Chapter 4-The Unusual Sorting

Finally, after trying to get the Sorting Hat to talk about what happened (he just wanted to do his job), the sorting started. The Sorting Hat took a while on the first person. The hat seemed to be fighting in his magical brain where he was going to put the person.

Finally, after debating for ten minutes he yelled out, "SLYTHERIN!"

The next person, (Charles Fluet) was also put into Slytherin. As a matter of fact, the first ten people were put into Slytherin. The Headmaster noticed this and went to examine the hat.

"The hat has been hexed!" shouted Dumbledore.

A shock ran through the crowd. Dumbledore walked over to the Prefects that had not sat down left. He was told that the Sorting Hat was found in the Griffyndor common room.

"I would like for all of the already sorted people to step forward." Said Dumbledore.

The ten people emerged from the Slytherin table. Many of them looked rather disturbed by Dumbledore. They all really wanted to eat.

"I will examine the hat carefully, and try to destroy the hex. In the mean time, all of the first years will sit at this table."

Dumbledore pointed his wand behind him and magically appeared a table, just like all the others. It was just like all the other tables, it had golden plates, and golden goblets at each seat.

There was a rustle through the crowd as Dumbledore said, "LET THE FEAST BEGIN!"

As he said this, he called for Professor McGonagall, and a new (woman) teacher that Harry thought he had never seen before, but she looked oddly familiar. She had a wild sneer on her face, and she had long light-blonde flowing hair.

"This, students, is your new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Narcissa Malfoy."

"She must have been the one that hexed the hat!" Yelled Ron.

"Ron, Dumbledore trusts her, so we should too, and plus she seems to be willing to help not deceive." Said Hermione.

"I don't care Hermione," said Harry, "she's bound to hate us, so I hate her too. She's a Malfoy, remember?! It's in her nature to hate us!"

It was true that Narcissa Malfoy was bound to hate them, for she was Draco Malfoy's mom. But again, Dumbledore trusted her enough to let her be a teacher, so Harry trusted she was there to help, not harm.

After they left the Great Hall, food arose out of nowhere onto their platters and plates. The Goblets filled with Pumpkin Juice, and there was enough food for all. There was Ham, Turkey, wonderful Puddings, and other beautiful deserts. After the shock of all the food appearing, all of them dug in.

"Pass me the Pumpkin Pasties, Hermione." Spat Ron with a mouthful of Turkey.

Everyone ate until they could eat no more. It was easily eleven o'clock until they were done eating, since they started around ten. This was definitely a different sorting ceremony than normal. Often Harry would think back to his own sorting, and how the Sorting Hat took a while to decide which house to put him in. Luckily he was put into Griffyndor and he made many new friends.

One person that Harry made friends with was Cho Chang, a Ravenclaw student in her sixth year. She played the wizarding game Quidditch, a sport that Harry loved. She was a seeker, just as Harry was. Harry really like Cho Chang, and last year he asked her to the Yule Ball, a dance that Hogwarts hosted. Sadly, she was already going with Cedric Diggory, who died later that year.

After the plates were taken away and wiped clean, Albus Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall walked back in with the hat.

"We have found the problem and corrected it. Would all of the first years please come up here so the sorting may begin!" said Dumbledore. "Actually, how about we teach the first years the Hogwarts school song."

When he said this he leaned over to the Headmistress and said, "I love this song!" in a very excited tone.

She responded saying, very dully, "I hate this song."

"All students that know the song, sing along please!" said Dumbledore.

An exasperated sound rolled through the crowd of students as they all stood up and took in deep breaths.

"Why does he make us do this every year!" Said Harry sounding very appalled by Dumbledore.

Then, out of nowhere, music started playing and the students started singing the Hogwarts school song:

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

whether we be old and bald

or young with scabby knees,

our heads could do with filling

with some interesting stuff,

for now they're bare and full of air,

dead flies and bits of fluff,

so teach us things worth knowing,

bring back what we've forgot,

just do your best, we'll do the rest,

and learn until our brains all rot.

As they were singing, like always, everyone had a different tune and you could not pick out one particular word. Harry sung in a very low sad voice, as Ron was jumping up and down singing, with no particular beat. As always, Dumbledore was singing very cheerfully and swaying, trying to get the teachers to do the same.

"And now, without any further ado," when he said this he leaned further away from the teachers and said in a quieter tone "and since the teachers think you should go to bed soon," he leaned back and talked in a normal voice again, "LET THE SORTING BEGIN!"

The first person to be re-sorted was Charles Fluet. He was a blonde haired boy, and was kind of lanky. He reminded Harry of himself. He was sorted into Griffyndor, and there was a loud applause from the Griffyndor table when he sat down.

The next person to be sorted was Jennifer Tabb, and she was quickly put into Ravenclaw. Harry glanced over to her table as she sat down, and caught a glimpse of Cho. Oh, how beautiful she was with the moon from the enchanted ceiling behind her.

The next boy (Keon Macey) was sorted into Slytherin. He had a very happy smile on his face as he ran over. He shook hands with Draco Malfoy, and then took a seat next to one of Draco's best friends, Goyle.

Goyle was one of Draco's friends since the first year. He served as a bodyguard for Draco, along with Draco's other friend, Crabbe. They all took much pride in picking on Hermione, Harry, and Ron as much as they possible could. By the time they sorting was over, Griffyndor had 10 more students.

Colin Creevy took pride in greeting all of the new students, and while he was doing this he liked to show them all to Harry. By the time they were dismissed from the great hall, it was 11:45 and all of them were very eager to get to bed.

As they made their way up to the Griffyndor common room, Hermione warned all the new students about the trick steps and changing staircases, just as Percy had done in their first year. She told them all the password (Caput Draconis) and they all walked inside.

Harry, Ron, and two other boys in his dorm (Seamus Finnigan and Neville Longbottom) all walked up the steps to the boy's dorm. They found their trunks already there, and put them right below their beds.

Then Harry went downstairs, showered, got dressed, got into his four-poster bead and quickly fell asleep.