Students were gathering on the broad steps in small House groups and then heading into the Great Hall to sit at their tables.

Sarah got out of the carriage and hurried up the steps beckoning Nathaniel and Raphael to follow. "I am not sure if you'll be able to sit with us at Ravenclaw or be expected to wait until after the sorting. Someone should be around to tell you where you should wait."

Branwen skipped out of the carriage after Sarah, eager to see the school again, hopeful of a glimpse of Randal, and wondering if it was too late to fly for half an hour or so.

She shook her head, she would see Randal at the feast, the school was always there, and realistically she would have to wait until dawn to fly out over to the forest and see how the other birds were.

She pulled a face, "Probably have to wait to see what's going to happen, I should think. Not that I'm the best judge of these things, or you for that matter Sarah" she laughed softly, beaming at her friend. It hadn't escaped her attention that Sarah had made at least one new special friend and she was thrilled for her.

Raphael looked at the double doors of the castle with trepidation. Perhaps... what would be happening? What would they do? Would they be put into a tiny room with the hat? Would he be led into a great hall? Being the first to leap from the carriage, and looking back, Raphael can finally see all the other carriages behind them.

He can't look at Sarah, not right now. His hand... his hands... were burning... clasped together easily, with something trapped between them, Raphael turns and looks as the others peek out of the carriage. "Can - can we go?" he asked, shouting through the lashing rain, his backpack tied around his waist with an extra clip or two. Then, moving quickly through the rain, Raphael flung himself into the entrance hall, and smack bang into...

....smack bang into Professor Zachary Kacirk, who went over in a tangle of impossibly long limbs.

"Young man!" said the Professor getting up quickly and straightening his robes. "Kindly control your exuberance! If you are in such a rush to get somewhere you won't ever know where you have been."

The Professor was very tall and very, very thin. He looked like an exotic stick insect with short, spiky red hair and a pointy noise. His small wire-rimmed glasses had been knocked askew by his fall but he quickly perched them again on the end of his nose. "Now - not a First Year coming in by carriage? Transfer student or late entry?" He had a parchment and a quill.

He gaped at the spider man before him, looking at him, thinking only that if the wind got any higher he'd have to be careful. The man - Raphael had already realised and was finding, to his own dismay, that he already found the man (and his thinness, not just his adult status) fascinating - put back on a pair of wire-rimmed glasses back on his nose.

Raphael stared at the glasses in surprise - he had thought of a million things that he would encounter in the castle, and dismissed many of them with more then a little sarcasm in the voice in his head, although he'd been proved wrong by Glueclaws. The fact was that this man had glasses - in a magic castle. It was just too stereotypical, and, hey, couldn't they just magic away the blindness? Note for the unwary, thought Raphael to himself: expect the unexpected. Though you'll go around with a slightly happy and vacant expression on your face, said the voice in his head, all the time. Just like now, he added.

Raphael went red, and slipped off the getting-heavier-by-the-minute rucksack off his back, and onto the floor. He stood before the professor, stretched his back with a slight grunt of pain as it clicked in and out again, and rose to his rather pathetic (though only in comparison) height. "Hello...?" hazarded Raphael, to the professor. "I'm - what were the choices again?" he asked.

A ripple of pain crossed his forehead. This was turning into a headache. "A late entry, I guess. I don't know. I did get here before all the other students," he said, trying to be helpful, and quite probably sounding cheeky and uppity. Behind him, he could see Sarah, who had been ahead of him coming into the entrance. She glanced into... into... Raphael's mouth dropped open. She was looking through a set of double doors, bustling with students, into...

into... the biggest hall Raphael had seen... there were hundreds of students... hundreds... he turned back to the glassed spider man and squinted at him. "Er... I think my uncle might have had a letter," he hazarded, hoping that the tall figure climbing up the steps behind him in the crowd was Nathaniel. He needed company if Sarah was gonna go away - he smiled painfully at her through the crowds of arriving students, but he wasn't sure if she'd be able to fight her way back to them both.

Sarah had indeed been swept along into the Great Hall towards the familiar Ravenclaw table, which was beautifully decorated with its House colours, as were the other tables.

She spotted that Professor Kacirk was questioning Raphael, though she was able to catch Raphael's eye and wave. There was no chance for her to go back out. The formidable figure of Professor McGonagall was nearby surveying the proceedings and waiting for the students to be seated prior to the entry of the First Years. Sarah wondered if Ruthie and Ninny had enjoyed their lake crossing.

"Late entry?" repeated Professor Kacirk. "Received a letter?"

He pondered this information for a few seconds. "Fine. Go into the Great Hall. There are four long tables - do not sit at any of them. There is a smaller table to one side. Sit there with the others. Wait. Keep noise to a minimum. After the new First Year students have been sorted, Professor McGonagall, the Deputy Head will be call the late entries and transferees not yet sorted for the sorting."

With that the Professor nodded to Raphael that he was dismissed and was free to enter the Great Hall.

"Fourth Years, sir." Nathaniel said over Raphael's shoulder, and pulled a neat grey folder of documents out of his inside pocket and handed it to the teacher. The name 'Curmudgeon, Jones, Jones & Crumn' could be seen neatly, but subtly, emblazoned on the outside of the folder, which contained a letter from that company in regards to contact details, a signed permission for Hogsmeade visits, and the original letter from Hogwarts.

"I've been pre-sorted to Ravenclaw, to be confirmed by the Hat, but Raphael here hasn't, sir." Nathaniel looked round. "Uh... where do we go from here?"

The Professor glanced at the paperwork. "Late entry? Fine."

"Both of you may be seated at the table to the side of the room. The Deputy Head will call your names in due course. I dare say the Sorting is just a formality Mr. Greenleigh. Your future classmates will be seated at the Table decorated in Blue and Bronze."

Professor Kacirk had seemed impressed with Nathaniel.

"Thank you sir." Nathaniel gently retrieved the gray folder with his paperwork from the teacher and tucked it away as though he was almost ashamed of its contents.

A moment later he'd gently tugged Raphael further into the hall. "Looks like you're stuck with me for a while, kid." he managed a worried looking smile. "With luck, you'll get sorted to Ravenclaw and the Hat won't change its mind about me; then we can raise all sorts of hell, eh?"

Order was beginning to come of the chaos in the hall, and Nathaniel steered Raphael towards the table at the side of the room. He had time to grip Raphael's left wrist encouragingly with his long fingers.

"Friends." he murmured quietly, and then they were finding seats and the mostly black kitten was sitting proudly on his shoulder as the pair of three-year-late students sat down and waited, with some trepidation, for the Sorting.

With that the Professor nodded to Raphael that he was dismissed and was free to enter the Great Hall. A minute later, Raphael was being led into the hall by Nathaniel. Sitting down on the table with him, Raphael managed to get his voice back enough to mutter "Sir?" under his breath.

Nathaniel had obviously mastered the art of being a good student... He could feel the guidance that the other student was giving him. Thank god Nathaniel was here. Raphael found himself staring at the other tables, looking and assessing each of them, finding nothing of note, just wanting to be on another one of those tables, any of them.

Then he spotted Sarah fighting her way through the crowd, and remembered what the teacher had said about Nathaniel's sorting, and desperately wanted to be on the Ravenclaw table. His left hand was still burning, tucked away down by his side, but Nathaniel had reached down, and grabbed it, getting his attention suddenly.

"Friends," the other student muttered. "Friends," Raphael said back, and it was comforting: he knew that he wasn't alone in his... in his... terror. Blinding, burning terror. This hat... it was going to laugh at him, or worse.

He found that Nathaniel had spotted the wand in his left hand. Raphael shrugged it off, not really wondering how the want had come to be in his hand, and knowing only that it was in preparation. He was prepared - as much as he ever was going to be.

"Let the sorting commence," he whispered, so only Nathaniel could hear.

********

The carriage ground to a halt in front of the castle doors, and Niki opened the door. She was suddenly hungry, and felt more than a little sick from all the sweets on the train. Or perhaps it was apprehension--of what, exactly, she wasn't sure, but she was nervous.

As she started inside, hurrying against what was, to her, chilly weather (not helped by the rain), she caught a glimpse of someone from the corner or her eye and realised why she was feeling nervous. She didn't want to see Dylan and Nathan together. At all.

It was unusual for Piotr to regret any of his actions, but as he stood, apart from the other students, not knowing quite what he was meant to do at this stage that he felt a momentary pang of regret at not making the effort to speak to anybody.

He stood in a casual slouch, leaning against the carriage watching people bustle into the castle but not knowing which group he was meant to be.

The boy knew a moment's loneliness and a wave of yearning to be part of the crowd swept over him. Then his lip curled in a derisive sneer. He would NEVER be 'one of the crowd'. His father had seen to that. The old, familiar hatred calmed his churning stomach a little and, moving forward, he moved slowly towards the entrance to the castle. He trusted to the likelihood of someone pointing him in the right direction.

********

After introductions all around, Jian quietly observed the conversations going on around him and was fascinated at the energy that his fellow Hogwarts students had. There was no stiffness here, no rules of rigidity, and no unwritten code of decorum of not expressing oneself.

It was all somewhat very surprising to take in at once.

The moment the carriage stopped by the steps of the castle, Jian immediately remembered his instructions from his uncle of finding a teacher so he could be properly Sorted.

"I shall go ahead," he informed the group. "I still need to be Sorted. Good evening." He dropped a quick half-bow to the party in the carriage.

He moved closer to Shinrei. She looked much better than she had back at the train. "Be well, Miss. Thank you for accompanying me."

He was out of the carriage before anyone could respond, running towards the steps of Hogwarts School.

"Thank you as well, Hupi-san," Shinrei replied to Jian's words. He was already gone from view but the sentiment still mattered. Be well, he had said.

*I hope I will be Hupi-san* she thought. *Though the circumstances do not exactly have that in mind*

"I believe we are here," she said to the people in the carriage. She gave them a smile and a nod and descended from the carriage. Students were descending carriages all around her, talking, laughing, and arguing. The activity level was very high.

Shinrei reached into her robes and pulled out the flask of Chishio draught. She took a long swig. Some things never changed for her. No matter what happened, this sickness would still haunt her. But she was still alive.

She noticed something peeking out from one of her robes' many sewn-in pockets. She replaced her flask and curiously removed the item. It was the piece of parchment that had appeared out of thin air at the Hogwarts Express shortly after Saito and his minions had left. Shinrei decided to read it later. She placed it securely back into her pockets and turned to look at the Hogwarts castle.

***********

Upon reaching the front steps of the castle that was Hogwarts, Jian Hupi slowed down his steps and looked up at the magnificent structure rising before him, silhouetted by the purple-gray sky.

This is where he belonged to now. For the next few years, Buddha wills it. It was wildly mysterious and beautiful, so different from what he had been used to at the Northern mountains.

He took note of a pale, dark-haired boy standing a short distance away from him. The boy was unmistakably sneering at something--or someone, but Jian wasn't exactly sure what or who. He looked at the boy's robes and did not see a crest like that of other students.

He walked towards the boy and spoke to him. "Excuse me. Have you been Sorted, or are you a new student too? I can see you are not wearing a House crest yet."

For what was possibly the first time in his life, Piotr actually felt glad that somebody had spoken to him. Not that he let it show, of course. "You're right," he said. "I am a new student." He fought against the urge to leave it at that, and actually went to the trouble of extending his hand. "Piotr Rachinov."

House crest? Now that it'd been mentioned, Piotr noticed for the first time that all the other students - bar those like himself and this oriental newcomer - had badges on their robes. He felt a moment's irritation. That garish thing would go against his 'black, black and more black' ethic.

Jian gave Piotr a formal bow and shook the boy's hand. "It is an honour to meet you. My name is Hupi Jian, of the Mian-Ju-Tao Northern Order of China. I will be joining the Fourth Years, after the Sorting, yes."

*************

Having spoken to Professor McGonagall and then having a quick word with the spindly Professor Kacirk about what needed to be done with respect to new students above the First Year not yet sorted; Nimue went to help in giving directions to newcomers.

She saw Jian talking with another black robed boy. As she got closer she realised it was the pale boy who had creeped her out last year. Yet she was a Prefect and one had one's duties.

"Hello again, Jian. I'm helping out a little with respect to directing people. Are you both ready to enter the Great Hall?" "I'm Elizabeth Hawkwood, Fourth Year Prefect for Gryffindor House" she said to Piotr. "You were here in the summer for an afternoon I believe."

Jian bowed to Nimue as she approached. After she had introduced herself to Piotr, Jian said, "I am ready to join the others, Miss Hawkwood." He was indeed ready--to make the Order proud of him and accomplish what his Great-uncle had.

Nimue turned at Jian's words, which cut short any response Piotr might have made to Nimue's introduction. "Yes, if you'd both like to follow me there is a table inside the Great Hall set aside for the new students above First Year. As soon as the First Years are sorted you each will be called."

She smiled at Piotr, hopefully encouraging him to follow.

*********

Winifred stepped out of the carriage and joined the hundreds of students milling around. She turned to the students who had been sharing the carriage. "Nice to meet all of you, I hope to see you around," she said to them, waving. She then turned and went off in the search of a fellow Slytherin to chat with. She spied Niki standing alone and approached her. "Hi Niki! Long time no see. How was your summer?"

"Wretched," Niki said cheerily, looking over her shoulder quickly. "But I'm here now, so that's all right. How was yours?"

"My summer was decent. Just the usual family trip and hanging around the house," Winifred replied.

Morticia and Nathan had engaged in serious conversation the second that they had both arrived at the school, hissing rapidly in French and by the tone of their words throwing insults at each other. Although they kept their voices down, the names "Niki" and "Arcadia" could be frequently heard just like "Evans".

Morticia looked like a wild cat attacking a coolly waiting and smirking crocodile. Nathan managed to look calm and nice throughout the talk, but his eyes were twinkling dangerously.

At last, they broke with some last growls and Nathan strolled away to some other Slytherin 6th years, who didn't look too happy about the company, and Morticia went to Winifred and Niki.

"Hi, you two," she said with a cheery smile that showed nothing of the hot temper she'd just shown, "I'm so excited about Ninny being sorted today, you know? Ah, I bet this year will be great, don't you think?"

When Peesey saw Tish go across to Niki, he followed her. "Hi," he said in return to hers.

Niki smiled, but it didn't extend to her eyes, which were darting around a trifle nervously. "Hi, Tish." She wasn't sure what to say, after the almost-argument they'd had, and opted for silence.

As Morticia walked up, Winifred greeted her. "Hey Morticia! Wow, it's great to be back at school and see everyone. Do you think your sister will be in Slytherin like you and Nathan?"

"If Ninny ends up in Slytherin, I'll drop Quidditch!" Morticia replied with a laugh, then noticed Peesemould. "Hey, Peesey! Good to see you!" She smiled at him. "I'm so glad to be back in school, one more day with a pregnant mother and I would have been ready for St Mungo's, really!"

"Hi!" Peesey said back, "wow, it seems like an age since I last spoke to you. I didn't know your mother was pregnant?!"

"She is," Morticia sighed, "AGAIN. Don't they know how to avoid babies? I mean, gosh, it's good to know they're still in love, but how many kids to they want to have before they realise it's enough?"

*********

Yvette had donned her usual robes on the train, but had managed to get by with wearing a bright pink 'Madeline' style jacket. She was cold, for some reason...even indoors.

"Too much California." She said to herself with a wry grin, and managed to find a Gryffindor crowd.

There were dozens of Slytherins walking about...one could never be too careful. Still, she stuck out like a sore thumb. Amongst the whirling black robes, she boldly made her way. She realised a teacher would probably make her put the coat away, put still...brr. Her lips were slightly blue, though she didn't notice it, and she shivered. Maybe she should find a scarf...

Spotting the bright pink, Madison made her way through the crowd of students. She had pulled on a sweatshirt under her robes, and was able to stand the cold weather.

"Yvette!" She laughed. "I could see you a mile away! You're like neon sign!" Noticing her shivers and blue lips, Madison's smile faded. "Oh Yvette, you're freezing!"

"Naw, it's always this cold...in F-france..." Yvette trailed off, failing to mention she hadn't been in France for nearly a year. She rubbed her hands together. "We'll be in the Great Hall s-soon...think it'll be warmer in th-there?"

She looked over her shoulders, then pulled her bluish lips into a grin at Madison. She closed her lips quickly as her teeth chattered. She tugged out her wand, muttered something under her breath, and was almost instantly wearing a neon pink hat and a striped fuzzy white and pink scarf. Even when cold and using magic is the (gasp) corridors, she still matched.

"Betcha a t-teacher's gonna make me change." She noted with another smile, though this time she didn't show her teeth. "Now I sound-d like D-david!"

"I'm sure it will be warmer in the Great Hall," Madison answered with a grin. "And yeah, the teachers'll probably make you change into something less...blaring," she joked, smiling at the matching scarf and hat that Yvette conjured up.

"David? Maybe he's around here somewhere," she said with another grin. "Should we go look for him? I'm sure you have so much you'll want to tell him about the Muggle world now...he'll be impressed..."

Yvette laughed, though the sound turned rather shaky towards the end. "David...yeah, he'll b-be impressed all right. But right now...right n-now I'm so cold I can hardly th-think straight!"

Now that her face was so pale, the neon pinks stood out even more.

Seeing Madison and Yvette talking (with Yvette standing out in her bright, blinding pink ensemble), Shinrei walked up to her two roommates.

"Good evening, Yvette-san, Madison-san," she said with a small bow of her head and a smile to each girl. "It is very good to see you two again. Have you spent the summer in California like you said? And have you received your Quiberon kimono I sent you over the summer, Yvette-san?"

"Shinrei, it's so b-beautiful!" Yvette replied in frozen delight. "I couldn't believe th-that you made it. You should talk t-to my mother. She's a fashion d-designer!" She shivered violently, and seriously considered getting some earmuffs.

Shinrei was very flattered. She smiled modestly. "I am glad you liked it, Yvette-san, but I have to say that my work is most amateurish compared to that of someone like your mother."

Noticing that her roommates were shivering, she said: "I believe it would be best if we go to the Great Hall. It is rather cold here, ne?"

Yvette nodded shakily. "G-good idea." Like a pink whirlwind, she rushed to the door of the Great Hall. She paused to wait for her friends, and then went inside with a sigh of relief.

Shinrei, amused at Yvette's exuberance, gave Madison a smile as they trailed in the pink whirlwind's wake. "I have to admit I myself find the European climate much colder compared to that of Nippon," she said to her roommates. "And the weather could at times be unpredictable."

She followed Yvette and Madison into the Great Hall.

"Yeah, it's way colder here than Cali in winter," Madison replied. "But I was pretty prepared for it this year..." She smiled. "So what is it like in Nippon? I've read and seen some stuff about Japan, but I've never been there..."

Shinrei smiled. "We have four seasons as well, but the winters do not last that long. Summer is very warm and there is very little fog all throughout the year. Of course, there is blooming of cherry blossoms around autumn time."

"I was raised in a temple commune at the island of Honshu, far up north. The sunrise and sunset are always incredible, as Kossawa is located by the shore." She realised just then how much she missed the commune that had been home to her all her life.