Clothes, books, and everything else Maya was taking to school lay strewn around her room. Lantern sat atop a teetering stack, licking one paw. Maya turned to him with a shoe in each hand, and sighed. "My stuff got so spread out... I've never had this much before."

The kitten looked away, and Maya smiled slightly. She stuffed Lantern's bed in her trunk. "That includes you."

Finally, everything was packed. Looking with satisfaction at the bulging trunk, Maya suddenly grabbed a yowling Lantern and shoved him into his cage. "Done!"

Maya was at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters by 10:45, staring uncertainly through the smoky air. She was surrounded by loud, happy voices as she took her trunk to the back of the scarlet train.

Someone, an older student, helped her load the trunk into the baggage area. Then, Lantern's cage in hand, Maya boarded and started to look for a compartment.

She sat down alone, but another girl soon entered. "Do you mind if I join you?" she asked, her round gray eyes hopeful.

Maya looked her up and down, a habit she had developed over the years, before replying, "No."

The other girl sat down. "I'm Darcy, Darcy Byron," she said brightly. "I really, really want Gryffindor." She paused. "What about you?"

"I'm Maya," Maya said. "I don't know what House I want, yet... I-" She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and turned quickly, not finishing her sentence.

Identical boys stood in the doorway. "Everywhere else is full," the one on the left said. "Mind if we join you?"

"Okay," Maya said, moving Lantern's cage to her other side to make room.

"I'm Victor," the same boy said. "This is Leon," he continued, pointing to the other. Leon inclined his head.

"Nice to meet you, Victor and Leon," Darcy said, waving. "I'm Darcy, this is Maya. You're first years too, right?"

"Yeah," Leon said, speaking for the first time as his twin waved back. Even in that short word, Leon's voice had an edge that Victor's didn't. It held unusual depth and darkness for an eleven-year-old.

"Cool," Darcy replied, smiling. "I'm hoping for Gryffindor. My sister Liz is in Gryffindor and she said it's the best, best, best House. From what I've heard, she's right. So, what about you? What House do you want?"

"Anything but Slytherin," Victor said. "My dad said that only bad wizards get sorted into Slytherin. Dark wizards." Leon was silent.

"What's so bad about Slytherin?" Maya asked. "I mean, I know it's got a bad reputation, but..." she trailed off at the look on Darcy's face.

"What's so bad about Slytherin?" Darcy repeated in a shocked tone. "Well, for one, every dark wizard ever came from that house. You-Know-Who and all his followers were in Slytherin."

"You-Know-Who?" Maya repeated, wondering if this was some kind of joke. "Who's that?"

At that point, everyone else in the compartment had an expression somewhere between amazement and horror. "You don't know?" Victor finally asked. "He-Who-Must-Be-Named? Harry Potter? None of that rings a bell?"

"I'm new to this," Maya said defensively.

"He's only the most evil dark wizard of all time!" Darcy exclaimed. "He was at the height of his power three years ago. The world was chaos. I remember how scared my family was. Then he tried to kill this baby, Harry Potter, and nobody knows why but You-Know-Who just died!"

"Well, that's good," Maya said. "The dead part," she added hastily. She didn't need to make any bad impressions this early.

"It was," Victor confirmed. "My brother and I weren't allowed to leave the house. Nobody went outside, if they could help it. We were terrified, all the time."

"Wow," Maya said again, thinking of her own experiences. They were all silent for several minutes before Darcy suggested that they change.

Hours later, the train arrived. Maya stuck close to Darcy and Victor, aware that Leon was just behind her. Leon creeped her out, though Maya wasn't quite sure why.

"Firs' years this way!" boomed the voice of an enormous man. Black hair and a long beard concealed most of his face. Maya wasn't scared, though. She had seen much worse than him, and the monsters she had faced had been attempting to kill her.

Maya, Darcy, Victor, and Leon sat together in one of the boats, gasping as they got their first glimpse of Hogwarts. "It looks like a palace," Darcy breathed.

The boats bumped against the shore, and the first years clambered out. The breeze off the lake was chilly, and Maya shivered slightly. She was glad when they started to walk.

There was another collective gasp as the group entered the castle, gazing around at the high ceiling and moving portraits. Ghosts floated through the walls, causing some (Darcy included) to shriek.

"Welcome to Hogwarts!" one ghost cried. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know."

Another, his head wobbling on his huge ruff, beamed around at them all. "Of course, my dear Friar, I should hope for them to be in Gryffindor."

Maya stared at the ghosts, not sure what to think. She was a little overwhelmed. Beside her, Darcy was positively shaking.

"You may enter the Hall now," the severe-looking woman who had first introduced Maya to magic said, opening the enormous doors with her wand. There was yet another gasp as they all saw the Great Hall. Maya's gaze locked on the starry ceiling. She knew it was enchanted, but it still looked real.

Rows of black-robed students watched as the first years passed. There was a low rumble of conversation, but this ceased as a tiny man carried out a dirty old wizard's hat and a stool.

Maya stared, amazed, as a rip in the hat opened and it broke into song. "Is it singing?" she whispered, to nobody in particular. "Am I insane?"

Soon, the song ended. Then, Professor McGonagall stepped forward, list in hand. "When I call your name," she said, "sit on the stool and place the hat on your head." She adjusted her glasses and looked at the first name.

"Bagley, Adrianne."
A small girl with long brown hair practically ran to the hat, jamming it on her head. A few moments passed. Then, "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.
One of the four tables roared with applause. Adrianne quickly made her way over and sat down.

"Blackwood, Selene."
A taller girl stepped from the line. "RAVENCLAW!"
Another table yelled and clapped.

"Byron, Darcy."
Darcy stumbled over to sit on the stool. It didn't take long before the hat cried, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Beaming, Darcy made her way over to tumultuous applause.

"Christian, Theodore."
"RAVENCLAW!"

"Clark, Kristina."
"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Coel, Christopher."
"RAVENCLAW!"

"Collins, Alexis."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Connely, Grey."
"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Dane, Carey."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Dean, Wisdom."
"RAVENCLAW!"

"Drelincourt, Ione."
"SLYTHERIN!" The far table erupted into cheers for the first time.

"Faust, Leon."
Maya caught her breath as Leon put on the hat. "SLYTHERIN!"
"I knew it," she murmured as he followed Ione to the table.

"Faust, Victor."
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Victor smiled widely and ambled over to the Gryffindor table, taking a seat near Darcy.

"Grimmins, Icadora."
"SLYTHERIN!"

"Hale, Ansley."
"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Harley, Denice."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Hawke, Ethan."
"SLYTHERIN!"

"Hopper, Gib."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Maya's breathing sped up as more first years were sorted. What if I'm in Slytherin?

"Johnson, Lindy."
"RAVENCLAW!"

"Kelsey, Allen."
"RAVENCLAW!"

"Meadows, Quinn."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Nocton, Fraye."
"SLYTHERIN!"

"Owston, Ellis."
"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Rake, Sabella."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Maya was nearly hyperventilating, starting to feel faint. What if they don't sort me at all? What if they just send me back to the alley?

"Renfield, Seraphimo."
"SLYTHERIN!"

"Sowards, Eloise."
"RAVENCLAW!"

"Stephens, Todd."
"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Virgo, Tyrell."
"SLYTHERIN!"

"West, Catherine."
"SLYTHERIN!"

Maya was the only person left. She took a deep breath, trying to lessen her panic.

"Young, Maya," Professor McGonagall said, then rolled up her scroll.
Maya stepped over to the stool, placing the hat on her head. It slipped over her eyes as a small voice spoke in her ear. "Hmm..."

A/N: Yes, I wrote the entire Sorting. It's what ended my writer's block, so I decided to post it. And... cliff hanger! What House do you think Maya will end up in? Please review!