The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired wizard in Rust-red robes stood there. He had a handsome face and Inojin's first thought was that this was not someone to crossdespite the happy smile on his face.
"The firs' years, Professor Longbottom," said Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." He pulled the door wide.
The entrance hall was so big. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors. They followed Professor Longbottom across the flagged stone floor. They could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here — but Professor Longbottom showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor Longbottom. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your 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 room.
"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 triumphs 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 honour. 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." His eyes lingered for a moment on Albus's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Inojin's skirt over the boy's pants. Puzzlement shows briefly on his face before he, place the kid as the exchange student.
"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor Longbottom. "Please wait quietly."
He leaves and everyone crowds around Albus and Inojin.
"Albus Potter." Polly Chapman says as look him up and down.
"A Potter. In our year." Karl Jenkins put in as he tries to get the girl next to Albus to smile at him.
"He's got his hair. He's got hair just like him."Yann Fredericks says wink at the blond girl by far the cutes in their year.
"And he's my cousin. (As they turn.) Rose Granger-Weasley. Nice to meet you." Rose tells them with pride.
"Oh it's you again. Did you have fun spreading that dimwit rumour of yours?" Inojin asked wiping the smile of her face as Rose recalls the blond from the train. Before Rose could answer Professor Longbottom returned.
"Now, form a line," Professor Longbottom told the first years, "and follow me."
Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Albus got into line behind Scorpius, with Inojin behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. Inojin had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets.
At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor Longbottom led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Albus looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He heard Scorpius whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."
It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens. Albus quickly looked down again as Professor Longbottom silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool he put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Inojin was shore his mom wouldn't have let it in the house. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:
"Oh, you may not think I'm appealing,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll consume myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your caps sporty,
You'reBerets sleek and small,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can crown them all.
There's nothing concealed in your head
The Sorting Hat can't glimpse,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought tobe situated.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where reside the courageous at heart,
Their bold, spirit, and courtesy
Set Gryffindor's apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and dependable,
Those enduringHufflepuff's are proper
And fearless of hard work;
Or yet in sensible old Ravenclaw,
If you've a preparedintellect,
Where those of intelligence and knowledge,
Will always find their class;
Or conceivably in Slytherin
You'll make your genuineacquaintances,
Those resourceful folk use any resources
To accomplish their tactics.
So place me on! Don't be frightened!
And don't get in a panic!
You're in secure hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Philosophy Cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. 'Are you kidding me that piece of trash is not only going to put me in a school house but I have to wear it! No way, No bloody way do I want thing on my head and defiantly not in my mine.' Inojin thought disgustingly as he stared at the old hat.
Professor Longbottom now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," he said.
The Sorting Hat sort quickly through the students, who spring into their Houses. It becomes quickly apparent he's approaching Rose, who is tense as she awaits her fate.
"Rose Granger-Weasley."Professor Longbottomputs the hat on Rose's head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the sorting hat calls out. There's cheering from the Gryffindor's as Rose joins them.
"Thank Dumbledore." Rose exhales.
"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy." Professor Longbottomputs the hat on his head.
"SLYTHERIN!"the sorting hat calls out. Scorpiuswas expecting this, he nods and half smiles. There's cheering from the Slytherins as he joins them.
"Well, that makes sense." Polly Chapman says a little too loud.
"Albus Severus Potter."Professor Longbottomputs the hat on his head and this time he seems to take longer almost as if he too is confused.
"SLYTHERIN!"the sorting hat calls out. There's a silence. A perfect, profound silence. One that sits low, twists a bit, and has damage within it.
"Slytherin?" Polly Chapmanquestions.
"Whoa! A Potter? In Slytherin." Craig Bowker Jr. gasps.
Albuslooks out, unsure. Scorpius smiles, delighted, as he shouts across to him. "You can stand next to me!"
"Right. Yes." Albus thoroughly discombobulated.
"I suppose his hair isn't that similar." Yann Fredericks says stupidly.
"Albus? But this is wrong, Albus. This is not how it's supposed to be." Rose says the sorting goes on despite the interruption, till it gets the last student.
"Inojin Yamanaka."Professor Longbottomputs the hat on his head and this time the hat seems to take longer almost as if he too is confused at what to do with this one.
'Slytherin. Now so I can take you off.' Inojin think as he feels the hat drop past his eyes.
"Hmm" said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of daring, I see. Amagnificent mind too. There's plenty of talent, my goodness, yes — and establish self view, now that's interesting…So where shall I put you?"
Inojin gripped the edges of the stool and thinks, 'Not Gryffindor, not Ravenclaw and not Hufflepuff. If you don't put me in Slytherin I'll burn you to a crisp.'
"Not Gryffindor, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be courageous, you know, it's all here in your head, and Gryffindor will help you on the way to importance, no doubt about that — no?"
'You better call out Slytherin'Inojin thought louder.
"Not Ravenclaw, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You have knowledge beyond belief, you know, it's all here in your mind, and Ravenclaw will help you on the way to top career, no doubt about that — no?"
'Slytherin the house I want and need to be in!' Inojin thought even louder.
"Not Hufflepuff, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You are quite dependable, you know, it's all here in your mind, and Hufflepuff will help you on the way to profession, no doubt about that — no?"
'Slytherin. Do you hear me SLYTHERIN the house for me!' Inojin thought, as he picture the hat on fire.
"Oh come on kid, you'll be so much better in one of the other house. I can tell you I have yet to be wrong. Okay I'll divulge, you could be great and Slytherin could indeed help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that but it's such a waste of your talents better be Gryffindor or even Ravenclaw"
'I want greatness from Slytherin. SLYTHERIN! SLYTHERIN!' Inojin chanted over and over.
"Hmm" said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult."
As they battle in the silent's the older students embark on checking their watches to see how long the sorting was taking. Five minutes pass the students notice it a Hatstall alright.
"That it a new record for the Hat-stall" a Gryffindor callout as ten minutes pass.
'Well, alright if you're sure that what you want don't blame me later'—"SLYTHERIN!" the hat said giving in and completing the sorting a full fifteen minutes of debating later.
Inojin heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He finally took off the hat shoving it in to Professor Longbottomhands and walked calmly toward the Slytherin table. He noticed that he was getting the softest cheer yet as the house look uncertainly at him.
Professor McGonagal had gotten to her feet. She was beaming at the students.
"Welcome," she said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Let us begin our banquet"
The dishes in front of them were now piled with food. Inojin had only ever seen so many things he liked to eat on one table at the Akimichi compound: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs. Inojin piled his plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. It was all delicious.
When everyone had eaten as much as they wanted, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding…
As Inojin helped himself to chocolate eclairs, the talk turned to why the hat had taken so long.
"Hatstalls are rare so why did it take you so long? It a new record too." A Slytherin perfect asked him as she look at how he chosen to sit between Albus and Scorpius.
"The stupid thing wouldn't lesson to me" Inojin told her. "So we debate and I won."
"You what?" the perfect asked as the table went quite the other table calmed down as well as the new travelled up their ranks.
"It wonders what house to put me in so I naturally asked for the best, Slytherin."Inojin said in a tone that dared her to disagree with him.
"Okay that still would take long." She careful said as she looks at the other house perfect with a smirk.
"It didn't like be told by a foreigner how to do its job nor did it want to cause a war by putting me in the wrong house. You know other countries are sensitive about stuff like that the hat kept saying." Inojin said watch her put the meaning together as they other perfect smile at the house knowingly.
"If that the case then why'ed you end up here?"Albus asked think that it was a mistake.
"You." Inojin answered.
"What do you mean when you say Albus?" Scorpius asked as the confusing spreads.
"The damn thing want to put me in the same house as that egotist fraud manic cousin of his. So I point out that I want to be here and it didn't disagree that Slytherin was a good fit for me but it persisted that her house would be better. Well that is until I told it but 'You put a Potter in Slytherin so why can't I be?'" Inojin told them with a smile.
"So it placed you here then." The perfect said having gotten what they wanted the table start up only to stop at Inojin reply to her.
"No it then suggested a different house for me." Inojin replied as the table turn to look at him.
"Um which house your cousin in?" the Perfect kindly asked Albus think that her last year at school may just be more than what she bargain for with this new kid.
"Gryffindor" Albus reply's nerves at where this is going.
"So which house did it suggest then?" The Perfect asked as the table lesson on.
"Ravenclaw. This was tempting as they the second best house but that still not the same as having the best. Um should I just tell everything and spare you asking after every pause?" Inojin asked her as he tilts his head and plays with his hair this made him look kind of cute to all the girls.
"Yeah that may be better than me interrupting." She answers seeing the invitation he was giving her. Her friends owed her big time for this, who know asking about a hat-stall could be this nerve-racking.
"Alright then. I turn down the Ravenclaw house and it begs I listen to it as no one would want me to be in Slytherin maybe I should go to Hufflepuff if I don't like the other two house."Inojin goes on stare hard at the table that had injunction cry out 'Hufflepuff'. "Well I figured the hat just didn't get what I meant when I said Slytherin was my house so I promised to burn it to a snider then toss it's ass into the lake and then see if it could sort me into a house other than Slytherin. Well it didn't like my idea even though it thought quite Slytherin like, so I asked it why not Slytherin if I clearly think like one? Come onit just sort a Potter into Slythrin right?"
The house nods at him as he take drink knowing that everyone paying attention. Rose has move with James closer to hear him so he goes on make sure they hear his every word clearly. "So the hat sign and tells me he's not the first Potter his thought to put in Slytherin if it wasn't equal and a good choose the hat would have place his dad 'Harry' I think it said, in Slytherin. Well naturally I thought I lost then I heard this but then I saw it, if the hat had let um it is Harry right, Albus?"
"Yeah." Albus said softly as he already know this about his dad and the table pick up on his lack of surprise at this. "Yeah my dad told me about this only this morning."
"So it true well thanks him for me, when you write home because it thank to that and your placement here that I won against the hat. It couldn't refuse when I point out that it let your dad choose and as such as long as it's my choice and not his there won't be a war." Inojin said as he enjoyed the look on Rose face. It was a shame that this was indeed what had made the damn hat give him what he need to keep an eye on his new friends but at least he'd done it.
"Wait Harry Potter as in The HARRY POTTER that defeated You-Know-Who could have been in our house?" the Prefect asked hoping the kid would say no it was some other Potter because the look on the Head boy face who's house was Gryffindor was starting to scary her.
"Yes, that Harry Potter is Sev dad right? How many other Harry James Potter is there that defeated Dark Wizardry in the last thirty years? Well at least my parents will be happy about this." Inojin answers look at her pale faces.
At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor McGonagal got to her feet again. The hall fell silent. "Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all 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, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried McGonagal. Inojin noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed. McGonagal gave her wand a little flick, as if she was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.
"Everyone stick to the new standard tune," said McGonagal, "and off we go!"
And the school bellowed:
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."
"Um First-years follow me, please. Oh you three should walk next to me as we wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you." the Prefect told them hoping that they'd wouldn't draw any more attention to themselves.
"The Slytherins common room over this way so don't forget the way I show you," said the Prefect, leading them to entrance to the dungeons. She hurried down the stone steps into the darkness, making sure no other house or Perfects were following them, feeling that this wasn't going to be as easy as she'd had hoped when she draw this task. The labyrinthine passages were deserted. They walked deeper and deeper under the school, the Prefect paused by a stretch of bare, damp stone wall.
"Right the password to get in is, 'Fire Throne' don't forget it." she said to them and a stone door concealed in the wall slid open. The Prefect marched through it, and first years followed her. The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in high-backed chairs.
The Perfect then directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another.
"Um you three go through this door in the middle as there no other room's for you. We don't normal use these but it what you get so don't try anything."
At the bottom of the staircase — they were obviously still under the Great Lake — they found their beds at last: Three four-posters hung with emerald green, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought down. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed.
A/N I don't normal like give notice as I am not really sure what to say but I'd like to thank everyone that review my work. I was asked to change the font so I use Times New Roman this time. I going to try to do a few post as to get a properly time Christmas chapter out.