The compartment door opened once again, grabbing Ron's and Harry's attention. A girl stepped inside their compartment.
"Have you two seen a toad in here?" asked the girl.
"Nope," said Harry and Ron together.
"I'm sorry for budging in, but my name is Hermione Granger. What are yours?'
"I'm Ron Weasley," said Ron
"I'm Harry Potter," said Harry.
"Harry Potter? I've heard all about you. I even bought a few books for light reading and I've known all about you." said Hermione.
"Oh, really?" replied Harry.
"I've also learned all the spells we need for the school year." she said, taking out her wand, "Oculus Reparo!" The tape on Harry's glasses unraveled itself and flew onto the window. The glasses themselves sealed together and was fixed.
"Bloody hell," said Ron
"T-thank you," stuttered Harry.
"Your welcome," replied Hermione
She turned to leave. "By the way, we're almost at Hogwarts. I suggest both of you should wear your uniforms now. " and she left.
Ron and Harry continued munching on their treats when Harry asked "What are these?", holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?"
"Oh come on, brother, George and Fred gave you five of these last week," laughed Ron.
"Oh these are those?" chuckled Harry, opening up one of the chocolate frogs. Inside was a little card. It read:
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten-pin bowling.
"Got another Dumbledore, again..." groaned Harry, pocketing the card.
The train slowed to a stop. They had finally arrived at Hogwarts. Harry and Ron got off the train, carrying their trunks with them.
"Firs' years this way!" boomed a loud voice. Harry turned his head to see a giant of a man who wore a fur coat.
"Hey Ron!"said Harry, nudging Ron," He's the same guy who was at Gringotts that other day!"
"Didn't notice him," said Ron.
"M' name's Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Grounds but everyone calls me Hagrid," said the giant man.
Harry and Ron carried their trunks towards a group of other first years.
"Climb on the boats!" said Hagrid. "Four to a boat!"
Harry found an empty and signaled Ron to join him. They were soon joined by the Hermione and another boy who introduced himself as Neville.
Hagrid trudged into the water, spraying water into Harry's glasses.
"All aboard! Move!" shouted Hagrid and the boats began to move on their own.
And the fleet of little boats moved off at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. 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!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and 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 until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.
They clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, dam grass right in the shadow of the castle. The walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
The door swung open at once. A tall, black haired witch in emerald green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first though was this was not someone to cross.
"First years, this is Professor McGonagall, transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts." said Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid, I can take these students from here," said Professor McGonagall. Hagrid walked away and Professor McGonagall led the first years up a few stair cases and stopped.
"Everyone! Welcome to Hogwarts, the finest school of magic there is. Behind me is the Dining Hall. In their we will sort you all into one of 4 different Houses. There are four houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."
She left the Chamber.
"Hey brother, didn't Fred say we had to do some sort of test or something?"
"Yeah he said we had to wrestle a troll." laughed Ron.
Professor McGonagall had returned. "Move along now," she said sharply," The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin. Now. form a line"
They formed a line and walked out of the chamber, back acroos the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.
Harry had never even imagin such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair 9ver four long tables, where the rest of students were sitting. These tables were laid 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 here, 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 looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. dotted here and there among the students , the ghosts shone misty silver.
Harry noticed the twins next to them and saw that they were sporting both identical evil grins on their faces.
Harry looked back towards the front again to see Professor McGonagall silently place a four-legged stoool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed, frayed dirty hat . 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 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!
When the Sorting Hat stopped singing, everyone in the Dining Hall cheered. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.
"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred and George for BSing me on wrestling a troll."
"When I call out your name, you will come up to the stool and put on the hat and the hat will tell you what house you'll be sorted into." announced Professor McGonagall. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A pink faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.
The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.
On and on the students went and they went up to the hat and place it onto their head.
"Potter, Harry!"
As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like litttle hissing fires all over the hall.
The last thing Harry saw before his hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside the hat. He waited.
"Hmm,quite courageous. Quite brave. A ton of talent. I believe...GRYFFINDOR" shouted the hat. He took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. He was happy to be in Gryffindor.
