Chapter Four: The Sorting Ceremony
As soon as all three of them got out into the night air Ron was finally able to grab Scabbers while April caught CJ inside her arms. However, once Patches caught sight of the humongous giant in front of him he quickly let out a yelp and then ran straight towards the Hogsmeade bench and hid underneath it shaking from fright.
"Harry? Is that really you?" The giant with long dark hair and a matching bushy beard questioned while he slowly turned around and shined his lantern straight towards him making Harry instantly shut his eyes at once.
"You two know each other?" Ron questioned with uncertainty.
"Well, we did a long time ago, but Harry probably doesn't even remember me since he was such a tiny little tike back then so allow me to reintroduce myself. Rubeus Hagrid keeper of the keys and grounds at Hogwarts."
"Nice to meet you." Harry said and shook his hand once he could see again. "These are my friends Ron Weasley and April Anderson and that dog underneath the bench is mine. His name is Patches." He explained.
"Well you better go get him then because we need to get you guys up to the castle for the sorting ceremony." Hagrid said before he continued calling all of the first years towards him so they could make their way to the boats.
After Harry finally managed to coax Patches out from underneath the bench, he followed Hagrid, Ron, and April and all of the other first years towards the boats. He, Ron, and April all were able to get a boat together but it took several moments for April to get her cat onto the boat with her since he hated water while Patches on the other hand jumped overboard and start swimming a crossed the lake.
Harry rolled his eyes at his canine companion, but he was rather glad to see that he made it to shore safely and couldn't help but stifle a laugh to watch him shake himself dry. Once they made it inside the castle, they all waited for Professor McGonagall to step out of the Great Hall and address them.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." She began. "For those of you who do not know already I am your headmistress Professor McGonagall." She told them. "Now in a few minutes you will come in through these doors and be sorted into your houses. "There are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Now while you're here your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will help earn you points, and any rule breaking you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points wins the house cup." She explained before leading them into the Great Hall all in straight lines a few moments later.
As they went into The Great Hall together Harry glanced up at the ceiling and realized that it wasn't even the ceiling at all but the night sky. At least that's what he thought until the bushy brown-haired girl had proven him otherwise.
"Now when I call your name, I will place the sorting hat on your head and then you will be sorted into your houses." Professor McGonagall explained after leading them to a stop in front of the room and Harry started looking around until he saw his father standing far back in the corner by the staff table watching him and Harry gulped nervously before he turned back around and the sorting hat instantly broke out into song after it was removed out of its box.
"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 dwell the brave at heart, their daring, nerve, and chivalry set Gryffindors apart. You might belong in Hufflepuff, where they are just and loyal, those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil.
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind, where those of wit and learning, will always find their kind. Or perhaps in Slytherin you'll make your real friends, those cunning folks use any means to achieve their ends. So put me on! Don't be afraid! And don't get in a flap! You're in safe hands though I have none for I'm a thinking cap!"
Applause broke throughout the air as the sorting hat finished its song and then all of a sudden Professor McGonagall read out the first name. "Hannah Abbott." She said and Harry recognized that little girl as she had gone to Charm School with him and shortly afterwards, she was placed into Hufflepuff and a couple of other names were read.
"April Anderson." Professor McGonagall read out next and April suddenly felt her heart pounding against her chest while she walked to the front of the room to sit on the stool and face everybody else. A few seconds later the sorting hat was placed onto her head.
"Hmm,.. let's see,.. better be,.. HUFFLEPUFF!" It cried out triumphantly as a rather wide grin stretched a crossed April's face before she went to go and join the rest of the cheering and applauding Hufflepuffs. Several other names were read and then Amber Baker (which was another girl that Harry knew) was sorted into Hufflepuff as well.
Katie Bell was sorted into Gryffindor and a young witch by the name of Susan Bones was sorted into Hufflepuff. Finally, after what seemed like forever the bushy haired girl that was standing beside Harry and Ron was called.
"Hermione Granger!" Professor McGonagall cried out and Harry silently mouthed her name once it was called desperately trying to remember where he had heard it before.
As the sorting hat was placed onto her head it seemed like it was having more of a problem deciding where to place her and if it should be in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. After five long minutes passed the sorting hat finally decided that even though she had a very strong intelligent mind that the bravery in her heart was stronger and she was placed into Gryffindor.
Several more names were called and then a boy that Harry recognized as Neville Longbottom was also placed into Gryffindor. Both Harry and Ron scowled and narrowed their eyebrows once it was Malfoy's turn, but the hat had barely touched his head before sorting him into Slytherin. Then after what seemed like ages to Harry and Ron,…
"Harry Snape!" Professor McGonagall called out and that's when suddenly the room grew silent except for several whispers that broke throughout the room while Albus Dumbledore got to the edge of his seat and Severus Snape watched intensely as Harry nervously made his way to the front of the room and then sat down on the stool and the sorting hat was suddenly placed onto the top of his head.
"Hmm,.. difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage I see and not a bad mind either. And there's talent oh yes,.. and a thirst to prove yourself,.. but where to put you?" It questioned him. "You know I'm going to do something that I've never done before. Instead of me deciding your fate, I'm going to let you decide instead. Where do you think you ought to be? Gryffindor, or Slytherin?" The sorting hat asked him and that's when suddenly the room grew so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
The sorting hat was asking him? How was that possible? It was the sorting hat wasn't it? And wasn't it its job to sort young witches and wizards into their Hogwarts houses? Harry didn't know what to do. Both of his biological parents had been in Gryffindor, but his adoptive father was a Slytherin. How could he bear to let any of them down?
