Once they reached the other side of the lake, after they stooped under the ivy that hung low, the children rushed excitedly out of the boats. They were eagerly talking amongst themselves about the trip across. Willow grinned to herself as she looked around. She would enjoy teaching here she was sure. Hagrid ushered them up the steps to the imposing door of the castle. It opened inwards and a tall stern looking woman stood there.

"Welcome children, to Hogwarts, if you will follow me I will show you where to go to be sorted." Willow raised an eyebrow at this, unfamiliar with the method used to sort in Hogwarts. "Ah yes, you must be the new defence against the dark arts teacher, Miss Rosenberg, welcome too. I am Miss McGonagall. Hagrid will escort you to the great hall for the feast." As she was finishing she turned and beckoned the youngsters to follow her. They trooped off after her, gazing around at the many wondorous sights around them.

"Right, Miss Willow, follow me, and we'll get some grub in you. You'll get to see the sortin' too, that's always fun" Hagrid set off down a different corridor to Professer McGonagall. Willow hurried after him. As he was so large she had to run slightly to keep up. He opened a large door into an enormous room. It was crammed full of students, all wearing robes. There were four tables with different emblems above them. Willow noticed that Ron, Harry and Hermione were sat at the one table, their attention focused on a small door to the side of the room. Hagrid made his way forward to the head table, where the remaining professors sat.

She saw Dumbledore smiling amiably at the crowd. She let her gaze roam across the remaining teachers, stopping now and then to send her senses out and try to see their souls as the merfolk had said. One in particular caught her eye. A soul so deep in despair it almost made her weep. It reminded her so much of a certain brooding vampire striving for redemption. She saw the light of his soul dimmed by things he did when he was younger, saw he had not yet forgiven himself. She understood what the Merfolk had said. Knew that he was hers to look after.

He looked up, and her heart leaped.

Willow took her seat next to Hagrid just as the first years were filing in through the small door at the side of the hall. Miss McGonagall placed a battered old witch's hat on a chair. Willow looked at it curiously, and gasped in surprise when the rim opened like a mouth and began to sing.

As the song ended Willow laughed in delight. Her eyes sparkled as she looked around the hall. She met the eyes of Harry and winked at him. He grinned back. One by one the children tried on the hat and were sorted into their houses. As the last one sat down at his new table the hat suddenly shouted, "Aha, there is one more, a new teacher here, I see, Try me on and soon we'll find where belongs the tree." Willow stood reluctantly. From the looks on the other teacher's faces this had never happened before. She picked up the hat and sat down. Looking at it, it seemed to grin at her. She pulled it down over her head so that it covered her eyes.

As soon as she had the rest of the hall was blocked out. "Ah what have we here, oh yes brave of heart.. mmm, yes yes, loyal and true, and clever, so very very clever.. But no ambition, to speak of, nothing driving you, hmmm let me see." The voice was all she could hear. She assumed it was that of the sorting hat. Where was she to be sorted to?? "Oh My, It can't be" came the voice, "In all my years as a hat, you're the one. All in one, ooh I'd be careful my dear." The hat paused a moment before shouting out to the hall, "Hogwarts, one and all, I introduce, the one who is all houses, and none."

Then it fell silent as did the hall, except of course for Hermione Grainger, who had read about this legend in Hogwarts: A History Of.