Author's note: This is mainly just filler to bridge the gap between part one and the actual plot, not very interesting, I admit, but necessary. I promise that there is plot coming.
Disclaimer: These are not my characters. Well, Ember is. . . and the first year students. The rest belong to J.K. Rowling and Scholastic.
Chapter 3- Destination Reached
The four occupants of the compartment traveled happily onward. While Ember told Hermione about the course of study at her alma mater, the two boys talked of Quidditch (a popular wizard sport that can not possibly be described between parentheses in the middle of a sentence), their plans for dealing with their arch-rival (Draco Malfoy, a boy in their class but member of a different house) over the course of the upcoming school year, and Harry's adventures during the summer with his godfather. All of these topics proved interesting, and time moved quickly on the train. It seemed very soon that the Hogwarts Express arrived at its destination.
Ember followed the example of her companions and left her bag and Goody on the train. She looked down at the platform as she reached the doorway to exit. The uniform black robes of the students contrasted greatly with the color of her own smoky-blue robe into which she had changed during the journey. She felt very conspicuous (and very tall) as she waded through the younger crowd. This feeling was not decreased when she heard a loud voice calling, "Firs' years over here! You too, Miz McGonagall!" She turned in the direction of the voice and was startled by the sight of an enormous man carrying a tiny lantern. The man was waving at her as if to get her attention.
"That's Hagrid," Harry said from beside her, "He's the gamekeeper here. Apparently you've got to go through the same steps as all the first years, even if you're not a student" The thought seemed to amuse him. "You'd better go with him, all the first years are already on their way. We'll see you up at the castle!"
As Harry, Ron and Hermione walked in the other direction, to a group of carriages, Ember shrugged and followed the lantern light toward the towering man. She noticed that the heads of many students turned to follow her, the stranger in their midst. Hagrid greeted her with a smile and a "Nice to finally meet'cha, Miz McGonagall!" Then he turned and led the way down a hill on a shady path to a lake that separated the group of people from the school building itself. On the lake floated a number of tiny boats, one of which Hagrid climbed into after gesturing to his followers to do the same.
Ember settled into one of the small vessels with a pair of boys and a very small blond girl and wondered just what it was that she was going to have to go through for the privilege of staying at this school. The first years all around her seemed terribly nervous and the thought crossed her mind that maybe they all knew something that she didn't. Once the boats had started moving across the lake, she leaned over to the girl with whom she shared her bench. "Do you know anything about what's in store for us?" she asked.
The girl's face was white as a sheet and her hands were clenched tightly in her lap. She whispered something almost too softly to be heard. Ember thought that it was something along the lines of, ". . . monsters. . ." While she was well aware that every school had its own first-day traditions, Ember seriously doubted that any involved serious danger to the student body. She decided that the best strategy would be patience. She sat quietly and waited until her boat reached an underground harbor and she was able to disembark.
Once everyone was on dry land, Hagrid again began to lead the crowd, this time up to a large door on which he knocked loudly. The door opened slowly and several of the students took a step backwards in anticipation of what might be inside. The blond girl from the boat hid herself behind Ember. The figure inside the door was tall and straight, and had a face that Ember recognized. She was about to greet her aunt enthusiastically when she caught a brief look from the professor that seemed to suggest that they save such things for a later time. Ember guessed that her Aunt Minerva intended to keep a certain sense of mystery around herself. Perhaps it was a tradition to keep the new students unsure and nervous for the beginning of their first night at Hogwarts. That would explain the boats and the underground cavern, in addition to the stern expression on Professor McGonagall's face.
The serious witch in the emerald-green robes led the way to a smallish room where she explained to the group about the House system at Hogwarts. There were four houses in the school; Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, each with its own set of traditions and heritage. Every student in the school was a member of one, and the student's house was as close to his or her family as could be found while at Hogwarts. Ember knew about this system from her reading about the school prior to deciding she wanted to spend time there. She was also aware that her aunt was the head of Gryffindor House, of which her companions on the train were members. Apparently, although not a student, Ember was to be placed in a house for the duration of her stay. The thought appealed to her, and she was glad that she was going to be allowed to interact with the students on a regular basis.
Before long, it was time for the Sorting Ceremony to begin, and Ember and the first year students were led onto a stage in the Great Hall. The hall was full with all of the students who had been on the train, sitting at four long tables. She also noticed what she assumed to be the faculty table, where she recognized Hagrid as well as Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the school. Ember had never met Dumbledore, but had seen his picture in books, newspapers, and trading cards often enough to recognize him on sight. He was smiling widely as he watched the new students file onto the stage. Once they were lined up in front of the crowd, a stool was brought on stage and placed in front of them, onto which was placed a very old and very battered wizard's cap. The first year students were first startled and then enthralled when the hat opened a mouth and began to sing!
As the hat serenaded the crowd with a song about the various Houses in the school and its own duties as the Sorting Cap, Ember scanned the crowd below. She started with the faculty table, where she caught her aunt's eye and received a smile. Hagrid sent a wink Ember's way, and she spent a moment contemplating the rest of the faculty, which seemed a varied bunch. She then examined the students at the long tables and found Harry, Ron and Hermione sitting at one of the tables. Sitting near them were three children with the same bright red hair as Ron, and Ember guessed that these were his siblings.
The Sorting Cap finished its song, and one by one the students on stage were called forward to try on the hat and be placed in a house. The list began with Arbor, Annie, who was placed in Ravenclaw to a burst of applause from the corresponding table. The two boys with whom Ember had shared the boat (Charleston, Randall and Filbert, Gregory) were both sorted into Slytherin. Ember expected to be called in alphabetical order like the rest, but after Matthews, Cara came Nesbit, Mitchell and Ember was left standing on stage until the only she and her blond companion from the boat were left. Finally, Zim, Dara was sent to the Hufflepuff table and Ember was left alone on the stage with all eyes upon her.
At this point, Dumbledore stood and came over to Ember. He shook her hand with a smile and introduced himself. He then turned and addressed the crowd. "I'm sure that all of you are eager to start the banquet, and are therefore eager for me to make my opening remarks and be done with it. However, there is one more point of business that must be taken care of before the Sorting Cap can be taken away." He gestured to Ember, standing beside him, "This is Ember McGonagall, the niece of our own Professor McGonagall. She is a graduate of Wolfshead school in America, and is currently a student at the leading wizard University in the world, UWNN. She will be staying with us this year as she does research for her graduate thesis on, ghosts, I believe?" He turned to Ember for confirmation. At her nod, he continued, "I expect all of you to give her all the assistance that she requires as a new member of our community. Although not a student, we have decided that Ms. McGonagall shall be placed in a house during her stay with us so that she will have the use of a common room and a sense of companionship. Therefore, I ask her now to take a seat on the stool and to place on her head the illustrious Sorting Cap!" Dumbledore led her forward and the room was quiet at Ember smiled shyly at the students and placed the cap on her head.
The cap slid over her eyes and there were a few tense moments before the mouth in it opened and called out loudly the word "Gryffindor!" The Gryffindor table burst into loud applause and Ember saw her aunt smiling proudly. She walked off the stage to where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were waving enthusiastically and took a seat between Hermione and one of the red-haired students that she had noticed earlier. After Dumbledore made his beginning-of-the-year speech and the school song had been performed, the banquet began. Food and drink were plentiful, as was noise. All around Ember were the sounds of friends catching up with each other after a summer's separation. She was introduced to Ron's elder brothers, Fred and George, a pair of identical 7th-years, as well as their younger sister Ginny, a 4th year. She met most of the other Gryffindors, and was pleased to note that they all seemed enthusiastic to have her. She was particularly excited to meet the Gryffindor House ghost, Nearly Headless Nick, with whom she looked forward to having many informative conversations. The banquet wound on well into the night and it was quite late before it was time for Ember to be shown to her bedroom.
To be Continued. . .