Every Way A Person Can Be Saved

The Sorting

A/N: Thank you for all the love on the first chapter! I've moved back to school, so I don't know how consistently I'll be able to post, but I thought I'd get this chapter out of the way before my classes officially begin. This chapter is a little longer than I expect following parts to be, but I'm happy with how it came out. As always, feel free to let me know what you think :)

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Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry opened its doors to all kinds of magical individuals. The castle welcomed every kind of magical blood unconditionally – it did not matter whether you were born to two magical parents, or two muggles. The castle did not discriminate. The people inside of it, however, were a different story. This was a reality that became clear to every muggle-born student who walked Hogwarts' corridors. For some, they were informed of their place in the Hogwarts hierarchy even before they entered the castle.

Alaris Isabella Hewett was born to a muggle mother and father, who, when Alaris received her Hogwarts acceptance letter, were thrilled. They embraced it all – Diagon Alley, packing her trunk for school, taking her to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, and waving to her as the Hogwarts Express pulled away from both the platform, and all that was familiar to Alaris.

She had found herself an empty compartment to sit in and was soon joined by a young red-haired girl, who brought with her a gangly boy with slick black hair. Lily and Severus seemed nice enough, and they were second years, which meant they were able to prepare Alaris for what was waiting for her at the castle. Lily was much more talkative than her companion.

"Well," Lily spoke around a piece of Drooble's Blowing Gum, "You'll go with Hagrid on the boats, then you walk up to the castle for the sorting ceremony." She elbowed Severus, pulling his gaze from out the window to the candy wand she was offering him.

"Hagrid?" Alaris scanned the pile of sweets that the kids had bought off the trolley before picking up a box of jellybeans.

"He's the gamekeeper at Hogwarts," said Severus. He chewed at the end of the liquorice wand, watching Lily as she blew a large bubble with her gum.

"You can be sorted into Gryffindor, like me, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or you could be in Slytherin with Severus."

Alaris wrinkled her nose in disgust as she bit into a sock flavored jellybean. "And what does that mean?"

"Well, your house tells you what tower your dorm is in, and you get sorted based on your personality," Severus answered.

"More like your values," Lily said.

"Gryffindor is bravery, Slytherin is ambition, Hufflepuff is loyalty, and Ravenclaw is intelligence." Snape took another bite from his candy wand.

Just then, the door of the compartment slid open. A young pale boy stood in the doorway, sheepishly glancing from Alaris to Severus and Lily. "I'm sorry about this but... d'you mind if I join you? I was sitting with my brother but he kicked me out so he could talk with his friends," he said in a scratchy voice,

"Sure," Lily smiled, gesturing to the seat next to Alaris.

He smiled appreciatively and sat down as Alaris scooted toward the window. "I'm Regulus Black."

"Black?" Lily said. "Are you Sirius' brother?"

Regulus nodded and turned back to the girl sitting next to him.

"Alaris Hewett."

Regulus raised an eyebrow. "Hewett... I don't believe I recognize that name. Is your family from London?"