Hi, thanks for your reviews! I really appreciate them. Sorry this chapter is so late but I have been reeaally busy lately, I'm sure you understand...lol
Alrighty then...Let's get on with it!
Chapter 4
The Sorting
The great oaken door swung open to reveal a tall brown haired man standing behind them. He had a kind round face with a certain youthfulness to it even though he appeared to be middle aged. His smile was warm as he looked at them.
"Here're yer firs' years Neville," the giant man said.
Bella wondered if the man was Neville Longbottom, the deputy headmaster who had written her her school letters.
"Thanks Hagrid," Neville said grinning, "Come with me everyone."
The first years followed 'Neville' into the entrance hall, which was so huge that Bella was certain you could fit her entire house inside. The ceiling was so high that you had to squint to see it properly and there was a gleaming marble staircase leading off the hall which would take you up to the higher floors.
They followed the man across the stone floor. The low buzzing of hundreds of voices speaking at once was coming from a door to the right, Bella guessed they were the voices of the rest of Hogwarts' students, but Neville did not lead them through that door, instead he led them into a small empty room off the hall. The first years huddled in, standing rather closer together than they would usually.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Neville said smiling kindly at them, "I am Professor Longbottom, I will be one of your many teachers this year at Hogwarts, the start of term feast is due to begin shortly but before that you must be sorted into your houses. The sorting is a very important tradition at Hogwarts and while you are here your house will be like your family, you will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitories and eat at your house table. The four houses here are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin."
Bella noticed the beautiful blond girl from the boat tense with the mention of the last house.
"Each house has produced outstanding witches and wizards," Professor Longbottom continued smoothly, "I'm sure you'll all do brilliantly in whatever house becomes yours. Keep in mind that for your triumphs you gain points for your house but for breaking the school rules you lose those points, at the end of the year the house with the most points gets the house cup. Now, the sorting will begin soon, I will be back in a few minutes to take you into the Great Hall where the Sorting will take place in front of the whole school. Please wait quietly."
With a final kindly smile Professor Longbottom left the room. Alice turned to Bella, looking a little pale.
"How do you reckon they sort us?" she asked.
"Don't you know?" Bella asked in surprise because Alice's parents had gone to Hogwarts too.
"No," Alice made a face, "my parents told me it's part of the experience, for it to be a surprise."
Bella nodded slowly as others began to speculate on what exactly they would have to do. Most seemed to think it would be some kind of test and Bella hoped not because she'd only read her school books out of interest and hadn't actually comitted anything to memory.
"Alice," a voice said from behind them, they turned around to see a boy of their age smiling at Alice. He had sparkling, strangely familiar, green eyes and messy bronze coloured hair. Bella found herself blushing uncontrolably when her first thought was how nice looking he was. She had never thought that about a boy before.
"Edward!" Alice grinned hugging him, "where were you? I didn't see you anywhere on the platform or the train."
"I didn't see you either," Edward countered.
"Yeah, well, I was a little late," Alice admitted with a shrug, "Actually, I almost missed the train."
Edward laughed then turned his gaze to Bella whose face grew hot,
"Hi," he said smiling at her, "my name's Edward."
"Bella," she breathed dropping her gaze to the floor shyly.
"Bella, this is my cousin, you know, the one I told you about," Alice prattled, "He's hoping for Gryffindor too, aren't you Ed?"
"Don't call me that Alice," Edward scowled jokingly, "Mum and Dad wouldn't tell me how they sort us, Jasper thinks we'll have to do some spellwork but I don't think so...I mean we haven't exactly learnt anything yet have we?"
"Jasper?" Alice asked curiously.
"Oh, I met him on the train," Edward said, "His Dad works in the Ministry, as an Auror, isn't that cool, his surname's Whitlock, has your Dad ever mentioned him?"
Alice shook her head no and looked like she was about to say something but then the door opened and Professor Longbottom was back.
"The Sorting is about to begin," he said, "Form a line, quickly, good, now follow me."
Bella gulped as her stomach fluttered anxiously. She got into line behind Alice and the blond girl from the boat, Edward went back to join the line with his friend from the train. They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of great wooden doors into the Great Hall.
Bella felt as though she'd walked into a dream. Thousands of candles floated in midair above four long tables where the older students were all sitting, staring at them. Bella felt even more nervous. The tables were all laid with glittering gold and silver plates and platters and goblets. At the front of the hall was another long table where the teachers all sat. Professor Longbottom lead them up there to face the rest of the school, who were all craning their necks to see the huddle of pale and trembling first years. Bella noted with wide eyes that floating above the students were a multitude of silvery transparent ghosts, they too were staring at the first years. Bella glanced upwards to avoid the watchful eyes and gasped when she saw the ceiling, or lack thereof.
"There's no ceiling," Alice said in awe beside her.
The night sky was stretched above them, dotted in it's inky blackness were stars, brighter than Bella had ever seen, more of them visable than she'd ever seen.
Professor Longbottom once again grabbed their attention when he placed a small four legged stool in front of them. On top of the stool, he placed an old, very frayed and tattered wizards hat.
"What do you suppose that dirty old hat's for?" Alice murmered to her.
"I dunno," Bella whispered back nervously, "I hope we don't have to pull a rabbit out of it."
Alice gave her an odd look. "Why would we have to-"
Her voice trailed off because as they watched the hat twitched, a rip in the brim opened wide like a mouth and the hat began to sing:
Oh, you might think I'm a sorry sight,
I'm sure I must look quite a fright,
But I'm a hat so rarely seen,
It matters not if I am clean.
For I'm the Hat that tops them all,
My duty certainly is not small,
Here you stand to shake and quiver,
For I must split you four times over.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
where bravery stands out most,
Or perhaps cunning Slytherin,
will be your suited host.
You may belong in Ravenclaw,
if your wits are sharp and stead,
Or maybe kind old Hufflepuff,
is where you'll find your bed.
Don't be afraid,
just put me on,
To see where you belong,
For I the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,
have finished up my song.
The hall burst into applause as the Hat went silent. Bella gaped, her mouth hanging open like a fish. Beside her Alice sighed and laughed at the same time.
"All we've got to do is put on the hat!" she said happily.
Bella wasn't quite so relieved. She still didn't feel like she much belonged in any of the housed mentioned. Her insides were twisting unpleasantly at the thought of being judged infront the whole school.
Professor Longbottom stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, take a seat on the stool and put the hat on your head," he said, "Adams, George!"
A very slim, pale boy walked up and put the hat on his head. There were a few seconds of silence then the split in the brim of the hat opened again.
"RAVENCLAW!" It shouted to the school, the table second from the left erupted in cheers as the first student was placed in their house. The boy scurried to join that table as Professor Longbottom looked down at his list again.
"Alvarez, Eleazar," he called.
A dark haired, olive skinned boy moved to sit and placed the hat on his head, seconds later, he too joined the Ravenclaw table. However John Bennett became the first Hufflepuff and he beamed as he joined the table on the right.
"Brandon, Alice."
Bella wished Alice good luck as she skipped up to the stool and eagerly rammed the hat on her head. The hat didn't need too long to decide.
"GRYFFINDOR!" It annouced.
Alice clapped her hands in delight and danced over to where the cheers on the far left had begun thunderously.
Daniel Brown joined the Hufflepuff table and Benjamin Cheney, the small boy who had shared Bella and Alice's boat became a Ravenclaw. Tyler Crowly became a Gryffindor to another round of thunderous applause.
"Cullen, Edward."
As Edward walked up to sit on the stool, Bella realised why his eyes had seemed familiar to her. She had met his parents, Esme and Carlisle, at Kings Cross and they showed her how to get onto platform nine and three quarters. His eyes were the exact shade of sparkling green as his mother's.
The hat took a little longer with Edward than it had done with anyone else that far. The hat had slipped over Edwards face blocking his expression but Bella knew he had to be nervous.
Finally the Hat's brim split open and it declared, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Bella smiled as Edward sighed with relief and joined his cousin at the cheering table. As names continued to be called and students continued to be sorted Bella grew increasingly more queasy, she knew the names were being called alphabetically but a vicious voice was telling her that her's would never be called.
Bella noticed that sometimes the hat had merely to brush someones head before it declared their suitable house while at other times it took quite a while. Afton Darcy was a Slytherin as soon as the hat touched his hair ut it took almost a minute for it to declare Charlotte Grey belonged in Ravenclaw.
"Hale, Rosalie."
The beautiful girl from the boat stepped forward, her violet eyes fixed determinedly on the sorting hat. She sat gracefully on the stool and placed the hat over her head. There was silence. Bella noticed that as time went on Rosalie began to clench and unclench her fists on her lap. It was taking even longer to decide for her than it had Charlotte. Bella noticed that a low murmering was coming from the Slytherin table as a minute passed and the hat had still not decided.
Quite suddenly out of no where it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
There was a few seconds of stunned silence before the Gryffindor table clapped and cheered for her just as loudly as it had done for everyone else. Bella glimpsed a triumphant smile on Rosalie's lips as she pulled the hat off her head, but it was quickly erased as her face once again became tight and controlled.
The Sorting continued. And Bella once again began to get those sinking thoughts of her name not being on the list, may be she wasn't a witch after all, it could all have been a mistake. She began to torture herself with the idea that Professor Longbottom would inform her gravely that there had been a mistake, a mix up or something, and she had go home, walk back through the hall with the entire school laughing at her.
"James Hunt."
A blond haired boy with a cocky smile and cold ice blue eyes walked confidently up to the stool and the hat instantly shouted, 'SLYTHERIN!', as it was set on his head. A very tall dark boy called Dimitri Ivanov also became a Slytherin as did twins Jane and Alec Lawson and a pale and pinched girl called Lauren Mallory.
Alexander Mapp became a Hufflepuff and Emmett McCarty bounded up to the hat to become a Gryffindor immediately and he himself responded with a loud "Yes!" as this was announced to the Hall. Micheal Newton, a baby faced blond boy, joined him and a little while later so did the curly haired Jessica Stanley.
"Swan, Isabella."
Bella walked nervously up to the stool. Alice caught her eye and gave her a thumbs up which prompted her to return a nervous smile. She sat on the stool and placed the hat over her head at the same time crossing her fingers.
"Oh...how interesting," A voice said softly in her head, Bella realised it was the hat, "you my dear could do well in almost any of the houses four...now where is best? You have a great need to please people I see, humility and kindness, a good Hufflepuff you would make...however, you have a sharp mind, you are quick to learn, a good memory and an eye for detail, Ravenclaw would do as well...hmmm, but I also see a thirst for acceptance, to prove yourself, and such a desire for justice, you are very brave my dear, you don't see it in yourself but I do...I see all...such bravery must have a chance to be discovered and honed so...I am sure the house that would be best is..."
"GRYFFINDOR!"the hat exclaimed outloud. Bella smiled as she joined the Gryffindor table and ended up sitting opposite Alice and next to a tall and freckled prefect who patted her on the back welcomingly.
Now she was seated with her house and no longer had anything to worry about, Bella felt her worry fade away and she was able to relax as she watched the remainding first years get sorted.
There were only a few left actually. Heidi Velnore was placed in Slytherin after a second of wearing the hat, Carmen Villanueva became a Ravenclaw but her twin sister Maria joined the Slytherin table. Angela Weber who seemed to have located her glasses eventually became a Gryffindor much to her surprise, if you judged by the look on her face, and she was followed by Edward's friend from the train Jasper Whitlock, who also joined the Gryffindor table, his facial expression highly relieved. Then the last person, Eric Yorkie, became a Ravenclaw and the sorting was over.
Professor Longbottom rolled up his parchment and took the Sorting Hat away. All around her people seemed to be growing impatient, tapping on the table and staring at their plates, Bella suddenly realised that her nerves had kept hunger at bay and she was now ravenous, Alice's sweets on the train seemed so long ago.
The Headmistress stood from her seat in the centre of the teachers table.
"Welcome to our new students and to those who have returned I welcome you just as warmly back." She said with a smile.
Bella looked at her with interest. She had steel grey hair pulled tightly into a bun at the back of her head, her emerald green robes were imaculate and though she was smiling her face still seemed stern and her eyes sharp. Bella wouldn't want to get on her bad side.
The fifth year perfect beside her seemed to recognise the look on Bella's face. "Professor McGonagall seems really tough," she said smirking at Bella, "but she's also really nice once you get to know her and really fair, everyone thinks she's a great Headmistress."
Bella nodded and smiled as she looked back at Professor McGonagall who was finished saying her few words.
"I won't keep you from dinner any longer," she said, and as she returned to her seat, food appeared at once on the table, piling high on the platters were all sorts of things Bella had ever liked, always wanted to try and some things she'd never seen before. She gasped at the sheer quantity of it as people began to grab chicken wings and spoon gravy onto mashed potatoes and shove sausages onto their plates.
"Oh it's so good," Alice moaned through a mouthful, her plate was already piled high. From her experience with Alice on the train, Bella realised that while she was small Alice could eat, alot. Bella grinned at her and also began to put things on her plate, wanting to try some of everything.
"Every year it looks more and more delicious," came a sad voice from beside her. With a start she realised that she was sitting next to a ghost. It was a pale spectre of a man in fifteenth century clothes, a frilly ruff around his neck. He was staring sadly at her plate.
"Can't you eat?" Bella asked feeling rather sorry for him because of his expression.
"Oh...no, I haven't eaten in centuries...of course, I don't need to," the ghost sighed, "but I certainly do miss it. Have I introduced myself?"
His question took Bella by surprise in it's abrubtness but she shook her head, realising at the same time that most of the other first years nearby were listening in on their conversation, watching the ghost with wide eyes.
"I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, ghost of Gryffindor tower," he said with a florish before wishing her well and drifting further down the table.
"That's what he likes to be called," said the older girl next to Bella with the shiny 'P' on her robes, "but we all call him Nearly Headless Nick."
"How can you be nearly headless?" Alice asked looking bemused.
"I suppose you'll see soon enough," said the prefect before taking a sip of pumpkin juice. She was a plump girl with curly sable hair and sky blue eyes, she also had a thick irish accent, "by the way," she said, "my name's Siobhan Byrne."
Bella and Alice introduced themselves and Siobhan introduced them to her boyfriend who sat next to her. His name was Liam Connolly and he was her complete opposite, dark haired, ruddy skinned and quiet, he was also the other Gryffindor prefect.
When everyone had eaten as much as they physically could the food disappeared from the table and a few minutes later, it it's place, was dessert. Blocks of ice cream and tureens of jelly in all different colours and flavours, apple pie, treacle tarts, cheese cake and chocolate mousse, eclairs and rice pudding, jam doughnuts and trifle, fruit salad and coconut ice...
Bella was so full she could hardly move but she couldn't resist helping herself to a bit of chocolate mousse, she had a weakness for it. As everyone dug in, they started to talk about their families. Emmett McCarty who was very big and tall for a first year, was telling everyone how he hadn't known he was a wizard till he got his letter.
"But I was totally excited about it!" he said smiling widely, making the dimples in his cheeks stand out, "I mean it's totally wicked! Everything about this place is just awesome!"
"I thought the same," Bella said softly, surprising herself by speaking up, "how did your parents react?"
"Well Dad didn't believe it at first, said it was probably just a joke but later that day he saw me make a couple of twigs dance a jig on the living room window and well..." Emmett shrugged and laughed, "You should've seen his face when he saw Diagon Alley for the first time!"
"So both of you are Muggle born?" asked Jasper Whitlock looking from Bella to Emmett, they both nodded in confirmation, "cool."
Jasper was blond and tan with blueish green eyes and a lazy smile. Bella recognised him as the boy she'd passed on platform nine and three quarters, the one with the stern father, but while at that time he'd looked nervous, he now looked very relaxed.
"What about you?" Emmett asked through a mouthful of ice cream.
"My mum was a Healer and my dad's an Auror," Jasper said, "both of them were from wizarding families though, I've never even met a muggle." He gave Bella and Emmett curious looks.
"My Dad's a Healer," Edward said, his voice was very soft and gentle and made Bella blush again, "I think he'd like me to be one too but I definitely want to be an Auror."
Bella hadn't a clue what a Healer or an Auror was and judging from Emmett's expression neither did he.
"Er what are you talking about?" he asked after a few, "What's a Healer, what's an Auror."
"An Auror is a dark wizard catcher," Edward explained instantly, "sort of like muggle...er...pleasemen...right?"
After a long moment a light bulb flickered in Bella's mind. "Oh!" she said, "you mean policemen, my dad's one."
"Really?" Edward asked interestedly.
"Yeah," Bella said, still blushing because he was talking to her, "he's the cheif at his station."
"And what's a Healer?" Emmett asked, "I'm guessing they heal people?"
"You're right," Alice said putting a third slice of apple pie on her plate, "that's exactly what they do."
"Like a doctor then?" Emmett said.
"No, I've seen those nutters with knives and needles," Alice shuddered, "Healers actually heal people." Bella and Emmet laughed.
"What do your parents do Alice," Bella asked.
"My Dad works in the Ministry," Alice said proudly, "In the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and my mum is in fashion design."
"My Dad's a carpenter," Emmett said grinning, "he never suspected any of this magic business."
Bella was beginning to feel very drowsy, full and warm. She wanted nothing more than to fall into a nice warm bed. Tomorrow, she couldn't wait to tell her parents all about Hogwarts, she'd be writing a very long letter. She looked towards the teachers table and wondered what subjects she'd be doing the next day and who would teach them to her. Professor Longbottom had said he'd be their teacher, she wondered what subject he taught.
At last the desserts disappeared from the table leaving it bare and spotless. Professor McGonagall stood once more and silence descended on the Great Hall.
"I have just a few notices before you go to bed," She began in her no nonsense voice, "First years should keep in mind that it is against the school rules to enter the forest on the grounds and older students would do well to remember that as well-"
Bella watched as Emmett and Jasper's eyes lit with interest.
"Also, Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to remind you that no magic should be used in the corridors between classes. If you are caught doing so without an adequate explanation you will receive detention and house points will be deducted. Also, a list of banned objects can be found on the bulletin board outside Mr. Filch's office, if found, these will be confiscated.
"Quidditch trials will begin in the second week of term, anyone interested in playing for their house team should contact Madam Hooch or speak with their team's quidditch captain. I also wish to remind you that we have a strict 'no dueling' policy here, students below fifth year will not be asked to perform defensive and offensive spells in class and I demand that you do not perform them outside of class either."
Bella heard a few whispers from the older students at that but didn't worry over it herself as she had no idea how to do that sort of magic, or any kind for that matter.
"Now, before we all go to bed," Professor McGonagall said in a rather strained voice, "we must observe tradition and sing...the school song."
The students whooped and Bella couldn't help but giggle at Professor McGonagall's tired expression. Her laughter continued as the song began with Hogwarts Hogwarts Hoggy Warty Hogwarts and continued on in such a ridiculous fashion. What made it even funnier was that everyone sang in different tunes and with different timing so it was all chaotic and noisy but that made it even more funny.
Eventually the song trailed to an end and McGonagall bade them goodnight. Siobhan immediately called all of the Gryffindor first years to her and told them to follow her closely and remember the way they were going. They followed her out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. Bella was so sleepy by this point that she felt dead on her feet, she couldn't even bring up enough excitement to marvel at the talking protraits and the fact that Siobhan led them through passages hidden behind sliding panels and tapestries.
Eventually they stopped outside a very large painting of a fat woman in a pink silk dress.
"Password?" the fat lady asked.
"Dragon scale," Siobhan answered firmly.
The portrait swung open to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all clambered through, Alice needed Edward to hoist her up, and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room. It was was a cosy, warm room, decorated in bright scarlet and gold. A warm fire crackled in the hearth and beside Bella, Alice yawned Prompting her to do the same.
Siobhan directed the girls to their dormitory and the boys to theirs. After bidding Edward, Jasper and Emmett goodnight, Alice and Bella walked sleepily up the stairs to their dormitory and found their beds at last. Five four poster beds hung with deep red velvet curtains. Bella saw that her trunk lay at the foot of a bed.
Without a word Rosalie Hale walked past them, taking her pajamas out of her trunk and getting into her bed, she drew the curtains shutting the rest of them out.
"What's got her wand in a knot?" Jessica Stanley muttered raising an eyebrow, but the others were much too tired to make any comments so they pulled on their own pajamas and murmuring goodnight, fell into bed and to sleep as soon as their heads touched the soft pillows.
Right, hit or miss? Tell me please? I'm setting up the characters background stories already, what can you deduce about dear Rosalie? Edward is Bella's first crush...how sweet! lol
If you want I can post a list of all the first years students from each house on my profile page, just so you can see whose in their year.
Hope you liked it! Till the next...