When they got to their compartment they got changed into their Hogwarts uniform so they stuffed the rest of the sweets, which wasn't much, into Harry's suitcase. When they had finished a voice came through the speakers "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train, which will be taken up separately."
Once the train had stopped they hopped off the train and Harry heard a familiar voice "Firs'-years! Firs-years over here!" Hagrid's hairy face appeared over the sea of heads. "Hey Harry" he waved, Harry waved back.
"Hurry up, you lot, miss anyone? No? Then follow me" together the group made their way down the path and Harry got his first proper sight of Hogwarts. The castle was huge and on the lake in front of them were a small fleet of boats.
Once everyone was in a boat the lot floated forwards at the same time. Harry thought for a moment that he saw something moving under the surface then he remembered that his parents had told him about a giant squid that lived under the lake. He was about to point it out to Ron but it had disappeared. Then they all ducked as the boats sailed under some ivy which covered the hole in the cliff they had just sailed through. Harry barely had time to register the jagged rocks far above his head before they arrived at a little harbour. They all hopped out of the boats and standing by the door was a tall woman with emerald green robes. "Follow me first years" she said and they all went through several doors and made their way across a stone floor. When they reached the doorway she turned and explained about the sorting. Then she left them alone for a few minutes. Then she returned saying "We are ready for you now, form a line" when they had done that she led them through the huge double doors and into an enormous room. There were candles floating above them and four long house tables they were all packed.
They had reached the steps in front of the staff table and he recognised Albus Dumbledore from the chocolate frog cards. Then he noticed an extremely scruffy looking hat perched on a stool. He realised it was the sorting hat that his family had been telling him about. It opened its mouth and began to sing.
Afterwards the whole room started clapping for a few seconds then ceased. "When I call your name you will be sorted into your house." Then one by one they walked up to the hat, which called their house out and they sat down. With some people it took longer than others'. When McGonagall reached the Fs' Harry recognised the boy he met in Diagon Alley he sauntered up to the hat, it took a few minutes with him and it yelled "HUFFLEPUFF" the Hufflepuff table launched into an enthusiastic applause. When Draco Malfoys name was called, he swaggered up to the hat, it barely touched the tips of his hair when it screamed "SLYTHERIN!" he cheerfully swaggered to the Slytherin table which also had started applauding. Harry was fairly confident that he'd get into Gryffindor but a small voice in the back of his head said 'what if you do get in to Slytherin?' Harry was brought out of this chain of thought by Professor McGonagall calling "Potter". He made his way forward and he realised that the entire hall were whispering about him and craning to get a look at him. He sat on the spindly chair and the hat slipped over his eyes. The hat wanted to put him into Slytherin but Harry wanted to be put in Gryffindor. After a minute of Harry whispering "not Slytherin" the hat screamed out "GRYFFINDOR!" He was so relieved that he barely noticed that he was getting the most enthusiastic applause yet. He sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Percy Weasley. When Ron's name was called the hat very quickly yelled "GRYFFINDOR!" Harry applauded loudly with the rest of the Gryffindor's when Ron sat back down Percy lent across Harry and said "congratulations Ron" Ron smiled at his brother.
When everyone had been sorted Dumbledore stood up and the talking immediately stopped. The said "Welcome everyone. I have only a few words to say to you nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak, thank you" Harry was shocked to realise that the table had become covered by food whilst Dumbledore had been talking. Harry helped himself to some of everything and begun to eat. At first he was content to listen to the conversations than to do any actual talking.
Eventually all of the plates were magically emptied and Dumbledore sent them all to bed. "Come one first years follow me!" Percy called. The group sleepily followed him and they finally stopped outside of a portrait of a very fat lady "Caput Draconis" Percy said to it. She swung the door open to reveal a large red room with some very squashy armchairs. Then they all went their separate ways and found their beds. Harry fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.
