Chapter Seven – The Sorting Hat
When the train came to a slow stop, Draco lead Harry by the hand through the throng of people who were trying to push and shove their way out of the train and onto a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night and sighed happily when Draco pulled him closer to share his warmth. Suddenly, out of the dark, a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the student, and from the lamp Harry heard a familiar voice.
"Firs' years! Firs' years over 'ere!" Draco and Harry shared a look before Draco began leading Harry towards the lamp, along with all the other first years. Hagrid's big, hairy face beamed over the sea of head. "All righ' there 'Aiden?" The giant asked having spotted Haiden in the crowd. "C'mon, follow meh – anymore firs' years?" Hagrid said after a moment of silence before turning and starting to lead the group of nervous first years. "Mind yur step, now! Firs' years follow meh!" The large group of first years slipped and stumbled after the giant who lead them down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. Harry lost count of how many times he would have fallen on his butt or face had Draco not been holding on to him.
It was so dark on either side of the path that they were walking on that Harry was sure that there were thick trees surrounding them. No body spoke over a whisper, as if afraid something would dart out of the darkness at the if they made any loud sounds. Neville, the round-faced boy who had lost his toad, sniffed once or twice and Harry felt bad for him.
"Yeh all get yur firs' sight o' 'Ogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, his booming voice caused the group to jump in shock, "jus' 'round this bend 'ere." Suddenly there was a loud collective 'Oooooh!' as the group of first years rounded the corner. The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. 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, pulling everyone's attention from the castle to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Draco helped Harry into one and grumbled and sneered when the bushy brown-haired girl and Neville climbed in with them. "Everyone in?" Hagrid, who had a boat to himself, shouted. "Righ' then – FORWARD!" And the fleet of boats were off, gliding smoothly across the lake which had looked as smooth as glass before the boats cut through it. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.
"Heads down!" Hagrid yelled as the first boat reached the cliff. They all bent their heads and the little boars carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. The group of first years were carried along a dark tunnel (which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle) until they reached a kind of underground harbor. As Harry climbed out of his boat, his foot got caught and he would have fallen had Draco not quickly caught him.
"Thanks." Harry said, smiling up at Draco who blushed, looked away, and muttered a 'Anytime' before taking Harry by the hand.
"Oi, yeh there! Is this yur toad?" Hagrid (who had been checking the boats as people climbed out of them) suddenly called.
"Trevor!" Neville cried out blissfully, holding out his hands. Afterwards, the group clambered up a passageway in the rock following Hagrid's lamp and came out onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. The group walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.
"Everyone 'ere?" Hagrid asked looking over everyone, his eyes quickly focusing on Harry for a long minute before continuing to sweep the group. "Yeh there, still got yur toad?" he called out to Neville who jumped in fright before looking as if wanting to disappear, and Harry understood that feeling. Once sure everyone was there, Hagrid turned and knocked three times on the castle door. The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross. "The firs' years, Professor McGonagall."
"Thank you, Hagrid, and I am to assume that no one was left behind this time?" Professor McGonagall asked, her eyes narrowing at the giant who flushed and looked at the ground in shame.
"Everyone's all 'ere." Hagrid muttered.
"Good. I will take them from here, then." She pulled the door wide, and Harry gasped at what he saw. The entrance hall was so big that he was sure that it could fit the Dursley's house in it, and then some. 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.
Harry allowed Draco to pull him along with the group as he tried to take everything in. Looking behind him, Harry spotted four giant hourglasses, two on either side of the oak front door. One hourglass had what appeared to be green emeralds at the top of it, and had a snake wrapped around the bottom of it. Next that it was an hourglass that held blue sapphires at the top and looked to be held up by an Eagle with its wings open as if to take flight. On the other side of the door was an hourglass that held Sparkling gold nuggets on top and was on the back of a badger. The last hourglass held red rubies on top and was nestled in between the front paws of a lion that was standing on its hind legs.
Harry blinked when Draco lead him into a small empty chamber off the hall. Harry looked around and saw that the rest of the first years had crowded into the chamber as well. They were huddled close together (more so than they probably would have normally been) peering nervously around themselves.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall said gaining the attention of every first year. "The start-of-term banquet will start soon, however 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 houses 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." As she spoke, Professor McGonagall looked into the eyes of each student one by one.
"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." A heavy silence fell over the group as everyone began to wonder which house would be theirs.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her eyes seemed to linger for a moment on Neville's cloak (which, Harry noted, was fastened under his left ear) before lingering on the smudge on Ron's nose. Harry nervously ran his fingers through his hair while Draco began to brush the dust and dirt from his and Harry's robes.
"I shall return when we are ready for you." The professor said. "Please wait quietly." She turned and left the chamber. Harry swallowed as he looked towards Draco who was now smoothing back his white-blond hair.
"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" Harry asked him.
"Father said they sit us on a stool in front of everyone and place a dirty old hat on our head. Supposedly that hat will then sort us into our houses. I'm not sure how, father wouldn't say." Draco drawled out before glancing at Harry. "It doesn't matter how we're sorted because we both know we're going to be in Slytherin together, right?" Harry nodded a small nervous smile on his lips, he wasn't really sure that he would be able to get put into Slytherin, however he would definitely try.
Harry jumped about a foot in the air when several people behind him screamed. He spun around and found his mouth dropping open in shock. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another 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–"
"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 ruff and tights had suddenly notices the first years. No one answered.
"New students!" The Fat Friar said smiling around at them. "About to be sorted, I suppose?" A few people mutely nodded. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" The Friar said. "My old house, you know."
"Move along now." The sharp voice of Professor McGonagall said alerting the first years that she had returned for them. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." Harry watched as one by one the ghost floated away through the opposite wall. "Now, form a line," she told the first years, "and follow me." Harry got in line behind Draco and in front of the bushy brown-haired girl, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.
Harry had to force his legs to keep moving having wanted to stop and look at everything, he had never imagined such a strange and splendid place. The Great Hall 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. Harry smiled a small smile when he saw the Weasley twins waving excitedly at him. Upon each table were golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.
Professor McGonagall lead the first years up to the long table so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. Harry bit back a laugh when Professor McGonagall turned and told the Weasley twins (who at this point had jumped up and were now waving their arms about their heads while trying to 'subtly' get Harry's attention) to sit down and be quiet, causing everyone at the table they were at to laugh. Once everyone was sitting quietly, Harry allowed his eyes to drift up towards the ceiling, happy to note that Hogwarts, A History had been right when it had stated that the ceiling was charmed to look like the sky.
"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside." Harry heard the busy brown-haired girl whispered, he turned to look at her. "I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." Harry went to say that he read about it too but was stopped when Professor McGonagall caught his attention by placing a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool, she placed a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty, Harry was sure that Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house. This must have been the hat Draco was talking about. Harry wondered how this hat would sort them. Would it change colors? Would the house symbol appear on it? How did it choose which house each student belonged in? Harry's eyes widened as the hat began to twitch and a rip near the brim opened wide, like a mouth – and it 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.
You keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and talk,
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 Gryffindor apart.
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patients 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 end.
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!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. Harry watched as it bowed at each of the four tables and then became quite still again. Professor McGonagall 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 opened the parchment. "Abbot, Hannah!" Harry watched as a pink-faced girl with blond pigtails stumbled out of the line, put on the hat, which fell over her eyes, and sat down. A moment later the Hat yelled:
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The table to the right cheered and clapped as Hanna went to sit down at the table, the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.
"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!" The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.
"Brockhurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers, nearly deafening Harry. "Bulstrode, Millicent' was the first Slytherin.
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Harry noted that sometimes the hat shouted out the houses at once, but other times it took a little time for it to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.
"Granger, Hermione." The bushy brown-haired girl next to Harry almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted and a loud groan came somewhere around where Harry figured Haiden (and more than likely Ron) was standing. The owner of the groan received a reprimanding stare from Professor McGonagall before she continued. "Longbottom, Neville" (the boy who kept losing his toad), was called and fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" Neville ran off still wearing the hat and had to jog back amide gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag," who was sorted into Ravenclaw.
When Professor McGonagall called "Malfoy, Draco", he winked at Harry before swaggering forward and got his wish at once. The hat had barely touched his head when it screamed "SLYTHERIN!" Harry looked around him, there weren't many people left. "Moon, Lilly" – Hufflepuff – "Nott, Theodore" – Slytherin – "Parkinson, Pansy" – Slytherin – a pair of twin girls "Patil, Padma" – Ravenclaw – "Patil, Parvati" – Gryffindor – then "Perks, Sally-Anne" – Hufflepuff – until, finally, at last – "Potter, Haiden!" As Harry watched his brother step forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.
"Potter? did she say Potter?"
"The Haiden Potter?" Not two minutes after the hat was slid over his brother's eyes was the hat yelling: "GRYFFINDOR!" Harry watched as Haiden walked shakily towards the Gryffindor table who was giving the loudest cheer yet. And then it was Harry's turn. At hearing that another Potter was being called to the stool, everyone quieted down, waiting to see where the famous Haiden Potter's twin brother would be placed. The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a look at him. The next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.
"Hmmm." A small voice said in his ear, causing him to jump. "Difficult. Very difficult. Full of loyalty. Eager to learn. There's talent, lots of it. Ah, my goodness, yes – there we are – a thirst to prove yourself, just like your brother – oh?" The small voice sounded shocked and interested at whatever it had stumbled upon in his mind. "What is this? Such Potential! But where to put you?"
Harry gripped the edge of the stool and thought: Slytherin, please put me in Slytherin.
"Slytherin, eh?" The small voice asked. "Tell me, Harry, why should I put you there? Because Draco ordered you to be in Slytherin? Of because you yourself want to be in Slytherin?" Harry was silent knowing that they both knew the answer to that. "I have looked deep into your mind and soul, and though as of right now you are but a Hufflepuff, you have the potential to be a great Slytherin." At that Harry smiled. "Yes, you would do well in Slytherin, however," his smile disappeared, "there is a house that will give you the room to grow and find your true self. No, Harry, you shall not be in Slytherin, you shall be in RAVENCLAW!" The hat was taken from his head and Harry slowly made his way to the Ravenclaw table, wondering if Draco would be mad at him.
Harry sat down and tuned out the rest of the sorting. Had Harry messed up? Would Draco still want to be his friend? And if Draco didn't want to be his friend, would Harry be able to change Draco's mind? Harry was brought back to the Sorting Ceremony when and elderly man with silver hair and a beard that shone as brightly as the ghost stood up. "Welcome." He said in a soothing voice giving off the vibe of a kind grandfather and yet there was something about the man that made Harry wary of. "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!" With that said the old man sat back down and everyone clapped. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not, however he was soon distracted when the plate in front of him filled with food.
~Forget Me Not~
After the desserts had disappeared, the old man (who Harry had learned was Professor Albus Dumbledore the Headmaster) stood up once more causing the hall to fall silent. "Ahern – just a few more words now that we are all feed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Following where the Professor Dumbledore's twinkling eyes, Harry notices that the Weasley twins were smiling suspiciously innocent.
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death. And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore cried happily as if he didn't just alert the whole school that they could potentially die in the school. Harry blinked in shock, what kind of school was this? "Everyone pick their favorite tune, and off we go!"
After finishing the song at different times, with the Weasley twins finished last as they chose to sing to a very slow funeral march, Dumbledore sent them all to bed.