Disclaimer: I think I've made it clear I don't own Harry Potter.
A/N: Thanks to all of you who voted on my poll. Unfortunately, you must think it's funny to vote in such a way that there is one vote on each option, because that's what happened. So you're going to have to tell your friends about me because Ginny petrifies Mrs. Norris on Halloween.
The Great Hall was huge. Even though Ron had told me it was enormous, I hadn't imagined this.
There were four long tables lined up length-wise across the room. At the very front of the room was another one of these tables, facing the other four. That, was the teachers table.
In the very centre of that table was the very famous, the very amazing, Albus Dumbledore. His silver beard glowed faintly by the light of the torches magically suspended from the ceiling. His eyes were twinkling with happiness. The blue colour of them matched the optimistic shade of his oceanic robes.
The ceiling was quite a sight as well. It was dark blue and grey and swirling, as it mimicked the sky outside. I looked up at it and recalled what Hermione Granger had said about it this summer:
"Oh, you'll love it Ginny! It's lovely, simply amazing. Especially the ceiling of the Great Hall!" Hermione's eyes lit up as she recalled her first year at Hogwarts.
"What's so great about it?" I took a couple of steps towards the girl standing in my living room.
"The ceiling is enchanted to look like the sky outside. For example, if it's storming, you will see the lightning and rain, but it isn't real."
I hadn't expected it to be this . . . Stunning. Yes, that's the word. Stunning.
All around, I could hear gasps of amazement coming from the other first years. They looked up at the ceiling and around at the hundreds of students who were staring at us like we were zoo animals. I suppose I shouldn't know that word, but Dad had just learned it that summer. Those students were the source of the constant, low buzz.
The Headmaster Dumbledore stood up and spread his arms. Instantly, the Hall fell silent. All of the students held great respect for this man.
"Welcome, my students, to another grand year at Hogwarts. However, I shall hold off my speech until we are all seated. Therefore, it is time for the Sorting. Professor McGonagall, you may bring forth the Hat."
The woman who had welcomed us when we had first entered Hogwarts walked briskly to the front of the room. In her hands, she bore a scruffy old hat. It was a wizards hat, like any other. However, it's point was crooked with age and it was so dirty that if it had had arms, I could have mistaken it for a gnome.
She sat it upon a polished stool and stood back. The students at the tables looked at it expectantly. Even the Professors leaned forward in their grand chairs, conversations stopped, mid-sentence.
Suddenly, it did something that you shouldn't be surprised at, considering the circumstances, including Diagon Alley and the school itself. It opened its mouth (if you could call the flap of fabric a mouth) and sang:
"Sitting upon this stool, dirty I may be
Just a hat, that I am, as far as you can see.
But trust me, I am so much more, for now I decree
The four founders of this school specially created me.
I can see into your mind, judge your hearts intent
As I did with the others when I decided where the went.
I choose your House so that you may be similar with friends
And it is my hope that by my choosing you'll have some 'till your end.
Now, these Founders, as I told you, well, there were four
And by the end of their creation one walked out the door.
However before they separated, each specified out loud
The traits their students would require to make their House proud.
Now, if I name you Gryffindor, you must be brave and true
For that he was and if you are, his spirit is with you.
But perhaps you are a Hufflepuff, and you are kind and just
For that, as she so clearly announced, if an absolute must.
Maybe I'll name you Ravenclaw, for you are sharp of mind
Like your Founder, your intellect leaves others behind.
Or, you'll be a Slytherin, where they're full of cunning, and of wit
Unfortunately, only pure-blood witches and wizards he agreed to admit.
Now, that you've heard my song and everything's explained
I've only one more verse before your House is named.
Be brave, be kind, be clever, as all the Houses are
But it is only by working together as one, will any of the four get far."
The entire Hall clapped and cheered and then fell silent as Professor McGonagall then took a scroll from out of her sleeve and began reciting names:
"Abberton, Jeremy" An scared little boy with black hair slipped out of the line to sit upon a stool that the Sorting had previously been resting on. The Hat was now upon his head.
It wiggled around a bit - the Hat - before straightening itself up and loudly proclaiming, "Slytherin!"
Jeremy launched himself out of the chair and went to sit beside a boy with a brooding expression and matching hair. I assumed it was his brother.
Many more Sortings took place.
"Brattons, Georgia" went to Ravenclaw.
"Brown, Zoƫ" went to Slytherin.
"Diddle, Evalin" went to Hufflepuff.
"Hornry, Maud" went to Slytherin.
"MacDougal, Eric" and "MacDougal Erica" both went to Gryffindor.
"McInnis, Elise!"
A thin, meek looking girl with frizzy, dirty blonde hair and a face full of light brown freckles stepped forward. She sat on the chair and shook in her uniform. Her hazel eyes darted back and forth from each of the four tables, wondering which one she would be sent to.
"Hufflepuff!" shouted the Hat, as soon as it had been placed upon her head. She smiled slightly and slipped off the stool that she had been placed upon and went to join a table of happy looking students.
However, before she got there, she stumbled on a step and went sprawling across the floor. This wouldn't have been important except that at that moment, I looked up and noticed that one of the teachers chairs was vacant.
As I began to wonder why a professor would be absent, the double doors that connected the Great Hall to the rest of the school flew open. I thought I saw a flash of red hair behind the doors, but I must have been mistaken.
Marching up the aisle between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables was a tall, black haired man. His robes were dark black and that was the only colour he wore. Even his eyes were black. His nose was long, not in the way Professor McGonagall's was, but in a really abnormally long sort of way. His expression was fit to kill.
Many of the students, excluding the first years and the Slytherin's, shot this man dirty looks. I peeked out of the line and saw Fred and George making faces behind his back.
He marched right up to Professor Dumbledore's table and spoke with him in a hushed tone. Creases formed on the Headmasters forehead as the man continued to speak. Eventually, they called Professor McGonagall over and spoke with her for a moment.
A few minutes later, the man and Professor McGonagall hurried off. Professor Dumbledore stood in front of his table and addressed the room.
"It is unfortunate that I must leave temporarily. I shall return, though. However, for the time being I would like to ask Professor Kettleburn, would you please resume the Sorting until we return or until you reach the end?" he smiled and waited for a nod before walking off.
An lady with short, sandy brown hair picked up the scroll that Professor McGonagall had left behind and continued to call names. I squirmed a little as se did. I was ever so anxious.
"Weasley, Ginny!"
My heart stopped beating. No, it really did. I blinked twice before slowly creeping towards the front. I felt like a bug under a magnifying glass. I could feel the stares of everyone in the room as I sat down on the stool and felt the hat drop over my tiny head.
"Well. Could it be? Another Weasley?" a small voice in my ear seemed to be almost talking to itself.
"This makes it easy then. I hereby announce you the ninth in your family to be . . . GRYFFINDOR!"
I stumbled over my own feet as I flitted over to the Gryffindor table and sat beside Percy, who said, "Well done there Ginny, well done. You make us proud little sister!"
I blushed deeply and waited for Professor Kettleburn to speak the final name.
"Zorgin, Peter" who was announced a Slytherin.
Just as he sat down, Dumbledore strode back into the room with the man in tow. He stood behind his table and made his speech:
"Another year is upon us. Another year is a cause of celebration. Let us work hard and be the best that we can be. Let us live up to our Houses and work with our friends. Let us enjoy our classes and assist our peers. Let us feast!"
As soon as he spoke those last words, the bare plates on the tables were filled with turkey, chicken, beef, ribs, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, stuffed squash and many other delicious things.
I filled my plate, but I'm never very hungry. I only ate half as much as the little girl across from me. I remembered from the Sorting that she was named Erica. She was laughing with her brother and I felt so isolated. I looked down at my plate, lonely, just in time to see all the foods disappear and watch the desserts materialize.
When we were finished, Percy led us toward the doors. We wound through several hallways and up six flights of stairs. We crossed them just in time to see the last set swoop around and reposition itself a quarter turn from our current position.
"Wattlebird" spoke my brother to a picture. Though there were pictures and portraits of sorts everywhere in the castle, this one was different. It was bigger, and the fat lady in the frame seemed to be paying attention to us, for when those ridiculous words left my brothers mouth, she swung inwards, revealing a hidden door.
We were in the Gryffindor common room. It was decorated in maroon and gold - the Gryffindor colours. There was a large, roaring fireplace and several big, cushy armchairs. Shadows danced on the walls, moving in sync with the yawning students.
I went with three other first year girls to a dormitory with the sign First Years on it. Of course, it was in the girls wings, up the flight of stairs to the left.
I picked the bed closest to the window. We all shoved our trunks to the foot of our beds and began unpacking. I put up pictures of my family and set my Diary on the bedside table, along with my quills and my ink.
I sat up in the dark for a while, thinking back on the lonely train ride and sighed. It was going to be a long year.
Good night Tom.
Good night Ginny.
A/N: I really think that you should press that button. Yep, that one, down there. . . ooo, it's shiny. So press it! (no, seriously, PLEASE review)!
