As he entered the Hall, things were in a mess there. A herd of wet, freezing and sobbing children was surrounded by eagerly helping students. He shook his head in wonder. Nathan was busy drying up Ninny, who was crying and wailing, and Morticia was busy talking with Kat.

Drake looked around, but there didn't seem to be many places left at the tables except those obviously reserved for the first years at the end of each table. He spotted an empty seat next to Arcadia and groaned inwardly.

Then he put on a determined frown and walked toward her. "Anyone s-sitting here?" he asked bluntly, then smiled politely at Oriana.

"No," said Oriana. "Please do sit down." Saved by the assistant teacher! The longer Oriana could hold off from speaking to Arcadia about the potion, the better.

"Aren't you Mr. Brixton? The new assistant teacher for Muggle Studies? Very nice to meet you. My name is Oriana Nort. I'm a fourth year Slytherin." She smiled sweetly.

Arcadia ignored Oriana completely. Pantalaimon saw Drake approach and started a quiet growl. But Arcadia shushed him and smiled up at Drake "Of course Drake, or should it be Mr. Brixton now you're a teacher?" Having a Father as Minister of Magic had its advantages. She smiled and beckoned him to sit.

Drake smiled politely at Arcadia and Oriana and sat down.

"D-drake will do," he said, "I'm j-j-just assistant teacher, a-after all." He looked at Oriana. "S-so you're part of th-the crowd, then?" He grinned. "I o-only know Morticia really b-because Nathan a-and I have b-been friends forever..." His face darkened a little.

Arcadia noted Drakes dark look, and planned to use it. "Yes, Nathan dose seem to have changed a lot doesn't he..."

She gave her nicest' smile "But of course you'll be so busy now, so much to do and all"

"I h-hope so," Drake said, "I d-don't like it if I d-don't have a-anything to do."

He looked at Ninny Lagrand when Dumbledore announced the first years to be sorted. "P-poor thing," he muttered at seeing a very nervous, trembling, still slightly wet little girl looking up at Nathan with a rather scared expression.

Drake scoffed. "H-how come everyone th-thinks He's got a-answers?" he muttered to himself. "A-anyway. D-do you take Muggle Studies a-at all, Arcadia? And O-oriana?"

Arcadia looked over at Nathan and involuntarily gave a little sigh.

"Muggle studies? erm...well I 'wanted to' but daddy wouldn't let me" she lied, "So I opted to take the time to... Study on my own."

"Yes," Oriana responded. "I do believe I will be taking Muggle Studies this year. I'm looking forward to it." She smiled.

Arcadia sat watching the sorting of Nimue Lagrand and laughed out load as she was sorted to Hufflepuff. "Oh gosh! How embarrassing for them!" She said with a smile.

Then suddenly she turned to Oriana. "Don't you have something to do... now?" A hint of threat was in her voice.

Then Oriana heard Arcadia speak. "Do I have to do it now? What exactly do you want me to do?"

Arcadia gave Oriana a look usually reserved for schoolteachers looking at naughty 4 year olds! However, she was aware she had to be a little careful, with Drake being about.

"Of course you don't 'have' to go now, I just thought you wanted too. Didn't you say it would be 'bad' if you didn't?" She emphasised the word 'bad'.

"And I don't want you to do anything. I haven't asked you to do anything... Have I?" She continued giving Oriana 'the look' and Pan glared up at her.

Drake felt increasingly uncomfortable next to the two girls and tried to concentrate on the Sorting instead of listening to them. Again, he cursed the fact that he still didn't know what he was supposed to do and that there was no other seat at the Slytherin table.

From a bit further away, Nathan threw him a sympathetic look. Drake frowned as an answer and looked away.

A few seats down, Niki glanced at Arcadia and frowned. She was hungry, and couldn't wait for the Sorting to be over. She was also, perhaps, a little jealous of Nimue Lagrand...she was in the house she belonged in, with no bothersome worries about her family to affect her placement.

Oriana knew exactly what she was supposed to do. She was supposed to take the vile of green potion and put it into Magnus' drink.

But how? There were so many people around. Someone would definitely see her. And wouldn't it be odd if one of the Slytherins got up and went over to the Gryffindor table? Especially during the sorting process!

Oriana decided it would be best if she waited a few minutes, at least until everyone was talking amongst themselves.

To while away the time she decided to talk to Drake, noting how uncomfortable he looked.

"So Drake how old are you?" she asked. "I hope I'm not getting too personal. If I am you don't have to answer..." *Perfect, Oriana. Make a fool of yourself...* she thought.

Drake smiled politely. "I'll b-be seventeen in N-november," he replied, "don't r-really feel old enough to teach... S-so why do you want t-to take Muggle Studies, I th-thought it's not v-very popular in Slytherin?"

"I thought it would be interesting to study," she said. "And plus a couple relatives of mine are muggles. I just wanted to take it that's all."

She smiled. The sorting ceremony seemed to go on forever!

Broodingly, Alpha looked at her plate, desperately wishing the Sorting was over. Obligingly she applauded when someone was sorted into Slytherin, but she was not happy about it.

*********

"Being in Hogwarts School, my friend, is an honour already. I wish for nothing more, yes?" Raphael raised an eyebrow at the other, at Jian Hupi, a stranger from another place, some part of him wondering. A glance at Nathaniel, and he thought some more - Nathaniel himself was calm, dark and brooding, it seemed, but Raphael knew that his anxiety was probably as larger then his own, as was this Jian Hupi's. ...

a part of him knew he was lying, knowing that he assured himself of his calmness to stop a madness pulling him down...

So, Jian was being strong hiding desires underneath a cloth blanket, under words of honour and humility. A warrior, perhaps. ...was he too a warrior, then? Strength in hiding weakness?...

Raphael looked at the other curiously, and said to him the words that came rushing into his mind. "I hope the hat sees in us what we might refuse to see in ourselves." The words he spoke to Jian, though, echoed in his mind; a lie. Raphael didn't want the hat to see him... he didn't want the hat to know he was a poor second... he didn't want the hat to know that he was simply not ch-

He pulled the illusion back around him, pulling himself back to reality, calming his heartbeat, waiting, waiting. The hat sang. Raphael did his best not to think about it, thinking about home... eyes closed and living somewhere else... thinking about climbing trees, never alone in the forest... ancient trees... ancient oak cast by moonlight...

His eyes snapped open as Nimue Lagrand stepped away and almost skipped to the Hufflepuff table. He looked from Jian Hupi to Nathaniel, and spoke to both of them. "The hat will call for us, soon, won't it," he told them, gripping his left hand so hard that he could feel his knuckles start to warp and crack.

Jian glanced at Raphael. The boy was pale and looked as if he was ready to flee-or smash his fists against something from all his pent-up tension.

"I agree with you on both counts, Raphael," he said in answer to the boy's statement. He then thought it would be best if he left the others seated at the table with him to their own thoughts.

Jian looked at the Gryffindor table. Several First Years had already gone there...would he be seating there by the Sorting's end?