I still couldn't understand fully. It just wasn't making sense. Only a month ago I had been a stupid worthless freak who no one wanted. The only difference now was that I knew I was a wizard; but that only made me more of a freak (especially if I managed to kill this evil person as a baby) I knew I wasn't normal when I did things like push Uncle Vernon into a wall on the other side of the room without moving or jumping onto the roof of a 3 story building without climbing. I knew I wasn't normal and now a ginormasly tall man had proved it by taking me to a magical place to buy magical things for the magical school that I was currently on my way to on a magical train. Everything was so strange. However, the thing that kept me from believing that this was just a dream was the pain from Uncle Vernon's 'gift'.
The slowing of the train made me aware of the fact that we were almost there so I pulled on my new robes over my nicest top (there was barely any stains or smell and there was only a small hole at the bottom where the stitching had come undone slightly)and my well worn and battered jeans that almost fit me. The trainers on my feet were old and beaten and my toes stuck out the top but I didn't dare ask for more.
After the giant man who had shown me how to get my new things had rounded up the first years and took us on a 10 minute boat ride, we arrived at, what has got to be, the biggest castle in the world. I couldn't see most of it but I could see that there were many lines of windows so there must be millions of floors. We were made to wait in a giant entrance hall and almost everyone was crowded together except a few. One of those was a boy with blond hair combed backwards acting as if he was the best. He started saying things towards another boy who was slightly chubby when a really strict looking teacher came and told him off. She then made us get into two lines before following her into what she called 'The Great Hall'. This hall was enormous! The ceiling looked like the sky outside (black and full of stars) and I overheard a frizzy haired girl telling another that it was bewitched. The hall itself was filled with 4 long tables running parallel to the side walls which were filled with other students and 1 long table which was perpendicular to these tables and was full of adults. The tables with the students on each had a different coloured banner hanging seemingly in mid-air with a different name on each. I had never really learned how to read...well I have never really been to school so I don't know how to do anything apart from cook and clean. On the far left side of me was a green and silver table and then a bronze and blue table. On the far right side of me was a gold and red table and a yellow and black table. Whilst I had been taking in my surroundings, we had been slowly walking towards the table with the adults sitting at which I now realised was on a slightly raised platform. As we came to a stop the teacher walked up the 3 steps and out of nowhere produced a small stool with an old hat and a...roll of paper? She then began reading of names from the paper. When she called a name the person would walk up to the teacher, sit on the stool and the hat would be placed on their head. After a few seconds the hat would shout out a name and then the hat would be taken off of their head the teacher touched their robes with her wand and they would turn into the colours of their 'house' instead of the standard black and they would be off. Pretty soon most of the students had been sorted into their houses (which I had learned were Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin) and I was next.
"Potter, Harry" I walked, well tried to without limping, up to the stool. Now while the stool was rather small so that us 'firsties', as I had heard some being called, it was still too large for me to sit on without having to climb. However, just before I began trying to climb onto it, the teacher tapped it with her wand and it shrunk so that I could sit down easily; however the hat fell down to my chin.
'Ah. Mr Potter. I wondered when I would see you' How did the hat know my name? Well most people knew my name but still. Could everyone hear it or...well it must have talked to the others and I didn't hear it then so... 'Mr Potter. Do not panic. No one can hear a conversation between me and the wearer. Right, now...let me see. Ah, you have a longing to belong. Somewhere where you will feel at home. But you doubt that you belong anywhere. You have a thirst for knowledge yet you are kind and loyal. Hmm...what's this? This changes it all. Oh yes it defiantly does. It's going to have to be...'
"SLYTHERIN"
I quickly pulled the hat off of my head a gave it to the teacher who changed my clothes to the green and silver colour of Slytherin. As her wand cane near me I tried (and failed) not to flinch but it wasn't too visible. I then walked over to my house and sat down, grateful that I could slightly rest my foot. Pretty soon everyone had been sorted and an extremely old man in brightly coloured clothes began talking.
"Welcome back to all of our old students. Hello to all of our new. I hope that everyone has had a good summer holiday. For those new students, I wish for you to remember these few rules. The forbidden forest is out of bounds for all except Professor Snape's Potion Group and Professors Hagrid and Filtch's detentionees. I also wish for that to be a reminder for some of the returning students. On that note, tuck in" Suddenly, the table was overfilled with much more food then I have ever seen. I glanced at everyone as they all dived for the food as if they had not eaten for years. they all piled their plates high and looked at me as I just sat there. I tentatively took a few sausages and a few potatoes. I have cooked sausages for my uncle and cousin a few times and now I finally know why they like them so much. they never left any for me and I know why; they are so nice! I ate what I had in a few minutes and I carefully took a few more sausages. I put a few into my pocket without anyone noticing and began eating some more. I just couldn't stop!
Just as I was finishing my last sausage, the food simply dissapeared. I had no idea about where it went to, only that mere seconds after it was all gone, it was replaced my millions of different deserts. Pancakes (with a range of toppings from lemon and suggar to sryup), brownies, cake (chocolate, sponge, cheese and carrot). There were even muffins (chocolate and blueberry seemed to be the main ones), biscuits, ice cream, doughnuts, jelly and rice pudding. I was overwhelmed with the amount of food. Also, I have never tried anything sweet. The sweetest thing I have ever eaten was some buttered toast; once.
I carefully took a few biscuits and it was like with the sausages; I couldn't stop eating them. I then tried a piece of cake, which I ate in around 2 minutes, and I ended up eating around 5 pieces. I then began trying all of the rest of the sweets. By the time the food dissappeared I had eaten 5 pieces of chocolate cake, 3 brownies, a blueberry muffin, 4 pancakes and a bowl of ice cream. After a while, the teacher in the bright robe things began talking again.
"Now that everyone has eaten their fill, the prefects will kindly direct the first years towards the common rooms where they will be staying for the next 7 years. Classes will begin in 2 days so I wish to advise the first years to spend tomorrow finding out where the classrooms are. With that, good night" Suddenly the previously silent hall was a mixture of people clapping and others talking and standing to leave. 2 people stood up from my table and began shouting for 'first years follow me'. I stood and began following them.