Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series
A New Age
Chapter 1: A introduction
Al looked at the water. He was scared. What if the boat sunk? He had heard tales of a giant squid and mermen who lived in the lake. He stepped forward slowly. His brother was taking the chariot rides, so Al would have to do this alone.
"C'mon. No reason to dally" it was Hagrid. His father was delighted to hear that Hagrid was still at Hogwarts event hough he must be fifty by now. Suddenly, powerful hands lifted Al up and plopped him in a boat. Al looked up at a smiling Hagrid who was untying the boats from the shore. A boy about his size and a unknown girl came into the boat with him. Hagrid directed another boy into the boat with them. It was Scorpio, Draco Malfoy's son. Uncle Ron had warned Al about him. The boy made a face at Al.
"Who knows what house your going to be in?" the girl asked.
"Well, nobody knows yet its only after you wear the sorting hat that you know" it was Rosie from the boat that was gliding next to them. Al wondered what house he would be in. He remembered his fathers advice that if it really mattered he should ask the sorting hat to be in a certain house.
"Well, I'm going to be in Gryffindor" the boy in Al's boat spoke. The boy had pale cheeks and dark hair. If Al hadn't known better he'd have said the boy was a vampire. He understood that they'd be learning about them in their first year.
"Well, I hope I'll be in the same house as Victoire" it was Teddy who was sitting next to Rosie. Al was about to make a face but stopped himself. He wasn't like James. The boats went around a bend and a collective wow went around. Hogwarts was huge! It was much bigger than Al expected. Al saw could see the outline of moving staircases and owls flying around what must be the Owlery. The kids were dumbfounded at the sheer size and greatness of Hogwarts. The boats came to a stop at the shore and the new students were ushered through double doors into the castle. Hagrid rapped his knuckles on another set of doors three times and the door was opened to reveal Professor Patil who was head of Gryffindor house.
"Tis' the new students" Hagrid said.
"Alright, bring them inside" Professor Patil said.
The children walked into the great hall and saw floating candles keeping light and the ceiling was dark, portraying the night sky. In the middle of a long table at the end of the hall was Professor McGonagall the headmistress of Hogwarts.
"Welcome to Hogwarts" McGonagall said, standing up, "I believe that a sorting is in order. Would everyone please quiet down." The hall became silent. Professor Patil stepped forward and started calling out names.
"Abercombie, Joe" was called first. A nervous boy walked forward and sat on a stool and put the hat over his head. It took half a minute for the hat to reach a decision in which time the boy became increasingly nervous. Then the hat opened a rip in the brim and roared
"HUFFLEPUFF" the boy scurried down from the stool placing the hat on it. There were loud cheers from the table on the left side. Al watched as the boy almost ran to the table. Al felt uneasy with all the attention and felt extremely nervous. The sorting continued like this in alphabetical order. Soon he heard Professor Patil call out
"Potter, Albus." Al stepped forward and sat down in the chair putting the hat on his head. The hat was murmuring to itself and Al remembered his fathers advice.
"Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin." Al said.
"Well, well, well. Like father like son. If you insist." At this Al nodded his head.
"GRYFFINDOR" the hat roared and immense relief washed over him. Loud cheering came from the right side and Al saw his brother sitting at that table. Al rushed forward nearly forgetting to put the hat back and sat down at the table. He watched as Teddy, Rosie and Victoire all went to Gryffindor too. Then the hat burst into song:
You may think I am just a hat,
but I can do much more than that,
I sort kids into their house,
Wether you may be a mouse.
The daring and the bold,
for Gryffindor foretold,
They fear nothing,
whatever the future might bring.
The ones who are smart,
go to the Ravenclaw part,
their motto is "wit beyond measure",
they give us all pleasure.
To Slytherin the snake-like go,
where evilly they grow,
To what ends they bother us,
all they do is fuss.
The rest go to Hufflepuff,
Where they are all a bit gruff,
They may be boring,
but they are useful in the morning
At this there was a ton of booing from the Slytherin and Hufflepuffs and and cheering from the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors.
McGonagall stepped up at the head of the table and spoke
"It is custom for us to honor our last headmaster by repeating the words he said at Harry Potter's first feast" McGonagall began, "Nitwit, oddment, blubber, tweak" the whole school chorused. McGonagall smiled and said
"Tuck in." Immediately the tables filled themselves with plates full of well, everything. Al reched for everything he could and ate himself full. At the feast James clapped him on the back and said
"Welcome aboard." The feast was long and Al felt tired when it was over. He followed a prefect to the dormitories and after saying good night to Teddy and Rosie he went to bed and slept peacefully.