Chapter Two: The Sorting
The large castle door swung open as soon as Hagrid moved his hand away.
Standing in the doorway was a tall, black-haired woman in emerald robes. Nellie noticed her strict expression and made a mental note not to cause trouble around her.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take them from here." She said leading the large group of students into the grand entrance hall. Nellie gasped as she took in the beautiful staircases and the halls that they were currently standing in. This was the grandest thing Nellie had ever seen!
They followed the Professor into a small chamber off the hall, and she began her speech. "Welcome to Hogwarts. The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take you seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common rooms. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts your trails will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you."
The first years nervously tried to straighten themselves up and fussed about the Sorting.
"How exactly do they sort us into our houses?" Harry asked nervously
"Some sort of test I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." Ron answered.
Nellie was about to correct him when several students shrieked. Nellie looked for the source of commotion when she saw twenty ghosts coming down the hall. Nellie turned to catch the end of a conversation between two ghosts.
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost. I say, what are you all doing here?" A ghost wearing a ruff and tights exclaimed as he noticed the first years.
Nobody answered.
"New students. About to be sorted, I suppose. Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know." The Fat Friar said smiling at the students.
"Move along now, The Sorting Ceremony is about to start." A sharp voice behind Nellie said. The Professor had returned. She ushered the students into the Great Hall in a straight line. Nellie couldn't believe it. The Great Hall was the most beautiful room she had ever seen. Candles floated in midair and the ceiling was bewitched to look like the night sky. There were four long tables filled with students and covered in golden plates and goblets. Towards the front of the room there was another long table for the teachers, and among the students were several ghosts.
Nellie tried to locate her brother, Cedric, at the Hufflepuff table. He gave her a slight wave and a thumbs up as the Professor placed a stool topped with a pointed wizard's hat, the Sorting Hat she was told. Suddenly the hat began to sing.
Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!
The whole hall burst into applause, and Nellie felt her nerves shoot up.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. Abbott, Hannah!"
A blonde first year with pigtails stumbled to the hall where the hat declared her a Hufflepuff. The table on the right, where her brother sat, burst into applause and the Fat Friar waved merrily at her. The Sorting continued.
"Avery, Lilith."
"Hufflepuff."
"Bones, Susan."
"Hufflepuff."
"Boot, Terry."
"Ravenclaw"
The table second from the left clapped this time as Terry joined the table. Nellie took a deep breath they were getting close to the D's and she wanted to be with her friends.
"Brocklehurst, Mandy"
"Ravenclaw."
"Brown, Lavender."
"Gryffindor."
"Bulstrode, Millicent."
"Slytherin."
"Diggory, Eleanor."
Finally, it was Nellie's turn. She would have grimaced at the use of her full first name, but she was too nervous to care. She walked shakily up to the stool and the hat was placed on her head. The hat briefly paused, appearing to be giving some thought to her before declaring,
"Hufflepuff!"
Nellie climbed down and headed to the Hufflepuff table where she found a seat between her brother and a first year with dark red hair. Her brother congratulated her and smiled as another student, Finch-Fletchy, Justin, joined their house.
Nellie heard Granger, Hermione called and turned to look with the hopes she wouldn't be joining her at the table.
"Gryffindor." The hat called and Nellie began to watch the Sorting with more interest.
"Longbottom, Neville."
"Gryffindor."
"Lyttle, Meredith."
"Hufflepuff."
"Malfoy, Draco."
"Slytherin."
"Olson, Rose"
"Hufflepuff."
"Potter, Harry"
A hush went through the Great Hall. Everyone wanted a glimpse of Harry. After a moment the murmurs began. People everywhere were speculating where he'd be placed and openly hoped it would be in their house. After what seemed like decades the hat seemed to make a decision regarding Harry's fate.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The Gryffindor tabled cheered loudly and waved him over, and Nellie's face fell slightly as one of her two friends was placed in a different house. She shook the sadness off assuring herself she would still see them and turned back just in time to see Ron be sorted.
"Weasley, Ronald."
"Gryffindor."
He joined Harry just as the last student was placed into Slytherin, and Dumbledore stood to speak.
"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwars! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are, Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak! Thank you." He sat back down while everyone clapped and cheered. Nellie and the other new Hufflepuffs were confused, but they had no time to ask questions as the plates in front of them now were filled with food. Nellie had never seen so much food in one place. She piled her plate with chicken, potatoes, bread, roast beef, and sausage, and dug in. She continued eating until the red-head next to her began to talk.
"Hello, I'm Lilith and you are?"
"Nellie." She replied through a mouthful of potatoes.
Lilith laughed, "Isn't this something? I've never seen so much food before. 'Course it's just me and mum so we don't need this much, but it'd incredible anyways."
Nellie nodded. "Yeah. It's unbelievable. This whole school is. My family told me how amazing it is, but the stories are nothing compared to this place."
"Are your whole family wizards?" Lilith asked, a fascinated expression on her face.
"Mostly. My dad's family is all wizards, but my mum's mum's side of the family is all muggles, besides her. This is my brother, Cedric." Nellie explained, pointing to the third year seated next to her, but he was too engrossed in his conversation to notice. "What about your family?"
"All muggles. I'm an only child, as well. My dad left my mum when I was five. Good thing, too. He wouldn't have been able to handle all this." Lilith said gesturing to the grand room they were currently seated in.
Nellie was going to reply when the food disappeared and Dumbledore stood up to speak. "Ahem-just a few more words now that we are fed and watered. I have a few start of term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well. I have also been asked by Mr. Filch to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridor. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third floor corridor is off-limits for those who do not wish to die a painful death. And now off to bed."
The Hufflepuffs stood to follow their prefect to their common room located by the kitchen. He showed them how to open the passageway, tapping the barrel two from the bottom and in the middle of the second row in the rhythm of Helga Hufflepuff. The first years were led quickly inside. Nellie thought the Great Hall was beautiful, but the common room was the loveliest thing she had ever laid her eyes on. The large, round room had a low ceiling and was covered with plants of all varieties. The windows gave view to the grass at eyelevel, and the room was decorated with plushy yellow and black sofas and chairs. The prefect dismissed them to their dormitories which were through round doors on the sides of their common room.
Nellie quickly found her room, which was circular and plant filled like the common room and settled into a bed in the far corner by the window. She was soon followed by Lilith, who got the bed on her left. A girl names Rose took the bed on her right with a girl named Meredith next to her. Their final roommate took the bed on the other side of Lilith and her name was Hannah Abbott. The girls were too tired to talk. Instead they all bid each other goodnight and fell quickly into their beds. None of them bothered to change. They had far too much to eat and far too much excitement for one day.
The five girls drifted off to sleep all wondering what their first full day at Hogwarts would bring.