Chapter Three
We were brought back into the entrance hall with Professor McGonagall. I shivered with excitement and nervousness. I knew I'd probably be in Gryffindor because it was, of course, my fantasy, but even so I felt this creepy-crawly feeling up my spine about going up to that chair by myself and having everyone watch me. Sara and Mell couldn't wait. They were jumping up and down.
"Wouldn't it be so cool to be in Slytherin?" I heard Sara say.
"What?" I turned around in disbelief.
"Well, I mean, kind of like a spy-for-the-good or something like that. I could transform them all. A hero in the dark."
"Ok," I turned around, raising an eyebrow, but I had to admit, it sounded cool.
We reached the set of giant doors. Professor McGonagall slowly opened them and the sound of students talking and laughing filled the air. We walked in a single file line. I felt invisible behind Mike, whose red head stood above everyone else's in the first years. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we looked upon the Sorting Hat. It looked so old and disgusting that any Muggle would not want to put it on. But we knew better.
Professor McGonagall took out a list after the usual Sorting Hat song that I remember him singing in the book. It was the strangest sight I've ever seen, seeing a hat sing. She began to read off names in alphabetical order. Sara was of course right in the beginning after Hannah Abbott.
"Sara Brandt," McGonagall called. Sara nearly ran over to the stool where the hat was and jammed it on her head. The hat spoke out loud. I could see Sara whispering, "Slytherin, Slytherin."
"Slytherin?" the hat asked, "No, I don't think so. Hmm, there are plenty of brains, yes, and a thirst for real adventure. Well, I should say GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted to the crowd. The table on the left cheered. Sara ran off gleefully. It went down the line. We saw Draco Malfoy being sorted and of course the hat said Slytherin before it touched his head. Go figure. Hermione Granger ran up like Sara had and grabbed the hat, nearly knocking over the stool in the process. Of course, Gryffindor. So were Harry and Seamus and Dean. All the usual.
"Mell Scalzi?" Professor McGonagall said.
"All right!" Mell pushed through the crowd from behind me, "I'll see you guys in Gryffindor!" she ran up to the stool and jammed the hat on her head.
"Hmm," the hat began right away, "plenty of personality I see."
"Gryffindor, Gryffindor," she whispered fiercely.
"Gryffindor? Well, that seems likely. You seem quite full of courageous spirit I'd say. Hmm, well, I'll put you in-GRYFFINDOR!" the hat roared.
"YEEEHHAAWWW!" Mell whooped and ran off to join Sara. Mike was next.
He walked up when his name was called and put the hat on his head, trying to look cool. The hat went off again.
"Well, what to do with you? You seem brave, yet looks can be deceiving. Very kind at heart and seemingly strong. Hmm, well, why not? GRYFFINDOR!"
I watched Mike walk dizzily over to the table on the left. I started shaking myself. All my friends were there, what if I didn't get there? A few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws went up.
"Ann Victor," came the call. I walked over; feeling just as dizzy as Mike looked. Sitting on the stool, I placed the hat on my head. It was so large that it drooped over my eyes. I jumped as it started.
"Well, Miss Ann, where to put you? There's a thirst to prove yourself, yes, and a quiet, yet generous heart. A quick mind and good on your feet. Hmm, yes, definitely GRYFFINDOR!" I gasped with relief as the Gryffindor table burst with applause. I collapsed next to Mike, who gave me a high-five. I took deep breaths as they finished the sorting.
According to my thoughts, everyone was sorted and the feast began. The most amazing thing was when the food magically appeared on the tables. It was the coolest thing I've ever seen and the most delicious. There was everything from corn to nuts on the tables. I looked up at the teachers' table. I saw Snape, sitting there, talking with, oh, jeez, Professor Quirrel. I gazed in horror at Quirrel. All of a sudden, he looked straight at me and a flash of fear struck me.
"What's the matter, Ann?" Mike asked. "N-nothing."
I looked back at the teacher's table, passing over McGonagall and Hagrid, looking at Madame Hooch and Professor Sprout. Finally, I got to an old man with a long white beard that could be tucked into his belt, as well as long white hair down his back. He wore long, billowing robes and a pointed hat. Dumbledore. Even looking at him gave me a sense of awe that I couldn't shake away, like I could for Quirrel. He seemed so energetic and life-like for an old man like that and so powerful. When the dessert came, we were all in hog heaven. Cubes of every shape and size of every kind of ice cream you could possibly imagine were spread out along the table. I ate as much as my stomach could hold and then leaned forward, putting my head in my arms, feeling suddenly quite tired and sleepy. Dumbledore made quite a few announcements, including the one about not being allowed to into the Forbidden Forest. I glanced down the row at two redheads who were grinning suspiciously.
"And now, after we've filled ourselves to our heart's content, it is time for bed. Off you go now!" Dumbledore smiled with twinkling eyes at us all and sent us out. A boy with red hair I guessed was Percy Weasley led us along towards the Gryffindor entrance. Along hallways and through tapestries and up staircases we went, trudging along and dragging our tired feet. Finally, we reached the big painting of the Fat Lady, dressed in a frilly pink dress.
"Password?" she asked politely.
"Chocolate Frog," Percy said and the painting swung open to reveal the common room. It looked so welcoming and cozy with its roaring fire and shelves of books and several large comfy chairs.
"Boys, your dormitories are on the left, girls, on your right. Off to bed. Your things have already been brought up for you."
Sara, Mell, and I shared a room with Hermione and Lavender and Parvati. When we walked in, I gave a sigh of relief and happiness. In a circle, there were six big beds with long scarlet curtains and scarlet cushions. I rushed over and jumped on one. Quickly putting on my nightgown that lay on my sheets, I slipped into a very deep sleep.
We were brought back into the entrance hall with Professor McGonagall. I shivered with excitement and nervousness. I knew I'd probably be in Gryffindor because it was, of course, my fantasy, but even so I felt this creepy-crawly feeling up my spine about going up to that chair by myself and having everyone watch me. Sara and Mell couldn't wait. They were jumping up and down.
"Wouldn't it be so cool to be in Slytherin?" I heard Sara say.
"What?" I turned around in disbelief.
"Well, I mean, kind of like a spy-for-the-good or something like that. I could transform them all. A hero in the dark."
"Ok," I turned around, raising an eyebrow, but I had to admit, it sounded cool.
We reached the set of giant doors. Professor McGonagall slowly opened them and the sound of students talking and laughing filled the air. We walked in a single file line. I felt invisible behind Mike, whose red head stood above everyone else's in the first years. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we looked upon the Sorting Hat. It looked so old and disgusting that any Muggle would not want to put it on. But we knew better.
Professor McGonagall took out a list after the usual Sorting Hat song that I remember him singing in the book. It was the strangest sight I've ever seen, seeing a hat sing. She began to read off names in alphabetical order. Sara was of course right in the beginning after Hannah Abbott.
"Sara Brandt," McGonagall called. Sara nearly ran over to the stool where the hat was and jammed it on her head. The hat spoke out loud. I could see Sara whispering, "Slytherin, Slytherin."
"Slytherin?" the hat asked, "No, I don't think so. Hmm, there are plenty of brains, yes, and a thirst for real adventure. Well, I should say GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted to the crowd. The table on the left cheered. Sara ran off gleefully. It went down the line. We saw Draco Malfoy being sorted and of course the hat said Slytherin before it touched his head. Go figure. Hermione Granger ran up like Sara had and grabbed the hat, nearly knocking over the stool in the process. Of course, Gryffindor. So were Harry and Seamus and Dean. All the usual.
"Mell Scalzi?" Professor McGonagall said.
"All right!" Mell pushed through the crowd from behind me, "I'll see you guys in Gryffindor!" she ran up to the stool and jammed the hat on her head.
"Hmm," the hat began right away, "plenty of personality I see."
"Gryffindor, Gryffindor," she whispered fiercely.
"Gryffindor? Well, that seems likely. You seem quite full of courageous spirit I'd say. Hmm, well, I'll put you in-GRYFFINDOR!" the hat roared.
"YEEEHHAAWWW!" Mell whooped and ran off to join Sara. Mike was next.
He walked up when his name was called and put the hat on his head, trying to look cool. The hat went off again.
"Well, what to do with you? You seem brave, yet looks can be deceiving. Very kind at heart and seemingly strong. Hmm, well, why not? GRYFFINDOR!"
I watched Mike walk dizzily over to the table on the left. I started shaking myself. All my friends were there, what if I didn't get there? A few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws went up.
"Ann Victor," came the call. I walked over; feeling just as dizzy as Mike looked. Sitting on the stool, I placed the hat on my head. It was so large that it drooped over my eyes. I jumped as it started.
"Well, Miss Ann, where to put you? There's a thirst to prove yourself, yes, and a quiet, yet generous heart. A quick mind and good on your feet. Hmm, yes, definitely GRYFFINDOR!" I gasped with relief as the Gryffindor table burst with applause. I collapsed next to Mike, who gave me a high-five. I took deep breaths as they finished the sorting.
According to my thoughts, everyone was sorted and the feast began. The most amazing thing was when the food magically appeared on the tables. It was the coolest thing I've ever seen and the most delicious. There was everything from corn to nuts on the tables. I looked up at the teachers' table. I saw Snape, sitting there, talking with, oh, jeez, Professor Quirrel. I gazed in horror at Quirrel. All of a sudden, he looked straight at me and a flash of fear struck me.
"What's the matter, Ann?" Mike asked. "N-nothing."
I looked back at the teacher's table, passing over McGonagall and Hagrid, looking at Madame Hooch and Professor Sprout. Finally, I got to an old man with a long white beard that could be tucked into his belt, as well as long white hair down his back. He wore long, billowing robes and a pointed hat. Dumbledore. Even looking at him gave me a sense of awe that I couldn't shake away, like I could for Quirrel. He seemed so energetic and life-like for an old man like that and so powerful. When the dessert came, we were all in hog heaven. Cubes of every shape and size of every kind of ice cream you could possibly imagine were spread out along the table. I ate as much as my stomach could hold and then leaned forward, putting my head in my arms, feeling suddenly quite tired and sleepy. Dumbledore made quite a few announcements, including the one about not being allowed to into the Forbidden Forest. I glanced down the row at two redheads who were grinning suspiciously.
"And now, after we've filled ourselves to our heart's content, it is time for bed. Off you go now!" Dumbledore smiled with twinkling eyes at us all and sent us out. A boy with red hair I guessed was Percy Weasley led us along towards the Gryffindor entrance. Along hallways and through tapestries and up staircases we went, trudging along and dragging our tired feet. Finally, we reached the big painting of the Fat Lady, dressed in a frilly pink dress.
"Password?" she asked politely.
"Chocolate Frog," Percy said and the painting swung open to reveal the common room. It looked so welcoming and cozy with its roaring fire and shelves of books and several large comfy chairs.
"Boys, your dormitories are on the left, girls, on your right. Off to bed. Your things have already been brought up for you."
Sara, Mell, and I shared a room with Hermione and Lavender and Parvati. When we walked in, I gave a sigh of relief and happiness. In a circle, there were six big beds with long scarlet curtains and scarlet cushions. I rushed over and jumped on one. Quickly putting on my nightgown that lay on my sheets, I slipped into a very deep sleep.