((Hey, um, if it's alright with you guys, I'm going to push along the plot a bit, okay? Cori's dragging Wes into the Great Hall, because that's where the spew about the sorting goes on.))

Cori kept a loose grip on Wes' hand as the boats finally docked, looking up the short incline which a few were attempting to tread up. She squeezed Wes' hand and looked up hopefully at him, trying not to show her nervousness about not being able to climb the hill. The big man who had led them all to the boats seemed unscathed by his three-step hike, waiting for the others. "Let's go, might as well finish this." Slowly, she approached the slope, still a bare grasp on Wes, and took her first step on the dry soil, smiling at how easy it was. There's no test here, Cori. It's just a hill. She told herself, taking a couple more steps, looking back now and then at Wes. Corrine reached the big man quickly, much faster than she had imagined, standing with the other wizards that had made it up the incline, that number rapidly growing. Once all but a few had joined the ever-growing mas.s, the man began to walk towards the castle, leading the children ((like I'm leading the plot- wait, I mean)) like cattle.

After a short but slow trek to the front doors, the big man heaved them open, the grandeour of Hogwarts finally hitting the first years. Cori let her mouth speak for her, smiling wildly at the inside of the castle, tripping over her own feet as the big man continued to herd them towards somewhere. Here at last. She was caught up looking around at the inside of the castle, barely taking steps and definately not looking at where she was going. This bit back as the group stopped, Corrine's feet still taking her forwards, into some blonde haired girl in front of her. "Oh, sorry." She said sheepishly with a smile, the girl ignoring her almost completely, just giving a breif breath in of annoyance, turning her attention towards the front. Confused as to what was going on, Cori looked over at Wes, a bit of a helpless look on her face as she tried to figure out what was going on.

Wes let go of Cori as he let her asend the small, rocky hill before their group. He let her stand there trioumphantly (sp?) for but a moment, then turned his attention to the growing crowd clambering up what seemed to be the easiest path. Wes swore under his breath. He hated three things more than all else. In order, flying, boating, and crowds. A person, after all, is smart. People, however, are dumb and panicy animals. That had been lesson number one in Durmstrang, and Westley had always thought it true. He looked over both shoulders cautiously, then leapt strait upwards to land on an almost vertical peice of slope, away from the main crowd. He sank his finger tips into the turf breifly with one hand as he brought his feet closer under his body, then tested the weight. After this, the climb was mostly rock. He reached with his opposite hand and slowly hoisted himself up onto the next ledge, then the next, until at last he was at the top. He dusted his hands off lightly on his robe, a little put off that the thin, black material had flowed so carelessly behind him durring his asent. He then turned, looking again at the moon. He would not have been so able to climb if the moon was not shinning so brightly tonight. Wes sighed, then looked at the huge number of other first- years stilll clambering up the path the large man had chose. He blinked blue- green eyes slowly, watching them for a seccond before walking calmly to Cori's side to resume his place be her side.

When at last the crowd of clambering students began to dwindle, the leading man began to walk off twards the castle, the group following. Wes watched, beggining to prickle with excitment. They where goin to be sorted, at long last. An almost wan, but warm smile edged onto his face, as he thought about starting, not for the first time, a new life. And this time, He looked at Cori, who was looking at him back. He smiled brighter. This time I'll actually have freinds.

"Ve're going to be sorted soon," He said smoothly to her, at last noticing the doubble, long tables at either end of the group of first years, of course, being lead in by the almost giant man. Each table had their own color scheme. It seemed the table furthest to his left was Slytherin, exactly where his father wanted him to be. Then the blue and silver of the Raven house, to his right was the badger of yellow, and on the far end was the gold and red of the Lions. Will you have friends, really? A voice echoed in his head casually, as if it was bored with the surroundings. Once they learn what you really are: A murderer, monster...

Westley pushed the voice from his head. None of that mattered as the first of the large, first year- group reached the end of the tables, where the big man had gestured for them to stop before walking behind the largest long table yet. Amoung else in this table where the teachers, some looking even more anchient, if possible, than others. In the center of this table was one of the older wizards, probably the oldest amoung them all. His facial hair was long and silvery- white, kept cleen and strait almost to his knees. Westley cracked a smile as he stood, about to adress the first- years. How stero- typical. Thanks.

((such brainfail. DX Wes hardly did anything. *facedesk*))

Kylie shuffled off the boat, her hair hitting her back wildly as she did so. The feeling bothered Kylie, the feeling of hair on her neck. It brought her back horrible memories, memories of before she could control herself in her... other form. The young girl sighed and strapped her hair up in a pony tail holder, one of the many that inhabited her wrist. She looked up the large hill, shaking her bangs out of her eyes. "This'll be fun," She muttered as she took the first step towards the castle. It was easier than she thought, thankfully for her.

Finally, she reached the top of the hill, looking for friends, or people she knew. Friends would be a rather... different word for her, knowing she never really had friends before. She shook the thought out of her head, hoping that this magic school would be different. After a moment of inward thoughts, Kylie finally noticed Wes and Dusk and Cori, a few people she knew. "Wes, Cori, Dusk!" Kylie said loudly, practically skipping towards the small group. Then, she noticed the Great Hall, the magnificent tables, the decorations ont he walls, the teachers at the back of the room, watching the first-years every movement. A rather old, well, middle age to older, woman walked towards the group of first-years, beckoning them to come to the front of the Great Hall, where a small stool and a rather shabby looking hat stood. Kylie noticed how no other child walked towards the teacher first, making her feel slightly foolish as she took the first step towards the chair, hat, and the teacher. The steps afterwards came easier as she noticed a few children following her.

"Aasis, Dusk!" A voice called out above the shouting First years. Dusk's head whipped up and she groaned, why couldn't her last name be Zasis or something. She took a step forward and another and another until she was up the steps and sitting in a chair with a hat on her head. She closed her blind eyes and waited, "Sly-GRYFINDOR!" The hat called out. Dusk let out the creath she had been holding and put the hat down as the professor called the next name.

She flew down the steps, almost tripping, as she slid onto the bench that the gryfindors sat at. She quietly waited at the table for the sorting to be over...

((Can Dusk become a Panther Animagus?))

Wes had made Cori pause for Dusk and Kylie, smiling at them as warmly as he could muster. He hadn't expected any of their names to be called so early, and as Dusk was called, he gently patted her back, hoping it would offer support. He peered over the others with intrest, as he was rather tall for his age, it was easy. He raised his eyes in surprise when the hat quickly changed his mind. Dusk didn't seem quite- well, "slytherin material" whatever exactly that was. Wes could only hope that he wasn't it, and that he would continue to meet friendly people. Maybe, just maybe, if they got to know him now they would bounce for him after... well, after they found out one way or another. He wasn't going to tell any body just yet.

His mind was made up. He would have to talk to a teacher, prefferably the headmaster after the sorting seramony. What was his name? Dum.. Dumbledore! Yes, he would have to request guidence for his unique situation, as much as he wouldn't want to. It would be a mighty blow to his pride, one he would have to make.

He sighed as Dusk took her new seat at the Gryffendor table. He was happy for her, and it warmed his chest to see her smile before he turned away to adress the other girls. "What are vour last names? Mine is Kaos, with a 'K.'"

Westley didn't want to be last, standing in a crowd amoung a bunch of strangers. Then again, he wouldn't want anybody else to feel that alone, either. Maybe it was just instincts on hyper- drive or a case of suttle paranoia, but Wes liked to be around people he reconized, faces he felt warm with. Sia-san, Kylie, Dusk, and Cori where these people, almost replacements for his father who had been so harsh, and his few aquatances at Durmstrang. That is, the very few people who smiled warmly at him after people began to get suspisios of his frequent absences. He'd always studied hard and knew his material, but that wasn't enough to keep him in one of the best wizarding schools there was. He was lucky to be acsepted here, of all places. But, now, he was dreading his name being called. He didn't know what house he wanted to be in, and he didn't really care. So long as his father didn't get what he wanted.

Maybe that's what you deserve. Something cooed in his head. By thinking so ill of your father's wishes, maybe you do deserve to go there. West fell down cast for a moment, before deciding that he could, if nothing else, hope and offer support to the others, his new group. It was almost like... having friends, being a pack, a circle. One didn't fall without the others, and a new, wan and nervous smile appeared on his face. He would have to do the best he could. Not just keeping his other self under his control, but to be something he'd never truelly tried before- a friend. And right now, as he waited anxiously to hear that of familiar names being called to sit under the hat.

((Ok. Sorry, I'm a little slow posting. I have company. XD ))

"Kaos, Westley!" 

Westley didn't receive an answer in time as his name was called. Had that many people gone already? He shook with antispation as he stepped forward, his feet like stone as he took each step. He did his best to keep his shoulders cam and easy, to take slow, even breaths... Wes didn't remember sitting down, he just remembered walking up with dread, a hat over his blue- green eyes the next moment. He blinked cautiously, making an absent- minded note that the hat smelled of dust, mold, and slightly like... cheese? cats? old people? Or, magic? Westley's mind began to run on as it did often when he was anxious. A voice snapped him out of it, this time not that of his own, the voice he held in his head or voice. It was the hat's of course. He didn't hear what it had said, probably something about the "S" house, the one he didn't want to go to. He clenched his eyes shut, glad that no one could see them through the thick, anchient cloth.

"Though I don't completely agree, RAVENCLAW!" Westley sighed with releif as the hat was pulled off him. He stood, then eyed the blue and silver layden table who where cheering. He didn't notice his scarf, once a dull back and white, turn to the colors of his new house. Before he sat down, he looked over at where Sai, Cori, Kylie and the others where. He mouthed softly, "It's easy."