Dear Miss Magus,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later that July 31.
Yours Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
(Deputy Headmistress)
Monica slowly read the letter as she gave her black owl, Night, a treat. She had almost completely forgotten that she would be starting her first year at Hogwarts in a little over a month. She brushed her long brown, almost black, hair from her glowing dark brown eyes. Throwing on her new emerald robes, she ran down the stone steps from her bedroom, into a rather large, sun-filled kitchen. She found her mother reading the Daily Prophet at an oval maple table. The pictures with captioning below them were moving.
Without saying anything, Monica tilted her head, looking at the front page. It said something about Hogwarts, even showing a picture of a castle atop a cliff. Before she could start reading, her mother looked up.
"Mum, I received my letter," Monica said, seizing a few Pumpkin Pasties that had suddenly appeared on her breakfast plate on the counter beside her.
"You should wake your brother, so he can take you to Diagon Alley," Ms. Magus said brightly, her hazel eyes showing the reflection of passing clouds through a window; it overlooked a small green garden with plants growing more than ten feet tall, some wrapping themselves around the house itself.
Monica went up the twisting staircase leading to the third floor, which held only one door in front of it. She knocked and walked in. The walls were covered with Lion wallpaper, which Monica knew represented Gryffindor. There were posters of Quidditch lining the walls. She saw Gordon, her brother, hiding something behind him. He looked a little suspicious, but smiled as Monica entered, "So, sis', you get your letter from Hogwarts?"
Gordon was a fifth year student, yet he had hardly ever talked about Hogwarts. He said briefly how he was in Gryffindor and the Quidditch team, yet never went into detail about anything..."Yeah, Night dropped it by my window a little while ago," Monica answered, though she wanted to ask questions about her first year. "Mum says we should go get our supplies at Diagon Alley."
Gordon had been sorting through a large book that Monica was sure was from Hogwarts. Monica swore as she looked that a boggart lay on his desk for a moment, but thought better of her imagination.
Monica and Gordon (whose black hair was almost combed and out of his blue eyes) made their way through the crowded streets of Diagon Alley. Gordon was much taller than Monica and was wearing a dark red robe.
"A bunch of Muggles," Gordon said as he peered at the letters still grasped in Monica's hand.
She read the list of equipment:
First-year students will require:
Three sets of plain robes (black)
One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Monica stopped reading as she saw in bold, uppercase letters: ". . . FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMTICKS."
"We can't play Quidditch," Monica sighed. "I almost forgot. . ."
Gordon bumped into a tall, stocky man with greasy black hair and an oversized nose. The man said nothing, but looked coldly at Gordon and continued to walk, "Snape. . ." He turned toward Monica and stopped walking. "Potions teacher. . . Anyway, who sent you that letter?"
Monica looked at the other letter she had been holding, seeing ink writing on parchment inside. The letter was clearly addressed to her, but she did not have any friends, so she could not imagine who would send her a letter of any kind. She slipped it in her pocket, so Gordon would not read what it said, whatever that be.
"It's nothing," she told him a little too quickly. "So, to Gringotts?"
Gordon shook his head, "Naw, I have enough galleons for ten people. . ." He handed her a bag and poured in an enormous amount of gold galleons. "That should last a few terms. Now, I have to leave, so don't go running off. It would be my head. I'll be back in thirty minutes or so." He suddenly Apparated, disappearing so quickly that Monica did not have time to reply.
Monica entered Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Madam Malkin, a plump and short woman, seemed to know Monica was getting a robe for Hogwarts, for she threw a black robe over Monica's head. She started pinning the sides, fitting it around Monica, who was quite slim, yet bow legged.
Monica looked around, seeing many other witches and wizards getting fitted for their new robes.
Stepping off the Hogwarts Express, Monica found herself on a tiny dark platform. Cobblestones were placed near the platform, leading to a small, curving path. She shivered slightly, staring around. She saw a lamp in the dark, from which a giant man with long, wild hair, a tangled beard, and tiny black eyes stood holding it.
"Firs' years, follow me!" The giant called out, to all the new students who were disembarking from the black train. Almost tripping in the shadows, the first years were lead down a sloping, narrow path. "Yeh'll see Hogwarts soon," The tall, giant of a man boomed out.
A vast, black lake rose from ahead. A looming castle stood atop a mountainous cliff, overlooking the lake. Rolling hills lead to what looked like a black forest. As the shaggy man lead the group toward the lake, the castle's many towers and large windows shone with light in the crescent moon.
"Stay wit' no more'n four ter a boat," the man shouted, pointing to a fleet of boats at the silky shore of the sparkling lake. He took himself onto one, in solitary.
Monica slowly approached a boat; climbing in some other students also boarded in with her. Suddenly, the man who had guided them thus far, yelled, "FORWARD!" The boats started moving forward, on their own, with the use of magic.
After reaching a secret entrance to the castle, the giant man used his enormous fist to knock three times on the castle door. The door flew open, the entrance large enough to fit a rather large house in. A tall, strict looking witch with black hair in a tight bun wore emerald-green robes, staring down at the students and to the giant man.
"Thank you, Hagrid," She said to him.
"I'll leave 'em ter you, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said, walking through a corridor.
"Follow me," Professor McGonagall told everyone.
The stone walls were lit with many torches. Looking up, Monica could not see the ceiling. A marble staircase led to the upper floors. Walking on flagged stone floors, Professor McGonagall led them into an empty classroom in the hallway.
"Welcome to Hogwarts: School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Professor McGonagall said. "The banquet for the start-of-the-term will be starting soon. Before you sit at your tables in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your House. The Sorting is an important ceremony for students, for your House will be your family while you take your stay here. You will sleep in your house dormitories and spend your free time in your common rooms.
"The four houses are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. Each holds a noble and worthy history and has produced great witches and wizards. House points will be given out, and the house with the most will win the House Cup at the end of the year. While your accomplishments here will gain you house points, any rule-breaking will mean taking house points away. I surely hope that you will take pride and honor to the house you are chosen for.
The Sorting Ceremony is almost ready to begin. I shall return when we are ready for all of you."
Monica stared nervously around, catching the eyes of a few students, but quickly looking away. She did not want to be sorted, although she always tried to be optimistic about her brother being in Gryffindor; she truly could only hope she would be placed in the same house.
Professor McGonagall soon returned, leading them into an empty chamber off the hall. They walked through double doors into a large room, with four long tables and hundreds of staring eyes. Lit candles floated in mid-air around the tables. Golden platters and goblets were placed along the long wooden tables, and a table for the teachers was placed in the back of the gigantic room. Monica stared at the ceiling, seeing it was bewitched to look like the night sky. The students were lined, facing the front of the staff table.
She looked back down, seeing a patched wizard hat perched atop a four legged stool – The Sorting Hat. As she stared at it, the ruffles in the hat around the brim made themselves into a mouth and two eyes. The hat suddenly started to sing aloud:
"Welcome to another year
Yet more things come that you will fear
I will have to divide you into four places
You will each have your own common spaces
When sorted in Ravenclaw you will find
That those around you have great minds
In Gryffindor where the brave are true
You will find great fun awaiting you
Be in the nest of the Slytherin snake
Find that you will not give but take
Taking you where your loyalties show
Not bravery found but the Hufflepuffs know
By this year their cover shall be blown
The heir of the four houses shall soon be known
Please trust my words and hear my cries
If you don't black will darken the skies
The one that will save will try all their might
With the heirs to stop the plight."
Professor McGonagall started calling names from a large roll of parchment, rolling onto the floor.
"McNeir, Alice!" A small girl with wavy brown hair and hazel eyes emerged from the line, trembling slightly with fear. She reluctantly sat onto the wooden stool, and the old hat was placed on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" The Sorting Hat called out. The girl rose as the Great Hall rang with cheers and clapping, most coming from the Gryffindor table. The Slytherins cast looks of disgust toward Alice and the rest of the Gryffindors as she took her seat.
"Magus, Monica!" Professor McGonagall's voice echoed.
Monica felt her face burn as she sat upon the stool. She saw many faces looking up at her, wondering where she would be placed. As the Sorting Hat was placed upon her long hair, she heard it talking to her: Many attributes you obtain. . . Brave, filled with knowledge, loyal. . . The voice stopped, and Monica held her breath for a moment.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Clapping broke out again as Monica took her seat. She sighed, smiling slightly as many grinning faces met hers as she looked around the long table.