A/N: I'm back again! Hopefully this chapter will be good and long, like the last one (it had over 2000 words, a record for me)!
As the train pulled to a stop, I hopped off of my seat and stared out the window nervously. Students were flooding the platform. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my trunk and cat cage and exited the compartment, following the trio.
When I arrived on the platform, I heard a loud voice call out, "Firs' years over here! Firs' years this way! All righ', you three?"
Harry waved to a very TALL man waving a lantern. The man beamed at him before continuing his calls. Hermione said goodbye to me as I headed in the man's direction. I dropped my trunk and cage off in a pile of luggage before joining the group of first years.
The man, who introduced himself as Rubeus Hagrid (WHOO HOO! YOU ROCK HAGGY-HAGRID! I don't know why I just called him that...), lead us away from the rest of the students, and towards a huge lake with some boats floating by the shore. "No more'n four to a boat!"
I climbed into a boat with the blond-haired girl I saw at the station, a girl with thick, dark brown hair, and a girl with glasses and light brown hair the shade that mine is, but it was cut to her shoulder.
"Hi, I'm Talon," the blond haired girl said right as I stepped in. She extended a hand and I took it.
"Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Breeze," I replied.
"I'm Tawny!" the girl with short, brown hair announced.
"Sneaky," the girl with dark, brown hair said calmly. Hi, real life friends! Nice to see you here :D
Then, the boat suddenly lurched into motion, following Hagrid's boat. We rounded a corner, and then gasps rang through the air.
A magnificent castle sat on a high mountain. Lights in its many window sparkled like stars, and reflected on the lake surface, creating a spectacular image of floating on stars. The ripples from the boats caused the lights to look as though they were shimmering. It was a picture-perfect scene, and I couldn't take my eyes off of it.
We glided across the lake towards Hogwarts, until we reached a sort of underground boathouse. We clambered out of the boat and followed Hagrid up a long flight of stairs leading up to the castle's front gates. I stayed in a group with the three girls, who I hoped would become my friends.
We approached the front gates, which had statues of winged boars on either side of them. After Hagrid opened them with a tap from a large umbrella, we walked up a pathway leading through the Hogwarts grounds. The front doors were open, and a very short wizard (a great contrast with Hagrid) with a shock of white hair was waiting for us.
"The firs' years, Professor Flitwick," Hagrid announced.
"Thank you, Hagrid," Flitwick said in a squeaky voice, before the giant man disappeared through a side door. "Follow me."
We walked straight past the door Hagrid had gone through. Many voices were coming from it, so it was probably where the rest of the school was. We walked into a side chamber.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Flitwick declared. "Before you join the rest of the students in the Great Hall, you will wait here while I set up the Sorting Ceremony. You will be sorted into one of four houses- Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. While you are here, your house will be like your family. You can do good things to earn House Points, but rule breaking will lose your points. I will come back for you when we are ready to begin." With that, he went into the Great Hall.
I was left feeling extremely nervous and sort of sick. How were they going to sort us? I hoped it wasn't going to be anything too hard. Oh yes, it's going to be veeery hard. You have to try on a hat! Oh, the pressure! I also wondered what house I was going to be in. I hoped that it wouldn't be Slytherin- Ron had told me all about Slytherin's nasty reputation.
Meanwhile, next to me, my new friends were talking in hushed voices.
"How're we going to be sorted?" Tawny asked nervously.
"I don't know," Talon muttered. "My mum wouldn't tell me. She said something about breaking tradition if she told."
"I hope I'm in Gryffindor," Sneaky said, sounding sort of calm, but also a little anxious. "It sounds like a good house to be in."
"Yeah," Tawny said. "So does Ravenclaw. That's where the smart people supposedly go."
"You don't have to be in Ravenclaw to be smart," I said defensively. "Plenty of smart people weren't in Ravenclaw. It's called house prejudice. Everyone immediately creates stereotypes about the houses, and it causes separation. We should be aiming towards house unity, and these assumptions aren't helping."
"You should be in Ravenclaw," Tawny exclaimed after my rant.
I face-palmed. (That's what Tawny does to people. No offense to you Tawny, we think you're awesome!)
Suddenly, the doors opened, and Flitwick appeared. "We're ready for you now. Follow me." With that, we all followed him into the Great Hall.
I observed the scene around me with awe. Candles floated- floated!- above four long tables, where a sea of students were sitting. The most spectacular sight was the ceiling- Hermione had told me it was enchanted to look like the night sky, but none of her explanations had prepared me for the extraordinary magic.
As we walked along, Tawny whispered, "Hey, guys? If I'm in a different house than you, please don't abandon me. I want friends."
"Don't worry, Tawny," Talon assured her. "We won't."
I sighed in relief. That had been the thing I was holding back from saying.
We approached a table that was facing horizontally towards the four other tables. I assumed that the teachers sitting there were teachers. I saw Dumbledore sitting in the center. He was surveying the first years with interest, the tips of his fingers together and his elbows resting on the table.
Flitwick moved to stand next to a dirty old hat that was placed on a stool. It had many rips and patches, and looked extremely old. Suddenly, making many of us jump, the biggest rip opened like a mouth and began to sing.
"A thousand year ago I was made,
When four people showed unity.
But then their ties began to fade
And so did their community.
Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor
All held different values.
Thus began the founders four,
And (sadly) all of their issues.
Sweet Hufflepuff would take those
Who were kind and loyal.
Slytherin took purebloods whose
Ascendants were practically royal.
Ravenclaw took the clever,
The ones who were most wise.
Gryffindor welcomed whoever
Would show bravery 'til their demise.
But Gryffindor took me off his head
Before their friendship was done,
So I could sort for them instead
When they were dead and gone.
Learn from the story I have drawn
So Hogwarts will remain strong.
But for now, come put me on
And I'll tell you where you belong."
The Great Hall burst into applause when the Hat finished singing.
"I told you that house unity is important!" I said triumphantly.
Then, Flitwick stepped up.
"When I call your name, please sit on the stool and place the Hat on your head. When it has sorted you, take a seat at your new house's table." He called the first name, and the sorting began.
The first name she reached that I recognized was "Evergreen, Tawny!" Taking a deep breath, Tawny walked up to the stool, visibly shaking. She placed the Hat on her head, and it slipped down so much that I couldn't see her glasses. After a minute, it shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
A table that was filled with students wearing yellow and black striped ties started clapping. Tawny rushed over to sit with them.
Some more names passed, before I heard another familiar name. "Nightguard, Talon!"
Talon walked bravely up to the stool, taking the hat and placing it on with steady hands. She sat down, and after a little longer than two minutes, the hat called, "RAVENCLAW!"
Another table, this time with students wearing blue and bronze ties, began to clap. Talon walked over to join them, a wide grin on her face.
After a few names, I heard Flitwick call, "Summers, Breeze!" I immediately felt myself begin to shake, and I fought to calm myself. I forced my legs to move forward, until I finally reached the stool. Uncomfortably realizing that everyone was watching me, I picked up the Hat, sat down, and saw it slip below my eyes.
"Well, well, this is going to be difficult," a voice inside my head spoke, making me jump. "You have a good mind, an- Oh dear, what's this?" It asked, suddenly sounding tense.
What's what?
"It seems... you're not from here, are you?"
What do you mean?
"You're visiting from another world... A world without magic..."
I was starting to feel queasy. Of course I am! I'm muggleborn.
"No, no, not like that... It's almost as though you're invading or world... through dreams of some sort..."
Oh, crap. Please don't tell! Don't ruin this...
"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. Now, let's get to the actual sorting... You are not very sly or cunning, so that's a no to Slytherin-"
Thank goodness!
"Now, not all Slytherins are bad... You can be brave, but not always, so cross out Gryffindor..."
So I won't see Harry, Ron, and Hermione? They were very nice...
"That doesn't mean you won't see them. All houses must stick together, not be divided..."
Right, house unity. 'A house divided against itself cannot stand.'
"What?"
Sorry. Muggle quote.
"Ah, well, I was just getting to this point... That's very smart, maybe you should be in Ravenclaw. Although... You are very wise, but most of all, you are loyal, and kind. So, where should I put you?"
The Sorting Hat then went into a thoughful silence. Then, making me jump again, it shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
I placed the Hat back onto the stool, and walked over to where the Hufflepuffs were sitting. I went to sit next to Tawny.
"Congratulations," she said, after I sat down.
"Same," I muttered, my thoughts preoccupied.
"You took nearly three minutes to be sorted," Tawny informed me. "Thought you'd turn into a Hatstall for a minute there."
"Hatstall?" I asked.
"Someone who's sorting takes over five minutes because the Hat can't decide where they should go."
"Oh."
A few more names were called, until only one more person had to be sorted."Wisp, Sneaky!" Flitwick called out.
It took exactly four minutes and fifty-three seconds to sort Sneaky (yes, I counted), a very close Hatstall. The Hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"
I watched as Sneaky walked towards the red-and-gold clad table. Scanning over the Gryffindors, I realized that Harry and Hermione weren't there. Ron was sitting next to a girl with hair the same shade of red as his. Sneaky sat in front of them.
As if on cue, the two missing students walked into the Hall, followed by a woman with gray hair pulled into a tight bun. Harry and Hermione sat across from Ron (next to Sneaky), and I saw Harry open his mouth to say something.
Dumbledore stood up, and immediately, the Hall fell silent. "Welcome, welcome, to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say, but as one of them is rather serious, I should get it out of the way before we all become befuddled by the delicious feast.
"As you all know after they searched the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some dementors of Azkaban. They are here performing Ministry of Magic business. They will be stationed at every entrance to the grounds, and while they are here, I must make it very clear that no student is to leave the grounds without permission from a teacher. Dementors cannot be fooled by tricks, disguises, or Invisibility Cloaks.It is not in their nature to yield to pleading. Give them no reason to cause harm to you.
"On a happier note, I am pleased to inform you that we are welcoming two new teachers to our staff this year. First, Professor Lupin will be taking the Defense Against the Dark Arts post." Lupin stood up, and the Hall broke out in scattered, unenthusiastic applause, although Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I clapped hard.
When Tawny sent me a confused look, I whispered, "He saved my compartment from the dementors on the train. You'll never believe it, but I sat with Harry Potter!"
"For our second appointment, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our previous Care of Magical Creatures professor, retired, so that he could spend quality time with his remaining limbs. I am delighted to announce, however, that his post will be taken by none other than our own Rubeus Hagrid."
The Hall broke out into louder applause, and the Golden Trio were the last to stop clapping. Hagrid, who had stood up in front of his huge chair, was pulled back down into his seat by the gray-haired woman. Hagrid quickly sat, nearly knocking over the table in the process. He wiped his eyes on the tablecloth, still beaming.
"Well, that is everything of importance," Dumbledore declared, "So, let the feast begin!"
Immediately, piles of food appeared on the table. I blinked in surprise, before snapping out of it and digging in.
"So, Breeze," Tawny said, with her mouth stuffed with turkey, "What kind of parentage do you come from?"
"Huh?" I asked, concentrating on the amazing potatoes on my plate.
"Your blood status, what is it?" she asked.
"Oh! I'm muggleborn. What about you?"
"Half-blood. My dad is magical, my mum is a muggle."
"I bet she must have been surprised when she found out he's a wizard," I said.
"Yeah," Tawny laughed. "Apparently, she wouldn't talk to him for days because she thought he was joking. Then, when she realized he was telling the truth, she nearly fainted."
I chuckled. "My parents were going nuts when I got my letter."
After a little while, Dumbledore stood up and told us to go to bed.
"Where IS bed?" Tawny asked me.
I shrugged, but just then, a dude with a shiny badge on his robes stood up from a couple seats away from us.
"Welcome to Hufflepuff, first years!" He announced. "I'm prefect Gabriel Truman (A/N: Name from the Hufflepuff welcome message on ). Follow me to the Hufflepuff common room."
We followed him out of the Great Hall, through a door, and down a flight of stairs. We walked along a long corridor until we reached a large stack of barrels that were hidden in a nook on the right side. "This is the kitchen corridor," Truman told us. "To get into the common room, simply tap the barrel two from the bottom, in the middle of the second row, in the rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff'," he told us. Hey, I just realized something. You have to tap it in the same rhythm that Anna knocked on Elsa's door with in the muggle movie Frozen! "But be careful, because if you don't tap it right, you will soon find yourself covered in vinegar. We are the only house with a repelling device against intruders. And they tell us we don't have proper security!" he laughed. "Our common room hasn't been seen by outsiders in over a thousand years."
He demonstrated how to open the barrel, and we all crawled behind him through the secret passageway. "Welcome to the Hufflepuff common room."
We emerged in a cozy room. It was rounded, with a low ceiling, and very earthy. Its circular windows had a view of rippling grass and dandelions. Obviously a fake view, since we were in the basement underground, but still very nice to look at. Plants hung from the roof and sat on the windowsills. Yellow and black overstuffed armchairs and sofas were scattered around the room, and copper decorations sat in various locations. A warm fire was crackling merrily in the grate.
"Professor Sprout, our Head of House, is the Herbology teacher, and she provides us with the plants," Truman explained. "Our House Ghost is the Fat Friar, he wears monks robes, so you should be able to recognize him. He will be happy to help if you need him.
"Now, the dormitories are through those doors- girls on the right, boys on the left. You should sleep well, because we are protected from any storms or wind down here... I don't know how the Gryffindors and the Ravenclaws in the towers can stand it. Your luggage will be at the foot of your bed. Have a good nigh's rest for your classes tomorrow!"
I followed Tawny through the door, where we saw another passageway. We found the door that read "First Years", and we walked in.
Three four-poster beds were in the dorm. The beds were covered in soft patchwork quilts, and copper bed warmers hung above the bed-side tables that were next to each bed. I found the bed that had my trunk on it. The other girl in my dorm introduced herself as Crissy, but she wouldn't give me a last name. We got changed and prepared for the next day before going to bed. When I pulled back my quilt, I laughed out loud upon discovering that the little lump that was there had been Amy, curled up into a ball. She looked up at me with big, adorable, sleepy eyes.
I crawled into bed, Amy climbing up to fall asleep on my stomach. Content, I fell asleep.
A/N: I would like to send a HUGE thanks out to Talon for helping me with the Sorting Hat song. You rock! Because, you know, Harry didn't see the Sorting in his third year because he had to go to Mcgonagall's office, so we had to make up a song. It was hard!
So, ten e-chocolate frogs to you, Talon! Since, you know, chocolate is the only thing that makes you crazy and hyper... and you're AWESOME when you're like that! Unlike you, I can get hyper off of anything, which you should already know :D
Also, thank you to MysteriousMindBlockedHeart for volunteering to be the other Hufflepuff first year! Half a dozen e-Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans boxes to you! Hope you like earwax flavored! ;D
So anyway, to the rest of you, PLEASE PLEASE PLEEEAAASSSEEE review! Pretty please? With sugar on top?
-Breeze
P.S., 3,228 words! :D :D :D Another new record for me!