The small boats in which the children were, sailed by the night waters close to the Castle, which later would become their school. Cora was in one of the boats accompanied by Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Harry Potter. The young girl looked amazed at the enormous and magnificent castle, which approached more and more. It didn't take long to the boats to arrive at Hogwarts. The kids climbed a few stairs (which leaded to the first floor) but had to stop after some seconds, as a witch was waiting for them at the end of these. The woman was wearing a pointed black hat and an emerald green robe: she was Professor McGonagall.

-Welcome to Hogwarts. -said to them Professor McGonagall-. Well, son you will cross these doors to join your companions, but before that you will be sorted for your houses. -added the witch with a solemn voice.

"Our houses... I wonder in which one I'll be sorted", thought Cora as she listened attentively to Proffesor McGonagall.

-Namely: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While you live here your house will be your family. Your triumphs will be points for your house, and any infraction will cause you to lose points. -mentioned Professor McGonagall while she watched the children with her shrewd eyes-. At the end of the year, the house with more points will be rewarded with the Cup of the House. -she explained. The professor was about to continue, when a toad appeared to her feet.

-Trevor! -the child called Neville shouted, while he hurried to gather its pet, making laugh a few pupils-. Pardon... - he commented after receiving a critical gaze on the part of the Professor McGonagall, he then returned to his initial place among the first year students.

-The sorting ceremony will take place in a few moments. Wait here. -McGonagall said before turning around to walk away some seconds later, with the purpose of arranging everything necessary for the ceremony.

When the teacher had left, all the children began to speak in an excited form and in wishpers about in which of the houses they wanted to be sorted.

-I see that it's true what was said in the train. -said a voice, making the crowd of wishpering students silent. The majority of them turned their sight towards a child that Cora knew, who was leaning on the handrail of the stairs-. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts...

As soon as the children heard that name they began murmuring surprised and full of curiosity.

-These are Crabbe and Goyle. -said the blonde boy before walking towards Harry and placing himself in front of him, while he gave a slight look towards the girl of the black hood-. I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. -he said, introducing himself to the boy who lived.

Ron could not help to stifle a laugh after hearing to the name of Malfoy and tried to control himself. On having listened to Ron's laugh, Draco turned his gaze towards the red-haired child and looked at him with a cold look, the same one that Cora had observed in his father, Lucius.

-You think my name's funny eh? -asked Draco-. I don't think I have to ask for yours: red hair and a hand-me-down robe, you must be a Weasley. -he mentioned with a voice full of aversion-. You will soon discover that some wizard families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. -he said to Harry, turning his grey eyes towards him-. I can help you there... -he added, extending its hand to the child of the scar.

-I believe that I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks. -Harry answered with a cold voice, refusing to develop any friendship with Malfoy.

Draco looked at slightly disappointed and hurt, as if Harry had shattered his pride by everymeans possible. After sighing, the child of grey eyes gave a look to the girl at the left of Harry: the hooded one that had known time ago in Madame Malkin.

-What about you, Avery? -he asked, making the wishpers to start again-. Being your family a pure-blood one... don't you believe that you should choose carefully your friends? -he said with a slight tone of kindness, masked by one of arrogance.

-I think that you're right, each one must choose well and carefully with whom he/she stays. We have to make sure that no one gives us a stabbing in the back... -answered the black hooded girl with a serene tone that did not reflect any clear answer, but obviously for Harry carried an implicit message.

A few seconds later, Professor McGonagall returned to the stairs and hit of light form Draco in the shoulder with a list. Malfoy understood the message of the teacher and returned to his place.

-Everything is already prepared. Follow me. -said the witch dressed in emerald.

The children followed the teacher until they crossed the lobby and a few double doors that introduced them in the Great Hall. Both Harry and Cora were observing the whole place astonished: the place was illuminated by thousands of candles suspended in the air over four big tables, where the rest of the students were seated. In all the tables were arranged plates, silverware and golden glasses for every student. Lastly was the table of the teachers, just at the end of the room. While they were walking towards the center of the Great Hall , Cora could hear Hermione mumbling: <<The ceiling is not real, it's a spell so that the sky seems the one outside. I read it in the History of Hogwarts>>.

Cora placed her gaze then in the four-leg stool that Professor McGonagall had placed in front of every first-year students: on top of it was a very old and shabby wizard hat.

-Please wait there. -said Professor McGonagall to the children, gesturing the light difference that was separating them from the teacher's area-. Now, before beginning, Professor Dumbledore wants to dedicate a few words to you... -she mentioned, turning slightly towards the sorcerer who was sitting just in the center of the table of the teachers. This one got up, his silver hair shining more than the stars. He was wearing a bburgundy-coloured tunic and a small hat of the same color. On his face you could see some pristine looking glasses.

-I must announce some rules of beginning of course: the new ones must know, that the Dark Forest is strictly prohibited for all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr Filch, has asked me to remind to you that the corridor of the third floor, the one of the right side, is not allowed, for all those who do not wish the more painful of deaths. -said Albus Dumbledore with a serene and solemn tone at the same time-. Thank you... -he added before sitting down again in his chair.

-When I say your name you will come up here. -Professor McGonagall said as she unwinded the papyrus where a list with all the names of the pupils of the first year was, once the tempers had calmed down in the Great Hall-. I will place the hat on your head, and you will be sorted to a house.

Cora swallowed, as she had just remembered what her father had told her before: What if something happened? Why had her father told her "whatever happens"? Perhaps he knew something she didn't? Before the girl could answer any of her own questions, Professor McGonagall called the first one of the list.

-¡Abbot, Hannah! -she said.

A girl with slithly pink face approached the Sorting Hat and sat on the stool. The professor placed the hat on her head (which covered her eyes) and the silence fell on the Great Hall.

-¡HUFFLEPUFF! -shouted the hat with a powerful voice.

Hannah smiled with joy, then quickly sat down in the table of the right, near to the stool.

-Bones, Susan!

-HUFFLEPUFF! -shouted the hat, and Susan hurried to sit along with Hannah.

-Boot, Terry!

-RAVENCLAW!

This time, it was the second table to the left of the stool the one that applauded. When Terry approached the table, several students got up to shake his hand. The list was continuing on alphabetical order, making that the pressure and the doubts began to invade the mind of the hooded girl.

-Granger, Hermione!

-GRYFFINDOR! -exclaimed the hat breaking suddenly the thoughts of the girl of crimson eyes, who applauded with a smile looking how Hermione sat in the table of the left.

-Malfoy, Draco!

Draco went forward on having listened to his name and sat down in the stool. The hat barely touched his head when he cried out: SLYTHERIN!
The blond boy gave another look towards Harry, Ron and Cora before sitting down in the table with a haughty air.

-All the magicians who have been spoiled belonged to Slytherin. -mentioned Ron in a wishper directed to Harry and Cora.

-My father belonged to Slytherin. -sentenced Cora with a slight hint of indignation.

-O-oh, so-sorry, it was not meaning that...well... -said Ron with a shaky voice as he began to apologize.

-Don't worry about it Ron, but be careful with what you say. You might get into trouble if you keep saying these things lightly... -answered him the girl of red eyes on a calm way.

They weren't already much people remaining to be sorted, when...

-Potter, Harry!

Harry went forward among the wishpers of the people and sat down uneasily in the stool. What the child saw before the hat was covering his sight, was the crimson hooded girl smiling in a slight way, as if she wanted to give him encouragement. Harry grabbed tightly to the edges of the stool when he listened to the hat's voice on his ear.

-Mm... -said the deep voice of the hat-. Difficult. Very difficult. Full of value I see it. Neither the mind is bad. There is talent, oh yes, and very eager to prove himself... Let's see where I sort you.

Harry clenched his teeth and thought with all its might: "Not in Slytherin, not in Slytherin".

-Not in Slytherin, eh? -said the voice-. Are you sure? You could be very great, you know, you have everything in your head and Slytherin would help you on the path of greatness. There is no doubt, right? Very well, if you are so sure, it'll be better if you are in... -added the Sorting Hat before creating a slight moment of silence, to after shout with a deep voice-. GRYFFINDOR!

Harry smiled and walked almost shivering to the Gryffindor table among the applause of everyone, including the teachers. It didn't pass unnoticed to him, that the young girl who had met at the zoo gave him the hand as he passed by her side. Harry was looking forward to Cora being at his house, since she seemed very promising and he wanted to have her friendship. The list continued until only two students were left standing at the center of the Great Hall: Cora Avery and Ron Weasley.

-Weasley, Ronald! -said Professor McGonagall.

Ron walked nervously to the stool and sat down on it. When Professor McGonagall put the hat in his head, Ron could hear clearly a deep voice.

-Oh, here we have another Weasley... -said the Sorting Hat somehow amused-. I'm sure where I'm going to sort you... GRYFFINDOR!

Ron smiled and quickly went to sit beside Harry, as his brothers Percy, Fred and George greeted him.

-Well done little brother!

"Why haven't they called me before? If it's assumed that the list is sorted in alphabetical order, shouldn't they've called me right after Hannah? This gives me bad thorn... I have a knot in my stomach", thought the dark hooded girl, while she tried not to think about all the looks of the place that were fixed on her.

-Avery, Cora! -said Professor McGonagall, finally calling her.

Cora sighed in order to calm down a little, and while she was heading to the stool to sit on it, she noted that three of the teachers were watching her very carefully: Dumbledore, Snape, whose subject was potions, who she had no problems in recognizing thanks to several books that she had read, and Quirrel,whose subject was DADA (Defense Against the Dark Arts), whom she had met on the day that she and her parents had gone to the Diagon Alley.

-Miss Avery: could you please remove your hood? -asked Professor McGonagall once the girl had approached.

-I am sorry Professor, but my parents were very clear on having said to me that I had to have it on at all times. They threw a spell themselves before I came here, whose purpose is the one of not being able to take it off until certain conditions are fullfiled, but I am afraid that I do not know the conditions. -replied the girl with a serene but slightly insolent tone at the same time.

-Well, we will have to take it off even by force Miss Avery. This type of clothing is not allowed here... -said McGonagall with a bit of impatience.

-Professor, let Miss Avery to continue wearing her hood. Nothing will happen even if she wears it. I shall get in touch with her parents. -interceded Dumbledore with a calmed voice and a smile.

Professor McGonagall sighed and let the girl sit down on the stool. She placed the Hat in Cora's head and waited.
-Well well, what a pleasant suprise... If it's an Avery. -mentioned a voice in the girl's ear-. Mm... Value, intelligence, ambition, kindness... It seems that you possess many qualities. -added with a slight kind tone-. But what...? -asked surprised the Sorting Hat-. I cannot sort you in any of the houses. -he said after some minutes of uncomfortable silence, making the girl to open her crimson eyes in a wide way and to turn pale suddenly.

Professor McGonagall was quick to remove the hat from the head of the girl, who was still stunned and pale. The Great Hall was left in silence, since after hearing the words of the Sorting Hat, everyone was amazed at what seemed to be a legend among students: that nobody could not be sorted for any house. Cora rose from the stool as her legs trembled slightly and her heart beated quickly on her chest: she wasn't going to be sorted for any house... she was a failure.