Peter stepped off the train. The musky smell of the forest surrounded him. The bright glow of the night sky looked down upon him as if he was the only kid on earth. He felt the other first years push out of the Hogwarts express and funnel around the giant of a grounds keeper. He could feel the bile in his belly turn as he stared up at the huge castle looming over the lake. Glimmering lights of the castle shone out through the darkness like trembling stars spread across the dark sky. He looked down at his clothes. He was wearing hand me downs from his big brother which he figured was better than no clothes at all. He reached up and rustled his short brown hair. He felt a rumble in his hand as his hand me down pet owl Charley groomed himself in it's cage.

Peter was thirteen, a first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His father had died when he was five. From what he could remember he was a good person always kind and gentle. His brother Richard knew him better than Peter but in the past whenever Peter brought up the subject of father Rich would shrink away, Peter always figured it was a sensitive subject for him. Peter never knew his mother, not even Rich knew of her. Her past died with Peter's father and peter had learned to accept that. As for his brother, Rich was the only family Peter had at the moment. Rich was a good person but trying to support Peter put stress on him. Peter was glad that he was at Hogwarts so that Rich could sort out some problems while he was gone.

"It's beautiful isn't it." a voice chimed in on top of his concentration. A timid voice had spoken to Peter's right. he turned his head to see a smiling face of a girl. She had noticed that Peter had been staring up at the castle that was Hogwarts. The girl was only a few inches smaller than Peter and one of the prettiest girls that Peter had ever seen. Her long blond hair draped down her beautiful face and down her shoulders.

"A-hem, a-a-a yes it is." Peter stammered out not noticing that he was now staring at her. She giggled and blushed slightly before giving him a small wave and running back over to her small group of friends. No matter how much he tried he still was looking at her. She broke off her conversation before looking back at Peter and smiling again. Peter broke his focus and slapped himself in the face. He looked down at Charley. Charley cooed softly before looking up at his master with his dark brown eyes. "Maybe this won't be as bad as we expected old buddy."

Peter looked up at the huge door that stood in front of him. inside he could hear the voices of the students inside bustling around talking in excitement. The castle was huge to say the least. The old man that teaches transformation lead them through the twisting hallways to get to the large door of the great hall. His fellow first years pushed and shoved the others out of the way to a spot at the front near the door. Peter was shoved from the side and back and he also jostled for a front spot as well. The noise behind the door fell silent as the headmaster put up his hand. Peter heard him say three words. First years enter!

The doors were pulled open and the first years poured in the room. The great hall was massive the candles floating above illuminated the entire room. The rich colored tapestry's of the houses hung from the ceiling. The long rows of wood tables filled with people spread across the floor. The first years bustled down the center row as a large group not sure whether to be frightened or excited. They halted right infront of the podium and looked up at the headmaster. He was not very advanced in years maybe in his forty's white hairs were begining to extend from his neatly oiled back black hair. he had a goatee, nothing to unusual. he was wearing a rich scarlet and golden robe. he peeked over his podium at the first years giving them a warm smile.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." he whispered quietly to the first years. He then stood up his presence dominating the room. "Bring out the sorting hat."

A small wood chair and a old hat appeared out of the sides of the room and floated into place in front of the first years. The students pushed back out of the way so that the chair would not land on their heads. A old brown hat floated down on top of the chair resting quietly on the top of chair. A small first year at the front of the group leaned forward to take a better look at the hat. It suddenly came to life before their very eyes and coughed a cloud of dust in the kids face knocking him backward into the other first years. The tables started to burst out in laughter while the first years cowarded in fear. Even the headmaster let out a small chuckle. The sorting hat stretched back and forth on the point of the chair stretching.

"AAAAaaa, I'm getting to old for this." the hat said through the wrinkles of the brown fabric. The laughter was begining to subside. A sharp voice pierced the room as Mrs. Furlliei yelled out the first to be sorted. They went through quickly from A's to K's

"Lucinda Lovegood." Mrs. Furelliei yelled out. Peter was surprised when he saw the beautiful blond from the train step up to the chair sit down and put the hat on her head.

"Very bright, very bright indeed." the hat said in his unique voice. "There is bravery too yes." the hat stopped for a second and whispered to Lucy quietly "There is also darkness in you child, I can sence great evil deep within you." Lucy heard the words and her face became grim. "No, you remind me of you mother, RAVENCLAW! Lucy got up a relieved look on her face. She quietly stepped down from the chair. More names were called until it came to Peter's name

"Peter Wickham." Peter pushed his way though the crowd and up to the chair. He sat and put the hat on his head.

"Interesting." the hat breathed out "Your an interesting brain to pick my boy, There is courage o' yes lots of that, you are very brave." Peter glanced over at the Ravenclaw table and expected to see Lucy's misty eyes staring back at him but instead she had her head down at the table keeping to herself. "I would usually put someone as brave as you in Griffindor but I see you have your eyes somewhere else." The sorting hat voice rose and he almost violently yanked Peter's head toward Lucy. The hat whispered some strange words to Peter "Be careful with that one boy, every flower has ugly roots. RAVENCLAW! Peter got up and walked to the Ravenclaw table their was a spot a couple seats down from Lucy across the table. He looked at Lucy as she mumbled to herself. A older student that was sitting next to her asked if she was all right. She looked up from the table toward the student

"O' yes I am quite fine." she said timidly as she gave a half-hearted smile.