2. The Sorting Ceremony


Minerva felt quite tense, as she followed the gamekeeper to the lake. She and her classmates were to go across it in small boats. But then, she hadn't to complain, it was a quite sunny day and she wouldn't have liked the journey under rain, or storm. "Do First Years also have to, when there's a storm?", she asked herself... But then she put the thought out of her mind, because she had to find a place where there were no future Slytherins. She didn't think she could bear them again, since they were still laughing at her from the group they formed apart from the others... She was sure they would all be in Slytherin, and would all enjoy it. Though the others seemed all right... Well, quite terrified, but nice, really. She climbed on a boat with two others, and as she almost stumbled, she heard some laugh in the distance. Ignore them, she thought. Just ignore them.

Then one of the two other students spoke:
"They don't seem very friendly, do they?
-No, my brother told me some years the Slytherins were particularly err... the way they are, and then they found themselves in the train and began annoying everyone already before the Sorting, answered a girl,
-You've got a brother here, so you must know a lot of things about the school already? Minerva asked
-Well a bit, but really not much, I can swear you... By the way, I'm Milane Moody. Alastor, it's my brother, is in 7th year, so we won't be often together I suppose. And then he will leave at the end of the year...
-I'm Minerva McGonagall, she said, still intending not to be sick as the boat kept driving them toward the castle,
-And I'm Dedalus Diggle, said the boy"

The remained silent for the rest of the journey, because they were really trying whole of them not to be sick, what wasn't easy since their state of stress didn't help them. When they finally reached the castle, they joined those who had been behind them and followed, noticing that nobody was in any way finer as they felt. Minerva looked at the old teacher waiting for them all to arrive. He had pepper-grey hair and seemed for the moment greatly annoyed about something. Then he finally spoke:
"You'll wait here until the Sorting Ceremony. I suppose you feel just as queasy as I was on my first day, so I'm sorry to have to let you here for some time, but the Headmaster still isn't there, so we have to wait. I'll go and see what's happening, and then I come as soon as possible"
Quite hard to think this man had a day been on his first day at Hogwarts, AND queasy, but then, he seemed quite friendly and welcoming. Minerva wanted to share her thoughts with Milane, just at her right, but it seemed she really couldn't speak, 'cause her throat was something like unable to move, so she remained silent. Soon she noticed all the First Years packed here were certainly in the same state, because none of them said anything and they just stares strangely at each other, as if hoping not to find this same fear in there eyes, as if just wanting someone to make a joke, or something to happen, because they needed it more than anything else. Minerva began to wonder in which house she could possibly be. She had always been a hard-worker, so perhaps Ravenclaw. But then she knew you could generally not know it before the Sorting Hat decided... But still, Gryf-

She was interrupted by some wave of fear, as a coloured ghost came through the wall:
"So those are the firsties!! D'you know what? The Headmaster won't come, 'cause the Sorting Hat doesn't want to sort you..." He laughed cruelly "I have upset that old stupid hat, d'you know? Ha... Told him he didn't realise how ridiculous he was with his songs...-
-Really pleased to know that Peeves, said a voice behind him.
-Oh, Professor, you...
-Yes, me, Peeves. Now move ahead, please"

The friendly-looking man gave the First Years a smile and told them not to worry, and he conduced them to the great Hall, where the Sorting Hat had finally accepted to fulfil his duties, and began to song. As long as the Hat was singing, Minerva could hardly think to anything else, because seeing an old, very old hat singing is not a daily experience, is it? ... But then as the student began to be sorted, she couldn't help wondering... Really in Gryffindor she could be with that boy of the train, which seemed more than okay... She heard it was "Diggle Dedalus", D... She still had until M... Or had they put her name on G? What if she just begged the Hat to put her in Gryffindor? But he probably wouldn't want, and perhaps he was still angry because of that ghost they had seen, so that he wouldn't put her where she wanted, on purpose, just to annoy her... G was already passed, so she was at M... Anyway she was being stupid, what told her that boy would be a friend, he was appreciated and Head Boy and all, and a 7th year, she was being stupid, he wouldn't-
"McGonagall Minerva"
She went to the sorting hat, a bit shaking, and then took it and put it on her head. She hadn't noticed it was too big for everyone and thought she must look really stupid with a hat covering her face until her nose...

Then she heard a small voice "You're a hard worker, aren't you?
-I knew that, she thought, I'm going to be in Ravenclaw, shouldn't have hoped-
-You don't want Ravenclaw?" She startled... So this hat could really read thoughts!!!
"Yea of course I can... And you want to be a Gryffindor? ... Well... So then, you really have loyalty, and bravery, and I think befriend Albus will help you on the way to grow up... Yes, that would be good
-How do you know about Albus? she thought
-Well I can read thoughts, can't I? And I can tell you you'll become friends, despite all that you're scared of... Oh, and just one thing: I'm too big for everybody so stop thinking you're ridiculous. So... GRYFFINDOR"
He had said that aloud. "THANKS", she thought very strong, and putting the out off, she went to Gryffindor Table, where cheers were welcoming her.

She sat next to Albus.
"Well it took him quite a long time with you, he said, as a future Hufflepuff was being sorted, you must be quite a complicated mind, are you?
-Yea I suppose", she grinned.
Then it was Milane's turn, and Minerva cheered with the others as she became a Gryffindor.

The Hogwarts fest was something really fantastic. This evening, as she climbed the stairs behind Albus, toward the Gryffindor Common room, she wondered what had impressed her most. All those teacher at the staff table were in a good place, of course, as teachers had always impressed her quite much, but then, those ghosts, which to her relief were all much more friendly that this Peeves they had seen before, that was something... And the ceiling. Never would she have imagine how great it looked like, The Enchanted Ceiling of the Great Hall was not a simple colour bewitchment; it was really a sky. Only this evening she had understood the enthusiasm of all those things she had read about it! Well, and then there was the food, appearing in her plate, just like that... wow! As they walk and walk again, and as she asked herself how she could possibly found this long way alone the next morning, Milane pointed her all those paintings on the wall... Minerva had not seen much wizarding picture in her life, just the ones her mother had let her, and she was quite impressed by all those people in their frames, whispering as the first years got past them, and staring at the students not unlike the way those last stared at them in exchange! They finally stopped in front of a picture with a smiling pink-dressed woman in it. Albus waited for all the first years to listen to him, and then said "This is the Fat Lady, the password to enter is GREEN UNICORN" at this words the portrait opened "Thanks, he added, if any of you've got a problem, go to a prefect, or to me, we're here to help you". How on earth could a unicorn be green??, she thought...

They all entered the common room and looked after their dormitories. But Minerva saw that others students, from 2d to 7th years, were staying in the Common Room. So she went to Albus, which had let himself in an armchair near the fire.
"Can I sit with you?
-Of course you can, he said, and summoned another armchair next to his one. So, how did you find your first evening?"
In fact, they had been sitting one next to the other during the dinner, but Albus had been talking to his friends, and Minerva, not daring to take part of this conversation, had been chatting with Milane and the two other girls in Gryffindor First year. So she began telling him all what had surprised her, and he was quite happy to explain her all she wanted to know.

After half an hour, most of the student had left the room, tired of this long day, and at least Albus' friends came to him,
"Goodnight Albus, we're going to bed,
-Goodnight, Carola
-Don't you also come?
-No Charles, I'll come later, ok?
-But you should get some sleep, really, he said, and this young miss two, perhaps...
-Don't worry for me, both of you, sleep well, Albus added smiling,
-So, you too, and good first night in your new bed, Minerva
-Thanks"
Charles and Carola left, each to his own dormitory, and Albus stayed smiling quietly to the fire.
"You know what, Minerva, I think he's right and you should get some sleep before your first lesson,
-And you?
-As you see I'm a strong boy, am I not?
-Well, that doesn't mean you don't have to sleep!
-No, I just... Well, Charles is a bit talkative and won't give me some rest until we both fell asleep, so I'll just stay a bit here before, I like to have a little bit of time just for me, on evenings, just to think...
-Well, ok then, goodnight,
-Yea, have some good dreams"

Then she walked to the door that led to the girl's dormitories, and climbed the spiral stairs until she reached one with a "First Years" board hanging on the door. She was exhausted, and all she was able to think as she pulled on night clothes, was that judging by the staircase, she was probably in a tower of the castle... She knew just what Albus felt, and as she climbed in the mauve four poster bed behind which her trunk was, she pulled the curtains on and sat there... just thinking. And soon she fell asleep.