A/N: I'm so sorry for not updating, my laptop broke and I nearly lost everything and then, when I got it back, it didn't have microsoft office uploaded or anything so I had to wait for my Dad to get round to it. Anyway, I hope this makes up for it! Please let me know what you think!
Also, thanks to Svetlyachochek, Moon Lantern, potterhead and twibe for reviewing/favouriting/following :)
"It's pretty impressive, isn't it," came a voice from beside her. Ariella span round. There, behind her, stood a girl with auburn curls, freckles splayed out across her cheeks and hazel eyes glittering with excitement. "I'm Lottie Hill, what's your name?"
"Ariella Granger." She gave the girl a smile.
"Wait… are you Hermione Granger's sister?"
"Yes." Ariella was confused. "How do you know my sister?"
"Oh, I don't know her personally, my Mum reads the Daily Prophet."
"The Daily what?" Ariella asked. It seemed there were a few things Hermione hadn't told her about the Wizarding World.
"Oh, of course, you're a muggle-born. I'm a half-blood. My Mum is a witch, but my Dad is a muggle. Anyway, the Daily Prophet is the Wizarding World's newspaper. There's about an article a week about that Harry Potter and obviously, your sister's name get mentioned often. I don't know whether I trust him though. I mean, can You-Know-Who really be back?"
"I trust him because I know He is back. My sister trusts Harry and I do too. I mean, how did that boy die if it wasn't Him that did it?"
"Cedric? Apparently it was a tragic accident. That's what the Daily Prophet said."
"Newspapers can lie you know. Even in the muggle world they lie," Ariella retorted, getting a bit fed up with the girl's clear adoration of the Daily Prophet.
"I suppose you're right. I only believe it because my Mum said it was true. I'm sorry if I offended you," Lottie said sincerely.
Ariella smiled a little. "No, it's alright. I suppose I'm going to have to get used to people badmouthing my friends. Do you know anyone here?"
"Yes, my cousin is called Neville Longbottom. He's in Fifth Year. His Dad is my Mum's brother. We meet up regularly."
"Oh, I sat with him on the train. He's friends with Harry."
"Yes, he is. He's so clumsy, bless him."
Before Ariella could reply, the people in front of her slowed to a halt and the woman's voice rang out. "Everybody in the boats. No more than four in each one!"
Boats? Ariella thought. Why were there boats? However, it became clearer as everybody immediately rushed to get seats with their friends. A huge black lake stretched out before them, leading straight up to the castle. Ariella felt Lottie tugging on her hand.
"Come on. We want to be together. There's barely any room left," she said, scanning the boats. "Look, there's one!"
She pulled Ariella over to a boat already occupied with two boys and sat down, making her new friend sit down too.
"Alright, everybody in?" came the teacher's booming voice. She didn't wait for a reply. "Forward!" she ordered the boats, which immediately started to glide across the seemingly flat lake.
Neither Lottie nor Ariella said anything as the boats moved slowly along the water, heading towards the castle towering above them. They were both just staring at their surroundings in awe. Both had been told what Hogwarts looked like, but no words could describe what lay before them. Even the air seemed to be shimmering with magic.
When the plump woman announced that they were to get off, nerves had started to creep over the first years, especially Ariella. The castle looked daunting and her earlier fears were coming back to haunt her. Hermione was just so clever and Ariella knew that the teachers would be checking to see if she was as talented.
"Are you alright?" Lottie whispered as they neared the huge, oak front door after scrambling up a rocky passageway and across an immaculate green verge.
"Just a little nervous."
"Same here. I wonder what we'll have to do to be sorted. I hope it's not a test on spells. My Mum tried testing me on them and I couldn't even remember the names, let alone what they did!"
Ariella could sense Lottie starting to panic. "Don't worry," she said, in an attempt to calm her. "It's nothing like that. Hermione told me what you have to do."
"But what happens if it changes every year?"
"It doesn't. You have to sit on a stool and there is a talking hat that sorts you into the correct house." Ariella saw relief wash over her friends face.
"Really, is that it? I thought it would be something bigger than that. Oh, thank goodness. I do hope I'm in Gryffindor, although I wouldn't mind Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw. I'm probably not clever enough for that though. What house do you want to be in?"
"Hopefully Gryffindor, but I won't mind anything other than Slytherin."
"Yeah, me too."
Just then, the doors opened and the crowd of first-years walked in and were greeted by a tall, stern looking woman who introduced herself as Professor McGonagall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she started as though she was about to launch into a very well-rehearsed speech, obviously something she said every year. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into 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 our house dormitories and spend free time in your house common room.
'The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Syltherin. 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 honour. 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 yourself up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you."
In front of the whole school? Hermione had never said it was in front of the whole school, Ariella panicked as she tried to neaten up her curls. She was just brushing down her robes when Professor McGonagall came back.
"Now form a line please, we're ready for you," she ordered.
Ariella squeezed in behind Lottie as they walked into the Great Hall. The first thing she looked at was the ceiling, remembering what Hermione had told her and what she had read. It was hard to believe that it was actually a ceiling and not the real sky. Thousands of glittering stars were twinkling in the velvety blackness and the moon was shining brightly down, just above where the teachers were sat at a long table. In front of them, Professor McGonagall placed a stool and what Ariella assumed was the Sorting Hat on top.
She stared at it in shock. It was nothing like she'd imagined, it was old and worn, fraying at the edges. She'd imagined it being blue, decorated with white moons and stars, like the one Mickey Mouse wore. Something new and sophisticated. However, she was so focused on what it looked like, that she didn't notice when a huge rip opened up at the brim and it started to sing. She did, however, catch the last few lines, the lines that seemed to shock the entire school.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
The warning history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external, deadly foes
And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you..
Let the sorting now begin.
A small round of applause broke out, but there were many mutterings and whispering going on between the students and the staff. Eventually, the hall fell silent and Professor McGonagall stood up with a list of what Ariella assumed were the names of the first years.
"Abercrombie, Euan!" she called and a terrified-looking boy with large, sticky out ears stumbled up to the stool. Ariella watched as Professor McGonagall lifted up the hat, let the boy sit down and then placed it on his head. Each of the first-years held their breath as the Sorting Hat didn't move, until suddenly, the wide brim opened and it shouted: "Gryffindor!"
The table to the far left burst into applause as the boy went over, looking giddy with relief. The next name to be called was Elyse Ackerman, who was quickly sorted into Ravenclaw, followed by a boy she didn't catch the name of being put into Gryffindor, Arden Chapman into Slytherin and Adam Dale into Ravenclaw. At that point, Ariella phased out, scanning the Gryffindor table for her sister. She finally spotted her bushy hair in the middle of the table. Hermione turned as though she felt Ariella's gaze on her and gave the young girl a reassuring smile. Ariella returned it, but her attention went back to Professor McGonagall as she called out the next name.
"Granger, Ariella!"
Ariella started. Was it really her already? Had she been distracted that much that she had missed all names under E and F, possible D and G too?
"Good luck," whispered Lottie from her side as she gave her a little push forward.
Ariella could feel all eyes on her as she walked up and sat down on the stool. When Professor McGonagall lowered the hat onto her head, it fell so low that she couldn't see anything.
"Hmm," said the hat, making Ariella jump. "What have we here? A Hufflepuff? No, I don't think that's quite right. You're loyal, but not quite kind enough." Ariella blinked. She hoped the whole school couldn't hear what it was saying. "You could fit into Ravenclaw, you have the wit, but there's something telling me that you wouldn't fit in there… Wait, what's this? Hmm, no, I don't think you're like her at all, or him. No, it had better be…"