Chapter 14: Sorted and Put Away

The great big doors behind the giant man swung open and a tall black-haired witch in emerald green robes and black under-robes appeared in the gap. She had a very stern face and Harriet was immediately reminded of Madam Dallywatkins.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," the giant man said to the new witch.

"Thank you, Hargrid," she said as she pulled the door next to her wider, "I will take them from here."

The entrance hall beyond was possibly the largest Harriet had seen, even bigger than the Malfoy's. The stone walls were lit with torches and the ceiling was too high to make out and a magnificent marble staircase facing the door led to the upper floors.

All of the children followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. The children could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right, where the rest of the school must have been, but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, packed tight like sardines.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall greeted them, "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 rulebreaking 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," she gestured behind her, "the Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest that you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Harriet and Daphne checked each other over to ensure that they were presentable, but aside from a few strands of hair out of place they were infinitely more presentable than the aforementioned boys.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall, "please wait quietly."

She left the chamber and everybody was silent as the click-clack of her shoes faded away.

Harriet overheard one the muggleborn first years ponder, "does anybody know how they sort us into the houses?"

Various guesses were offered by the students around them, ranging from "some sort of test," to "fighting a troll."

Harriet noticed Hermione's eyes grow wide and the muggleborn immediately began to whisper to herself, reciting names of spells over and over. Many students looked terrified and some looked worried. Harriet and her friends weren't too worried about the nature of the sorting, but were more worried about which house they would be sorted into.

They all waited, expecting Professor McGonagall to open the door at any moment, when there was a sudden scream emitted by several people at the back of the room. Some jumped at the sudden noise but everybody turned to look. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room above their heads talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing.

What looked like a fat little monk was saying, "forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance."

"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," said another ghost dressed like an eighteenth century gentleman.

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights noticed the first years gathered in the room and exclaimed, "I say, what are you all doing here?"

He seemed to be looking directly at Harriet, so she answered, "waiting for Professor McGonagall."

"About to be sorted, I suppose?" the ruffled ghost asked, to which Harriet returned a nod.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" interrupted the Friar, "my old house, you know."

"Move along now," came a sharp voice from behind them, all of the first years turned at once to see that Professor McGonagall had returned, "the Sorting Ceremony is about to start."

One by one the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall to the shocked stares of some muggleborn children who hadn't seen the ghost's entrance.

"Now, form a line," Professor Mcgonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

Everybody followed the Professor's instructions, with Harriet sandwiched between Daphne and Tracey. They trailed behind the older witch back into the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. The line paused for a moment as some students bumped into the back of the ones in front of them due to all of their attention being taken away by the impressive sight in front of (and above) them.

The Great Hall 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. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. All of the tables were set with golden plates and goblets.

Professor McGonagall led the first years up to the teacher's table, 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. The ceiling was velvety black and dotted with stars.

Hermione whispered to nobody in particular, "it's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.

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 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 folk 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 as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

Professor McGonagall 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," she paused, "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down.

A moments pause and, "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.

"Bones, Susan!" "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!" "RAVENCLAW!" The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy," went to Gryffindor and the table on the far left exploded with cheers. She was followed by "Brown, Lavender" whose cheers from the Gryffindor table were no less loud despite her sorting to that house being immediately after.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Daphne glanced across to Harriet and Tracey and gave a little nod.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!" "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Sometimes, Harriet noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. Other students got sorted, with no surprises amongst those she already knew. Crabbe and Goyle were both sorted into Slytherin, as was Tracey. They were all sorted very quickly.

"Finnigan, Seamus," a sandy-haired boy, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!" Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head and there was silence for a few moments as everybody awaited her sorting.. "RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat.

The blue and bronze decked table cheered loudly and welcomed their newest member eagerly.

"Greengrass, Daphne!" Harriet squeezed her sister's hand briefly before the blond strode gracefully forward to sit daintily on the stool.

Professor McGonegal lowered the hat down onto her head and it was only there for the briefest of moments before it called out, "SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table gave some polite applause, for an outcome that was entirely expected. Daphne turned back to look at Harriet as she made her way to the Slytherin table. Harriet gave her a warm smile in return. She took a deep breath and readied herself to step forward.

"Greengrass, Harriet!"

Harriet stepped forward, nervously and clumsily in her own mind, but as graceful as her sister to those who noticed. The hat was placed over her head and it sunk down over her eyes.

"Hmmmm," said a small voice in her ear, "very interesting indeed. Not who I expected at all, and I daresay not who was expected by others at Hogwarts at all. Let's see though, a challenge indeed. No matter where you go, you will fit in, I think. Plenty of courage, I see. A thirst for learning for sure… So where shall I put you?"

Harriet patiently waited for the hat to make its decision, "you'd like to be in Slytherin with your sister, but you would do equally well in Gryffindor. I think it would be best for you to be… RAVENCLAW!"

Harriet's sorting was greeted by an even bigger cheer than Hermione's. She handed the hat back to Professor MacGonegal and made her way to the Ravenclaw table as gracefully as possible. They made room for her next to Hermione and she sat down between the girl and the previously sorted Terry Boot.

She could see the high table properly now. At one end sat the large giant man that Professor MacGonegal has addressed as Hagrid. At the centre of the table, in a large gold throne-like chair sat Albus Dumbledore. Harriet recognised him at once from his chocolate frog card and the Daily Prophet.

Just like everybody else at the table, Harriet continued to pay attention to the sorting, clapping politely whenever somebody was sorted into Ravenclaw. When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called,he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag," who was sorted to Ravenclaw. Su Li and Padma Patil also joined them.

Then, Professor MacGonegal, with a look backwards at the staff table called out, "Potter, Harry!"

The hall went silent and the remaining first years who had yet to be sorted looked between themselves in confusion. A shiver went down Harriet's back and a sudden feeling of dread settled over her. Daphne glanced at her with a worried look and she heard people asking around her, "Potter? Potter's here?" or "THE Harry Potter?".

Harriet glanced up towards Professor MacGonegal and the staff table and noticed the old white-haired Dumbledore sitting on his golden throne and studying the first years intently. She could swear that she saw his eyes twinkle in the candlelight.

With frown and another glance behind her, Professor MacGonegal called out "Rivers, Oliver!"

But she had to loudly command, "quiet please!" before the hall stopped their loud chatter.

The sorting continued until the last student, "Zabini, Blaise," was sorted into Slytherin.

Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! 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. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harriet looked at him with suspicion. She had never forgotten his interference around her blood adoption. Gasps of famished surprise came from most of the first years as the dishes in front of them were suddenly piled high with food. There was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, tomato sauce, HP sauce, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

Harriet took a small selection of foods, she was quite partial to roast chicken, but filled up the plate with vegetables as well and drizzled some gravy over the meat. The rest of Ravenclaw house were quietly eating but a glance around the room revealed that while Slytherin next to them were also eating quietly and politely, those on the other side of Ravenclaw were extremely rude and boisterous. Gryffindor especially were very loud, especially three red-headed boys.

Ghosts were floating amongst the students with one at each table. The one dressed like an eighteenth century gentleman was quietly observing the Slytherin's table, politely engaging some in conversation quietly. The little fat friar was flitting around happily chatting to all of the Hufflepuff students. A scream from the far side of the room was a result of the Gryfffindor's ghost, the one with the ruff, almost detaching his head from his body (apparently he had been almost decapitated). Ravenclaw's ghost, however, hovered silently at the end of the table.

"The Grey Lady," Hermione whispered loudly upon noticing where Harriet's attention was and was about to continue with something along the lines of 'Hogwarts a History,' when Harriet interrupted her, "yes, Hogwarts a History. I was merely wondering why she looks so sad."

Once everybody had eaten their fill, the remains of the food faded from the plates and dishes, leaving them clean. A moment later, the desserts appeared. Apple pies, treacle tarts, jam doughnuts, blocks of ice cream in every flavour you could think of, rice pudding, strawberries, jelly…

Harriet selected a small apple pie and a spoonful of vanilla ice cream and noticed that Hermione next to her was looking over the desserts apprehensively.

"Too many options to choose from?" Harriet asked her.

"I don't really eat sweets at home," Hermione confessed, "my parents are dentists."

"What's a dentist?" Morag MacDougal asked from Hermione's other side, asking only moments before Harriet could.

"They are like doctors, but for people's teeth," Hermione explained, but upon noticing Morag's blank expression continued, "doctors heal people who are sick or injured."

"Do muggles often get sick teeth?" Harriet asked, trying to think if Nance had ever mentioned a dentist, or any problems with her teeth.

"Oh yes," Hermioned explained, "sugar causes plaque, which causes cavities in teeth."

"Oh," exclaimed Morag, "that does sound particularly nasty. Those poor muggles."

"Wait," Hermione interjected, "what do wizards do when they get cavities?"

Everybody around her looked puzzled.

"Sorry to interrupt," an older student apologised, "I couldn't help but overhear. I'm Audrey Overton and I'm the seventh year Ravenclaw prefect and I've taken Muggle Studies every year since third. We've studied some of the unique muggle occupations and if I remember correctly; The magic inherent in witches generally protects us from things like holes in teeth, for accidental damage and such then mediwitches can usually fix or regrow teeth with charms or potions. Even squibs who spend time around magical places will generally have good teeth, just look at Filtch."

At their puzzled expressions she seemed to realise her mistake, "sorry, Filch is the caretaker of Hogwarts. You're all bound to run into him sooner or later, or Mrs. Norris, his cat."

At last, once everybody had eaten enough (and some could eat no more), the desserts disappeared and Professor Dumpbledore got to his 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."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins, "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 finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Dumbledore paused for, likely dramatic effect, and just as the whispered discussions started to reach a peak, cried out, "And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!"

Harriet noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed. Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he 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 pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "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."

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasleytwins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

Audrey Overton and a boy about her again both called out, "Ravenclaw first years, first years! Line up here please!"

Once they had done so, the two students introduced themselves, "I'm Robert Hilliard," the boy said first, "and I'm Audrey Overton," followed Audrey.

"We're the seventh year prefects of Ravenclaw house," Robert informed them, "now follow us please."

They were led, by the prefects out of the great hall and into the entrance hall. Harriet managed to give Daphne a low wave as they walked in opposite directions. The Ravenclaw first years were led across the great hall and towards what appeared to be a courtyard, but took a corridor to the left that led them to another corridor.

"This is the west wing," Audrey explained as they went, "and Ravenclaw Tower is its north west tower."

A long winding staircase led them up to a room with a bare door. No handle or keyhole could be seen, but instead a door knocker in the shape of an eagle.

"While the Slytherins and Gryffindors protect their common rooms with passwords and the Hufflepuffs have no protection at all, we limit access to only those possessing a sharp mind," Robert told them as Audrey reached for the knocker.

Before the prefect could take hold of the device, it spoke up, "I have one eye, but cannot see."

"Who will get it first?" Audrey asked.

"It's a riddle!" Hermione declared aloud and Harriet determined the answer rather quickly. Not as quickly as Hermione however, whose hand shot straight up in the air.

Harriet declined to answer in favour of Hermione, who had obviously come to the conclusion quicker, but before either of the prefects could say something, Stephen Cornfoot spoke up.

"A needle!" he said and they all watched the door open by itself. Hermione reluctantly put her hand down with a slight huff.

Behind the door lay the Ravenclaw's common room; it was circular and contained large, arched windows that looked out upon the darkened grounds of the castle. Soft midnight blue carpet dotted with silver stars ringed the room, with comfortable looking blue couches and armchairs were set around the room. Between each of the windows was either a bookshelf full of books, or an animated picture frame like the thousands around the castle. The roof of the common room was painted a deep midnight blue and the stars from the carpet were reflected up upon it. Opposite them stood another doorway, with two white marble pillars topped with bronze eagles and just past the doorway next to the door itself was a statue of a woman. Rowena Ravenclaw, most likely.

"This… Is our common room," Robert explained, after ushering them all inside so that the door could close, "the books on the bookcases are available for you to read, but please don't take them out of the common room. Warming charms keep the room nice and warm in winter and cool in summer, so worry not about the lack of fireplace. We are quite high up, the views of Hogwarts are unparalleled and the sound of the wind whistling around the windows of the tower is quite relaxing while going to sleep."

"Past the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw," Audrey followed, "are the stairs to the common rooms. Girls on the left and boys on the right. First floor are the rooms for first years, second floor for second years and so on. Everybody head up to bed now, in the morning Professor Flitwick, our head of house, will go over some house rules after breakfast. Off you go now, before you need a Pepper Up just to make it up the stairs!"

They all went through the door and split up, with the girls heading up a left hand staircase and the boys heading up a right hand one. The first floor turned out to be a corridor, with two doors off to each side.

"This looks like a bedroom," Morag stated after opening the first door, "with two beds."

"This one too," "this as well" said Padma and Lisa upon opening two other doors.

Harriet opened the last one to reveal a large bathroom with multiple showers and toilet stalls, "this one is our floors bathroom," she informed the others.

"Two to a room then," Morag stated and before they divided up had a suggestion, "am I right in thinking that two of you are muggleborn?"

"Muggleborn?" Lisa asked and was answered rather quickly by Su Li, "two muggle parents."

Hermione and Lisa both nodded and said at the same time, "I'm muggleborn."

"I know Miss Greengrass here is a pureblood," Morag continued, "as am I."

"Not that I really care about blood status at all," she continued, heading off any arguments, "but we are probably the most experienced here with wizarding culture. Perhaps we should each share with either Lisa or Hermione?"

The girls all thought about it for a moment before nodding, it made sense, "we would probably also share the benefit when it comes time for Muggle Studies in the coming years," Harriet said, "although I have been to London quite a few times."

It was decided then. Harriet would share with Hermione Granger, Morag with Lisa and, Su Li and Padma Patil would share a room.

Harriet barely had the energy to change into her nightgown, brush out her hair and tie it back before she was fast asleep.

AUTHORS NOTES:

Sorry for the delay, this was a long one to write.

Thanks for the following story favourite / follows: name-chan, fechoritas, illakir, Wilkman3, michael-andres-arellano, Madeline T Hatter, Agemage, doomNgloom, GiantPsychogecko, madsgro, Khiione, Drake1101, Lounge256, doglesshands, Azaira, Woodsie598, otvet1269, airbender tori b, and Mav3rikk!

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