Disclaimer: I do not own any of J.K. Rowling's characters except Brooke Stevens and her family. I also don't own many of the places that the characters visit and for this chapter I do not own the sorting hat's song.
Chapter 4: The Sorting Ceremony
The boats come to an abrupt stop and Brooke looks up at the amazing structure of Hogwarts.
"Beautiful, ain't it?" asks Hagrid.
"Yes… lovely," replies an intrigued Brooke.
"All righ' everyone! Follow me," bellows Hagrid.
Hagrid leads Brooke and all the first years up to the castle doors. He raises a gigantic fist and knocks three times. The door swings open right away and a tall, black and gray-haired witch in emerald robes is standing there.
"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry. I am Professor Mcgonagall, the head of the Gryffindor house. Please follow me now so you can attend the Sorting Ceremony," says Professor Mcgonagall in a friendly, but quite austere manner.
She leads the new students into the Great Hall and makes them form a line. She then goes off to the side of the hall and comes back with a stool and a very tattered looking witch's hat. She places the hat on the stool and steps back. The hat begins singing:
"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 then 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 of 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 sage hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
Everyone in the great hall then burst into loud applause when the hat finishes its' song. Professor Mcgonagall then steps 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 says. "Taylor Anderson!"
A small blonde haired boy that is shaking very quite a lot, walks up and sits on the stool. Right after the sorting hat had barely been placed on his head, the hat shouts, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
The table on the right bursts in to cheer and applauded as they beckoned Taylor to come sit down.
"Patricia Banks!"
A black haired girl waltzes up to the stool and takes a seat. After the hat rests on her head it calls out,"SLYTHERIN!"
A table full of unpleasant looking students in black and green cheers and the new Slytherin girl sits down with them.
"Vincent Duron!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Mitchell Hank!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The Gryffindor table explodes with applause as Mitchell heads over towards the group..
"Molly Ridley!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Brooke Stevens!"
A hush falls over the hall as everyone's eyes fall on a quite dazzling-looking girl walking up to the stool. Ron and Harry look at each other and cross their fingers while Hermione rolls her eyes. Over at the Slytherin table Draco is watching impatiently. Brooke sits on the stool and Professor Mcgonagall places the hat on Brooke's head. Brooke nervously looks around as everyone is staring at her. Then she hears a small voice in her ear, "Hmm… this is a tricky choice… lots of courage…yes. You're quite friendly as well. Some talent too… yes.. you would fit well in Hufflepuff because of your patience and kindness… but you would also be well in Gryffindor…even Slytherin… Oh you are a tough one aren't you…"
Brooke thinks to herself, Please don't put me in Hufflepuff...Not Hufflepuff...
"Not Hufflepuff? Hmm… "
The hat continues thinking as the other students begin to whisper excitedly.
"Oh I do hope she's in Gryffindor! She looks so nice!"
"Why is this taking so long! She's been there for nearly five minutes!"
"She better be in Slytherin!"
"She looks like a Hufflepuff. Don't you think so?"
Finally after several minutes of deliberation, the hat shouts out, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Draco frowns when he hears the house Brooke is in. Brooke, however, jumps up and runs over to the extremely loud Gryffindor table and snatches the only open seat which just so happens to be between Harry and Ron.
"Bloody brilliant! For a while there I thought you would be in Slytherin!" exclaims Ron.
"I'm so glad you're a Gryffindor," says Harry.
Brooke is smiling happily when suddenly a pompous red haired student with a shiny badge walks up to her.
"Welcome to Gryffindor Brooke. We are very pleased to have you. I'm Percy Weasley, Ron's brother and also Head Boy."
"Nice to meet you," replies Brooke.
The older boy walks off (more like struts actually) and Ron says, "Git."
Harry laughs and then a hush begins to fall over the Great Hall as the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, gets up to speak.