"HUFFLEPUFF!" It was the one house that eleven year old Susan Bones was not expecting to hear. She thought for sure she was going to follow in the path of her father and older brother and be in Gryffindor, but she was quickly proven wrong after the Sorting Hat's rather smug answer. She thought the old fraying hat was going to be friendly, but it was the complete opposite of that. It was quite conceited in her opinion. After hearing her new house name echoing throughout the Great Hall and applause erupting from the Hufflepuff table, Susan tossed the hat onto the stool and walked as fast as she good to her new table, dropping down into a seat beside an older student.
"Congratulations!" said several jovial students sitting around her. Susan gave them the most friendly smile that she could muster as she glanced over her shoulder to her brother sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table, a sad smile on his face. Susan frowned and turned back around and introduced herself to the Hufflepuff that was sorted just before her, Hannah. Susan determined that the girl appeared pleasant enough, and decided to continue speaking to her.
"Who else do you think will be sorted into Hufflepuff?" Susan whispered to Hannah, nudging her to the crowd they just came from. They watched as a girl with long black curly hair was sorted into Ravenclaw just like the previous student and then as another girl called Lavender was called forward. Susan and Hannah both scanned the small group watching as Lavender became the first Gryffindor.
"Definitely not Millicent," Hannah said, pointing to the next girl approaching the stool. Susan agreed, noticing that the large girl was sneering at the crowd, her eyes focused on the Slytherin table. "I agree," said Susan while Millicent was sorted into Slytherin, and seeming rather happy to be there. Susan admitted to herself that she enjoyed the distraction that Hannah was providing to her, it made her forget about her brother who sat quietly at the Gryffindor table. In fact, no other students appeared as cheerful and talkative as her own table and for the first time since she sat down, she felt as if she were in the right place.
At the end of the sorting, Susan and her new friend giggled over the fact of how badly they guessed, so much that they only guessed correctly for two students (Ernie and Megan). They continued the game with each student that sat down with them, and it made for a fun and entertaining ceremony. Susan especially appreciated it because she was able to get to know her fellow house mates, whom all seemed very warming. By the end of the night when Susan was readying herself for bed, she fell asleep with a smile- wishing all of her new friends a good night sleep, excited for a new day at Hogwarts.