***

The train got to Hogsmeade station at night. It wasn't too late, but the sky was completely black. Smoke came from the chimney on top of the train as it pulled to a stop. When it stopped completely, the kids started to stand up and head out. They got off of the train to see Hagrid standing there with a lantern in hand, "Right, then! First years! This way, please! Come on, now, don't be shy! Come on now, hurry up," Prim and Ron walked out of the train in their robes, which the other students hand on, as well, "Hello, Primrose." Hagrid greeted the small ginger girl when she and Ron approached.

"Hello, Hagrid," Prim smiled widely then informed him, "You can just call me Prim." Hagrid grinned and nodded. The others started to gather in front of the tall man. They stared at him in shock.

"Whoa!" Ron exclaimed, staring up at him.

"Right then. This way to the boats! Come on, now, follow me." The looks didn't seem to bother Hagrid. He must've had people look at him that way a lot. He gestured for them to follow him as he turned around and walked away. They were then lead to longboats where the students piled in.

Prim's mouth dropped wide open as she stared at the sight in front of her. They were now on the water and sailing towards a huge castle. It was like the ones that you would see on TV, but this one was much better, in her opinion.

"Wicked." Ron also looked up at the castle in awe.

When they arrived, they got off the boats and they had to leave Hagrid behind. Prim said goodbye to him and then left with the rest of the class to the castle. The interior was almost as beautiful as the exterior. Prim was in the front of the group with Ron as they walked up many staircases. Some students were winded after two or three, but not Prim. She had been chased down by her cousin and his friends many times so this was nothing to her.

They finally get to the top of the last staircase where the woman, Professor McGonagall, from all those years ago is standing. Of course, Prim doesn't know that, though, seeing as she was only a baby when that happened.

Professor McGonagall stood tall and looked out at all of the students, "Welcome to Hogwarts. 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," Prim shared a slightly worried look with Ron. She didn't know what to think at this point. She was still excited, but mostly nervous. "They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Now while you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you 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," Prim jumped at the sudden voice. A boy walked past her and leaned down to pick up a toad. The boy looked up at the professor and gulped at her stare. He stood up, "Sorry." He stepped back into the crowd with an embarrassed look on his face. 

"The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily." On that note, McGonagall left them to wait outside.

"It's true then," Prim turned to see a boy leaning against the railing. He had slicked-back blond hair and a smirk on his face, "What they're saying on the train. Primrose Potter has come to Hogwarts," Prim could hear the other first years whispering to each other about this. She almost wanted to disappear. The boy gestured to the other two standing near him, "This is Crabbe and Goyle. And I'm Malfoy... Draco Malfoy," The boy, Draco, was now standing in front of her. Ron snickered at Draco making the blond look over at him, "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," Ron looked down slightly which made Prim like Draco less. She doesn't like bullies, "Well, soon you'll find that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. Don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." Draco extended his hand towards her.

Prim stared down at his hand then back up at him. She obviously didn't take too kindly to his arrogance. She crossed her arms over her chest and confidently said, "I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, actually. Besides, I'd rather not hang out with someone who thinks they're better than everyone else."

Draco glared at her. McGongall came from behind him making Prim smirk a bit. The professor tapped Draco on the shoulder with a paper making him whip his head around to stare at her. He left the girl alone with one last glare then went back to his friends.

"We're ready for you now. Follow me."  Professor McGonagall told them. They walked to the two large doors which opened into the Great Hall. It was basically a large room with four long tables where the students sat. There was also a long table in front of the room where the professors were. Lit candles floated in the air and the roof looked like the nice sky.

Prim smiled, "Whoa... It's beautiful." She stopped for just a second to admire it before following Professor McGonagall to the front of the room. She just had to stop. She had never seen anything like this before in her old life. The magic and beauty of this place had entranced her.

Prim heard Hermione saying, "It's not real, the ceiling. It's just bewitched to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."

Professor McGonagall stopped beside of an old hat sitting on a stool. "Will you wait along here, please?" She told the students and they did as she said, "Now, before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words."

The man from long ago, Professor Dumbledore, stood up, "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," He gestured to a ragged old man with the cat at his side, "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," This worried Prim. What did he mean by that? She thought that Hagrid said this place was safe? "Thank you." Dumbledore sat back down.

"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," Professor McGonagall held the Sorting Hat and read off the first name on the list, "Hermione Granger."

Hermione walked forward, "Oh, no. Okay, relax." She said to herself.

Ron leaned toward Prim and whispered, "Mental that one, I'm telling you." Prim shrugged at this. Hermione didn't seem too bad. Sure, she was a bit of a know-it-all, but besides that, she didn't seem half bad. Prim was hoping that she would be able to become friends with the brunette.

Hermione sat on the stool and McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head. Prim was shocked when the hat came to life and started speaking, "Ah, right then... Hmm... Right. Okay... Gryffindor!" Students cheered from behind the first years and Hermione ran over to the Gryffindor table with a smile.

"Draco Malfoy." McGonagall called out.

Draco walked up, not looking nervous at all. He sat down and the hat didn't even hit his head when it yelled, "Slytherin!" The students cheered, but not as loudly as before.

"There isn't a witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin." Ron told Prim. Prim looked at him in confusion. That couldn't be true. Not everyone in one place could be bad. That's like blaming the whole class for something that one student did which happened a few times when she went to normal school. It was completely unfair to judge a whole group of people for what a few did.

"Susan Bones." Was the next person.

A redhead, slightly taller than Prim, walked up on the platform. Prim started to space out and she looked around the room. Her gaze stopped on a man with black greasy hair who was sitting beside of Professor Quirrell, who she met before. The was quite pale and he was giving her a sinister look for some reason.

Prim's scar started to hurt making her exclaim, quietly, "Ow!" She brought a hand up to her scar.

Ron turned to her with a concerned look, "Prim, what is it?"

Prim snapped out of it and shook her head a little, "Nothing... Nothing, I'm fine."

The Sorting Hat placed Susan in Hufflepuff which she was quite happy about. As soon as she was off the stage, McGonagall announced the next name, "Ronald Weasley."

Ron looked a little nervous so Prim grabbed his arm before he went up, "You'll be fine," She said to him, encouragingly. He still looked a little nervous so she leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He looked at her in shock, "For good luck!" She smiled at him and let go of his arm. He went up to the Sorting Hat, lightly touching his cheek.

The Sorting Hat was placed on his head, "Ha! Another Weasley. I know just what to do with you... Gryffindor!" The students applauded and Ron sighed in relief.

"Primrose Potter." It was now Prim's turn to be nervous.

The whole room went completely quiet. You could almost hear the wind outside with how quiet it was. Prim slowly walked up and sat down on the stool. Her anxiety got worse as the Sorting Hat was placed on her head, "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?"

Prim whispered to the hat, "Could you put me in Gryffindor? I want to be with my friend." She knew that this probably wouldn't work, but it was worth a shot. She had already grown to admire Ron as a friend and didn't want to be separated.

"Really?" The Sorting Hat asked her, "But you do so well in Slytherin. Slytherin will help you on your way to greatness! There's no doubt about that," Prim shook her head. She had nothing against Slytherin, but she felt sort of drawn to Gryffindor. She was sure that she had to be there the more she thought about it, "Well, I do see a lot of nerve in you, along with determination. So, if you're sure... Better be... Gryffindor!"

The room was no longer quiet. There was immense cheering from the Gryffindor table. Some stood up to see the small girl run over to their table. The twins from the train station, Fred and George, called out, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

She shook the hands of the people closest to her and looked over at Dumbledore. He lifted up his goblet and slightly waved with it. It was as if he was congratulating her. She sat down at the table and started talking with the people around her.

A little later, Professor McGonagall hit her spoon lightly against her glass. She was now sitting at the table with the rest of the teachers. Everyone turned their attention to her, "Your attention, please."

Dumbledore rose from his chair, "Let the feast... Begin."

Food magically appeared on the table. The first years were awed by this act and they chattered among themselves. Prim's eyes were wide as she stared at all of this food, "Wow." Ron was stuffing his face beside of her. She had never seen this much food in her life. The best thing about not being back with the Dursleys was that... She got to eat whatever she wanted and didn't have to wait! She smiled at this thought. She started to fill up her plate with some food. There wasn't a lot because she had a small apatite from not eating a lot at the Dursleys.

A boy, who Prim had come to learn as Seamus, spoke with an Irish accent, "I'm half and half. Me dad's a Muggle. Mam's a witch. Bit of a nasty shock for him when he found out." Neville, who sat beside of him, laughed.

Prim was staring at the teacher with the black clothing from before. She leaned over to Percy, one of Ron's older brothers, to ask, "Percy, who's the teacher talking with Professor Quirrell?" She pointed at the teacher.

"Oh, that's Professor Snape, head of Slytherin house." Percy replied.

"What does he teach?" Prim looked over at Percy.

"Potions," Percy leaned over and whispered like he was about to tell a juicy secret, "But everyone knows it's the Dark Arts he fancies. He's been after Quirrell's job for years."

"Ah!" Prim heard Ron exclaim. She looked over to see a man's head inside of the chicken wings. He was ghostly white and you could almost see through him. He must've been a ghost, then. If witches and wizards exist then ghost must, too.

"Hello," The ghost had a huge smile on his face, "How are you? Welcome to Gryffindor." More ghosts came pouring into the room and the glided through the air. All of them dressed in old clothes, similar to the ghost in front of Ron.

"Hello, Sir Nicholas," Percy said to the ghost. He seemed so nonchalant about the whole thing so this must happen a lot here, "Have a nice summer?"

Sir Nicholas floated up a bit, "Dismal. Once again, my request to join the headless hunt has been denied." He began to leave.

"I know you! You're Nearly Headless Nick!" Ron stated.

This made Sir Nicholas stop and turn to him, "I prefer Sir Nicholas if you don't mind."

Hermione thought for a moment than questioned him, "Nearly headless? How can you be nearly headless?"

"Like this." He grabbed his head by his hair and pulled. He was, in fact, nearly headless. His head was barely hanging on. The kids looked at him in both shock and disgust. Prim was in the middle. Sir Nicholas reattached his head and went on his way.

When everyone was done, the prefects were told to lead the students to their common rooms. The prefects were in charge of making sure that everyone was following the rules and doing what they were supposed to do. Sort of like a hall monitor, but there was two for every house.

"Gryffindors, follow me, please. Keep up. Thank you." Percy told the hoard of Gryffindor students behind him. They were trying to keep up, but the stairs were slowing them down.

"Ravenclaws, follow me. This way." Another boy with Ravenclaw robes said. The two groups split and went in opposite directions.

Percy turned to them, "This is the most direct path to the dormitories. Oh, and keep an eye on the staircases... They like to change," Prim looked at the many staircases above them. There was no way that she would be able to get up all of them. No amount of running from her cousin and his friends could prepare her for this. Some of the staircase were switching places! It was truly something that shocked her, "Keep up, please, and follow me. Quickly now, come on. Come on."

The group began their journey up the stairs. There were thousands upon thousands of portraits hanging on the walls. It would take forever to count all of them, but Prim's pretty sure that no one would want to spend that much time counting them. The people and animals in the portraits were moving! It took Prim a second to notice this. Everyone expressed their shock and talked about this.

Once they got onto the seventh floor, they got off of the stairs and went into a hall. They stopped at the end of the hall where there was a painting. It was of an older woman with brown hair and she was wearing an old pink dress, "Password?" The lady inquired.

"Caput Draconis," Percy stated, clearly. The lady made a gesture and the painting opened up to reveal a doorway. Some of the students gasped. Percy walked inside, "Follow me, everyone. Keep up, quickly, come on," They follow him inside. They stopped in the middle of the huge room. The color you saw the most in the room was red which wasn't very shocking, seeing as it is one of the house colors, "Gather 'round here. Welcome to the Gryffindor Common Room. Boy's dormitories, upstairs and down to your left. Girls, the same on your right. You'll find that your belongings have already been brought up."

Later that night, Prim had ended up getting the same room as Hermione which made her happy. This meant that she would have more time to get to know the girl. The other girls were asleep so Prim was the only one left awake. She laid in her bed and stared up at the ceiling. She was practically beaming. She could already feel that this place was going to be great. She talked to Hedwig, quietly, then went to bed.