Siobhan leaned over and opened the latch on her trunk, pulling out the first robe that she came to and throwing it on over her vest and pleated skirt. Pinning the top of it with a silver brooch in the shape of a Hungarian Horntail, she hoped that nobody would mind she didn't have a proper button-down shirt on underneath. She knew some traditionalists wore the robes and nothing else, so as long as it fastened at the top she wouldn't look too out of place.

"Alistair told me about the Sorting Ceremony," she said. "He said you have to do it in front of the whole school."

A nervous part of her worried about what would happen if she sat there, hat on her head, and it called out Hufflepuff or worse. She'd have to walk to the table in shame, not even being able to look at her brother for fear of what he might think. Although her parents wouldn't mind her getting into any house, disappointing Alistair was the worst thing she could ever imagine.