Chapter 14

Sorting

There are no words to describe the thoughts going through Sakhmet's head when she saw the Hogwarts castle that can ever surpass one single word: wow. Ancient stone towers and turrets covered the roof. After crossing a lake in a boat with three girls who couldn't seem to stop asking why she was just now coming to Hogwarts if she was going into her fourth year. After the third time she ignored them to stare at the castle. She was taken by a sense of time. The castle seemed to have been there forever and would continue on forever until the ends of the earth. 'If there is a garden of Eden,' she thought, 'it can't be older than this.'

When she arrived at the castle, she was led with the first years to an entrance hall to wait for the sorting to begin. Sakhmet surveyed the others in an attempt to keep herself calm enough not to puke. No such luck. Each and every single first year looked like they were about to be led to their executioner.

After what seemed an eternity of deep breathes in an attempt to calm herself, Sakhmet was led with the others into an enormous room that she would later know as the Great Hall. There were four long dark wooden tables at which sat more people than Sakhmet had ever seen in one place, even at the theme park where she had once gone with a couple that considered adopting her when she was seven years old. They had changed their mind when they said they couldn't afford a child after all. Sakhmet and everyone else knew that it was because her "cute stage" was over. She shoved thoughts of everything but the sorting to the back of her mind.

She looked up at scores of floating taper candles, all burning with solemn joy. Past these she saw what she imagined it would look like if you could see past the ceiling. Remembering the horse-creatures, she closed her left eye. She saw a stone carved ceiling. Switching eyes, she saw the night sky.

Opening both eyes, she surveyed the head table where a bunch of teachers were sitting. There was Dumbledore and Professor Snape (sour-faced as usual) and Professor McGonagall along with several teachers she had never met. She recognized Flitwick by his description from Sirius; he was just like she had imagined. She was certain no one had said a thing about the fat cloying woman in pink. Something told her that the woman wasn't as good at being nice as she pretended to be. In front of the head table was a wooden stool with a ragged looking hat whose patches looked older than Dumbledore. As Sakhmet stared at it, the hat began to sing.

In times of old when I was new

And Hogwarts barely started

The founders of our noble school

Thought never to be parted:

United by a common goal,

They had the selfsame yearning,

To make the world's best magic school

And pass along their learning.

"Together we will build and teach!"

The four good friends decided

And never did they dream that they

Might someday be divided,

For were there such friends anywhere

As Slytherin and Gryffindor?

Unless it was the second pair of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw

So how could it have gone so wrong?

How could such friendships fail?

Why, I was there and so can tell

The whole sad, sorry tale.

Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those

Whose ancestry is purest."

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose

Intelligence is surest."

Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those

With brave deeds to their name."

Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot,

And treat them just the same."

These differences caused little strife

When first they came to light,

For each of the four founders had

A House in which they might

Take only those they wanted, so,

For instance, Slytherin

Took only pure-blood wizards

Of great cunning, just like him,

And only those of sharpest mind

Were taught by Ravenclaw

While the bravest and the boldest

Went to daring Gryffindor.

Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,

And taught them all she knew,

Thus the Houses and thier founders

Retained friendships firm and true.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony

For several happy years,

But then discord crept among us

Feeding on our faults and fears.

The Houses that, like pillars four,

Had once held up out school,

Now turned upon each other and,

Divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school

Must meet an early end,

What with dueling and with fighting

And the clash of friend on friend

And at last there came a morning

When old Slytherin departed

And though the fighting then died out

He left us quite downhearted.

And never since the founders four

Were whittled down to three

Have the Houses been united

As they were once meant to be.

And now the Sorting Hat is here

And you all know the score:

I sort you into Houses

Because that is what I"m for,

But this year I'll go further,

Listen closely to my song:

Though condemned I am to split you

Still I worry that it's wrong,

Though I must fulfill my duty

And must quarter every year

Still I wonder whether sorting

May not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,

The warning history shows,

For our Hogwarts is in danger

From external, deadly foes

And we must unite inside her

Or we'll crumble from within

I have told you, I have warned you. .

Let the Sorting now begin.

Sakhmet wondered if all talking hats were clairvoyant. Mutterings filled the hall for a few moments before Professor McGonagall called out, "Abercrombie, Euan." A terrified boy barely managed to reach the stool before collapsing on it. The hat was placed on his head. It was still for a moment before a rip opened (like a strange sort of mouth) and shouted louder than you'd think a hat could. "GRYFFINDOR!"

A table that she assumed was Gryffindor's clapped loudly. Six terrified first years later, Sakhmet took deep breathes as she realized it was her turn.

"Black, Sakhmet."

Sakhmet walked forward, attempting not to walk too jerkily. She had read a story once about a man who judged people by how they walked. He had ended up hating his dull suburban life, but it still couldn't help to ruin how people saw her when they hadn't even met her yet. She ignored the muttered questions from all four tables as she sat down. The wide brim covered her eyes. 'Thank you,' she thought to the hat.

'Oh, you're quite welcome,' said a kind voice strongly reminiscient of the hat's appearance. 'Now where on earth shall I put you? You're bold, that's for certain. Smart too. And your memories sound like you're cunning as well. So where. . ?'

'I dunno,' thought Sakhmet. She hadn't thought she'd be allowed to choose.

'I certainly hope you weren't planning on ignoring me!' came the goddess' voice. She sounded grouchy. Something big must really be up.

'Well, if you've got any ideas, I'd certainly appreciate them.' The hat didn't seem too happy about having his time with a student interrupted. 'Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, or Slytherin?'

The hat and the goddess discussed her future before being interrupted by a loud thought from Sakhmet. 'I think I would like to be in Slytherin, if you don't mind!'

After sullenly agreeing, the hat shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" and a table full of people she didn't know clapped politely. The hat was removed from her head, and she was walking to the table where she sat down without a word or so much as a smile to the people around her. She didn't even look at them until the next person was on the chair. "How long was I?" she whispered to the girl next to her.

"A minute or two. I was starting to wonder whether you wouldn't get kicked out. I heard that happened to a girl a few years ago. Schizophrenic. Heard she had three Ravenclaws, two Hufflepuffs, a Gryffindor, and a Slytherin in her." She shuddered. "Just imagine deciding what to wear in the morning." Sakhmet couldn't imagine it ever being harder than it was to choose an outfit, but she nodded just the same.

After the sorting, she was asked by a few people why she was just now coming to Hogwarts. After the first time she answered, they moved on to the subject of families. 'I just might like this crowd,' Sakhmet thought to herself.

"Who are your parents?" a boy younger than her asked.

"My dad's Sirius Black. Just met him a few months ago. Apparently the old guy up there didn't know I even existed until January." A few people laughed. 'Yes, I'll definitely enjoy this crowd.'