Chapter 3
The Sorting Hat
Joseph began to walk up the stairs that lead to the train's compartments. "Which one?" Joseph asked as he and Josh looked into several of the compartments. "I don't know," Josh replied as he pulled open one of the doors to see the compartment empty, "This one." Joseph and Josh walked in, put their luggage in the luggage holders, and sat down with their owls next to each other. "I think I know what to name him," Josh said as he petted his white spotted owl, "how 'bout Woodstock?" "Woodstock isn't that the bird from Peanuts?" Joseph blurted out. "Well he looks like a Woodstock, to me." Josh replied. "Well if you like it you can name it that I think it might be cool, you could change your name to snoopy to and you guys would be the best of pals." "You know what Joseph shut up." Josh extended his hand like he was going to smack Joseph. "So what are you going to name her?" Josh said as he pointed to the dark brown owl that was in a cage sleeping, next to Joseph. "I don't know let me think .... Athena." Responded Joseph. "What does Athena mean?" "Athena she was the Greek Goddess of wisdom and knowledge." "How did you know that?" Josh asked puzzled "I saw it on the discovery channel." Joseph said "Why do you watch the crap look at all the other good shows that are on like on MTV..." Josh was interrupted by a tall, brown haired, boy. "Oh I am sorry I didn't know this compartment was taken," said the boy, and he left before Josh and Joseph could say anything. "Wonder what that was about" said Josh Joseph was about to respond to him when two skinny blond haired girls walked in and asked if they could sit in this compartment, and Josh was only so happy to says yes. Joseph who try many unsuccessfully to restart the converstion he was having with Josh, but Josh was to busy talking to the two girls. And every time Joseph tried to join in the conversation josh would chase him out and bring it back to him. So Joseph get starred out the window watching the scenery go by, the sun that was shining through on him and making him sleepy. He closed his eyes slowly and then...
"Don't kill him he is innocent, I was the one," Joseph was staring at two men, the first man seem to have his wand pointed at someone he could not see and the other man was on the floor looking like he could not walk. "I have waited 17 years for this moment and you will not ruin it," said the man who was standing. "No he doesn't deserve this no one does!" said the man on the ground. "Ah Severus you have gone weak just like Potter here and look at him now." "No Voldimort don't kill him."
"Joseph!" "hua wha..?" Josh was standing over Joseph shaking him awake "You were dreaming Joseph and rather loudly I must add." Said Josh "What time is it?" Joseph asked as if he was in a trance. "I don't know but Emily told me we are going to get to Hogwarts soon." "Emily?" "Oh she is one of the girls that was in here with us they left to get changed into our robs and we should to." Joseph got up and started to change but couldn't get him mind off his dream. "Who were all those people in his dream, he didn't know any of them," he though while he tried to get his robe on correctly. "I know who Harry Potter is and that's only because he was one of the most famous Wizards of all time, and I have heard about some one named Voldimort before but he couldn't remember where." Joseph was suddenly broken out of his deep thoughts by a violent stopping of the train. Josh seemed to have fallen down and was picking him self up as Joseph finished getting ready to debark. As Joseph and Josh started to leave the train they saw the girls that were in the room with them. "You go ahead Joseph," josh said quickly as he hurried off to the girls. Joseph who was use to Joshes strange behavior around girls didn't mind in fact it gave him a chance to think about his strange dream.
"First Years over here." A deep, booming voice yelled. Joseph who had just emerged from the train saw a huge towering man who was wearing a sombrero over his bushy hair. Joseph walked over to him and got in a line with a bunch of other first years to hear their instructions. Joseph saw Josh trying to come over to him shoving several people out of the way to get to him. "Where are the girls at?" Joseph asked with great uninterested "Oh there second years they had to go another way," Josh said as a cocky simile flashed out across his face. "I would have gone with them too but I didn't want to make you feel bad." He added "Well.." Joseph was about to say something when he heard the deep booming voice yell something, "Hello, hola, an' um how do ya say hello in French?," the giant man looked down at the scared first years with a huge smile coming out of his bushy beard. "Wel' any way me name is Hagrid I 'm the grounds keeper at 'ogwarts an' I like to o'fical welcome to tiss grand establishment now everyone get into these boats and we can cross the lake." Joseph and Josh got into the closest boat, which had two more people in it. One of who was the boy who had accidentally walked into their compartment and the other a browned skinned boy who looked rather happy considering all the other boys and girls looked like they had died in some horrible accident. As they padded across the lake Josh broke the ice and introduced himself. The others soon followed, the boy who had accidentally walked in their cart was named Benjamie Jefferson Thomas but preferred to be called BJ, and he said he was from the U.S. The other boy's name was Louis Gurrara and he said he came from the U.S. but was born in Mexico. Joseph thought he wanted to people to know that. Josh and Joseph made their introductions too. With in a few minutes of the departure they had arrived. As Joseph got out of the boat it was his first chance to see the school. He starred in awe at the beautiful castle. Its rigged arch walkway was what amazed him the most, but before he could really have a good look they were being shuffle up a set of stone stairs. As they walked up the stairs Joseph could hear a cacophony of talking, and became suddenly nervous. He looked over at Josh to talk to him but Josh wasn't next to him, Joseph looked around and spotted him talking to a small brown eyed girl. So Joseph continued his walk up to the top of the staircase. As they reached the peak of the Stone Mountain a older glasses wearing women appeared and started talking, "Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I am Professor McGonagall," she said as she eyed around the room checking out the new batch of students. "I am personally glad to see so many of you taking place in the International Wizard and witches exchange program," she paused to cough and then continued, "I hope many of you will enjoy your new home for the next year but before I can let you join the feast I must explain how the sorting process works. Now there are Four Houses Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytheren these shall be your family while you stay here at Hogwarts." She droned on for about 5 minutes before she lead them to go into the Great Hall. If Joseph thought that the outside of the school was amazing he was blown away by the inside of the Great Hall. The ceiling had stars in it shine brightly as Joseph walked under them. In the front of the hall was a huge table that Joseph assumed was the teachers' table. Behind the teachers table was many different countries flags, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and the United States. There were many more flags but Joseph's attention was pulled away from the flags and onto a shabby, tattered, old hat. "This is the sorting hat, it will decide what house you shall belong to," Professor McGonagall said as she gestured to the hat. But then as she pointed to the hat it began moving around and started singing
Years ago before your birth
four great wizards began a legacy and now that they are dead it is up to me to me to decide your fate Shall you be a Gryffindor bravest of all people Or is your path a Hufflepuff they work harder then all who try mabe you are a Ravenclaw was a cleverman who like his people smart and wise But you could be Slytherin who will never let anything get in their way But now the decision is mine and it is your fate I shall decide So step on up and face fate it'll only take a second for me to chose.
The Great Hall burst into applause, even Joseph was clapping, he thought the song was bad but never saw a hat sing before so he decided it was pretty good. "That hat gets worse every year." Joseph heard someone say and tried not to laugh to load as to offend the hat. Professor McGonagall, who had stopped clapping by now, pulled out a large scroll and was unrolling it. "Matthew Aaron." She yelled out loud A fairly tall boy emerged from the crowd and walked up to the hat and put it on. "Hufflepuff" the hat yelled. The people at the yellow table started clapping and shouting. "John Barberson" Professor McGonagall continued One by one everybody in the in the crowd was finding them selfs in different houses. "Louis Gurrara" Joseph saw Louis walk up to the Hat and put it on. "Ravenclaw." The hat shouted. Joseph noticed that the two girls that Josh was talking to earlier were sitting at the Gryffindor table, no doubt Josh would want to go to that House. "Joseph Masa." Called Professor McGonagall. Joseph started to move out the crowed that was still waiting to be called. As he started climbing the steps he felt like it was getting harder to move, his arms became like stone and froze to the side of his body. Joseph approached the chair and sat down slow as if he was making sure it was safe to sit down. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on his head and he started to hear a tiny voice in his ear. "Oh, let me see..hum you are difficult to read all right," the voice said. "Ah I can see clearly now you are defiantly a Ravenclaw." The hat shouted across the great hall. Joseph stepped down from the seat and felt relived that it was all over. He quickly rushed over to the Ravenclaw table and sat down next to Louis. Many more names were called but Joseph wasn't paying attention he was too busy talking with a group of second years that were describing many aspects of the school. "Benjamie Thomas," Professor McGonagall called. Joseph turned in time to see BJ putting the hat on, and what seemed like an hour the hat called out "Ravenclaw." Joseph was happy to at least have a few friends in his house, but he wanted Josh to get Ravenclaw too. "Joshua Thompson." Joseph watch anxiously as Josh put the hat on. "Gryffindor." The hat shouted out. "What!!" Joseph thought while he watched Josh walk over to the Gryffindor table. "Well I guess that fits, the hat did say that Ravenclaws where wise and the only wise thing Josh ever did was beat up the school bully in forth grade." Josh sat down next to the second year girls, laughing smiling with them not even a look at Joseph. "Let the feast begin." Said a tall gray haired wizard who sat at the top of the professors' table. Suddenly food appeared on the table, looking very good Joseph did bother to ask someone how or why this happened.
After everyone was done stuffing there faces with food the wizard who started the Feast stood up and started talking, "Hello our over seas guest and welcome to Hogwarts, I am the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore and I'd like to make a few announcements," he flashed a smile that seem to blind everyone in the front rows. "This year we will allow first years to try out for the Quidditch, and all first years through fourth years will be required to take Muggle studies." "Muggle studies?" Joseph thought, "What's a muggle?" "And also this year we will continued the House Challenge, but we will let your heads of houses explain it in more details. And so we begin a new chapter in Wizard history and I wish all of you the best of luck for the next year studies and adventures you are excused." Dumbledore and the rest of the professors got up and started to head out. Joseph who still didn't understand much of anything that just happened got up and started to head towards Josh..but he couldn't see him anywhere. His eyes searched for him but couldn't see hi. "Hey Joseph you come in?" BJ said brightly "Oh ya I was just looking for Josh." Joseph replied as he looked one more time and then started following BJ. The group of Ravenclaw's started walking up a set of stairs that scared Joseph because they kept changing directions. But soon they had arrived a painting of an old man who was holding a huge stick. "Password please," The old man asked in a wraspy voice. "Civilization," said the boy who was leading the pack. The painting swung open to revel a huge blue brick covered room with many sets and chairs all around. There was a fireplace on the right wall and two staircases leading on either side of the fireplace. "Girls on the left, boys on the right." Said the Head boy who was giving a tour of the Ravenclaw common room. After the tour all the first years headed up to their room to start unpacking. Joseph, BJ and Louis all chose bed next to each other and began to unpack.
Joseph began to walk up the stairs that lead to the train's compartments. "Which one?" Joseph asked as he and Josh looked into several of the compartments. "I don't know," Josh replied as he pulled open one of the doors to see the compartment empty, "This one." Joseph and Josh walked in, put their luggage in the luggage holders, and sat down with their owls next to each other. "I think I know what to name him," Josh said as he petted his white spotted owl, "how 'bout Woodstock?" "Woodstock isn't that the bird from Peanuts?" Joseph blurted out. "Well he looks like a Woodstock, to me." Josh replied. "Well if you like it you can name it that I think it might be cool, you could change your name to snoopy to and you guys would be the best of pals." "You know what Joseph shut up." Josh extended his hand like he was going to smack Joseph. "So what are you going to name her?" Josh said as he pointed to the dark brown owl that was in a cage sleeping, next to Joseph. "I don't know let me think .... Athena." Responded Joseph. "What does Athena mean?" "Athena she was the Greek Goddess of wisdom and knowledge." "How did you know that?" Josh asked puzzled "I saw it on the discovery channel." Joseph said "Why do you watch the crap look at all the other good shows that are on like on MTV..." Josh was interrupted by a tall, brown haired, boy. "Oh I am sorry I didn't know this compartment was taken," said the boy, and he left before Josh and Joseph could say anything. "Wonder what that was about" said Josh Joseph was about to respond to him when two skinny blond haired girls walked in and asked if they could sit in this compartment, and Josh was only so happy to says yes. Joseph who try many unsuccessfully to restart the converstion he was having with Josh, but Josh was to busy talking to the two girls. And every time Joseph tried to join in the conversation josh would chase him out and bring it back to him. So Joseph get starred out the window watching the scenery go by, the sun that was shining through on him and making him sleepy. He closed his eyes slowly and then...
"Don't kill him he is innocent, I was the one," Joseph was staring at two men, the first man seem to have his wand pointed at someone he could not see and the other man was on the floor looking like he could not walk. "I have waited 17 years for this moment and you will not ruin it," said the man who was standing. "No he doesn't deserve this no one does!" said the man on the ground. "Ah Severus you have gone weak just like Potter here and look at him now." "No Voldimort don't kill him."
"Joseph!" "hua wha..?" Josh was standing over Joseph shaking him awake "You were dreaming Joseph and rather loudly I must add." Said Josh "What time is it?" Joseph asked as if he was in a trance. "I don't know but Emily told me we are going to get to Hogwarts soon." "Emily?" "Oh she is one of the girls that was in here with us they left to get changed into our robs and we should to." Joseph got up and started to change but couldn't get him mind off his dream. "Who were all those people in his dream, he didn't know any of them," he though while he tried to get his robe on correctly. "I know who Harry Potter is and that's only because he was one of the most famous Wizards of all time, and I have heard about some one named Voldimort before but he couldn't remember where." Joseph was suddenly broken out of his deep thoughts by a violent stopping of the train. Josh seemed to have fallen down and was picking him self up as Joseph finished getting ready to debark. As Joseph and Josh started to leave the train they saw the girls that were in the room with them. "You go ahead Joseph," josh said quickly as he hurried off to the girls. Joseph who was use to Joshes strange behavior around girls didn't mind in fact it gave him a chance to think about his strange dream.
"First Years over here." A deep, booming voice yelled. Joseph who had just emerged from the train saw a huge towering man who was wearing a sombrero over his bushy hair. Joseph walked over to him and got in a line with a bunch of other first years to hear their instructions. Joseph saw Josh trying to come over to him shoving several people out of the way to get to him. "Where are the girls at?" Joseph asked with great uninterested "Oh there second years they had to go another way," Josh said as a cocky simile flashed out across his face. "I would have gone with them too but I didn't want to make you feel bad." He added "Well.." Joseph was about to say something when he heard the deep booming voice yell something, "Hello, hola, an' um how do ya say hello in French?," the giant man looked down at the scared first years with a huge smile coming out of his bushy beard. "Wel' any way me name is Hagrid I 'm the grounds keeper at 'ogwarts an' I like to o'fical welcome to tiss grand establishment now everyone get into these boats and we can cross the lake." Joseph and Josh got into the closest boat, which had two more people in it. One of who was the boy who had accidentally walked into their compartment and the other a browned skinned boy who looked rather happy considering all the other boys and girls looked like they had died in some horrible accident. As they padded across the lake Josh broke the ice and introduced himself. The others soon followed, the boy who had accidentally walked in their cart was named Benjamie Jefferson Thomas but preferred to be called BJ, and he said he was from the U.S. The other boy's name was Louis Gurrara and he said he came from the U.S. but was born in Mexico. Joseph thought he wanted to people to know that. Josh and Joseph made their introductions too. With in a few minutes of the departure they had arrived. As Joseph got out of the boat it was his first chance to see the school. He starred in awe at the beautiful castle. Its rigged arch walkway was what amazed him the most, but before he could really have a good look they were being shuffle up a set of stone stairs. As they walked up the stairs Joseph could hear a cacophony of talking, and became suddenly nervous. He looked over at Josh to talk to him but Josh wasn't next to him, Joseph looked around and spotted him talking to a small brown eyed girl. So Joseph continued his walk up to the top of the staircase. As they reached the peak of the Stone Mountain a older glasses wearing women appeared and started talking, "Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I am Professor McGonagall," she said as she eyed around the room checking out the new batch of students. "I am personally glad to see so many of you taking place in the International Wizard and witches exchange program," she paused to cough and then continued, "I hope many of you will enjoy your new home for the next year but before I can let you join the feast I must explain how the sorting process works. Now there are Four Houses Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytheren these shall be your family while you stay here at Hogwarts." She droned on for about 5 minutes before she lead them to go into the Great Hall. If Joseph thought that the outside of the school was amazing he was blown away by the inside of the Great Hall. The ceiling had stars in it shine brightly as Joseph walked under them. In the front of the hall was a huge table that Joseph assumed was the teachers' table. Behind the teachers table was many different countries flags, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and the United States. There were many more flags but Joseph's attention was pulled away from the flags and onto a shabby, tattered, old hat. "This is the sorting hat, it will decide what house you shall belong to," Professor McGonagall said as she gestured to the hat. But then as she pointed to the hat it began moving around and started singing
Years ago before your birth
four great wizards began a legacy and now that they are dead it is up to me to me to decide your fate Shall you be a Gryffindor bravest of all people Or is your path a Hufflepuff they work harder then all who try mabe you are a Ravenclaw was a cleverman who like his people smart and wise But you could be Slytherin who will never let anything get in their way But now the decision is mine and it is your fate I shall decide So step on up and face fate it'll only take a second for me to chose.
The Great Hall burst into applause, even Joseph was clapping, he thought the song was bad but never saw a hat sing before so he decided it was pretty good. "That hat gets worse every year." Joseph heard someone say and tried not to laugh to load as to offend the hat. Professor McGonagall, who had stopped clapping by now, pulled out a large scroll and was unrolling it. "Matthew Aaron." She yelled out loud A fairly tall boy emerged from the crowd and walked up to the hat and put it on. "Hufflepuff" the hat yelled. The people at the yellow table started clapping and shouting. "John Barberson" Professor McGonagall continued One by one everybody in the in the crowd was finding them selfs in different houses. "Louis Gurrara" Joseph saw Louis walk up to the Hat and put it on. "Ravenclaw." The hat shouted. Joseph noticed that the two girls that Josh was talking to earlier were sitting at the Gryffindor table, no doubt Josh would want to go to that House. "Joseph Masa." Called Professor McGonagall. Joseph started to move out the crowed that was still waiting to be called. As he started climbing the steps he felt like it was getting harder to move, his arms became like stone and froze to the side of his body. Joseph approached the chair and sat down slow as if he was making sure it was safe to sit down. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on his head and he started to hear a tiny voice in his ear. "Oh, let me see..hum you are difficult to read all right," the voice said. "Ah I can see clearly now you are defiantly a Ravenclaw." The hat shouted across the great hall. Joseph stepped down from the seat and felt relived that it was all over. He quickly rushed over to the Ravenclaw table and sat down next to Louis. Many more names were called but Joseph wasn't paying attention he was too busy talking with a group of second years that were describing many aspects of the school. "Benjamie Thomas," Professor McGonagall called. Joseph turned in time to see BJ putting the hat on, and what seemed like an hour the hat called out "Ravenclaw." Joseph was happy to at least have a few friends in his house, but he wanted Josh to get Ravenclaw too. "Joshua Thompson." Joseph watch anxiously as Josh put the hat on. "Gryffindor." The hat shouted out. "What!!" Joseph thought while he watched Josh walk over to the Gryffindor table. "Well I guess that fits, the hat did say that Ravenclaws where wise and the only wise thing Josh ever did was beat up the school bully in forth grade." Josh sat down next to the second year girls, laughing smiling with them not even a look at Joseph. "Let the feast begin." Said a tall gray haired wizard who sat at the top of the professors' table. Suddenly food appeared on the table, looking very good Joseph did bother to ask someone how or why this happened.
After everyone was done stuffing there faces with food the wizard who started the Feast stood up and started talking, "Hello our over seas guest and welcome to Hogwarts, I am the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore and I'd like to make a few announcements," he flashed a smile that seem to blind everyone in the front rows. "This year we will allow first years to try out for the Quidditch, and all first years through fourth years will be required to take Muggle studies." "Muggle studies?" Joseph thought, "What's a muggle?" "And also this year we will continued the House Challenge, but we will let your heads of houses explain it in more details. And so we begin a new chapter in Wizard history and I wish all of you the best of luck for the next year studies and adventures you are excused." Dumbledore and the rest of the professors got up and started to head out. Joseph who still didn't understand much of anything that just happened got up and started to head towards Josh..but he couldn't see him anywhere. His eyes searched for him but couldn't see hi. "Hey Joseph you come in?" BJ said brightly "Oh ya I was just looking for Josh." Joseph replied as he looked one more time and then started following BJ. The group of Ravenclaw's started walking up a set of stairs that scared Joseph because they kept changing directions. But soon they had arrived a painting of an old man who was holding a huge stick. "Password please," The old man asked in a wraspy voice. "Civilization," said the boy who was leading the pack. The painting swung open to revel a huge blue brick covered room with many sets and chairs all around. There was a fireplace on the right wall and two staircases leading on either side of the fireplace. "Girls on the left, boys on the right." Said the Head boy who was giving a tour of the Ravenclaw common room. After the tour all the first years headed up to their room to start unpacking. Joseph, BJ and Louis all chose bed next to each other and began to unpack.