Chapter Three: The Sorting Ceremony (Hat Stall)

I am so excited, all the cool classes and magical creatures I'll get to see. I can't wait to learn all the spells. Remus was looking at the castle in amazement and wonder. Suddenly, I feel a hand on my hand and look down. I look down at the hand and follow the arm to the face of Mr. Sirius Black. He grinned at me, then he raised his eyebrows at me in a flirtatious way. Thankfully, Blackout solved my little hand problem by scratching Sirius's hand. Sirius pulled his hand away from mine, while I lovingly petted Blackout on the head. I looked at Blackout and I could feel him purring, but I could swear he was grinning.

Sirius rubbed his hand, "Nice cat. Ever think to have him neutered?"

Blackout suddenly stiffened and looked up at me with a look of absolute horror.

I shook my head as I laughed, "No. Blackout deserves to find a girlfriend one day."

Remus leaned over and petted Blackout's head with his free hand. "Good cat." Whispered Remus.

James shook his head at Sirius. "Are you always this way?"

Sirius shrugged his shoulders, "Only with beautiful ladies."

We were almost at the boathouse when Sirius tried to take my hand again, but Blackout hissed at him and tried to swipe at his hand with his claws. He almost got him. I shook my head at him as our boat final made it to the boathouse. Rubeus Hagrid helped us off the boat, and we gathered with the rest of the students off to the side. The next boat had a boy with mousy brown hair with blue eyes. That is when I saw her, the creepy girl that was staring at me while I was getting fitted for my robes. She has dark brown eyes and long dark brown. She was about my height and as soon as she was off her boat, she stared at me with a blank stare.

This girl is making me uncomfortable, "Hi, my name is Amber. What's your name?"

She smiled weirdly at me, "My name is Agatha Stebbins. I will be the smartest student here, but I could see at Diagon Alley that you were different. I will graciously take you under my wing and increase your wisdom of magic."

'What a snob!' I thought.

I shook my head at her, "No thanks. I can gain my own wisdom and my own friends." I turned slightly and looked at Remus. He smiled and so did James. Sirius grinned big at me while waving like a mad man. I turned back to Agatha.

She sneered at me, "The quest for knowledge outweighs the need for friends like them." She points to my new friends, including Sirius. Blackout hisses at her.

"Friends help, friends heal, you can gain anything if you stick with your friends." I say as I move closer to my friends.

Agatha's face becomes red, "Fine then, be that way."

I moved closer to my new friends as we waited for the rest of the students to make it to the docks. We all started talking about which house we would be sorted in.

"I'm hoping to get into Gryffindor. Brave and courageous house of the lion." Said James as he held up his hands like lion claws.

Sirius signed, "Knowing me, I'll get Slytherin."

Remus looked at him confused, "Is that a bad thing?"

Sirius shook his head, "No, but my whole family is in Slytherin. Mom said that only pure-blooded witches and wizards get to be Slytherins. I just don't want to end up acting exactly like them."

I nodded, "The sorting hat will put you where you, personally, will have the best chance at coming into yourself." They look at me weirdly. "If that makes any sense." We all laugh. Finally, everyone was on the docks.

Hagrid led us up the stairs to an open vestibule where Hagrid knocked on the castle doors three times. The door opened to reveal a tall, black haired witch in emerald-green robes. She had a very serious look on her face as she awaited us.

"Here are all the first years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take it from here," she replied

The entrance hall was humongous and could easily fit many magical creatures inside. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones I saw while waiting in Gringotts. I could barely make out the ceiling due to it being so high up. The stairs that we are on were made from marble and were crafted marvously. I see Maggie at the back of the group sulking. She has to be put into her house as well, even though she will only be here for three more years. There were hundreds of paintings on the stony walls of the castle. Each of the paintings looked like they were trying to stand still, probably trying not to gain the attention of the first years. I chuckled quietly at that. Hagrid went through the giant door behind Professor McGonagall.

"Follow me." The professor said simply.

We followed the professor across the flagged stone floor into a small empty chamber off the hall, where she told us to wait. In front of us were gigantic doors that the professor goes through, I could hear what sounded like thousands of voices coming from the other side. We crowded in close together, way too close in my opinion. I could feel Remus shivering, I grabbed his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. He smiles at me gratefully. Unfortunately, I feel another hand grab me around the waist. I look behind me and see Sirius's smug face. Before either blackout or me has the chance to remove him, Maggie grabs him by his hood and pulls him back away from me.

"What's your problem?" Asked Sirius to Maggie.

Maggie crosses her arms and glares at him, "My problem is how grabby you are to my little sister."

Sirius's eyes widen in shock and turn towards me. He stumbles over his words and just points to Maggie and then me. I nod and before another word is said, James grabs Sirius and drags him off to the side while apologizing for his friends actions.

I laugh, "It's okay James. He just needs to keep his hands to himself or my sis might have to send him to the hospital."

Maggie smiles at me proudly. Suddenly, Professor McGonagall comes back. We all quiet down instantly.

"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're here, your house will be like your family within Hogwarts. 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 house points will get the House Cup."

She looked at all of us before continuing, "The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house was named after one of the founders of Hogwarts. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes you. The Sorting ceremony will take place in front of everyone. They are ready for you now."

We all lined up in front of the professor in two lines. Professor McGonagoll led us through the front doors. My heart was racing and I felt like I couldn't breath. Suddenly, I feel Remus grab my hand and squeeze softly. I took a big breath and smiled at him gratefully. The Great Hall lived up to its name, there were hundreds of students sitting at four different tables. The whole place was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating midair. The tables had glittering golden plates and goblets on them. At the top of the Hall was another table where all the teachers were sitting.

In front of the teacher's table was a stand with a golden owl on the front and in front of the stand was a stool with a very old looking hat on it. I knew without a doubt, that was the famous Sorting Hat. The professor had us stop in front of the step where the stool was sitting on.

"Before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to share a few words." Said Professor McGonagall.

The headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, got off his golden chair. He was a tall older man with long white hair and an equally long white beard.

He said, "I have a start-of-term notice I would like to announce. First years, please note, the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Thank you."

"When I call your name, come here and I will place the Sorting Hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses. We have an exchange student today. Ms. Margaret Phoenixfeather." Called Professor McGonagall.

Maggie went up and sat on the stool. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head and suddenly it came to life.

"Huh? Exchange student huh? Right. Hum." Said the hat. It straightened up, "I know Ravenclaw!"

The people on the Ravenclaw table clapped and Maggie smiled and went to the table and sat down.

"Peter Pettigrew." Called Professor McGonagall.

A lump of a boy came forward, his hair kind of greasy and slicked back. He looked kind of scared to be sitting up there. The hat was placed on his head and it began talking almost like it was arguing with itself. It seemed like it was going back and forth between two houses...I think. Finally, after five minutes it decided.

"Gryffindor!" The hat announced. Peter basically ran to the right table.

"James Potter!" Called Professor McGonagall.

James went up with convindence, I just knew with his attitude, he was going into Gryffindor. The hat was placed on his head and in just a few moments it was declared, once again Gryffindor.

"Agatha Stebbins!"

That creepy ass, snobby girl went up there and the hat was barely put on her head when it announced Ravenclaw. I shook my head, it wasn't Ravenclaw. At least she wasn't going to be in Hufflepuff. At least I won't have to deal with her.

"Remus Lupin!"

Remus left my side and went up to the stool. The hat was placed on his head and the hat started to hum and if possible it would rub it's chin. Finally, it announced another Gryffindor. I waved at him happily as he joined James. Next, several others went that were sorted into their houses. The crowd was thinning out and soon thankfully Sirius's name was called. He was put with James in Gryffindor. I looked around and there was only me left. The feeling of being last was kind of terrifying and my stomach started to twist.

Professor McGonagall smiled at me, "Amber Phoenixfeather."

I came up and faced the crowd as I sat on the stool. I could see everyone and I was terrified. What would happen if once I was sorted I tripped going down the stairs? Would people laugh? I would die of embarrassment? I would have to leave the school. I wouldn't be able to take it. Unknown to me, the hat was placed on my head and the hat was gentle chuckling at all my thoughts. Blackout had jumped off earlier and was watching from underneath one of the tables. I stopped worrying and finally felt the hat on my hat.

'You would make a good talent in Ravenclaw, but this hidden courage I sense would make you a great candidate for Gryffindor. You have a bright mind and have much to show everyone, there is greatness in you. Hum. But where to put you? I see that you're very resourceful and cunning which are good traits for a Slytherin. You work hard and you are very loyal to your family and even though you just met him to your friend, Remus. Those are all good Hufflepuff traits and I see you come from a long line of Hufflepuffs. Maybe that is where you belong.' It thought.

'Whatever you do, not Ravenclaw. Not Ravenclaw.' I chanted.

'Are you sure? You can do great in Ravenclaw, become the greatest witch in many ways. Wouldn't that be nice?' It thought.

I shook my head 'no' and continued to chant, 'Anything other than Ravenclaw please! Anything! No Ravenclaw. No ravenclaw.' I had turned into a hatstall. It has been now almost seven minutes and I have yet to be sorted.

'If you are sure…' Thought the hat.

"Better be... Hufflepuff!" The hat announced.

Professor McGonagall took the hat off my head and ran happily to the Hufflepuff table. Everyone was welcoming me to the house and I was overjoyed. Blackout, the sneaky cat, made his way to me without being seen.

Professor McGonagall put away the stool and the hat and took her seat to the right of the headmaster. Soon she binged her glass with her spoon and got everyone to quiet down. Professor Dumbledore got up and announced, "Let the feast begin." Suddenly, the table was filled with all the most delicious food ever. I started gathering the food onto my plate and eating it. I even sneaked some of the food to Blackout. I'm gonna love it here.

Edited by hwang_lee_bang