6.)
Donald suddenly felt very small. He guessed that he would have to perform some sort of test but although he had read all of his textbooks he had never actually tried to perform any of the spells or make any of the potions.
"How are we sorted," he quietly whispered to Matthew who didn't look too good himself.
"My Uncle George mentioned something about trolls and dragons but I'm not sure whether to believe him. He and Uncle Fred do own a joke shop after all and are always pulling pranks on me." Matthew replied, not at all settling Donald's queasy stomach.
Suddenly a stern sounding female voice called out "First Years," and Professor Flitwick opened the doors with a wave of his wand and led the terrified group of students inside. The hall was impressive. Each of the four house tables was full of students who were all staring at their new peers. At the front of the hall the teachers sat at a table watching over the students. A thin man with a scowl entered the hall and placed a three legged stool with an extremely old looking pointed hat. The students shifted their gaze from the newcomers to the hat immediately. Suddenly, causing all the first years to jump, a hole in the brim of the hat opened up and the hat began to sing;
Each year I sit upon this stool,
And entertain you scoundrels,
I describe the founders of this school,
And the traits they dearly valued.
I then sit upon the mop of hair,
Of every nervous kid,
And look into their minds and souls,
Discover the traits that they have hid.
I call Griffindor out loud,
If at heart you're brave,
You'll never give in to your fear,
If in danger you will save.
Or Slytherin I will pronounce,
If cunning you possess,
If you can charm others,
And aim to be better than the rest.
Ravenclaw, you'll hear me shout,
If you believe intelligence,
Is the most important thing,
That you can posses.
Or if you hear Hufflepuff,
You believe in fair play,
All in need, you aim to help,
No matter who they bae.
Some I can sort easily,
Only in on house they will fit,
Others are much harder,
And take a little bit,
More time to go and test their minds,
Through the traits of all four houses,
To find in which they will fit best,
Is not a simple answer.
So put me on and do sit down,
But please remember this,
Though you my be in different houses,
Don't let friendships go amiss.
The founders four were firm friends,
Despite their diff-er-an-ces,
With all four traits you can not fail,
In all cir-cum-stances.
The whole hall clapped loudly as Professor Flitwick headed up to it and took out a long list. Donald felt relieved, trying on a hat, he thought, is much better than having to sit some test.
"First years, when I call your name please come up and sit on the stool."
"Anderson Mark," a tall skinny boy with bright blue eyes nervously sat down. The hat didn't take long before declaring him a GRIFFINDOR. The Griffindor table burst into applause and Mark hurried down and quickly joined them.
"Blackwood, Travis" joined Griffindor as well and then Elizabeth Boot, the annoying girl from the boat became the first HUFFLEPUFF.
Professor Flitwick continued down the list.
"Brown, Sean" RAVENCLAW
"Cartel, Chris" HUFFLEPUFF
"Corner, Lauren" GRIFFINDOR
"Crabbe, Douglas" SLYTHERIN
"Dawlish, Zachary" RAVENCLAW
Finally it was Donald's turn. "Dursley, Donald" Flitwick called out and Donald hurried to the stool and pulled the hat onto his head. To his surprise he could hear the hat muttering quietly to itself.
'very smart, likes to read. Hmm could do well in Ravenclaw. But incredibly brave as well would often stand up to his father. Hmmmm He would fit right into Griffindor. Very ambitious and cunning to, wants to rise above his family that is a very Slytherin trait. But no, the most important thing here is that you will go out of your way to help anyone in need. So you should be a' HUFFLEPUFF
The Hufflepuff table cheered and Donald took off the hat and hurried over to the Hufflepuff table and sat next to Chris Cartel as Flint, Ferdinand was sorted into SLYTHERIN.
Professor Flitwick waited for the Slytherins cheers to die down before calling up "Finnigan Devon," who sat for a while before the hat called out GRIFFINDOR.
"Flinch-Fletchey, Frank" was sorted into HUFFLEPUFF and Donald joined into the cheering with the rest of his new house. But quickly quietened whe the next student was called up.
"Flurdo, Tara" HUFFLEPUFF
"Goldstein, Poppy," RAVENCLAW
"Goyle, Henrietta," SLYTHERIN
"Grappleby, Kylie," RAVENCLAW
"Greengrass, Mandy" HUFFEPUFF
"Hutsly, Marigold," RAVENCLAW
"Kiddle, Ashleigh," GRIFFINDOR
"King, Juliet," RAVECLAW
"Lestrange, Dora" SLYTHERIN
"Lupin, Romulus," RAVENCLAW
Professor Flitwick finally called out "Malfoy, Martin," The hat took a rather long time to sort Martin before finally called out HUFFLEPUFF. Donald cheered with the rest of the Hufflepuffs ignoring the shout of 'what!' coming from over at the Slytherin table.
"Markson Michelle," the sorting continued, GRIFINDOR
"Marshall, Susie," GRIFFINDOR
"Matthews Peter," SLYTHERIN. Donald noticed there wasn't much cheering for Peter as he joined his house table and wondered why.
"Meadows, Veronica," RAVECLAW
"Nott, Natalie," SLYTHERIN
Then a set of twins, "Old, Francis" HUFFLEPUFF and "Old, Michael" SLYTHRIN
Finally "Potter, Matthew," The hall went silent. Donald could here the hall murmuring things such as 'that's THE Harry Potter's son'. The hat took a very short time to decide Matthew's house calling out HUFFLEPUFF strait away. Donald noticed Matthew got the loudest cheer yet although, he thought, the Griffindors look a little put out.
"Shacklebolt, Rose" a small black girl was sorted into HUFFLEPUFF as the hall quietened down under the headmistress's stern glare.
"Smith Kirsty," was sorted into SLYTHERIN. She walked over to her table with a scowl and it was obvious that she didn't want to be in that house.
"Tomas, Ingrid," GRIFFINDOR
"Warrington, Jennifer," SLYTHERIN
"Weasley, Conner," GRIFFINDOR,
"That's one of my cousins," Matthew whispered to Donald and Martin.
"Wood, Paul," GRIFFINDOR
"Yaxley, Henry," SLYTHERIN
"Graham York," RAVENCLAW
Finally the last student was called up. Donald felt a bit sorry for him, it must be horrible, he thought, to be waiting up there by yourself.
"Zabini, Brian" was sorted into RAVENCLAW and Professor Flitwick grabbed the hat and stool and carried them out of the hall. The Headmistress then stood once again silencing the hall with a glare. Donald noticed she had dark, grey hair with speckles of black tied in a tight bun which hung out of her pointed hat. She had on emerald green robes and he wondered whether she had been in Slytherin.
"Welcome back everyone," she began, "For those who don't know my name is Professor McGonagall. I hope you have all had a wonderful holiday and are ready and eager to begin your studies once again. Before we eat I have a few notices. The first thing is that the forest on the ground, known as the Forbidden Forest, has its name for a reason and any students caught there will suffer severe punishment. The second is that our caretaker, Mr. Lords," she pointed at the scowling man who had brought the sorting hat out, "has asked me to remind you that all products from the joke store 'Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes' are banned from the school. Anyone wishing to try out for their house quidditch team please see your head of house. I hope you all have a wonderful year."
Professor McGonagall sat down and the empty plates sitting on the house tables suddenly filled with almost every type of food imaginable. Eating his way through the enormous meal Donald thought of what his father would do if he saw all this food. He quickly forces the thought out of his head as the thought wasn't pretty. Finally when everyone had finished eating the plated cleared themselves and the headmistress one again stood up.
"Will all students please make there way to their dormitories," she instructed, "first years please follow a prefect who will show you where to go."
"Come on," a tall blond girl ushered the first years, "this way. We're the closest to the Great hall, just out this passage." She led them through a narrow doorway on the side of the hall and along a passageway. They passed many portraits of food, all of which were moving like the picture of 'Albus' at the Potters. Donald thought they must be near the kitchens. They finally reached a piece of empty wall next to a portrait of a sleeping troll.
"This is the entry to the Hufflepuff common room," the girl told the first year, "the password is Pork Pie at the moment but it will change throughout the year."
As the girl said Pork Pie the wall slid open allowing entry to a large, round cellar-like room decked out in yellow and black with comfortable looking lounge chairs and a large, lit, fireplace. Boys down the staircase on the left, girls down the one on the right.
Donald, along with the other Hufflepuff first year boys, headed down the staircase and went through a door labelled 'First Years'. Five four poster beds with bright canary yellow hangings and quilts filled the room. Donald notices that the student's trunks were already at the end of the beds. He changed into his pyjamas and was so exhausted that he fell asleep immediately.