Disclaimer: i do not own Harry Potter.
Sorting Ceremony
Hadrian was drove to King's Cross Station by his parents. They had learned from the letter there had received from Dumbledore that to get to Platform 9 ¾, they had to run through the brick barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Once they had done so, they found themselves in a different Station filled with other wizards, witches and muggle parents moved around quickly helping their children with their luggage get on board the large steaming bright red train as it whistled loudly preparing for departure.
"Come on Hadrian."
He quickly followed his parents as they pushed his trolley towards the Hogwarts Express with a huge smile. He was finally going to a school where he could learn and practice the magic he had read back home and more. After the cart was placed onto the train he said his goodbyes to his parents and then he dragged it through the corridors until he found one compartment with the boy he saw a few weeks ago in Diagon Alley. He seemed to be reading a first year book
"Hello there? Do you mind if i join you here?"
With an annoyed sigh, the boy pulled his gaze from the book and gave the intruder a cold stare for interrupting him.
Hadrian just raised his brow at this and pulled out his wand to try a spell he had read in the charms book.
"Wingardium Leviosa"
He muttered the incantation as he pointed his wand at the trunk. It rose in the air as he guided it and settled on the luggage rack and when he was about to take a seat, the boy opposite him decided to speak.
"I never said you could sit in my compartment."
"Well, this is the first compartment that i saw occupied by one person and the last time i checked it's not yours." Hadrian replied sitting down.
The boy rose up slowly with an angry expression clearly meant for scaring him.
"Get Out!" he commanded.
"And who are you to tell me what to do?" Hadrian asked unphased by this display. He had seen many bullies in his life and was never once afraid to stand up to them.
The boy took a threatening step forward only for Hadrian to stand up and look directly into his eyes.
The compartment opened to reveal an older student wearing a badge.
"What's going on here?" He asked when he saw the two students, one a head taller than the other standing closely glaring at each other their noses almost touching.
"Nothing. My friend here.." Hadrian began only to be cut off.
"We are not friends." The other boy said.
"Very well then, my fellow student here was just about to take a step back and sit down after failing to make his point."
The said boy's nostrils flared at this retort.
"Alright break it up you two!" The prefect spoke.
They both took steps back and sat down.
"Fighting is neither tolerated on the train nor at Hogwarts. I suggest you both get along or we will have problems, do i make myself clear?"
"Crystal" Hadrian replied whilst the other boy just gave a nod.
"My name is Michael Sawyer and as you can see i'm a prefect." He spoke pointing at his badge.
"Hello, Michael. My name is Hadrian Smith." They both turned to the other boy waiting for him to introduce himself.
"My name is Tom Riddle."
The prefect gave a brief nod and a smile before turning around to slide the door open and then left, leaving it to slide back.
"Look, i don't want to make enemies especially when we are about to go to the same school." Hadrian said. "I'm willing to let things slide and start over only if you are willing to the same."
He then proceeded to raise his hand in the hopes that Tom would shake it as a way to call a truce, but the said boy just grimaced at it as though it was filthy and picked up his book and resumed to read we he had left off.
Hadrian dropped it after a few seconds exhaling loudly and then turned to look outside the window.
The compartment opened again after a while revealing a plump woman with a cart filled with what they could assume to be candy
"... anything off the trolley dears…."
"Sure." Hadrian rose up and stepped into the corridor and began to pick out different candy. After paying he went back inside and tossed some over to Tom.
"My treat."
The said boy just glared and tossed them back.
"Wow, you really don't like me do you?"
Tom didn't reply and just continued to read.
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When Tom learned that he was a wizard and would be going to a school where magic was taught, he was exceedingly happy. He was however upset at the way he had conducted himself in front of Professor Dumbledore. The man was clearly a powerful and clever wizard and would not likely forget. He pulled out a book from his trunk which he then levitated onto the rack on the train and sat down to ponder the question of how would rectify that mistake once he had reached the school. After a while someone entered his compartment and pulled him out of his musings.
He was angry at this since he didn't enjoy being disturbed when he was thinking.
When he tried to get rid of the said boy he had outright refused. He tried to scare him which only forced him to stand his ground. This had never happened to Tom before since he was used to being in control. No one dared to stand up to him, to challenge him.
The boy then went on to try to call a truce which he ignored. He didn't want friends. He alone was important.
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Once the train had reached its destination they both got off to join the other students. They were directed onto boats by the Hogwarts Keeper which only ferried four people at a time across the river to the beautiful castle.
Once they reached the land on the other side, they got off and were led to the castle's huge double door. The Keeper knocked once and waited a few minutes. The door suddenly opened to reveal Professor Dumbledore who had chosen to wear midnight blue robes. He looked at them for a moment his eyes twinkling.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. Shortly you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and… Slytherin."
The other students started nodding and smirking at each other when the last house was mentioned.
"While you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points. Any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points wins the house cup."
Dumbledore's eyes swept over them only to freeze for a moment on him and skipped over to Riddle.
"The Sorting Ceremony will begin momentarily."
He then entered the castle and closed the doors leaving them outside.
Mutterings started as the students wondered how the sorting was carried out.
"Father wouldn't tell me. Said that it was a right of passage every time i asked him." A boy with shoulder length hair spoke.
"Same as mine Nott." replied another student.
"One thing is certain though. We are all going to be in the Noble House of Slytherin." another boy said.
"You got that right Lestrange. The mudbloods can fight themselves over the spare houses." Nott said.
A few students looked uncomfortable at the term 'mudblood'. Hadrian guessed that it might be a derogatory term.
The doors opened again.
"We are ready for you. Everyone form a line and follow me." Dumbledore spoke before turning to face the head table across the huge hall
Everyone moved hurriedly to form a single line and began to follow Dumbledore as he began to move.
The inside was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor Dumbledore led the first years up there, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Hadrian looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He had read about this in Hogwarts A History, it was bewitched to look like the sky outside.
Hadrian quickly looked down again as Professor Dumbledore silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool he put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.
For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing.
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.
Professor Dumbledore now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
"When i call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," he said
The names were called in alphabetical order. The students who were boasting previously about being sorted into Slytherin got their wish. Hadrian finally knew their names which were: Adrian Nott, Rodolphus Lestrange, Antonin Dolohov, Evan Rosier, Terry Mulciber and Marcus Avery. Tom Riddle was also sorted into that house.
When his turn came the hat was placed on his head and it covered his eyes.
"Hmm, difficult, very difficult. There is talent, bravery and ambition. So where to put you?"
"Put me in Hufflepuff please." Hadrian thought.
"Very well. If that is your choice, better be….
HUFFLEPUFF!"
Once everyone was sorted and seated on their house tables, the headmaster, Professor Dippet rose up and gave his welcoming speech to everyone a few school rules and then clapped his hands twice making a variety of food appear on the table. Once everyone had fed he rose again to give further announcements of lessons starting the next day and bade everyone goodnight.
Hadrian as well as all the other first years followed their prefects who led them to their dormitory rooms.
"Welcome to the Hufflepuff Common Room. My name is Alexis Sykes and this is Felix Brunt. We are the HufflePuff prefects." A pretty brunette with brown eyes said. She spoke of the house traits and its rules and asked if they had any questions. The First Years were really tired wanting sleep.
"Alexis, i have one question before darkness overwhelms me." Hadrian spoke his eyes drooping with exhaustion.
"Alright, ask quickly." She said trying not to laugh.
"I've read a lot of stories where castles contain secret passages. I was wondering if this castle has the same."
Alexi's eyes widened a that question.
"There is only one passage that i know of a kitchen located directly under the Great Hall, down the staircase leading to the Hufflepuff Basement. In the corridor outside, you will find a painting of a bowl of fruit; one such fruit is a pear. If you tickle the pear, it will squirm, laugh, and then transform into a green door-knob, hence revealing a doorway. You will find house elves there. They are the ones that cook the food you eat and transport your luggage in your rooms."
The first years were now resisting to fall down with drowsiness.
"Ok everyone it's time for you to sleep. Girls through that door on your left you will find your beds and belongings and the same goes for the boys through the right door."
They all followed the prefect's instruction and found their belongings neatly packed. Hadrian quickly changed into his pyjamas and dropped on the bed falling asleep.
