Hey guys thanks for your reviews that I forgot to mention in last chapter hope your still with the story it'll get better promise you just got to know every one first then there's going to be some mysteries and stuff but keep reviewing please!

Chapter 5: Sorting Birds

Padma could feel her heart thumping, she was breathing quite heavily as though she had just run a race. Her legs were shaking, even though it was a warm night.

The doors opened and there stood an old woman, in emerald robes. Padma got a bit scared by her, she did not look friendly. Hagrid said something to this lady and she nodded and he walked passed her.

"Follow me" said the lady and walked into the school.

As Padma walked in, as soon as she stepped into the castle, a wave of warmth hit and she could hear many voices and the scraping of chairs. The room they had just entered made Padma's mouth dropped. It was beautiful. The room looked as though it could fit their mansion and then some. It had an old historic look, with flamed torches on the walls and a suit of armour at one side of this room.

They followed this lady into another room, a much smaller one that was quite cramped. The lady shut the door and turned to them.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. My name is Professor McGonagall. The start of term feast will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the great hall you will have to be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Your houses will be like your family for the 7 years."

"You will each be spending most of your time in your house common rooms when not in lessons. While staying here at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, any bad behaviour and you will loose points. At the end of the year the house with the most points will be awarded with the House cup."

"The sorting ceremony will begin shortly, I suggest you smarten up" and Professor McGonagall and walked out.

Everyone was quiet and looking very anxious. Padma turned to Parvati.

"Do you think we'll be in the same house?" asked Padma

"Of course, were sisters don't worry be brave" smiled Parvati

"Yeah Padma be brave" mocked Draco

"Oh shut it Malfoy" retorted Parvati

"Yeah and why have you got so much grease on your head for?" asked Becky turning around.

Everybody laughed. Draco turned back round mumbling dark things.

"What did you say? Can't hear you. Something about your father, yeah right, I seen him, acts like one of those weird creatures. Erm what was it?"

"Flobberworm" replied Tyler

Crabbe and Goyle stood in front of Malfoy looking intimidating.

"Shut it Khezendur"

"Malfoy leave him alone" said Padma

"Make me"

Padma was just about to reply when someone pushed past her.

"You got anything to say, grease ball and you'll have to go through me. Leave Padma alone" said Terry. He looked quite angry and a little surprised at his outburst.

Just then some ghost came through the right wall and were talking, arguing by the looks of it. Padma didn't take any notice, she was worried about hat was coming up.

The doors finally opened.

"We're ready for you" and the all followed Professor McGonagall into the great hall.

This room was even bigger then the Entrance Hall. It was so big she couldn't even see the ceiling. She looked back up at the ceiling and was amazed. It looked like the ceiling was open to the heavens. Of course she read about this in Hogwarts: A History, but she never knew it looked so spectacular. Looking around she could see hundreds of head looking in their directions, 5 long tables; the teachers occupied one of them. Padma guessed that each bench belonged to each house.

Above the students head, suspended in mid air were millions of candles. Around the walls were more suits of armour and some flaming torches at the sides. Padma was shaking even more. All eyes were upon them; she could feel them on her, watching her, the only sound were there steps.

"Don't be scared, you'll be fine" said Tyler

They reached the front of the hall and there sat an old looking hat on a stool. They all looked at the hat for a moment. What are we meant to do? Thought Padma. She looked around at her friends and they all had the same look on their faces.

All of a sudden a rip at the bottom of the hat opened and started to sing:

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 than 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 the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart.

"Well I guess were both going into Gryffindor because you are brave and you said they don't split up sisters" smiled Padma. She was so relieved that she was going to stay with Parvati.

"Hope we are in the same house" whispered someone in her ear. She looked around and Nott was standing behind her.

"Me too." And the sorting hat stopped singing and everyone applauded.

Professor McGonagall stepped up next to the tool, unravelled a scroll which was in her hand and picked up the hat.

"Now as I shout your names, please come up and sit on the stool where I'll place the hat. Abbot, Hannah"

A girl with blonde pigtails walked up to the stool looking frightened. The hat slipped past her eyes and sat there for a couple of seconds before it shouted 'HUFFLEPUFF!'

She took of the hat and ran to the bench next to the wall. The whole table applauded and greeted Hannah.

"Boot, Terry"

Terry smiled at them all and went up to the seat and the hat slipped onto his head. You could see that he was shaking. After a minute or so it shouted 'RAVENCLAW!' and he ran off to the table on the other side of the Great Hall. He winked at them as he passed.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy"

"Go for it Mandy, we'll all end up in Ravenclaw" whispered Becky

And as soon as the sorting hat touched her head it shouted 'RAVENCLW!' and Terry stood up and applauded with the rest. Two other people got sorted into Hufflepuff and Lavender Brown was the first into Gryffindor.

"Cassily, Becky"

"Woo, yeah" she shouted and turned to look at them "see you on the other side" and walked up confidently and sat on the stool.

After a moment 'RAVENCLAW!' and she hopped of her seat and jumped onto her seat next to Terry and Mandy.

Michael Corner also went into Ravenclaw. Crabbe went into Slytherin. Anthony, Tyler, Morag and Skoda all went into Ravenclaw. Padma was a little upset because they were all her friends and she might not have been in the same house as them. Draco, Goyle and Nott went into Slytherin. Nott looked over at Padma and smiled and gestured a seat next to him, telling her he was saving it for her. She began to fell very nervous again. Parvati squeezed her hand and smiled.

"Patel, Padma"

Padma was shaking as she walked up to the stool. Every step seemed to echo through the Great Hall. Everyone was silent though she could hear whispers. One set was chanting 'ravenclaw, ravenclaw' and another one chanting by one person 'slytherin' she smiled and sat down on the stool. She could see the Ravenclaw table where everyone was sitting smiling, Skoda had her thumbs up. Looked over at the Slytherin table and she could see Nott smiling and her eyes went to Parvati and she smiled just as the hat slipped over her eyes.

'Hmm well lets see what we have here. Ahh very smart, a thirst for knowledge and yes a very sharp mind…' and she realised that the hat was talking to her in her head 'yes well it had better be RAVENCLAW!'

And she got up smiled and ran over to the table and they all cheered and tapped her back and Terry was beaming and said "I saved you a seat" and she sat down. The smile faded off her face when she looked over at Nott. He looked disappointed but smiled reassuringly at her.

"Patel, Parvati"

Padma turned around to watch her sister being sorted. But of course she knew she was going to be in Ravenclaw because her sister had said that they wouldn't separate them because they were sisters. There was a minutes silence and

'GRYFFINDOR!'

Padma's eyes widened and her stomach did a funny churn. Her mouth was hanging open as she stared at her sister. They had never been separated, and now. Parvati looked over and smiled and sat down at the gryffindor table.

Terry squeezed her hand but let go quickly and Becky came over and squeezed herself between Padma and Morag and put her arm around Padma.

"Don't worry Padma were all here and its not as though your not going to see her, you've got class and you can see her during break and everything. Don't be upset. I know what'll cheer you up. I'll nick some of this food and so will the others and we can have a feast"

"Oh no you won't that's not allowed or I'm knocking off points" said a voice from behind them and Hollie had just walked down to them. "And be quiet the sorting. Padma don't worry about ok" and Hollie walked off.

"Great we got Head girl in our house" whispered Becky

A girl was being sorted who went into slytherin. Then McGonagall shouted the name that made everyone whisper and move.

"Potter, Harry"

"Oh ruddy hell if he comes into ravenclaw I'm asking to be resorted" said Becky

Padma chuckled with the rest. After a while the hat shouted Gryffindor. Two boys, twins got up and started shouting, "WE GOT POTTER!" and Padma wondered how they came to be in the same house. Becky sighed and smiled.

They were still waiting for Lisa to see where she would be sorted. The group of students waited to be sorted was very short now.

"Turpin, Lisa"

Lisa went up to the stool and sat down. They all had their fingers crossed for her. Padma looked over at Parvati and saw that she was talking to another girl, the first gryffindor to be sorted, Lavender Brown. She was giggling and talking. Padma turned her attention back to Lisa. After a while it shouted ravenclaw and she came and sat down next to Morag. Padma was a little relaxed by now and was watching the rest being sorted. After Zabini who got sorted into slytherin McGonagall took the stool and everyone looked at the staff table.

Dumbledore stood up. Padma adored all the work he has ever done. He was an amazing wizard and was very proud to say she went to a school where Professor Dumbledore was headmaster. His beard was shinning in the light and realised that his beard wasn't as long as her nana's beard.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. Before we eat I would like to say a few words: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you" and sat down.

Padma laughed and turned to her plate and was surprised as the plates in front of her were filling up with food. She filled up her plate and started eating. No one was talking since they were so hungry. Then all of a sudden there was some potato in her hair. She looked up and saw Becky and Lisa's faces go red, trying not to laugh. They couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing. Padma chucked some chicken at them but that was a big mistake.

There was Potatoes being thrown at her by Becky while Lisa was in hysteric. Everyone else was laughing their head off.

"That's it Rebecca, 1 point from Ravenclaw" said Hollie "And if any of the professors saw you, you would've got 10 points taken off and detention"

"My name is not Rebecca, its Becky" Becky replied coldly and turned around. As soon as Hollie walked off, Becky threw some chicken at Padma but Padma put her hands up in defeat.

It was very fun, they all sat there chatting and eating. Then Professor Dumbledore got up and gave a few notices. He then warned everyone not to go near the third floor or suffer a painful death. Padma didn't know whether he was being funny or serious. She watched Dumbledore get up. He turned and saw her staring and he waved and pointed behind her.

A prefect was waiting for her.

"Hi I'm Penelope Clearwater and I am the Ravenclaw Prefect and this is Andy Mayfield and he's a Ravenclaw prefect. Come and follow me and stay close." And all the Ravenclaw first years followed them up through the school.

It was a beautiful school, suits of armour everywhere; it had a medieval look to it. They walked and walked and walked until they were walking up this spiral staircase. At the top of the staircase was a little clearing and there was a portrait of a beautiful tall lady. She had long black hair, and bright blue eyes.

"This is the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room. The password is Corvus. The password changes frequently so I'll come and tell you when it has changed ok?" and they all entered the common room.

"Ok the password never changes. I had to say that incase any members of different house were lurking about. There are many secrets in the Ravenclaw common room; so many people try to get in. The password is always the same. Other house change their password frequently so no one will know their password but people will assume that we also change ours. Keep this a secret. Well the girls' dorms are to your left and the boys to your right. Well you all have class tomorrow so goodnight" and Penelope walked off with Andy.

The common room was magnificent. Walls of books and there were so many big squashy chairs and sofas. The fireplace was crackling merrily and many students were up talking and joking. Padma and the rest of the girls went up to their dorm. It was a really big dorm. All 6 of them were sharing a room. All their trunks had been brought up for them. Padma got the bed next to the window and Mandy had already started throwing pillows at everyone and that started the pillow fight.

They all stopped and Becky said " I couldn't get any food just incase Hollie was watching so I'll get it tomorrow and we can stay up late and sneak into the boys room" and they all laughed and got changed and went to bed.

Just as Padma was going to sleep a soft tap came at the window and there was Om. She let him in and took the scroll from his ankle and he took off into the sky.

Remember to wake up early tomorrow we got class no more sleeping in don't worry I am still here

Parvati x

Padma smiled and went to bed. She was perfectly fine. She thought it would feel weird not having her around but talking with her fellow ravenclaw's she knew that she would be fine and there was nothing to worry about.