Chapter 3: The Sorting Ceremony
Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter (do I really need to add this?)
The train came to a stop, Peter exited it with Jacob and Sarah. Suddenly, he heard a voice ring out amongst the crowd.
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" Peter turned to see the biggest man he had ever seen, no shorter than 12 feet tall, with a massive beard and holding a lantern.
"C'mon, follow me – any more firs' years?" Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Peter, and the rest of the first years followed the man down a narrow, steep path.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the man called over his shoulder "jus' round this bend here."
The path ended at some docks at the edge of a large black lake. At the edge of the lake, on the edge of the horizon was the stunning view of Hogwarts castle.
There were several "Ooooh"'s and "Aaaaah"'s at the sight of the castle, Peter thought it was the most magnificent thing he had ever seen.
"No more'n four to a boat!" the man called as he pointed to a fleet of boats sitting against the dock. Peter, Jacob, and Sarah managed to snag one for themselves.
"Everyone in? Right then – FORWARD!" the man shouted. At once, the boats started moving toward the castle, all by themselves.
When they reached the castle, they exited the boats and were led up to a pair of massive oak doors.
The doors swung open and the crowd was met with the stern face of Professor McGonagall.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," the man said.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here," replied McGonagall
They left Hagrid, and followed Professor McGonagall into a massive entrance hall. They stopped at a small empty chamber off the main entrance hall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," spoke Professor McGonagall, "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 a 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 your 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 honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house bevomes 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. I shall return when we are ready for you." McGonagall left.
Peter didn't bother 'smartening himself up', he never worried too much about his appearance, and he knew that most students in there probably wouldn't either.
Everybody was talking around him, worrying themselves about what their test would be, but Peter wasn't worried. If it was a test, this wouldn't be a pass-fail test, and there shouldn't be any wrong answers. Regardless of what it was, he knew that he would be walking away from it in a house.
Suddenly, several of the students gave a shriek which made everyone look up. Around twenty ghosts had appeared, floating towards the main hall. Two of them seemed to be arguing amongst themselves.
"Forgive and forget, I say we ought to give him a second chance –," said the ghost which looked like a fat little monk.
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves?" asked a ghost wearing a ruff and tights, "He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost – I say what are you all doing here?" the ghosts turned to address the first years
"New students!" said the Fat Friar excitedly, "About to be sorted, I suppose? Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know."
Suddenly Professor McGonagall's voice was heard. "Move along now, the Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
The remaining ghosts floated away into the great hall.
"Now, form a line," she said, "and follow me." She lead them into a huge great hall, with candles floating up to the ceiling. Students on either side of them were sitting at separate tables, watching them all with anticipation. At the end of the tables, just in front of the teacher's seats, was a tattered brown hat sitting on a stool. As the line stopped, everyone stared at the hat. Then, a seam in the hat opened up, and it began to sing.
"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 bowler's 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 folk 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!"
When the Sorting Hat finished singing, the whole hall erupted in applause.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a long roll of parchment in her hands. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she explained.
"Abbott, Hannah." Out of the line stumbled a pigtailed girl who sat down on the stool and the hat was placed upon her head.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Yelled the hat. The Hufflepuff table roared with applause as Hannah went to join them.
"Antorelle, Sarah." Sarah slowly walked to the front, and put on the hat.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" it yelled, and Sarah happily joined the table.
"Bones, Susan" also joined Hufflepuff. "Boot, Terry" and "Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw. "Brown, Lavender" went to Gryffindor, followed by "Bulstrode, Millicent" and "Crabbe, Vincent" who went to Slytherin. "Fairweather, Jane" went to Ravenclaw, and "Finch-Fletchley, Justin" went to Hufflepuff.
"Finnigan, Seamus," called Professor McGonagall. Seamus went to Gryffindor. "Goyle, Gregory" went to Slytherin, and "Granger, Hermione", the girl Peter met in Flourish and Blott's went to Gryffindor.
"Hanson, Peter."
Peter approached the Sorting Hat, and sat down. McGonagall placed it over his head.
"Well now," spoke the voice of the Sorting Hat within his head, "you seem to possess many talents befitting of several houses. You have quite a sharp mind, a definite drive to work hard and accomplish your desires, and while not as apparent, you will stand up for other people if need be. But I see it now, one trait trumps the rest. You would willingly give up each of these abilities if it meant that your friends would be safe. That kind of empathy and caring for others will land you in…"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Cried the Sorting Hat, Peter happily joined Sarah and the rest of the Hufflepuffs at their table.
"Congratulations!" beamed the Fat Friar, "It's so wonderful to see so many new Hufflepuffs this year!"
"Longbottom, Neville" joined the Gryffindor table, "Malfoy, Draco" went to Slytherin almost as soon as the hat touched his head. Peter got a few odd looks for applauding the people who didn't go to Hufflepuff, but he thought it was right to support everyone.
There weren't many names now, "Moon, Lily" was Gryffindor, "Nott, Theodore" and "Parkinson, Pansy" were Slytherins. "Patil, Padma" went to Ravenclaw while "Patil, Parvati" went to Gryffindor.
"Potter, Harry."
Everyone went silent as all eyes turned to the boy. So the rumours were true, Harry Potter had come to Hogwarts. He was a skinny boy wearing glasses with jet black hair and green eyes, when Peter squinted, he could just make out a scar shaped like a bolt of lightning.
The atmosphere in the room became very tense and Harry looked very nervous. After what felt like forever the hat declared "GRYFFINDOR!" There was a boom of applause at the Gryffindor table. Clearly they were very proud to have the boy who lived sitting with them.
Then McGonagall said "Ronillius, Jacob."
Jacob approached the hat with much unease. He looked more worried than anyone before him. The hat was placed on him and Jacob closed his eyes in nervousness and gripped the edge of his stool. After a while the hat's voice cried out "SLYTHERIN!", Jacob went to join the Slytherin table. Peter was a little disappointed that he didn't get put in Hufflepuff, but at least he could still visit him in-between classes.
"Turpin, Lisa" was sorted into Ravenclaw, "Weasley, Ronald" became a Gryffindor, "Zabini, Blaise" went to Slytherin, and just like that, the Sorting was over.
As the applause died down, an old man at the centre of the professor's table got to his feet. Peter realized that he must be Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster. He held out his arms as if to quiet the crowd and began to gave a speech.
"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"
Dumbledore sat back down. Peter didn't really understand what he meant, but everyone was clapping and so Peter felt it rude not to clap as well.
But just then, all other thoughts had been forgotten, as the plates in front of them had magically been filled with all sorts of food. Chicken, potatoes, big sides of beef, huge tureens of peas and corn. You name the food, it was probably there. And soon Peter was lost in the feast, chatting with the rest of his fellow Hufflepuffs and preparing himself for the upcoming dessert course. For the first time, Peter felt excited for the upcoming years he would spend at Hogwarts.
Holy crap thanks for all the favourites, follows, and reviews! I did not expect this to get as many notes as it did!
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