Once the boats arrived at the castle, holding all the first years, the forty of us shuffled our way into the caste. If the crowd hadn't been shoving me along, it would have taken me hours to get in. All around me were paintings with moving figures. Moving paintings! They would talk to each other, move from painting to painting, and even talk to us. A painting of a small wizard girl smiled and waved to me, so I did the same, very taken aback. How is that even possible?! I whispered this to Eloise and she chuckled, "Magic, silly. You're at a wizard school now!"
Turning my head around in every direction, I attempted to take in as much as my senses could before we were stopped in front of a great wooden door.
"Welcome," a deep voice shook me out of my trance, "I am Professor Bloxam, teacher of Potions here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,"
The professor was an old thin man, with a small amount of wispy silver hair on either sides of his head. He wore a robe similar to mine, except it was a deep red rather than black. In his hands he held a tall red cap, which matched his robe, and small circular spectacles hung from his neck.
He continued, "Through this doorway is the Great Hall, where all your meals will take place. There are four tables, one for each house. When you enter, you will continue to the very front, where you will be given further instruction,"
Once he had finished, Professor Bloxam turned around and opened the door. Suddenly, I see a giant room brightly lit by candles floating in the sky. I tuck my unruly blonde hair behind my ears as I gawk at the Great Hall. Four long tables stretched down the hall, full of students murmuring and laughing. As we walked past them, heads turned and whispers began. Excitement flourished through the air. It felt like something big was about to happen.
I took a deep breath, and my hands started to shake. Everything about this was making me so nervous.
"I wonder what's going to happen," I whispered to the person next to me, laughing uncomfortable. She looked over at me, replied, "Yeah…", turned away to then whisper something inaudible to the girl next to her. They snickered behind their hands, but luckily everyone was hushed before they could say anything.
Shut up! I thought to myself, if you're gonna make any mates, you're gonna need to be a little more normal. Now that I think of it, you probably shouldn't be talking to yourself, and that ended my mental conversation. I clenched my hands and pressed my lips together as a mental reminder, and turned my focus to the person who had silenced the hall.
"Greetings returning, and new, witches and wizards," This confident introduction was followed by wild applause, which I joined in making. The tall woman had impeccable posture. Her brunette hair was graying at the roots, but could barely be seen as it was pulled back in a tight bun. Her hands, which were raised to quiet the rowdy students, were thin and frail. Her face was long, and her crystal blue eyes gazed around the hall proudly.
"To those of you who are new," she smiled down at us first years kindly, "I hope you find your time at Hogwarts to be...magical,"
At that moment, the room suddenly got brighter. A gasp made its way out of my mouth as I looked up to see the roof no longer there, it had been replaced by constellations of bright stars in the night. Murmuring started up again, but was quickly silenced.
"First years," the woman continued, "I am Professor Maravalle, your headmistress here at Hogwarts. In a moment you will have your start-of-term banquet..."
At the word "banquet" my nerves calmed and my clenched fists loosened. Nothing made me happier than food! Just the thought of eating had me practically salivating. I looked around, but saw no food on the tables around. Bugger! How am I supposed to get anything to eat! I usually start as soon as I sit down, but clearly that wasn't going to be possible. Disappointed, I turned my attention back to the headmistress.
"But first you must be sorted into one of the four houses, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, or Slytherin,"
Houses? Sorted? Were they going to split us up?! I glanced over at Eloise, the one friend I've managed to make this whole day. I better not be separated from her!
I waited for Professor Maravalle to say more, but she said nothing. Instead she walked off the side and grabbed a dusty old... hat?! This day just kept getting weirder and weirder. What was she going to do with that? She placed the old wrinkled pointed hat, similar to Professor Bloxam's, on a stool at the front of the hall. This was going to be such a bore. I nudge Eloise and nod at the hat, scoffing, but her eyes are wide and she was biting her lip with excitement. How is she at all interested in this bloody (not to mention filthy) hat?! All of the older students, sitting among the tables looked as if this was perfectly expected and normal occurrence. Just then as I was looking around at the other first years expressions, most interested, a few confused, the hat started to sing. Yes, sing! One of the wrinkles in that big brown cap opened up and words, normal, actual English words, came out it's mouth:
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...
The hat then continued to describe the four houses, which had very confusing names. But they all sounded delightful! No matter where I was put, each seemed a compliment. I was either going to be deemed intelligent, brave, ambitious, or dedicated. As the hat continued to spew out his lengthy poem while I watched on in absolute disbelief, I really needed to learn to get used to all this magic stuff, considering I was now attending a magic school. Which one would I be in? I was certainly not that determined and patient one. I may be loyal but the rest of that Puffyhuff one sounded quite unlike me. I wasn't sure about the ambitious snake one, Slytherin? I would like to call myself ambitious, but its easier said than done. However, if I were to be placed there, I suppose it would help me strive to be more ambitious. I dont know,maybe the intelligence one, or bravery, so many options!
For I'm a Thinking Cap!
The hat, who Eloise had managed to mouth to me was called the Sorting Hat, was done with his off-key song. It made a motion to each of the tables, which seemed like bowing. The silence was followed by roaring applause, which I joined in making. But now what? The image of myself walking up to a brown hat and having it scream my new house at me frightened, yet excited me.
Professor Maravelle sat down at the head table, and Professor Bloxam took her place at the front. He pulled out a long parchment, and squinted at it before proclaiming in a loud voice, "As your name is called, please come up to the front and sit on the stool. First, Aberella, Felix!"
I watched a wide eyed boy shuffle up to the front of the hall, and sit down on the stool. Professor placed the hat on his head, as Felix closed his eyes and crossed his fingers tightly in front of his face. A moment later, the hat declared, "GRYFFINDOR!"
The table that I assumed was for Gryffindors, burst into wild hooting and hollering, at their first new member. Felix slouched down, a wide grin on his face, and happily strutted off to his new table.
"Alesi, Elladora!" was called up next. She too was put in Gryffindor, and was also delighted to join Felix and the others. But just then I realized, they are going in alphabetical order! And lucky me, I was stuck with "Bexley", so soon enough I would be going up there. I took deep breaths and tried to calm my nerves, but it didn't help. Little by little, names were called, but after a few I heard the dreaded, "Bexley, Juniper!"
Oh no.
Taking one last meditative breath, I pressed my way through the group, and made my way up the steps to that dreaded stool. I tried to remember some calming tips or something to ease my nerves. Isn't yoga all about meditation and all that calm nice stuff? I should start doing yoga. Or take naps. I really just needed to relax. Once I had sat down on the rickety stool, my eyes scanned the mob of first years, and was thankfully able to pick out some friendly faces. Xavier was whispering something to Calum, who looked up at me and gave me two encouraging thumbs up. Anders was next to them too, but he was more looking at them to see what they were doing. And then there was Eloise, who had made her way closer to the front, gave me a smile and a wink. Suddenly my head felt heavy, and the Sorting Hat was on my head.
"Hmmm," a voice, most likely the hat, whispered in my mind. I jumped a little at the noise, but the looks on everyone else's faces told me they hadn't heard him. I laughed at myself for being shocked. I could not keep forgetting this was a magical school, or this was going to be a difficult seven years.
"You're a brave girl, I can see that," the hat continued, "Impulsive, yes, but there is a lacking of real thought. You seem to act without thinking, no?"
I chuckle in agreement, but he went on, "Patience, yes, ambition, yes, but I'm getting the most in you for… GRYFFINDOR!" I was swallowed in applause. My eyes were bright and I couldn't stop smiling as I made my way to the table and was greeted with high fives and pats on the back. It felt extraordinary to have a place, somewhere I belonged. And to be labeled as brave? What a compliment! I sure was going to flaunt my new daringness. My nerves settled, I watched the rest of the sortings from the comfort of my new table.
"Bishop, Xavier!" Oh, Xavier was next! I watched him be sorted into Slytherin, and I waved as he made his way to his table. I was a little disappointed we weren't in the same house, but I knew that wouldn't stop us from staying friends.
After a while, "Prescott, Anderson!" was called up was well. It was Anders! I didn't know his full name was Anderson… well, you learn something new everyday, I suppose. Anders was up there for a few minutes, but everyone waited silently, until the hat finally released a loud roar, announcing his new home as Ravenclaw. He looked back at me and grinned widely, but quickly turned to be greeted by his housemates.
A few first years later, Professor Bloxam shouted, "Trimble, Eloise!" My petite friend clasped her hands together, before skipping lightly up to the stool. The hat barely made contact with her head before it shouted, much to my delight, "GRYFFINDOR!" For that, I cheered louder than I had cheered for any other student. Eloise and I would be together! I couldn't believe it. She tossed her curls over her shoulder, and practically ran to give me a hug at our table. It's amazing how close I felt to her after only knowing her for one day.
As more names were called, the crowd of first years lessened and lessened, until the only one standing there was Calum. "Wade, Calum!" was shouted, and to his obvious relief, Calum at last made his way up to the stool, to be quickly sorted into Slytherin with Xavier. The two looked extremely happy to be together, just like Eloise and I.
Now that the sorting was over, my attention returned to my stomach. Where was this so called banquet?! The rest of the first year boys and girls at my table seemed to have the same idea, as they all looked confused and hungry.
Hey wait! Those were the girls from the station! I saw the three girls who I had bumped into at King's Cross. And with my luck, they all were together, and of course they were in Gryffindor. Well, at least I knew I was going to have three more people I knew in my house, and maybe they wouldn't remember the girl who had crashed into them! I smiled warmly at them, but was shot back at with three consecutive glares. Yep, they remembered me.
I turned my attention to Eloise who was seated next to me, and the two of us began to whisper about what we had just experienced. I knew someone was talking, but it was all drowned out until I heard "Let the feast begin!"
Right before my eyes, It simply appeared. Out of no where. A feast was suddenly on our table, like magi… oh right! I needed to remember this is a magic school. I quickly snuck my camera out of my robes, and snapped a quick picture of the feast in front of me before stuffing my face with chicken. I looked to my right to see what food lay to that end of the table, when I saw him. James! He was a Gryffindor too! I waved to my friend from the station, and he saw me and gave a single nod before turning back to his mates. Nevermind that, now that we were in the same house, I'm sure I'll talk to him all the time!I grabbed a roll from the platter in front of me and smiled. Gryffindor. What a wonderfully, peculiar word!