The Sorting

The train slowed to a stop and the students pushed their way off onto a tiny, dark platform. Ira had been left behind with the rest of the animals, a fact she was not happy about, which she had made clear by screeching at them all. The first thing Skye noticed when she got off the train was a giant man with black bushy hair that was streaked with grey stood at the station yelling.

"Firs'-years ova' here! C'mon, now, don' be shy!"

Dom saw Skye's shocked facial expression, and said laughing;

"Oh, that's just Hagrid. He takes all the first years to Hogwarts by boat. He's awesome!"

"Wow," Skye breathed, "He's rather large,"

Dom smiled, and they trotted over to Hagrid with the rest of the first years. Up close he seemed even larger and more giant like, although he was beaming at all the students and greeting many of them.

Hagrid walked all 40 of the first years over to a massive lake, where small mouldy boats sat floating on the black water.

"Righ' everybody in a boat! Four in each one!" Hagrid called loudly.

"C'mon Skye," Dom said grabbing Skye's hand and pulling her over to a free boat.

They both jumped into it and sat at the front. They were followed into the boat by two boys who were squabbling.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid "Right then – FORWARD!"

The little wooden boats all moved from the shore all at once, gliding over the black water. Everyone caught their breaths when they caught sight of the magnificent castle, its stunning brick walls towering over the lake. Skye looked on in amazement, thinking how many adventures she could have in it.

The boats carried on gliding forward, cutting the great lake, and went under a tall stone arch into a boathouse.

"Righ', everyone out!" Hagrid shouted to us, his booming voice echoing all over the boathouse, causing some of the first years to flinch.

Skye climbed out of the boat and stumbled up to the castle, looking in awe at the castle.

Hagrid led them into a small anti-chamber and disappeared.

"Welcome to Hogwarts!" a voice echoed through the room as a man, whom Skye recognised as Professor Longbottom, stepped through a door and greeted them. He was wearing a black robe, similar to there's and a black pointed hat. "I know you are all excited to join your classmates, however before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your Houses."

As Professor Longbottom spoke about the Sorting Ceremony, he told them about how their new house would become their family.

"Your achievements will earn you points. And any rule breaking will make you lose points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points will be awarded the House Cup," he explained, walking over to the doors. "Now if you all follow me, the sorting ceremony will begin."

Skye, and almost all the others, stared at the ceiling of the Great Hall, which looked like the night sky. Skye turned to Dom open-mouthed and Dom smiled back excited. They stopped in front of a three-legged stool, with a tatty black wizard's hat on top of it. Skye's palms were sweaty with nerves, and her stomach felt like it had millions of butterfly's fluttering in it. The hat had a large tear across the front, which as Skye looked at it opened, and started to sing.

This hat has seen many days

And this is just but one

But every year the students bring

Something new to this song.

And now if you'll listen

I'll tell you where to go,

To help you be on your way

And be the best you can show.

So will it be Gryffindor?

Where you are meant to be

Bravery and daring

Is all that you seek.

Or maybe good old Hufflepuff

Where your loyalty lies

The friendly Hufflepuffs you see

Are there for those that try.

Perhaps then wise old Ravenclaw

That your knowledge decides

Is worthy of your troubles

And where your heart resides.

But then there is Slytherin

Where the ambitious strive

To reach their goals by any means

Then this is where you'll thrive.

So don't be afraid to put me on,

I'll tell you where to go.

For I'm the Hogwarts sorting hat,

And I know all there is to know.

The whole hall burst into applause at the end of the song. Professor Longbottom stepped forward and took out a long scroll of parchment and read the first name.

"Anderson, George!"

A short, brown-haired boy nervously walked to the hat and sat on the stool. Professor Longbottom placed the hat on the boy's head and after a moment's pause –

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The boy walked over to a cheering table on the far right of the room, grinning happily.

"Barrett, Alexander!"

A tall boy walked casually up to the stool and sorting hat was placed on his head, covering up messy black hair.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat, and the boy jumped off the stool, joining the table on the far left, which had exploded in applause.

"Bishop, Skye!"

Skye wiped her palms on her robe and slowly walked forward until the Sorting Hat was placed upon her head. It was so big it slid over her blue eyes, leaving only her nose and mouth visible underneath the tattered hat. After a moment she heard the hat speak.

"Hmm, difficult, difficult. You've got quite a brain, an even bigger heart. You're certainly loyal, to the people you trust… Hufflepuff maybe? But courage, yes, you certainly don't like being pushed around and determination to rival Merlin! But where to put you? Hmm… I know—GRYFFINDOR!"

The hat shouted the last word aloud. Her new housemates cheered loudly as Skye walked over to the Gryffindor table and took a seat next to Alexander.

After Skye had stopped shaking and examining all the new faces in her house, she turned back to the sorting. "Locke, Gabriel" went to Slytherin, as did "Morgan, Valerie" and "Nott, Xavier". "Ollivander, Gerard" went to Ravenclaw along with "Oropher, Theodore".

"Potter, James!"

Skye noticed an increase in people looking at the first year and people whispering. She remembered Dom saying James was her cousin and that his father was the famous Harry Potter, so she reasoned that it must be his famous name that made him interesting. The sorting hat was placed on his head and after a moment it proclaimed—GRYFFINDOR! The whole table started cheering loudly at the announcement and greeted him as he sat down at the table. "Priest, Fynn" and "Tahir, Ayesha" were sorted into Gryffindor as well and "Ronin, Natalya" was sorted into Slytherin.

"Weasley, Dominique!"

Skye watched as Dom put on the sorting hat and crossed her fingers hoping she would be in Gryffindor. A moment later the sorting hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" and Skye clapped with everyone and Victoire and Teddy were cheering loudly from further up the table as she collapsed onto the seat next to Skye. Professor Longbottom rolled the scroll back up and took the sorting hat away.

A middle-aged woman with coal black hair, that had been scraped back into a bun stood up and everyone went quiet.

"Welcome!" she said "I'm Professor Naismith, the headmistress of Hogwarts. As it's a new school year it's a fresh start for everyone. Now as you are most likely starving, I will leave you to your food!"

Piles and piles of food appeared, suddenly, in front of them and everyone started digging in. Dom looked like she was about to cry tears of joy at the food laid out in front of them.

"Ah! I'm so glad I'm in Gryffindor!" squealed a black-haired girl.

Skye laughed.

"Yeah, I'm just glad I'm not in Slytherin. They look a right awful lot don't they?" Skye said looking at the Slytherin table.

Skye looked at the teachers and thought they were the quirkiest bunch of people she'd seen so far. One of them was tiny with shockingly white hair. Then there was Hagrid who looked like a half-giant.

A translucent head appeared in front of Skye scaring her half to death.

"Hello dear, welcome to Hogwarts!" the ghost said smiling at Skye and gliding off. Skye noticed other ghost's coming into the Great Hall, and she marvelled at how they shimmered and floated through the air like dancing shadows.

At the end of the feast, Professor Naismith stood to make another speech, laying out some ground rules. The Forbidden Forest was out of bounds, and breaking the curfew was punishable by detention.

"I can't believe Quidditch is restricted to second years," the boy with messy brown hair complained further down the table.

"What's Quidditch?" Skye asked Dom curious.

"It's a barbaric game, I don't understand why everyone likes it!" Dom harrumphed. "Basically it's played on a broomstick and you have to score goals."

"What like football on a broomstick?" the brown-haired girl, Ayesha, said, overhearing the conversation.

"I have no idea what 'football' is, but probably, though you don't use your feet." Dom said thinking about it.

Peeves

The Prefects led the first years to their new homes, however on their way they were attacked by a brightly coloured ghost.

"Peeves! Show yourself!" the prefect bellowed. "He's a poltergeist- be careful, he only answers to the Bloody Baron, the Slytherin ghost."

Peeves started throwing sticks at the first years.

"Stop! Or I'll tell the bloody baron!"

Suddenly a giant bucket of water came out of nowhere and drenched the prefect and then Peeves disappeared.

After using a Cleaning Charm to dry himself off, the prefect explained about Peeves.

"That was Peeves the Poltergeist, if you encounter him in the halls, it's best to find a Professor or the Bloody Baron. He's irritating, and will probably make you late for class."

The Gryffindors eventually stopped on the seventh floor in front of a portrait of a fat lady with curled black hair, wearing an old-fashioned pink dress.

"Password?" she asked.

"Exspectata Domus," the prefect proclaimed. "You all need to remember that," he said turning to them.

The portrait swung upon to reveal a hole, which the group entered and found themselves in a large common room, with red sofas and armchairs around a roaring fire. Chairs and tables and books were scattered near the windows, and on the far side of the room were two staircases, most likely leading up to the dormitories. Skye was overwhelmed by all of the magic and the sense of camaraderie in the room.

It was late that night when the first year girls were in their beds. Skye was dressed in a blue tank top and a pair of purple three quarter length bottoms. The dorm room was decked out in Gryffindor red and gold, with five four-poster beds in a circle and Skye had ended up opposite the door next to windows. Ira had taken up residence on the window sill and was asleep on her cover. Skye looked at the other girls in the dormitory, a Turkish girl, Ayesha Tahir, her long chocolate-brown hair splayed out on the pillow, was curled up asleep in her bed. In the bed opposite Ayesha, Stephanie, a girl with dull black hair and hazel eyes was also asleep. Next to Stephanie there was a girl with dark blonde hair and pale watery blue eyes, who was pretty in a snotty kind of way. Her name Pearl suited her slightly stuck up character, however she was quite nice when Skye had spoken to her and her and Stephanie already seemed to be friends.

Dom was still awake, and was sat up in the bed next to her with a book in her lap, dressed in emerald-green pyjamas.

"I actually cannot get to sleep at all," Skye said to Dom sitting up in the bed.

Dom looked up from the pages of her book.

"That is why I'm reading, it makes me tired." Dom replied softly, not wanting to disturb the other girls after their incessant talking earlier.

"Ah! I can't wait for tomorrow though, I wish it was already here,"

Dom laughed.

"I know, it's already been brilliant and we've only been here for a few hours!"

"I suppose I should really get to sleep," Skye sighed. "I'll never get up in the morning,"

Skye got back into bed and pulled the quilt over herself.

"Goodnight Dom," she smiled.

Skye had closed her eyes when she heard her friend say.

"Goodnight, Skye"

A/N: Thanks for reading this far guys! You're all awesome! Please review :)