chapter 8: hogwarts
"Holy shit…" Harper breathed in awe, her black eyes twinkling like the stars in the blanket of darkness above them.
The bright light of the moon reflected off the black water, bouncing back to the awe-struck first years to illuminant their faces. A gentle breeze disturbed the surface of the lake, splashing water onto the sand and softly rustling the dark outline of tree branches far behind the castle. The castle itself seemed to tower over the mountains in the distance, reaching up to the heavens with pointed towers and slanted roofs. Each of the hundreds of windows glowed a warm red against the night.
It was the most beautiful thing Harper had ever seen. The breeze came again to weave through her hair, slowly calming her nerves when-
"Ouch! The frick, Harry, that hurt!" Harper yelped, turning a glare to her brother who had knocked her upside the head.
Harry cleared his throat loudly and tilted his head to in front of them. Harper turned and saw Hagrid glaring at her. Harper ducked her head and muttered a sorry. Shaking his bushy head in mild irritation, Hagrid turned towards the rest of the first years - a few had snickered at the exchange - and said loud enough to carry to the back of the group, "All righ', four to a boat now! Let's move, we haven' got all night!"
Everyone exchanged quick glances before bolting towards the boats, all trying to get a seat before they were all taken. A few kids were in such a rush they even tripped and fell in the water, with Hagrid shouting a warning and going over to lift them out.
Harry, Ron, Harper, and Neville all managed to get a boat together and waited patiently for something to help them get to the castle.
Once the giant was sure everyone had a boat and was seated, Hagrid took a seat in a huge boat by himself and immediately they started off towards Hogwarts.
The ripples in the water lapped gentle at the sides of the boats and a soft wind blew past, but none of them were cold. Harper supposed it was the magic in the air - she could feel it dancing across her skin like electricity, a similar feeling from Diagon Alley, but much stronger.
"Why didn't you sit with Hermione?" Harper asked Neville.
"She went to sit with some twins and another boy. She said it would be better for me to sit with you guys." He suddenly looked sick. "I-I hope that's okay," he quickly stuttered out.
"It's fine, mate," Ron said reassuringly. Neville seemed to calm a little, but all three could tell his skin was a delicate shade of green.
Harper patted him reassuringly on the shoulder, but her nerves were quickly shooting up again. She did her best to keep her face neutral, but she knew the light reflected off the lake told a different story.
The boats sailed closer to the castle - still without anything visibly rowing them there - and Hagrid called as they fell into Hogwarts' shadow to duck down as long, damp vines hung down from the outcove they were going under.
She felt water droplets drip down her neck, but she ignored it and raised her head again once out, tucking a long strand of black hair behind her shoulder.
The boats bumped to a stop along the opposite shore and all the students departed; a few shorter ones needing Hagrid's help to get out.
They stood in front of huge wooden and iron doors even taller than the Gringotts vault doors and watched curiously as Hagrid raised a massive fist and knocked on the door.
The doors opened immediately to a tall, thin witch with long green robes and a pointed hat. Her graying hair was put in a bun hidden beneath the hat and her wrinkled face was pulled into a stern look. In the back of his mind, Harry thought vaguely that this woman's face resembled the look Aunt Petunia would get on her own whenever she encountered a stain. He knew that she was someone not to be crossed.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said.
The woman glanced at him from the corner of her eye until her hard gaze came back to the children. "Thank you, Hagrid. I will take it from here," Professor McGonagall said.
The giant bowed his head before turning on his heel and disappearing around the corner of the castle.
"You will follow me," Professor McGonagall told them briskly before she too turned on her heel and walked back down the entrance hall, never sparing a glance over her shoulder as they continued down long corridors and up grand staircases.
The ancient stone walls of the castle were chipped and worn with rugged tapestries and old suits of armor lining the corridors. Huge pillars stretched up to hold the ceiling Harry could not make out the top of and they occasionally passed by odd-looking stone statues.
They passed another set of large double doors with muffled voices on the other side, the tell-tale sign of countless other people. But they did not pause at the doors and instead stepped into a small branch-off hallway where the students had to stand close together - much to their displeasure.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall called loudly over the low mumbling of the first years. They immediately went quiet. "You are about to be Sorted into one of the Four Houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. You will join the Start-of-Term feast with your respective Houses once Sorted. The Sorting Ceremony is very important because, while attending school here at Hogwarts, your House will become your family. You will take classes with your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room. Each House has produced outstanding witches and wizards and have their own noble histories. While here, you will be representing your House with pride. Each of your triumphs will earn you House points, while any rule breaking will take away points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points will earn them the House Cup, which is a great honor."
She paused to make sure everyone was still attentive. "The Sorting Ceremony will begin in a few minutes. You will wait here until someone fetches you. Until then-" She was cut off when Neville suddenly called out, "Trevor!" from behind Ron and ran up to the front, crouching in front of Professor McGonagall to scoop up a toad that was an ugly brown color.
He ducked his head apologeticly before scurrying back to his place in the crowd; a few students giggled at him.
Professor McGonagall didn't take her eyes off him the whole time, but she didn't say anything about it. When everyone had fallen silent once again, she said, "Please wait quietly," before she turned and left the students alone.
Anxious and excited muttering broke out immediately upon Professor McGonagall's departure and Harry turned to Ron. "How exactly do they Sort us into Houses?"
"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts, but I bet he was lying." Despite what he said, Ron still looked a little green. Behind him, Neville was trying to keep Trevor form leaping from his pocket and had an ashen look to his face. Harper was beside him, trying to calm him down, but Harry knew she was just as unease as him. He felt like he was going to hurl.
Just when Harry had managed to get his thundering heart to slow down a little, something happened that made it hammer against his rib cage again to the point it hurt. Several people screamed and when Harry turned to see what gigantic beast was behind him, he was shocked beyond belief to see ghosts walking - well, floating - towards them.
They didn't seem to notice, or care for that matter, that the first years were all gaping at them incredulously. Harry gasped.
They were all a pearly, transparent white where Harry could just barely make out the wall on the other side. They were gliding a few inches above the ground towards the hall where Professor McGonagall disappeared. They appeared to be arguing about something.
A fat little monk was saying, "Forgive and forget, that's what I say, I think we should give him another chance."
"My dear sir," said a ghost with curled hair, a small mustache, and a ruff around his neck was saying - he looked like he died around the Victorian Era, "how many chances have we given Peeves before- I say, what are you all doing here?" He broke off when he noticed the first years standing dazed before them.
"First years!" the Fat Friar exclaimed happily. "About to be Sorted! Hope to see you in Hufflepuff, my old House, you know." A few students nodded mutely.
"Move along now," said a stern voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to begin." Professor McGonagall had returned and was standing impatiently in the hall that led to the huge double doors.
The ghosts all nodded their heads to Professor McGonagall - Harry thought the one with the ruff's head wobbled a bit - and turned towards the doors, going right through them as if it were a gentle breeze.
"What the bloody hell…" Harper murmured from behind Harry.
The students followed the professor through the doors as she flicked her wand and they opened themselves. Harry nearly stumbled over his own feet at what he saw.
Countless students all dressed in black robes were looking at the first years expectantly. Four long tables were stretched out vertically before them, each holding many kids of all ages. A banner was placed above each of the four tables: blue and bronze with an eagle, red and gold with a lion, silver and green with a serpent, and yellow and black with a badger.
Another long table was placed horizontally on the other end of the room with what looked like teachers sitting there. A throne was placed in the middle of the table with a golden owl podium before it.
What captured Harry thought was the ceiling stretched just as high as any other part of the castle he had seen, but he could just barely make out. It was made to look just like the breathtaking night sky outside. Dozens of candles hung by themselves a few feet above the students, their flickering flames resembling the stars. Harry wondered in the back of his mind if wax dripped from the candles down on anyone before quickly discarding the thought.
The students walked in a bulky and jagged line down the center of the tables, making their way to the teachers' table up front. Every pair of eyes in the Hall was on them.
Harry unconsciously fell back a little so he was walking beside Harper and found her hand, squeezing it tightly when he felt her shaking. She hated attention.
She unwound a little at his touch, but she was still tense and he heard her exhale quietly.
Professor McGonagall came to a halt in front of the High Table and told them to stay there. She left and returned a second later with a four-legged stool and an old battered hat. It was an ugly shade of brown, clearly never having been washed in a long time, with a slit near the brim. She set the stool down and rested the hat on it, unrolling a large piece of parchment that she took from her robes pocket.
Harry thought maybe that they would have to pull a rabbit from the hat or do some kind of trick with it, but then to his astonishment, the hat twitched, the tear near the brim widened, and the hat sang.
"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 Hufflepuffis 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 folk 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!"
Harry felt Harper's hand go limp in his grip. When he eyed her from the side, her mouth was hanging open and she was watching the Hat settle on the stool with wide eyes.
"That hat sings better than me," she muttered, but Harry could tell she quite liked it. He felt a small smile pull at the corners of his lips.
All four tables on their sides blew up into loud applause and cheers. The Hat bowed to each table before going still again.
"So we just have to try on the hat!" Ron exclaimed quietly in front of Harry. "Fred- I'll kill him, he said we had to wrestle a troll!"
Harper snorted in amusement and she gripped Harry's hand again.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward and unrolled the parchment. "When I call your name, you will step forward and I will place the Sorting Hat on your head." She looked at whatever was on the parchment and called, "Abbott, Hannah!"
A girl with long blonde pigtails stumbled nervously from the pack of first years and up the steps to the stool. Professor McGonagall lifted up the Hat as Hannah sat down and put it on her head. It fell right down to her eyes and the Hat shifted, alive once again, and paused a moment before shouting to the Great Hall, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
The table with yellow and black jumped from their seats and clapped loudly. Professor McGonagall took the Hat off Hannah and she scurried over to the table and sat down. Harry saw the Fat Friar, who was also seated at the table, wave happily to her.
Professor McGonagall called, "Bones, Susan!" and the hat again shouted "HUFFLEPUFF!" to the Hall. The table again exploded into cheers as Susan went to go sit beside Hannah.
"Boots, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!" This time the table of bronze and blue clapped; several people even stood to shake Terry's hand as he joined them. "Brocklehurst, Mandy," was a Ravenclaw as well, but "Brown, Lavender," became the first Gryffindor. The table of gold and red thundered in applause and Harry thought he saw Ron's brothers Fred and George catcalling.
"Bulstrode, Millicent," was the first Slytherin, to which the table of green and silver applauded. Harry thought they looked like a rather unpleasant group and he noticed they hadn't been clapping for anyone else but their own table.
As the list came down the line, Harry felt more and more nervous with every name called. A knot twisted uncontrollably in his stomach as he fought the urge to hurl up all the candy he had eaten on the train. It felt like every pair of eyes in the Great Hall were on him, like they knew something he didn't. A horrible thought struck Harry as "Finch-Fletchley, Justin," was called and Sorted into Hufflepuff: what if the Sorting Hat didn't put him in any House? What if Harry just sat on the stool for so long that Professor McGonagall yanked it off his head and said there was some mistake, that he wasn't really a wizard? What if he and Harper were forced to get back on the train, to forget, and go back to the Dursleys? What would they say? Would they refuse to let them come back in? Harry didn't want to leave; even though he had just gotten there, he didn't want to leave his first real friend behind. Then another thought occurred. What if they made him forget? Made sure he could never go back through the barrier? Made him forget the entrance to Diagon Alley? What if-
Harper squeezed his hand so tight it hurt. Harry hadn't noticed in his panic attack that more students had been called up, or that his breathing had picked up like he had just run a marathon, or that the students around them were starting to stare in concern, or that Hermione was now up on the stool now with the Hat on her head.
Harry took a deep, steadying breath, closing his eyes and making sure his head wasn't dizzy anymore, and opened his eyes just as the Hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Ron groaned as the Gryffindor table cheered loudly yet again. Longbottom, Neville was called next and he stumbled and tripped all the way up to the stool. The Hat took the longest with Neville before it eventually shouted he belonged in Gryffindor. A look of pure relief was shone on his face after he took off the hat and placed it back on the stool - but not before he ran off with it still on and was laughed back.
After "MacDougal, Morag" was Sorted, "Malfoy, Draco" was called next. He strode confidently up to the Hatband it was barely touching his gelled-back platinum blonde hair when the hat screamed, "SLYTHERIN!" With a smirk on his face, Malfoy swept off towards the green and silver table to join Crabbe and Goyle.
Harry heard Harper hiss under her breath when she saw who it was, and Harry felt something similar to the boy the twins had argued with back at Madam Malkin's.
Several other names were called, Moon, Nott, Parkinson, two twin girls by the last name Patil, Perks, and then at last-
"Potter, Harper!"
The clapping died down a bit, a few people apparently recognizing the last name, and Harper reluctantly let go of her brother's hand.
Gritting her teeth and setting a hard expression on her pale face, Harper pushed through the now small group of first years still left. Stepping up to the stool and placing the hat on her head, her vision was immediately swamped with black.
….
My notifications are shit so I didn't see I had nine whole reviews. THANK YOU SO MUCH! You have no idea how happy that makes me :D
Sorry for the late update. The website wouldn't allow me into desktop mode so I had no way of updating
Last thing, I noticed a few comments said it's a bit close to canon (I know. it changes a lot in third year) but I have like...three? new HP stories in the works completely different from canon. No clue what I'm doing with them or when I'll post but I'll let you know