Chapter Two
The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and my first thought was that this was not someone to cross. Sorry Professor, I believe you'll be yelling at me for a good portion of the year.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit a whole house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing us led to the upper floors.
We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. I could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from the doorway to the right - where the rest of the school must already be - but Professor McGonagall showed us, the first years, into a small, empty chamber off the hall. We crowded in, standing rather close together than we would usually have done, peering about nervously. Even I was a bit scared, even though I knew what was coming. I was scared of which house we would each be put in. Would we all be put in the same? Did anyone know where we came from? No time to think about it.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall told us all. "The start-of- term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. I saw Harry try and flatten his hair. Her eyes then fell on Lisa and Laura, and then on me. They remained on me for more time then I felt comfortable with, and I looked away.
"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."
She left the chamber. I swallowed hard. What had she been thinking when she was looking at me? Did she know something? "Well," I heard Lisa suddenly whisper on my right, "I suppose we should just leave now, save our houses some points." I stifled a laugh. It was good to know that Lisa wasn't completely hopeless yet.
"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" I heard Harry ask Ron from in front of us.
"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."
The three of us looked at each other and fought back laughter. I looked around and noticed that everyone looked terrified. I could only imagine how I looked. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. I tried not to listen to her, because no matter how many times you read the books, you won't learn any more than two spells. I knew we wouldn't need the spells, not yet anyway, but I was rather embarrassed.
If I remember correctly, the only other time that I was as nervous as I was then was at the battle of Helm's Deep. Nothing will ever top that. I decided, instead of looking at my friends, to focus my gaze on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and possibly lead me to my doom. What would happen if I were put into some house like Slytherin? Granted, the odds of this happening were slim to none, but still. . .
Then something happened that made me jump about a foot in the air - several people behind me screamed. As a matter-of-fact I believe I might have screamed as well, but I can't be sure.
"What the - ?" I heard many people begin, Lisa being one of them.
Many people around us gasped. We didn't, naturally. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at us first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance - " I recognized him as the Fat Friar of Hufflepuff house.
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?"
A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed us. I knew this was Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, or Nearly Headless Nick, of Gryffindor house.
Nobody answered, not even Lisa who is usually highly outspoken, in case you haven't noticed.
"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"
A few people nodded mutely, me being one of them.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."
"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.
"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told us, "and follow me."
Feeling oddly as though my legs had turned to lead, which I'm sure many people felt, I got into line behind Lisa and Laura, and we walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.
It was even more amazing than I had imagined it. Thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting, lighted it. The tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led us up here, so that we came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind us. That was a comfortable situation. The hundreds of faces staring at us looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. "I feel like I'm back at the Dead Marshes," I heard Laura get up the gumption to whisper. My hands were shaking again. To avoid all the staring eyes, and out of curiosity, I looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. I heard Hermione whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts a History."
It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.
Can't wait for a rainy day, I thought sarcastically.
I quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four- legged stool in front of us. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. I couldn't think of anyone who would let such a thing in their house. Certainly not my mom.
I stopped my train of thought right there. The thought of my mom made me homesick.
Noticing that everyone else in the hall was now staring at the hat, I stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:
"Oh you may not think I'm 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, Your top hats sleek and tall, For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat And I can cap 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. You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart; You might belong in Hufflepuff Where they are just and loyal, Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid of toil; Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, If you've a ready mind, Where those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind; Or perhaps in Slytherin You'll make your real friends, Those cunning folk use any means To achieve their ends. So put me on! Don't be afraid! And don't get in a flap! You're in safe hands (though I have none) For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. Even a few of us first years joined in. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.
"So we've just got to try on the hat!" I heard Ron, who was quite close, whisper to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."
I smiled. I supposed trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, after all, I didn't want to make a fool of myself when I was the only American in the school, according to everyone else (Lisa and Laura were still doing their accents).
Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she told us all. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause -
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.
The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. I saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.
"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
The table on the far left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.
"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on our closest left exploded with cheers; I could see Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George, cat-calling.
"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. I can tell you right now, the Slytherins looked like a highly unpleasant lot, and they were. How the events that followed happened I have no idea.
My name was creeping up very fast. I was not only shaking but I now felt sick. Wouldn't it be perfect if I went up there, put on the hat, and barfed? Suddenly, "Caillet, Courtney" was called. My heart skipped a beat, or two, and I reluctantly left Lisa's side and walked up to the stool. I saw everyone staring at me just before the hat fell over my eyes. I sat on the stool and waited.
Suddenly, there was a small voice in my head. "Hmm, difficult. You have courage, yes, and not a bad mind. You want to prove yourself, not only to your classmates but to your friends as well." I awaited the hat's decision. It didn't come quickly. "There's something else here that I can't quite grasp. There's talent, no doubt about that. Experience, hardships. You've been through much. You've known pain to the utmost extremity." Suddenly, something happened that had rarely ever happened before.
FLASH!
I was back at Helm's Deep. My sword was in my hand. My strength. It was the only thing that would keep me alive. So I treated it as such. It sang as it flew through the air slaughtering soldier after soldier. I could no longer tell my friends from my foes. Oh God, what was I doing here? I didn't belong here! Still I kept fighting. Blood covered me, rain was dripping into my eyes. I could smell death all around me, hear pleas of help. Help I could not give. I was alone. Alone. So alone.
FLASH!
I was back in the Great Hall. Oh God, what am I doing here?
"You're here to help," came the hat's small voice in my head again. "You have potential, you can go to greatness. You shall go to greatness. Ah, and I know exactly where to put you to help you on your way." I waited, I wondered, and then. . .
"GRYFFINDOR!"
I breathed deeply in relief. The hat was taken off my head and I walked over to the Gryffindor table, where people were standing and cheering. I shook hands with a few, the Weasleys to begin with, and Lee Jordan. There were others, I believe I shook hands with Oliver Wood as well. I finally sat down and closed my eyes in the deepest relief possible. Suddenly, I was lurched out of my reverie when I heard, "Davis, Laura."
Laura approached the stool, placed the hat on her head, and there was silence for too many seconds. Then, to my horror,
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
The Hufflepuff table applauded, and I saw Cedric shake Laura's hand when she got to the table. She looked over at me and tried to give me reassurance with a smile. It didn't work.
Oh well, there was still Lisa, right?
"Davis, Lisa!" Lisa now approached the stool. Once the hat was on her head, I could see a smile form underneath its rim. I prayed a silent prayer.
Apparently God can't hear you in alternate universes.
"SLYTHERIN!"
I fought back the urge to scream as Lisa gave the hat to the next person and made her way over to the Slytherin table. This wasn't happening, it couldn't be. Not here, not now, not when I needed them.
But of course, Courtney, I heard a little voice inside my head say, of course it's happening now, when you need them. When has anything ever gone the way you wanted it to?
I cursed that little voice.
It was right.
More names were called, but I didn't hear them, I was in too deep a shock.
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" I heard upon coming back into whatever kind of messed up reality I now found myself in. Justin took a seat next to Laura. I envied him.
"Finnigan, Seamus" was declared a Gryffindor.
"Granger, Hermione!"
Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. I saw Ron groan and joined in the applause. Hermione sat down next to me.
"What a relief!" she told me in an exasperated tone of voice and a smile on her face. Relief? What relief? I'm alone! Don't you see that?, I thought.
When Neville Longbottom, still known as the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag." He then sat down across from Hermione and me.
Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got what I knew was his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"
Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.
There weren't many people left now.
"Moon" . . . , "Nott". . . , "Parkinson". . . , then another pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil". . . , then "Perks, Sally-Anne". . . , and then, at last -
"Potter, Harry!"
As I watched Harry step forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.
"Potter, did she say?"
"The Harry Potter?"
After Harry had sat on the stool and put the hat on, it took quite some time for the hat to come to a conclusion. I knew, of course, that Harry was begging not to be put into Slytherin. He was gripping the edge of the stool. Everyone was craning trying to get a good look at him.
Finally the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry took off the hat and walked over to the Gryffindor table, my table. He was getting the loudest cheer yet, naturally. Percy Weasley, Ron's oldest brother and a prefect, shook Harry's hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter!" Harry sat down opposite Nearly Headless Nick, who had chosen a seat next to me during the long period of time it took the hat to place Harry. Nick patted his arm and I could only imagine what it must have felt like.
I looked up at the High Table. Hagrid was sitting at the end nearest to us. I saw him give Harry the thumbs up. Harry grinned back. In the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. I hadn't paid much attention to the cards I had gotten in my chocolate frogs on the train and didn't know if I had one of him or not. No matter, I knew it was him by the long silver hair. It was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. I continued to scan the High Table. I spotted Professor Quirrell. He looked rather peculiar in a large purple turban. I also spotted Professor Flitwick, and then my eyes came across Professor Snape. I looked quickly away, he gave me a sickly feeling.
Now there were only four people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined us at the Gryffindor table. "Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. The hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," not to my amazement.
I clapped loudly with everyone else as Ron collapsed into the chair next to Harry.
"Well done, Ron, excellent," Percy Weasley said pompously across Harry as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.
I looked down at my empty gold plate. I suddenly realized how hungry I was, even more than I noticed my grief at being alone. The Pumpkin Pasties and Cauldron cakes seemed forever and a day ago.
Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see us all there.
"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!
"Thank you!"
He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Despite my gloom, my stress, and my all around bad mood, I laughed. It felt good.
"Is he - a bit mad?" I heard Harry ask Percy.
"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?" With shock, my mouth fell open along with Harry's. The dishes in front of me were now piled with food. I had never seen so many things to eat on one table, but not all of them were exactly to my liking. There was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.
I had never had so much food to choose from, not since our visit to Middle Earth at least. Unfortunately, because of that, my stomach shrank, as I mentioned in the beginning. Nonetheless, I piled my plate with a little bit of nearly everything and began to eat. It was all delicious.
I forgot my worries, I forgot my cares, and for the time-span of that dinner, I was truly happy and content.
"That does look good," said Nearly Headless Nick, watching Harry cut up his steak. I stopped hacking at my chicken for a moment.
" Can't you - ?"
"I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor tower."
"I know who you are!" Ron exclaimed suddenly. "My brothers told me about you - you're Nearly Headless Nick!"
" I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy -" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.
"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"
Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.
" Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly.
"Okay, I've lost my appetite," I announced, letting my fork and knife clatter to my plate. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on our faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So - new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable - he's the Slytherin ghost."
We looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy, who was right next to Lisa. I looked away.
"How did he get covered in blood?" Seamus asked with great interest.
"I've never asked," replied Nearly Headless Nick delicately.
When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding. . .
I was helping myself to some strawberries when the talk turned to our families. My heart gave a jolt. If I went by the story we had told Cedric, my parents were dead. So, what was I to say?
"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."
We laughed.
"What about you, Neville?" Ron asked.
"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," replied Neville, "but the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me - he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned - but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Aunt Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced - all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here - they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."
"And how about you Courtney? You're American, what are you doing here?" Ron asked me. I looked up at him.
"Well, my parents died three years ago so I moved out here with my cousins, the blondes I was with on the train. I remember that neither of my parents showed any real signs of being magic, so I must get it from some other relative," I lied. Not bad, I thought to myself. Everyone got rather quiet.
"I didn't know your parents were dead," Harry said suddenly.
"Well, now you do," I told him.
On the other side of Harry, Percy Weasley was talking to Hermione, who was sitting next to me, about lessons ("I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult- ; "You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing -")
I was beginning to feel sleepy and wished that the feast would end. I saw Harry looking up at the High Table. My mind was too tired to be sensible and I started thinking freely. He has beautiful eyes. I wonder if he hates me? I wonder what he's looking at? I wonder if. . . My thoughts were interrupted when Harry clapped his hand to his head with a loud, "Ouch!"
"What is it?" Percy asked him.
"N-nothing," he lied, and not very well. "Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" I then heard him ask.
"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to - everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape." Harry was silent for quite some time after that.
At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.
"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.
"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."
Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.
"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
A few people laughed, but not many.
"He's not serious?" I heard Harry ask Percy.
"Must be," Percy replied, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere - the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. I noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.
"Everyone pick their favorite tune," Dumbledore told us, "and off we go!"
And the school bellowed:
"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 you best, we'll do the rest, And learn until our brains all rot."
Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.
"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
I got in a crowded line with the other Gryffindors, but was soon being tapped on the shoulder by Professor McGonagall. "Professor Dumbledore would like to see you," she told me. Oh God, he knows, they know. We're screwed! I thought, but only nodded in response.
I allowed myself to be led down corridor after corridor, until at last we came to the stone gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's study. Professor McGonagall whispered the password, so I can't tell you what it was. We made our way up a long, winding staircase, and then stopped at a door, on which Professor McGonagall knocked.
"Come in," I heard a voice say. Professor McGonagall opened the door.
"The last one, Professor," she said, and then left me there. Lisa and Laura were already sitting in the room.
"Please, take a seat," Professor Dumbledore told me. I did, away from the other two. I now felt awkward around them. Dumbledore stared at us over his half-moon spectacles, folded his hands and said, "Now, tell me everything."
The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and my first thought was that this was not someone to cross. Sorry Professor, I believe you'll be yelling at me for a good portion of the year.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit a whole house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing us led to the upper floors.
We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. I could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from the doorway to the right - where the rest of the school must already be - but Professor McGonagall showed us, the first years, into a small, empty chamber off the hall. We crowded in, standing rather close together than we would usually have done, peering about nervously. Even I was a bit scared, even though I knew what was coming. I was scared of which house we would each be put in. Would we all be put in the same? Did anyone know where we came from? No time to think about it.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall told us all. "The start-of- term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. I saw Harry try and flatten his hair. Her eyes then fell on Lisa and Laura, and then on me. They remained on me for more time then I felt comfortable with, and I looked away.
"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."
She left the chamber. I swallowed hard. What had she been thinking when she was looking at me? Did she know something? "Well," I heard Lisa suddenly whisper on my right, "I suppose we should just leave now, save our houses some points." I stifled a laugh. It was good to know that Lisa wasn't completely hopeless yet.
"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" I heard Harry ask Ron from in front of us.
"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."
The three of us looked at each other and fought back laughter. I looked around and noticed that everyone looked terrified. I could only imagine how I looked. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. I tried not to listen to her, because no matter how many times you read the books, you won't learn any more than two spells. I knew we wouldn't need the spells, not yet anyway, but I was rather embarrassed.
If I remember correctly, the only other time that I was as nervous as I was then was at the battle of Helm's Deep. Nothing will ever top that. I decided, instead of looking at my friends, to focus my gaze on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and possibly lead me to my doom. What would happen if I were put into some house like Slytherin? Granted, the odds of this happening were slim to none, but still. . .
Then something happened that made me jump about a foot in the air - several people behind me screamed. As a matter-of-fact I believe I might have screamed as well, but I can't be sure.
"What the - ?" I heard many people begin, Lisa being one of them.
Many people around us gasped. We didn't, naturally. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at us first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance - " I recognized him as the Fat Friar of Hufflepuff house.
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?"
A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed us. I knew this was Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, or Nearly Headless Nick, of Gryffindor house.
Nobody answered, not even Lisa who is usually highly outspoken, in case you haven't noticed.
"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"
A few people nodded mutely, me being one of them.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."
"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.
"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told us, "and follow me."
Feeling oddly as though my legs had turned to lead, which I'm sure many people felt, I got into line behind Lisa and Laura, and we walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.
It was even more amazing than I had imagined it. Thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting, lighted it. The tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led us up here, so that we came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind us. That was a comfortable situation. The hundreds of faces staring at us looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. "I feel like I'm back at the Dead Marshes," I heard Laura get up the gumption to whisper. My hands were shaking again. To avoid all the staring eyes, and out of curiosity, I looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. I heard Hermione whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts a History."
It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.
Can't wait for a rainy day, I thought sarcastically.
I quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four- legged stool in front of us. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. I couldn't think of anyone who would let such a thing in their house. Certainly not my mom.
I stopped my train of thought right there. The thought of my mom made me homesick.
Noticing that everyone else in the hall was now staring at the hat, I stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:
"Oh you may not think I'm 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, Your top hats sleek and tall, For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat And I can cap 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. You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart; You might belong in Hufflepuff Where they are just and loyal, Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid of toil; Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, If you've a ready mind, Where those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind; Or perhaps in Slytherin You'll make your real friends, Those cunning folk use any means To achieve their ends. So put me on! Don't be afraid! And don't get in a flap! You're in safe hands (though I have none) For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. Even a few of us first years joined in. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.
"So we've just got to try on the hat!" I heard Ron, who was quite close, whisper to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."
I smiled. I supposed trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, after all, I didn't want to make a fool of myself when I was the only American in the school, according to everyone else (Lisa and Laura were still doing their accents).
Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she told us all. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause -
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.
The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. I saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.
"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
The table on the far left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.
"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on our closest left exploded with cheers; I could see Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George, cat-calling.
"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. I can tell you right now, the Slytherins looked like a highly unpleasant lot, and they were. How the events that followed happened I have no idea.
My name was creeping up very fast. I was not only shaking but I now felt sick. Wouldn't it be perfect if I went up there, put on the hat, and barfed? Suddenly, "Caillet, Courtney" was called. My heart skipped a beat, or two, and I reluctantly left Lisa's side and walked up to the stool. I saw everyone staring at me just before the hat fell over my eyes. I sat on the stool and waited.
Suddenly, there was a small voice in my head. "Hmm, difficult. You have courage, yes, and not a bad mind. You want to prove yourself, not only to your classmates but to your friends as well." I awaited the hat's decision. It didn't come quickly. "There's something else here that I can't quite grasp. There's talent, no doubt about that. Experience, hardships. You've been through much. You've known pain to the utmost extremity." Suddenly, something happened that had rarely ever happened before.
FLASH!
I was back at Helm's Deep. My sword was in my hand. My strength. It was the only thing that would keep me alive. So I treated it as such. It sang as it flew through the air slaughtering soldier after soldier. I could no longer tell my friends from my foes. Oh God, what was I doing here? I didn't belong here! Still I kept fighting. Blood covered me, rain was dripping into my eyes. I could smell death all around me, hear pleas of help. Help I could not give. I was alone. Alone. So alone.
FLASH!
I was back in the Great Hall. Oh God, what am I doing here?
"You're here to help," came the hat's small voice in my head again. "You have potential, you can go to greatness. You shall go to greatness. Ah, and I know exactly where to put you to help you on your way." I waited, I wondered, and then. . .
"GRYFFINDOR!"
I breathed deeply in relief. The hat was taken off my head and I walked over to the Gryffindor table, where people were standing and cheering. I shook hands with a few, the Weasleys to begin with, and Lee Jordan. There were others, I believe I shook hands with Oliver Wood as well. I finally sat down and closed my eyes in the deepest relief possible. Suddenly, I was lurched out of my reverie when I heard, "Davis, Laura."
Laura approached the stool, placed the hat on her head, and there was silence for too many seconds. Then, to my horror,
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
The Hufflepuff table applauded, and I saw Cedric shake Laura's hand when she got to the table. She looked over at me and tried to give me reassurance with a smile. It didn't work.
Oh well, there was still Lisa, right?
"Davis, Lisa!" Lisa now approached the stool. Once the hat was on her head, I could see a smile form underneath its rim. I prayed a silent prayer.
Apparently God can't hear you in alternate universes.
"SLYTHERIN!"
I fought back the urge to scream as Lisa gave the hat to the next person and made her way over to the Slytherin table. This wasn't happening, it couldn't be. Not here, not now, not when I needed them.
But of course, Courtney, I heard a little voice inside my head say, of course it's happening now, when you need them. When has anything ever gone the way you wanted it to?
I cursed that little voice.
It was right.
More names were called, but I didn't hear them, I was in too deep a shock.
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" I heard upon coming back into whatever kind of messed up reality I now found myself in. Justin took a seat next to Laura. I envied him.
"Finnigan, Seamus" was declared a Gryffindor.
"Granger, Hermione!"
Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. I saw Ron groan and joined in the applause. Hermione sat down next to me.
"What a relief!" she told me in an exasperated tone of voice and a smile on her face. Relief? What relief? I'm alone! Don't you see that?, I thought.
When Neville Longbottom, still known as the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag." He then sat down across from Hermione and me.
Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got what I knew was his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"
Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.
There weren't many people left now.
"Moon" . . . , "Nott". . . , "Parkinson". . . , then another pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil". . . , then "Perks, Sally-Anne". . . , and then, at last -
"Potter, Harry!"
As I watched Harry step forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.
"Potter, did she say?"
"The Harry Potter?"
After Harry had sat on the stool and put the hat on, it took quite some time for the hat to come to a conclusion. I knew, of course, that Harry was begging not to be put into Slytherin. He was gripping the edge of the stool. Everyone was craning trying to get a good look at him.
Finally the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry took off the hat and walked over to the Gryffindor table, my table. He was getting the loudest cheer yet, naturally. Percy Weasley, Ron's oldest brother and a prefect, shook Harry's hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter!" Harry sat down opposite Nearly Headless Nick, who had chosen a seat next to me during the long period of time it took the hat to place Harry. Nick patted his arm and I could only imagine what it must have felt like.
I looked up at the High Table. Hagrid was sitting at the end nearest to us. I saw him give Harry the thumbs up. Harry grinned back. In the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. I hadn't paid much attention to the cards I had gotten in my chocolate frogs on the train and didn't know if I had one of him or not. No matter, I knew it was him by the long silver hair. It was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. I continued to scan the High Table. I spotted Professor Quirrell. He looked rather peculiar in a large purple turban. I also spotted Professor Flitwick, and then my eyes came across Professor Snape. I looked quickly away, he gave me a sickly feeling.
Now there were only four people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined us at the Gryffindor table. "Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. The hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," not to my amazement.
I clapped loudly with everyone else as Ron collapsed into the chair next to Harry.
"Well done, Ron, excellent," Percy Weasley said pompously across Harry as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.
I looked down at my empty gold plate. I suddenly realized how hungry I was, even more than I noticed my grief at being alone. The Pumpkin Pasties and Cauldron cakes seemed forever and a day ago.
Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see us all there.
"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!
"Thank you!"
He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Despite my gloom, my stress, and my all around bad mood, I laughed. It felt good.
"Is he - a bit mad?" I heard Harry ask Percy.
"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?" With shock, my mouth fell open along with Harry's. The dishes in front of me were now piled with food. I had never seen so many things to eat on one table, but not all of them were exactly to my liking. There was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.
I had never had so much food to choose from, not since our visit to Middle Earth at least. Unfortunately, because of that, my stomach shrank, as I mentioned in the beginning. Nonetheless, I piled my plate with a little bit of nearly everything and began to eat. It was all delicious.
I forgot my worries, I forgot my cares, and for the time-span of that dinner, I was truly happy and content.
"That does look good," said Nearly Headless Nick, watching Harry cut up his steak. I stopped hacking at my chicken for a moment.
" Can't you - ?"
"I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor tower."
"I know who you are!" Ron exclaimed suddenly. "My brothers told me about you - you're Nearly Headless Nick!"
" I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy -" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.
"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"
Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.
" Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly.
"Okay, I've lost my appetite," I announced, letting my fork and knife clatter to my plate. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on our faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So - new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable - he's the Slytherin ghost."
We looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy, who was right next to Lisa. I looked away.
"How did he get covered in blood?" Seamus asked with great interest.
"I've never asked," replied Nearly Headless Nick delicately.
When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding. . .
I was helping myself to some strawberries when the talk turned to our families. My heart gave a jolt. If I went by the story we had told Cedric, my parents were dead. So, what was I to say?
"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."
We laughed.
"What about you, Neville?" Ron asked.
"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," replied Neville, "but the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me - he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned - but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Aunt Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced - all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here - they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."
"And how about you Courtney? You're American, what are you doing here?" Ron asked me. I looked up at him.
"Well, my parents died three years ago so I moved out here with my cousins, the blondes I was with on the train. I remember that neither of my parents showed any real signs of being magic, so I must get it from some other relative," I lied. Not bad, I thought to myself. Everyone got rather quiet.
"I didn't know your parents were dead," Harry said suddenly.
"Well, now you do," I told him.
On the other side of Harry, Percy Weasley was talking to Hermione, who was sitting next to me, about lessons ("I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult- ; "You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing -")
I was beginning to feel sleepy and wished that the feast would end. I saw Harry looking up at the High Table. My mind was too tired to be sensible and I started thinking freely. He has beautiful eyes. I wonder if he hates me? I wonder what he's looking at? I wonder if. . . My thoughts were interrupted when Harry clapped his hand to his head with a loud, "Ouch!"
"What is it?" Percy asked him.
"N-nothing," he lied, and not very well. "Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" I then heard him ask.
"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to - everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape." Harry was silent for quite some time after that.
At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.
"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.
"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."
Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.
"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
A few people laughed, but not many.
"He's not serious?" I heard Harry ask Percy.
"Must be," Percy replied, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere - the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. I noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.
"Everyone pick their favorite tune," Dumbledore told us, "and off we go!"
And the school bellowed:
"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 you best, we'll do the rest, And learn until our brains all rot."
Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.
"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
I got in a crowded line with the other Gryffindors, but was soon being tapped on the shoulder by Professor McGonagall. "Professor Dumbledore would like to see you," she told me. Oh God, he knows, they know. We're screwed! I thought, but only nodded in response.
I allowed myself to be led down corridor after corridor, until at last we came to the stone gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's study. Professor McGonagall whispered the password, so I can't tell you what it was. We made our way up a long, winding staircase, and then stopped at a door, on which Professor McGonagall knocked.
"Come in," I heard a voice say. Professor McGonagall opened the door.
"The last one, Professor," she said, and then left me there. Lisa and Laura were already sitting in the room.
"Please, take a seat," Professor Dumbledore told me. I did, away from the other two. I now felt awkward around them. Dumbledore stared at us over his half-moon spectacles, folded his hands and said, "Now, tell me everything."
