"Firs' years here! Firs' years here!" A voice called out.
James, Sirius and Aurelia walked to the half-giant who was had a lamp dangling from his dustbin lid-sized hands. Their luggage was left on the train because, apparently, house-elves collected the luggage and pets after they left for the Sorting.
"C'mon, follow me – any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"
Slipping and stumbling, we followed the half-giant down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Aurelia thought there must be thick trees there (maybe the Forbidden Forest?). Nobody said much.
"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."
There was a loud "Oooooh!"
The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Sirius, James and Aurelia slipped into a boat and was soon joined by a thin boy with straw-colored hair and scars on his face. He was shy and didn't say anything, seeming almost scared of the trio. Remus the werewolf, the Delphi informed her. Aurelia's eyes flickered in surprise but she smiled nevertheless. Remus looked surprised but offered a timid smile back to her.
"Aurelia," she told her him trying to seem friendly.
"Remus Lupin." He replied.
"I'm James and this is my mate, Sirius." James slung an arm around Sirius.
Aurelia raised an eyebrow. "You guys barely know each other. Didn't you guys meet on the train?"
"Well, yes, but still! We're going to be the best of mates," he grinned at Sirius and the Black heir smiled back in delight. Remus was looking at them with a wistful look. Aurelia felt a pang of sadness for the young werewolf, he didn't ask for his predicament.
"So what house do you want to be in?" Aurelia asked Remus.
He answered without hesitation. "Gryffindor. Or maybe Ravenclaw."
"Nice. I'll probably be going to Slytherin like most of my family. Sirius here is breaking tradition and hoping for Gryffindor. Potter insists that he'll be going to Gryffindor no matter what. He's also prejudiced against snakes even though his aunt was one." James humphed but Aurelia ignored him, listening to what Remus had to say.
The conversation was soon interrupted by the half-giant.
"Heads down!" yelled the half-giant as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.
Then the soon-to-be Hogwarts students clambered up a passageway in the rock after the half-giant's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.
They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.
"Everyone here?" The half-giant raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door. The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in sapphire blue robes stood there. She had a very stern face.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said the half-giant.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She pulled the door wide. Walking into the castle was just as awe inspiring as Father and Lucius had said it would be. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors. It was dazzling.
The first-years followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Aurelia could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right – the rest of the school must already be here – but Professor McGonagall showed them into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They all crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.
"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 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 lingered for a moment on James' messy hair, Severus' greasy hair and secondhand robes. Aurelia smoothed down the nonexistent creases in her black robes. She straightened up, determined to look perfect.
"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."
She left the chamber.
Everyone began muttering. Sirius turned to James. "How do you think they Sort us?"
"Dunno. My parents wouldn't tell me." He shrugged.
"It's tradition to not tell. Whatever you've heard it probably all lies. Lucius told me that I had to fight a dragon." Aurelia rolled her eyes. "You know, because they'll let an eleven year old kid fight a fire-breathing dragon. What are we supposed to do? Shoot sparks at it?"
Sirius snorted. "Please, Malfoy, I know that you know a few Dark curses that could do a lot more than take down a dragon."
At last, Professor McGonagall came back to lead the future students into the Hall for their Sorting.
Feeling like her legs had turned into lead, Aurelia got into line behind Lily, with Sirius behind her, and they all walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.
She had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair 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. The descriptions of Mother, Father and Lucius did it no justice. It was splendid.
Professor McGonagall led them up there, 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 the first years looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Aurelia looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.
Then a hat on a stool burst into song:
First years, the moment has come;
It's time for me to decide,
Which house you will fare best in,
And this, you may be surprised.
Before the time of present,
When our ancestors walked the halls,
The founders discerned a problem with those offspring yet to come,
"When our time has come and we leave this place, who will decide the houses our students will be placed?"
Hufflepuff spoke out, "I will find someone to take our place, and they will burden their fate"
Ravenclaw spoke out "I will create a test, and their brains will be those to decide"
Slytherin spoke out "I will teach the lot to be one house, and equals all shall become"
It was Gryffindor who was the best, he took of his hat and cast a spell,
And for once the quarrels of the four, farewell.
"The sorting hat will put the students in their rightful place"
The famous founders, years ago,
Bequeathed me with this task,
A thousand years I've carried out their will,
And experienced I have become,
I know what you'll make of your magical careers,
You cannot hide your thoughts from me,
I'll put you all where you belong,
In this sorting ceremony.
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. Aurelia absentmindedly wondered if the Hat spent all year thinking up of a song. She then wondered if the Hat had some sort of prophetic powers because it seemed like something Rowena would give to a hat.
Professor McGonagall walked up, holding up a scroll of names. "When I call out your name, you will put on the Hat and sit down on the stool to be Sorted."
And then it was Sirius' turn. Aurelia wished she could be as carefree as he acted. He sat down on the stool, only glancing nervously at the Slytherin table, a look of worry flashing across his face. There was a long moment of silence. People started whispering, shifting in their seats. Aurelia held her breath, looking on with worried anticipation.
Another moment of silence then, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Aurelia's jaw dropped. Her world stopped.
No.
It couldn't be.
This was a dream.
It didn't happen.
Please, no.
This was a mistake.
NO!
Then, one last question came to mind: How? How could this happen?
Aurelia knew she'd often talked about Sirius being in Gryffindor but she had been joking! Sirius was a Black. He couldn't be in Gryffindor! Every Black in all of history was a Slytherin. For Merlin's sake, their motto was Always Pure! It didn't make any sense. Sirius couldn't be in Gryffindor. Mother and Father would force her to not be his friend any more!
But Sirius looked so happy. He was smiling and grinning. Deep down, she wished that she could be like Sirius.
Professor McGonagall's voice snapped her out of her daze. "Malfoy, Aurelia."
She would have stayed there in fear if it weren't for Lily who gave her a gentle nudge that pushed her forwards. Aurelia stumbled forwards, taking a deep breath. She took a few careful steps to the stool, McGonagall dropped the tattered hat on her head. Just before it did, Aurelia caught a sight of the thousands of eyes staring back at her. Her anxiety tripled. She gripped the stool, her knuckles turning white.
A Seer, huh? Hostess of the spirit of Delphi! An Oracle... I haven't Sorted one in centuries. A voice whispered into her ear. Then Aurelia relived every single one of her memories. A pause of nerve-wracking silence. Aurelia waited. It's been almost five minutes already. Perspiration moistened her hands so she wiped then on her robe sleeve.
Mm, yes. I know just where to put you! It then shouted one word that would forever change Aurelia's life.
1994 words. Rhianna here! I don't own the Sorting song. I copied it off a website.