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After a the confusion of stepping onto a platform that shouldn’t logically exist as well as a very long train ride, through which she’d slept for the most part, they arrived at a small station that looked to be in the middle of nowhere. There was a gorgeous looking lake there though.

“This is us,” Giles said, standing up.

“Uh…we’re in the middle of nowhere here,” Buffy said.

He nodded. “It’s across the lake,” he said pointing out towards the body of water.

Buffy squinted to where he was pointing but couldn’t see anything in sight.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

He nodded. “It’s enchanted so that you can’t see it. Not to worry. Once we get a bit closer you’ll be able to.”

She nodded, trusting him.

“What about all our stuff?” she asked.

“It’ll be brought across later. Now…come on.”

She followed him down to the edge of the lake, startled when a large boat floated in front of them. Giles stepped into it first and held out his hand for Buffy to take. She breathed in nervously and took his hand, stepping into the oat. As soon as they had seated themselves, it took off towards the middle of the lake.

She looked out across it and her eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. Where there had before been an expanse of nothing, there was suddenly a huge castle in front of them.

“Is that Hogwarts?” she asked breathlessly.

“Our new home.”

They entered the Entrance Hall, Buffy trying to keep her cool. She’d never seen anything this big before. They walked up a wide flight of stairs and stopped on the middle landing. Buffy was about to question why they didn’t go further up, but one glance to the top landing told her why.

At the top of the stairs stood an elderly wizard, a long silver beard that hung to his knees, and hair the same length. The wizard descended the stairs regally and Buffy fought the urge to run the other way. He exuded power at the same time as emitting waves of gentleness.

“Rupert,” the man said kindly. The two men shook hands and the elderly wizard turned his attention to Buffy.

“You must be Miss Summers,” he said. Buffy nodded and shook the mans outstretched hand. “I’m Albus Dumbledore.”

“Nice to meet you sir,” she said, her voice shaking a little.

“We’re glad you came, Miss Summers. We’ve heard great things about you.”

Buffy just smiled, unsure of what to say to this man. He seemed to be genuinely kind, but still, Buffy had no idea what to say.

“Well, I suppose we’d better get you two settled. Now…I thought we’d start by having you sorted,” Dumbledore said.

Giles had never got around to explaining what being sorted meant.

“Sorted?” Buffy asked.

“Into your house,” Dumbledore explained.

“Uh huh…which is what exactly?”

“You’ll be assigned to one of four houses. You’ll take your lessons with that group of people and…well, basically that house will become like you’re family,” Giles explained.

“The houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin,” Dumbledore continued.

Buffy nodded. “What’s the difference?”

“The four houses are named after the four founders of the school. Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. Each of these four wizards looked for different qualities in their students, and choose whom came to Hogwarts based on those qualities. They knew, however, that they would not always be around to choose their students, so, as such, they enchanted a hat to sort the students into the houses,” Giles said.

“A hat?”

“Yes.”

Buffy just nodded, and waited for either Giles or Dumbledore to continue.

“Gryffindor prized bravery, loyalty and a sense of honour,” Dumbledore explained. “Hufflepuff chose hard workers, Ravenclaw chose those who were clever and Slytherin wanted people with great ambition, people who were cunning.”

Buffy looked to Giles, a question in her eyes. What house had her father been in?

“He was in Slytherin, Buffy,” Giles said quietly.

Buffy nodded.

“What house were you in?” Buffy asked.

“Gryffindor.”

“So…let’s proceed to my office, shall we?” Dumbledore said.

They went up the stairs, following Dumbledore down a labyrinth of corridors. They stopped at a dead end in front of an alcove that had a statue of a phoenix with its wings outspread.

“Humbug,” Dumbledore said loudly.

The concrete phoenix began moving, turning in a circle. A staircase began spiralling upwards and Dumbledore ushered both Buffy and Giles onto it, taking them up to a hidden floor.

Buffy gasped as she looked around the room that they ended up in. Nearly everything seemed to be made of gold. On a golden perch in the middle of the room, there was a beautiful bird with red and gold plumage. It was large and magnificent and Buffy couldn’t keep her eyes off it.

Dumbledore followed her gaze and smiled.

“Ah yes…that’s Fawkes.”

“What type of bird is it?” Buffy asked.

“A phoenix.”

“I thought they were a myth,” Buffy said.

Dumbledore chuckled a little and led them further into the room.

“No, my dear girl. They are very much real creatures. Much like unicorns and centaurs.”

Buffy’s eyes widened. She sat on the seat that Dumbledore motioned her towards. The Headmaster walked to the other side of the desk and pulled down a tattered brown hat from a shelf.

“Well…let’s get you sorted Miss Summers,” Dumbledore said.

He moved behind her and placed the hat on her head. Buffy was startled when she heard a dead masculine voice in her ear.

“Oooo…who do we have here?” the voice whispered. “Little Elizabeth Riddle.”

Buffy tried to keep her breathing even. Buffy, not Elizabeth.

“Now…where to put you? You’re father was the most terrific Slytherin to ever live,” the voice said.

Not his house. I’m not like him. I don’t want to be like him.

“Not his house? Oooo, but you could do so well. You’ve got power, girl. You have tremendous power. More power than even he had.”

I’m not evil. I’m not.

“Are you sure about that? You could do brilliantly in there.”

Not Slytherin. I’m not like him.

“Hmmm…well, if you insist. Better be…GRYFFINDOR!”

Buffy sighed with relief and Dumbledore took the hat from her head. He smiled genuinely at the girl who managed a small smile back.

“Well…I’m sure the two of you are rather…well, exhausted from your journey,” Dumbledore said. “We’ll get you fed and then I’ll let you retire to your rooms.”

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