The Singing Hat
Hogwarts towered over us. We sailed closer to where the castle was perched on little wooden boats.
"Heads down!" Hagrid yelled from the center boat as it reached the cliff. Classmates in the front line of boats follow his direction and bend down their heads. A curtain of damp ivy hid a large opening in the mountainside. Boats glide through it. All boats entered the cave and we are drifting along a musty dark tunnel. I feel thousands and thousands of history and magic towering above me. We reached an underground harbor. Neville stumbled out the boat followed by Quinny, Hannah, and me. I hit the ground hard sending half a dozen rocks into the grayish water.
"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" Asked Hagrid. He must be referring to Neville. I just don't know anyone else who would bring a frog to Hogwarts.
"Trevor!" Tears start welling up in Neville eyes, poor boy. Hagrid lead's us through a passageway carved into the limestone. I trek up the staircase emerging onto a smooth, damp field. It was almost pitched black when we emerged. The castle casting a shadow, only making it appear darker. Quinny and I enter the castle arm in arm like when we were leaving the Hogwarts express. We walk up a massive staircase and classmates crowd around colossal oak front doors.
"Everyone here? You there, still got your toad?" Hagrid asks us. "Yes, okay". Hagrid raises a gigantic fist and knocks on the castle door. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! Doors swing open at once. Standing there is a tall, black haired, witch in emerald, green robes. Her face made her appear as someone I wouldn't like to cross.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall,"Hagrid says.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She pulls open the doors revealing the entrance hall. It was big. Like ginormous. The room was lit up by flaming torches. The ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing us led to upper floors. Professor McGonagall led us across flagged stone floors. The sound of hundreds of voices could be heard from the right- the rest of the school must already be here- but the Professor led us into a small chamber off the all.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall says."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 very important, 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." Her eyes linger on Neville's cloak for a minute and on a red haired's smudged nose. A boy with black hair tried to flatten it without success.
"I shall return when we are ready for you," Professor McGonagall finishes,"Please wait quietly". She leaves the chamber. Everyone has a look of terror on their faces, but Miss. Granger is whispering under her breath very fast about spells. Twenty or so ghosts stream out of the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent. I let out a scream of surprise along with several other people. They glided across the room arguing with each other. What looked to be a fat little monk was saying,
"Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance-"
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?" A ghost with a ruff and tights has suddenly noticed us. Silence.
"New Students," said the Fat Friar says smiling around at us," About to be sorted, I suppose?" A few people nod.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff my old house, you know," says the Fat Frair.
"Move along now," says a sharp voice. " The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
Professor McGonagall has returned. All ghosts exist.
"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years," and follow me."
I got in line behind the red-haired boy. We walk out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. Lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. At the top of the hall, there was another table where the teachers sat. Professor McGonagall led us up there, she stood a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool, she put a pointed wizard's hat. Complete silence swept over the Great Hall. A rip near the brim of the had opened wide like a mouth- and the hat began to sing;
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
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 will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient 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;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks 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!"
The whole Hall burst into applause.
