Chapter 2: The Secret Sorting
It was chaos. People were everywhere. Marissa could not help but wonder just how many people had been on the train. It looked like more than a thousand people were crowded at the station. From tiny first years to people that looked to be in their seventh year. People were meeting up with their friends, hugging each other in greeting. Marissa did not know what to do or where to go. A bearded giant of a man was shouting for all first years to gather around him. Several other groups of students were making their way over to carriages that did not seem to be drawn by anything. She caught sight of the Ravenclaw girl Abby and what must have been a group of her friends. Marissa gave her a small smile and wave. Abby returned the smile, but did not walk over.
Marissa felt like an idiot standing there with no idea where to go. The crowds were starting to thin out as more people made their way to the carriages or over to the bearded giant. She was one of the last people still standing on the platform and was about to walk over to Abby when a deep gruff voice called out. "Is there a Watson here? Marissa Watson?" Marissa realized that the voice belonged to the bearded man that had been herding the first years.
"Great," Marissa whispered to herself and started walking over. She could feel her face going red from being singled out. When she arrived by the bearded man who was surrounded by a group of tiny looking first years, she spoke, looking up into his face, "I'm Marissa."
The man looked down into Marissa's eyes and smiled the friendliest smile that she had seen all day. His eyes seemed to crinkle with joy at the very sight of her. "Glad to see you, I am," the man said with a chuckle. "Professor Dumbledore has told me all about you. It's rare that we get a transfer from another school." He held out a hand that looked to Marissa to be the size of a trash can lid. "You can call me Hagrid."
Marissa took Hagrid's hand and shook it. "Marissa," she said and then realized that he already knew that and she looked to the ground.
Hagrid chuckled. "No reason to be nervous he said. Everyone was new once. Just look at this lot," he said and gestured to the group of nervous looking first years. "Now, you'll be coming to the castle with me. All the first years take the boats across the lake. I know you're not a first year, but it is tradition. Now, you'll be in a boat with me. That'll be where you get your first look at Hogwarts. Also, don't mind the giant squid. He's a friendly thing."
"Giant squid?" Marissa squeaked. She had never seen a giant squid. How could this Hagrid be sure that the squid was friendly?
Hagrid must have sensed her panic because he chuckled. "You'll be fine he said. Come on."
Marissa watched as groups of first years scrambled into the small wooden boats. Four people could fit in to one boat. She started looking from boat to boat trying to find one to get in. Hagrid patted her on the shoulder hard enough that Marissa's knees buckled. "You'll be with me," he said climbing into a boat that was just slightly bigger than the others. Marissa had to think that it was enchanted to be able to hold a man of his size. She climbed in behind Hagrid and they were off.
The ride across the lake was incredible. The water shimmered in the moonlight like glass, the boats seemed the glide across the surface barely causing a ripple. Every now and then Hagrid would point out something in a voice loud enough that it carried to all of the first years in the other boats. When Marissa caught her first sight of the castle, she let out an audible gasp and Hagrid chuckled. It had to be almost twice the size of Ilvermorny. At one point a huge tentacle crept over the side of their boat and Hagrid laughed and tickled it before it quickly retreated back in the water. Marissa could only assume that it had belonged to the giant squid that Hagrid told her about.
Marissa spent the remainder of the journey across the lake listening to Hagrid talk about the four Hogwarts houses and what each represented. It sounded to Marissa that Slytherin had a pretty bad reputation and that most Death Eaters and dark wizards seemed to come from that house. She decided not to mention that she had shared a compartment with not only a Slytherin student, but one that was the son of not one, but two Death Eaters. Marissa knew that the Death Eaters committed horrible, unspeakable crimes, but she had no reason to think that Jacob was lying when he said that he did not want anything to do with that lifestyle.
The boats slowed to a stop and Hagrid helped Marissa and the other first years out and back on to dry land. It was only a few minute walk to the giant front doors of the castle. Marissa's heart felt like it was about to beat itself out of her chest. She didn't remember feeling this nervous when she was preparing to be sorted at Ilvermorny. Thoughts of which house she would end up in flooded her head. Though, Marissa did not know much about the qualities of each of the four Hogwarts houses, she did at least do a little reading on them. Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw would probably be her choice if she could choose. Thoughts of being in Slytherin entered her mind. She knew that it was a house with a bad reputation, but then she thought of Jacob. He may have been aggressive towards Marissa on the train, but she had a suspicion that he was just putting on a front. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if she ended up there. Marissa couldn't deny that he was a good looking man, and she kind of liked the thought of getting to know him a little better.
Hagrid knocked three times on the wooden door and it swung open on its own. Light flooded onto the dark lawn from inside the castle. Inside was a giant hall. Candles hung from ornate holders all over the stone walls. Looking up, Marissa saw that the ceiling looked to be several hundred feet above them. Everyone was looking around, eyes full of wonder. Here, in this giant castle would be where Marissa would finish her education.
A severe looking woman with her hair pulled into a bun that looked uncomfortably tight stood near an enormous set of stairs. "Welcome to Hogwarts," she said loudly. "I am Professor McGonagall." She looked around at all of the first years before finally locking eyes with Marissa. "You must be Miss Watson," she said with a smile. "We've all been looking forward to your arrival. It's quite rare that we get a transfer from another school. Hagrid, will you please take the first years into the Great Hall? Miss Watson, you will come with me if you please."
Professor McGonagall led Marissa through a small door and down a narrow corridor before they came to another small door. They entered a modest size rounded room with a fire burning brightly and several small tables and chairs. A tall older man was standing behind one of the tables. His beard had grown down to his stomach and his eyes twinkled behind half moon shaped spectacles. The man had a gentile aura, but Marissa had the feeling that she was standing before a very powerful wizard indeed. He spread his arms wide in greeting and flashed a brilliant smile. "Miss Watson," he said gently, "it is truly an honor to have someone from the great school of Ilvermorny attend our institution. I am professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, and it is my great honor to welcome you to our school. I've been fortunate that in my long life to know several witches and wizards from North America, and if I may say so, they have all been fine people indeed." He clapped his frail looking hands together and smiled wider. "Now I am sure that you must be wondering why you have been separated from the other students."
Marissa could only nod in response. Her heart was still beating at a very fast pace.
Dumbledore nodded his head and continued to speak. "You see, the sorting of our first years is always done in a grand ceremony before our start of the year feast, but seeing as you are starting here as a fifth year, we are going to have a private sorting for you and you alone. When it is concluded, we will all enter the Great Hall and I shall introduce you to the school formally and you will join your new house. Now I understand that you were in the house of the Horned Serpent at Ilvermorny, a fine house indeed that had produced many wonderful witches and wizards. Our four houses here are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and of course my old house of Gryffindor." He gestured towards a very raggedy, frayed, patched hat that was sitting on a stool directly next to him. "Our beloved sorting hat will place you in your new Hogwarts house. All you must do is take a seat and it will be placed upon your head."
Beads of sweat popped up on Marissa's brow. She had hated her sorting at Ilvermorny, it made her feel self conscious and she was grateful that this one was being done in private. Still, the thought of walking into the Great Hall with the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall filled her with dread. "Be calm Marissa," she whispered out loud and walked towards Professor Dumbledore taking a seat in front of him.
He smiled and removed the old hat from the stool next to him. Stepping around the table, Dumbledore gently placed the hat on Marissa's head and it slipped down over her eyes. A voice immediately filled her head and she flinched. "Ah! Marissa Watson, formally of Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," the sorting hat said, its voice filling her thoughts. "Sorted into the house of the Horned Serpent. Where to place you?"
Marissa gripped the side of her chair so tightly that her knuckles turned pale white. This was it. She was about to find out in which house she would spend the rest of her magical training.
"I think I know just where you would fit in best," the hat said inside her head again before speaking in a loud clear voice heard by both McGonagall and Dumbledore. "Ravenclaw!"
Both Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall clapped loudly. Marissa was officially a Hogwarts student now. Dumbledore removed the hat from her head and she stood up, her knees shaking slightly.
"Well, that's that!" Dumbledore said enthusiastically. "I'm not sure about you, but I am personally ready to get the rest of the sorting out of the way so that we can dig in to some delicious food, and I am sure that your new house mates are very eager to meet you."
Together the three of them exited the small chamber and emerged in a fabulous dining hall. Four long tables stretched the entire length of the Great Hall. Around each table sat the students of the four houses talking, and laughing among themselves. The first years were gathered in a tight circle near a table at the head of the hall where the various professors sat also talking. Silence fell in the hall as everyone noticed that both Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall had just entered with Marissa. Professor McGonagall took her seat at the head table and Dumbledore led Marissa to the front of the table where they stopped. He looked around smiling at everyone sitting there. It was like seeing all of the students brought more joy to the elderly man than he could even begin to explain.
Dumbledore spread his arms wide and spoke in a loud joyous voice. "Welcome back to Hogwarts! A new term of both learning and fun! Now before we begin the sorting of our new nervous looking first years," he smiled at the group standing near the table, "I have an announcement to make. It is my extreme pleasure to both welcome and introduce you to one very special new student." He placed a gentile hand on Marissa's shoulder and continued to speak in a loud voice that carried clearly through the entirety of the Great Hall. "This is Miss Marissa Watson who will be beginning her fifth year of magical education here at Hogwarts. Miss Watson has transferred here from Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in North America."
Whispers broke out all throughout the Great Hall as people strained their necks to get a look at the new foreign student. Dumbledore waited a moment before he clapped his hands and silence took over once more. "It is also my great pleasure to announce that just moments ago, the wonderful Miss Watson has officially been sorted into Ravenclaw house!"
The applause coming from one of the tables was thunderous. People clapped and yelled with joy at the fact that Marissa had been made a Ravenclaw. Looking over at the table, Marissa saw that one student in particular seemed more enthused than the others. It was Abby, the girl that she had met on the train. Abby had stood up and was doing a ridiculous looking combination of clapping and waving. Dumbledore nodded towards the table that Ravenclaw house sat at indicating that Marissa should go join her new house mates and Marissa set off. As she walked towards the table, Marissa caught sight of Jacob at the Slytherin table. She gave him a bright smile, but he looked kind of sad.
Once Marissa sat down at the Ravenclaw table next to Abby the sorting of the first years commenced. The various students cheered as new students were sorted and before long it was over. What came next was something that Marissa could never dream of. The feast began. Foods piled on golden platters. Things that Marissa had never had nor heard of. It all looked delicious. The minute that one of the platters had been emptied it refilled itself. Glasses of ice cold pumpkin juice appeared in front of every single student.
When everyone had eaten and drank their fill the food vanished leaving only sparkling golden platters. Dumbledore dismissed everyone and the sound of chairs scraping over stone floors echoed throughout the hall. Everyone filed out of the Great Hall and Marissa followed the other Ravenclaws up several fights of stone stairs until they came to Ravenclaw Tower. When the riddle of the door had been answered everyone filed into the Common Room. Abby took Marissa to the fifth year girls dorm, where to Marissa's surprise, her trunk was sitting at the foot of her bed. Marissa quickly changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed, where her and Abby talked into the late hours of the night before Marissa drifted off into a peaceful sleep dreaming about her first days of classes, eager to learn all that this school had to offer.
