Disclaimer: I am not J. K. Rowling, these are not my characters (Except for Alaynia... And other new faces that you might meet), I don't own anything (even this disclaimer, lol!), and I will not get money for this. Darn it!
A/N: sorry about all the jumping around I did on the 1st chapter. I had to fit everything in, but now that I see just how short it is on the web, I think I could have made it longer. Anyway, reviews are appreciated, and I love them. But I'm going to put my story up anyway, even if nobody likes it.
My life in Hogwarts
Chapter 2
"Firs' years, this way! Over here! Oh, hi Ginny, 'ow are you? Alaynia, I'll need you to come this way."
"That's Hadrid, the groundskeeper," Ginny whispered to Alaynia.
Alaynia followed the giant Hagrid. She stepped into a boat and was sailed across the water.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder. There was a loud "Oooooh!" as they rounded a bend.
Her first view of Hogwart was spectacular! It was such a beautiful place.
As she got out of the boat, Alaynia saw Hagrid raise a gigantic fist and knock three times on the castle door. The door swung open at once. A tall witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face, and Alaynia's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid. "An' Alaynia."
"Thank you Hagrid. I will take them from here." She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was huge. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches. The ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.
They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Alaynia could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right- the rest of the school must already be here- but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together that they would usually have done, peering about nervously.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take you're seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will gave classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has it's own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly. Oh, and Alaynia, would you please see me?"
Professor McGonagall led Alaynia to a small alcove near the small chamber. "I understand that you are an exchange student from the United States. What I have just said will apply to you too. You will go to the front of the room first, and put on the sorting hat. It will choose the appropriate house for you. Follow me and we'll get you sorted." They went back to the small chamber. "Move along now, the Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
The Great Hall was lit by thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candle-light. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Everyone was staring at the hat. For a few seconds there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth- and then the hat began to sing.
Alaynia stared at the hat. She had never seen something so comical, yet so serious. A hat was singing. It actually sounded pretty good, except for the rasp to its voice. The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.
Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "Attention please. We are now hosting an exchange student from the United States. When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Valas, Alaynia."
Alaynia walked slowly to the hat. She picked it up, sat on the stool, and put on the hat. There was a small voice in her ear. "You are much older that the students I normally have to sort. But where to put you. There's bravery here, and talent. Loyalty and cunning, too. Hmmm... Nerve and courage. I can see that you will work to get what you want, even if you need to beak a few rules. You are sly, but also shy. You would do very well in all of the houses. Yes, you are quite the enigma. Where should you go? Hmmm... Well, I think I've finally got it. Yes, better be SLYTHERIN!"
Alaynia calmly took off the hat and walked to the Slytherin table. She hardly knew anyone there. The only person that she knew was Draco. She saw him down at the other end of the table. She glided to the end of the table and took a seat. The other Slytherins looked at her. She raised an eyebrow. The other Slytherins continued watching the sorting.
As she looked across the hall, Alaynia could see Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Collin. They looked dismayed that she had been put in Slytherin. Alaynia shrugged at them and silently apologized, hoping they would get the message.
