Years of the Marauders
Chapter Two: The Sorting
Wade, Katherine, Hannah, and Wendy had just gotten off of the train. It had gotten darker, and also a little colder. Wendy tried to keep herself warm by blowing on her hands, but the chilly air seeped through her cloak. Lupin, being nice, had given Hannah his overcoat, which she was now snug and warm in. Lupin's group had left to go to the castle. He told them that first years had to cross the lake. 'Are we supposed to swim across or what?' Wade had asked a little annoyed from the cold.
He was answered when a large man, larger than any of them had seen before, appeared shouting, 'Firs' years this way!' The group walked closer to the man. He had wild black hair that came a little past his shoulders. He was wearing a moleskin coat that could've kept all of them warm. His tangled mess of a beard hid his mouth but you could tell he was smiling. Smile lines appeared by his black beady eyes. Even though they were black, they were full of kindness.
'Hullo. I'm Hagrid,' the man said, 'I'm the Groundskeeper here at Hogwarts.' He towered over them all and looked at a nervous looking first year. 'Are yeh nervous?' He asked. The first year was ready to faint. He just replied with a simple nod of the head. Hagrid gave a booming laugh, 'Tha's great! A'right guys. We're going ter sail up ter the castle in these boats. Four ter a boat please and try not ter rock it. The water's been pretty choppy lately. C'mon.'
The giant of a man lead them to the shore of the lake. The water was silver in the moonlight. The air was significantly colder here. Katherine was the first to get into a boat. The rest followed. Wendy stuck her hand in the water and quickly pulled it out, 'Brr…' she said, 'Anyone fancy a swim?' The group chuckled.
Wade laughed, 'I don't envy the person who falls in.'
Katherine was wondering how they were going to move without paddles 'Hang on!' A shout came from the front boat. Hagrid was sitting there with the nervous first year from before. A lantern was hanging at the front, lighting the way. With a sudden lurch, the boat moved forward.
When you forgot about how cold it was, the sight was beautiful. The trees glimmered in the little light from the moon. The castle was silhouetted against it giving it an eerie, but majestic feel.
Hannah broke the silence, 'So guys, we should be friends, just saying.' She had been nervous about making friends at Hogwarts. She really hadn't had a friend before Lupin and she became friends when they were four. Her family and his family had met when the Reinhardts moved to Britain from Canada.
Wendy smiled, 'Let's be the best friends ever! No matter what.' She put her hand into the centre of the group. Hannah, catching on, set her hand on top of Wendy's. Katherine and Wade followed. 'Best friends for ever?' Wendy asked.
'Best friends for ever!' The group replied.
They laughed and joked and had fun, forgetting about the cold, all the way until their boats landed on the opposite shore. They hopped out of the boat and spotted Hagrid, which wasn't that hard. They joined the rest of the first years and came to a door.
'What are we waiting for, I'm freezing over here!' yelled an impatient boy He voice was oddly high and child-like. Hannah, Katherine and Wendy were too short to see him over the rest of the crowd. Wade stood on his toes to see who was talking. The boy looked positively disgusted. His sharp nose was pointed up as he held his head high. He had neat black hair that was obviously combed neatly. He wore a black cloak trimmed with white fur, and matching gloves.
'He's dressed warm enough, I don't see why he's complaining,' Wade muttered to himself, returning his attention to the group.
Suddenly, the large door opened. All the first years shut up to focus on the man who was standing in the opening. He was quite tall and lean. He had long silver hair and a beard that reached down to his chest. He wore a black cloak with a coat of arms on it. It was the same coat of arms, Katherine remembered, that was on the letter from Hogwarts. He had periwinkle blue eyes that twinkled behind half moon spectacles. 'Hello new students, my name is Professor Dumbledore, Deputy Headmaster and the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. I'm here to show to the opening feast. If you would, please follow me.' He waved his hand and motioned for the first years to go inside. The walked for a while down a dimly lit corridor. When they reached a large golden door they stopped.
'Now,' Professor Dumbledore said, 'When it's time, you are to enter this door, in a line. You will wait until your name is called and then you will be sorted into your house. Do you have any questions?' He added. Nobody spoke, either out of fear, nervousness, or excitement. 'Excellent! He continued, I think it's time.'
He opened the door and they were greeted by a large blast of golden light. After Katherine's eyes adjusted, she saw four long tables filled with student who were all older than her. Behind the tables was one long table, raised above the rest. This was no doubt where the staff sat as a dozen adults were waiting patiently. Above the tables were hundreds of floating candles and the roof… well, there didn't seem to be one. Hannah said, 'The ceiling is enchanted to look like the sky outside, Lupin told me that.' Right now the sky was cloudless and the moon shone brightly adding its silver light to the candle's gold.
They stood in a line as were instructed. Here they could see that all eyes were on them. Professor Dumbledore, who must've disappeared, came from the opposite side holding a four-legged stool and an old hat. He placed the stool in front of the line, and sat the hat on top. To Wade, or rather all the first year's surprise, the brim of the hat opened up and it made a mouth. The assembly of students who were chatting upon their arrival had become silent. He hat opened its mouth wide and sang:
'A thousand years or more ago,
When I was newly sewn,
There lived four wizards of renown,
Whose names are still well known:
Bold Gryffindor, of wild moor,
Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,
Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,
Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.
They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,
They hatched a daring plan
To educate young sorcerers
Thus Hogwarts School began.
Now each of these four founders
Formed their own house, for each
Did value different virtues
In the ones they had to teach.
By Gryffindor, the bravest were
Prized far beyond the rest;
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest
Would always be the best;
For Hufflepuff, hard workers were
Most worthy of admission;
And power-hungry Slytherin
Loved those of great ambition.
While still alive they did divide
Their favourites from the throng,
Yet how to pick the worthy ones
When they were dead and gone?
'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,
He whipped me of his head
The founders put some brains in me
So I could choose instead!
Now slip me snug about your ears,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind,
And tell where you belong!
The hall roared with applause as the hat finished his song. As the clapping died down, a clinking sound could be heard from the head table. A frail looking man was tapping his spoon against his glass. He didn't stand tall, and had a few wisps of white hair on his otherwise bald head. He said, 'Another great song from the Sorting Hat. Now we have some first years to be sorted. Without further ado…Dumbledore?' He waved a hand towards Dumbledore who was now holding a large scroll.
'Thank you Headmaster,' He said kindly, 'When I call your name, you will sit on the stool and place the Sorting Hat on your head. He will shout out your house, and you will go and sit with them. Remember that your house is very important. You will attend classes with them, eat and sleep with them. While you are here at Hogwarts, they will be your family. Now…' He unrolled the scroll and said, 'Albarn, Noah!'
It was the rude boy from earlier. He strutted over to the stool, his nose in the air. He sat on the stool and crossed his legs. He placed the Sorting Hat on his head. After a few seconds, it shouted, 'SLYTHERIN!' The tabled furthest to the right roared with applause. Noah smirked and took the hat off of his head; he placed it neatly on the stool and headed over to the table to take his seat.
Wendy leaned into Wade, 'The way he holds his nose, you'd think there was a terrible smell under it.' Wade stifled his laugh.
Dumbledore called out, 'Arnold, Wendy.' Wendy gulped. She hadn't realized that her time would come so soon. She gave a faint smile at her friends and hoped that she wouldn't be put in Slytherin. The way her friends talked about it, she wasn't sure they'd want to be friend with her anymore.
Wendy slowly walked to the stool; she brushed her black hair out of her face and sat down. She put on the hat and waited. Seconds later it shouted, 'SLYTHERIN!'
Wendy could've cried. She let out a deep sigh and looked back towards her friends. Wade was shocked to say the least. Katherine was smiling politely, and Hannah looked sad. Wendy looked back at the cheering Slytherins and noticed a boy with platinum blond hair. He was pale and smiling slightly. He motioned for her to sit beside him. Wendy took her seat as Dumbledore called, 'Benson, Oliver!' Who was sorted into Hufflepuff.
The boy beside Wendy held his hand out and she shook it. 'My name's Lucius, Lucius Malfoy. I'm a Prefect for Slytherin. Glad to have another one.' With that he turned his attention to the sorting again. Wendy did too, but she wasn't happy about it. She wasn't happy about being in Slytherin.
The line seemed to dwindle as more people were sorted. Colmer, Rebecca was the first Ravenclaw, and a second Hufflepuff, Daniels, Gregory took his seat. With each student, the tables cheered. No one cheered harder than the Gryffindors when Farce, Declan was sorted into their house. Wendy noticed that he was the nervous boy. He looked ready to faint from all of the attention from his fellow Gryffindors.
They finally got to the K's, which was what Wendy had been waiting for. Dumbledore called, 'Klaassen, Katherine!' And she took her seat on the stool. Wendy was kind of hoping she'd be placed in Slytherin, so that she wouldn't be alone.
Wendy was disappointed when the Sorting Hat shouted, 'RAVENCLAW!' Katherine beamed. She had wanted to be in Ravenclaw since she heard about them on the train. She was so excited to get to her table, that she did sort of a little skip on her way.
'Lucky,' Wendy murmured watching Katherine sit down beside some nice looking fifth years.
More people were sorted into their houses. Wendy stomach growled from hunger. She hadn't eaten since the train ride which seemed hours ago. They were past the P's. Dumbledore called, 'Quinn, Connor' and a tough looking kid sat on the stool. He had brown hair that flipped out at the sides. The permanent mark from a ball cap was pressed into his hair. He was sorted into Slytherin and Wendy clapped politely along with the others. 'Reinhardt, Hannah!' Dumbledore called, looking up from the scroll. Hannah broke from the line and strode happily up to the stool. As soon as the Sorting Hat touched her head, it yelled, 'GRYFFINDOR!' Hannah did a little fist pump and sat down at the Griffindor table. Lupin had saved a seat for her bedside him. Sirius and James patted her on the back in a friendly way.
Katherine was deep in an intelligent discussion with her fellow Ravenclaws, they were talking about the staff.
Wendy felt out of place. Lucius had been nice enough, but he seemed cold and unapproachable. Wendy sighed and looked up at the sorting. The only one left was Wade. He went to sit on the stool as Dumbledore was calling his name, 'Wiechenthal, Wade!' He said as Wade put the Sorting Hat on. It shouted, 'HUFFLEPUFF!' and Wade went and sat down with the Hufflepuffs. He sat beside Oliver Benson.
Dumbledore rolled up the scroll and took the stool and the Sorting Hat away. Everyone clapped one final time, then turned their attention towards the Head Table. The headmaster stood up again. 'Hello new and returning students. To the new students, I am Headmaster Dippet.' He did a slight bow. 'I'd like to say a few words before we begin our feast. First off, the Forest in the grounds is off limits to all students.' He looked for a brief moment at James and Sirius, who laughed. 'Also I'd like to introduce our staff. Our Groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid, our Caretaker Argus Filch, our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Albus Dumbledore, our Potions Master Professor Luena Arnold,' He said each name as he pointed to the teacher. Professor Arnold was a kind looking witch wearing grey robes. She smiled as her name was said and she waved. Her hair was long and black, held back in a pony-tail.
At the Slytherin table, Lucius turned to Wendy, 'Is there any relation between you two?' He asked curiously.
Wendy replied, 'Yeah, she's my mom.'
Lucius looked surprised, but then turned back towards the Head Table muttering, 'Never knew she had kids…'
Professor Dippet had finished with, 'And this is Professor Binns, the History of Magic teacher. And now, you may eat!'
Before their eyes, the plates filled with an assortment of foods. There was turkey, roast beef, chicken, mashed potatoes, turnips, and more. Wade was happy to dig in, as were the rest of the group. Even though they were sitting at different tables, they still connected by waving and smiling at each other.
Wendy thought to herself, Maybe Slytherin won't be that bad.'
They ate their food having multiple servings. They were full by the time dessert came around, but they ate some anyway. It was the best feast they had ever had.