Chapter 4 - The Sorting
-Hermione-
Climbing down from the train carriage Hermione took a deep breath as she enter the crowd of bustling students below. A large man, easily double the height of the tallest students was calling out in a loud Scottish accent for all first years to join him. Hermione timidly made her way over, clearly in owe of his size. Beside her an obnoxious blonde haired boy smirked and declared how he was definitely going to be sorted into the Slytherin house. His two peers behind him who appeared behind him trolled like in appearance and seemingly intellect too. Ron joined Harry in greeting the large man who soon introduced himself as Hagrid the games keeper for hogwarts. Behind me the blonde boy made (bad) impressions of him although it was enough to make the troll boys laugh.
Hagrid ushered the group along a steep path to a small boat house by a lake. Hermione gazed into it's depth convinced that she saw a large tentacle briefly emerge from the water she gasped excitedly.
"Three teh a boat, careful as yer get in." Hagrid called to them as they approached a harbour with many small wooden boats tethered to its shore.
Hermione looked around before seeing Harry and Ron from the train clambering into the boat closest. Meanwhile, Neville climbed into a boat with two girls. Not wanting to be left without a boat she quickly clambered into the boys boat. Catching a brief glance of annoyance from Ron. She awkwardly smiled back at him. Around them the last few students haphazardly climbed into the remaining boats not wanting to be left behind.
Moment later, Hagrid called the boats forwards and they began to slowly approach a castle on the horizon.
"What house do you guys want to be sorted into?" Harry asked them both. A slight tremble in his voice.
"Gryffindor of course! My whole family in it. Anything that isn't Slytherin will be fine though. All the dark wizards get sorted into that house. Couldn't stand to be one of them." Ron replied.
"Gryffindor would be great. Professor Dumbledore himself was a Gryffindor and he's one of the smartest wizards around. Although, Ravenclaw would also be okay. What about you?" Hermione asked.
"Gryffindor. I don't want to be anywhere stuck up dark wizard loving pricks like Malfoy." Harry replied glancing in the blonde haired boys direction.
Their conversation was abruptly interfered by Hagrid calling that they all needed to duck as they passed through a few low hanging rocks on the way to the underground harbour. They nervously looked around as the boats docked themselves. Hagrid instructed them to climb from their boats onto the small wooden harbour before leading the students towards the castle.
Hermione let out an audible gasp as she emerged into the evening dusk. The castle stood proud above her, a piece of living history that she, Hermione Granger, was going to call her home for the next few months. Still unable to believe her luck at this opportunity. Hagrid snapped her out of her daze by ushering her and the surrounding students into the castle. They were lead into a medium sized room which appeared to not often be in use due to a thin layer of dust and cobwebs which covered the gothic chairs and suits of armour that were thrown haphazardly into the room. A tall witch Hermione remembered to be Professor McGonagall entered the room silently.
The other first year students around seemed to be looking at each other as they nervously awaited what the sorting entailed.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, I'm Professor McGonagall aye am the deputy headmistress, head of gryffindor house and transfiguration here. Your journey at Hogwarts is about to begin. You are about to be sorted momentarily when I lead you into the adjacent room. You will walk in quietly and calmly filling out the back of the hall by the staff table. I will call your names one at a time to be sorted. This entails placing the sorting hat on your head as..." the professor began
"TREVOR!!!!" Neville shouted excitedly grabbing his toad from in front of McGonagall "ssssorry" he then stuttered seemingly remembering what was happening.
"as aye was saying. You put the hat on and move to the house table the house indicates. There are some announcements for the older students first, I will come get you when it's time. In the mean time I suggest tidying yourself up." McGonagall finished vanishing the first from Ron's freckled face and using her wand to tuck in a rather scruffy and cheeky looking boys shirt in. McGonagall then turned and walked back into the main hall.
"What if the hat won't sort me into any house?" Neville whispered anxiously to Hermione.
"It will find you a house don't you worry. " Hermione replied in a fruitlessly attempt of comfort. Neville managed a half smile in response.
Moments later the students were ushered into the great hall by McGonagall. Hermione gasped mesmerised at the ceiling that was enchanted to look like the sky outside. She whispered this excitedly to Harry and Ron who were just behind her, both of whom shot her an exasperated look. McGonagall began reading names, she found herself distracted by nerves as the sorting ceremony began.
"Abbott, Hannah...Hufflepuff". The sorting hat yelled. The frightening looking girl scurried over to the Hufflepuff table.
Hermione swore her heart was doing back flips.
"Boot, Terry..Ravenclaw." This time taking almost no time Terry was sorted into Ravenclaw.
Hermione felt a thin layer of sweat drip down her forehead. She made eye contact with Neville who was tying and untying the end of his colourless tie.
"David, Tracy...Slytherin." The girl confident walked towards the Slytherin table perching on the end of the closest bench. The boy next to her moving to the side to create her more space.
Hermione gulped realising she was going to be in the next handful of students to be sorted. Reaching back she tried in vain to tidying her bushy hair. Her hair seemingly becoming more frizzy from her futile attempts.
"Goyle, Gregory..Slytherin." Goyle almost sat at the wrong table. Hermione believes that he wasn't the smartest seemed to prove correct.
Neville shot her a smile to wish her good luck knowing she would be one of the next to be sorted.
"Granger, Hermione."
Hermione tried to walk confidently to the hat but felt like it probably didn't look very confident. The hat was put over her head and her view was obscured by the tatty inside of the hat.
"Ohh the desire to learn" Hermione jumped slightly hoping nobody noticed. "Made you jump did eye. You definitely have the brains for Ravenclaw - what's that you want to be more then just book smart. You want to be courageous, use you knowledge for good change...better be...GRYFFINDOR!"
Beaming with happiness and relief, Hermione scurried to the Gryffindor table sitting herself down beside the ginger haired prefect she had seen on the train earlier. Settling down Hermione looked up to watch the rest of the sorting.
Author note is 3am and I thinkI keep misspelling Gryffindor my bad. Or maybe I just read the word too much.
-Harry-
As the Patil twins were sorted into Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Harry gulped as he realised he would likely be next.
"Potter, Harry." The hat cried.
Ron reassuringly squeezed Harry's shoulder as he reluctantly walked towards the hat. A murmur of excitement seemed to erupt from the house tables...
"The boy who lived going here...I've heard he's been raised by dark wizards..I wonder what he's like...gotta be a Slytherin how else would he kill he-who-must-not be-named." Some students were excitedly whispering though Harry couldn't make more out.
Harry took a seat on the stool taking a shaky breath as the sorting hat was placed on his head. As his vision was obscured the hat began to talk, causing Harry to flinch slightly.
"ooh your going to be a tricky one to be sort, loyal, decent mind...not quite Ravenclaw material though. Courage. Plenty of courage. But you've also got cunning and ambition...not Slytherin huh...you could be great...you could achieve many great things...still not Slytherin...then you better be GRYFFINDOR." The hat shouted.
A loud cheer erupted from the Gryffindor with the Weasley twins loudly chanting that they got Potter. Smiling Harry darted towards the Gryffindor table. Sitting next to one of the Weasley twins although he wasn't sure which one. They both turned to him giving him 5 fives causing Harry to let out a laugh.
-Ron-
Cheering as Harry walked over to the Gryffindor table, Ron hoped he would stoon join him. If he were to be sorted elsewhere he would never hear the end of it from his brothers. Especially, from the twins.
"Smith, Zacharias...Hufflepuff." A fair haired boy took a seat at the Hufflepuff table.
Ron shuffled his feet anxiously, there wasn't many over students left to be sorted.
" Turpin, Lisa...Ravenclaw." A scruffy looking girl walked towards the Ravenclaw table unenthusiastically.
"Weasley, Ronald." Scowling at the use of his full name, Ron headed towards the stool. Taking a seat the sorting hat was placed on his head.
" The youngest son of the Weasley huh. You really want to have your hard work acknowledged, fed up with being in the shadows. You would make a great Hufflepuff with your loyalty too...You want Gryffindor. You have the courage yes. It would suit you well...better be GRYFFINDOR." The sorting hat shouted the last word out loud.
Smiling Ron ran to the Gryffindor table sitting next to Harry who was cheering loudly. Ron made himself comfy to enjoy the rest of the sorting ceremony.