Chapter 4: The Sorting
As soon as Callie stepped off the train, Hagrid caught her attention.
"Callie!" he yelled. "You'll be coming with me now." Hagrid ushered her in the opposite direction of her friends.
"Good Luck!" Angelina yelled over her shoulder. Callie smiled nervously and waved back to the group. Oliver gave her an encouraging smile before turning his back and walking away.
"You have to travel with the first years since it's your first time at Hogwarts," Hagrid explain cheerfully. "We'll be arriving by boat." Callie nodded. She didn't even ask about her trunk or Commotion. She knew that somehow they would get safely to the school, she trusted Hagrid.
"First years this way!!!" Hagrid bellowed. Soon a group of young children much shorter than Callie had formed a group around Hagrid.
"Follow me." He said simply.
It was beginning to get dark as the students made their way to the small boats. Hagrid handed some of the children lanterns attached to long sticks. He gave one to Callie also. By the time they had been broken down into little groups and situated into their boats, it was quite dark outside. Hagrid positioned himself in boat in front of the others, and they were off. Callie sat next to a little girl with long black hair who seemed quite nervous. None of the other students were talking, so Callie did not attempt to strike up a conversation. All thoughts of speaking left her, when Hogwarts castle came into view. It was magnificent! It was an old English castle dotted with lights. Towers sprung up everywhere, and she could catch glimpses of a wonderful courtyard stationed in the middle.
When they reached the shore, Hagrid carefully climbed out of his boat and spoke.
"Right then. Follow this path into the school and up the stairs. You'll meet Professor McGonagall and she'll tell you what to do… Go on now!" Callie smiled at Hagrid and made her way down the path behind all the first years.
When they reached the second row of white, stone steps with in the school, they stopped in front of an older women wearing long, dark green robes and a pointy, black hat. She tapped her fingers impatiently against the hang railing. When the children were silent, she began.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she began in a somewhat raspy tone. "I am Professor McGonagall. Soon you will be joining your fellow students, but first you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin." When Prf. McGonagall announced the last house name, some of the younger boys and girls smiled and snickered. Callie didn't like the sound of that house, and hoped, even if she did not get placed in Gryffindor, that she was not put in Slytherin.
"If you will make your way into the great call and gather in front of the main table," the Professor moved aside and the students entered the Great Hall. Callie looked up and gasped at the beautiful ceiling that resembled the night sky.
"It's only an enchantment," she heard one of the younger students say. Candles floated gracefully in the air and all the students had their robes and pointy black hats on. As Callie walked by the Gryffindor table the twins winked at her and Lee gave her a thumbs up. She giggled and walked a little faster. She wanted to get this sorting thing over with.
The students congregated around an old stood with a rather worn looking hat sitting on it. While Callie studied it, the hat suddenly broke out into song!
Oh you may not think me 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,
You top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts sorting hat,
And I can top 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…
The hat continued its song, explaining each house and finally, fell silent again on the four-legged stool. Professor McGonagall stood next to the hat and unrolled a piece of parchment paper. She cleared her throat and began reading off names.
"Ackerley, Peter," she said sternly. A small boy with messy brown hair pushed his way through the group. He looked nervously at the hat as the Professor lifted it off the seat. He sat ginergly on the stool and the hat was placed carefully on his head.
"Hmmm…" It began. "A smart one you are… Better be…. RAVENCLAW!" as the hat announced the result, the Ravenclaw table broke into applause and Peter ran toward the table. This procedure continued until only Callie was left. She was beginning to feel a bit foolish standing next to all the shorter children.
"Winnapeg, Callie," Professor McGonagal called. As Callie stepped forward, whispers could be heard coming from all four tables.
"I see you have all noticed that Ms. Winnapeg is not a first year student. She is a transfer from the Cowlings school in the United States." The Professor placed the tattered hat atop Callie's head and stepped aside. 'Gryffindor… Gryffindor.. please….' Callie thought over and over.
"Hmmm…. I see you have you mind made up have you?" The hat said slyly. "I don't you, you are quick witted, Ravenclaw would suite you… no? Well I don't know…. You belong in… GRYFFINDOR!" The Gryffindor table burst into cheers, the loudest being Oliver, Lee, the twins and, Alicia and Angelina. Callie grinned wildly and made her way carefully but swiftly to her house table. She squeezed between Alicia and Angelina who both gave her a hug… at the same time. Callie laughed and held on to their arms. Soon she felt two new sets of arms wrapped around the girls. Fred and George had joined the group hug. With in seconds Oliver and Lee had joined in, and there was a mass of arms and smiles at the Gryffindor table. Yet, the hug was ended and the room quieted when Dumbledore gently clinked his spoon against his glass and calmly cleared his throat.
"Welcome to all our new students. I would like to remind you all that the dark forest is off limits and that leaving your houses after dark is strictly prohibited," he said Fred and George looked at one another and smirked. After McGonagall and Dumbledore made a few more announcements, Dumbledore clapped his hands and a feast appeared in front of the students. Chicken wings, fresh vegetables, potatoes and other wonderful foods appeared on platters, and of course ice cold pumpkin juice was available. The students filled their plates and dug in. Between bites Callie and Angelina chatted.
"Oh, I haven't ridden a broom in ages it seems! I miss it so much!" Callie began.
"Really? Do you happen to play Quidditch?" Angelina asked with a hopeful tone. Callie grinned madly.
"Oh yes! I love the game, I do. I'm a chaser, but I suppose I could be a beater also… I…" Callie was cut off.
"Ollie!" Angelina yelled, and poked the boy sitting a few seats down from her. "Callie here's a Chaser. Isn't that smashing? She can play for Gryffindor!"
Oliver raised an eyebrow and turned his head. "Is that so? Well then, of course we'll have to have her try out, she'll have to be able to score against the best keeper in the school," he said with a smile.
"Oh you mean Bletchley then?" George asked with an innocent look. Oliver punched him in the arm and went back to his meal.
"Ollie thinks he's the best thing to happen to the game of Quidditch," George continued.
"Well, we'll have to see about that then won't we," Callie said with a grin.
