Chapter 5
She walked away, practically speed walking. I put on my new school robes and got my stuff together. I read until Professor Rowling came and brought me to a little cavern near the lake where the first year's boats would dock. I was so excited. This was it! I was really starting Hogwarts! I would soon be getting sorted just like Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were, that is, if they were really real.
After about fiver minutes I saw the boats in the distance, lamps leading the way on the front of each boat. In one more minute I could see people. Finally, the boats docked. The other first years climbed out. Some gave me strange looks for already being there. We followed Professor Rowling into the school. We went up some stairs and stopped at the in a huge room. I guessed that it was the Entrance Hall. She then led us to a smaller room off to the side. Once we were all in I looked back towards the door and was amazed to see a giant man with a huge shaggy beard. Hagrid! How could I have not seen him on the way up to this room? He was so tall! Everything in this world was so different from how I had imagined it. People were beginning to quiet down.
"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In just a few moments you will be entering the Great Hall. There you'll be sorted into your house. During your stay here, your house will be like your family. You can earn points by answering teachers' questions correctly, by scoring high on tests or any other reason that a teacher sees fit to award points. Any rule breaking and you will loose points. If you have any questions, you can ask your Head of House or a prefect. I will come back when the rest of the school is ready for you. Hagrid will stay here." Professor Rowling then walked out of the room.
As if signaled, the noise level simultaneously went up. All of the first years, except for me, started chatting. I just stood there in my corner, shyly looking around. There were about 40 first years. Some were boys, some were girls. All in the black robes of Hogwarts. We waited for a few minutes until finally Professor Rowling opened the door and motioned for us to come back out into the Entrance Hall. We quieted and followed her. She brought us up to huge doors and moved us into a sort of line. Two by two, by two. When we were ready, the doors opened and we all entered the largest room I've ever been in in my life. The ceiling was identical to the night sky. There were four, long tables with a few hundred students sitting at them. We walked down to the end of the room where a fifth table with chairs only on one side so that the teachers could look out at the students sat. A few of the other first years moved away and I saw a chair with a frayed wizard hat, which must've been the sorting hat, on a stool. A little face was on it. It was hard to see, but obviously there. The brim of the hat pulled open and broke into song.
Welcome students
Young and old
To a place
Where you'll be told
Of intelligent wizards
Unafraid
And therefore remember
For all your days
I'm here to sort
With pleasure and ease
Into houses
One of these
In Gryffindor
There stand the bold
Brave with tales
Of courage untold
In Ravenclaw
The intelligent dwell
Sure that their intellect
Will always be well
The Hufflepuff are
As loyal as can be
With friendship and greatness
As you can see
In Slytherin
Are the sly and cunning
Folks with plans
That they can always keep running
Now you know the houses
And the founders would be proud
Of the students that in this school
Now will happily dwell
So open now
The mind to learn
Good luck on your journey
May your candle always burn
The hats mouth closed to deafening applause that rang throughout the hall. Holding a long scroll with names on it, Professor Rowling stepped forward.
"When I call your name, step forward and try on the hat. It will tell you what house you are in. Aborino, Sorina."
A girl with night black hair and a timid face stepped up to the hat. She quietly lifted it up, put it on, and sat on the stool. It took two whole minutes to sort her. The hat was moving, probably speaking to her. Finally it called out "Gryffindor!" Sorina placed the hat on the chair and ran over to the Gryffindor table which was clapping politely. She looked like she wanted to disappear. I almost laughed. Everyone was nervous, why should I be. It was just a hat. I waited determinedly as five other students were sorted. They were "Awtirn, Jason" and "Benette Zira". Then were three triplets named Aqua, Marina and Aquamarina Danson. Finally she called out "Doyles, Ashley". I walked up and carefully put the hat on, fully aware that all eyes were on me.
"Hmmm….you'd do well in any house, really, but…oh, a smart one I see, lots of courage too. You're definitely a hard one. Oh, really now…that wand…your power…never mind. Gryffindor!" That last word the hat yelled to the entire school. With a small smile on my face I walked to the Gryffindor table amidst the polite clapping. I felt my excitement growing again. Harry Potter had been in this house. I sat down next to Sorina Aborino who was, so far, the only other Gryffindor first year. Seven other students had joined us at the Gryffindor table by the end of the sorting. Two more girls and five boys. Finally, "Zasley, John" was sorted into Ravenclaw. Dumbledore stood up, all eyes on him.
"Welcome first years and welcome back older students. I would make a speech but I know that all of you are hungry. So go ahead and eat. I won't keep you waiting." He sat down.
Instantly, lots of different types of food appeared on the tables. The jugs filled up with what tasted like pumpkin juice (I'm from America. We don't drink pumpkin juice there). I ate until I could eat no more.
Eventually, everyone was full and we were ready to sleep. The prefects led us to our common rooms. A tall, dark skinned boy was the Gryffindor prefect who led us. We came up to a portrait of a fat lady in a frilly pink dress. "Password?" She asked.
"Hinkypunk." Said the prefect. The portrait swung forward and a hole big enough for a person to walk through appeared. We were led through it into a magnificent room with cozy chairs, a lit fireplace, and crimson and gold hangings on the walls. We were told where our dormitories were. (Boys up the steps and to the left. Girls, same to your right). There were four four-posters in my dormitory. Sorina Aborino's four-poster was next to mine. The other two girls introduced themselves as Stella Lucetburg and Nicole Gurrob.
"I always knew I'd come to Hogwarts. My parents are a witch and a wizard. They got me an owl. Look at her. Isn't she soooooooo beautiful?" Stella bragged. Stella seemed like a bit of a snob. Her family had always been witches and wizards, and she was completely spoiled. She and Nicole had been friends since they were little kids and were sticking together.
"She's really cute. I have a cat." Said Sorina. "Her name's Mya. I also have…other pets, at home." Sorina pet her purring cat one last time and then returned to unpacking.
"So what about you, Ashley?" Asked Stella. "Muggle-born or otherwise? Any pets? Anything?"
"I'm muggle-born." I answered. "I only found out that I was a witch two days ago. It's a long story."
"But why were you already here when the rest of us got here?" Asked Nicole, who blushed when I sighed.
"Look, not now. Okay? It's along story!" I said, attempting to avoid the subject. Sorina gave me a questioning look. Then we all got back to work.