The boats stopped on the crystal clear waters of the lake and Dannan couldn't believe it. She was finally here, Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. As she and her fellow classmates got out of the small row boats her White Shepard puppy bounded out after her, almost capsizing the whole thing. "Ace!" Dannan laughed, picking him up in her arms,"careful, silly dog!" Now, I know what you're thinking, "Isn't it; 'you can bring an owl, toad or cat' when you go to Hogwarts? Well, Ace has been Dannan's trusty companion for years now and she wasn't about to just leave him behind! In the darkness light only by the floating candles, the first years followed a teacher called Ms McGonagall through the front gates of the school and down a hall into a large dinning hall. The candles also floated here, suspended up near a ceiling that looked like it wasn't there at all, like the sky outside it was black with stars and a quarter moon. Other students were already seated and talking amongst them selves, but when we entered the room they fell silent. "Welcome to you all," said Ms McGonagall, "I do hope you enjoy your time here at Hogwarts, but now it is time to sort you into your houses. I will call you out by name and place the sorting hat on your head and after you have been sorted into your house you may go and sit at the corresponding table". A teacher walked other and handed her a sheet of paper which she then looked up from and called out, "Dannan McConnigh".
What? I'm first?
Dannan put Ace down at the stairs and walked up to sit on the stool. A worn out,
pointy hat was places on her head. She was just starting to wonder how this was suppose to work and if McGonagall was crazy when the hat moved and started to talk!
"Hmmm… The McConnighs, an old Irish family I take it. a mischievous lot if there ever was one. Where to put one such as you?... I think… Gryffindor!"
The kids in the Gryffindor house cheered as the hat was lifted off Dannans head and, scooping up the yipping Ace, she rushed over and sat in an empty place. The rest of the first years were then sorted and an old looking wizard who, she supposed, was the headmaster stood up on the platform and all talk and laughter silenced. Professor Dumbledore also welcomed us to Hogwarts and said that he hoped we all have a well year, introducing the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Quill. The senior students were then asked to take us to our dorms.