Hola! I hope you are enjoying this story so far!
-LLF
Once they had gotten across the lake (luckily Harry only got splashed), they entered the huge castle, where Harry immediately relaxed. Others were intimidated, some others were wide eyed with admiration, and most others were shivering, which could've been a result of happiness, fear, or the lake (probably the latter). Harry looked around for Starlie, who, unsurprisingly, was inspecting everything through her amptipoculators. He caught up with her and she whispered to him,
"Your hair has turned a pine green and your eyes are bright yellow and you have freckles all across your nose." Harry sighed, swearing to himself he would learn to control his metamorphmagus ability soon. He turned his features to his normal look. Then Aunt Minnie came out and said in her crisp, no-nonsense voice (which sounded a little off to Harry, so he paid close attention )
"Welcome to Hogwarts, ic- I mean, first years. During your time here, you will be sorted into houses. There is Gryffindor, for the stupidly brave, Hufflepuff, for the under appreciated hard workers, Ravenclaw, for the insufferable know it alls, and Slytherin, for the very evil." She then turned and walked up the stairs, leaving the students confused and worried, because none of the houses sounded good. Harry sighed.
"That was Pe-" A loud slamming came from the doors ahead.
"PEEVES!" Shouted the real Minerva McGonagall. Her robes flew out behind her as she stormed after the other Aunt Minnie, which swiftly turned into a short ghost of a man in jester clothes.
"Betcha can't catch me!" He said in a high, annoying noise that resembled a shriek. Then he zoomed off and Aunt Minnie straightened her robes.
"Excuse me, students. That was Peeves, the school's poltergeist. He made a mess in the great hall and decided to prank you. Disregard anything he said to you and I will tell you the truth." She said, pausing before the next sentence.
"I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress. I would like to welcome all you new students to Hogwarts. During your education, you will be taught in houses. You stick to your house for classes and attend lessons with another house. The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. After you are sorted, you may sit down at your assigned tables." She then clapped twice, making the huge doors open. Starlie gaped.
"She can use wandless magic?" Harry nodded and she looked to be in deep thought.
"Just wait till the first Transfiguration lesson. I know she always does her trick..." Harry trailed
off. Starlie looked at him, wide eyed, but before she could respond, the first years moved through the grand doors. Starlie took it all in silently as Harry watched, amused by everyone's reactions. Aunt Minnie brought up the Sorting Hat, which started to sing its new annual song.
"Hello all you little ones, ripe for the Sort,
You all are here to start a year at Hogwarts,
So come and place me on your head, where we will decide,
Which house you belong to for the rest of your time!
Will you get in Gryffindor, the lions bold and proud,
Or will you belong in Hufflepuff, where the badgers stay fast and true?
Or maybe even Ravenclaw, where the eagles soar above the rest in wit,
Or could you be in Slytherin, the snakes fast and cunning?
No worries, young ones, for your minds will decide,
Where you will be happy, where you will reside!
Now stop with all..."
Harry zoned out during the middle of its chants, focusing on his father as the realization crashed on him. He was really getting sorted! He was going to be in a house! He was giddy until he also recognized the worries flying around. What if the Hat just couldn't decide and he had to live in the dungeons and never have friends? What if Starlie forgot about him while she met new people? What if he was just Harry Potter, the boy who lived? What if...
Starlie nudged him, and he realized the Hat had stopped singing. He looked up at the last second before the first name was called.
"Allen, Sophie!" A small girl ran up to the Hat, almost tripping on the way there.
"Hufflepuff!" And she was off again, sitting down breathlessly as the net name was called.
"Allen, Jack!" went to "Slytherin!"
Harry's worries consumed him again after "Ativan, Ty!" went to Ravenclaw.
What if no one likes me? What if they all think that I'm that 'nerd kid' that knows everything and is annoying? Oh, no one's going to like me! He broke out of that thought process when a kid bumped into him trying to get up to the stool. He looked up to see who it was.
"Dinut, Harold" "Gryffindor!"
Harry sniggered, thinking about how unapologetically he rushed passed. He then zoned out, thinking about worries and doubts and traits he had which went to each house. He tallied the traits up with him having 5 Slytherin traits, 6 Gryffindor, 7-8 Hufflepuff traits, and 8 Ravenclaw traits. He figured this out just in time for the start of L's.
"Line, Daisy!" "Gryffindor!"
"Lionel, Garret!" "Slytherin!"
"Liss, Cierra!" "Hufflepuff!"
"Longbottom, Millie!" "Hufflepuff!"
"Lovegood, Starlie!" Harry watched as she moved through the students with ease. At this point, he was almost more worried about her Sorting than his. Once she sat down, the Hat stayed quiet for the longest time. Once five minutes had passed,the Hat finally called out its decision.
"Ravenclaw!" Starlie got off the stool and bounded over to the midnight blue table. She then turned her head to Harry and smiled. Harry was trying to calm down, breathing deeply when something tapped his head. He snatched it and saw it was a paper airplane. He looked up and saw Starlie staring intently at him. He unfolded it and read the note.
'Your eyes are rapidly changing color and your hair is a muddy brown.' Harry pulled a strand down to his eyesight and saw the color of it, an awful mix of all the colors that resulted in a muddy, half mixed brown. He sighed and closed his eyes, envisioning his hair looking like his eye color at the moment and peeked out to see a wild, vibrant pattern of the rainbow. He rolled his eyes and tried to set it normal, even though his hair was a little more red and his eyes a little less bright. He was just in time too, because the next name called out was his.
"Potter, Harry!" It got very quiet as he pushed passed the remaining students, and right before the hat was placed on his head he could hear the whispers starting.
"Harry Potter? The boy who lived?"
"That can't be Harry Potter, he's too scrawny!"
"I heard he lives inside of Hogwarts!" He sighed, letting those whispers fade away inside the incredibly thick rim.
Mhmmm, a Potter. I remember when I Sorted your mother and father. I almost sent Lily to Hufflepuff. But, I'm glad I didn't...yes, well enough about the past. Let's focus on you now. Hmm, you've got courage, yes, you've got Gryffindor in you... but you wouldn't quite fit in, no... let's see, what about Slytherin? Hmm, you'd do good, yes...you just haven't the right energy...so maybe you'd be in Hufflepuff, you've definitely got loyalty...especially to one Miss Lovegood... hmm, maybe...but what about Ravenclaw? I think that might suffice... yes, you've got the wit and the kind of spirit for a Ravenclaw...yes, I think it will be "RAVENCLAW!"
Yes, I did put Harry in my house-
Also, the Sorting Hat Song was very cheesy, and very fun to write, and I didn't want to write the whole thing… so of course, I was lazy and gave Harry a mental breakdown instead. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thanks for reading!
-LLF out