When the boats reached the other end of the lake, Sirius swam around to the shore while the other kids got out of the boats. Then resized his now charmed 2 wheel electric scooter and got on it. All the kids gave him a weird look as he rode his scooter to the castle. He was a 15 year old b'witcher among the 11 year magical land people. He didn't need a air bubble so he puffed his fins as he just flicked his thick wet blackish crimson hair. He ignored the looks he got as he wheeled up the staircase.
The man used his massive fist to knock the door three times, and they burst open. A witch in emerald-green robes greeted them with a stern expression.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," the man introduced them.
"Thank you, Hagrid," she replied. "I will take them from here."
She opened the door wider and guided the new students through the entrance hall. Flaming torches were along the stone walls, the ceiling was so high that it almost deemed to disappear, and they crossed by a marble staircase leading to the upper floors.
They went right and were led past a big room where hundreds of Hogwarts students were patiently seated at four very long tables. McGongall guided the first years and Sirius to a smaller chamber, and they filed in.
The professor then turned to face them. "Welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "The state-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is very important because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have 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 its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you 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."
She gazed over the children and Sirius again before continuing. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."
She then exited the room.
"How exactly do they sort us into Houses?" a first year asked.
"Some sort of test, I think," said another boy. "I heard Fabian said his sister Molly said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."
"That's because he was," another first year chimed in. A few chuckles sounded from behind them.
Sirius just rolled his eyes, he's been to a magical school before.
For the next few minutes, the only talkative one seemed to be the 2nd first year's twin as he discussed the different things she had learned from the his sister Molly and when he thought he would see them. Sirius learned some different things but he didn't consider himself an ambitious or singularly interested. He had excelled in a few transfiguration spells, charms taught by Regalus for personal reasons, and some divination.
All of a sudden, one of of the first years screamed. When they looked up, multiple ghosts had emerged from the wall behind them. Two of them seemed to be arguing, and a round monk was rambling about something. One of the ghosts noticed the group of first years, but they were quiet. Sirius just sighed he's seen worse than ghosts at Grimmauld place, including one Black Wizardess ghost was there. Not to mention the water trolls, water sprites, and even angry river genie he's seen in the past.
"New Students!" exclaimed the Fat Friar with a smile. "About to be sorted, I suppose?" He glanced at Sirius curiously but his smile didn't waver. A few students nodded including Sirius.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" he continued. "My old House, you know."
"Move along now," a voice commanded. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
McGonagall had returned, and the ghost all began to disappear back into the wall.
"Now, form a line," she instructed the students, "and follow me."
All of the children and Sirius followed suit, Sirius very aware of how he stuck out among the short land dwelling first years. They entered the hall where the older students were sitting at the tables, and Sirius made a note of the floating candles. He has never had a reason to see things floating underwater by magic except to keep them still. Golden goblets and large dinner plates sat empty in front of each student. The ceiling above them appeared to be missing and opened up to the night sky.
"It's b'witched to look like the night sky outside," Sirius whispered to no one in particular. "I have seen this charm on water surfaces before." A first year nodded thankfully at Sirius.
The professor stopped the group in front of a platform, another long table with what seemed to be teachers sitting there. A stool stood in the middle of the platform, and sitting on the stool was an old, tattered wizard's hat. It was pointed, but it had seen better days given the frayed fabric and filth covering it in patches.
The hat then twitched, and a rim near the bottom opened its mouth and began to sing about being the Hogwarts Sorting Hat and the four houses. The hat's song ended with telling them not to worry they could trust the hat to guide them well.
Everyone in the hall burst into applause. Sirius glanced around the Great Hall without trying to get attention to himself. He accidentally let loose a titter and some eyes landed on him. He could see the different students. There was a politely curious dark, messy haired boy at the red/gold table along with an equally politely curious sandy haired boy. There was also a politely curious redhead girl. The yellow/black house was also watching him politely, even anticipating he joins them. The blue/bronze house was politely but openly watching him, perhaps trying to learn about him. They probably hoped to have him too. And lastly a silver/green table was watching him with a sneer and gawking. Many of them were cocky guys or girls who looked like they had snot on their noses that wouldn't clean. A guy with blond hair caught his attention, who was watching Sirius shrewdly sizing him up. And a chesnut haired boy who looked related to another older boy with the same hair, was also shrewdly sizing Sirius up. The older boy was just glaring at Sirius. And lastly a dirty blond haired boy was staring at Sirius in disdain and unfiltered curiosity.
With a scroll in hand, Professor McGonagall stepped foreword.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Bones, Sabrina!"
A girl in blonde in a ponytail came foreword and sat down on the stool. The hat was placed on her head. After a silent pause, the hat screamed "HUFFLEPUFF!"
After a few more students Sirius was called right away. His name was called after Amelia Bones who was sorted into Hufflepuff. Sirius wheeled to the hat with all the eyes on him and lots of whispering about him. McGonagall helped him get off the scooter and sit on the stool. He put the hat on his head.
A voice spoke up in his head, So you want to see the land life?
Sounds about right, Sirius thought back
Coming to this land is risky because your family will reject you
I could care less, Sirius thought back.
That's interesting, you aren't cunning enough to be a Slytherin despite getting here. Which is a shame since the Slytherin dorm is half underwater.
Wait? The dorm is underwater does that mean merpeople or a random wizardess will try to watch me chang-
Better be- "GRYFINDOR!"
All the Gryffindors stared in shock the mesy haired boy started clapping and the rest of the table followeed suit, clapping loudly. Remus recognized the b'witcher boy with crimson hair he saw on the train, along with a house elf. Remus got off last the train last, since he forgot his prefect schedule there.
Remus never had friends before when he was sorted into Gryffindor he was surprised. He was sure he'd be sorted into Ravenclaw or maybe Hufflepuff. He watched another dark, messy haired boy talk to the dark haired b'wticher boy. Soon they started talking to him and another blond haired boy no one expected to be sorted into Gryffindor.
He can't believe someone else with a different background was here. And accepted openly. Remus didn't know he'd be accepted by his new friends, regardless of Sirius.
Sirius sat down and noticed the most amazing human he ever saw. Then James turned to him, "hi I'm James Potter. What's your name?"
"Sirius Black mate," Sirius replied, confidentially. He might be the only b'witcher here but he was still a Black and most of all very confident. And ready to explore the new world.
James and Sirius talked about their homes then Remus joined in and after James introduced him to Sirius as his friend. Then James introduced Peter and Frank to Sirius the same way.
A redheaded girl watched them from a few seats down. "I thought the new mermaid student would be uncomfortable to be here but he looks at home" Alice whispered.
"Maybe he's been here before," Lily replied. She thought an underwater wizard, who had never been on land before, was more at home here than her. Muggleborns were truly outcasts here.
Dumbledore watched the Gryffindor table, specially the b'witcher Sirius Black. He watched Sirius befriend a few other boys. "The Fair Tales," he muttered.