The Sorting

Chapter seven

My jaw was on the ground. I thought that the castle was large when we were sitting in the boats, but the closer we got, the larger it actually was. This was where Harry and I would be spending many months, I could live with that.

"First years, this way please!" Hagrid exclaimed leading us up the stone steps that entered into the front of the castle.

"Can you believe this?" I asked Harry, who was in just as much shock and awe as I was. "I have a feeling that I am going to like it here."

"You and me both," he said as the three of us followed the large crowd up the stairs. "How big do you think this placen actually is?"

"No idea," I answered. "Um, where did Hagrid go? Wasn't he leading us?"

"He was, but I don't see him anymore," I pointed out. "Maybe he had some other important business to do. I suppose we just follow the others then. Seems like they know where they are going."

"Sounds like the best bet to me," Harry said. "Come on, I don't want to be the last ones there."

"Fine, we'll just follow the crowd," Ron spoke.

We trudged up staircase after staircase after staircase. How many did they have in this place? Seriously? My feet were on fire. When was the torture going to end? It wasn't until the twelfth one when I stopped a woman dressed in a dark green robe, glasses and a nice, big hat on her head. Nice touch.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said as we all stood in front of her. "In a few moments you will pass through these doors and join your classmates, but before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses. The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin," I didn't like the way she pronounced the last house. Made it sound evil and nasty, but Ron did say that that was the house where all the bad wizards went to when we were on the train. I hope I don't get placed there. "Now while you are here, your house will be like your family. You triumphs will earn you points and any rule breaking will lose you points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will win the House Cup….."

"TREVOR! There you are!" A large, heavy set kid shouted in delight at the toad croaking on the step, right in front of the tall woman. A few people laughed at his foolishness. I had a feeling that he was that Neville kid, Hermione was talking about. "Sorry," he apologized picked the toad up into his hands, falling back into the mass of other students.

"The sorting ceremony will begin shortly," she turned her back heading into the hall.

"So it's true then. Harry and Haylee Potter have come to Hogwarts," a short, blonde kid said. What was with his hair? Did we transport back to the 1920s? "The names Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. This is Crabbe and Goyle," Ron and I snickered. "Think my name's funny, do you? Well there's no reason to tell me who you are. Red hair, hand me down robes, and a stupid complexion. You must be part of the Weasley clan."

"Leave him alone," I said. "What did he ever do to you?"

"Haylee Potter, the gutsy one of the two of you," he said. "How did you manage to end up with a person like Weasley? Hang with us and we'll show you the ropes."

"Sorry, but I'll have to pass," I replied. "Friends of mine actually wash their hair," I went back to Harry and Ron.

"You didn't have to do that," Ron said, ears slightly red. "But thanks."

"Hey, I can deal with guys like him," I told him. "Reminds me of Dudley, just not as plump and stuff."

"They are ready for you now," the woman came back to us. "If you could all line up two by two, we can head in."

Ron and Harry stood beside each other, and I beside Hermione. The wooden doors opened into the hall and we began walking in. It was gorgeous. Four long tables, one for each house most likely, stretched the entire length of the hall. Hundreds of white candles floated throughout the air, but the feature I admired the most was the ceiling.

"It's enchanted to look like the night sky outside," Hermione whispered to me as we continued to walk to the front of the room. "I read about in Hogwarts: A History when I was on the train."

"I like it," I muttered back. "It's rather relaxing don't you think?"

"I agree, it is rather nice," she nodded.

Once we all reached the front, everyone stopped and waited fro the next set of instructions. It felt a bit weird standing there in front of all of the other kids. How many were there anyway? Could have been a thousand by the looks of things.

"Before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words," she spoke. The old man in the middle of the table stood and started talking. \

"I have a few start of term announcements," he said. "The first years please note that the Dark Forest is forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filtch has asked me to remind you that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to anyone who does not wish to die a horrible, painful death," that was cheerful. "Thank you. Professor McGonagall, if you would please, begin the sorting ceremony."

"Of course Professor," she unrolled a long roll of parchment. "Now, when I call your name. Have a seat in the stole. I will place the sorting hat on your head and you will then be sorted," McGonagall held the hat in one hand and the roll in the other. "Hermione Granger." Oh, she was first. Tough luck. Professor McGonagall put the ordinary hat on her head and then the oddest thing happened. The hat began to talk, I know it sounds crazy, but it did.

"Mental that one," I heard Ron say. "I'm telling you." I elbowed him in the arm. "What?"

"Be nice," I hissed before turning back to the front.

"Gryffindor!" The hat shouted. The table that one could only guess to be the Gryffindor table burst into applause and Hermione went over to join them.

"Draco Malfoy," she called next. Oh boy. The hat didn't even get placed on his head before it shouted "Slytherin!"

"Told you," Ron said. "The kids in Slytherin are bad news."

"Ronald Weasley!"

"Come on, Ron," I laughed. He looked scared out of his mind. It was funny, as soon as the hat talked, he jumped a mile. "Gryffindor!" There was a pattern forming here.

"Harry Potter," the hall went deathly quite. Many students leaned forward in their seats. Some of the Professors did the same thing. I sighed, this always happens. They care more about him than me. Ha, I'll show them. His sorting was taking longer than the others I wonder what the hold up was. It wasn't for a little while later when the hat finally called out, "Gryffindor!" About time.

"Haylee Potter," my turn, wonderful!

I took a seat on the stole and waited. The hat was placed on my head; it was a bit itchy to tell you the truth. That was when the hat's voice came into my mind.

"Mmm, another Potter," it spoke. "You have no idea how long I have been waiting for this day. To be sorting you and your brother. You have the qualities of all houses."

"I swear to God, if you put my in Slytherin or Hufflepuff I will burn you," I shouted in my mind. "And I don't mean figuratively."

"Oh, I know," it chuckled. "You have a great power within you, Miss. Potter. You just don't know it yet."

"Can you just sort me already?" I asked. "I'm hungry."

"As you wish," the voice left my head. "Gryffindor!"

Applause broke out and I went to join the rest of my housemates. Right before my eyes, food appeared. I was going to love this. There was an entire plate of chicken wings. I'm in love! A girl could get used to this.

"Is it me, or are these the best chicken wings in the world?" I asked chewing on my sixth one.

"I think I am going to have to eat the entire tray," Ron answered with a wing in each hand. "These are delicious."

"Do you always eat like that?" Hermione asked him.

"What's wrong with the way I eat?" Ron wondered. "You eat chicken wings with your hands anyway."

"That doesn't mean you have to eat like a pig," she stated.

"Are you calling me a pig?" Ron asked.

"Not you personally, just your eating habits," she went back to her dinner.

"That one is getting on my nerves," Ron mumbled loud enough only for us to hear.

"Leave her alone, Ron," I replied. "Hey, who's that guy, talking to Professor Quirrell?"

"That's Professor Snape," Percy, who I figured out was Ron's older brother, spoke. "Head of the Slytherin house. Potions teacher, but everyone knows that he loves the Dark Arts."

"Really?" I asked. "Wants Quirell's job then doesn't he?"

"Been after if for years," Percy said. "No luck though."

"I can see that," I reached across the table for a nice, steaming, golden ear of corn, but my hand went through some guys head. "What the heck!"

"Hello, welcome to Gryffindor," was that a ghost? "How are you?" he asked Ron. He was a white as a sheet. Then, more ghosts began to float and fly throughout the room.

"Hello, Sir Nicholas, have a nice summer?" Percy asked him.

"No, once again my request to join the Headless Hunt has been denied," he said in an ungrateful tone.

"Wait a minute," Ron said. "I know you, you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer if you would call me Sir Nicholas, if you don't mind," he explained.

"Nearly headless?" Hermione wondered. "How can someone be nearly headless?"

"Like this," the ghost proceeded to rip his head almost all the way off his head.

"That is so gross," Ron blurted out.

"Nasty," Hermione agreed.

"Really? I think that's pretty cool actually," I announced.

"You would think that," Harry rolled his eyes.

"Shut up,"

Pretty soon, the feast was over and we were all told to follow the Prefects, Percy being ours, to our common room. There were so many turns and corridors I was going to get lost, I could feel it.

"Alright you First Years," Percy's voice echoed in the air. "This is the most direct path to the Gryffindor Common Room. Keep an eye on the staircases; they like to change from time to time. This way," he led the way up the steps.

"Are those pictures moving?" I asked as the one woman in a pretty wedding dress waved at us. "And talking?"

"This place just keeps getting better and better," Harry stared in awe. "So much better than being at Privet Drive."

"You got that right," I nodded. "Oh, look at that portrait. That is one fat lady. Pink isn't really her color."

"Password?" she asked in a deep voice,

"Caput Draconis," Percy said and the frame opened up for us. "This is the Gryffindor Common Room. I want everyone to gather around here please." We all followed instruction. "Boys, your dormitories are up the stairs on your right, girls the same on your right. You will find that all of your belongings have already been brought up. As you have already noticed, you need to say the password to enter the common room. They change about one a month so you can ask me or another student if you do not get notified of the new password. I recommend you do not share the password with other students from other houses. Now off you bed you lot, you have classes in the morning."

"See you both in the morning then," I told Harry and Ron before heading up to my dorm.

"Same to you, good night," Harry hollered.

Wow, our room was big. There were five four-poster beds all along the circular room. Large, ornate windows between each of the beds. Man they looked really comfortable, and I wasn't just saying that because Harry and I had to sleep under the stairs for the last forever.

"Oh my god, this is Heaven," I jumped onto my bed cuddling with the fluffy, feather pillows. "This is going to be awesome!"

"Someone's excited," a girl, Lavender Brown I think, laughed. "I can't wait to see all of the cute boys in our classes tomorrow."

"Really?" I sat up in my bed to face her. "How old are you? You're too young to be looking at boys."

"What's wrong with looking?" she asked. "I'm a girl, sue me."

"Ignore her, Haylee," Hermione said. "I can't wait to get to our classes tomorrow. My biggest dream is to be at the top of our class."

"Me too, I can't wait and see all of the fun things we get to learn," I smiled. "You be number one, I'll be number two."

"I have a feeling that this is going to lead to a great friendship," she smiled with me. "You're much nicer than that Ron fellow."

"Yeah, sorry about them," I said. "You know how stupid boys are."

"Oh yeah, well goodnight all," she told us all.

"Goodnight," we all chorused back.

alicia- don't worry dudette, it's not going to be the exact same thing as the movie. I will use some of the quotes and lines from the movie and or book. I'm not really changing anything, I'm just adding stuff.

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- Thanks! :D