Harry Potter and the Armies of the Dark Future Chapter 5: Decisions
The sun was well below the mountains and the sky was a deep navy as the students exited the train. Harry, Ron, Neville and Hermione all did their best to stay together as the unruly mass of students churned about them.
Finally a familiar voice boomed out over the crowd,"Firs years, o'er here." Hagrid repeated the call until a small mass of eleven-year-old students surrounded him.
"All here?" He asked."Then let's go."
He led the group down a path into a small stand of trees. Harry thought that walking to the castle he had spied in the distance out of the train window would be a really long walk until they came out of the trees. A small line of boats lined the shore of a huge dark lake that ran all the way to the castle.
"Okay, four to a boat." Hagrid said as he climbed into a boat that just barely fit him. When all the students had piled into the boats he took out a battered pink umbrella and tapped the side of his boat, saying,"Forward."
The boats launched from the shore and lined up as they crossed the lake with Hagrid in front. The small fleet sailed quickly across the lake and entered a ivy covered archway in the cliff the castle rested on. They continued down the tunnel for a minute and then beached on a small rocky harbor. The students clamored out and lined up before the giant of a man.
"Everyone here?" He did a quick head count."This way."
Hagrid led them up a stone staircase that exited on a grassy lawn in front of the castle. When they reached the massive oak doors the giant did another head count. Convinced that no one had been lost he knocked three times on the doors.
The door swung open to reveal a tall, black haired woman with a stern face. Harry thought she would make a perfect Adeptus Sororitas if only she were carrying a brazer of holy fire.
"The firs years, Prof. McGonagall." Hagrid said.
"Thank you Hagrid. I will take them from here." She pulled the door opened to allow the students in. She led them across the polished marble of the Entry hall. The room was huge, large enough to hold an entire full scale Dark Eldar army, with Hellions zipping about the high ceiling. There was a large stair case off to one side facing another set if huge doors.
The teacher led them into a side chamber where they were crowded in a little more than they liked. "Welcome to Hogwarts." McGonagall launched into a speech about the school, the sorting and the houses. She then told them to smarten up while she was gone.
When she returned the teacher led them to the great hall and marched them down the center isle. Harry could tell that hundreds of eyes were scanning the line of new students.
After she lined the students up before the head table she retrieved a stool and old patched pointed hat that she set infront of them.
Harry was wondering what was about to happen when a seem along the base of the hat opened and the hat started singing. The song explained about the sorting and the houses, going into detail about the traits that signified each house.
When it was done the student body broke into applause and Prof. McGonagall unrolled a scroll. As she called names students came forward. They sat on the stool and had the hat placed on their head. After a time of anywhere from a split second to a full minute the hat would call out the name of one of the houses and that student would go to sit at that house table.
Crabbe was the first one Harry was actually interested in. The hat called out Slytherin after a short pause.
There were more he just let pass until it got to Goyle, who also went to Slytherin.
Then Hermione went to Gryffindor.
Finally, after a few more, Neville was placed in Gryffindor as well.
A few later Malfoy was put in Slytherin with the hat just barely touching his head.
A couple more and it was Harry's turn. The entire hall went quiet with the calling of his name. He walked up and sat on the stool, had the hat placed on his head, and waited as the fabric covered his eyes.
"Interesting." A voice said in his head."Very interesting. Brave, loyal, friendly, smart, and ambitious. And with a streak of cruelty I have rarely seen."
Harry thought at the hat,"Listen, you have already put two of my friends in Gryffindor. So put me and Ron Weasley in there and I'll appreciate it."
"Are you sure? You could be great in Slytherin, but if you say so. And don't worry, I know just what to do with a Weasley. Then you go to..."
"Gryffindor" The hat called out. Harry took the hat off and handed it back as the Gryffindor table exploded in applause. He went to the house table and sat between Neville and Hermione.
Ron went that way toward the end of the list and sat next to Hermione.
One more student and the Sorting was over. McGonagall took the hat and stool away and an old man with a long white beard stood behind the head table.
"Welcome!" The man Harry recognized as Albus Dumbledore from a Chocolate Frog card said,"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
"Thank you"
Ron laughed,"Told you. Absolutely mad, but a genius none the less."
"Right you are brother." Twin flame tops from across the table said.
To Harry's surprise the golden platters on the table suddenly filled with all sorts of food. Some of them Harry recognized, while most of them he did not.
He dug in happily right along with almost everyone else. From his seat Harry could see Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. Crabbe looked more than a little green at the sight of food. He grinned at the boy's continued discomfort.
Neville followed his friend's gaze and smiled,"Got him good, did you?"
Harry just nodded as he continued eating. Despite stuffing himself on dinner, he still found room for desert, but only just barely. When the last bits of food finally faded off of their plates Harry was the fullest he had ever been in his life.
Dumbledore got up and cleared his throat,"Now that we are all stuffed I have a few start of term announcements. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. There are a few older students that would do well to remember this."
"Also, no magic should be used between classes in the corridors."
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. 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."
Harry looked questioningly at the Weasley twins across from him. They shrugged,"No idea."
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" The song was a perfect display of chaos as each student chose a different key and rhythm. When they were done Dumbledore sent them off to bed.
Harry was still amazed at the wonders that this place had handed him in less than a day. As he followed the group up to the dorms he wondered what might happen tomorrow.
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A bit short, but I'm still trying to keep the major points seperated.
Thanks to my wife for reviewing this for me.