All the first years followed Professor McGonagall into the Great Hall. All of the first years gasped at the greatness of the hall. It was huge. It had four massive tables with many students sat at them. At the front was a long table with the teachers sit at them, and a gap beside Albus Dumbledore. But what caught everyone's eye, was the ceiling, which looked so convincingly like the night sky that Moody said "There is a possible chance of overhead broom attack from that sky. Right, I think we're going to need to get guards up there…" when Remus interrupted "That's just a ceiling Alastor. It's enchanted to look like the night sky, and nobody is going to enter Hogwarts on brooms and start bombing it. There is just no way."

"First years, please all stand at the back please!" Professor McGonagall called. Then she put a stool down, and placed a hat on top of it. Everyone stared at the hat. All of a sudden, it started singing.

I am the sorting hat

Sat where everyone's once sat

And now when you sit there

And everyone gives you a stare

You will be sorted into your house

But you'll be quiet as a mouse

I'll do all the talking for you

And tell you which house you belong to

Do you belong to Gryffindor?

Where all the brave people you've seen before

Have spent seven years of their life

And they do not cower to even a knife

Do you belong to Hufflepuff?

People there are not always tough

But they are kind and giving and caring so

That's where all the generous people go

Do you belong to Ravenclaw?

Where many wise people you've saw

Have studied hours long and hard

From books, paper, notes and card

Do you belong to Slytherin?

Where many are cunning and commit sin

But do not throw them in the trash

For they may reform from the ash

Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin

Sit on the stool and I'll say which one you are in.

The hall burst into a round of applause except for Alastor who after hearing the description of the houses, had his wand pointed at the Slytherin table until Remus beckoned for him to put his wand down. "I'm sure we'll all be in Gryffindor" James said suddenly.

"I'm not sure I belong in any house" Peter said.

"You belong in ours," Remus said comfortingly. "Wherever that may be."

"Gryffindor" Sirius said.

"Now the sorting may begin!" Professor McGonagall said. "When I call your name, you will put the hat on, sit on the stool and be sorted. Good luck!"

The hall went silent and then Professor McGonagall called out "Amderia, Rufus"

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat cried.

All of the Slytherin table applauded but nobody else did and there was a lot of jeering from the Gryffindor table. The hat continued to sort people

"Black, Sirius!"

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat called, the instant the hat touched the hairs on Sirius' head.

The Gryffindor table applauded and said that no Black before him had found the Gryffindor table. Sirius did not notice the hat continuing until…

"Lupin, Remus," Professor McGonagall called

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat called, this time, taking longer.

Remus barely had time to get to the Gryffindor table before Professor McGonagall called "Moody, Alastor!"

"GRYFFINDOR" the hat shouted, taking a few seconds to come to this conclusion.

The Gryffindor table once again applauded as another person was added to it. After a few more names…

"Pettigrew, Peter!"

Peter put the hat upon his head and waited and waited. After what seemed like forever the hat called "SLYFFINDOR!". The hall gasped and the hat simply said "Sorry. What I really meant to say was…GRYFFINDOR!"

Peter walked to the Gryffindor table, with a quiet applause, looking very pale.

"Potter, James!"

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat screamed as quickly as with Sirius.

The Gryffindors just continued cheering their way through the ceremony, no more boys entered Gryffindor, but a couple of girls did. And then they saw a familiar face at the front. It was the greasy face and hair they saw who knocked on the door for Hagrid. He stood up to the name of 'Snape, Severus'. The hat took a very long time to decide but it eventually said "SLYTHERIN!" although not convincingly.

After all the sorting had been done Dumbledore stood up and the front and shouted "Hello everyone, and welcome to Hogwarts!" Everybody applauded as if this were the opening of Hogwarts. In a lower voice, Dumbledore continued "A new year, new faces, a new beginning for each and every one of you. And, I would like to announce, that this year we have planted a tree in our grounds. This may not sound very exciting to you, but the first years have seen it in action. For once, everybody, I'd like the first years to give you guidance. They'll tell you about the tree and where it is. This alone practises a very important skill. Everybody should know, that it does not make you weak person to listen to your younger comrades. In fact, it makes you stronger to know that they can help you."

"There are no other announcements. For first years, all rules are pinned up in all of the house common rooms. Before we put the food upon the tables, I would like to get Alastor Moody. Front and center, Mr Moody!"

Alastor stood up, worrying about what was about to happen to him. He walked up to the front of the massive room, but not before Dumbledore said "Now let the feast begin!"

Alastor was not sure whether he should go back to the Gryffindor table or go up to Professor Dumbledore. He was confirmed to continue going up by Dumbledore's beckoning.

When Alastor reached Dumbledore, he said "Sir. What do you want, sir?"

"Well Alastor, when you accepted your place at Hogwarts you mentioned something about a fear of eating food that you haven't seen prepared. I hear you carry a hip flask around for drink. Well, you are going to struggle for food here if that is the case, so perhaps you would feel that it was as safe as seeing it prepared yourself if I ordered the house-elves, who won't disobey me to not do anything to your food, in front of your own eyes if you like?"

Alastor twitched, slightly scared at the thought, until the house-elves part sank in. "House-elves serve food here do they?" Moody said.

"Yes" Dumbledore replied simply.

"That's fine for me then" Moody replied with a gulp.

"That's very strong of you. I know what it's like to have a strange fear. I used to fear cabbages." Dumbledore said. "I've got over that fear now, although of course, I still fear eating them " He continued with a chuckle. "Let me just tell you that here at Hogwarts, we will accomidate to your fears the best we can. For now, let's see how you get on then. Back to your table then, I'm sure your friends will be eagerly waiting to query you about what you talked to me about."

Alastor returned to his table, but before his friends could ask him what Dumbledore had asked, he simply shook his head. The food was delicious, and even though there was so much, it was quickly gone also.

As soon as everybody had finished eating the food, each house followed their prefects to their common rooms. The Gryffindor prefect led them up many flights of moving stairs, although he did warn them that they 'enjoyed moving' before the first years went up. Once they were at the seventh floor, the prefects led them through a few corridors, before getting to a portrait of a fat lady. The prefect said "Bezoar", the portrait opened out, and everybody walked in.