she was faced with, or because of her despair.

She'd dreamed of being in Slytherin for years. The (L/N) family had a proud lineage, from what she was told, and being in Slytherin was what made a (L/N) a (L/N). It was all she had to be close to her real mother and father.

It wasn't until the professor gave her a light push off the stool that (Y/N) came to her senses. The Gryffindor table was clapping politely for their new arrival. She glanced at Draco, who was nearly standing. He looked like he was about to protest, but there was nothing he could say.

"Go take your seat." The witch instructed, nudging (Y/N) along.

She obeyed, and walked down the steps to the next open seat, which was right beside one of the Weasley twins. He gave a half-hearted smile and welcomed her to her new home, but he sounded more confused than excited for her. He was quick move on to watch the rest of the ceremony. She couldn't bear the rest of it, and simply sat with her head in her hands until it was over.

After everyone was sorted, the feast began. The food was delicious, yet (Y/N) didn't enjoy it as much as she hoped. She felt like sobbing, and it took just about everything in her to keep it together.

When dinner was finished, the students were directed to their houses by the prefects. Gryffindor's prefect was Percy Weasley. He reminded the students to keep up quite frequently and told them only once to keep an eye on the staircases. (Y/N) was quick to realize they were the furthest thing from stationary and had a knack for turning in different directions.

The pictures on the walls were moving, something (Y/N) was accustomed to. The strange thing was, they were all smiling at her. The ones at Malfoy Manor were stern and proper, and had no time to be kind to her. The portraits at Hogwarts were a welcomed change; they greeted her warmly, one even tipped his hat at her. She curtsied quickly before a kid behind her told her to hurry up.

Soon, the new Gryffindor students arrived at a large painting of a woman wearing a pink dress. She wasn't moving at all, and (Y/N) found her absence of movement to be a little strange, if not creepy. Then, finally, she showed signs of life and smiled.

"Password?" She asked.

"Caput Draconis."

The woman nodded, and the painting moved aside to reveal a door. Without any hesitation, Percy Weasley walked in, reminding the first years behind him to keep up once more.

When all the other children stopped, so did (Y/N). She looked around in awe at the room around her. There was a fireplace surrounded by a couch and chairs. The walls were red with designs crafted by only the finest magic. Pictures of people (Y/N) had never seen before decorated the wall. There were chess tables, study areas, and a fireplace to keep warm late at night. (Y/N) noticed two separate staircases through a doorway on the other side of the room.

"Welcome," Said Percy. "To the Gryffindor Common Room. Boys' dormitories, upstairs and down to your left. Girls, the same on your right. You'll find that your belongings have already been brought up."

(Y/N) followed the other girls upstairs and to the right, where she quickly found her room and her belongings. The room wasn't small, about the same size as hers, but it was meant for many more girls than just one. There were multiple twin sized beds spaced around the circumference of the room. On the chairs next to the beds sat a neatly folded uniform for each of the girls. She assumed the rest were stored safely in the chests at the ends of the beds.

Her bed was on the right, in between the one next to the door and the one right across from the door. She sat there quietly, unsure of who she would be rooming with and if the girls would even like her. Now that she thought about it, the cheers from the Gryffindor table when she was placed were much quieter than everyone else's. Maybe it was because Harry was placed before her, and the roar of the crowd seemed significantly greater for him than her. But that didn't excuse how the Weasley boy was so quick to dismiss her.

In the Wizarding world, names were everything. Could it be that they knew (L/N)'s were meant to be Slytherins, too?

A girl plopped on the bed next to her's. (Y/N) glanced at her and recognized her as Hermione Granger, the first one to be sorted. She didn't say anything, and she hoped Hermione wouldn't either. (Y/N) held the pendant on the necklace that she got just a few hours ago. The beautiful green emerald felt out of place in the Girls Gryffindor Dormitories.

After changing into her nightdress, (Y/N) crawled into bed. She played with the silk like fabric nervously, thinking about the next day. She could only hope her godparents wouldn't be upset. Maybe she'd be lucky and they wouldn't mind at all.

Soon, (Y/N) drifted off to sleep, dreaming about the year to come.