Indeed, it wasn't long before the train pulled up to a small platform surrounded by a forest. For the last five minutes or so, he, Ron and Draco had been staring out the window trying to get a glimpse of the castle, but either the trees were too tall or the sky was too dark, for they hadn't seen a thing.

Harry and Ron followed Draco out of the train and onto the platform. Just as they were about to ask someone where they had to go, a great booming voice called out over the crowd, "Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here! All right there, Harry?"

Harry looked up into Hagrid's beaming face and smiled. Ron leant over and whispered in his ear, "Harry, who's this?" Harry didn't get a chance to reply.

"It seems yeh've made another friend!" Hagrid exclaimed upon seeing Ron. "Would yer look at tha', you have the same hair!" Harry had a feeling he'd be getting that a lot. "C'mon, follow me – any more firs'-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'-years follow me!" Hagrid continued to round up the tiny first-years and then lead them down a steep, narrow path. Harry wondered why none of the other, older students were taking this way.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "Jus' round this bend here."

When they did go round, there was a collective "Oh!" from the students. The path had led them to the side of a giant lake. More interestingly, on the other side of the lake, there was a giant castle. Its huge windows sparkled and Harry noted that it had many turrets and towers. His heart raced in excitement. Even Draco, who Harry knew must be quite rich, looked on in awe.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called out suddenly, and Harry finally spotted a small fleet of boats bobbing in the water near the shore.

"Draco!" Two voices shouted suddenly, and the trio spun around to see two brutish boys coming towards them.

"Crabbe, Goyle," Draco greeted coolly, nodding at each in turn. Harry thought that he didn't seem too pleased with them.

"Where'd you go in such a rush?" One of them – Crabbe – asked.

When they said that, a pug-nosed girl with neat, dark-brown hair spun around to face them. "There you are, Malfoy! How dare you leave like that?" she exclaimed furiously.

"Calm down, Pansy. I just went to find Potter, of course," Draco explained. Pansy's eyes widened in shock. She looked behind Draco to where Harry and Ron were standing, then proceeded to size them up.

"Potter? That's a weird name," Crabbe noted. Everyone but Goyle glared at him. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Which one is –" Pansy's question was never finished as she caught sight of Harry's small and embarrassed wave. "You don't mean that you're–" she started in disbelief. She paused. Collecting herself, she stuck out her hand. "I'm Pansy, as you know. Pansy Parkinson."

Harry shook it as Ron snorted, "Are all the other purebloods this stuck-up?"

Harry didn't say anything, but he did agree. He smiled to himself as he remembered how Draco had introduced himself.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Pansy narrowed her eyes at Ron. "Never mind, I don't want to know. Anyway," she turned back to Harry, "did you know that Draco went on and on about you to me for weeks after meeting you in Diagon Alley? I believe your first conversation took place in Madam Malkin? He said that your name was Harry, but he never thought to inform me that you were the Harry Potter! I can see what he meant by shy, but not in the annoying way and oh, Draco, you were right, he really does have the most hazel eyes to ever exist. In fact, I can almost see them sparkle golden in the light, just like you said they would."

Draco covered Pansy's mouth before she could say anything else. Harry got the feeling that Pansy had been purposefully trying to embarrass Draco as payback for ditching her and the other two boys.

"Hurry up, into the boats!"

They all whirled around to see Hagrid and the other first-years waiting impatiently, all of them already in their own boats. Harry, Ron, Draco and Pansy clambered into the only empty boat left, leaving Crabbe and Goyle to hop in with Neville and Hermione. Harry grimaced sympathetically.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid. "Right then – FORWARD!"

Harry clutched the side of his boat as they suddenly jolted forward, and before he knew it, they were gliding across the lake.

"Right," Pansy said, drawing the attention back to her. "I already know Draco and Harry, now who are you?" she asked Ron.

"Ron Weasley," he replied.

Pansy's face was one of disgust as she opened her mouth to speak. Quickly, Draco cut in. "He's all right, you know, for a Weasley." He sent a meaningful nod towards Harry and Pansy followed with her eyes.

"Oh. That's right. Halfblood, forgot." Pansy settled back down. Ron frowned at this.

"What have you got against halfbloods?" he challenged. Harry desperately wished that whenever he met someone knew, his friends didn't have to try and pick a fight.

"Sorry, but what do you mean by halfblood and pureblood?" Harry asked. It didn't seem to be the right thing to say, as Ron's scowl grew.

"Yeah, go on, tell Harry Potter, the most famous person you'll ever set your eyes on, a halfblood, about it."

Draco and Pansy shifted uncomfortably in their seats. "Look, I'm sure Pansy didn't mean anything about, and besides, it's not like most purebloods have a choice in their views. Most of the time it's their parents and –"

"So are you saying you're one of them too?" Ron seethed. He then placed a protective arm around Harry.

"No, no, of course not, it's just –"

"Your father is? I know." Seeing Draco's pleading face, Ron sighed. "Fine. You haven't said anything too insulting so far. However, don't expect me to be all chummy with her." He jerked his head in the direction of Pansy.

"Hey! Look, I'm sorry, okay? It's just my mother and father are always telling me horrible things about the Weasleys and –" she cut herself off. "Never mind. I'm sure your family isn't too bad. This has gone off to a bad start. Let's talk about something else. I heard there's a giant squid in this lake."

As soon as she said this, they heard a great splash. It appeared that the boat with Neville, Hermione, Crabbe and Goyle had capsized. Harry had a good idea on what – or rather, who – was responsible for this. Hagrid called the boats to a stop and steered his as close as he could get to the upturned boat. He flipped it over and not a second later, a humongous tentacle burst through the water and dumped the sopping lot onto the boat. Hagrid took off his coat and gave it to them, before the boats started moving again.

All collectively coming to the wordless agreement that the argument was over, Pansy, Draco, Ron and Harry started talking about their excitement of what was to come. The purebloods described to Harry all they knew of Hogwarts, Ron pitching on secret passageways Fred and George had told him about, Pansy gossiping away about their future classmates and the ghosts, and Draco giving them information on the teachers and houses.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me, how are we sorted?" Harry asked.

"Fred and George told me we have to battle a troll," Ron squeaked out in a small voice. "I've been trying not to think about it."

Harry felt himself go pale. He didn't even know any magic yet! How was he supposed to battle a troll?! Draco and Pansy's laughter broke into his panic-filled haze.

"They did, did they?" Draco snorted. "Well, I guess the magical creatures department shouldn't be around any more, because apparently first-years are all now expected to fight them! Pansy, Pansy, can you believe?" The girl was laughing too hard to respond. Catching the other two's confused expressions, Draco explained. "Don't worry Weasley, Potter, you're not expected to fight a troll. I'm pretty sure neither are seventh-years, for heaven's sake! All you have to do is put on the Sorting Hat. It – it's, to put it simply, a magical hat that can read your mind. It looks at your traits and decides which house you belong in."

Harry and Ron breathed out in relief. In hindsight, it was rather stupid to believe that the school would put a bunch of eleven-year-olds in danger.

–

Hagrid had led them to a great oaken door. It had swung open to reveal a stern-looking witch in emerald-green robes. She thanked Hagrid and then led the bunch of small first-years inside, showing them the huge Entrance Hall. The stone walls were lined with flaming torches and the ceiling was so high Harry thought you must have been able to fit twenty Hagrids all standing on top of each other and they would still have room for more.

Currently, they were in an empty chamber coming off the Hall. On the way, Harry had heard the undecipherable chatter of what must have been the rest of the students.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall, in a rather terse, uncomforting voice. She then explained the whole house deal, which, of course, Harry, Draco, Pansy and Ron already knew. There were a few stern warnings about points, which Harry didn't know, but overall, it was nothing he hadn't heard before. (Except, maybe this speech was more formal and drawn out. And more frightening. Harry preferred it when his friends were explaining it.)

"I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly," Professor McGonagall finished.

Harry looked around and saw that most of the first-years seemed to share the same thought he had had a few moments ago. There wasn't a lot of talking. Everyone else looked too nervous to utter a word – excluding Hermione Granger. She was muttering quickly under her breath. Neville was beside her, doing his very best to listen and take notes. Harry figured the girl was revising spells. They both looked deathly pale.

Feeling bad, Harry broke away from his three friends to talk to them.

Hermione saw him first. "Hold still," she ordered. She raised her wand, aiming right at Harry's face. Before he had time to react, perhaps runaway, she said clearly, "Oculus reparo." In an instant, Harry noticed the difference. The cracks that had previously just been a part of his world disappeared from his glasses. The broken bit that rested on his nose and was taped together was as good as new.

"Thanks!" Harry blinked and admired his glasses, astonished.

"No problem. Besides, I needed to practice. Who knows what kind of test we'll be expected to take in there? I have to be prepared."

"About that," Harry said, "you don't need to know any magic yet." At this, Neville relaxed, although Hermione still looked unsure.

"Are you certain?" she asked.

"Yes, well, Draco and Pansy told me. You only have to put on the Sorting Hat. It can, er, read your mind, I guess. Basically, it finds out all your traits and decides which house would suit you best."

Mollified, Hermione and Neville thanked him furiously, but Harry just waved them off, saying it was no problem. He then hurried back over to where his friends were watching.

"That was rather kind of you," Pansy noted.

"Yeah, I wouldn't have thought to have done that," Ron added.

"Honestly, Potter. You're such a Hufflepuff!" Draco exclaimed. None of those things were said in a mean way, but Harry still felt he had to defend himself.

"I was only doing the right thing!" Harry protested. It was true. He just wanted to help them out. Neville and Hermione deserved that, at the very least, especially after everything that had happened. They got dumped in freezing lake water on their first day at Hogwarts! Surely they had suffered enough.

"We know," Draco chuckled fondly.

At that moment, several first-years started screaming. Everyone swung around to see numerous transparent figures gliding in and out of the walls and across the room. Ghosts, Harry realised, just as one – who appeared to be in an argument with another – passed through him. Harry gasped. It was like having a cold shower, except for your insides, if that made sense.

"- gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not even really a ghost – I say, what are you all doing here?" the ghost asked. Nobody answered. Harry was still trying to get over the strange feeling of something passing through him.

"New students!" exclaimed the ghost's companion. "About to be sorted, I suppose?" A few people nodded. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know." The ghosts then started to drift through the walls and into the Great Hall.

"Move along now," shooed Professor McGonagall, who had just come back. "The Sorting Ceremony is about to start."

The remaining few ghosts were gone in an instant. They all appeared to have a certain level of respect for the elderly witch, and Harry could see why. At McGonagall's demand, the first-years all got into a line and shuffled into the Great Hall.

Harry looked around and gasped along with the others. The Great Hall was even bigger than the Entrance Hall! They may not have been able to determine the height of the last Hall's ceiling, but this one had no end whatsoever, as it opened up onto the night sky above.

At least, that's what Harry (and probably many others) thought before Hermione whispered, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."

The first-years attention was drawn back to Professor McGonagall as she silently placed a stool at the front of the Hall – and all its inhabitants. On top of this stool, she placed a ragged, pointed hat, which looked very out of place with the general elegance surrounding Hogwarts.

Harry certainly didn't want that hat anywhere near his head, and, after a quick glance behind him to where Draco, Pansy and Ron were standing, his friends looked like they agreed. It didn't even look that special – in fact, it was rather dirty and frayed. He briefly wondered why the hall of students was silent, because surely this hat didn't do anything too spectacular, when a rip near the brim opened.

The hat began to sing. After its song, Harry concluded two things:

First, Draco was right about the reading minds thing, if "there's nothing hidden in your head, the Sorting Hat can't see," was to be believed and second, that Hufflepuff and Gryffindor didn't appear to be as bad as the blond had made them out to be.

Once the applause had died down, Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she announced. "Abbott, Hannah!"

While a small girl with pigtails stumbled out of the line of first-years and put on the hat, Harry turned to his friends.

"I bet you a Sickle that she gets sorted into Hufflepuff," Draco whispered to Pansy.

"Hey, that's so unfair, I was going to say –" Pansy's protest was cut off by the Sorting Hat shouting out "Hufflepuff!"

Draco smugly held out his hand. Pansy rolled her eyes and fished around in her robes before pulling out a silver coin. "Whatever," she muttered.

"Harry!" Draco exclaimed, catching his eye. "Do you want to take a bet?" The boy was grinning – a stark contrast to how Harry and Ron looked. Realising this, Draco rolled his eyes. "Oh, chin up. It'll be fine. The only thing you have to worry about is a hatstall."

"A what?!" both redheads cried.

"A hatstall. It's what wizards call a new student who takes longer than five minutes to be sorted. They're quite rare, so there's no point agonising over it." This information didn't help either of them. "Look, Harry, just be glad you won't be one of the last ones sorted, like Weasley over here."

"Hey!"

"Shush, Ron. It'll be my turn soon and you already have brothers to console you," Draco said. "Potter, however, doesn't." Ron and Draco then started arguing, and Harry got distracted by the Sorting once more. He was glad he looked over when he did, because it was Hermione's turn now.

When she sat down on the stool, Harry gave her a small, reassuring smile. She returned it just before the hat covered her eyes.

A few minutes later, the Sorting Hat declared her to be a Gryffindor. Ron groaned.

"No offense, Harry, but I'd rather not have her in what is likely to be my house," he explained once he saw Harry's disapproving expression.

A couple more sortings passed, and then it was Neville's turn. Harry grimaced sympathetically when the boy tripped over his own feet on his way to the stool. Harry felt even sorrier for Neville when he ran off after being sorted into Gryffindor still wearing the hat.

The sortings flew by after him. Soon, "MacDougal, Morag," was called and Harry immediately felt Draco tense up ever-so-slightly. It would be the blond boy's turn next, so Harry understood his apparent nervousness.

However, when "Malfoy, Draco," was finally called, it was like a switch had been flicked. Now that the school's eyes were on him, he straightened and confidently strode up. Harry wondered how he could possibly look so composed. He watched with interest as the Sorting Hat was placed on Draco's head and – no, it had barely even touched a single hair when it screamed, "Slytherin!" out to the Great Hall.

Harry clapped with pride. Draco shot him a grin as he went to join Crabbe and Goyle.

Then Pansy's turn came, but not even ten seconds later, and she was sorted into Slytherin too. Harry wished desperately to be in Slytherin, or maybe Gryffindor with Hermione, Neville and (probably) Ron. His stomach twisted as the P's were flying by, because surely it couldn't be long now and then –

"Potter, Harry."

He stepped forward. His anxiety only worsened when he heard the sudden silence. It didn't last for long, as soon whispers were being passed not-so-secretly. All of them went a little something like:

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

The Sorting Hat was soon dropped over his eyes, but not before he saw almost every student in the Hall craning to get a good look. Some were even standing up.

"Hmm." Harry jumped slightly when he heard a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh my goodness yes," Harry doubted this, "and a thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting... So where shall I put you?"

Harry knew that the Sorting Hat was asking this rhetorically, but he couldn't help but to think desperately, 'Slytherin, please. Or Gryffindor. Slytherin or Gryffindor, Slytherin or Gryffindor.'

"Yes, yes, I'm trying to choose between the two," the Hat said. After a moment of deliberation, it spoke again. "You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that..."

'Slytherin, then. Please.'

"Oh, I had already decided to put you in there, don't worry. I merely wanted to make sure." Not a second later, and the Sorting Hat held true to what it had said, as it had announced to a stunned Hall, "Slytherin!"