CHAPTER 4: THE SORTING CEREMONY
Severus was irritated to say the least. The temperature in the Slytherin compartment, after Lily had gone, had varied according to Bellatrix's moods, as he so vividly recalled. Someone really had the nerve to get to Bellatrix. And the fact that her mood changed according to the colour of her hair was amusing in a way, Severus thought.
"Someone has put a colour changing charm on your hair, Bellatrix." He had stated calmly to which she had thrown a tantrum followed by a lot of swearing from Rodolphus and Lucius about getting hold of that git. Severus wished that they never found out who that unfortunate person was. He shuddered even to think what that person's fate might be. All in all he was happy when the giant man called for the first years.
As he walked in the crowd he spotted Lily and motioned her to join him. She started towards him but her steps faltered when she saw Dolohov. "I am fine here," she mouthed and followed the giant man down a steep narrow path. She stumbled through the path to come to the edge of a great black lake. Beyond the lake stood the magnificent castle. Old and serene, the castle had its own quaint charm. And a minute later Lily found herself in a boat with three other girls who were quite friendly.
"Hello! I am Sienna Smart," said a girl with sleek blonde hair and an oval face, "and, oh yes, I am rather smart too." She added.
Lily laughed as she shook hands with Sienna, saying, "I am Lily Evans."
Another girl piped up, "I'm Janet Shacklebolt."
"I'm rather nervous about the Sorting, aren't you all?" asked the fourth girl who looked very shy. The three girls turned towards her. "Oh, I am Alice Parker." She said, blushing.
"Oh, but it is very easy," said Sienna, knowledgably, "You just have to put on a hat."
"And?" Lily asked.
"And you get Sorted." said Sienna brightly.
'It is,' Lily thought, 'like getting onto the platform Nine and Three Quarters. You know what to do but you are rather doubtful about how to do it.'
"Heads down, everyone," the giant man roared again. The girls ducked and so did the other first years. The boats carried them through an underground tunnel to a small harbor. After climbing out of the boats the giant man led them through a flight of stairs to a large oak door on which he rapped thrice. An elderly woman in a sweeping emerald cloak and a stern face opened the door. "The first years, Professor McGonagall."
"Thank you, Hagrid," She replied and motioned for the first years to follow. She led them into a small chamber from where they could hear hundreds of voices from the outside. Abruptly, she turned to them and gave them a long speech about the Houses at Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and the Sorting Ceremony. James saw that Remus and their new friend Peter were listening to the Professor with rapt attention and he could have sworn she threw him a sharp glance as if daring him to break any rules.
Well, if she knew…
Professor McGonagall then led them into the Great Hall, which was a glorious sight. If they hadn't been so nervous, the first years would have been marveling at its sheer beauty. But now, the Professor was busy placing a stool in front of them. She then placed an extremely patchy and old hat upon that stool. The first years stared and to their utter amazement, next second, the hat opened its mouth wide and burst into a song about the virtues of the four Houses.
"When I call your name," Professor McGonagall said, after the hat was finished with the song, "you shall come forward and sit on the stool. You will place the Hat upon your head and it will announce your House.
"Adams, Charlotte!" The Hat was silent for a whole minute before shouting, "RAVENCLAW!"
"Avery, Eldric!"
In a matter of seconds he was placed into Slytherin followed by, "Auger, Kevin" who was placed in Hufflepuff.
And then, "Black, Sirius!"
James grinned broadly at Sirius, who gave him a very odd, almost painful look. It was the first time since the train that Sirius had become very serious. James gave him a little push and he walked determinedly towards the stool.
"Ah, a Black," a small voice echoed in Sirius' head when he had put on the hat, "you would do well in Slytherin," now really, Sirius thought, drily, "but as I have heard countless times, the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Sirius gripped the stool very hard, "you get to go in, GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius grinned sheepishly as he walked towards the Gryffindor table, to loud boos from the Slytherin table. He glanced there, just in time, to catch Bellatrix's horrorstruck face.
"Belby, Damocles!" "SLYTHERIN!"
"Brooks, Carolyn", "Cadwallader, Robert", "Clearwater, Darrel", were Sorted into Ravenclaw. And then, "Clinton, Jasper", "Dawlish, Erebus", "Diggle, Dedalus" was sent to Hufflepuff.
"Dolohov, Antonin!" "SLYTHERIN" He walked smugly towards the Slytherin table.
"Evans, Lily!"
Lily walked nervously to the stool, completely unsure of this whole Sorting Ceremony. She jammed the Hat upon her head with shaking hands. It slid down to block her view and she was thankful for it. Then there was silence.
"You are something very different, not usual at all," Lily jumped as the voice echoed in her head, "Courage, intelligence and a wild fierceness. Well, of course you are a… GRYFFINDOR!" Lily walked to the Gryffindor table, extremely pleased with herself. She gave Severus a small smile which he didn't return but watched her with a burning gaze.
After that "Greengrass, Stephen" was Sorted into Slytherin while, "Hopkirk, Mafalda" and "Jones, Gwenog" went to Hufflepuff, "Jones, Hestia" into Ravenclaw and "Longbottom, Frank" became another Gryffindor.
"Lupin, Remus!"
Remus walked timidly towards the stool and placed the Hat upon his head. His mind was whirling with his fears, his new friends, what would they say if… "GRYFFINDOR!"
Remus sighed with relief and walked contentedly to the Gryffindor table.
"MacMillan, Joseph" was Sorted into Hufflepuff and "Marchbanks, Isabell" to Ravenclaw. "Mulciber, Adrian" was Sorted into Slytherin, who cheered loudly and then, "Parker, Alice" went into Gryffindor.
"Pettigrew, Peter!" the new squat friend of James, in his nervousness, tripped and nearly fell but then steadied himself and sat on the stool. The Hat took full five minutes to Sort him into Gryffindor.
And, then, finally, "Potter, James!"
James took the last few steps to the stool slowly, as if contemplating what lay ahead in the Sorting. He was sure that he was neither nervous, nor calm. The world had stopped for this moment. He glanced one last time at the Gryffindor table where his eyes found Sirius'. Sirius gave him a reassuring smile. Then for some reason, utterly unfathomable even for himself, they found the emerald ones that belonged to Lily Evans. He smirked. And the Hat slid upon his eyes.
"A gallant heart, perhaps too brave for your own good, a witty mind. There's no mistaking it, you are a GRYFFINDOR!" James, grinning triumphantly, strutted to the Gryffindor table where Sirius patted his back appreciatively.
"Knew you had it in you, mate," He said, as though he himself was meant for Gryffindor all along. After James, "Shacklebolt, Janet" was also placed in the same house.
"Smart, Sienna!" Lily holding her breath, watched eagerly as her friend walked to the stool and placed the Hat upon her head. After a moment, though the Hat shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" and Lily watched Sienna walk to the Slytherin table who was looking slightly disappointed with herself.
"Smith, Jasmine" followed Joseph into Hufflepuff.
"Snape, Severus!" Severus strode forward briskly and placed the Hat on his head.
"Cunning, no doubt, clever, an obsession to prove yourself and brave," the Hat boomed in his head, you are meant for SLYTHERIN!" Severus walked to the Slytherin table, away from Lily, with a sense of loss. Only four were remaining now. Out of them "Sparks, Aletha" became a Gryffindor and "Vance, Emmeline" became a Ravenclaw. "Whitney, Robin" became a Hufflepuff and the Sorting ended with "Zeller, Andrew" who too joined Whitney in Hufflepuff.
At the Gryffindor table, the first years enjoyed the delicious feast, talked and laughed. When Lily was finished with the dinner she looked over at the high table where all the teachers were seated. There sat Albus Dumbledore, his presence warm and reassuring. 'It wouldn't be so bad to talk to him, after all.' Lily thought. She vowed to herself that she would definitely talk to him about Petunia.