As the students marched up to the castle doors the rain continued to pour down heavily, and the sky looked like something out of a horror movie. Lightning bolts were still racing across the sky and the thunder was ringing madly round their ears. When they reached the castle, the magnificent oak doors swung open before them and the drenched students piled into the entrance hall as quickly as they could.
"Bit of a bad day today," commented Louise, who was stood wringing her hair out as if it was a wet flannel.
"Yeah," said Katie, "But it would make a great story, 'Dangerous Downpour Threatens Lives of Students'," she quoted, gesturing towards her fellow workers.
"I don't think it's quite that bad," said Louise,
"Yeah, but it sounds good," Katie answered plainly. The students, many of whom had been at the school for many years now, knew exactly what to do on the first day of term so at once, they slowly moved their way to the great hall like an enormous avalanche weaving its way down a mountainside. Katie and Louise just went with the flow.
The hall soon filled with chattering children as they took their places on the long wooden house benches. Katie looked up and was surprised to see the ceiling reflecting exactly what the night sky outside looked like, minus the coldness. Professor Aurum the divination teacher stepped forward and placed a patched, fraying black hat on a wooden stool near the front of the hall.
"It's the sorting hat!" squealed Katie with excitement, now distracted from the ceiling (who's clouds had become a nasty grey colour). "I remember when we were sorted, I was so scared. Kate and I were convinced they were going to put us in Slytherin,"
"Honestly Katie," Louise said, rolling her eyes, "As if you were going to be put in Slytherin, you're far too noble for that lot." Katie blushed and suddenly seemed to become fascinated in a knot on the table.
"Talking about Kate, I wonder where she's got to," said Louise, sounding slightly concerned, "She wasn't on the Hogwarts Express was she? I didn't see her. She even told me the other day that she would see me on the train."
"Oh I'm sure she'll be OK," said Katie, though she did seem a bit unsure about what she was saying. Katie turned as is she expected to see Kate running down the hallways out of breath when,
"Look!" shouted Louise suddenly, pointing over towards the corner of the Great Hall. "It's the first years!" She was right, and from a door leading off to the right came the sound of minute footsteps which was followed by a scurry of very small people. They made their way to the staff table and then sat down on the cold, flagstone floor. "Aww, aren't they cute," said Louise,
"Suppose," replied Katie, "Except that one we met on the train, what was her name again?"
"Julie," Louise answered,
"Oh yeah, she was just annoying." Louise stood up to get a better view of the first years but was forced to sit down again as all of a sudden, and out of no where so it seemed, a loud, kindly woman's voice echoed round the hall.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" she said, "I am Professor Lubella your head teacher, for all those people that have forgotten over the summer!" She smiled graciously to her audience then turned to the quivering first years. "I would first like to welcome our latest arrivals," she said, beaming at the young children, "In just a few moment they will be sorted into their houses. I ask you to look after any new house members you receive and please, be seated!" With that, Professor Lubella sat down, her eyes glinting and the rest of the school followed suit. They sat in silence for a moment as if waiting for something important, when, quite unexpectedly and to the confusion of the first years, the old hat suddenly burst out into song, they gaped at it in awe,
'I am the Hogwarts sorting hat
Standing frayed and old,
Though I may not look like much
I can see your colours bold.
Let me look within your head
To see what I can find,
Then I shall put you in a house
With others of your kind.
Whether you are bold and brave
Or honest, loyal and true
I will find the perfect place
That'll be just right for you.
Out of the Hogwarts houses four,
You will belong in one,
But to decide where you reside,
Is a harder job for some.
You may belong in Ravenclaw
Where they are sharp of mind,
They like to study hard each day
With others of their kind.
Or maybe it is Gryffindor
That is the place for you,
They're daring and adventurous
And love to search for clues.
Or perhaps dark Slytherin
Is your house to be,
They're secretive and sinister
But get on happily
Finally is Hufflepuff
Where they are loyal and true,
They like to be competitive
Is this the house for you?
I can sort you if you're good,
Ambitious or deceiving,
But if you don't open up your mind
The results will be displeasing.
So put me on upon your head
And think your favourite dreams,
Then I will look into you thoughts
And consider what I see.'
The hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song and the first years looked at it half in surprise and half in amazement.
"Wow," exclaimed Katie sounding just as amazed herself, "That was good, but I'm sure it wasn't like that last year."
"I don't think it was," said Louise, "That's probably what it does all year, spends the time making up new songs, I don't suppose there's much to do when you're a hat." Professor Aurum turned to the first years who now looked more relaxed,
"When I call your name please come to the front and try on the hat. It will tell you which house you have been sorted into and when you've been sorted please sit down at the correct house table." she paused, then picked up a scroll of parchment that was lying on the staff table. "Atkins, Sophie," she called. A small, mousy looking girl stepped forward and sat down nervously on the stool with the hat on her head. A moments pause then, "GRYFFINDOR!" screamed the hat and the girl hurried off to join the Gryffindor table. "Barley, Andrew" said Professor Aurum. A tall, sandy haired boy scurried forward and pulled the hat down over his eyes. As he did so the hat immediately screamed, "SLYTHERIN!" and he ran off to join the far table, who the members of which, were now clapping and whooping loudly.
The new students continued to be sorted (Granger-Day, Samuel became a Hufflepuff and Lorica, Emily became a Gryffindor) until they started to reach the end of the list. "Patil, Philippa" called Professor Aurum and a brown haired girl stepped forth. She placed the hat on her neatly done hair, waited a few moments and was sorted into Hufflepuff. The Hufflepuff table cheered enthusiastically.
"Potter, Emma," said Professor Aurum. A flood of whispers spread throughout the hall,
"Do you think that's Harry's daughter?" asked Louise excitedly. Katie shrugged. Emma Potter nervously put on the hat then,
"GRYFFINDOR!" it roared and the Gryffindor table burst into applause, patting Emma as she came to join them. Louise stood up and peered over students hats to see Emma Potter, but was dragged back down to her seat again by Katie.
As the sorting came to an end and Weasley, Marcus had been sorted into Ravenclaw (and to Katie and Louise's dismay, so had Julie) Professor Lubella stood up once more to address the students.
"Now that you have been sorted into your houses," she said, "Let the feast begin!" She clapped her hands twice and the four long tables filled with food. Katie looked around in amazement at the tables piled high with chicken wings, salad, sausages, toast, eggs, sandwiches, cakes, crisps, roast beef and for some strange reason, sherbet lemons.
"Wow!" she exclaimed, "I've just realised how hungry I am". Katie helped herself to a large portion of cream cake and started to eat, Louise copied her friend and also helped herself to cake.
After they had made their way through several main courses, drinks and puddings Louise stood up,
"Right. you finished Katie?" she asked, "It's getting late. Let's go and find our beds because I'm exhausted."
"OK then," replied Katie reluctantly, grabbing another bread roll and quickly smearing it with jam as she left the table. "I wonder if they'll have taken our bags up yet," she queried, "They did last time. Now, which way is the common room?" Katie stopped and to her surprise, Louise found herself facing the three main Hogwarts staircases. Trying to remember which one led to the Ravenclaw tower, Katie decided upon the middle staircase and started to march up it. Excited about being able to see the common room again, she started to run up the stairs when suddenly, 'Whack!' she had run full on into the chest of someone, hitting her head hard and temporarily disorientating her.
"Hey girl, watch where you're going," the someone drawled, putting his hand on Katie's shoulder. She looked up,
"Sor-," she began, but her words were frozen as she realised who it was she was talking to. "Oh, err, yeah," she stuttered, "I, erm, I'm sorry." Katie couldn't believe her luck, she was staring straight into the piercing blue eyes of Sam Evanstar - her absolute hero. Plus, he had his firm hand on her shoulder. They stood for a moment in silence until Louise coughed and Katie remembered where she was,
"Well, I better go now," she mumbled, breaking her gaze.
"Yeah, see you around," replied Sam and he continued down the stairs and into the Great Hall. Sam Evanstar was a Ravenclaw 4th year and was already the school heart throb. He had long brown hair, blue eyes and a brace (which for some strange reason Katie found attractive). With his mystic charms and quick wit, Katie had fallen for him big time.
"Oh my God!" she shrieked after he had disappeared into the Hall, hugging Louise ecstatically, "I can't believe it! I, Katie Lovegood-Davill, just fell into the arms of Sam Evanstar!" she danced around on the spot, hopping from one foot to the other.
"OK Katie, calm down," said Louise, who didn't see what all the fuss was about.
With a bit of persuasion Louise managed to move Katie from the spot she had seemed to have become stuck to and drag her all the way to the Ravenclaw common room. Katie was now laughing hysterically.
"I just can't believe it!" she cried, "I mean out of all the people I could have run into, it just had to be him!" Louise ignored her.
"Sherbet Lemon," she said as they reached the suit of amour that marked the entrance to the Ravenclaw tower. The knight stepped forward, creaking and clanging, to reveal a flight of stairs spiralling upwards. Louise and Katie (who had now got over herself) started up it.
They entered the common room and Katie flopped down upon a blue armchair by the window. Louise went into the girls dormitory. However, Katie didn't have time to contemplate what she was going to do next because at that moment a blonde haired girl threw herself across the room and in to her arms,
"Woah!" exclaimed Katie loudly, nearly toppling backwards over the chair. She sat up to see what was going on and Louise retraced her steps back into the common room.
"KATE!" screamed Louise so loudly that the whole school could have heard her. The blonde haired girl turned on the spot to face her friend. "Where've you been?" Louise asked curiously, "We were so worried when you didn't turn up on the train," added Katie.
"Oh I was there all right," replied Kate, sitting down on a stool next to Katie "Just not with you. I had to go and talk to Professor Lubella further down the train and it took longer than expected." Louise walked over from the doorway and came to sit down with Kate and Katie.
"What did Lubella want with you?" she asked,
"Oh," stumbled Kate, "Err, nothing important. What have you guys been up to?" she asked, rapidly changing the subject. Katie looked at her suspiciously, but got the hint anyway and the three of them sat for a while chatting about their summer holidays.
Sooner than expected, the common room started to grow dark and twinkling stars appeared in the night sky outside.
"I'm going to bed now," declared Kate, yawning as she did so
. "Yeah, so am I," said Katie, also yawning as she threw an empty Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans box into the bin.
"And me!" added Louise, who didn't like to be left out. They walked out of the common room and up the stairs to their dormitory, their stuff had already been brought up. Kate went into the bathroom and Louise went off to find other people to talk to. Too tired to change or do anything else, Katie sunk back onto her bed and immediately fell fast asleep.
A/N Again, please review! And remember, everything was relevant to the events in my life at the time I wrote it! lol