Her First Chance (Marauders era) DISCONTINUED

Chapter 3

(Hogwarts,  September 1st 1971)

The Castle door opened instantly revealing a tall, black haired witch, with a stern expression, everyone stayed silent and waited for instructions.

"The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall" Hagrid said

"Thank you Hagrid, I will take it from here." Professor McGonagall pulled the door wide and led the students into the Entrance Hall, it was huge, about the same size as the Malfoy's Ballroom, but this place looked welcoming and warm with flaming torches lighting the walls, the ceiling to high to make out from the ground floor and a grand marble staircase that faced them leading to the upper floors. "Any of you who have animals please leave them here and they will be in your dormitories when you finish the feast"

After everyone had put their animals in a corner the lined up again as Professor McGonagall led them across the Entrance Hall to a small empty chamber off from the hall. Everyone just fit into the small chamber, standing closer together than Cassie would have liked, looking around nervously, even James Potter, the epitome of confidence, looked somewhat nervous.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said, Cassie didn't notice before but she heard Professor McGonagall's Scottish accent, it sounded like a highland accent, Caithness maybe, "The start-of-term banquet will begin soon, however before you sit down and eat you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is very important as the house you are sorted will be a sort of family to you during your time at Hogwarts. You will have classes with your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its Nobel history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few moments in front of the rest of the school. I suggest that you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." She gazed around the room eyes lingering on a few students who had their ties undone or cloak unfastened, but her gaze remained the longest on Peter and James, Peter who had chocolate on his face from the sweets on the train and James who hadn't even bothered to put on his cloak and was holding it in his hands, his undone tie hanging loosely around his neck and most of all his mess of hair.

"I shall return when we are ready for you" Professor McGonagall said. "Please wait quietly." With one quick scan over the students she left the chamber and hushed conversations broke out among the student.

"What house are you hoping to get Cassie, me I personally think Ravenclaw would be nice or Hufflepuff" Lily said from beside Cassie with Snape by her side

"Lily, I thought you wanted to get into Slytherin with me?" Snape said a slight but of anger flashing on his face, but that may have just been Cassie's imagination.

"Who would want to get into Slytherin?" James asked in a disgusted tone. "There just a bunch of evil prejudice little twits"

"Oi, our whole family has been in Slytherin, yeah most of them are evil little twits but they're are good ones, like our cousin Andromeda I think she might be thinking of asking out a muggleborn and our uncle Alphard, he helped us pull our first prank when we were 5, he doesn't believe in this pureblood bs either" Sirius said in defence.

"And we'll probably be sorted into Slytherin as well, I hope that's not a deal breaker" Cassie said looking over at her newfound friends

"Of course it won't Cassie, we'd never let something as silly as our houses get in the way of friendship," Lily said looking around and glaring pointedly at James