Chapter 5: The Sorting Hat
Harry felt his body trembled furiously. How could they? He thought angrily.
"What is it?" Dean asked eagerly. Janieve handed the newspaper to him. Both he and Seamus scanned the article hastily. Janieve looked pretty upset, but probably not as much as Harry. How could they let this happen again? No wonder Neville was upset. The Lestranges had tortured Neville's parents into insanity when he was still a toddler. Now, neither parent, who lied in St. Mungo's hospital, recognised Neville.
Harry too, had lost his godfather two months ago, in the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange. Harry clenched his fist until his knuckles turned white.
When Dean and Seamus had finished reading the article, Dean's face was significantly paler. Harry did not blame him for he knew that Dean had come from a muggle family and this piece of news seemed to pose the most danger to him than anyone else. Then Harry thought of Hermione. She would be in danger too if the Death Eaters had really become so bold.
The four of them sat in silence until Hermione, Ron and Ginny came back from their prefect's meeting. Neville had not come back. They took turns to go to the bathroom to change into their Hogwarts robes as the Hogwarts castle loomed into view.
Stepping onto Hogsmeade station, Harry stared at the carriages that will fly them up to Hogwarts and the ugly black winged horses pulling them known as Thestrals. Although Harry was no longer frightened by them, having ridden them to the Ministry of Magic last year, they still looked unnerving.
They found Neville already in one of the carriages and quickly climbed onto it. Janieve, however, lingered back fearfully. Harry saw the Thestrals reflected in her eyes and he reached out a hand to her.
"It's alright, they are harmless," Harry said encouragingly. She took Harry's hand gratefully, but still casting dubious looks at the winged horses as she climbed ungracefully into the carriage.
The Thestrals took flight and soared into the sky, lifting the carriages along with them. After flying for a while, the castle of Hogwarts loomed into view. The shape grew bigger until finally they started to descend. They jingled to a halt near the stone steps leading up to the oak front doors. The group got out and joined the crowd hurrying up the stone steps into the castle. Janieve had left them and joined Hagrid with the first years. Torches along the Entrance Hall were burning brightly and the footsteps of the students were thundering as they headed for the Great Hall on the right.
There were four rows of tables in the Great Hall which were quickly filling up, anxious faces eagerly awaiting the start-of-term feast. Harry took a seat between Ron and Neville and across Hermione at the Gryffindor table. He looked over the head of the students and scanned the staff table. He saw Professor McGonagall sitting next to Professor Dumbledore. There was Snape, Flitwick, Firenze… And someone Harry did not recognise.
She had long flowing brown hair that curled gracefully at the end. Even though her face was lined with age, Harry could still tell she must have been really pretty when she was young.
"Do you reckon she's our new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher?" Ron asked, his eyes too, were fixated on the mysterious woman.
Harry shrugged.
Hermione looked like she was going to say something but she was interrupted by the arrival of Hagrid and the first-years that looked scared, wet and hungry. They stood in one straight line in front of the staff table, facing the rest of the students. Janieve was standing at the end of the line. An ancient wizard hat sitting on a stool was placed before them.
"What advice do you thing the Sorting Hat will give us this year?" asked Ron.
Last year the sorting hat had changed the song it sang to something deeper. Something about the school staying together, united as one, to avoid dangers. Thinking back, the advice had proven worthy. The school had to stay united before they managed to drive the bitch Umbridge away. There were of course exceptions, like those from the Slytherins. Harry's thoughts were drove rudely away when the Sorting Hat burst into a song, its brim opened wide like a mouth:
In time when magic lost control
A school for learning it would cure
So four friends came and contribute
A Hogwarts remained standing sure
But differences strife among us
For different men work for different goal
Divided and decided one day
A hat would sort all unique souls
Proud and cunning Slytherin
Would only take the purest all
And the bravest will be taught
By the daring Gryffindor
So said the smartest Ravenclaw
"I'll only teach the best in test!"
Oh Hufflepuff! Good Hufflepuff!
Decided to keep the rest
But one day, Salazar left
A dispute with dear Godric
In which Rowena and Helga
Tried vainly to play the peace
So harmony it did not stay
One after the other, they left the school
And to fulfil the founders' wish
I remained as the sorting tool
Hogwarts' history I have told
You know the story, you know the score
Condemned I am to split you
But I see the need to tell you more
Last year, too, I went further
To warn you of the danger that awaited
Even when discord creep among us
The houses must stay united
And this year it is more important
To put away old feelings of resentment
For enmity may spread among you
And signs of peril more prominent
Mistrust breeds and suspicions rose
Though they are not unfounded
To win this war, listen to the heart
And beliefs firmly grounded
Listen to me and listen hard
Or we'll collapse from within
I have told you, I have warned you
Let the Sorting now begin
"Wow," said Ron, "that was something."
Professor McGonagall stood up and strode over to the stool that sat the hat. "When I called your name, stepped out and put the hat on your head," she said.
"Bailey, Timothy."
A baby faced boy with curly blonde hair stepped forward and placed the hat tentatively on his head. "Ravenclaw!" the Hat shouted and a loud cheer erupted from the table next to Harry.
"Fayer, Amara!"
A short hair brunette with really sharp features walked up to the Hat with a scowl on her face. Harry knew that she would be sorted to Slytherin even before the Hat had announced that.
The sorting continued as more names were called. Evelyn Pease and Kenneth Rowland were sent to Gryffindor while Magdelene McConnor was sent to Hufflepuff.
"Walker, Janieve."
Janieve placed the big straw hat awkwardly over her head, and Harry waited…
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Janieve plopped the oversized hat over her head and waited.
Ahhh… I've never seen one quite like you since twenty years ago.
What? Are you talking to me?
Indeed. I remember quite clearly now. He was headstrong, just like you. Refused to be sent to Slytherin.
Slytherin? No way!
There you go, point proven. The blood in you runs the blood of Slytherin. Salazar would have been proud to take you. For in you, I see the qualities he had requested for. Requested for on the day I was sewn.
I think I'm going nuts, talking to a hat in my head.
No, you're not. Everyone goes through this. Every student in this school.
Really?
Really. But wait, you may belong to Slytherin, but you will do well in Gryffindor.
Now, you're making sense.
Well, I always do. Though not many people actually see my point.
Get on with it will you?
Sure. Let's see. Yes, now I see. You do have the qualities and virtues to be in all four houses. But I think I'm going to follow my instinct.
