Katie had heard stories from Chris about how amazing the Great Hall was, but she had never actually been there herself. She also never expected it to be this amazing.

Hundreds upon thousands of floating candles illuminated the vast hall and, looking up at the ceiling, Katie could see the swirling night sky that was littered with stars. From behind her, Katie heard a girl speak.

"It's not real, the ceiling. It's just bewitched to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."

Four extremely long tables were laid out from one end of the hall to the next, with a banner for each of the Hogwarts houses at one end. As she walked through the hall, Katie spotted Chris at the Gryffindor table. He gave her a glare and then stuck his tongue out, followed by a smile. Katie shook her head and glared back, which made Chris and his friends laugh.

The first years stopped walking abruptly, and Katie accidentally bumped into Harry.

"Sorry Harry." she whispered urgently but Harry just gave her a small smile, saying that it was okay.

Katie had to stand up on her toes to see over the heads of the many first years. Looking up to the top of the room, she saw another long table where the teachers were sat. Professor McGonagall, a stern looking witch in green velvet robes who the first years had met only minutes before placed an old, battered hat on top of a stool. Katie furrowed her eyebrows as she stared at the hat, before a rip opened up and the hat broke into song.

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Storting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

There daring, nerve and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The hat finished singing and the hall erupted in applause.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." Professor McGonagall called as she unrolled some parchment.

"Abbott, Hannah!"

A small girl with blonde hair stepped foreword and seated herself on the stool. The dusty old hat was placed on her head. After a few moments, the hat called out —

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuff table stood up and clapped as the girl ran over to join their table. Many more people were called and Katie was growing anxious.

"Granger, Hermione!"

A girl with bushy brown hair ran practically forward and the hat was placed on her head. The hat seemed to be taking a long time to decide where to place Hermione, but after a minute, it yelled out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Hermione looked overjoyed as she skipped over to the Gryffindor table.

"Malfoy, Draco!"

Draco stepped forward with a smug look on his face. The hat had only brushed his hair when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

"Potter, Harry!"

The whole hall fell silent as Harry's name was called, before everyone began whispering. A nervous looking Harry stepped forward and sat on the stool. He gulped. Harry locked eyes with Katie and she gave him a warm smile to calm him down. The hat was then placed on his head, blocking his eyes.

The hat took exceptionally long this time, before it eventually spoke aloud for the whole hall to hear.

"Better be... GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table roared and cheered as Harry went to join their table, looking relieved. Katie gave him a thumbs up as he smiled over at her.

"We've got Potter! We've got Potter!" some Gryffindors were yelling and Katie chuckled.

"Weasley, Ronald!"

Ron looked even more nervous than Harry. He looked so nervous, in fact, that he was looking a little sick and queasy. He paled under his freckles as he sat on the stool. The hat was placed on is head and within seconds it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Blair, Katerina!"

Katie felt her throat lock as her stomach done a somersault. She hesitated, before stepping forward. He heart was threatening to burst right out of her chest as she sat on the stool. Her eyes found Harry and, like she had done, he gave her a reassuring smile. She also looked at Chris who nodded at her and smiled. Ron gave her a thumbs up and Katie redirected her gaze. She found herself looking into the sliver eyes of Draco Malfoy, and he was staring back. But the hat was placed on her head, falling over her eyes and plunging Katie into darkness.

"Oh... I see." the hat muttered and Katie froze stiff. "You're an interesting one, aren't you? You're definitely brave, very brave. Loyalty, oh yes. You're intelligent, oh my goodness, yes... You definitely have the spirit of a Gryffindor in you."

Katie's heart pounded in her chest as the hat spoke to her. Although she couldn't see anyway, she shut her eyes tight. All that Katie wanted was to be in Gryffindor with her brother and her new friends.

"But there's something else..." the hat said and Katie's stomach flipped. "Determination, it's there. It is most definitely there. But there is something that I can't quite place my finger on... Hm, so you better be..."

"SLYTHERIN!"

Katie's heart stopped as the hat was pulled from her head. The witch in the green was smiling at her, but she wasn't paying attention to that. Although the Slytherin table was cheering and clapping, Katie couldn't focus on that. All sounds were muffled.

Katie found her brother amongst the crowd. He was sitting with his mouth slightly opened and a look of pure shock in his eyes—not the good kind. Ron was staring at Katie, a look that was almost disgust plastered on his face.

Harry's eyebrows were twisted together and he looked utterly bewildered. Katie saw him say something to Ron, and from reading Harry's lips, she was almost certain that he had said, "That can't be right."

No, this can't be right. I'm supposed to be in Gryffindor. My whole family were in Gryffindor. I am a Gryffindor. I can't be a... a Slytherin.'

McGonagall gave her a little tap on the shoulder, which Katie understood as her telling Katie to get up. Slowly and reluctantly, Katie stood up and walked over to the Slytherin table. She sat down on the edge of the seat, almost directly in front of Draco Malfoy. He was looking at her with a hint of a smirk on his face. Katie glanced up at him. He raised his eyebrows, and Katie looked away.

Katie stared blankly at the wall. She couldn't believe it. It wasn't right. She wasn't a Slytherin. No way.