Hogwarts and Sorting

The early autumn bright sky had soon vanished, replaced by a inky blue stars twinkling in the clear night time sky. It had been, as train journey's go, an enjoyable train journey and she had got to know her fellow first years well. Effy just hoped that they would be in the same house as her. Speaking of houses she had no idea which house she was going to be in. Her dad had been in Gryffindor, but she didn't feel like a Gryffindor. They were supposed to be brave and brash and Effy was not one of those things because she was certainly feeling very nervous and scared now.

They had been herded, once they had reached Hogsmeade station, into a group which seemed to her an enormous man, almost a giant. He had a thick matted beard and hair like a lion's mane. His hands were bigger than her head and his eyes were dark and black. Yet he evoke fear inside of her. His black eyes twinkled and there was an air of kindness to him.

"Who is he, my dad never told me about him?" Effy asked the twins Parvati and Padma and Faye who had surrounded her.

"No idea!" Parvati exclaimed craning her neck so she could see over the crowds, "can you see him? Apparently he has jet black hair!"

"Who?" Effy asked confused that Parvati had brushed her question under the carpet.

"Harry Potter of course!"

Effy gave a soft oh and against her wishes ended up craning her neck to look for the famous Harry Potter. She didn't want to Effy would hate all the attention, but something inside of her was curious. How did he survive the killing curse? What was life like for him? What was life like with the Muggles? And most of all what was life like without his parents? Effy partly understood how it felt, having never known her mother and with growing up and not having a mother made her miss a life she could never have. But a life without her dad was unbearable for Effy and found her question about his parents answered in her head.

"Hurry up!" Faye laughed poking Effy in the back breaking her train of thought, "we're going! We're going to the castle!"

Suddenly Effy found her mind filled with one big important thing. Hogwarts. What it would be like, the sorting and most of all the feast! They followed the great big man, who had introduced himself as Rubeus Hagrid the Keeper of Key's at Hogwarts, which wasn't hard even in the swarm of first years. She saw carriages pulled all by themselves, carrying the other years off and Effy was desperate to get in one and roll up the hill to Hogwarts. However, they were steered away from them and Effy wondered where and how they were going to get to the school. Her dad was so secretive he wouldn't tell her any little details about Hogwarts, he wanted her to be surprised!

"Where are we going?" Effy asked Faye her curiosity overwhelming her.

"First years don't go in the carriages," Faye smiled enthusiastically, "my brother and sister they have left now, my brother and sister Malcolm and say that we get to go across the lake on boats and there is a massive squid!"

A massive squid! Her dad could of mentioned that!

"What on earth!" Effy exclaimed, "isn't that dangerous!"

All Faye did was laugh as they finally reached the lake. Hagrid had boomed something like no more than four to a boat and the four girls all hopped in. And as they sailed across the clear still lake, Effy forgot all about the giant squid.

Only one way to describe the castle was magical. There was thousands of tiny windows, glitters of gold in the dark sky, making out a magnificent building. It was overpowering at first for Effy to look at, but soon enough as everyone became transfixed with this… it could not be described as a school but thats what it was warm, inviting and welcoming. And before she knew it because Effy had watched the castle in a trance, they were beneath the castle and then they were inside the marble walls. Everyone was silent even the most arrogant of students Effy had noticed, at how spectacular the walls of the school were. Effy didn't even notice until Padma had elbowed her in the ribs because she was standing like a gormless idiot, that a rather stern looking woman who must be one of the professors in emerald green robes had arrived and had lead them into the entrance hall. This was the start Effy thought to herself and suddenly her nerves fluttered away.

She had spoke to soon. Neville Longbottom had just been sorted into Gryffindor and his sorting had been very awkward indeed a load of Slytherin's laughing at him. Then the stern witch, Professor McGonagall called her name.

"Effy P-Lupin!" she called and Effy so nervous didn't notice the slip of the tongue.

Padma and Parvati, who hadn't been sorted yet, urged her on and Faye who had been sorted into Gryffindor urged her on from the table.

Keeping her shaking hands under control she made her way, which seemed like such a long way, to the stool and where Professor McGonagall was holding the sorting hat. Trembling as she pulled herself up onto the igh up stool (or maybe she was just short) she felt everyone in the great hall's eyes burning on her. Then suddenly the hat was slipped on her head, so she couldn't see the rest of the hall.

"Hmmmmm…." she heard the familiar groan of the sorting hat thinking, "Effy Lupin you say? Effy Lupin?"

As ridiculous as it sounded, the hat gave a little laugh, that scared Effy making her tremble with nerves even more.

"The Sorting Hat knows you see! The Sorting Hat always knows even if you don't. A life and lies a deceit Effy Lupin," Effy could almost hear a grin from the hat, "yet loyal to the bone and you always will be and very naive!"

"I'm not naive," she hissed quietly so no one could here.

"Really? Are you sure? But you have a fire inside of you and I can see it blossoming given the right nurturing. Hmmmm? For you Miss Lupin it will have to be….. GRYFFINDOR!"

With that a cheer erupted from the Gryffindor table and Effy rushed like the wind towards Faye. Gryffindor! The same house as her dad. She didn't mind which house she was in they all had individual and good qualities but her dad had been in Gryffindor and it made her happy to be connected with her dad in this way.

It had been a long night. The rest of the Sorting Ceremony had been great and Harry Potter nonetheless had been sorted into Gryffindor! And the feast had been wonderful. Food was one of Effy's favourite things and oh there was a lot at the feast. It felt like she had wolfed down a thousand roast dinners and a thousand cakes, because she lay in bed clutching her stomach. She had made friends at the feast also.

Parvati had been sorted into Gryffindor and Padma had been sorted into Ravenclaw, both of them feeling quite alone without each other. But Effy and Faye had had fun with Parvati. Effy had listened earnestly to stories from older kids, especially Ron Weasley's who was one of the first years in Gryffindor, older brother's the twins Fred and George, who she had met earlier on the train. The best part was getting into the Gryffindor common room, scattered in red and seeing the roaring fire. Effy was missing home but yet she felt like she was home. She had wrote a letter earlier, while Parvati and Faye were gossiping with another Gryffindor first year Lavender Brown about the annoying ghost Peeves and the last Gryffindor girl in their year Hermione Granger had her nose in a book. She didn't talk to them much and what other people said about her was that she was snooty, but Effy was willing to give her a chance.

The letter Effy had wrote a mere hour ago lay by her side, unsealed and read:

Dad,

I got into Gryffindor! The Sorting Hat took a while but it eventually got there. Hogwarts is wonderful though I am very angry you didn't tell me about the giant squid in the lake. Still I'm glad I had the surprise. It feels like home here it is warm and comforting though I do miss you. But I have made friends and met Harry Potter! The scar is on his forehead as you said, but he's just a normal boy. Of course he is why should he be anything else. He is in Gryffindor and has seemed to fit in well and is friends with one of the Weasley's! And I've seemed to write how better Harry Potter is doing than myself, but he is famous. I wish people wouldn't keep staring at him though, its hard enough for him. Anyway the food is great here much better than your cooking and I hope you are well. Do keep yourself well. I know you've managed before I was born but really look after yourself, or else I'll worry! Write to me loads because I can't believe I have to wait till Christmas to see you again and come home!

Lots of love from

Effy