It was nighttime as the train pulled into the Hogsmeade station. Harry, Ron and [Y/N] had changed into their school robes and got out of the train carts. Hagrid, a large, hulking figure of a man, walked up to the train, holding a lantern. Students in black robes, either starting their first year, or ending their sixth year, poured out of the train.

"Right, then! First years! This way, please!" Hagrid shouted, directing the First Years towards him. "Come on, now, don't be shy! Come on now, hurry up!" Hagrid shouted. Harry, Ron and [Y/N] walked up to Hagrid. Hagrid smiled down at the dark haired boy.

"Hello, Harry." Hagrid greeted. Harry smiled up at the man.

"Hi, Hagrid." Harry greeted. [Y/N] and Ron stared up in shock at the man.

"Whoaa!" Ron exclaimed. Hagrid nodded.

"Right then. This way to the boats! Come on, now, follow me." Hagrid shouted. The First Years followed the man towards the boats. [Y/N] got into the boat with Hermione and a couple other First Year students. [Y/N] smiled in aw as the boats seemed to magically float across the Black Lake. The stories her mother had told here did no justice to really experiencing it.

A wile later, the first year students walk into the castle, and up the staircase. On a higher level, a witch in green robes and a black hat, Professor McGonagall, was waiting. She tapped her fingers on a stone railing, and then goes to the top of the stairs to greet the newcomers.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said in a commanding voice, making the first years fall silent. "Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin," Professor McGonagall explained. "Now while you're here, your house will be like your family. 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 is awarded the house cup," 

"Trevor!" A first year shouted. Nevil Longbottom, a first year, a little round in the cheeks, rushed up to the steps next to Professor McGonagall and gently picked up the toad. He looked up at the Professor, who had a disapproving look on her face. "Sorry." Nevil muttered, and he slowly backed away, embarrassed. Professor McGonagall looked out among the students again.

"The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily." She said, and left to go into the Great Hall.

"It's true then," a new voice spoke up. [Y/N] turned and looked at a boy with short, slicked back, platinum blonde hair, was smirking in Harry's direction. "What they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." The boy said. He didn't look very friendly. This caused the other students to whisper in shock at hearing Harry's name. The boy nodded to the two boys next to him. "This is Crabbe and Goyle," the boy introduced. The two other boys didn't look very friendly either. "And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." Malfoy introduced. This caused Ron to snicker at Malfoy's name. Malfoy glared at Ron. "Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask yours. Red hair, and a hand-me-down robe? You must be a Weasley." He turned his gaze to [Y/N]. "And you, [h/c] hair, [e/c] eyes, you must be a Scamander," Malfoy said. He turned to look at Harry again. "Well, you'll soon find that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter," he said, glaring at Ron and [Y/N]. "Don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." Malfoy said, extending his hand to Harry. [Y/N] tensed. This boy was definitely bad news. Harry looked down at Malfoy's hand then back up at his face.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks." Harry said. Malfoy's smile fell and he glared at Harry. Before he could say anything, McGonagall returned and tapped Malfoy on the shoulder with some parchment paper. Malfoy turned to look at her. She rose her eyebrows slightly. With one last glare to the trio, Malfoy walked back over to his friends. 

"We're ready for you now. Follow me." Professor McGonagall said, and lead the students into the Great Hall. She lead everyone through two large doors and into the Great Hall, where there were four long tables with thousands of students, as well as floating candles. [Y/N] looked around in aw at the sight before her. She looked up at the ceiling and smiled. The ceiling appeared to be the sky.

"It's not real, the ceiling. It's just bewitched to look like the night sky," Hermione, who was a few steps ahead of [Y/N], said. "I read about it in Hogwarts: A History." Hermione said. Real or not, it still looked amazing! McGonagall lead the first-years to the front. An old looking witch's hat sat on a stool at the front of steps. [Y/N] knew, from the stories her mother had told her, that the old looking hat was actually the Sorting Hat.

"Will you wait along here, please?" McGonagall requested. The students stopped before the first step. "Now, before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words." Professor McGonagall said, turning her attention to the Headmaster. Dumbledore stood up from his seat at the main table.

"I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce. The first years please note that the dark forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that the 3rd 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." Professor Dumbledore said, sitting back down. [Y/N]'s widened at what the Professor had said.

'Is mum sure that this place is actually safe?' [Y/N] thought to herself. McGonagall unrolled the parchment she had been holding in her hands.

"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." McGonagall said. She looked at the list and looked back at the students. "Hermione Granger." McGonagall called. [Y/N] looked at the brown haired girl. She saw Hermione's eyes widen slightly before composing herself. Hermione muttered something to herself before walking up to the stool. Ron leaned in to Harry and [Y/N].

"Mental that one, I'm telling you." Ron whispered. Harry nodded in agreement and turned his attention back to the Sorting Hat. [Y/N] rolled her eyes.

"Oh, come off it, Ron. She's just nervous." [Y/N] whispered back. Hermione sat on the stool and McGonagall placed the sorting hat on her head. Suddenly, the Sorting Hat came to life. Its fabric eyes narrowed and rose, trying to make a decision.

"Ah, right then, hmm, right. Okay...Gryffindor!!" The Sorting Hat shouted. [Y/N] smiled and clapped with the rest of the students. Hermione jumped off with a smile, walking over to the Gryffindor table. McGonagall looked at the list again.

"Draco Malfoy."

Draco sauntered up proudly. Before hat even touch Malfoy's head, the hat called out,

"SLYTHERIN!" The Sorting Hat shouted. The Slytherin table erupted into applause. Malfoy wore a smirk as he got off the stool and walked over to the table. [Y/N] leaned in to Ron and Harry.

"There isn't a witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin." She whispered.

"Susan Bones."

A small, redhead girl walked up to the stool. As Harry looked around, he noticed a black haired man, wearing all black robes. The man was glaring at Harry. Suddenly, Harry's scar started to hurt.

"Ahh!" Harry groaned in pain, placing his fingers on the scar, hoping that the pain would go away. [Y/N] looked at Harry in concern.

"Harry, what is it?" She asked. Harry glanced at her, his fingers still on his scar.

"Nothing, nothing, I'm fine." Harry said. He could tell that she wasn't quite convinced with his answer, but she decided to not push the subject.

"Let's see, I know. Hufflepuff!" The Sorting Hat shouted. Susan smiled and got off the stool, rushing over to the Hufflepuff table. McGonagall looked at the parchment again.

"Ronald Weasley." She called. Ron's eyes widened. He gulped and stiffly walked up to the stool. [Y/N] patted Ron's back in reassurance as he passed her. He sat on the stool and McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on the stool.

"Ha!" The Sorting Hat shouted, making Ron flinch. "Another Weasley. I know just what to do with you. Gryffindor!!" The Sorting Hat shouted. [Y/N] cheered and clapped as Ron sighed in relief and walked towards the Gryffindor table. McGonagall looked at the parchment again.

"[Y/N] Scamander." She called. [Y/N] froze. She hadn't expected her turn to come so quickly. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked over at Harry, who gave her a smile. He gently squeezed her shoulder in reassurance. [Y/N] let out a breath and walked up to the stool. She sat down and McGonagall put the Sorting Hat on [Y/N]'s head.

"Ah. Another Scamander, I see. My first choice would be to put you in Hufflepuff, but, no, maybe not. You have other thoughts about it I see," the Sorting Hat said. "You are loyal, traits that put you in both Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. But, you are also stubborn. You have a great deal of courage and bravery. So where to put you, eh?" The Sorting Hat asked. The Sorting Hat then hummed. "Oh, I know, Gryffindor!" The Sorting Hat shouted. [Y/N] sighed and smiled. Though she had wanted to follow in her mother's foot steps, being a Hufflepuff, she also knew that Gryffindor was right for her. [Y/N] walked over to the Gryffindor table. She sat down next to Ron, who gave her a side hug. She introduced herself to the others at the table.

"Harry Potter." McGonagall called. Everything went silent as Harry walked up to the stool and sat on it. McGonagall placed the hat on his head. The Sorting Hat hummed.

"Hmm, difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage I see, not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh yes, and a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?" The Sorting Hat questioned. Harry closed his eyes.

"Not Slytherin, not Slytherin." Harry whispered. The Sorting Hat sounded slightly surprised.

"Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know. It's all here in your head. And Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness! There's no doubt about that. No?" The Sorting Hat asked. Harry kept whispering.

"Not Slytherin. Anything but Slytherin." Harry whispered. The Sorting Hat hummed.

"Well, if you're sure, better be...GRYFFINDOR!!" The Sorting Hat shouted. The Gryffindor table erupted into applause and cheers. Harry smiled and got off of the stool, racing over to the Gryffindor table. He took a seat next to [Y/N], who gave him a side hug. For some reason, the hug made him freeze lightly in surprise. He didn't dwell on it and returned the hug.

~~~

//Here's chapter 2. I hope you all like it. I ultimately decided to put the Reader in Gryffindor. I felt like the story would go more smoothly if the Reader was in Gryffindor and not in a different house like Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. Sorry to everyone who wanted to be in a different house other than Gryffindor.//