Roman took a deep breath of the crisp autumn air. It seemed to tingle his lungs and cool his skin as he walked with a purpose toward Platform 9 at King's Cross Station. Of course, he wasn't actually going to Platform 9, but rather the wall three quarters between Platform 9 and 10.

He smiled to himself once he got there. Walking through the wall was one of his favorite things to do; the Gryffindor found it incredibly amusing that he could walk straight through a wall while muggles just kept going about their days. Once he arrived at the wall, he noticed several first years with their bulky trolleys filled with their trunks and books, the occasional owl cage or cat carrier inside too. The kids looked lost and confused, reminding him of himself at that age. Roman remembered those annoying trolleys and the feeling of not knowing where he was going. Fortunately, you weren't required to use a trolley after your first year and you could have your trunk put on the Hogwarts Express ahead of time.

Nodding to the kids, he shouldered his messenger bag higher up and walked through the wall without flinching, hearing the kids gasp a little as he did so; being a fifth year, it was hilarious to him.

He made his way onto the Hogwarts Express, finding a car where his best friends were waiting for him already. "Patton, Logan, it's great to see you guys!" he said as he put his bag on the overhead platform. He gave the Hufflepuff a quick hug and shook hands with the Ravenclaw before sitting down across from them. "How was your summers?"

"It was amazing!! Lo and I actually got to hang out this year!" Patton exclaimed happily, clutching his boyfriend's hand and grinning at him affectionately. "What about you?"

Roman shrugged. "It wasn't anything special, did lots of Quidditch training and such, not much else though," he admitted, stretching out his back as he relaxed against the cushions of the seat. "I did see a cute guy at the movie theater where I live though. I didn't talk to him of course, but he was cute."

The conversation continued on for another twenty minutes or so before each of them moved on to doing a quiet activity of their own. Logan was reading and his Hufflepuff boyfriend was napping on his shoulder.

The Gryffindor smiled at the two of them, feeling his heart pang with longing. What he wouldn't give to have a boyfriend...

When they arrived at the school, it was already dark, as usual. They made their way to the Great Hall, traditionally sorted the first years, and were about to dig into their meal before the Headmistress stopped them. "May I have your attention for just a bit longer," Headmistress McGonagall said from her post behind the winged podium. "Besides the first years, we have another new arrival to our school."

Muttering began among all the students of Hogwarts. They were curious to discover if this new arrival was a student or a new instructor. Roman raised an eyebrow at his friends across the Great Hall, wondering if they knew anything about this.

"I'd like to introduce Virgil Black, a young, home-taught wizard who will be joining us here," she said, beckoning up a boy who looked like a fifth year.

Everyone began murmuring even more as the short, lanky boy approached her cautiously. He had purple bangs that hung in front of his dark eyes, and pale skin that was accentuated by his black robes and dark eye shadow.

He's got to be a Slytherin, for sure, the Gryffindor thought with a roll of his eyes. There's no way a creepy cookie like him wouldn't be.

"Mr. Black will be joining us, so if you would please come sit and be sorted-"

"Actually," he interrupted, shocking everyone. It was extraordinarily rare for a student to interrupt the Headmistress. "I'd rather not be sorted, Headmistress. If it isn't too much trouble, that is..."

Everyone fell dead silent at his request. No one had ever not been sorted. No one had ever not wanted to be sorted. Even Headmistress McGonagall looked speechless at his request.

"My dear boy, are you sure you don't want to be sorted? The hat is very wise, I'm sure you'd feel at home with whatever house he would pick for you," she tried to reassure him. Virgil just shook his head. "You won't be able to compete in the House Cup competition, or play Quidditch. Are you absolutely certain?"

"Yes Headmistress, I am," he replied, voice quiet but firm.

She cleared her throat and nodded. "Very well, Virgil, you can choose which house you would like to sit with and we'll arrange a room for you in the guest dormitories," McGonagall said with finality.

"Headmistress, he can come sit with us if he'd like!" a familiar voice said cheerily. Patton stood up from his place at the Hufflepuff table. "I have an empty seat beside me if he'd like to have it."

Virgil shrugged and headed over to the Hufflepuff table as the Great Hall filled with murmurs once more. The Headmistress dismissed them to begin eating, and most of the room's inhabitants didn't bother to think about the new comer after the first five minutes. Roman on the other hand looked over at the boy curiously as he sat next to Patton.

A home-schooled wizard that doesn't want to be sorted, he thought. What a weird guy he is...