The Next Generation

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Arthur felt lost as he hit the ground outside the train and saw all the tall students around him. He tried to peer through the visible gaps, but had no idea where he was going. He hung on to the arm of one of the other first years in his compartment, and then heard a large voice ringing out:

"First years this way! First years over here!"

[DucksRMagical]

Galena stood near the door where the first years came through. She was lost in her thoughts as she looked out the window. The weather was kind of dreary. Raining on and off. It wasn't unusual, but Galena wished the new first years had better weather for their first day.

Galena thought about how Albus Potter was coming to Hogwarts. What would he be like? she wondered. Anything like his brother James? Or more subdued. Galena secretly hoped he was more subdued. Hogwarts couldn't handle more than one person like James Potter. Galena giggled to herself. She looked back out the window and saw a glimpse of the boats, heading towards the castle.

[FawkesthePhoenix]

Valencia watched the boats slowly disappear beneath the tunnel. It seemed like it was only yesterday when she had glided across that lake. She remembered it well.

It was a stormy night, and the air was buzzing with so much energy that it felt like it was singeing your eyebrows at every moment. As the first years had lined up to be sorted, she'd been so nervous that no one would like her that she almost missed hearing her name. When she realized it was her turn, Valencia had walked up to the stool on which the Sorting Hat stood, trying to look confident, when really her insides were squirming. The hat was placed on her head, and after a full minute, she was placed in Ravenclaw. She loved all her classes, although she was often late, and she lost her homework quite a bit, due to being thoroughly disorganized. But she had been a good student, really, and always did well on her exams--
"FIRST YEARS!"
A shout suddenly rang out, disturbing her reverie. Valencia quickly took her seat as students started filing into the hall. Another year had begun.

[DucksRMagical]

Galena met the first years after they got off the boats. She gazed out at them and noticed how nervous they all looked. Every year, the new students always looked nervous. She looked out and spotted Albus Potter, who was standing next to her cousin, Rose Weasley.

"Good evening and welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor Sprague. I teach Transfiguration and am head of Hufflepuff house. In a few minutes, you will enter the Great Hall and be sorted into your houses. They are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. During your years at Hogwarts, any achievements you accomplish will earn you points for your House, while misbehavior will lose you points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points will be awarded the House cup. The other students are still filing into the Great Hall, so I'll be back when we're ready," Galena explained.

Galena left the room and walked to the Great Hall to see if it was time for the sorting.

[Petronella_Pettigrew]

Piers Clearwater-Weasley could recognise a few faces - cousin Rose, Albus Potter - but apart from a nervous and vague wave when he thought he had caught Albus' eye, he tried to avoid them.

Ok, he thought. Focus. I'm going to be in Gryffindor. Dad's house. Every Weasley is in Gryffindor. So there's nothing to worry about. I'll be with Rose. And probably Albus. That's alright, it's be like staying round at Grandad's at Christmas.

His right leg started to tremble, like it always did when he was nervous, like it wanted to be somewhere else. He glanced to the students either side of him and wondered, not for the first time, how they could stay so calm...

[DucksRMagical]

Galena walked back to the first years. They were all looking nervous. She smiled at them as she remembered being a scared first year. A few of the students were whispering amongst themselves, but stopped once they noticed Galena

"They're ready," she told them. Galena walked back to the Great Hall and was followed by the new students. As they walked towards the Sorting Hat. Galena turned around and the first years stopped abruptly. After a few seconds, the Sorting Hat burst into song. A few of the first years jumped, Galena figured they were Muggle-born. The Sorting Hat spent a few minutes singing about the founders of Hogwarts and then fell silent.

"When I call your name, you'll put on the hat and it will announce your house," Galena announced. She pulled a list out of her robes and read the first name.

"Aster, Brent," a tall, black haired boy ran forward and put the hat on. After a few seconds it called out, "Ravenclaw!"

"Boeing, Victoria," a short blond girl with freckles stumbled towards the stool. After quite a few minutes, the hat announced, "Hufflepuff!"

"Brennan, Olivia," a red haired girl with braids slowly walked forward and tried on the hat. She became the first Gryffindor.

Galena glanced at the list, she vaguely recognized both of the boy's last names, and read, "Clearwater-Weasley, Piers."

[FawkesthePhoenix]

The students walked into the Great Hall. Everyone of them looked nervous. Valencia smiled to herself. She always had fun teaching them, and she particularly loved seeing the looks of delight on their faces as their skills advanced.
"Aster, Brent." called Galena.
"Ravenclaw!" the Sorting Hat shouted.
Valencia bestowed a broad smile upon Brent. He looked terrified when he saw her looking at him. Valencia sighed. Most of the first years were scared of her when they first came to Hogwarts lately. What was about her that was so fearsome? Valencia switched her gaze back to the hat, where Brennan, Olivia was being sorted.

[Ms. Elsewhere]

Geneve stood tall in her new Hogwart's robes. Her mother told her to hold her head up and not be afraid. Geneve scanned the faces of the students in the Great Hall. She pulled a stray, black curl away from her eyes. Her name would come close to the end. She wondered about where she would be sorted. She looked at Gryfindor house and felt her heart sink. HIS house, she thought. And then she looked over at the Slytherin group and wondered if she would fit in there. She hated that she was magical. Her mother had not been, and she never knew her father. And yet, when Geneve recieved her letter from Hogwarts, her mother was thrilled. "Geneve Riddle, you have been accepted into Hogwart's school of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Geneve had shortly after been given a brief history of her magically heritage. Surprisingly, she had taken it rather well, and was eager to explore what the magical world had to offer her. The group of first years moved forward as more and more of them were sorted.

[Petronella_Pettigrew]

Piers shuffled forwards and nervously put the hat on his head.

A few minutes passed.

"The thing is," the hat said, after a short conversation. "you're not actually very brave. Are you?"

"Er... no."

"You'd do so much better in a house that suits you. RAVENCLAW!"

Piers took off the hat and stared at it, and the Ravenclaw table cheered. Numbly, he walked towards them, with a worried glance towards Albus and then James.

[DucksRMagical]

Galena watched as Piers walked towards the Ravenclaw table. She had remembered why his name sounded so familiar. Penelope Clearwater, his mother, had been in her year. She was a Ravenclaw, and Galena was a Hufflepuff, but their paths had crossed on occasion. And his father must be Percy Weasley. Galena laughed to herself as she remembered Percy, the Prefect who told her off for pulling pranks on Slytherins. She hoped Piers would be happy with his house, but couldn't help but wonder what it would be like, since his cousins are all in Gryfifndor.

Galena scanned the list and called out the next name. "Damien, Linda." A tall girl with wavy brown hair ran forward. The hat lingered on her head for a few minute before it called out, "Ravenclaw!".

The girl ran over to the Ravenclaw table and sat next to Piers as Galena called out, "Dursley, Arthur!"

[Ms. Elsewhere]

Geneve felt herself jump in surprise. Dursley? Why did she know that name? She searched her mind, and then she found it. That was Potter's Aunt Petunia' name! She smiled to herself. This would be a interesting year, she decided. She had so much she wanted to learn, and even more that she planned to do.

[*Riley*]

Liam was waiting nervously along with the other first years when his name was called ;
' DELACOUR, LIAM '

The great hall suddenly erupted in fits of laughter, they had known he was part veela but how was it possbile when he was a boy ?

He turned bright red, but the headmaster had given everyone a forbidding look and it was full of silence once again,
instead of making his way up to the sorting hat Liam just wanted to go home.

He sprinted out of the great hall knowing lots of eyes were following him out..

[Ms. Elsewhere]

Geneve felt nervous for the boy who was running away. How could they laugh at him? He seemed oddly beautiful to her. As he ran out of the hall, she noticed several of the girls in the crowd choke on their laughter as they brought their hands to their throats in a breathless gasp that left them dreamy eyed and grinning. Geneve smiled. So THAT'S one of the effects a Veela boy gives. Wow, she thought. I'm loving all of this!

[*Riley*]

Liam ran through the maze of corridors and staircases until he felt a unnatural cold steel through him,

"Ello Ello wee first year want to have some fun? "

But before Liam could ask or answer a tall figure swept down the corridor, Liam felt his guts drop, it was the headmaster and he looked sympathetic.

As Liam walked back into the empty great hall with the headmaster at his side, he knew the headmaster had emptied the great hall temporarily for a private sorting, and once he had gone to his dormitory they would file back in and the sorting would resume. He felt braver and even confident, professor sprout was standing up the front with the sorting hat still waiting for him,

As soon as the hat touched his head it screamed in delight,

"Brave old Gryffindor!"

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Arthur Dursley took his seat at the Gryffindor table, and immediately felt at home. The other students seemed quite nice, and he took his seat next to a few of the other Gryffindor first years.

There was something odd, though. He felt as though quite a number of the people in the Great Hall were staring at him.