As soon as Hagrid finished knocking, the door swung open. On the other side stood a tall witch in emerald-green robes. Her hair was black, and her facial expression was very stern.
"The first years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here," Professor McGonagall replied, as she pulled the door completely open. The first years gasped when they saw the entrance hall. It was enormous; the ceiling was too high for them to even see it. Its walls were lit with flaming torches like those at Gringotts, and staircases leading to higher floors were made of pure marble.
As they followed Professor McGonagall across the floor, they began to hear hundreds of voices emanating from the other side of a doorway off to the right. The brighter ones assumed that the rest of the school was in whatever room lay beyond that doorway. However, they did not enter this room. Instead, Professor McGonagall led them into a smaller chamber off the hall. The small size of the room forced them to crowd together, and they stood close to each other as the looked around nervously. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she began. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the great hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are here, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. Try to look your best; I shall return when we are ready for you." She turned and left the chamber.
"So, how exactly are we Sorted into houses?" Danny asked Ron.
"I think it's some kind of test. Fred said that it's really painful, but I bet he was joking."
Harry nervously looked around the room to see how everyone was coping. Everyone else pretty much looked terrified. Nobody was talking, except for Hermione Granger, who was reciting spells under her breath. Neville was sweating profusely, and Danny had his eyes screwed shut in concentration. Harry thought he was trying to steady his nerves; in fact, he was actually trying to not lose tangibility and accidentally phase through the floor. All of a sudden, he shivered and a large amount of blue mist came out of his mouth. Before he could ask what had happened, though he could assume it was some sort of ghostly ability, several people screamed and many more gasped.
About twenty ghosts phased through the back wall and floated through the room. They were arguing amongst themselves and didn't appear to notice the first years. Harry noted that these ghosts didn't look corporeal, like Danny's ghost form. Rather, they were white and semi-transparent. He couldn't begin to fathom why this was so, and instead of speculating tried to listen in on the argument.
"Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance," a monk was saying.
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost…I say, what are you all doing here?" A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had apparently noticed the first years for the first time. Nobody answered him.
"New students!" the Fat Friar exclaimed. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?" A couple of students nodded silently.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know." Just then, Professor McGonagall returned.
"Move along now," she said. "the Sorting Ceremony's about to start." The ghosts slowly floated away through the opposite wall, and Professor McGonagall turned her attention towards the students. "Now form a line and follow me," she commanded.
Danny got in line behind a blonde boy, with Harry behind him and Ron behind Harry. They walked out of the small chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into what they imagined must be the Great Hall.
The Great Hall was lit by thousands upon thousands of candles that floated in mid-air over four long tables, where all of the other students were sitting. The tables were lit with golden plates and goblets so shiny they glittered in the candlelight. At the front of the Hall, there was a fifth long table, perpendicular to the other four, where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up to the gap in-between the ends of the four students' tables and the front of the teachers' table. Hundreds of students were staring at them, and the ghosts were floating here and there among the students. Mainly to avoid the staring, Harry looked forward. Danny was looking off to the side, so Harry could see half of his face. He noticed that tiny wisps of blue smoke would occasionally drift out of his nose, but they were so miniscule that one wouldn't be able to notice unless one was looking for them. Danny looked up to the starry sky that was visible due to the bewitched ceiling, and Harry caught a look of deepest desire and longing.
Everyone present snapped to attention as Professor McGonagall put a four-legged stool down in front of the first years. On top of the stool she placed a pointed wizard's hat. It was patched, frayed, and extremely dirty. Everyone stared at the hat silently for a few long seconds. Suddenly, the hat twitched. It twitched again. Then, a rip near the brim opened wide, 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 top 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 folk 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!
Everybody applauded as the hat finished. The pointed top leaned forward in a bow four times, once towards each table, and then it became still.
"So all we have to do is try on the hat?" Ron whispered. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll." Danny gave a small smile. True, trying on a hat was better than having to do magic, but it would be nice to do it without everyone watching. Underneath his flowing robes, he felt his pants become intangible. He quickly grabbed them and concentrated on regaining tangibility. He glanced around and, thankfully, nobody had noticed. He watched along with everyone else as Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, put on the hat and sit on the stool," she commanded. "Abbott, Hannah!" A girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of the line and put on the hat. It fell over her eyes as she sat down on the stool. Silence…
"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted. The table on the right cheered as Hannah went over to sit there.
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!" This time, the table second from the left clapped.
"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Brown, Lavender!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Bulstrode, Millicent!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Fenton, Daniel!" Danny stepped forward nervously. He felt, rather than saw, the eyes of all the students and teachers on him as he lifted the hat and placed it on his head with shaking hands. He sat down on the stool and jumped slightly when he heard a little voice speaking in his ear.
"Hmm…" it said, "Bright, but only when you apply yourself. On the lazy side, but not afraid to buckle down when the circumstances require it. I see power here, great power. And potential. Slytherin would be a good match for you, it would help you unleash that potential…but what's this? Heroism? A desire to use your powers to help those around you, not just for personal gain? More bravery than many I've seen pass through these doors, the willingness to sacrifice even your own life for those you care about…yes, there's not doubt in my mind, now…"
"GRYFFINDOR!" Danny took off the hat and looked toward the cheering table on the far left. He hopped off the stool and headed over to them. He sat down next to one of the Weasley twins and was patted on the back and given high-fives by what felt like everyone at the table. The hall turned silent again, and Danny turned his attention back to the front, where the next person was being Sorted.
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Finnigan, Seamus!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Granger, Hermione!"
"GRYFFINDOR!" Danny saw Ron sigh as Hermione sat down across from Danny.
"Longbottom, Neville!"
"GRYFFINDOR!" Neville happily ran over to the Gryffindor table, only to realize halfway there that he'd forgotten to remove the Sorting Hat and had to run back to the stool, the students' laughter at his back.
"Malfoy, Draco!" Malfoy sat on the stool and made to lower the hat onto his head. Before it could even come in contact with the slicked back hair, however, it yelled-
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Potter, Harry!" Everyone began whispering as they heard his name and Harry slowly walked over to the stool and sat down. Danny and Hermione glanced at the other tables and noticed that everyone was trying to get a better look at him.
"It's like he's an animal on display at the zoo," Danny muttered disgustedly.
"You can't blame them," Hermione said. "You and I see him as just another student, but everyone else who's never met him see him as a celebrity."
"It's still not right," Danny asserted and crossed his arms. Hermione sighed and turned her attention back to Harry.
"It looks like he's mouthing…not Slytherin," she said as she squinted at the lower part of Harry's face, the only part that hat wasn't covering.
"It's probably because of what Hagrid told us in Diagon Alley-there wasn't a single witch or wizard who went bad that wasn't in Slytherin," Danny said.
"Wow, he's sure taking a while," one of the Weasely twins said; they were identical, so Danny couldn't tell whether it was Fred or George. The entire hall was holding its breath for a good minute or so, when finally-
"GRYFFINDOR!" Harry was wearing a broad grin as he walked towards the Gryffindor table. Percy Weasley shook his hand vigorously and his twin brothers yelled "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Harry sat down next to Danny, across from the ghost in the ruff that had been arguing with the friar. The ghost patted him on the arm, and Harry got the same feeling he had whenever Danny held his arm so that they could go flying-as though it was submerged in a bucket of ice water.
From their vantage point, Harry and Danny could see the High Table now. At one end sat Hagrid, who gave them the thumbs up. In the center of the table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore, looking identical to his Chocolate Frog card. On the other side of the table sat Professors Quirrell and Masters; Quirrell wearing a large, purple turban.
"Turpin, Lisa!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Weasley, Ronald!"
"GRYFFINDOR!" Ron was a pale shade of green when he collapsed on Harry's other side.
"Well done, Ron!" Percy exclaimed pompously.
"Zabini, Blaise!"
"SLYTHERIN!" Blaise hopped off the stool and Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. Any whispering that had started now that the Sorting was finished was silenced as Albus Dumbledore stood up from his seat. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.
"Welcome," he began, "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Ecto! Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" He sat back down amidst the clapping and cheering of the students and faculty. Danny and Harry shot each other confused glances, as if they were unsure of whether to laugh or not.
"Is he…a little crazy?" Danny asked Percy.
"He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes?" Danny looked down and saw that the previously empty dishes in front of him were piled with food. He looked to the side and saw Ron already digging in, and Harry looking at awe at the roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and mint humbugs. He and Danny immediately piled a little bit of everything onto their plates and began stuffing their faces as fast as humanly possible.
"That does look good," the ghost sitting across from Harry said as he sadly watched the three of them go at it.
"Can't you…"
"I haven't eaten in over four hundred years," the ghost said. "I don't need to of course, but one does miss it. I don't believe I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."
"That's odd…" Danny said. "My parents study ghosts, and they say that the ones they've encountered are more…solid-looking." Sir Nicholas shrugged.
"I suppose the ghosts of Muggles are different than the ghosts of wizards. I can't imagine why, though-"
"I know who you are!" Ron suddenly interjected. "You're Nearly Headless Nick!"
"Nearly headless?" Seamus Finnigan asked. "How can you be nearly headless?" Sir Nicholas sighed.
"Like this," he said as he seized his left ear and pulled. His head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but hadn't done it correctly. Nearly Headless Nick smirked at the stunned look on the first years' faces as he flipped his head back onto his neck.
"So, new Gryffindors," he began, "I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year! Gryffindor have never gone so long without winning; Slytherin have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baroy's becoming almost unbearable-he's the Slytherin ghost." Harry and Danny looked over towards the Slytherin table t obehold a ghost with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood. He was sitting right next to Malfoy.
"How did he get covered in blood?" Seamus asked interestedly.
"I've never asked," Nearly Headless Nick replied, and everyone continued eating.
When everybody had finished with the main course, the remains faded from the plates, leaving them spotless. Half a second later, the dessert appeared. Gallons of ice cream in every flavor imaginable, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs, jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, rice pudding…as they helped themselves, the talk of the table turned to their families.
"I'm half and half," Seamus said. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mam's a witch. Bit of a nasty shock for him when he found out." The others laughed.
"What about you, Neville?" Ron asked.
"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch, but the family though I was all Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me…he pushed me off the end of Blackpool Pier once, I nearly drowned…but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came for tea and he was holding me by my ankles and hanging me out of an upstairs windowwhen my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got accepted here…they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."
Harry turned his attention away from them, briefly stopped to listen into Hermione talk about lessons with Percy, and finally looked up at the High Table. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet, Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore, Professor Masters was staring blankly into space, and Professor Quirrell was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin. All of a sudden, the hook-nosed teacher looked into Harry's eyes, and a sharp pain shot though Harry's scar. He clapped a hand to his forehead.
"What's up?" Danny asked.
"Nothing…" Harry replied. Danny shrugged and resumed telling the group about one of his dad's failed inventions.
"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" Harry asked Percy.
"Oh, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to…everyone knows he wants to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."
After a while, the desserts disappeared as well and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet.
"Ahem-just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start of term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember this as well. I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the semester. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." A couple of people laughed, but the majority of the students looked at Dumbledore with mixed confusion and fear.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore flicked his wand and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into works. The school began:
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot.
When the Weasley twins, who were singing to a slow funeral march and were therefore the last ones still singing, finally finished, Dumbledore clapped louder than almost any of the other hundreds of students and teachers who joined in the applause.
"Ah, music…a magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime! Off you trot!" The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. The majority of them were so sleepy and full of food that they barely noticed the people in the portraits lining the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed ever more staircases, becoming more and more exhausted with each step, when the suddenly stopped.
A bunch of walking sticks were floating in mid-air in font of Percy, and when he approached them they began throwing themselves at him.
"That's Peeves, a poltergeist," he whispered to the first years. He raised his voice. "Peeves! Show yourself!"
An invisible someone blew a raspberry in response.
"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?" there was a pop and a little man with dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared. He was floating cross-legged in the air and holding the walking sticks.
"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"
He swooped down at them, and they all ducked. Danny's right palm sparked with green energy for a second and he looked at it, confused, before following everyone else and turning his attention back to Peeves.
"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" Percy barked. Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the sticks on Neville's head on his way. He zoomed away, rattling coats of armor as he passed them.
"You want to watch out for Peeves," Percy said as they continued walking. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are." At the very end of the corridor there was sa portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.
"Password?" she said.
"Caput Draconis," Percy replied, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through the hole and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a circular room full of squashy armchairs with a large fireplace in the center. Percy showed the girls the door to their dormitory and the boys through a different door to theirs. At the top of a spiral staircase, they finally found their beds: six four-posters hung with deep-red velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired and full of food to talk, they changed into their sleepwear and sank into bed. A couple of seconds passed, and each of them was already fast asleep.