||Rain's Storm||The Sorcerer's Stone||Year 1||

Chapter Two: Hogwarts

Rain had managed to open her eyes enough to see the beauty of the castle as they sailed inside. The brown brick towers soared into the night sky above, and every window was lite with a bright light. She couldn't deny it; it had struck her with awe. She had never known anything could be so beautiful. 

As they climbed out of the boats, Rain remained close to Harry and Ron despite her curiosity. This was a strange world to her, and she wasn't sure what to expect. "This way!" Hagrid called from somewhere up ahead. He beckoned them to him, then pointed at the stone steps ahead of him. "Up yeh go!"

Hagrid left them to climb the stairs alone. When the finally reached the top, a woman in black green robes was standing there, waiting for them. Rain studied her quietly. She had a sharp nose and blue eyes. Her hair was nearly entirely hidden in a black pointed hat. She reminded her of an older version of Mama Poppy.

"Hello students. I am Professor McGonagall, one of the teachers here at Hogwarts and the Head of Gryffindor house. There are a total of four houses; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. In a few minutes, you will pass through the doors behind me into the Great Hall, where you will be sorted into one of these four houses. While you are here at the school, your house will be like your family."

If she said more, Rain did not hear them. She was gazing up at the ceiling high above her head, her hands clenched into fists at her side. Burning hot fury had swept into her heart. The space the first years were standing in, waiting, was several times the size of the orphanage she called home. The stupid school, in what little she had seen, had far more than she could ever hope to have. 

Rain followed along blindly as the first years moved into the Great Hall. Her jaw dropped. Four long tables were stretched out before them, and seated at them already were the older students. At the end of the four tables, upon a lifted section of the floor, was another table at which the teachers and staff were seated, clear, tall, glass windows behind them. Rain smiled when she spotted Dumbledore at the certain, her anger forgotten.

Dumbledore stood up, walking up to a golden stand; it was the shape of an owl. His voice filled the hall, silencing everyone, "Welcome students! Another year has begun, and with it the need to sort the newest arrivals to our grand school! Let the Sorting begin!"

Professor McGonagall walked to the front of the four tables, and placed a stool down. Upon it she placed a ragged, brown, pointed hat. As Rain stared at it, a tare became like a mouth, and two smaller tares like eyes. All of the children stared at it.

"When your name is called, come and sit on the stool, placing the hat upon your head," McGonagall instructed. She removed a scroll, and opened it. She called the first name, "Granger, Hermione." The curly-haired girl from the train walked forward, appearing nervous. She picked the hat up, sat down, and put it on. 

"Gryffindor!" it shouted from the mouth-like slit. Cheers erupted from the table whose students' robes bore a red crest as she stood up, replaced the hat on the stool, and walked over to the table. McGonagall called the next student; Draco Malfoy.

Rain studied the boy closely as he strutted to the stool. His hair was near white, and he had a sharp face. His eyes were bright. He was scawrny boy, but seemed full of himself. The hat had barely touched his head before shouting, "Slytherin!"

As Malfoy made his way over to the cheering table, McGonagall paused at the next name. For several moments she was quiet. Then she said in a quick voice, so the name could not be mistaken for two, "LilyRain." Rain ignored the whispering and pointing as she walked to the stool. She sat down, placing the hat upon her head.

"Hmm...much potential. I can sense the qualities of each house within you. But I sense you will fit most perfectly within Slytherin," the hat mused into her ears.

"Slytherin? I think that's where I belong too. I know who I am, and I can't deny it," Rain replied through thought, not sensing the need to speak her words aloud. Just because she knew who she was didn't mean the rest of the school needed to know.

"Very well." Then the hat shouted, so the entire school could hear, "Slytherin!" Rain stood up as gleeful cries roared from the table where Malfoy had sat minutes before. Catching his eye, she smiled faintly at Malfoy as she sat down on one side of him. 

"I'm Draco Malfoy. And who are you? Professor McGonagall didn't say your last name for some reason," he whispered as the Sorting continued.

"It's just Rain. I don't have a last name," Rain whispered back, her gaze remaining on the stool and hat.

"How can you not have a last name?" he demanded.

"I just don't," Rain snapped, growing annoyed. Malfoy grew quiet.

Rain was disappointed when Ron and Harry were both placed in Gryffindor, but she wasn't surprised. She had pegged them for the kind of people who would be. As the last person was Sorted and made his way to his house table, Dumbledore stood up. Rain smirked as he made his way back to the podium.

"Before we gorge ourselves on our feast, I have a few announcements to make. First, I would like to inform the first years, and remind our older students, that the Forbidden Forest on the grounds is strictly forbidden to all students. " Rain rolled her eyes when she heard a few snickers from the Gryffindor table, but knew deep down she would be one of the ones sneaking into it. She couldn't help herself; she enjoyed causing trouble.

"The 3rd corridor is also forbidden to students this year. Mr. Filch has asked me to inform you that unless you wish to face a painful death, you will not go near the 3rd corridor," Dumbledore continued. As Rain dug into the food which appeared before her, her mind raced with thoughts on how to enter the Forbidden Forest, and get onto the 3rd corridor, without getting caught.