Everyone soon got seated in the Great Hall. Slytherins at one end, Gryffindor's at the other with Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw in the middle. Everyone was mixed up at their tables, with everyone from Second to Seventh years sitting in small clumps up and down the pews, but no rhyme or reason to them. Some of the second years were at the back while my brothers and I managed to sit near the front. (Us being Fith, Fourth and Third years respectively) There was a clear space at the front near us for the First years once they were sorted. The chatter increased as the older students mingled and caught up, the tales of summer vacations and family time echoing through the large room. Pretty soon, the doors to the Great Hall opened, and everyone turned and watched in anticipation as the First years strode in between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables. Due to our lack of vision, Fred, George, Lee and myself stood to get a better view. We could see Ron and Harry in the line of students being lead by Profesor McGonagall. The voices soon started to taper out, and soon quietened as Professor McGonagall gestured to the Sorting Hat. The old, tattered thing opened it's tear-like mouth and started to sing.
Sorting Hat -
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 Hufflepuffis 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!
And with that, the Great Hall exploded with applause. The hat then bowed to each of the houses and then became still once more. When the applause died out, Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a large roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." She announced. She un-rolled part of the parchment. "Abbott, Hannah!" A blonde girl stepped forward, took the hat and placed it on her head before sitting down. The hat flopped over her eyes. The Sorting Hat was silent for a second before shouting.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" It declared. The Black and Gold table erupted with cheers as Hannah took the hat off and scurried over to sit with her new housemates.
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Brown, Lavender!"
"GRYFFINDOR!" My table practically knocked over our seats as we received our first member. Fred and George were cat-calling her, so I slapped them over the back of the head to get them to stop. When she was seated, we settled down once more.
"Bulstrode, Millicent!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Finnigan, Seamus!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Granger, Hermione!"
"GRYFFINDOR!" It went on like that until the one person everyone was waiting for was called.
"Potter, Harry!" When the Professor shouted his hame, whispers broke out across the Hall, people wondering if it was truly him. Harry stumbled towards the stool. He put the Sorting Hat on his head...and the room was silent. All that could be heard was the gentle crackle of the candles burning, the breaths of the amassed student body waited for the verdict. After a solid minute of nothing, the Sorting Hat opened it's mouth and everyone held their breath.
"GRYFFINDOR!" My hair turned bright pink, and our table practically exploded once more, so much louder than before.
"WE GOT POTTER!" My brothers and I cheered, "WE GOT POTTER!" Percy shook Harry's hand enthusiastically as he sat down opposite us. Ron got sorted into Gryffindor as well, as well as a couple of other students. After the last two people were sorted, Professor Dumbledore stood and the Hall went quiet. He opened his arms with a large smile.
"Welcome." Professor Dumbledore 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!" And with that, he sat down, and the food appeared, mounds of different roasts, chops, potatoes, puddings and everything in between. I dug in, the pink from my hair fading. I conversed with the first years, talking about their families.
"I'm half-and-half." Seamus said, "Me dad's a Muggle. Mum didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."
"What about you, Neville?" Ron asked.
"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the family thought I was all- Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me - he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned - but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced, all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here, they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."
"Ouch!" Harry explained, causing me to turn to him.
"What is it?" I asked, my eyebrows frowing together, "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, it's nothing." Harry assured. "Hey, who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" I looked to where Harry was looking.
"Oh, he's talking to Professor Snape." I told him, "He's the Potions Professor, but he hates it. He's been after Professor Quirrel's job for years, he knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts for a potions teacher." After dinner and dessert had been consumed, Professor Dumbledore stood once more and the Great Hall fell silent.
"Ahern, just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you." He said. "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." Professor Dumbledore's eyes glanced at my twin brothers before continuing to sweep across the Hall again. "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." Harry choked out a laugh, but there was only a few people who shared his sentiment.
"He's not serious?" Harry muttered to Percy.
"Must be." Percy replied, frowning up at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere, the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us Prefects, at least."
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore declared. He lifted his wand and with a small flick, a gold ribbon flew out of it and floated into the air to form the words. "Everyone pick your favourite tune, and off we go!" Each and every person in the school launched into their own version of the school song.
Everyone -
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.
Everyone finished the song at separate times, and the last two were the twins, who ended with an extremely slow funeral march. When they ended, Dumbledore was the one to clap the loudest alongside everyone. "Ah, music." Dumbledore sighed happily, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime, off you go!" And with that, everyone left the hall and proceeded to their dorms. I conversed with my fellow fourth years as we got to Gryffindor Tower. We gave the Fat Lady the password, Caput Draconis, and we were let inside. Once inside, Percy informed us that the First years had already gone to bed. So after a quick goodnight to my siblings, I retired to my room. All my things were there, and I settled in quickly before blowing out the candles and falling asleep, cut off from the world by the velvet curtains that surrounded my bed.