CHAPTER 2

HOGWARTS, HERE WE ARE!

"Wicked!" Ron said in awe. Harry completely agreed with Ron. The four boys were sitting in a boat and had just got their first glimpse of Hogwarts. It was wicked.

Hagrid waved at Harry and walked off, leaving the first years with Professor McGonagall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room."

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

"I shall come to take you when you are ready"

Harry nervously patted his hair, Ron tried cleaning the tip of his nose, Neville straightened his collar while Jasper straightened his cloak.

Suddenly, ghosts swept, talking and arguing loudly about Peeves. Draco went stark white.

"G- g- ghosts?" he stuttered.

"Right there you are Draco!" Ron said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. He shook his head and asked, "Who is Peeves?"

Just as Harry was going to answer, McGonagall came and ushered them in.

The hall was quite big, numerous amount of candles floated in the air. But one thing amazed very single first year, the sky, or maybe the roof.

They stopped in front of the teachers' table and turned around. Professor McGonagall bought a stool and an old patched hat. The hat opened it's mouth and sung

Oh you may not think I am pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts sorting hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The sorting hat can't see,

So try me on and I'll tell

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve and chivalry,

Set the Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patients Hufflepuffs are true,

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Oh perhaps in Slytherin,

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means,

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a thinking cap!

Applause ran all around the hall, Harry himself could do nothing except clap. When the clapping died, Professor McGonagall spoke

"When I call your name, step forward and wear the cap. Abbott Hannah!"

A girl with blonde pigtails stepped forward and wore the hat

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Names were called, houses were called, and clappings could be heard. Finally:

"Black Jasper!"

Harry got the sudden urge to gag and vomit, seeing the girls taring at Jasper adorably.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry clapped loudly.

Lavender Brown, Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom became Gryffindors. And the dreaded awaited time came:

"Potter Harry!"

Gasps could be heard and in an attempt to drown the gasps and mutterings, Harry jammed the hat on his head.

"Amazing Mr. Potter amazing" a voice spoke in his ear.

"Hello hat!" Harry thought back and Harry could swear he thought the hat chuckled.

"You'd do well in Slytherin and Gryffindor . I personally think you will do exceptionally well in Slytherin. "

Harry actually gagged. Slytherin? NO!

"Please not Slytherin not Slytherin"

"Not Slytherin? Better be GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry sighed and jumped down the stool. He picked off that hat and laid it on the stool. When his mind came back in present, he was sure he would go deaf. Gryffindor table was clapping loudly and Fred and George were yelling "WE GOT POTTER WE GOT POTTER!"

Ron and Draco both got sorted in Gryffindor. The sorting ceremony got ended with Blaise Zabini.

Dumbledore stood up and the chatter died down.

"To new students, welcome! And to old students, welcome back! There is a time for speech making but its not now! Here are the words: Nitwit, Blubber, Odment! Thank You!" Dumbledore sat down and immediately, the five tables started groaning with the amount of food it had.

The talk turned to parents.

"Sirius and Marlene Black" Sirius said pointing to his looks.

"Molly and Arthur" Ron said shoveling food in his mouth.

"Who does not know my parents?" Harry asked rolling his eyes. Jasper chuckled.

Everybody turned to look at the shy blond boy. Draco swallowed. He opened his mouth as if to speak but closed it again. Everybody was confused.

"Excuse me, could you please pass me the bowl of potatoes if you are finished?" a girl asked. Harry looked up to see the speaker. She looked expectantly at Draco.

"S- Sure"

"Hello and welcome new Gryffindors! I hope that you can help us old people to win the house cup. The bloody Baron is getting unbearable. Oh pardon me, I forgot to introduce myself!" The ghost suddenly cried out. "I am Sir Nicholas De-Mimsy Porpington. Resident ghost of Gryffindor house at your service!" The ghost bowed.

"I know who you are!" Ron exclaimed. "You are nearly headless Nick!"

"I prefer you to call me Sir Nicho-"

"How nearly headless Nick?" Draco asked.

"Like this" nearly-headless Nick said irritably. He held his left ear and pulled hard. His whole neck swung except for a little bit of skin. Apparently, someone had tried to behead him but had not done it properly. Nearly-headless Nick looked pleased. Harry quickly looked away to the Slytherin table and saw a ghost with blank eyes and a knife stuck on his body sitting beside Deneb Malfoy. Judging from his expression, he did not like the seating arrangement.

The dishes disappeared, deserts appeared. Blocks and blocks of ice cream in every imaginable flavor.

Once everyone had their fill, Dumbledore stood up.

"Before you all go to bed, I have a few announcements. The forbidden forest, as the name suggests is forbidden. Mr. Filch has asked me to inform the students that the list of banned items has been extended to 288 items. Those who want to view the full list are welcome in Mr. Filch's office. The third floor corridor is forbidden if you don't wish to die a painful death. Right now, your beds, soft and warm as ever wait for you. Tweak!" Dumbledore sat down smartly and started talking to Professor Flitwick.

"Weird." Percy said. "Dumbledore always gives reason why a place is forbidden. Forbidden forest is full of dangerous creatures so that can be of no doubt but- Oh! Sorry! First years! First years this way!"

Harry, Jasper, Ron and Draco joined the other first year students. Harry felt drowsy, and his feet seemed to move on its own accord. The climbed a number of stairs, walked behind tapestries and finally reached a large portrait of a very fat lady in a pink silk gown.

"Password?"

"Caput Draconis" Percy said and she swung open.

"Boys, you go down." Percy said pointing down "Girls, up you go" he pointed up.

The boys climbed down the stairs and walked in a pleasant room with five four poster beds. Jasper claimed the one nearest the door, Harry climbed on the second bed from door, Draco opened his trunk on the third bed, Ron changed and started sleeping on the fourth bed and Neville opened the curtains on the last bed.

Finally, Harry thought, I get sleep. He fell down in a deep slumber.

A.N.: Please review