As the boats glided silently across the lake, a cool breeze was drifting gently over the horizon. The light September sky was turning into a dusky orange, and the castle was glowing with warmth. Rose clutched stipes closely. "Here we are" she whispered quietly. "I told you we would be."
All too soon, the rickety rafts were crunching their way into a small crumbling dock. "All righ', firs' years, yeh' tuh go up 'em steps, an' Proffes' Flitwick will be getting' yeh ready fer yeh sorting." Hagrid shouted.
Rose and Albus waved goodbye to their large friend and followed Louise and Cameron up the steps to the great Hall. Rose's breath caught at the beauty of the school. The floors were polished and the windows shined. Beaming Rose hurriedly left her stuff with her fellow students' and scrambled into a line. A short, thin wizard was at the front of this line, trying in vain to escort the students inside. "Come now!" He squeaked. "Orderly, please!"
After several long, too-quick minutes, the sorting had begun. Rose, scanning the Dining Hall, had seen Albus and Victori sat at the Gryffindor table, Hagrid and Neville at the long staff table. "Professor Longbottom!" Rose corrected herself silently. Rose tried in vain to pay attention to the sorting, but only when the M's where being called did she really pay attention.
"Malfoy, Scorpius," squeaked out Professor Flitwick. The sullen-looking boy looked up. He walked slowly onto the platform, turned to face the school and sat down with a lazy grin. The old, patched rag of a sorting hat sat was placed on his head, and it immediately croaked "Slytherin". After "Netteline, Poppy" "Otterman, Stephane", came the squeak of a very familiar name. "Potter, Albus". Rose watched as a nervous Albus stumbled up to the wooden stool. He sat down, and the hat was placed on his head. Rose noticed his eyes scrunched closed, and his mouth forming the words "Gryffindor…Gryffindor…" Rose crossed her fingers. Even though at least the last 3 generations of Albus's family had been in Gryffindor on both sides, he looked terrified. She suddenly felt a wave of fear herself. After all, she had no older siblings! Rose's fear was threatening to overtake her by the time the hat yelled "Gryffindor!"
Rose stood worrying as she heard "Tepetly, Cameron!" Professor Flitwick called. Soon, Cameron had joined Albus. Rose was almost fainting by the time Louise's name was called. As Louise walked up to the stool, Rose felt her breath get caught in her throat. After what seemed like a century but was probably no more than a few seconds, Louise's fate was determined. "Ravenclaw!" the rag screamed. Louise got up and went to her assigned tabled. Rose could not see her face.
Watching other people being sorted, Rose felt iller and iller. She noticed that Louise and 3 other boys were the only ones at ravenclaw's table from her year; in fact, ravenclaw was defiantly the smallest house. Gryffindor was the 2nd smallest, with about 10 kids from each year. Hufflepuff had about 15, but Slytherin was overflowing. Once her name was finally called, the walk up to the stool felt long and cold. Every face in the hall was on her. Everyone watched as the hat was placed on her head, from the oldest professor to the youngest first year.
"Ravenclaw!"