They had been waking for a couple of minutes when the narrow path they were on opened suddenly opened onto the edge of a great black lake.
Some people gasped and some 'ooooohhhed'.
"There's yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts." Hagrid announces.
On the other side of the lake. Perched on top of a high mountain, it's windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid announces while pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Ariana was followed into the boat by Isabelle, Sophia, and Percy. Johnathan had gotten split up from them on the path.
"Everyone in?" Hagrid shouted, who had his own boat. "Right then- FORWARD!"
The fleet of boats started moving all at once, gliding across the lake. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.
"Heads down!" Hagrid yells as the first boats reach the cliff. Everyone bent their heads as the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle.
"This is so cool." Percy whispers seeming to be the only one enjoying the boat ride.
"Speak for yourself. I hate the dark." Isabella says while shaking a little.
The boats reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles. Once everyone had gotten out they clambered up a passageway in the rock. After a lot of complaining and whining from the 40 first years they reached smooth, damp grass in the shadow of the castle. They walked up one more flight of stairs and everyone crowded around a large, oak front door.
"Everyone here?"
When no one comments Hagrid raises a giant fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
The door swung open at once revealing a tall, black-haired witch in emerald robes. She had a very stern face and Ariana knew immediately that her and Chiron would get along well.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
"O' course Professor McGonagall."
She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the big house in there. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was high enough to the point where it was hard to make out, and a large and grand marble staircase led to ten upper floors.
The group followed her as she led them across the flagged stone floor. All the first years could hear the chatter of hundred of voices from a doorway to the right. Instead of entering that room the Professor led them to a small, empty chamber off of the hall. Once Professor McGonagall noticed everyone was in this chamber she started speaking.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." She said. "The start 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 ceremony 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."
Her eyes linger on Percy who was counting all the tiles on the floor, and Johnathan who's cloak was on backwards. Ariana checked to make sure her cloak and hair were fixed and neat.
She left the chamber.
"Do do do do do do do do do do do do..." Percy says.
"Hey Percy." Ariana interrupts.
"Yes."
"Shut up."
"Ok."
"Hey Sophia!" Somebody says.
Everyone looks over to see Marcus and his friends walking over.
"What do you want Marcus." Sophia says while rolling her eyes.
"I expect to see you in Slytherin. You know how disappointed father would be if you didn't." Marcus says smirking
"I don't care what father thinks Marcus. I don't need my father to spoil me and make me a brat like you are." Sophia smirks.
Marcus's face turns red. "What did you say..."
"Oh my gosh do you have bad hearing also." Percy says. "She said you're a spoiled brat."
Marcus glares at him. "Who are you a muggle."
"Yeah. So what?"
Marcus smirks. "Should've known Sophia would be friends with a muggle."
"Oh my gods do we seriously have to deal with you for the next 7 years." Ariana says.
Marcus looks at her. "Who are you? Another muggle."
Ariana holds out her hand. "Ariana Potter nice to meet you."
There is a collective gasp throughout the first years. Marcus stares at her shocked before he smiles. "Nice to meet you Ariana, I'm Marcus, that's Vince, Caspian, Agnes, and Cecilia." He says this while pointing at each of his friends in turn. He goes to shake her hand but she jerks it back. His eyes turn angry in less than a second.
"What is happening here?" A stern voice interrupts them.
Everyone looks up to see Professor McGonagall looking at Marcus and Ariana.
Marcus recovers. "Nothing Professor just meeting my fellow classmates."
Professor McGonagall looks at him for a second and then at Ariana. "Everyone form a line and follow me, so the Sorting Ceremony can begin."
Ariana gets in the line with her legs starting to feel heavy. Isabelle, Sophia, and Percy all get in the line also.
They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. Everyone stumbles as they look at the Great Hall except Ariana. The Great Hall was lit with thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. All four tables were littered with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up there, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them reminded Ariana of when she was claimed by her mother. Everyone was shocked. Ariana looked up and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.
'That's kind of impressive.' Ariana told herself.
Ariana looked back down as Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a wizard's hat. The hat was patched, frayed, and dirty. Ariana looked around and noticed everyone else was staring a the hat also. The hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide, like a mouth, and began to sing.
"Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin.
We're about to see which one you'll be liven in.
Will it be Gryffindor where you find the brave at heart.
Or will it be Ravenclaw where you find the witty and smart.
Then there's Slytherin where the cunningness has no ends.
Lastly is Hufflepuff where their always open to new friends.
I have never been mistaken. I have never been misguided.
Let's wrap up this song it's time to be divided!"
The whole hall brush into applause when the hat finished its song. The hat bowed to each of the tables and then became still again.
"So all we've go to do is try on a hat." Ariana mumbles.
"Apparently. What fun is that" Isabelle says.
"At least we don't have to fight a troll." Ariana mumbles.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." she said. "Donovan, James."
A tall boy with curly blonde hair walked quickly towards the chair as if he wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. When he put on the hat it fell right down over his head. After a moment
"Hufflepuff!" Shouted the hat.
The table on the right cheered and clapped as James went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.
"Everett, Oliver"
"Hufflepuff"
"Ellis, Amelia"
"Slytherin"
"Huxley, Amelia"
"Gryffindor" the table on the far left exploded with cheers.
Henry, Noah also got Hufflepuff. Issac, Arthur got Ravenclaw.
"Jackson, Perseus."
Ariana watches as Percy stumbles on his way to the stool. When he puts on the hat it covers is face. Everyone is quiet and watches as Percy sits there as stiff as a board. The hats finally shouts.
"Gryffindor" the far left table cheers again.
A few minutes later multiple others are called and sorted. Caspian and Agnes are sorted into Slytherin, Johnathan goes into Gryffindor, Two more boys and three more girls were picked for Hufflepuff, and another boy and two more girls were picked for Ravenclaw.
"Sophia Loughty"
Sophia walks up slowly and calmly to the stool. She sits down and lets the hat cover her head. The hat is silent for one minute.
"Gryffindor" the Gryffindor table cheers.
"Marcus Loughty"
Marcus walks up there and as soon as the hat is fully on his head it shouts "Slytherin!"
"Andromeda Potter"
The tables all start whispering when they hear her name. Ariana walks up and sits down on the stool. The hat covers her head.
"What do we have here?" A voice says inside her head.
'What is that who are you?' She thinks to herself.
"I am the hat on your head."
Andromeda stays silent.
"I see you seek knowledge of your father. I see the loyalty you already have to the people you met just today or recently. I see the desire to have you full family. I see everything you fought and the courage it took. My only problem is where to put you."
'I need to protect my new friends from the monster within Hogwarts.'
"Ahhh your friends. Although in the future how you see them may change. Specifically in one."
'What are you talking about?'
"That is for you to figure out, but back to sorting. If your so sure you need to protect your friends it better be...
"Gryffindor"
Ariana sees Percy and Sophia waving her over. She goes to sit with them.
"You were talking to the hat for a long time. Did it talk to you too?" Percy asks.
"Yeah"
"Reynolds, Vincent is called, then Ross, Ava, and then Rosier, Isabella." The three of them start listening when that last name is announced.
"Gryffindor!"
Sophia claps while Ariana and Percy cheer. Isabella walks over to them quickly.
"I was not expecting that." She tells them breathlessly.
"Yep. Looks like you'll be in the same house as me for 7 long years."
"Unless you get expelled." Ariana jokes.
"I don't do it on purpose." Percy says defensively.
"Sure."
During there conversation the sorting had ended and Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opens wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than seeing all of them here.
"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. Here they are: Fawkes, Alicanto, Kyma, and Glacies." Dumbledore looks at Ariana and winks while he says those words.
"Thank you." Dumbledore says as everyone claps and cheers for him.
"Does he seem a bit crazy to you?" Percy asks them.
"Who Dumbledore? He's like the best wizard in the world." Isabelle tells him.
"He seemed fine when he took me to Diagon Alley." Ariana says while shrugging.
"Did you call crazy? Dumbledore's brilliant mate." A kid with red hair says form next to them.
"Um. Who are you?" Percy asks.
"I'm Fred and that's George." He points to someone identical to himself.
The kid Fred called George says. "No I'm Fred your George." Percy cracks a smile at that before his stomach growls. He looks down and his jaw drops. The empty dishes from earlier that Ariana saw were not piled with food. Percy digs in quickly with the other boys around him following his lead. The girls take the neater approach and use utensils.
"That's disgusting." Isabella says.
Percy just shrugs saying he's hungry.
As dinner went on everyone was talking about classes.
"I can't wait for Defense Against the Dark Arts. That's going to be fun." Isabella tells them.
"Charm's sounds interesting, and Isabella you know that the Defense Against the Dark Arts class has had a new teacher every year for like the last ten years right?" Sophia says.
"Well yeah, but the class will still be fun."
"Which teacher is the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Ariana asks trying to figure out who the monster is.
The kid who finally admitted he was Fred pointed at a teacher that had black hair and eyes. Along with a muggle black leather jacket. She was scanning the tables like she was looking for someone.
Ariana shivers. 'Definitely a monster.' She tells herself.
"Why is she wearing muggle clothes ?" Sophia asks.
Fred shrugs. "Teachers are weird."
Percy nods like this is a reasonable answer to the question while the girls all look skeptical.
Isabella decided to interrupt the silence. "Ariana, Percy what class do you want to do the most."
"Probably Transfiguration or Charms."
"Potions." Percy says.
"Aww mate. You won't like potions trust me. The teacher is Snape he's that one." George says.
Everyone looks up and sees a man with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.
"What's so bad about him?" Percy asks.
"He's the head of Slytherin." George explains. "He hates all the other houses and never gives them any points. He's extremely biased."
"And he doesn't like his job also. Everyone knows he's after the Defense Against the Dark Arts job."
"I'm liking potions less and less ready." Percy mumbles.
Dumbledore stands up again once all of the food has disappeared. The hall fell silent.
"I would like to give a few reminders now that we are all fed and watered.
"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all people.
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested din playing for their house team should contact Madam Hooch.
"And finally, I must tell you that before bed we must sing the school song."
Andromeda notices that all the teachers smiles seem to have shrunken.
"Everyone pick their favorite tune." Dumbledore says. "And off we go."
The school bellowed.
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees.
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing.
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best , we'll do the rest
And learn until our brains all rot."
Ariana noticed everyone finished at different times. Fed and George were the only ones left singing to a slow funeral version. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they finished he was one of the ones who clapped the loudest.
"Ah, music," Dumbledore says. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
Everyone gets up and starts exiting the great hall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts the place where there aid magic food, talking hats, and singing teachers." Ariana tells the group.