Chapter 2: The Sorting
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "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 a very important ceremony 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 honour. 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." She completed her deputy speach before leaving the first years alone for a while.
"Hey, give it back! It's mine!" A chubby first year exclaimed as two tall first years teased him gleefully.
"Aww would you look at that, Everett, little Pettigrew wants his remembrall back." The dark haired one spoke laughing.
"Why don't you take it back Pettie?" The dirty blonde guy asked as the two bullies laughed at the poor short boy.
"Hey! Give him his remembrall back!" James stood up.
The dark haired boy gave him a challenging look, "And what if I don't Potter?"
"You wouldn't want to get in trouble with daddy on the first day now would you, Rosier?" Sirius questioned, joining James.
"Urgh, give him the remembrall back Evan, clearly no one has a sense of humor here. It's getting boring anyways." The other boy, Everett Mulciber told his friend who clumsily dropped the magical ball as if a piece of trash.
The chubby boy quickly picked up his remembrall and thanked the two boys.
"You alright?" Lily asked him.
"Yeah, I am okay. Thanks." He replied quietly.
"I am Lily."
"Peter, Peter Pettigrew."
"Who were they though?" Lily questioned.
"Oh they, they're Evan Rosier and Everett Mulciber. Comes from a very dark family, I suggest you all stay away from their kind. Specially you Lily, they're the type who treat muggleborns like inferior." Sirius told her.
"Dark family?" Lily questioned curious.
"You remember how I told you about a dark wizard, you-know-who?" Severus questioned to which she nodded, "their family is in league with him."
"Oh"
Suddenly about twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to each other and hardly glancing at the first-years. They seemed to be arguing.
What looked like a fat little monk was saying, "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance-"
"Look guys, ghosts!" James whispered.
"Wicked." Sirius added.
"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 wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first-years.
Nobody answered.
"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them, "About to be sorted, I suppose?"
A few people nodded mutely.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar, "My old house,
you know."
"Move along now," said the sharp voice of Professor McGonall, "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.
"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first-years, "and follow me."
The first years all obeyed the deputy and soon found themselves in the Great Hall.
To Lily, it was the most strange yet spectacular place she's ever been at. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles which were floating in mid-air 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 McGonagall led the first-years up here, 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.
It was so hard for Lily to not be astonished by the magic around her. It was so unreal to her, she completely forgot about rest of the world around, too amazed at the sight.
Then Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.
Everyone in the Hall was now staring at the hat. 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:
"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. for I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat, and I can cap them allThere's nothing hidden in your head the Sorting Rat can't set.So try me on and I will tell you where you ought to be.You might belong in Gryffindor, where duell the brave at heart.Their daring nerve, and chivalry,You can keep your boulers black your top hats sleek and tall,Set Gryffinders apartYou might belong in Hufflepuff,Where they are just and loyal,Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,And unafraid of toilOr get in wise old Ravenclaw,If you're a ready mind,Where these of wit and learning,Will always find their kind,Or perhaps in SlytherinWhere you'll meet your real friends, Those cunning folk use any means,To achieve their endsSo 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."
Professor McGonagall 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," she said. 'Grey, Nathan!"
Suddenly a average height boy with black hair, much like Sirius's but shorter, and grey eyes stepped up nervously.
It took the hat some time, maybe two minutes, before it yelled, "SLYTHERIN!"
The table with green and silver decor cheered and welcomed the young boy who sat next to a older boy who looked very similar to him. Probably brothers.
Then Professor McGonagall read, "Diggory, Fynn."
About 30 seconds later the hat yelled, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
The table with yellow and black banners applaused and the boy was welcomed warmly their.
"Potter, James." Professor McGonagall read and James confidently walked towards the hat and let the professor place the hat on top of his head.
It didn't take more than 5 Seconds before the hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"
James had a smug look as he confidently walked towards the gryffindor table which was decorated with red and gold colours.
"Clearwater, Clarice." Professor McGonagall spoke. She went to Ravenclaw, the blue and bronze house, and sat next to Aurelia who clapped happily.
Both Rosier and Mulciber went to Slytherin quite proudly and we're welcomed by a pale platinum blonde haired 5 year.
Alice Fortescue, Frank Longbottom, Marlene McKinnon and Dorcas Meadowes were sorted to Gryffindor.
Finally, Lily's name came, "Evans, Lily."
She found herself seated and the hat placed on top of her head.
"Hmm, interesting. Such a brave and kind soul. Good mind too, and there's definitely ambition there. You're an interesting one."
"Um, thank you? Have you decided where to put me yet?" Lily questioned, still amused.
"Be patient child. You'd do good in Ravenclaw, but I believe you belong somewhere else. GRYFFINDOR!"
Many of the people cheered and she looked at her childhood friend Severus to see if he's okay with her being Gryffindor, to which he just gave her a reassuring smile so she happily ran to the Gryffindor and sat next to James.
When Sirius's turn came, it took about one minute before the hat announced "GRYFFINDOR!"
The Slytherins were shocked to find a Black in Gryffindor, specially his cousin Narcissa, but Sirius just smirked and made his way towards the gryffindor table.
Remus and Peter both were both sorted in Gryffindor and sat along with James and Sirius
It barely took a second for Severus to be sorted in Slytherin and took a seat with Astrid and a third year who went by Nicholas Grey.
The rest of the ceremony went by as our beloved characters made friends with their housemates.
(I totally didn't copy some details from the Philosopher's Stone...)