Dahlia slid the Sorting Hat over her head.

Hmm. Interesting. You have much potential. Really, I haven't seen someone this talented since Dumbledore or Voldemort...

I see you have much courage. You would make an excellent Gryffindor.

You could be in Hufflepuff... But I see that you want to be something more.

You could be a great Slytherin, honestly. I am amazed by your wit and cunning. But this might not be the wisest choice.

Ravenclaw is the best for you. Or Gryffindor. Dear me, child, you might make me split a seam!

"Ravenclaw!" the hat roared. Blushing at the sudden round of applause, Dahlia headed for the Ravenclaw table, sitting down next to a skinny blonde girl with freckles.

"Hi!" the girl said. "My name's Eliza! What's yours?" The girl paused, then laughed. "Oh, wait; your name's Dahlia. You were just sorted. Silly me." Eliza blushed.

"So, are you glad that you were sorted into Ravenclaw? It's an awesome house."

"Yeah; I was worried I would be sorted into Slytherin. I mean look at them over there. They look really mad," Dahlia said, gesturing towards the Slytherin house table. They glared menacingly at the Sorting Hat. One of them held up a pair of sewing scissors .

"Oh, they're just are jealous that Gryffindor got more new members than them."

"Oh. I see." Dahlia began listening to Eliza as she told her about Quidditch.

"What is Quidditch?" Dahlia asked, shoving her mouth full of roast beef. "Mmm," she sighed.

"So you have three chasers on each team. They have a big red ball called a quaffel that they have to throw through the other team's goals. Then the teams have two keepers, who keep the chasers from scoring with the quaffle." Eliza took a quick break to take a bite of mashed potatoes. "Yummy!" she chirped, then continued.

"There are two beaters who fly all around on broomsticks-"

Dahlia interrupted her. "Wait; broomsticks?"

Eliza just nodded and kept chatting. "So anyhow, their are two balls called bludgers. The bludgers move on their own, just like the snitch."

"Is the Snitch some commentator or something?" Dahlia asked.

"No; it's a tiny golden ball with wings. Whoever catches it gets a bunch of points and the game is over. Whoever has the most points wins."

"Sounds interesting."

Eliza grinned. "It is. You're a first year, so you have wait to be on the Quidditch team, but I'm a third year, so I'm permitted to be on the team. I'm the best chaser these guys have got."

All the kids surrounding them nodded. A boy with dark brown hair added,"And she can hit a bludger pretty hard too."

"That was only one time, Rob. Maybe next time you shouldn't chuck balls at my face," Eliza said, rolling her eyes. "Honestly."

Dahlia grinned and finished her dinner. She waited for dessert to come, thinking to herself how glad she was to be a Ravenclaw. But she had no idea what would be waiting for her when she got to the Ravenclaw Common Room.