"Welcome students," greeted Professor McGonagall. "The Sorting Ceremony will begin in a few minutes." She set up the stool and the hat and after a few minutes she brought in the first-years.
"Let the sorting begin," announced Professor Dumbledore.
Professor McGonagall took out a scroll and started reading from it. She called out a name. "Alkock, Benjamin."
A small boy with mousy brown hair and gray-green eyes stepped out of the line and made his way to the front. He looked scared. Timidly, he raised the Sorting Hat to his head and sat on the stool. After a few minutes the hat called out, "Hufflepuff!" This went on for quite awhile. Some of the first years were sorted into Gryffindor, others into Slytherin, and the rest went into Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.
After the sorting of the first years, Professor Dumbledore made a few announcements, one of them saying, "Students need to sit at the table they've been assigned please."
Nikki looked at her friends and rolled her eyes. "See ya," she said to Liz, Draco, and Blaise. She got up and moved to her home table, the Ravenclaw table.
"Thank you, students. It is important we stay at our house tables just for the Beginning-of-the-year Feast so that the new first years know who their house mates are." His eyes lingered on Nikki. "Now, as I'm sure most of you know, we are having a 'Back-to-School' dance that is coming up shortly. It's taking place on the first Saturday in October," continued Dumbledore.
The great hall erupted in excited whispers.
"Tell them who will be performing, Albus," urged Professor McGonagall.
"And the performance will be by none other than our own Nicole Crombie!"
Everyone turned toward the now bright red girl.
She waved and then put her head down until she was sure it was safe to come back up.
After everyone was finished eating it was time to go to the dorms.
Liz just happens to share a dorm with Pansy Parkinson. Go figure. Draco and Blaise share a dorm with Crabbe and Goyle. And Nikki shares a dorm with Cho Chang.
"Nikki, you didn't tell us you were the one performing," commented Liz. Draco and Blaise were right behind her.
"Yeah, this dance is going to be awesome!" said Blaise excitedly.
"Oh my gosh, I can't wait!" squealed an excited Ravenclaw girl who Nikki recognized as being in the third year.
Nikki smiled as she walked the girl pass and then looked back at the trio who stood in front of her. "Well, we'd better get going. Catch up with you guys tomorrow, okay?"
"Yeah. Catch up with you later than, Nikki," said Liz
"Oh!" said Nikki suddenly remembering that Amber's Ipod was in her pocket. "I have something I want to show you guys tomorrow."
"Okay. Cool," said Blaise with a grin.
Nikki turned around to follow the rest of the Ravenclaws and almost walked straight into Luna Lovegood. "Hi Luna."
"I think it's wonderful that you're going to be singing at the dance, Nicole," she said dreamily. "Who are you going to ask to the dance?"
"I'm going to try to ask Draco Malfoy. Who are you gonna ask, Luna?"
"I don't know. I wanna ask someone who shares my love of the crumple-horned Snorkack," she said, waiting at the base of the moving staircase.
"Anybody you have in mind, Luna?" I asked.
"I don't know. Maybe somebody in Gryffindor." She stepped on the moving staircase and we headed to the Ravenclaw common room.
"Hey Liz?" asked Draco. "Who are you going to ask to the dance?"
"I—I don't know," she replied avoiding his gaze. She was quiet while walking then she started giggling.
"What's so funny?" asked Draco.
"Who are you asking, Blaise?" asked Liz knowing full well what his reply would be.
"Nikki," all three said at the same time.
"Hey!" shouted Blaise, his voice echoing off of the dungeon walls.
"Sorry, Blaise. She doesn't like you that way," said Liz. "You're only a friend to her."
"Who are you guys asking to the dance?" asked Lee Jordan to the infamous pranksters of Hogwarts.
The red-heads looked at each other. "Not sure," they said at the same time.
"I'm more interested in who should be our first prank victim," said Fred, looking back behind him even though all that could be seen behind them were more Gryffindors.
George looked at him and knew who Fred had in his sights even if neither of them could see her or her partner in crime.
"Besides, I'm not worried at all. Girls will come flocking to us in flocks each of them praying for us to say yes."
"That's a little cocky, don't you think, Fred?" came a female voice.
"'Ello Ginny. And it's not cocky because it's true."
