The Great Hall was buzzing with energy and excitement. Professor McGonagall tapped on the lectern with her wand to silence everybody. "Now, you will tour in houses. Professor Lupin and I will lead Gryffindor. Professor Sprout and Professor Hagrid will lead Hufflepuff. Professor Flitwick and Professor Trelawney will lead Ravenclaw and Professor Slughorn and Professor Hooch will lead Slytherin. We will be back here for lunch at 1pm." With that she and Lupin led the Gryffindor out of the hall, leaving the other houses to follow.
*****
Gryffindor started by making their way round the DADA classrooms and then Potions classrooms. William stared into the rooms, he missed his friends, but knew he'd have class with at least one of them. In the meantime he had made other friends. "This is so cool!" One of his friends whispered, Taylor Walker was very similar to William, they had a lot in common but he was a little dim, not the same as Max. "Since most accidents happen in these subjects, the infirmary is upstairs. The infirmary tower also looks down on the Quidditch field." Professor Lupin explained. "Yes, if anyone finds themselves injured, alone or with only one friend, then send up red sparks with your wand-" Professor McGonagall continued before Lupin jumped in, "A spell to do so we will learn in my first class with you." McGonagall gave him a withering look before continuing "and Madame Pomfrey will send someone to assist you, let's move on."
*****
Meanwhile, Hufflepuff began in the greenhouses, where they would have Herbology classes. "I think Herbology will be my favourite subject." Tom sighed, happily. "Really?" Elizabeth didn't see him as somebody who was into Herbology. "Now, some of the plants in here are very dangerous," Announced Professor Sprout, "you are NEVER to enter here without a member of staff, or a prefect. Is that clear?" There was a general chorus of yes's before she led the group outside. "You're not to leave the castle grounds at all! Unless it's to go to Hogsmeade at the weekend, but I reckon even that'll stop soon." Hagrid said. The first years were a little nervous of Hagrid, he could tell, but he didn't mind. It didn't last long. "Come on then." He said, leading them back inside.
*****
Max was walking in a big group with other Ravenclaw boys. "These are the Charms and Divination classrooms." They all looked similar to lecture halls. Max liked lectures, but he preferred practical learning. Especially magic! He could tell that he'd probably spend a lot of time in the Charms rooms. He reckoned that it would become his favourite subject. "Hey Max!" Some girls giggled. It was obvious his desire to learn wasn't just attracting male attention. It was fairly obvious that they were trying to flirt with him. To be honest,he liked that. It had always been girls hanging around with him to get to Will. To have some attention of his own for once was a new feeling, but one that he enjoyed. "Mr Walsh?" Max jumped. It was Professor Flitwick. "Yes, Sir?" "I'm given to understand that what the sorting hat said is correct. If it is then I would like to see you in my office after lunch. We have much to discuss." Without giving the boy a chance to reply, Flitwick hurried back to the head of the group. Which left the poor boy very confused and quite startled.
*****
The Slytherins were led around the various corridors and shown the rooms that were forbidden to students. "Now, the castle has many secrets, most of which you shall have to discover for yourself during your time here. However with the war imminent I will tell you of one feature." Said Slughorn. "There is a hidden room in the castle, called the Room of Requirement. It appears to someone who needs something. You may be sent here to hide. However Professor McGonagall will explain further before lunch." He led the group on. "This is boring, want to have some fun?" Hannah asked with a smirk on her face. "Sure, let's go." Melanie replied and the two girls slipped into an abandoned hallway. Hannah then led them to the first floor girl's bathroom. "Why are we here?" Melanie asked. "Hey Myrtle." Hannah said to the empty room. Melanie thought she was crazy until a girl flew out of a toilet. Melanie was about to asked what she had been doing when she realised that the girl was a ghost. "Mel, this is Myrtle, she was killed by the basilisk in 1943." Melanie stood there for a second. "What the hell is a basilisk?" They stood in silence until the ghost piped up. "Well, it's like a snake but much bigger. I was killed at the tender age of fourteen and condemned to stay here forever, because unfortunately ghosts can't die again." Melanie stared in shock. "Ooh, Myrtle! Tell her the story!" Hannah begged. "Oh, OK! Well, Olive Hornby had been teasing me about my glasses so I came in here to cry and I was sitting on the lid when I heard a voice. It was a boy, but he was speaking in a different language, I opened the door to tell him to go away and use his own bathroom. But I saw a pair of really big eyes, and then I died. Took them ages to find me! But when they did it was Olive Hornsby and she was so shocked! It was rather funny, the look on her mean little face." Melanie giggled, it was obvious that Myrtle didn't get much company, it was apparent that people thought her to be annoying. It was apparent that Myrtle didn't care what they thought, but wanted some friends. "Oh crap! Hannah, we have to get back to the Great Hall before the rest of Slytherin!" Melanie exclaimed. "Come on! Let's go!" The girls rushed out of the bathroom and to the bottom of the stairs, Melanie thrust her arm out and slammed her friend into the wall. "There they are! Come on, let's slip in at the back." She whispered, she waited until the group passed the stairwell, Melanie beckoned and they slipped in with their classmates.
*****
"Now, you should have all been told about the Room of Requirement, it is located secretly in the first floor hallway, directly above the Great Hall. Unless there are special circumstances, when Voldemort comes for the castle, you will hide there with the second years, for your own safety, a teacher will come and collect you all when it's safe. Under no circumstances do you open that door! Now, how to get in. You need to be thinking about how badly you need a room to hide in, with food and water to keep you all going." McGonagall paused. "Professor Lupin has something that he'd like to say." She stood back as Lupin stood at the lectern. "We shall be covering defensive and offensive spells in my class this year in case of attack, you will need to be confident in a spell in case they find you. It might be the difference between death and survival." He sat back down. "You may eat, your timetables will be handed out while you do so." They all began eating. Elizabeth was chatting to Tom about her homelife. Max was cautiously watching Flitwick, trying to suss out why he wanted to talk to him. Melanie and Hannah were dissolved in conversation about Myrtle. William was missing his friends, especially Melanie.
*****
"Professor, you wanted to see me?" Max said, after knocking on the open office door of his house's head. "Yes, Mr Walsh, do come in." Max walked in and sat in the chair opposite the teacher, after he motioned for him to do so. "I understand you were raised as a muggle until your Hogwarts letter arrived." "Yes," replied the boy, he was beginning to panic slightly. "I want to put you up for a muggle research project. You see, we're teaming up with Hufflepuff house, to create a muggle room in the castle to make our muggleborns feel less homesick. However we want it to be accurate of course. I want to put you forward to be head researcher." Max sat in stunned silence for a moment. "I'm honoured professor, but I'm only eleven." "All the more reason it should be you, it's often our younger muggleborns that get homesick. What do you want to do?" Max thought. "Well. I'd love to sir." Good, I'll put you forward to Professor Sprout."
*****
"OH MY GOD!" Elizabeth screamed as she charged towards her friends! They were all enveloped in a huge hug which they accepted. "This is so amazing! Let's see you timetables!" They got them from their pockets and presented them to the group. Gryffindor had classes with Slytherin and Hufflepuff had classes with Ravenclaw. Their reunion was interrupted by a Ravenclaw student. "Snape has been spotted. McGonagall wants everyone in the Great Hall now!"
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Background Hogwarts
FantasyMelanie Black, William Reed, Elizabeth Stewart and Max Walsh have known each other their whole lives and now start their Hogwarts education in the year of the second wizarding war. When all are sorted into separate houses, who will change and how? ...
