Chapter 4: Sorting Hat

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said.

A tall witch stood on the threshold of the castle. She had black hair tied back from her face in a bun and wore emerald green robes, a black hat and glasses. She looked at the first years for a moment, as if considering something.

"Follow me," she said shortly.

Padma couldn't help but stare as they followed Professor McGonagall into the Entrance Hall. It was enormous; a huge marble staircase led upstairs, branching out to the left and right, and the ceiling was high and vaulted. Through huge doors to the right, Padma could hear the sound of hundreds of voices. She hardly heard what Professor McGonagall was saying about being Sorted into their houses; her heart was pounding loudly and the sound filled her head.

They were ushered into a small side chamber where they stood, nervous and glancing about their surroundings with apprehension.

"I will return for you in a few minutes when we are ready for you," Professor McGonagall said.

She left the chamber. As soon as she had departed, the first years broke into nervous chatter. Padma had no idea what happened in the Sorting Ceremony, and she tried to ignore the girl with the bushy hair who was muttering spells beneath her breath and a boy with red hair and freckles who was saying something about trolls. She wiped her sweating hands on her robes.

A gasp rippled through the chamber as twenty or so ghosts drifted through one of the walls, talking amongst themselves. There was a portly monk and an Elizabethan gentleman, and they greeted the first years warmly before disappearing through the other wall. Professor McGonagall appeared at the door.

"The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin," she said.

The nervous first years lined up. Padma stood behind Parvati and in front of a boy with a pale face and blonde hair. They followed Professor McGonagall out of the side chamber, across the vast Entrance Hall and into the Great Hall.

It was a huge room. There were four long tables crammed with older students who watched silently as they filed down the centre of the hallway. Their faces glowed in the light of thousands of floating candles, and here and there were dotted the pearly faces of ghosts. Padma glanced up at the ceiling momentarily, finding that it was enchanted to look like the sky outside.

She felt her knees wobbling, and it took all of her strength to stop herself from stumbling. At the front of the hall was a long table where the teachers were sitting, watching them carefully and in silence. Professor Dumbledore sat in the centre, his long white hair and beard shining in the candlelight. His eyes sparkled as he watched the first years lining up at the foot of the table.

In front of the table stood a stool with a battered and dusty wizard's hat upon it. It was frayed and patched in many places. Padma watched in amazement as it split open at a seam and began to sing a song that listed the qualities of each of the different houses; Gryffindors were brave, daring and chivalrous; Hufflepuffs just, loyal, patient and unafraid of toil; Ravenclaws had ready minds, wit and learning, and Slytherins didn't sound appealing to Padma at all.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward once the Sorting Hat had finished singing its song. She now held a long roll of parchment that trailed along the floor.

"When I call out your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be Sorted," she said.

Padma watched as each of the first years were Sorted. Terry stumbled up to the platform and crammed the hat onto his head so that it covered his eyes, quickly being Sorted into Ravenclaw. The girl with the bushy hair "Granger, Hermione," was sorted into Gryffindor and the girl Padma had shared a boat with, "McDougal, Morag", was Sorted into Ravenclaw.

"Patil, Padma."

Padma looked around and her stomach gave an uncomfortable lurch as she walked up to sit on the stool. The last thing she saw before the hat slipped over her eyes was Parvati standing in front of her, smiling warmly and giving her an encouraging wink.

"Hmm," a small voice said in Padma's ear. "Where to Sort you?" It paused for a moment and Padma felt as if something was rifling through her mind, looking for information. "Well, there's most definitely a lot of knowledge and a thirst for learning. You'd be best in Ravenclaw!"

Padma heard the hat shout out the last word and she pulled it from her head, hurrying over to the Ravenclaw table and sitting down next to Terry who shook her hand warmly. She felt as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Patil, Parvati."

Her twin sister walked up to the stool and sat down, putting the Sorting Hat on her head. Padma watched, her heart thudding loudly in her chest, as Parvati sat for at least a minute on the stool. Padma thought about what her grandmother had said that morning about them being two very different people, and she wasn't really surprised when the Sorting Hat cried out,

"Gryffindor!"

Padma clapped loudly, watching as her twin sister walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to a girl with brown hair. Terry gave her an apologetic look. Parvati craned her neck and spotted Padma, waving and smiling slightly. They both knew that they had been Sorted into the right houses. Terry started to say that it was a shame they weren't in the same house, but he was cut off as Professor McGonagall said,

"Potter, Harry."

A murmur of chatter rippled throughout the Great Hall. Padma looked up to the platform as a boy with a thin face, messy black hair and glasses got up to sit on the stool.

"Is that Harry Potter?" Terry asked in disbelief.

"It must be," Padma whispered.

She watched as Professor McGonagall put the Sorting Hat onto Harry Potter's head. It slipped over his eyes. Padma wondered how he could possibly be the Boy Who Lived. Her parents had told her and Parvati about him; after all, the story of his defeat of You-Know-Who as a baby was legend. But he didn't look anything special.

Across the Ravenclaw table, a girl with brown hair in a ponytail who Padma was sure was called Mandy Brocklehurst, had her eyes closed and fingers crossed.

"Be in Ravenclaw, be in Ravenclaw," she muttered under her breath over and over.

The whole of the Great Hall was on the edge of their seats, and the air was filled with anticipation. Padma found herself crossing her fingers as well and she watched intently as the Sorting Hat cried out,

"Gryffindor!"

The Gryffindor table burst into rapturous applause, cheering and whistling. A set of twins with red hair stood up and cried,

"We've got Potter! We've got Potter!"

All of the Gryffindors were trying to pat Harry on the back or shake his hand as he sat down, looking rather overwhelmed by it all. Mandy looked crestfallen, but Padma was grateful that he wasn't in Slytherin. An older girl patted Mandy on the shoulder in a reassuring way.

"The second best house in Hogwarts isn't bad," she said with a grin.

Mandy looked a little happier at this comment. Padma nodded in agreement and looked up to the front of the hall where Lisa Turpin, the girl from the second hand bookshop, was Sorted into Ravenclaw. She sat down beside Padma, looking rather pale.

"It's horrible up there," she said in a whisper. "You feel like everyone is watching you."

"They were," Terry said.

Before Lisa could say anything in reply, Professor Dumbledore stood up as Professor McGonagall took away the stool and the Sorting Hat. He was a tall man who had a definite air of authority.

"Welcome!" he said clearly. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

Padma grinned. Many of the pupils in the hall cheered at the top of their voices. When food suddenly appeared up and down the tables, another round of applause filled the Great Hall before the students began to pile their plates with food and talk loudly about their holidays.

Terry shovelled mashed potato into his mouth with gusto as Padma chewed on a piece of quiche, frowning slightly at him. Lisa turned in her seat.

"So, how was the rest of your summer?"

"Good," Padma said. "I managed to read all of the textbooks through twice and…"

"Show off!" Terry interrupted through a mouthful of mashed potato.

Across the table, Mandy straightened in her seat.

"I read through them three times," she said.

"It's not a bloody competition!" the boy next to her said. "I'm Kevin Entwhistle, by the way," he added.

He had light brown hair and a long thin nose. As he ate, he slid his glasses back up his nose.

"So, what are you looking forward to studying?" he asked. "I can't wait to start Transfiguration. I've loved it ever since I accidentally turned my little sister's teddy into a snake with my Mum's wand."

Padma laughed and drank some pumpkin juice.

"I'm looking forward to History of Magic," she said. "But I wish we were doing Ancient Runes."

"Not until third year," an older girl said. She had curly black hair and a warm smile. "I'm Penelope Clearwater; fifth year Prefect. So if you ever want any help, just come and ask me."

The first year Ravenclaws nodded and Penelope turned back to talk to some older students.

"I want to do Charms most of all," Mandy said cheerfully.

"Transfiguration for me," Lisa added.

They were silent for a while, just eating and drinking. Padma was happy just to be at Hogwarts at last. Once the plates were clear, dessert appeared on the table and she helped herself to strawberries and cream. The conversation eventually turned to their parents.

"I'm half and half," Kevin explained. "My mum's a witch and my dad's a Muggle. He's always known, so they've lived like any other wizards since they got married."

"My mum and dad are both magical," Morag said. She paused to eat some cheesecake "Mum's in the Ministry of Magic in Department of Magical Sports and Games. Dad's in Gringotts. He's Head of Security."

Padma nodded.

"My dad works in the Ministry as well, and my mum's at St Mungos."

"So is my mum!" Lisa said, looking surprised. "She's on Potion and Plant Poisoning."

Padma smiled. This was a ridiculous coincidence and she wanted to laugh out loud.

"Same with mine," she said. "Mum's a specialist on the affects of plants. Herbology was always her best subject at school."

"They probably know each other," Lisa said. "My mum does exactly the same job as yours!"

Padma and Lisa continued to talk about their mothers. Terry and Kevin were arguing about whose Quidditch team was the best; Terry supported Puddlemere United and Kevin the Tutshill Tornadoes. Mandy was talking to a Chinese girl with long black hair and dark eyes about Charms and her thoughts on levitation spell theory.

Padma yawned. She felt warm and sleepy. Suddenly, all of the food disappeared, much to Kevin's disappointment as he'd been about to bite into a slice of chocolate cake. Instead, he bit into thin air. They all listened half-heartedly as Professor Dumbledore rattled off a long list of notices, including the fact that the Forest was out of bounds, Quidditch tryouts would take place in two weeks, and that there was a list of forbidden items on the door of the caretaker's office.

Terry stifled a yawn as Dumbledore conducted the school song. Padma mumbled the words under her breath, but made no attempt to sing. Professor Dumbledore stood up and smiled at the pupils.

"Of you trot!" he cried cheerfully.

The pupils got up from the chairs and started to flood out of the huge doors, their happy voices rising up to the ceiling.

"First year Ravenclaws!" shouted a tall boy over the din. He waved them over. "I'm Edward Marshall, one of your sixth year Prefects. If you'd follow me, I'll take you up to the Ravenclaw Common Room."

The ten first years followed the Prefect, joining the throngs of students who were moving up the marble staircase and heading for the floors above. Padma's legs were aching as they climbed flight after flight of stairs, through hidden doors and down winding corridors. Behind her, Lisa was red in the face and breathless.

As they reached the top of another staircase, they found themselves in a small open area with long windows on both sides, and two long tapestries from floor to ceiling on either side of a bronze statue of an eagle. It sat upon an elaborate stone shelf and seemed to watch the Ravenclaws with unblinking eyes. Edward grinned at them all, watching as Terry leant up against the wall.

The Prefect stepped up to the eagle. Its bronze eyes moved, fixing on his face.

"Aquilas," Edward said clearly.

The shelf and wall swung backwards as if on hinges, revealing a small passageway.

"We change the password every week," the Prefect explained. "As Ravenclaws, we like to use interesting words to broaden our vocabularies."

Padma and the other first years laughed.

"And this is the Ravenclaw Common Room," Edward said.

He led them through the small passage and into a room that took Padma's breath away. She suddenly felt much more awake. The Common Room was enormous with a high vaulted ceiling and tall windows overlooking the countryside. Opposite the entrance was a wide stone fireplace with a long window on either side, and there was a table down the centre of the room piled with books, lamps and rolls of parchment. There were numerous blue chairs and sofas, but what caught Padma's attention were the books.

The entire Common Room was filled with bookshelves that ran about the room, almost reaching up to the ceiling. They were crammed with thousands of books and tall ladders on wheels reached up to the highest shelves. There were even books piled on the window seats.

"It's amazing!" Padma whispered to Terry.

He nodded mutely in agreement, his eyes wide with wonder. Edward gestured to two doorways, one on either side of the Common Room.

"Girls' dormitories are to the right and boys' to the left," he said. "Would you take the girls upstairs for me, Penelope?"

The fifth year Prefect was sitting in a high backed chair and nodded, standing up with a book under one arm. She beckoned for the girls to follow her. They followed her up a flight of stairs that reached a door with Seventh Year Girls written on a plaque, and then turned up onto a spiral staircase. Passing five other doors, they eventually reached the very top of the tower, the plaque on the door reading First Year Girls. Lisa leant against the wall, catching her breath.

"Sorry about the climb," Penelope said apologetically, "but this is going to be your dorm for the next seven years, so you'll have to get used to it."

She pushed open the door and the five girls swarmed inside. The dormitory was rectangular and fairly large, with five four-poster beds with blue velvet drapes. There were two long windows to the left, allowing moonlight to stream into the room, and a couple of bookshelves that were empty at the moment. Each bed had a table beside them with a chair, and in the centre of the room was a cast iron burner. There were tapestries of a bronze eagle on a blue background, as well as rugs on the stone floor. Mandy smiled.

"It's beautiful," she said in a voice barely over a whisper.

Penelope nodded.

"You'd best get to bed now," she said kindly. "You need to be up by seven tomorrow for breakfast. If you need me, I'm on the third floor. Goodnight," she added with a smile.

Padma spotted her trunk at the far end of the room. It was at the foot of a bed next to one of the windows, and she hurried over, beginning to rummage around looking around for her pyjamas. While she looked, she piled all of her books onto her bed, eventually finding her pyjamas underneath her copy of Moste Ancient Magicke of Asia. The Chinese girl sat on the bed opposite her, smiling.

"I'm Su Li," she said.

"Padma Patil." She started to put her books into one of the bookshelves.

"How many books do you have?" Su Li asked curiously.

"Not that many really," Padma said. "It's not even a tenth of what I have at home!"

Over on her bed next to Padma's, Lisa snorted with laughter.

"I can believe that!"

She had to duck as Padma threw a pillow at her head. Mandy, who was now dressed in a striped night-dress, started to pin a poster of the Weird Sisters over her desk. Her tabby cat curled around her ankles.

"I'm really excited to be here," she said with a grin on her face.

Everyone agreed with nodding heads. A silence fell over the room as everyone got ready, unpacking their trunks and getting changed.

"What's your cat called?" Morag asked Mandy in a soft Scottish accent.

"Sorrel," she replied.

The uneasy silence broke and the girls started to chat excitedly about their lives to one another. Padma smiled at the comfortable chatter, crawling into her new bed and pulling the blue covers up to her chin. She looked up at the canopy above her and drifted off to sleep, lulled by the conversation of her new dorm mates.