Night silently crept into the train about an hour before they reached the
station. Elizabeth left the boys so she could change into her school robes.
They were very plain compared to the older student's. She wore the same
pleated gray skirt, and black robe, but instead of the brightly coloured
ties and ribbed gray jumpers hers were plain black.
The Hogwarts Express pulled into the station as Elizabeth came out of the bathroom. Silently she followed the crowd out onto the platform searching for the boys. A booming voice called out over the noisy students, "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" Looking up toward the voice Elizabeth saw an abnormally large man, who towered above everyone. At his feet, well she guessed they were his feet, was a large group of nervous looking children. Elizabeth shouldered her way to the man and followed just like everyone else did.
He led them to the edge of a large lake where hundreds of little boats were moored. "Righ' everyone, four te a boat. There ye are lass," He sat taking her arm and steering her toward a boat, " Righ' everybody ready? Less go then." He tapped the edge of the boat and they all started of steering themselves to the same direction.
Soon a collective gasp ran through the first years, Elizabeth's head snapped up from the water she was staring at and there in front of her was the most wonderful sight. A large castle loomed ahead with many turrets pointing high into the clear nights sky. The windows shone lights that flickered through the glass, and played on the water of the lake. It was a sight Elizabeth never forgot.
Soon the castle vanished from view as the boats slipped into a cave and gently bumped against the lake edge. The giant, whose name was Hagrid she found out, led them down a passage into a large chamber that was eerily lit by torches burning in brackets against the wall. Hagrid walked up to a door at the end of the chamber and knocked loudly. The door swung open and revealed a short slim witch with bushy hair and big brown eyes.
" All righ' 'Ermione? I brought the fris' years for ye." Hagrid said.
"Thank you Hagrid." She smiled at the giant before turning her attention to the children gathered before her. "Good evening kids, the Sorting Ceremony is about to begin, but first let me tell you a little about the Houses you might be sorted into.
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was founded by four great magical people. Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin. Each prided a different quality from the students they wanted to teach. While you are here at Hogwarts your house will be your second home. You will eat, sleep, socialize, and take classes with your fellow house members. You will be awarded house points for your achievements and good behaviour," Here she looked directly at the Potter and Weasley children, "And penalized for bad behaviour. At the end of the year the house with the most House points will be awarded the House Cup.
Is that all understood? Good then if you'll follow me we'll walk through these doors and into the great hall. There you will line up in single file and wait for your name to be called. Once you have been sorted please join your table at once so we don't clog up the system. Everyone ready? Right then let's go." She turned smartly and headed through the huge oak door she was standing in front of. Silently and nervously the students followed her into the deathly quite Great Hall.
Elizabeth felt very nervous as the multiple eyes of the Great Hall scrutinized her. Which house would she be put in? Would she even be put in a house? What would her family think if she got sorted into Slytherin? What if the sorting hurt?
All these questions and more were running through her head so fast that she was giving herself a headache. The witch that had greeted them came up onto a raised platform, carrying a battered, three-legged stool and a scruffy, old hat. All Eyes in the hall fell on the hat as it opened a rip near the brim and began to sing.
The Hogwarts Express pulled into the station as Elizabeth came out of the bathroom. Silently she followed the crowd out onto the platform searching for the boys. A booming voice called out over the noisy students, "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" Looking up toward the voice Elizabeth saw an abnormally large man, who towered above everyone. At his feet, well she guessed they were his feet, was a large group of nervous looking children. Elizabeth shouldered her way to the man and followed just like everyone else did.
He led them to the edge of a large lake where hundreds of little boats were moored. "Righ' everyone, four te a boat. There ye are lass," He sat taking her arm and steering her toward a boat, " Righ' everybody ready? Less go then." He tapped the edge of the boat and they all started of steering themselves to the same direction.
Soon a collective gasp ran through the first years, Elizabeth's head snapped up from the water she was staring at and there in front of her was the most wonderful sight. A large castle loomed ahead with many turrets pointing high into the clear nights sky. The windows shone lights that flickered through the glass, and played on the water of the lake. It was a sight Elizabeth never forgot.
Soon the castle vanished from view as the boats slipped into a cave and gently bumped against the lake edge. The giant, whose name was Hagrid she found out, led them down a passage into a large chamber that was eerily lit by torches burning in brackets against the wall. Hagrid walked up to a door at the end of the chamber and knocked loudly. The door swung open and revealed a short slim witch with bushy hair and big brown eyes.
" All righ' 'Ermione? I brought the fris' years for ye." Hagrid said.
"Thank you Hagrid." She smiled at the giant before turning her attention to the children gathered before her. "Good evening kids, the Sorting Ceremony is about to begin, but first let me tell you a little about the Houses you might be sorted into.
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was founded by four great magical people. Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin. Each prided a different quality from the students they wanted to teach. While you are here at Hogwarts your house will be your second home. You will eat, sleep, socialize, and take classes with your fellow house members. You will be awarded house points for your achievements and good behaviour," Here she looked directly at the Potter and Weasley children, "And penalized for bad behaviour. At the end of the year the house with the most House points will be awarded the House Cup.
Is that all understood? Good then if you'll follow me we'll walk through these doors and into the great hall. There you will line up in single file and wait for your name to be called. Once you have been sorted please join your table at once so we don't clog up the system. Everyone ready? Right then let's go." She turned smartly and headed through the huge oak door she was standing in front of. Silently and nervously the students followed her into the deathly quite Great Hall.
Elizabeth felt very nervous as the multiple eyes of the Great Hall scrutinized her. Which house would she be put in? Would she even be put in a house? What would her family think if she got sorted into Slytherin? What if the sorting hurt?
All these questions and more were running through her head so fast that she was giving herself a headache. The witch that had greeted them came up onto a raised platform, carrying a battered, three-legged stool and a scruffy, old hat. All Eyes in the hall fell on the hat as it opened a rip near the brim and began to sing.