Bill goes to Hogwarts, small and drowning in his new school robes. His parents got them big enough for him to grow into them. He just hopes that he grows fast.
When he walks out of the line of first-years to the Sorting Hat, he stumbles on the hem of his robes. The Great Hall is full of laughter, mingled with a few "aww"s from some of the more sympathetic students. He takes a seat, cheeks as red as his hair, and watches as the room falls away. The hat covering his face almost entirely, he tries to calm his nerves. Bill's the first in his family to go away to school, he has to set the example for all of his younger siblings. He has to be brave and courageous and smart.
The Hat whispers in his ear, sorting through his thoughts and dreams and ambitions. It doesn't take long. Though it toys with placing him in Ravenclaw, finally the Hat shouts "Gryffindor." The Hall that mere moments before took him for a joke began cheering, and little Bill Weasley takes his seat among the scarlet and gold.
X
September first arrives, and Charlie's nervous and excited as he stands in line waiting to be Sorted. He can't stand still. He keeps shooting glances around the room, taking it all in: the long tables of impatient and hungry students, half-paying attention to the first years before them; the candles hovering above them, their flames fluttering and wavering, never going out completely; his brother, Bill, sat in the middle of the Gryffindor table, beaming proudly up at him.
Charlie waves at him. He looks over at the girl next to him. Her hair is a bright pink that's getting quite a few curious looks. Charlie thinks it's the coolest thing ever. He smiles at her as she's called up. Tonks. He'd have to remember that – she seemed cool, maybe they could be friends. She's Sorted into Hufflepuff, and he cheers with the rest of the Hall.
When it's his turn, he walks up and grins broadly as the Hat falls over his eyes. This is it, he thinks.
'Ah, it is, the Hat replies. Charlie's taken aback at a foreign voice in his head. It doesn't say much else, which he's happy about. Finally, though, it announces to the Great Hall that he's a Hufflepuff. He makes his way over to his new House table, taking a seat next to Tonks.
X
Out of everything that comes with going to Hogwarts, the Sorting Ceremony is one that Percy's most excited about. His brothers have told him all about their own Sortings, about how the Hat can read his thoughts and respond to only him, how it seems to know him better than he knows himself, how it can talk to the whole school when it wants. Percy is fascinated. He's especially eager to see what the Hat can find out about him – he'd love a clearer idea of what kind of person he is. He knows he loves to read and win at chess and help his mother bake dessert. Percy's been told he's stubborn, but he isn't sure what House that trait corresponds to.
He goes up to the Hat without a specific House in mind, and it seems like even the Hat is torn on where to put him.
It tells him that he's got great ambition, that maybe Slytherin would be a good fit for him. Not a second later, though, it changes its mind, deciding that maybe the other Slytherin students aren't the best fit for him as friends. That maybe he'd benefit more from a House full of Gryffindors – that they would inspire his bravery and courage. But finally, the Sorting Hat decides that Ravenclaw is truly the House where Percy belongs, that it will help cultivate his desire for knowledge, his goal to know the answer to everything.
Percy's happy to hear this, and takes a seat with the rest of Ravenclaw House.
X
George looks to Fred, smirking at him. "Bet they won't even have a House for you," he mutters, laughing.
"Oh, you're one to talk," Fred replies. "They'll have to owl Mum to have her come back and pick you up before the night's up. Probably end up a Squib or something."
"We're practically one person, Freddy. If I'm a Squib, you are, too."
"You wish."
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly from the front of the room. Fred and George exchanged a glance, and muffled their laughter behind their hands. As each new first year approached the Sorting Hat, Fred and George would place bets in whisper about which House they look like they'll end up in. Each keeps track of the other's correct guesses, making a mental tally of how many sickles they'll owe the other when they get to their dormitories. George is confident that he'll be rich by the end of the night, but Fred is, too.
Fred's name is called first. He's more nervous than he thought he would be. George shoots him an amused grin as he walks up the steps. He takes a seat, and the Hat thinks for a long time before deciding to place him in Slytherin. Fred doesn't really know what to think about this, at first. He's heard a lot of bad stories about Slytherin, and if the Hat wanted to put him there, what does that say about him? He reserves judgment until George is Sorted though, and takes his seat.
George looks a fair shade greener than he did a moment before. He's not sure if he wants to be in Slytherin now or not. But there's nothing left he can do, apart from requesting a train home, he supposes. So he goes up for his own Sorting. Again, the Sorting Hat seems to take a while to consider all the options. Eventually, though, it settles on Slytherin for him as well, and George lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding as he sits down next to his twin.
X
Ron follows the line of other first years up to the front of the Great Hall, right behind his new friend, Harry. When they reach the far end of the room, Harry looks at him, nervous. Harry thinks Ron looks just about as nervous as he feels. His collar is flipped up and stuck underneath his robes, his shoe's untied. He just wants this to be over with quickly.
"It'll be fine," Ron whispers to him. "I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. Fred and George were probably exaggerating." Hermione shushes him, but Ron doesn't appear to have noticed.
"I'm not worried about what'll happen, I'm worried about where I'll end up." Harry looked at the long House tables. "They all look really grumpy over there," he gestures at the Slytherin table. Ron follows his gaze, trying to catch Fred's or George's eye.
"Slytherin's not as bad as it's made out to be, mate. The twins love it there. I've got brothers in every House. You won't end up in a bad one 'cause there isn't a bad one, promise."
Before Harry can respond, his name is called to be Sorted. Ron gives him an encouraging smile as he walks up the steps to the stool. Ron's always fancied himself a Hufflepuff, and he secretly hopes that Harry ends up there, too. As the Hat is sliding over Harry's face, he shoots Ron a grin before his face disappears entirely. Ron holds his breath for a moment, then another moment, and another. It takes the Hat forever, it seems, to decide. But eventually, it shouts, "Gryffindor!"
Harry looks to Ron again, who tries his best to give him a big smile, before he goes over to join his cheering table. He's a bit disappointed – Ron really doesn't see himself ever being Sorted in Gryffindor. Harry can still be his best friend, he figures.
As the line grows increasingly shorter, Ron's nerves get the better of him. It's almost a relief to hear his name called – he can get this over with. He walks up to the stool, and not much more than a second after the Hat touches his head, it calls out, "Hufflepuff!"
Ron's a bit upset that he didn't end up in the same House as Harry, but his brother Charlie was a Hufflepuff, and he'd always looked up to Charlie. He proudly took his seat among the yellow and black.
X
Ginny's been hearing about Hogwarts for as long as she can remember – with six older brothers who've attended the school, it's hard to have a conversation that doesn't somehow involve the old castle. It's finally her chance to go, to see what it's all about.
And she is nervous.
She has a lot to live up to, what with two brothers making Prefect, one making Head Boy, and one as Quidditch Captain. There isn't a whole lot that hasn't been done before, but Ginny's determined to still make her experience at Hogwarts her own.
She isn't aiming to please anyone, she just wants to do her own thing.
But when it comes to the Sorting Ceremony, there isn't anywhere new to go. Every House has had at least one Weasley so far – the only question now was where would the last one go?
Ginny has heard stories about each House, naturally, and she has to admit that if she has a choice, she wants to be in Gryffindor, like Bill was. As she takes a seat and her Sorting begins, she tries to stop worrying over it. It's all down to the Sorting Hat now.
Ginny is Sorted quicker than a lot of the other first years have been – the Hat barely has time to rest fully on her head before it's made its decision.
The youngest Weasley child makes her way over to the maroon-clad Gryffindor table, to the cheering not only from her own House, but from her brothers scattered throughout the Hall.
A/N: Written for: Writing Club - Character Appreciation 21. (house) Gryffindor; Shannon's Showcase 27. (trait) Stubborn; Showtime 2. (emotion) Nervous; Count Your Buttons W3. Hungry; Lyric Alley 5. Tryin' to catch your eye from the side of the ballroom; Sophie's Shelf - Vault 8: Write a fic spanning 10 years; Angel's Arcade – Axel: (element) fire, (trait) loyal, (plot point) arguing with your best friend; Lo's Lowdown 3. Write about a Ravenclaw; Bex's Biscuit Barrel – Cookie: 1. (word) Shooting, 2. (character) Ginny Weasley, 3. (emotion) Amused; Funfair - Northern – Ghost Train 22: Collar; Southern – Henna L6: (action) Waving; A8: (color) Maroon; S9: (action) Tripping over; Eastern – Hall of Mirrors: Hall 1, 1. Different House; Seasonal - Days of the Year – August 12: Write about what it's like to be a middle child; Fire Element – (word) Flame; Shay's Musical Challenge 25. Write about being the new kid at school; Gryffindor Themed Prompts: (character) Percy Weasley, (trait) Courageous, (object) The Sorting Hat; Pinata Club: Hard - Percy Weasley; Insane House Challenge 169: (location) The Great Hall; 365 Prompts Challenge: 243: (relationship) Siblings; World Cup Competition: (character) Fred Weasley; Hamilton Mania – Act I: 4. (plot point) Starting Hogwarts