Ok, so now they're all gonna be in the same year as HP etc, else it'll get too confusing.
This is Sapphire's POV
"Wow!"
That's all I could say – wow. It was magnificent, perched atop a high mountain on the other side of the lake, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, and vines creeping up its walls, was the castle with many turrets and towers.
"So this is Hogwarts. It's quite big, isn't it?" Mickey asked.
"Is that all you can say?" I said, turning around to look at him. "This is Hogwarts; the most famous witchcraft and wizardry school in the whole world, and all you can say is 'it's quite big.' Are you nuts?"
He ran a hand through his chestnut brown and scruffy hair, and thought for a bit. "Well, quite a few people have actually said that I'm nuts."
"No, wait a minute, I take what I said back – you're not nuts, you're just plain stupid."
God, if I hadn't known him since I was four, I would have throttled him!
When we reached the front of the castle, the boat grinded to such a sudden halt, that Naomi kind of 'flew' out the side of the boat and landed face first in the water.
Now, I know she's one of my closest friends and all, but what do you expect me to do, help her? I think not, I'm not that sensitive unfortunately. So, while everyone else clambered over to the other side of the boat to help her, I stayed exactly where I was and nearly cracked a rib laughing. Tears were literally falling out of my eyes.
The six of them pulled Naomi out of the freezing cold water, and into the boat.
"Oh my god, are you okay?" Mia-Rose practically screamed.
"I'm f-f-fine. J-just a tad c-c-cold." Naomi replied with a shaky smile. Until she saw me still laughing and it turned into an evil smirk. She put her hand back in the water and brought it out, as well as a load of icy water and I was in the target line. It splashed all over my new and clean uniform and also covered my entire face.
My laughter instantly disappeared and I glared at her. "That was totally uncalled for."
"Are we gonna get out of this boat or what?" That boy said, I think his name was Darren wasn't it? Oh well, I'll probably never speak to him again anyway.
We all clambered up a passageway in a rock, following that large man's lamp, (I'm never good with remembering names) coming out on to damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.
We walked up a flight of crumbling stone steps and gathered around the huge, castle doors.
The man raised a huge fist and knocked on the door three times. It swung open almost instantly, revealing a very tall, grey-haired witch in emerald robes. She kinda reminded me of my aunt: very stern and not someone you want to get on the bad side of.
"These are the firs'-years, Professor McGonagall."
"Thank you, Hagrid." She nodded at him.
So that's his name! Right, note to self: Big man's name is Hagrid.
Professor McGonagall led us across a grey stoned floor, and stopped us in front of another massive doorway. I could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from the other side of the doorway, and came to the conclusion that the rest of the school must already be in there.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Started Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term feast will begin shortly, but before that, you will all be sorted into your houses. While you are here, you'll treat your house like your family, you'll have classes with them, sleep in the house dormitory, and spend the weekends in your house common room. The four houses are: Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Gryffindor. While you are at Hogwarts, you can earn your house points, but also lose them. At the very end of the year the house with the most points will win the House Cup, I hope you will all be a credit to whichever house you are sorted in. Now, the sorting ceremony will begin in a few minutes, I shall return when we're ready for you."
She entered the doors, and I caught a glimpse of hundreds of students sitting at tables, before the door snapped shut behind her.
"So what do you think the ceremony's gonna be like?" Sam asked from behind me.
"I don't know, probably something like wrestling a troll."
"What?!" Naomi shrieked.
"Whoa, I was only joking Naomi. Stay calm." I took deep breaths as an example to her, but she just kept on looking straight ahead, going a sickly green colour.
"Okay, Naomi, try not to throw-up. It probably won't look too nice."
Just then McGonagall poked her head back out the door and then opened it wider for everyone to get through.
"Please follow me." She said, before walking off between two long tables.
If the outside was magnificent, then this was just absolutely beautiful. There were four long tables for each house and the house mascot hanging above them. There were thousands of candles that were floating in mid-air, and illuminating the ceiling that was velvety black and dotted with stars. Professor McGonagall stopped in front of another long table where all the teachers were sitting, and she silently placed a three-legged stool in front of the first-years and on top she placed a very worn-out looking hat.
She now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put the hat on and sit on the stool to be sorted." She said. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A girl with blonde hair in pigtails, walked up to the stool, put on the hat, which covered her eyes and sat down.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted.
Well, that looks alright I suppose. No trolls, which is always a plus.
"Baker, Sam!"
Sam strode out of line, and calmly put on the hat.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Shouted the hat after a moment's pause.
'Bones, Susan' became a Hufflepuff, but 'Boot, Terry' became the first Ravenclaw.
"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Brown, Lavender!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
'Bulstrode, Millicent' then became a Slytherin, and 'Finch-Fletchley, Justin' became another Hufflepuff.
A thought suddenly came to me; I'm gonna be one of the last people to be sorted! I've always hated being last, but as I have an older brother and sister, it's unavoidable really. God, I hate my name.
"Granger, Hermione!" McGonagall's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
Hermione ran to the stool and jammed the hat on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
A redheaded boy standing next to me groaned. Ahhh, so this is Fred and George's little bother – Ron.
"Hawthorn, Mia-Rose!"
The girl whose cat ran under my trolley walked nervously up to the stool and hesitantly put the hat on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat cried, making Mia-Rose jump. She jumped off the stool and went to sit on the table on the far left.
"Livingston, Dave!"
So it's Dave not Darren. Yep, it's all coming back to me now. Okay, I've got to remember names: Dave, Hagrid, Dave, Hagrid, Dave, Hagrid. Maybe I should write it on my forehead – I don't have a pen though…
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
I let out a quiet scream, and everyone turned to look at me. I'm such an idiot! Stupid hat, scaring the life out of me.
Neville Longbottom went to Gryffindor and this really evil looking dude, with platinum blond hair went to Slytherin.
Not many people left now.
'Moon'…'Nott'…'Parkinson'…'Patil' and 'Patil'…then 'Perks, Sally-Anne.'
"Potter, Harry!"
Oh my god! The Harry Potter?
"Harry Potter's in our year!" Naomi squealed.
"Well, stab me in the eye with a fork, it really is him. He's got the scar and everything!"
The hat was on his head for at least 3 minutes, before shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!"
He got by far the loudest cheer and I could see Fred and George chanting "We got Potter! We got Potter!"
Next it was Naomi's turn. Her legs looked like they had turned into jelly as she walked up to the stool.
The hat wasn't on her head long when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"
What? Naomi can't be in Slytherin. I mean it's Naomi for God's sake!
I wasn't really paying attention when the next couple of people went up, but from where the direction of the cheers were coming, 'Stripes, Vixen' and 'Sutters, Tamara' had both gone to Gryffindor.
"Rider, Mickey!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
He gave me an encouraging smile before going to the table on the second from the left.
Okay, four people left now. I don't care what house I'm in, just as long as I'm with someone I know.
'Turpin, Lisa' also went to Ravenclaw, but Ron followed in his family's footsteps and went to Gryffindor.
"Williams, Sapphire!"
About time, I was beginning to think the world would end before she got to me. I stepped forward and placed the hat gingerly on my head.
"Well then," said a small voice in my ear. "Another Williams, hey? I recall your sister went to Gryffindor, and your brother went to Ravenclaw, didn't they?"
"Yep." I gripped the edges of the stool tightly; I'll probably break it soon.
"I see, you're quite brave, so you could be in Gryffindor, but then you're very sarcastic and that qualifies for Slytherin. No, they won't do, you have a great mind, so it'll have to be, RAVENCLAW!"
Oh, thank you God, I'm with Mickey. I pulled the hat of my head and handed it to 'Zabini, Blaise.'
I plonked myself down next to Mickey and rested my head on the table.
"Nerve-racking, isn't it?" Mickey asked.
"The most nerve-racking in my life! I wish the ground had swallowed me up." I lifted my head from the table and scanned the Slytherin table for Naomi. She was sitting with Maeve Nott, smiling and chatting away, albeit she looked a little sad, but at least she was smiling.
"Poor girl." Mickey said, shaking his head.
Just then Albus Dumbledore got to his feet, with his arms open wide and a massive smile on his face.
"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 and I pinched myself to see if I was dreaming.
"Our headmaster's mad!" Mickey gasped.
I shrugged. "Well, at least it'll liven things up a bit. Now let's eat!"
I filled my plate up with Pork chops, bacon, Yorkshire puddings, carrots, and gravy, while Mickey had a bit of everything.
"Fat pig." I murmured, before grabbing my fork and digging in.
"So, what classes are y'all looking forward to?" Mandy asked.
"Defence against the dark arts probably." Terry said. He had dark brown hair that elegantly flopped over his eyes, which were hazel. "It sounds the coolest, don't you think?"
"Yeah, it sounds alright," I commented. "But I'm looking forward to Charms and Astrology."
Mickey snorted. "You would!"
"And what's that supposed to mean, Mickey Mouse?"
"Shut up with the nicknames already! And you're always looking at the stars and gazing into space. So it's natural you'll be looking forward to Astrology. I'm looking forward to Potions, because I like making things. It all depends on our personality really."
"Keep talking, someday you might say something intelligent."
Mickey whacked me around the head and I looked around at everyone else on the table.
"You all saw that didn't you? That's assault that is! I'm reporting you." I said pointing an accusing finger at Mickey.
Just then all the leftovers from the meal disappeared, and a moment later the puddings arrived. Blocks of ice-cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs, and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, rice pudding…
I helped myself to a few doughnuts, and talk turned to Quidditch. It was just Mickey and Terry going on about it at first, before I decided to join in, getting a horrified look from Padma.
"I'm gonna apply to be a Chaser next year, if there's a space."
Terry looked over at me with a newfound respect. "Cool, a girl who actually likes Quidditch."
"I'd quite like to be a beater." Stewart Ackerley, another Ravenclaw first-year said.
"Nah, Keeper's gotta be the best position." Mickey said. "I'm not fast enough to be a Chaser or Seeker, and having Bludgers coming full pelt at you, has got to be pretty scary."
"Yeah, but if you're a Keeper, a Quaffle will be coming 'full pelt' at ya as well."
"That's true." Mickey considered. "But the most a Quaffle can do is knock the wind out of you. Bludgers would break your arm or something."
We talked a bit more about our favourite Quidditch teams, until the puddings disappeared too and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again.
"Ahem – just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.
"First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."
Dumbledore's glanced at the Gryffindor table and I had an inkling he was looking at Fred and George.
"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 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."
I nearly choked on the water I was drinking.
"Is he serious?" I asked an older guy sitting near me.
"Probably. It's a bit weird though, even for him."
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. I heard a couple of groans coming from around the Hall, but Dumbledore seemed not to notice.
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick and a long gold ribbon came out of it, which rose above the tables and weaved itself into words.
"Everyone pick their favourite tune," said Dumbledore, "And off we go!"
And the school sang:
"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 your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."
Everybody finished at more or less the same time and Dumbledore was one of those who clapped loudest.
"Ah, music," he said. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
The Ravenclaw first-years all followed the guy I spoke to earlier – Roger Davies, who was leading us through the castle, towards the Ravenclaw dormitory's. We arrived in front of a portrait of a wise looking witch who was reading a book about legendary Ravenclaws.
"Now, listen up everyone, you have to remember the password, or you won't be able to get through the portrait. The password is Dissendium."
The portrait clicked and opened to reveal a room filled with comfortable looking chairs, a roaring fire, chandeliers, and very soft carpets. Of course, everything was blue and bronze, but it was already starting to look like home.
Rodger stopped in front of two staircases. "The staircase to my left is the boy's dormitories and the girls are on my right. As there's so little of you this year, and there are three rooms available, it'll probably be two or three to a room. You're stuff will already be up there and if there are any problems; just come and see me. Goodnight."
With that he left and went up the stairs on the left.
"We'll see you gals in the morning." Stewart said, and headed towards the stairs with Terry and Mickey following behind him.
"See ya at breakfast Sapphire!" Mickey called.
"Night." I murmured. I was having difficulty standing up at the moment, I was so tired.
"Right," Padma said. "Sally-Anne, Mandy, and I are having one room so you two can have the other."
She marched off with her two little lapdogs closely behind her.
"You don't mind sharing a room with me, do you?" Lisa asked nervously.
"Of course not. As long as there's a bed in there, I'm tip-top with it."
At the top of the stairs, we walked into a bedroom with two four-poster beds hung with rich-blue velvet curtains. Too tired to talk much, Lisa and I just pulled on our pyjamas and fell into bed.
I drifted off quite quickly, silently thankful that Lisa didn't snore, before going into a much deeper sleep, where no dreams could disturb me.
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