Chapter 5: The sorting ceremony

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"You will soon realize that the castle has its own conscience. So avoid inadvertently insulting him or you might find yourself in a hole where it could rain on you!" Hagrid roared his instructions. He added as an afterthought that everyone could hear: "It's happened before. Wasn't pretty to stop the harassment."

There was a movement of retreat in the small group of students who followed Hagrid. A decent amount of fear and apprehension increased while waiting in front of the doors. After a short wait, the doors opened and Hagrid led the children through the castle.

Here again everyone marvelled at the living entity.

The walls blurred, constantly changing their appearance. A bench could vanish without a single trace in a matter of second while a painting adorning a wall could be moved without its owner knowing it. The devious castle even surprised a couple students poking its walls with a cold shower.

"I love it." whispered Bael next to Neville. "I can't wait to see what the castle can pull."

Neville repressed a shudder at Bael's enthusiasm. Had he been asked about what he thought of the castle, while amazed at the magic, he would have answered something along the lines of "This looks like a giant abuse of power. I don't want to be yet another victim." Instead, he faked a nod at his friend. No sooner had he done that, that Neville jumped up.

"What happened to you?" he asked with wide eyes. "I looked away from you for like ... a minute!"

Bael, who had stood a couple meters away from him was drenched in something that was not water (Neville supposed his metamorphmagus friend should not have laughed so hard at the misfortune of the other pranked first years) and his ears were fuming.

"He fell into a hole." explained Ron from behind him as if the simple sentence explained the situation. Neville stared. "There must have been a silencing spell, no one heard anything. And, there was something oily inside ..." the red-haired amended. He surreptitiously avoided touching Bael. The latter was not even listening to his peers. His eyes were glued to the ever changing ceiling.

"Duly noted." dryly answered Neville. "Do not provoke the castle." He whispered his sentence but the uneasy shuffling indicated Ron had heard him. The famous eleven year old stared once more at Bael. The boy was now ensnared with a portrait. Hagrid had to remind the boy to keep walking. The mocking laughs that echoed at Bael's infortune washed over the boy. Secretly, Neville admired this uncaring attitude.

"If I cared about what other thought of me, I would have been depressed a long time ago."

Neville started. Bael was looking straight at him with a serious look. He noticed Ron was still trying to stay behind him.

"How ..?"

"You were a bit obvious."

"Ha, you are right! I haven't cried in more than 6 years!" a portrait with a thick scottish accent apostrophed them. An ugly moustache adorned his face. The three friends all stared mouth agape at the very ugly character.

"Well, go to therapy then! That's not something to flex about!" Bael quipped back very seriously. "No, really, do something about it."

Neville bit his lips. He was too timid to add something.

"Let's just hurry and not fall behind." Neville jogged to join back the group. Ron was right on his heels, red still coloring his cheeks.

"Between us, I don't think Bael has all his marbles." Ron whispered in his ear once the group had stopped at the end of some dangling stairs. Bael was now lost in his own world, impervious to any call.

That was the understatement of the year, Neville thought.

While their metamorphmagus friend was easy going, he certainly had this disconnected look from reality that made him border a tad on the loony side. His megawatt smile was devoid of any malice and was refreshing, his thinking though ...

After what first years imagined to be a long time, a woman with a very strict appearance welcomed them. The latter had her lips pinched, as if she was unhappy and she wore a very tight grey bun that accentuated her strict air. Her emerald green dresses and hat seemed to move slightly when nothing made them move.

"Ah professor McGonagall! Sorry, I'm a little late but the students are all there." Hagrid apologized. He blushed a little under the intensity of the professor's gaze. She looked away again and came to ask the students.

"Thank you Hagrid." said the witch. " I will take it from here." The half giant smiled and waved before leaving the halls the students were gathered in. "Welcome to Hogwarts!" said professor McGonagall. "The banquet of the beginning of the year will soon begin but before you take place in the Great Hall, you will be distributed in different houses. This sorting is a very important ceremony. You should know, that throughout your stay at school, your house will become for you a second family. You will follow the same courses, you will sleep there in the same dormitory and you will spend your free time in the same common room as your fellow classmates, provided you were sorted in the same house. There are four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own history, its own nobility, and each one has formed upstanding wizards and witches over the years. During your year at Hogwarts, whenever you get good results, you will earn points to your house, but whenever you break the common rules, your house will lose points. At the end of the school year, the house with the most points will win the Four Houses Cup, which is a great honour. I hope that each and every one of you will have a heart to serve his house well, whichever it may be. I advise you to enjoy the time that remains before the beginning of this ceremony to look after your outfit." On these last words, her gaze lingered on a few students, including Neville, whose cape was tied loosely, and on Ron who had a stain on his nose. Her eyes lingered for a moment longer on Draco who shone with arrogance and on Bael who seemed to challenge her gaze with a megawatt smile.

"I will pick you up when everything is ready," finally relented professor McGonagall. "Wait for me in silence." She disappeared through giant double doors under the students attentive and nervous gaze.

"So, what did you think of it?" Bael asked excitedly to a very pale Ron and an extremely shy Neville.

"I'm scared." Neville summarized in a breath. Ron avidly nodded. "Please don't do anything uncomfortable Bael."

Incomprehension built on his friend's eyes.

"I just hope we all will be sorted in the same house." Ron mumbled.

"I doubt it Weasley." the unmistakable voice of one Draco Malfoy sent Ron glaring at the boy in silence. "He is a right fit for Slytherin."

"Who knows?" Bael laughed, uncaring at Draco's interruption.

The blonde boy placed himself in front of his cousin. Bael was towering over him, reducing the intimidating effect Draco was looking for. "You knew about Longbottom." he accused. Bael shrugged.

"What are you gonna do about it?"

"Tch." Draco turned around to face Neville. His eyes darted to his cousin. "You're hopeless." He cleared his throat and presented a hand to an awkward Neville. "Longbottom, pleased to meet you. My name is Draco Malfoy." the boy glared at a couple laughing students and Neville caught the shadow of the words arrogant muggleborns. "I can show you which sort of people to avoid-"

Draco Malfoy never managed to finish his sentence - Neville grinned at the scene. Professor McGonagall had come back and had tapped on the boy's shoulder and pinned the boy under her frightening glare. Ron was barely supressing his smile.

Neville was happy Malfoy never got to finish his sentence. He was positive he would not get along with him. He suspected Ron would share his sentiment. From the corner of his eyes, the Boy-Who-Lived saw Bael exchange some undecipherable words with Draco. The latter simply frowned and shoved slightly the metamorphmagus away. Hermione, the bushy haired girl the three boys had encountered on the train, glared at them. On her lips the words "troublemakers" could be read. Neville saw his red-haired friend frown at the words.

"Students" a clap announced once again the severe teacher. "The ceremony will begin. Come forward."

Professor McGonagall led the first year group in the Great Hall where hundreds of former first years students heads were watching them. They were all sitting at four tables. At the back of the room another table, that of the professors, and just before it, a stool had been installed. The professor walked right next to the stool, leaving the students gathered at the stool's feet. A confused clamor rose at the professor actions. She had just taken out a rag without form from her robes.

Bael whispered in his ear "It's a magic hat."

The professor's words which followed confirmed it. He smiled at the metamorphmagus and he winked at him.

Then, suddenly, the hat began to sing:

...

"I am not of a supreme beauty
But we must not trust what we see
I want to eat myself
If you find more clever than me.
The high-form, the splendid hats
Pale face to me
Because at Hogwarts, when I decide
Each one submits to my choice.
Nothing escapes me nothing stops me
The Choice is always right
Put me on your head
To know your house.
If you are going to Gryffindor
You will join the brave, the boldest and the strongest
Are gathered in this high place.
If at Hufflepuff you go, Like them you just go and loyal
Hufflepuffs like to work
And their patience is proverbial.
If you are wise and thoughtful
Ravenclaw will welcome you
There, they are scholars
Who want to know everything.
You'll end up in Slytherin
If you are rather smart
For these are true rogues
Who always achieve their ends.
On your head ask me a moment
And do not be afraid, remain serene
You will be in good hands
For I am a thinking cap!"

...

At the end of the song of the Sorting hat, the whole Great Hall began to cheerfully applaud. It was when the headmaster (seated in the middle of the professors' table with his eternal half-moon glasses and his silver beard) waved his hand that silence settled down in the Great Hall.

"When I call your name, you will put the hat on your head and sit on the stool." edicted professor McGonagall.

She took from her pockets a roll of parchment which she unfolded very slowly to Neville's taste. She moistened her lips and began to call the terrified students one by one.

Neville looked at Ron and blew very slowly through his mouth as if holding his breath. He hoped his name would be on the list. He was afraid that there would be a mistake and that he would have to go home by himself. Even though people lauded him as the saviour of the Wizarding World, the truth was that it had taken him an embarrassing amount of time to manifest any accidental magic. He had not even been sure he would be accepted at Hogwarts. His granny had thought him a squib. Compared to Bael at the very least, Neville knew he did not wield as much magic. The boy seemed to ooze it without even knowing it.

"Abbot Hannah," Professor McGonagall said in a very harsh voice.

A blonde girl, looking a little lost, advanced towards the stool, "HUFFLEPUFF!" cried the hat after a few seconds.

Applause rose from the table to the left. Neville took a deep breath.

"Black Bael" the metamorphmagus advanced ignoring the whispers of "He is a Death Eater!" Neville saw nonetheless his friend stiffen, at the rumors or at the impending sorting, he would not know.

The teacher dropped the hat on Bael's head and relaxed. A long moment passed and Bael turned his head a little to the right and then to the left. Neville realized that his head was switching between the Gryffindor and the Slytherin one. He held his breath. He hoped the metamorphmagus would not get sorted in Slytherin. He could not imagined the air-head over there. Neville glanced at Ron, who seemed to be encouraging Bael in a low voice, advising Gryffindor.

"Come one, that's Slytherin for you."

Neville and Ron both stared at Draco. The boy's hand were white from the strain and hi eyes scrunched up in concentration.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Bael got up, puffed up his chest and with a smile wavering upon looking at the Slytherin table, he walked to the Gryffindor table. His robes turned red once he sat at the rowdy table.

...

...

I walk right behind her. Each steps she take echoes around us. The people that had surrounded us had disappeared. Her hand leading me through the streets had stopped holding mine, too. She was pressed for time.

She looks at her pocket watch. The golden chain dangles from her robes. It was a present for her 17th birthday.

I wonder why she had not thrown it away.

"We leave in 10." she says

Her cold eyes do nothing to cheer me up.

I nod, trying to push away the nausea that threatens to overcome me.

Her eyes soften.

...

...

Neville watched the rest of the ceremony and heard Susan Bones had been sent to Hufflepuff and Terry Boot was placed in Ravenclaw. The applause for each one was low.

"Bullstrode, Millicent" thundered McGonagall.

Another girl, a bit on the tall side, stepped forward and found enough courage to put the Hat on her head. A few seconds later a mighty "SLYTHERIN" boomed and the rightmost table applauded. Brocklehurst Mandy and Brown Lavender were summoned and sent respectively to Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Michael Corner and Stephen Cornjual arrived and both were sent to Ravenclaw.

"Crabbe, Vincent"

One of the two gorillas who were protecting Draco Malfoy detached himself from the small crowd at the stool's feet. He was sent to Slytherin. A certain Tracey Davis too. Seamus Finnegan was sent to Gryffindor.

The Great Hall still hold its breath.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Goldstein, Anthony"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Goyle Gregory"

Malfoy's other bodyguard stepped forward. He looked a little smarter than the other one. Unsurprisingly he was sent to Slytherin. Neville did not hear the name of the next person called, too busy looking elsewhere, but he noticed that she went to Ravenclaw.

"Granger, Hermione" the young girl Neville had met briefly on the train nervously repeated spells under her breath.

Professor McGonagall then placed the Hat on his head to resume it almost immediately.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

A fleeting smile passed over McGonagall's lips and the applause of the lions' table roared brighter. The sorting resumed once Hermione sat properly at the table.

"Greengrass, Daphne"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Neville saw the girl look longingly at the lion's table. Whatever she saw must not have pleased her for she huffed and hurried to the Slytherin table. The black haired boy noticed Bael was too busy making faces at red haired twins to wish him and Ron luck for their sorting. He supposed he should not blame him. he was probably over excited if his orange hair indicated anything. If he had wanted to hide his shifting abilities, this is a complete disaster, sweat-dropped Neville.

"Hopkins, Wayne"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Jones, Megan"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Lee, Su"

"RAVENCLAW!"

Professor McGonagall scored a pause and frowned. She called out in a loud voice:

"Longbottom, Neville"

The silence was instantaneous.

Neville's nerves soared higher than ever at the scene. His heart was beating horribly loudly in his chest cavity. Every step taken, he thought he would faint. He did not hear Ron next to him, but he heard loud and clear the whispers older students were already spreading. He looks ill. Do you think he's gonna faint? So that's the Boy-Who-Lived? He does not look like much.

Neville almost threw up. A gag reflex people mistook for over-eagerness at hopping on the stool. Once on the chair, Neville tried to exhale slowly to calm his fraying nerves. Professor McGonagall's pursed lips informed him he had done a very poor job at disguising his thoughts and actions.

The hat covered his head and eyesight in an instant.

"Interesting ..."

A voiced echoed in his head.

"Who's talking?!"

The sorting hat moved on his head, forcing Neville to stare at the foremost left table.

"Ah ah, you don't think you will do your parents proud ... lack of determination ... Oh, but I see talent! Oh yes, a load of it. But Slytherin house would chew you out more than shape you to be great. Hum, tough choice."

"Not Slytherin." Neville prayed. His neck was forced in another awkward angle. The boy imagined he was looking at another table now. Or, rather, the hat was.

"Of course not Slytherin, boy. No, I was thinking something between Hufflepuff or Gryffindor."

"It does not matter."

"Lying in the face of evidence." The hat chuckled. "How foolish ... GRYFFINDOR!"

A relieved gasp escaped Neville's lips as he heard the name. Without waiting a second more, he rushed to the lion's table which had exploded in a chorus at the sorting. He barely registered the hat being lift off of his head. He joined at the table Bael who was politely clapping.

"See, you made it." he simply said. "Pumpkin juice?"

The ceremony soon resumed its course.

"McDougal, Morag"

"HUFFLEPUFF"

"McMillian, Ernie"

"HUFFLEPUFF"

"Malfoy, Drago"

"SLYTHERIN," the Hat barely touched his head. Not surprising Neville idly thought. Bael sent his cousin thumbs up, ignoring Ron's scowl.

"Midwidgeon, Eloise"

"HUFFLEPUFF"

Another person had been sent to Slytherin, a certain Moon something. There were 10 students left.

"Nott, Theodore"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Patil, Padma"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Patil, Parvati"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Parkinson, Pansy"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Perks, Sally-Anne"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Smith, Zacharias"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

There were only four students left. Professor McGonagall resumed.

"Thomas, Dean"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Turpin, Lisa"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Weasley, Ronald"

Neville and Bael saw their friend almost run to the Hat. The sorting hat did not take long for the red-haired wizard either.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

A sigh of relief escaped Ron's lips and the whole table applauded even more. There was only one person left. The student in question appeared very frightened.

"Zabini, Blaise"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Once every student had been sorted in each of the four Hogwarts houses, food appeared on the tables. With an excited rush, the young students all went in to eat. As bellies were fed, small talk began in earnest at each table to discover the new house mates. Neville immediately liked Dean and Seamus. They did not mention the fact that he was the "Survivor" (unlike the other girls who had been sent to Gryffindor) and he was grateful to them.

"My dad's a muggle; mum's a witch. Bit of a nasty shock when he found out." Dean explained to a curious audience.

...

...

As the desserts vanished from the Great Hall, signalling the end of the feast, actions ceased for a moment, and the heads of all the pupils turned to the Great Table. Professor Dumbledore stood with his spoon and glass in each of his hands. He put them on the table and went to a music stand that had just appeared. The owl etched on the furniture snorted and stretched out its wings. Albus Dumbledore then began to speak:.

"Dear students, first of all I would like to welcome you to Hogwarts. I hope this year will happen without too many problems for all of you. I will, however, remind you of some instructions." A blank welcomed the director's words, "First of all, know that our caretaker, Filch, has instructed me to remind you it is forbidden to hang around the corridors after the curfew. Your prefects will make rounds with the professors to make sure that no one is in the corridors after hours. I also must warn that the Forbidden Forest is prohibited as its name suggests." Neville swore he saw the headmaster's eyes twinkle at Ron's brothers. The twins weren't even trying to hide their disobedience. "Likewise, I do not recommend you to approach the Whomping Willow in the park. He is somewhat prone to violence." Neville gulped loudly. The boy saw Bael look particularly disinterested with the speech and had begun to watch his nails. "However, this year there are some changes. The corridor on the third floor is condemned. To all those who seek to visit that particular branch of the castle, I warn you, a terrible death will await you." The silence was very heavy in the Great Hall. "But do not worry. You will not break the rules, after all."

Slowly, prefect started to stand up. Each one sporting a shining P badge.

"First years! Follow me."

Percy Weasley authoritative voice called the Gryffindor students. On the way, he explained the few rules to observe on the grounds.

"Our common room is on the 7th floor. Don't invite anyone from another House. This is strictly forbidden." Percy led them around a corner. "We could take the stairs up to the 7th floor, but fortunately there are secret passages around Hogwarts. This one," the prefect showed the eleven years old group a old looking tapestry, "leads directly to the sixth floor. From there, there is just a small stairway to take."

"This castle does not make sense." Bael muttered. He immediately side-stepped a rat hole that had appeared under his feet. "It does have an attitude though. Nice."

"Just don't antagonize the castle too much." grimaced Percy while glancing at Bael. His eyes widened at the small color shift. he did not comment though. "Hurry now, we are arriving."

He pointed at a fat lady portrait.

"This is the portrait that hides the entry of our dormitory. You will spend the next seven years here." he cleared his throat, "Remember the password or you will not be allowed in. Tonight's password is Caput draconis."

Upon the words, the fat Lady puffed and her portrait opened the hole to the Gryffindor common room.

"Inside, the castle's many jokes can not reach you." Percy explained, his eyes passing over everyone's head. "This is a safe place."

The way Ron's brother sounded felt a bit personal. He imagined the relieved look spoke of many pranks gone wrong that had sent the older boy angry.

"He's usually in a sour mood, don't bother." Ron had dismissed entirely his idea. "Let's go check our dorms!"