Maddie stepped out of the boat and onto the shores of Hogwarts. "Thank you, Hagrid." Hagrid rubs his thick beard, " My pleasure, lil' lady. Ooh, and I 'ope to be seein' ya' in class."

"Maddie," Lena pulls her off to the side, "remember, invisible."

---

"Miss Anna Challen," Professor McGonigle calls. Once the hat is placed upon her head, a few moments later (through some conversation between the sorting hat and Anna's mind-- that only Anna can hear), it exclaims, "Ravenclaw!" Applause erupts from the Ravenclaw table as Anna takes her seat. There's a twist in Maddie's gut, because she knows she's coming up soon. Her family has always been in Slytherin. Always. So, naturally, Maddie and Lena were expected to be Slytherins. Her family didn't ever believe in the preachings of the Dark Lord, but was pulled towards Slytherin because of their purity.

"Miss Lena Chan."

Lena strides toward the front of the Great Hall and takes a seat on the stool. Professor McGonigle grinned at her politely before placing the hat on her head. The second the worn brim brushed Lena's hair, it flew to life and exclaimed, "Slytherin!" No thought needed. Lena wore a pleased smile and thanked the headmistress before joyfully scurrying over to the applauding table of Slytherins. Maddie clapped softly. Her heart was beating too loud and too fast for her to spend much thought on her sister's sorting. I'm next, she braced herself.

"Miss Maddie Chan."

Before she could think, Maddie's legs took over started to make their way to the sorting hat.

She gave Professor McGonigle a shaky smile. She pushed back and lowered herself atop the stool, hoping for the same outcome as her sister.

The hat landed on Maddie's head. "Ahh, yes!" The hat's gravely voice surrounded Maddie. "I just sorted your sister. Quite easy, it was. You... not so much."

I'm a Slytherin, like the rest of my family! Maddie protested mentally.

The hat chuckled. "Oh, gosh no! You are not like the rest of your family!"

No, really, I am! Just like them! Exactly like them!

"Let's face it, there are two distinct differences between you and your family."

Stop, no!

"First: magic!"

Maddie froze.

Mean while, Lena, sitting between two of her cousins, started to get nervous. What's taking so long? She's a Slytherin!

Maddie's heart skipped a beat. The hat knew.

"Second: bravery. Maddie, you come from a long line of cowards. It ends here. Now... where to put you. You've got similar ties to Chans before you, so you could be a Slytherin. But, Hufflepuff vows to take the lot, and you're definitely one of the lot. And, you've got brains, kid. Brains flourish to full potential in Ravenclaw. And, like I said, bravery is one feature of you. So, so hard."

Slytherin!

"You know, the fact that you have such courage to stand up to me shows bravery. I'm going to have to take that into consideration."

No!

"I've got it!"

There was a brief silence. Maddie felt tears almost well up in her eyes. The plan would never work if the girls didn't have all their classes together.

"Gryffindor!"