Chapter 5: The Sorting Hat
I don't own Digimon or Harry Potter
The train came to a stop, gently gliding into the station as Daisuke, Ron and Harry stuck close together before some of the older students opened the doors of the carriages and the students began exiting the train.
"First years, this way please! Come on now don't be shy, come on!" the familiar booming voice of Hagrid could be heard as the giant of a man stood at the edge of the platform. Harry and Daisuke shared a smile and rushed ahead of the other first year students, reaching Hagrid before smiling up at him.
"Hello there you two." He greeted with a warm smile.
"Hey Hagrid." They said together, the other first years all looking up at the giant man with wide eyes filled with awe or fright.
"Right then, everyone here?" Hagrid asked, counting the students one by one before nodding to himself. "This way to the boats, follow me!" he instructed. He then walked off, Daisuke holding Demi-Veemon tightly in her arms as they followed him off the platform and began walking down a steep hill. "Mind your footing, you'll be getting ya first sight of Hogwarts in a moment!" he told them all.
As one they all gave a loud awe inspired gasp when they came to the shoreline at the edge of a lake and gazed at the brightly lit castle in the distance. "That's Hogwarts, it's just like papa told me." Daisuke whispered in awe.
"Right then, no more than four to a boat. There's enough for all of ya." Hagrid told the kids, pointing to a line of rowboats in the water. Daisuke climbed into a boat with Harry and Ron and Neville and once everyone was seated, Hagrid sat down on his own boat. "Forward!" he shouted to no one before the boats suddenly began to glide across the lake on their own.
Harry and Daisuke shared a smile with Ron and Neville as they looked around at the pitch-black lake, barely illuminated by the lanterns each boat had. Demi-Veemon squinted his eyes and saw a large shape under the water swim under the boats as Daisuke held him tightly so he would not fall in.
"Down!" Hagrid then shouted ducking his head and everyone followed his lead as the boats sailed through a curtain of ivy onto a small, hidden pebble beach. "Right then, everyone out!"
"Still got your toad Neville?" Daisuke asked the boy.
"Yeah." He said, holding up the toad in both hands to show her before he put it back into his robe pocket. "Thanks again for helping me find him."
"All I did was give you and Hermione some advice and it worked, no need for thanks." She replied. The group of students followed Hagrid up a path before they walked up a flight of stairs leading to the entrance hall of the castle where they saw a set of massive wooden doors. Hagrid walked towards the doors and banged his fist on them a few times and waited.
A few moments later, the doors were opened by an elderly, stern looking woman in emerald green robes who looked at Hagrid then the students behind him. "The first years, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid said with a smile.
"Thank you, Hagrid, I'll take it from here." She said, stepping to the side allowing Hagrid to walk through the door which shut behind him. "Welcome to Hogwarts." She greeted the students who were silent giving her their complete attention. "In a few moments you will follow me through these doors to join your classmates, but before you do you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin."
Daisuke saw out the corner of her eye, Draco grinning at the last name and nodding to Crabbe and Goyle. "While you are here, your house will be like your family, your triumphs will earn you points, any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with most points will be awarded the House Cup." Professor McGonagall continued. "The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily; I advise you all to make yourselves look presentable."
She walked back through the doors and some of the students began to try and tidy themselves up, Harry tried to flatten his messy hair, Ron tried to clean dirt off his nose while Daisuke tugged at her ropes to straighten them.
A student behind her gasped and pointed in the air as dozens of ghosts began to pass through the walls chatting amongst themselves paying no mind to the students below. "I am not budging on this topic Fat Friar, allowing Peeves to join us will only cause trouble. That fellow exists to only make the lives of ourselves and the students and teachers miserable." One ghost said to another.
"He may have his moments, but I assure you Sir Nicholas there is no harm in showing him kindness and compassion." The rather portly ghost said with a cheerful smile before he laid eyes upon the group of students. "Oh hello, new students, yes?" the students all nodded, some with their mouths open as they stared at the ghosts. "Such a wonderful time, the start of the year is, I hope to see some of you in my house, Hufflepuff welcomes all students." He told them.
Professor McGonagall then returned and shooed the ghosts away with a wave of the rolled-up parchment in her hand before she looked at the students. "We're ready for you now, follow me."
The grand wooden doors swung open, and the students followed her into The Great Hall, the young witches and wizards were in awe of the vastness of the room, thousands of candles lit the room, floating in the air above four long tables where the rest of the students sat.
"It's not really the ceiling, it's bewitched to look like the night sky, I read about it in Hogwarts a History." Hermione said to another girl walking beside her, both looking up at the enchanted ceiling.
As they walked down between the two centre tables, Daisuke spotted Jun sitting beside Percy at the Gryffindor table and waved to them, Jun noticing and waving back while Percy smiled at the young girl.
Professor McGonagall waved her hand at the first-year students making them all stop, some bumped into the backs of others as they were too distracted by looking around the Great Hall. Daisuke looked at the high table in front of her and the others where all the teachers sat, she noticed Hagrid sitting near the end and the giant nodded to her and Harry slightly which made them both share a smile.
Professor McGonagall then set down an old wooden stool before placing an old, weathered and torn up pointed hat
The room fell silent as Daisuke, Harry and Ron shared a confused look before the hat twitched and a thin tear across it formed into a smile before it promptly burst into song.
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 Hufflepuffs 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 folks 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!
Once the hat had finished its song, the students at the four tables broke out into polite applause and the hat turned bowing to each table. "So, we just have to try on the hat?" Ron whispered. "Fred told me we'd be wrestling a troll. I'm gonna kill him."
Professor McGonagall unfurled the roll of parchment in her hand. "Now when I call your name, please come and put the Sorting Hat on your head, you will then be sorted into your houses." She told the new students. "Hannah Abbot." Was the first name she called and a girl with blonde hair done up in pigtails scurried up to the stool and sat down, the Sorting Hat was then placed upon her head.
"Hufflepuff!" it shouted a few moments later, the table on the right burst into cheers and applause as the girl walked over to sit at the table, her plain robes shimmering for a moment as they gained the Hufflepuff colours.
"Mandy Brocklehurst." Another student walked up and sat on the stool and was sorted into Ravenclaw, the table second from the left burst into cheers as the new Ravenclaw joined the table, her robes changing to the Ravenclaw colours as well.
The sorting went on for a while until only a few more students were left. "Hermione Granger." Professor McGonagall called.
Hermione gulped and took several deep breaths as she walked up to the stool. "Okay, okay. Relax, just relax." She whispered to herself.
"Mental, that one, I'm telling ya." Ron muttered before yelping as Daisuke slapped his shoulder hard.
"Be nice Ron!" she hissed with a small glare at the redhead.
"Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat shouted, and the Gryffindor table broke into cheers and applause again, Ron groaning slightly as Hermione took off the Sorting Hat and walked over to the table sitting beside the other first year students.
"Draco Malfoy!" the blonde boy strode past Daisuke and Harry confidently, he sat down on the stool and as McGonagall was placing the hat on his head it spoke.
"Slytherin!" the Slytherin table burst into cheers and the blonde boy gave Harry, Daisuke and Ron a smirk before striding over to his new house.
"Every witch or wizard who ever went bad was in Slytherin." Ron whispered to Harry.
Daisuke frowned and shook her head. "Not every Slytherin is bad, some of my father's family were sorted into Slytherin. There have been bad witches and wizards from the other houses too, but since You Know Who came from Slytherin, most people just like to assume that everything sorted into Slytherin is destined to be bad."
Ron raised an eyebrow, but he then nodded once he thought it over. "Harry Potter." McGonagall called and the hall went silent, Harry hesitated and looked at Daisuke.
"Go on." She whispered, giving him a gentle nudge. "Just stay calm, it'll be fine." He nodded and walked up to the stool and sat down, everyone giving the famed Boy Who Lived their full attention, the Sorting Hat was then placed onto his head, covering his eyes and he could see only the inside of the hat.
"Ah Mr Potter, talk of your arrival has been a common thing since your acceptance letter arrived." The voice of the Sorting Hat echoed in his head.
"You're in my head?" he thought, his eyes widening in fright only for the hat to softly chuckle.
"Fret not my boy. All that I see in your head I am sworn to keep to myself. Not even the Headmaster is privy to this." it reassured him.
"Oh…that's good." He thought.
"Indeed, now then where shall I put you?" the Sorting Hat wondered. "You would do well in Slytherin, most certainly but you are also quite bright for your age. Ravenclaw perhaps?"
Harry gulped and shook his head slightly. "I don't really know, I guess I'll leave it up to you."
"Hm very well. Then Mr Potter I wish you luck in…Gryffindor!" the hat shouted, Harry sighing in relief as the hat was lifted off his head and the Gryffindor table broke into wild applause.
"We got Potter! We got Potter!" Shouted Fred and George Weasley, the twins jumping for joy as Harry walked over to the table and sat across from Hermione after shaking a few student's hands who were overjoyed to see him at the table.
"Daisuke Ainsworth!" Professor McGonagall then said once the cheering had died down, Daisuke took a deep breath and walked up to the stool, holding Demi-Veemon in her arms. A few of the teachers perked up at the mention of her last name, even Professor Dumbledore sat up a little in his chair.
The Sorting Hat was placed on her head and the hat hummed intrigued. "Ah…an Ainsworth." The hat's voice echoed in her head. "I see great things for you young one, you yourself have untapped potential. You hold many qualities that fit well for any house. Loyalty to one's friends shows you'd make an excellent Hufflepuff, but your brain holds a bound of knowledge and desire to learn more like a Ravenclaw, you have led those through battle, you'd bring great pride to the house of Slytherin, yet your bravery in the face of danger surpasses all others. But where shall I put you, what will help you fulfill your destiny?" the hat asked itself.
Daisuke was silent as she waited for the Sorting Hat to decide. "Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat finally shouted. She released a breath she didn't know she had been holding and she removed the hat and walked over to the table, which was clapping and cheering, she gave Jun a big hug before sitting beside Hermione across from Harry.
"Ronald Weasley." McGonagall called and Ron walked up to the stool.
"Another Weasley?" the Sorting Hat said almost immediately. "Gryffindor!" it decided and the red haired boy smiled and dashed over to the table where his brothers were cheering.
Soon the final few students had been sorted.
Joining Hannah Abbot at the Hufflepuff table were, Ernie Macmillan, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Wayne Hopkins and Megan Jones just to name a few.
Terry Boot Morag MacDougal, Michael Corner, Anthony Goldstien, Sue Li, Padma Patil and Lisa Turpin among others joined Mandy Brocklehurst at the Ravenclaw table.
Joining Lavender Brown at the Gryffindor table were to name a few Daisuke, Harry, Ron, Hermione Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, Parvati Patil and Dean Thomas.
Draco meanwhile sat smugly between his two bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle. The other students who joined them in Slytherin were Millicent Bulstrode, Tracey Davis, Daphne Greengrass, Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini.
Professor Dumbledore then stood up from his chair and cleared his throat. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank You!" he then sat down, and the older students applauded.
"He's a bit mental, isn't he?" Harry said, looking to Percy after glancing back at Dumbledore.
"Some say so, but I think he's just brilliant." Jun spoke up. "Potatoes, Dai?" She then asked her cousin, Harry blinking and as he turned to look at Daisuke and Jun his eyes widened when he saw the empty plates along the table were now piled high with food.
He had never seen so much food in his entire life: there was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, roast potatoes, boiled potatoes, fries, Yorkshire puddings, gravy, peas and carrots, ketchup and the list went on and on.
"Wow…." Demi-Veemon whispered, drool dripping down his mouth making Daisuke giggle and clean the drool away with a napkin before she and the other students began piling their plates with food and began to eat.
"I'm half and half, my dad's a muggle, mam's a witch. That was a shock when he found out." Seamus could be heard speaking to Dean Thomas further on down the table.
"I can't wait to start learning spells, I've read my books several times over. I'm quite keen to start Transfiguration." Hermione could be heard speaking to Percy enthusiastically.
"You'll just be starting off small, mostly with toothpicks and trying to turn them into needles." Percy explained with a smile. "Professor McGonagall is quite strict when it comes to her class, she doesn't have time for those who would fool around."
Ron meanwhile was gorging himself on several chicken drumsticks when the head of a ghost popped out through the plate making him drop the half-eaten drumstick in shock. "Hello! How are you? Welcome to Gryffindor!" the ghost asked with a charming smile, the ghosts of Hogwarts began flying through the walls into the Great Hall.
"Hello Sir Nicholas, have a nice summer?" Jun asked with a smile, the ghost groaning and floating through the table and into the air.
"Abysmal, once again my request to join the headless hunt has been denied." He answered.
"Hey, I know you, you're Nearly Headless Nick!" Seamus shouted, pointing at the ghost.
"I prefer Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, if you don't mind." The ghost said with an offended huff.
"Nearly headless? How can you be nearly headless?" Hermione asked.
"Like this." The ghost answered, gripping his left ear and tugging it hard, and his head fell to the side, hanging on by a small sliver of tendon causing several first-year students to cry out in disgust.
"You just had to ask, didn't you?" Daisuke asked Hermione, the bushy haired girl sheepishly smiling at her friend before Sir Nicholas popped his head back on straight and floated off down the Gryffindor table.
Harry looked around the Great Hall before his eyes drifted to the teacher's table and saw a teacher in all black with greasy black hair and a hooked nose speaking with another teacher who wore an absurd purple turban.
"Hey Percy." He asked the boy sitting next to him. "Who is that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?"
"Professor Snape, head of Slytherin house." Percy answered.
"What does he teach?" Harry asked, averting his gaze from the teacher who was still speaking to Professor Quirrell.
"Potions, but the whole school knows he wants the Defence Against the Dark Arts position. Has done since he started teaching." Percy answered.
"Best keep out of his way and to pay attention in class, he's been known to take points for the slightest infraction." Jun warned the younger kids with a serious expression.
"Except from you." Percy said, looking at her with a frown and she grinned back.
"I cannot help it that I am such a talented potion brewer." She said, puffing her chest out in pride bringing out a chuckle from the students around her.
Harry turned back to look at Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell to see the Potions professor staring directly at him, suddenly a sharp pain shot through his forehead, and he slapped his hand on his scar. "Ow…" he hissed softly.
"Harry, what is it?" Ron asked, noticing his friend rubbing his scar in pain which Daisuke and Hermione also noticed.
"Nothing…nothing I'm fine…" he answered as the pain in his scar subsided.
Soon everyone had finished eating, Demi-Veemon rubbing his belly in delight. "So full." The Digimon said with a smile, Daisuke giggled and kissed his forehead before Professor McGonagall tapped her glass with a spoon a few times.
"Your attention please. Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words." She told the students before Professor Dumbledore stood up from his chair.
"Now that we have finished our magnificent feast, I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce." He said softly, his voice heard by all the students and staff. "Firstly, the Forbidden Forest at the edge of the castle grounds is strictly forbidden to all students. Secondly, our caretaker Mr Filch has asked me to remind you that the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds, for those who do not wish to die a most painful death."
Daisuke and Harry frowned and looked down the Great Hall to see a man standing near the doors, he was holding a mangy looking cat with seemingly glowing red eyes in his arms and had a look of disdain etched on his face.
A few minutes later, Jun and Percy walked out of the Great Hall, the first year Gryffindor's following them. "First years follow us please. Stay close, we don't want anyone to get lost." Jun said with a calm smile.
"Ravenclaws follow me." Another prefect from Ravenclaw said leading the first year Ravenclaws out of the Great Hall as well. Jun and Percy came to a stop as they reached the landing of the Grand Staircase and turned to the first years who were all now looking up.
"This is the Grand Staircase, here you will be able to reach any floor in the castle. But do be mindful, the stairs have a habit to change and move around on their own." Jun explained, gesturing up to show several parts of the staircase repositioning themselves.
Daisuke held Demi-Veemon in her arms as she and the other first years followed her cousin and Percy up the stairs, the first-year students all gazing at the hundreds upon hundreds of portraits that decorated the walls. "Look at the paintings, they're moving." Demi-Veemon whispered and Daisuke nodded with a smile.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." A portrait of an old man sitting on an armchair by a fire said as the students walked past.
"Thank you." Daisuke replied with a smile. Soon the students had made it to the seventh floor and followed Jun and Percy down a corridor towards a large portrait of a fat woman wearing a pink dress that looked at Jun and Percy as they stood in front of it.
"Password?" the woman asked them.
"Caput Draconis." Percy answered, the woman nodded and then the portrait swung open revealing a round hole in the wall, the students followed the two Prefects inside and found themselves in a large round room filled with comfortable armchairs with the fireplace already lit.
"Welcome to the Gryffindor Common room." Jun said with a smile, giggling at the awe-struck expressions of the first years. "Now then, boys, up the staircase behind us at the very top is your room, it is the door on the left, girls, the same on your right, you will find all your things have been brought up already. Now best be off to bed, classes begin tomorrow morning."
Daisuke and Hermione walked up the stairs along with Parvati and Lavender to their new room, they pushed open the door and saw four beds donned in Gryffindor colours along with all their stuff from the train, neatly packed by each bed. "Best get to bed, like Jun said we've got a busy day tomorrow." Daisuke told the others before walking to her bed, seeing Salem already curled up on the bed before the girls changed into their bed clothes and went to bed, pulling the curtains around them.
"Goodnight, Dai." Demi-Veemon said softly, cuddling up to his partner.
"Goodnight." Daisuke replied, one arm around him and the other arm holding Salem who purred soothingly against her chest, slowly she closed her eyes with a smile ready for her time at Hogwarts to really begin the next day.
The end of the chapter
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