Chapter 3: The Sorting Ceremony
The great big oak doors opened up to reveal a stern-looking Professor. She was wearing emerald robes and a pointy witch's hat, standing on the other side of the doors, waiting on the new students to arrive.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." she replied.
She pulled the doors wide open. The entrance hall was so large that a house could fit inside of it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent staircase facing them led to the upper floors. The students followed McGonagall across the stone flagged stone floor. Josh could hear the drones of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right. Though, before they entered, McGonagall, led the group to a small empty chamber off the hall. The students crowded in, standing rather closer to each other, more than they usually would have done, peering about nervously. Josh was pushed up against Hermione and a light browned hair girl.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," McGonagall started, "The start-of-term banquet will begin momentarily, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will take your lessons with your house, as well as sleep in the house dormitories and spend your free time in the house common room.
"The four houses are Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. Each house has its own noble history and has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points while your rule-breaking will lose them. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whatever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few moments in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you smarten yourself up as much as you can while you are waiting." McGonagall looked over towards Neville, whose robes were fastened under his left ear, to the smudge on Ron's nose. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." With that, McGonagall left the students in the small corridor.
"How does this Sorting thing go?" Josh heard Harry whisper to Ron.
"Fred, my older brother, said it's some type of test," Ron said, "He said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." Josh snorted. His mother told him all about the sorting, about how a hat was put on your head and determined what house you were put in. Though it sounded simple, Josh was nervous. Nervous about what house he was going to be put into. His mother and Grandfather were both from Slytherin house. He might not mind it. He wouldn't mind Ravenclaw, though if he were in Hufflepuff, he wouldn't know what to do. Then there was Gryffindor. The house of Bravery. Did Josh consider himself brave? He wasn't afraid of too much, though he was never put through fear, that he knew of. Though, he knew he would face any challenge that was put in front of him.
Several screams pulled his attention away from his thoughts. He spun around, slightly bumping Hermione, to see several transparent, solid-white people floating overhead, seeming deep in conversation. Josh looked at them interestingly with a half smile.
"Forgive and forget, I say," said one ghost that looked like a short, fat monk, "We ought to give him a second chance—"
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves?" a second ghost, one in ruffles and tights, replied, "He's given us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost—I say, what are you all doing here?"
None of the students could get themselves to answer the ghost.
"New students!" the Fat Friar exclaimed, "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"
A few students gave awkward nods.
"Hope you make Hufflepuff!" the Friar grinned, "My old house, you know."
"Move along now," McGonagall's sharp voice cut in, "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." The ghosts slowly headed off through the wall and McGonagall turned back to the students. "Form a line and follow me," she ordered sternly.
Josh soon forgot about the ghosts as he got into the line behind Hermione and in front of Harry, his heart pounding in excitment.
The line of students began following McGonagall back through the hallway and through the large doors. Josh's eyes widened in amazement as he stared around the Hall. He took in the faces staring at them from four long tables covered in golden plates and goblets before looking at the floating candles above them, then to the fifth table at the end of the room where several adults, obviously the teachers, were sitting. Josh looked upwards and saw a velevety black ceiling dotted with stars. Hermione turned to him and whispered,"It's bewitched to look like the night's sky. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." Josh nodded, enjoying the scenery.
McGonagall led the students to in front of that table so they were facing out at the other students.
McGonagall brought out a four-legged stool in front of the first year crowd. On top of the stool, she placed a pointed wizard's hat.
Josh stared at the hat, as well as everyone else. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth and the hat began to sing:
"Oh you may not think me 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!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. The hat bowed to the four tables and then became quite still again. Josh thought about the words the hat had sung. He felt he could fit into any of the houses, which could be a slight dilemma for him, maybe.
McGonagall had stepped forward with a long scroll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on this hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said, looking to the scroll, "Abbott, Hannah!"
A blonde girl stumbled to the stool and pulled on the hat, half her face disappearing under it. After a small pause, the hat shouted out "HUFFLEPUFF!" and the table at the right applauded as the girl hurried to them. The Fat Friar waved merrily at her.
"Bones, Susan." An Auburn haired girl sat on the stool and the hat was placed upon her head.
"Hufflepuff!"
And the sorting continued.
"Terry Boot!"
"Ravenclaw!"
The third table erupted into applause and the boy named Terry happily jumped off the stool and joined his new classmates.
"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Brown, Lavender!"
The table between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff erupted in cheer as the first new Gryffindor was called. Lavender grinned and hurriedly left to her new table.
"Bullstrode, Millicent."
"Slytherin!"
The final table clapped loudly, and Millicent took her seat among her new house.
"Corner, Micheal!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Cornfoot, Stephen!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Crabbe, Vincent!"
"Slytherin!"
"Davis, Tracey!"
"Slytherin!"
"Emrys, Joshua!"
Josh swallowed. All his excitement turned to nervousness. He walked up to the stool and sat down. McGonagall that sat the hat on top of his head and a few seconds later, "Gryffindor!" the hat yelled. The Gryffindor table cheered and Josh jumped off the stool with a smile. He ran over and sat at the Gryffindor table, slightly wondering why he wasn't just put into Slytherin like his mother or Grandfather, unless...
"Entwhistle, Kevin!"
"Hufflepuff! "
"Finch-Fletchly, Justin!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Finnegan, Seamus!"
"Gryffindor!"
"Goldstein, Anthony!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Goyle, Vincent!"
"Slytherin!"
"Granger, Hermione!"
The muggleborn witch Josh had met again and again walked up to the stool and took the seat. She waited as the hat was placed onto her head.
"Gryffindor!" The hat shouted.
Josh clapped along with the rest of the table, as a smiling Hermione jumped off the stool and ran over to her new table, taking a seat next to Josh. The two exchanged a smile.
"Greengrass, Daphne!"
Josh's eyes snapped back over to the front of the hall. He hadn't seen her the whole time until just now, and remembered who she was. He curiously watched as the hat was placed upon Daphne's head. "Slytherin!" The hat shouted. For some reason, Josh sunk a little, feeling disappointed at the result of this particular hat's decision. He clapped as did the Slytherin table, but stopped when some of the Gryffindors were slightly glaring his way. He sighed as the sorting continued. He was looked at her when she caught his eye. Josh instantly looked away to watch the next sorting.
"Hopkins, Wayne!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Jones, Megan!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Su Li!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Longbottom, Neville!"
Josh watched as the boy who had lost his today earlier, slowly and nervously sat on the stool, the hat placed on his head. The hat took a while to deiced with Neville, but then was surprised as the hat shouted, "Gryffindor!" Neville took off the hat and ran over to take a seat next to Lavender.
"Macdougal, Isobel!"
" Ravenclaw!"
"McMillan, Ernie!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Malfoy, Draco!"
The blond who had came into Josh's compartment briskly walked up to the stool. "Slytherin!" No surprise there, Josh had seemed.
"Malone, Roger!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Moon, Emily!"
"Gryffindor!"
"Nott, Theodore!"
"Slytherin!"
"Parkinson, Pansy!"
"Slytherin!"
"Patil, Padma!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Patil, Parvati!"
"Gryffindor!"
"Perks, Sally-Anne!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Potter, Harry!"
The whole Hall went silent, followed by many whispers as Harry slowly walked up and sat onto the stool. He was there for a minute when the hat finally shouted, "Gryffindor!" The Gryffindor table erupted in applause. Harry walked over, smiling, and sat at the table next to some other first years.
"Roper, Sophie!"
"Gryffindor!"
"Smith, Sally!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Thomas, Dean!"
"Gryffindor!"
"Turpin, Lisa!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Weasley, Ron!"
Then it was Ron's turn, though it was no surprise to his family when the hat shouted, "Gryffindor!"
"Zabini, Blaise!"
The final student coolly walked up to the stool and sat down. He was there for a few seconds when the hat shouted, "Slytherin!"
And the sorting was over. Josh looked up to see McGonagall roll up her scroll and take the Sorting hat away. Josh's stomach growled, just realizing how hungry he was. Albus Dumbledore stood to his feet, beaming at the students. He raised his arms wide open.
"Welcome!" he said, watching the students from behind his half-moon spectacles, "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I have a few words for you. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"
Dumbledore returned to his seat as everyone cheered. Josh looked at the headmaster strangely, thinking how weird the Headmaster seemed. Josh turned back to the table to see that food magically appearing. He smiled in awe, and started to eagerly fill his plate with food. He looked at his new classmates. The boys were him, Harry, Ron, an Irish boy named Seamus Finnegan, and a dark skinned boy who went by the name Dean, and finally, Neville. The girls were Hermione, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Sophie Roper, and Emily Moon. Next to Josh on his left was Hermione. Harry and Ron sat diagonally to his left, and the Weasley twins were to Josh's right. He turned around to glance at the Slytherin table, looking for Daphne. He found her, sitting next to and talking to the girl named Tracey Davis.
"Something caught your fancy, Emrys?"
Josh turned back to his front and looking at George Weasley, who looked over to see Josh looking at the Slytherin table. "No," Josh quickly answered. "Nothing."
"Doesn't seem like nothing," Fred replied, joining the conversation, "Did a friend of yours get put in a different house than you?"
"Well, I wouldn't say she was a friend," Josh said, "I mean, not yet anyways."
"I see," George said with a nod. "Though I'd be careful If I were you. Slytherin and Gryffindor are rival houses. There haven't between inter-house relations between the two in years and years."
"Why not?" Josh curiously asked.
"It's no secret Gryffindor and Slytherin hated each other ever since the school was built," Fred began to explain. "I guess it carried on between their students as well, and has always been like that."
Josh nodded, "Well, maybe it's time for that to change," he commented determinedly. He glanced over to see Harry and Ron talking animatedly, and Hermione had sparked up a conversation with Sophie. "Besides, why create a school together if they hated each other?" he wondered. Fred and George could only shrug as they didn't know the answer.
"It's just best if we keep away from one another," George advised.
"If we don't, it usually ends with students going to the Hospital wing," Fred added.
Josh nodded, but his heart was already set. He was going to make friends with Daphne, no matter the consequences. He decided to change the subject. "So, any crazy Professors I should be worried about?" he asked the twins.
"Well, there's Professor Binns," George started.
"He's a ghost, but his lessons are very dull and boring," Fred continued.
"It's a great class to catch up on your sleep," George said.
"Most of the Professors are alright," Fred said, "McGonagall is stern but fair."
"Sprout is bubbily and helpful."
"Flitwick is pretty great actually. Likes us because we're pretty great at charms," Fred boasted.
"Quirrell used to be our Muggle Studies Professor, but now he's our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," George explained. "He seems like a frightened person, but he's alright."
"Sinistra is alright as well," Fred said, "But then, there's Professor Snape."
"Professor Snape?"
Fred and George nodded. "He's Head of Slytherin House and hates anyone who's not in his house," George explained. "So, really, he's the only one to keep an eye on." Josh nodded.
When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling as before. A moment later, desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate exlairs and ham doughnuts trifle, strawberries, jell-o, rice pudding... Josh helped himself to some jell-o. Even though he was stuffed, there was always room for Jell-o.
The chats around them changed to that of family. Seamus turned out to be a halfblood, his mother was a witch and his father was a muggle. Neville revealed that he was scared that he wasn't magical until he was eight years old when he finally showed magically abilities after accidentally being dropped from a second story window. Josh could hear Hermione and Sophie talking about lessons and how they couldn't wait to get started.
Minutes later, the desserts too disappeared and the headmaster stood on his feet again. The hall fell silent.
"Ahem—just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered," he said, "I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well. I have 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 the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.
"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
Harry and a few others gave short laughs.
"Is he serious?" Josh whispered to Hermione.
"He must be," Hermione replied. "He's the headmaster, why wouldn't he be serious." She had a point, and Josh nodded in agreement.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore called. Josh's eyebrow raised in question. His mother didn't mention a school song.
Dumbledore waved his wand slightly and a ribbon of gold flew out, rising high above the tables, forming words in the air.
"Everyone pick their favorite tune," he said, "And off we go!"
A mix of different tunes filled the air as everyone began singing:
"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 stuff,
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."
And it was done, Everyone had finished the song at different times. Josh looked around confused. It all had sounded really horrible and mismatched. "Ah, music," said the headmaster, "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime! Off you trot!"
Josh stood up with the rest of the first year Gryffindors and began to follow after Percy who was a prefect. He led them through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Josh yawned, after having seen another student yawn, feeling the tiredness after today's events. He looked around, seeing all kinds of moving portraits hanging on the walls. Twice, Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet. Josh wondered how much farther they had to go.
And a minute later, they came to a sudden halt. A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they starting throwing themselves at him.
"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice. "Peeves! Show yourself!"
There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks. "Ooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle firsties! What fun!" He swooped in suddenly. They all ducked.
"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" Percy barked.
Peeves stuck on his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Josh's head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armor as he passed.
"You want to watch out for Peeves," Percy said, as they set off again. Josh rubbed his head in annoyance, vowing one day to get vengeance on that Poltergeist. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him. He won't even listen to us Prefects. Here we are."
At the very end of the corridor, hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress. If Josh had to guess, he figure they were on the top floors of the castle.
"Password?" she asked.
"Caput Draconis," Percy said, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it and found themselves in Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squachy armchairs. The beautiful room was decorated in red and various shades of gold. Near the pathway's exit was a large fireplace, which was currently crackling away and providing heat to the room. In front of it was a red enormous, semi-circular couch that looked as if it could seat a dozen students easily. A number of tables were scattered around, as well. All of the first years were stunned at how beautiful and amazing it was.
"Now can I have your attention please, I'd like to explain to the first years where they're to be sleeping. Over here, you'll see two staircases. The one on the left leads up to the boys' dormitories, and the one on the right leads up and to the girls' dormitories. First years, you'll come across your rooms first." explained Percy.
"Right, then! Off to bed with you lot. You'll receive your class schedules tomorrow at breakfast. If you've got any problems, don't hesitate in getting a hold of us. We're prefects and we'll do what we can to help you if need be. There are also other older prefects as well, and even the head boy and girl will be happy to help as well," Percy continued. "Have a good night."
Josh, Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville walked up the left side spiral staircase, coming across a door. They obviously were in one of the towers. They found their beds at last: six four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Josh's bed happened to be the last one, next to Neville's, while Ron's bed was the first, next to Harry's. Too tired to talk, the six boys changed into their pajamas.
Josh heard Neville sigh. He looked over to see him already in bed looking comfortable. He climbed into bed himself and as soon as his head hit the pillow, he instantly fell asleep.
A/N: A few changes. I'm giving Hermione a girl friend. One who's nice to her. Though Ron will still be a jerk causing some similar events to come to pass. And you'll see all those names were most of the original Forty students JK Rowling had in mind.
