One Last Try [HP Jamione fanfic]

6. A Place in This World

A/N: She's finally at Hogwarts! Getting sorted this chapter :D It's so weird to be posting her starting her first year when I'm currently writing the beginning of fifth year haha :D Thanks everyone for your bloody amazing reviews! (and for all the favourites and follows).

1st September 1971

The train pulled into the station with a sharp jolt, sending Hermione falling into James with an oof. Sirius laughed loudly as they struggled to disentangle themselves from each other, James cursing, and Hermione glaring alternately between the two future Marauders.

Sirius preceded them out of the train, still chuckling every few seconds when he glanced back at them. Hermione finally rolled her eyes, jogging to catch up with him just so she could smack him 'round the back of the head, "Oh, do shut up."

It, of course, had no effect on Sirius, who just grinned unrepentantly and skipped ahead to where Hagrid was shouting for the first years to assemble around him. The walk down to the shore, subsequent ride in the boats, and first view of Hogwarts once the boats properly pulled out onto the lake was just as much a revelation and awe-filling seeing it the second time as it was the first.

She was sharing a boat with James, Sirius, and a dark haired boy she vaguely recognised. When the boats pulled up at the other end in the cave Sirius and James jumped out without a by your leave. The other boy rolled his eyes and, after stepping out gracefully, reached back a hand to help Hermione out of the boat.

"I don't think they would know how to treat a lady if they tried." He said with a small grin, and once she'd fully stepped out of the boat he bowed lightly over her hand, "Frank Longbottom, lovely to meet you..."

"Oh!" Hermione felt a light blush rising to her cheeks and silently scolded herself. She really needed to stop being so enamoured with her future friends' fathers. "Hermione Prewett. The pleasure is all mine." He offered her his arm gallantly and escorted her up the slippery stairs into the small room they would wait for the sorting in.

James shot her a sour look she didn't understand, and then settled for glowering at Frank. Hermione frowned, but ignored him, realising after a moment that he was jealous for some indeterminate reason. She didn't have time to deal with anyone's bruised feelings right now.

The door opened and Professor McGonagall stepped into the room, dressed in neatly pressed emerald green robes and sporting the same stern look she always did. "Welcome to Hogwarts, the start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony, because while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."

Hermione was quite amused to find that the Deputy Headmistress' speech was completely unchanged from the same speech Hermione had heard 20 years in the future.

"The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble 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." Hermione couldn't stop herself from sending James and Sirius a look at that. "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 minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." She sent a sharp look at James and Sirius who were now goofing around in the back of the room, "I will be back in a few minutes to collect you all."