-1The oaken doors, glittering with a magic beyond all, reduced me to something smaller than an insect. This was Hogwarts. All the stories that had been told to me, all the obscure facts about the castle ad its powers, seemed to fade as the doors opened, beckoning me. And I knew, at that moment, that I was to create my own story here.

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I gazed at the Great Hall, its golden tables filled with unfamiliar faces that were staring at me, my turquoise hair making me more noteworthy, more shocking than I really was.

The line of intimidated first-years stopped in front of a hat that looked as though it would fall to pieces if one were to touch it. I took the moment of no movement to observe the room that seemed to radiate warmth and light upon everything.

It struck me that somewhere so welcoming could have housed that. This, I realized, was the site of my parent's death. Suddenly I had the urge to run. Run out of the Great Hall and into the arms of my Gram.

But there was not turning back now.

"Anderson, Helena!"

A miniscule man, elf-like in appearance, was announcing the names of those to be Sorted.

The minutes seemed to be hours as names were called an Houses, destinies maybe, were decided.

"Kilcane, Simon!"

As Simon Kilcane made his way to the Gryffindor table, Juno Lovegood turned around and beamed at me.

"Lovegood, Juno!"

She bounded up to the rickety stool, all too happy to be there, and as soon as the hat touched her head, it screamed.

"RAVENCLAW!"

The Ravenclaws seated at the golden table cheered. Juno strode to the table, her auburn hair trailing her.

And then I realized I was at the front of the line.

"Lupin, Ted!"

My head spun. I staggered to the stool. I realized I probably looked like I was mentally off somehow, but my nerves would not allow to look like a sane person.

Stool. Hat. The gravelly voice of the ancient rag spoke to me as though it knew my life story.

"Ah….this one is an enigma….a very diverse background…Gryffindor, Hufflepuff…. A very old soul for the age….do you have a preference?"

Just get it over with already, I thought.

"All right then…..RAVENCLAW!"

The earth had been lifted from my shoulders. The Ravenclaws hailed my arrival. I speed-walked to the table, turning my hair royal blue in the process, which made the table erupt with noise.

I sat next to Juno, who grinned at the sight of me. And with that, my story had begun.

Finite!

A/N: Review for a chance to see the Sorting of the character of your choice! Thanks to TheElementalWitch for the excellent beta work. :D