Chapter 3

Lavender boarded a boat with Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, and another girl with blue tips in her hair, who was marveling over the boat moving all by itself. Lavender thought it was cool as well.

Soon, they were all walking up some stairs, where they were greeted by an older witch.

"Good evening, First Years," she began, "I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Beyond these doors, you will be sorted into your new House. The four Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Your House will become your family..."

Lavender began to zone out. She thought she heard some banging outside. She nudged Ginny and asked, "you hear that?"

Ginny nodded. "Ron said there were weird goings on at school."

Lavender nodded. Perhaps it was a ghost or something.

Suddenly, the doors opened. Inside, a large dining room divided by four long tables greeted everyone. Students sat at the tables, smiling at the First Years. Lavender noticed the Hermione Granger girl from the train sitting at a table with red-and-gold banners above it. The bullies from the train were inside the room as well, this time at a table with green-and-silver banners. To the front, a stool with a tattered hat sat in front of a grand table. The group of First Years gathered around the stool. Professor McGonagall stood next to the stool, unrolling a scroll.

"When I call your name, please step forward so you may be sorted."

"Adams, Annabeth."

A girl with spiky black hair walked towards the stool. Professor McGnagall lifted the hat, allowing her to sit down, before placing the hat on her head. After some silence, the hat yelled,

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

A table with yellow-and-black banners erupted into cheers as Annabeth walked towards the table to join her new Housemates.

"Aeron, Gabriel."

Gabriel slowly walked to the hat, a blank expression on his face. He sat down, and allowed the hat to be placed on his head. After about five seconds, the hat yelled,

"SLYTHERIN!"

The table the bullies were at cheered, as Gabriel took his time to join them. Lavender felt like she'd never see him again.

"Creevey, Colin."

A small boy with a camera excitedly ran to the stool, sitting down eagerly. He had a huge grin on his face. Lavender giggled, he reminded her of Basil.

The hat cried out,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Colin practically ran to Hermione's table, the hat flying off of his head. Ginny grabbed it and handed it back to Professor McGonagall.

"Edwards, Rachel."

The girl with blue streaks in her hair walked to the stool and took a seat. The hat took a while with her. It was almost a full minute before it yelled,

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Rachel smiled brightly, and went to the Hufflepuff Table, sitting next to Annabeth.

After a few more names, McGonagall called out, "Lovegood, Luna."

Lavender patted her shoulder, wishing her good luck.

Luna sat down, crossing her legs, and allowed the hat to cover her eyes.

"RAVENCLAW!"

Lavender clapped loudly for her as she joined the table with blue-and-bronze banners.

Ok, so she has a friend in Gryffindor, a friend in Ravenclaw, and...a friend in Slytherin...

"Rarity, Lavender.'

Shoot!

She was so deep in thought, she wasn't paying attention to the Sorting.

Lavender nervously walked to the hat, sitting down on the stool like everyone else. Suddenly, everything went black, and a voice whispered in her ear.

"Hmm...a smart brain, a courageous spirit, some ambition I see, and...a sense of loyalty. All attributes for each House...yes, this one will suit you nicely..."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

As soon as the hat was lifted off of her, she saw the rest of Hufflepuff cheering for her. Disappointed her friends from the train weren't with her, she reminded herself that she could make more friends in the House. She sat next to an older boy who offered her a seat.

Lavender waited until "Weasley, Ginerva" was called. Ginny walked to the stool, and almost as soon as the hat was placed on her head, it yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor Table cheered for her, Hermione standing up for her.

Since Ginny was the last one, Professor McGonagall tapped on her glass.

"May I have your attention, please?"

The room became silent, as an older wizard with a long, silver beard stood up.

"Good evening, students. I am Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. First, let us begin by singing the Hogwarts Theme Song."

He waved his wand, and golden words were floating in the air.

"Pick a tune, any tune, and begin when ready."

A bunch of muddled voices rose, singing the words in many different tunes. Lavender decided to sing it to the tune of Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Muggle band Tears for Fears. She loved Muggle Rock.

After everyone finished singing, Professor Dumbledore stood up.

"My presence is required briefly somewhere else. I wish to leave you with a reminder that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden unless for detention or classes. Now, let the feast begin!"

He waved his wand again, and the tables were filled with food. professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall quickly walked outside of the Great Hall.

The older boy who offered her a seat smiled. "Welcome to Hufflepuff! I'm Cedric Diggory." He held out his hand.

"Lavender Rarity," Lavender responded, shaking his hand.

A girl around Cedric's age looked at Lavender and said, "he's a candidate for the role of Prefect next year."

Cedric shook his head, "I just want to make our new House Members feel welcome."

"I appreciate it," Lavender remarked, reaching for some steak.

Annabeth and Rachel leaned towards Lavender from across the table.

"Are you from a Wizard Family?" Annabeth asked.

Lavender nodded, pouring a glass of water for herself. "You?"

"Sorta," Annabeth remarked, "Dad's a wizard, but mum's a Muggle. Could you pass the mashed potatoes?"

Lavender passed the potatoes to her as rachel began to talk.

"Both of my parents are...Muggles, was it? We were all surprised when I got the letter. Mum meddles in witchcraft sometimes, but it's not on the same level as all of this!"

Lavender smiled.

Cedric patted her shoulder. "I'll leave you with these two, I'm going to greet some more students, okay?"

Lavender nodded as he stood up and walked to another section of the table.

The three new girls talked all throughout dinner and dessert. Annabeth's father works in a bookstore in Diagon Alley, while her mother teaches at a Muggle High School. Rachel's parents both work in a hospital, while her older brother played in a garage band.

Soon, dinner was over, and an older Hufflepuff boy who greeted himself as Alexander Haddock told the First Years to follow him to the Common Room. He lead the First Years down some stairs and passed what smelled like the kitchen. Soon, they were greeted by some stacks of barrels.

"Pay attention, please. I will show you how to enter."

He took his wand out.

"To open the Common Room entry, you must tap this barrel," he pointed to a barrel in the second row, "to the beat of 'Helga Hufflepuff'."

He demonstrated it, and the barrel opened. One-by-one, the students entered through the passageway to a cozy room filled with plants of different kind.

Alexander gestured the girls to a certain doorway, while showing the boys to another door.

Lavender, Annabeth and Rachel entered the room to find all of their stuff inside. Milo was sleeping on what seemed like Lavender's bed. it was a cozy four-poster bed with black and yellow quilts and pillows. Without even changing, she flopped down into the bed, exhausted by her first day at Hogwarts.