*Edit* sorry, I left something out the first time I wrote this, so it's not really an update, more of a revision. Ten points if you can spot the change!
So far- no reviews. Honestly folks? I thought my story was more interesting than this. I need suggestions for parents of the incoming students. Is there a favorite character you would like to see represented in the story?
Albus looked at his friends and led the way to the gathering crowd of first year students.
"Firs'…years," a slow deep voice said carefully. They spun around to see a giant towering above them. "Come…to…boats."
The scrawny first year wizards could do nothing but stare at the giant. Finally, Rose stepped forward.
"Are you Grawp?" she asked slowly. The giant nodded vigorously. Rose smiled. "My mother told me all about him! His brother used to teach Care of Magical Creatures and he was the Groundskeeper here!" she said to Albus. "My mother knows you, Grawp." Grawp grinned and wiggled his ears.
"Me…take…firs'…years…castle…wih'…boats," he said. The other first years seemed reassured by Rose taking to the giant and began to climb into the boats. There was a specially made vessel for Grawp which was at least five times the size of the other rowboats.
Rose pulled Albus and Owen into the nearest boat. Before they could climb in, an older student stopped them.
"Sorry, I'm a Prefect," she said. "I'm here to take your trunks. They were meant to be left by the train." Now that he looked, Albus noticed a rather large pile of suitcases and cages. They handed over their things. "Don't worry; they will be delivered straight to your dormitory as soon as you are Sorted."
The boats glided with surprising speed across the lake. They could see the school looming in the distance. All the lights were on in the castle and the night was beautiful and cloudless. It made travelling across the lake very relaxing. Albus almost forgot his nerves.
"Schoo'...coming…close…ready…to…leave," Grawp said from the front. They pulled into a tunnel leading under the school and clambered onto rocks and stone. Grawp led the way up onto school grounds and pounded on the school doors.
"Why, hello Grawp." A tall black man opened the door. "Are these the new students?"
"Yeh'…sir," he replied.
"Good, good. Well, I can take it from here," the man said. Grawp saluted him then lumbered off into the trees.
"I take it you've met Grawp then," the man smiled. "I'm Professor Thomas and I teach Defense Against the Dark Arts here. I'm also the Head of Gryffindor. Do come inside.
"The history of Hogwarts is a very long one, I can assure you. Here, you will live for the next nine months, and then the following seven years. You will live with your classmates in Houses. The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff…" Albus zoned out. He already knew all this- his parents had explained the whole process.
"…You will follow me single file. The whole process will only take a minute, and then you can have your start-of-term banquet. Any questions? No? Great! Come with me," Professor Thomas led the way from the small room through a pair of doors into the Great Hall.
Albus knew all about the vast size of it and the life-like ceiling, but the other students seemed to have not. They craned their necks and gasped at the floating candles. Other students watched the procession of first years. Albus saw James give him a thumbs-up.
The Sorting Hat was seated on the very stool on which it had sat for decades. It suddenly opened its mouth and burst into a song about the school and friendship. The Hall burst into applause when it finished.
Professor Thomas walked up the steps and motioned for the students to stay.
"Come forward when I call your name and the Sorting Hat will place you into your houses." He pulled out a long scroll.
"Ackerley, Robin!" A tiny girl with blond pigtails sat up on the stool. The moment the hat was placed on her head, it yelled, "Ravenclaw!" The entire Ravenclaw table burst into cheers as Robin ran to sit with her House.
"Anderson, David!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Bulow, Troy!"
"Slytherin!"
"Carmichael, Anthony!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Cicora, Tianna!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Creevey, Samantha!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Davis, Madeline!"
"Gryffindor!" The first Gryffindor was greeted with more applause than any other student.
"Dursley, Daisy!" That name sounded vaguely familiar. Albus strained his memory to think of where he'd heard it before…
"Gryffindor!" Albus looked over to investigate the Gryffindor table. He could see James sitting next to Dominique and Louis Weasley, their cousins, and Lucas Jordan, James' best friend. Lucas was flirting with a pretty redhead across from him. James seemed to be doing the same to her friend.
"Flint, Alexis!"
"Slytherin!"
"Higgs, Owen!" Owen walked up with his hands trembling. It seemed he was more nervous than he thought he would be. It took a moment for the Hat to decide.
"Gryffindor!" Owen let out a sigh. He looked sort of downcast, like he wanted to be a Ravenclaw. He made his way to sit next to Madeline Davis.
"Howard, Madison!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Jordan, Tanya!"
"Gryffindor!"
"Kirke, Miranda!"
"Slytherin!"
"Lehman, Samuel!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Magnus, Savannah!"
"Gryffindor!"
"Malfoy, Scorpius!" The blonde boy made his way to the pedestal with a smug look on his face, and turned his body toward the Slytherin table.
"Gryffindor!" Scorpius' mouth dropped open and his face turned red. Professor Thomas had to ask him to join the Gryffindor table. Albus looked at Rose with a questioning look on his face. She shrugged, equally perplexed.
"Nott, Astoria!" Scorpius' cousin walked up to the stool.
"Slytherin!" She walked away and stared at Scorpius like he was a nest of maggots living in her dresser. He put his head down ashamedly.
"Peterson, Grant!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Potter, Albus!" Albus walked to the stool and heard the mutterings of his future classmates. Albus Potter? As in Harry Potter's son? As in related to the troublemaker, James? The Hat was placed on his head. He could hear it muttering.
Potter? And also a Weasley, I see…to many of them, they breed like rabbits. I can see a great wizard in you…you'd be best in "GRYFFINDOR!" The table exploded in cheers. Albus hurried over and sat next to James.
"Can you believe it, Al?" he beamed. "That Malfoy git is in Gryffindor! Oh, he's going to hear it from his parents…" Albus looked down the table at Scorpius. He was busy staring at his hands. He looked ready to cry. Albus stood and sat with the boy. Scorpius glared at him, but didn't say anything. Albus looked up to watch the rest of the Sorting.
Pritchard, Thomas was made a Slytherin, followed by Rochester, William to Ravenclaw. A Smith, Kaitlyn and a Stebbins, Mitchell were both made Hufflepuffs, while Skively, Rochelle was inducted to Ravenclaw. Albus started thinking about food and what he wanted to see on the table. Shepherd's Pie sounded delicious…
"Weasley, Rose!" brought his attention back to the sorting. She walked confidently toward Professor Thomas. The Sorting Hat fell below her eyes and the Hall laughed.
"Gryffindor!" She lifted the hat off her head and beamed. Albus applauded as loudly as he could for Rose. She ran to sit on his other side.
The Sorting ended with Zambini, Marcus ("Slytherin!"). Then, a very old lady sitting in the center of the table of teachers rose to address the crowd.
So, how did you like the Sorting? And I didn't want to make up a whole song for the Sorting Hat, so I just made it look like Albus wasn't paying attention. Review this time?