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Chapter 3: Hogwarts, We're Here!
"Merlin's Beard, that was surprising!" Louis broke the eerie silence.
"Um, well, what do we do now?" asked Rose awkwardly.
As if her question brought back reality, an older girl walked through a door in the front of the train to tell everyone, "Okay, second years and up go out to the carriages which will take you over to Hogwarts. Once you get into them, you'll start moving. Now first years, you go with Hagrid, the Gamekeeper, who will take you up to Hogwarts via the Black Lake. It's tradition that the first years sail across it to get to Hogwarts and the seventh years sail back at the end. No need to worry about that now though. By the way, I'm the new Gryffindor fifth year prefect."
"Talk much?" a boy with dark brown hair sniggered loudly.
"Shut up Flint!" snapped Molly Weasley, a cousin.
Suddenly, the Flint kid pulled out his wand and shot a hex at Molly, whose eyes widened in shock as she dodged it. She then cast a Shield Charm knowingly, "Protego!"
Much to her disdain, as she tried to disarm her fellow third year, he ducked it.
The Slytherin muttered something and a bright orange light shot out of his wand and to everyone's surprise, (who were glued to the ground thanks to Flint's accidental magic) the Shield Charm crumbled.
Molly was shocked at such Dark Magic and Flint took the chance to shoot a Flagrante curse at Molly's hairpin which caused her to yelp slightly as the curse caused any object to burn anything in contact with it. She fell back as Flint smirked in triumph.
With his concentration lost, Flint unintentionally unglued everyone.
"WHAT'S GOIN' ON RIGH' HERE?" bellowed a voice, Hagrid! Flint was scared out of his wits.
"Nothing Professor!" he said as he shoved his wand away.
"Don't try ter act like yeh dunno anything! I saw wha' yeh were doin'! Tha's fifty points from Slytherin and 3 detentions. Also, we're goin' ter see the headmaster for such Dark Magic!" Hagrid said angrily.
"Molly, yeh okay?" Hagrid asked worriedly. But she wasn't conscious from the burns.
"Hagrid, can I just take her to the hospital wing?" Louis, another cousin said.
"Yep, Madam Macdonald will be able to fix her up," replied Hagrid.
"Okay. Well, now, firs' years over here," said Hagrid loudly so everyone could hear.
Albus, Rose, and Scorpius along with many other first years that came out of their compartments followed Hagrid.
They went to the Black lake and found a canoe that they went in along with Hagrid.
"Hagrid, who do you think cast the Mark?" asked Rose.
"Well, Rose, I can tell yeh fer sure that it wasn' Draco Malfoy," replied Hagrid. He continued, "Or ol' Lucius."
"I didn't want to say anything about that," said Scorpius nervously.
"Hagrid, this is Scorpius Malfoy," introduced Albus.
Hagrid smiled a she peddled across, "Well hello Scorpius."
"Hi Professor Hagrid!" greeted Scorpius cheerfully.
"Oh, jus' because I'm a professor doesn' mean yeh gotta call meh Professor. Call me Hagrid!" said Hagrid cheerfully.
"Well, we're here now," he said.
The four got out of the canoe and made their way towards the castle.
Hagrid then signaled for everyone to listen up. "Come in ter Hogwarts' main entrance which will lead yeh all in ter the Great Hall. Professor Longbottom will tell yeh more abou' the Sorting then," he instructed. As he did, he pulled out a huge key from his bag and put it into the huge keyhole.
The two huge doors opened as Hagrid pulled out the magical key revealing a humongous lit up room filled with torches on the side and floating candles with dancing fire in it. Literally!
There were 4 long tables each with a banner at the wall on the end. Albus knew these were the four Hogwarts houses. The one on the far right had green and silver colors. To be specific, a green background with a silver serpent in the middle.
The next one had a red background with a ferocious gold lion in the middle of it.
The one after that had a black badger with a yellow background.
The one on the far left had a blue background with a bronze eagle.
Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.
"Well everybody. Hello and welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In a few moments, you will be sorted into your house. While you are here at Hogwarts, your house will be your home, your family. Good behavior and intelligence in class will earn your house points. Bad behavior will lose your house points. At the end of the school year, the house with the most points will win the House Cup," a tall man with dark brown hair said.
"Okay Hagrid, you can go now. Thank you," he smiled and said to the huge bearded half-giant. Hagrid walked over to the staff table.
Albus knew who the man was. It was Neville! A good family friend!
"Hi Neville!" piped up Rose. Albus waved with her. Neville smiled and waved back.
Well everyone! I'm Herbology teacher, Head of Gryffindor House, and Deputy Headmaster. As most of you know, after years of research in the Department of Ministries, they have finally found a spell to move the portraits in the Headmaster's Office. So our headmaster is once again, Albus Dumbledore!"
The first years watched Neville (or Professor Longbottom to most of them) go up to the front and pick up a list. Beside him, on a three-legged stool, sat the Sorting Hat. Torn and tattered, it sang:
"Many, many centuries ago,
Four sorcerers got an idea,
To build a school the best one yet,
And teach their students magic.
Salazar took the cunning,
The ones with purest blood,
They'll use any means,
To take the things they want.
Godric took the brave,
The ones with chivalry,
They'll fight and fight with courage,
And won't ever give up.
Helga said she'd take the kind,
The loyal, just, and warm,
They'll never betray the good,
And always be so fair.
Rowena oh how clever she was,
She took the smart and intelligent,
They'll ace their tests and use their wit,
To make the best in what they can.
These four founders made me,
To place the young ones correctly,
So don't try to hide anything from me,
I'll see inside your head,
Since I'm the Sorting Hat!"
The Sorting Hat finished its song and the Great Hall was filled with crackling applause.
Neville had to cast the Sonorus charm with his wand to magnify his voice so he could be heard. "I will now call out your names and you will come and put the Sorting Hat on."
"Altice Ruby." A not at all scared looking girl with light brown curls and a smirk on her face proudly strode up to the front and put the hat on. It could be seen murmuring something, but only it and Ruby Altice knew. After about thirty seconds, it bellowed, "SLYTHERIN!" The girl smirked yet again and walked over to the Slytherins.
"Boot, Cameron."
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Cameron shyly ran off to the Hufflepuff table.
"Bradies, Brody."
"GRYFFINDOR!" Brody seemed extremely joyful that that was over with.
"Fawley, Pickens."
"RAVENCLAW!" Pickens scurried over to the cheering Ravenclaws.
"Gallin, Mary."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Ingrid, Kaitlyn."
"GRYFFINDOR!" Kaitlyn looked as if her head would explode form excitement.
Around 10 people were called up. Give or take a few, Albus lost count.
"M-Malfoy, Scorpius," stuttered Neville. Albus thought he had a feeling he knew why. Everyone watched Scorpius walk up. After all, there must be a reason why Professor Longbottom stuttered.
Scorpius sat on the three-legged stool and put the hat on. It had barely touched him when it let out a yelp! It started mumbling profusely until it finally yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Scorpius walked over to the Gryffindor table looking rather baffled. The same could be said for most Gryffindors and especially Neville. He went on though.
"Osborne, Marina." A girl with an average shade of brown hair ran up to the front and put the hat on herself. It barely touched her when it yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Next was Albus' turn. He was so nervous about being put in Slytherin; he actually thought that he could burst into flames due to all the pressure!
Okay Albus, it's okay. Just tell the Sorting Hat that you don't want to be put in Slytherin, Albus told himself calmly.
"Potter, Albus," smile Neville.
Albus walked slowly up to the front, sat on the three-legged stool, took a deep breath and thought, this is it, then placed the hat on his head, and waited.
"Hmm. Hard, very hard. Even harder than your father, you are. He of course had a part of the Heir of Slytherin, though he was a true Gryffindor. You, my friend, you are your own. Where do you go?"
Not Slytherin! Albus thought.
"Just like your father then eh? I'm just messing with you; we all know who you truly are. You belong in… GRYFFINDOR!"