The Hat Trick
When the Hogwarts express left the station on September first at 11 am I found my self alone in one of the compartments. The first thing I did was change into my school robes. Then I sat by the window and pulled out my copy of Hogwarts: A History and picked back up on the chapter I was reading on the different houses.
After a while the compartment door opened and a boy in plain school robes with dark hair cleared his throat and nervously asked, “have you seen a toad?”
“I’m afraid not,” I responded.
“I’ve asked at least half the train and no one has seen him.” He said defeatedly.
I shut my book and placed it back in my trunk and stood up , “I’ll help you look for him, my name is Hermione Granger.” I said offering him my hand.
He brightened at that, “Neville Longbottom.” He replied taking my hand and shaking it, then we were off.
We asked an older red haired boy we heard bragging about being a prefect but he just brushed us off saying he needed to get to a meeting and that the toad would turn up eventually.
When we came to the last compartment we found two boys sharing a pile of different treats and candies. I cleared my throat and the blonde haired boy looked up at me as what looked like a frog made of chocolate jumped out of his hands. The black haired boy quickly caught it and gave it back to the other boy smirking and bragging about his superior seeker skills.
A bit confused by the whole situation I interjected, “Have either of you seen a toad? Neville here has lost his.”
The blonde boy looked over to Neville and said “Have you tried summoning it?” I looked to Neville curiously and he looked down sheepishly and shook his head. “What’s his name?
“Trevor” responded Neville.
“Accio Trevor.” Said the blonde boy as he held out his wand in one hand and opened his other palm, a few seconds later the toad landed safely in his hand and he offered it to Neville.
“Where did you learn that spell? It’s not in our textbooks.” I asked out of curiosity.
He smirked “It’s a common spell, and are you saying you’ve already read all of our textbooks?” He asked lifting a brow at me.
I could feel my cheeks redden but I answered confidently ,” As a matter of fact I have.” Then I pointed my wand at the black haired boys glasses and recited the spell that would remove all the scratches and repair the bridge that seemed to be taped together, ”Oculus reparo.”
He took off the glasses and looked at them and then to me. “Thanks! I broke them this morning at the pitch and I was dreading my mom finding out, I’m Harry by the way, Harry Potter.” He said holding out his hand to me and I heard Neville gasp.
“Are you really?” I said, surprised. “I’ve read all about you, I got a few extra books for background reading, and you’re in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.” I took his hand and shook it, “I’m Hermione Granger.”
Harry and the blonde boy chuckled and he said, “Am I really?”
Before I could answer the blonde boy asked me, “Do you have a special interest in the History of Magic?”
I met his grey gaze, “Not exactly, I wanted to know as much as possible about this new world I’ve become a part of.”
“You’re a Muggleborn?” He asked curiously.
I nodded my head and he held out his hand, “I’m Draco Malfoy.” He said and smiled as I shook his hand. Harry and Draco invited us to join them in their compartment and we sat across from them and they offered us some of their mountain of treats while explaining the different kinds to me.
They had Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans, sugar quills, Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Liquorice Wands and Cauldron Cakes, which seemed to be Draco’s favourite while Neville and Harry seemed to prefer the chocolate frogs and were comparing their card collections.
“What houses do you think we’ll be in?” I asked the boys.
“Malfoy’s are always in Slytherin.” Draco said smirking at us “But my father said you can argue with the sorting hat if you know where you want to go.”
“I thought I fit the characteristics of Slytherin or Ravenclaw, but I don’t think I’d be very welcome in Slytherin.” I said tentatively.
“Slytherin would be lucky to have you,” replied Draco a bit frustratingly, “you’re a witch, you wouldn’t have been accepted to Hogwarts otherwise.”
“Yea and if anyone gives you a hard time, no matter what house you’re in, you can go to Professor Evan’s, my mum does not tolerate blood status bullying.” Added Harry and I turned to him wide eyed.
“Professor Evan’s is your mum?” I asked
His green eyes lit up as he talked about his mum, “Oh yea, she got to handle muggleborn orientation this year now that she’s the Muggle studies professor.”
Their words were the reassurance I needed, “Well in that case, I really think Slytherin would be the right fit for me.”
“Ugh, I’m going to miss you guys,” said Harry running his hands through his messy hair “I’m going to be in Gryffindor like my mum and dad were.”
“Both my parents were in Gryffindor too,”added Neville while eating every flavoured beans, “but I don’t think I’m very much like them”
“Well, where would you go if you could choose?” I asked while opening a blue sugar quill.
“I’m not sure, I just hope I can make some friends.” He replied sheepishly.
“Well you’ve already made at least one friend.” I said smiling back at him.
Before we knew it we had arrived at Hogsmead station. As we got off the train we saw Hagrid waving his arms and calling for the first years. “Firs-years! Firs’-years over here!“
He beckoned for us to follow him, “Yeh’ll get yer firs’ sight o’ good ol Hogwarts in a sec,” he yelled out, ‘jus’ round this way.” Then the narrow path opened up to a black lake with a huge castle perched upon a mountain overlooking the lake and forests surrounding it.
“No more’n four to a boat!” Hagrid called, pointing at the little boats by the shore of the lake. Neville, Harry, Draco and I all climbed into the same boat and road across the lake together.
After disembarking from the boats We all found ourselves just outside the big oak front door when Hagrid raised his fist and rapped loudly on it three times.
A witch in a pointy black hat, and dark green dress robes opened the door.
“The firs’-years ‘ave arrived, Professor McGonagall,” declared Hagrid.
“Thank you, Hagrid, I can take them from here” replied professor McGonagall.
She opened the door wide and ushered us in. We followed her and crowded together closely in a small empty chamber where we could hear hundreds of voices chattering away nearby.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat to get our attention, “Welcome to Hogwarts,” she said. “The start of term feast will begin momentarily, however, before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will need to be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is very important because, while you are here, your house will be somewhat like your family within Hogwarts. You will attend classes with your housemates, spend free time in your house common room and sleep in your house dormitory. The four houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Each house has their own noble history and each has produced some outstanding witches and wizards. While you are here, your achievements will earn your house points, whereas any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the school year, the house with the most points will win the House Cup. Now, the Sorting Ceremony will take place in just a few moments in front of the whole school.” She looked us over, “I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you wait, quietly. I’ll be back to retrieve you when we’re ready for you.”
We were chatting quietly and waiting for the sorting ceremony to begin when a lanky red haired boy bumped into Neville and I, it seemed like he was trying really hard to get close to Harry. He quickly straightened himself up as he glared at us then he turned and offered his hand to Harry.
“I’m Ron, Ron Weasley.” Said the freckle faced red haired boy.
Harry looked over at us, assuring that we were ok before looking down at Ron’s hand then turned up his nose as he said, “Maybe you should try to watch where you’re going, Weasley.”
Weasley sneered at that before retracting his hand and saying, “looks like the Famous Harry Potter is too good to shake my hand.” Then he rolled his eyes and stalked off back into the crowd of first years while the four of us shared a look that could only be described as ‘is that guy serious?’ Before chuckling.
A few moments later we could hear Weasley loudly proclaim that his brother, Fred, told him the sorting process hurt a lot and something about having to fight a troll which predictably caused a bit of distress amongst the other first years. Thankfully Draco and Harry explained all about the sorting hat during our earlier conversation on the train.
While everyone else was frantic the guys started a conversation about quidditch teams, I tried to keep up with it but I got distracted by something kind of white that had floated into my line of sight, I couldn’t help but give a small shriek when I realized what it was, we were surrounded by ghosts.
A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed us. “New students! About to be sorted, I suppose?” He said smiling at us, a few people nodded wide eyed. ”I hope to see you in Hufflepuff! That’s my old house.”
“Move along now,” came professor McGonagall’s sharp voice. “The Sorting Ceremony’s about to begin.” The ghosts quickly floated through the back wall disappearing from sight.
She looked over towards us. ”Form a line and follow me.”
We followed as she led us into the Great hall. It was even more amazing than I had imagined. The ceiling was the first thing that caught my eye and I noticed Draco looking at it too when I said, “It’s bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about it in-“
“-Hogwarts: A History.” He got out before I could and I smiled and nodded my head. The professor led us down the long house tables to the professor’s table where there was an old pointy hat sitting on a small stool.
Suddenly the hat straightened and through what looked like a rip near the brim it started 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!’
Professor McGonagall then spoke, “When I call your name please come forth.”
Three Hufflepuffs, two Ravenclaws, one Slytherin and one Gryffindor had been sorted when my name was finally called. I held my head high as I confidently approached the stool.
I am a witch, I belong here.
Everything went dark as the hat fell over my eyes and I heard the hat chuckle in my head.
“What a little black riddle we have here, a muggleborn slytherin?”
“I’m a witch, I belong here and I belong in Slytherin” I countered.
“Oh there’s no doubt about that, it’s all here, in your mind, your cunning and ambition will take you far in SLYTHERIN”
The last word was shouted and sounded so much louder than the rest and the hat was pulled off my head, that’s when I noticed that not only was the whole hall looking at me it was so quiet I could hear the chair move before a professor behind me stood up and started to clap. I turned to see professor Evan’s clapping before the black haired man next to her started which cause a chain reaction of applause, so I stood up and walked over to my new house table, as I sat I felt a tingle and looked down and noticed my plain uniform was now silver and green.
“Neville Longbottom”
Neville seemed a bit surprised to be next but he quickly straightened his spine and approached the stool.
The hat seemed to take a little longer on Neville than it had for some but soon enough I heard the hat proclaim “SLYTHERIN” and immediately started clapping for my friend.
Another Gryffindor was sorted then we heard Draco‘s name called. He swaggered up to the stool and before the hat could even cover his eyes it yelled out “Slytherin.” The whole Slytherin table then stood to applaud him as he walked over. Neville had taken the seat across from me so Draco took the seat beside me.
Six more students were sorted, Draco seemed to know each of the ones that had been sorted into Slytherin, when Harry’s name was called. Everyone was curious to see Harry Potter being sorted, the Great Hall grew silent as he sat down on the stool and the hat was placed on his head. The hat seemed to be taking even longer on him than it had with Neville but it finally shouted out “Gryffindor.” And what seemed like the whole school burst into cheers and applause.
The rest of the sorting was less eventful, when it was finally over the head master stood and said “Welcome! 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 ”
I looked over to Draco, “Is he mad?” I asked.
The older students next to me started laughing and said, “He use to be considered a genius but he does seem to be getting madder every year.” As he was talking the gold platters on the table were suddenly overflowing with all kinds of different foods.
The girl next to Neville asked me, “Are you a descendant of Hector Dagworth-Granger, the potioneer?”
“Uhm, No actually,” I say nervously, “I’m a muggleborn”
The girls eyes widened as she looked at something over my shoulder and I could hear the whispers start going down the table when she suddenly declared “that doesn’t matter, you’re a witch and you’re a slytherin, that makes you one of us.” And a few others agreed while some students further down seemed to be disgusted by the idea.
After dinner there was a huge selection of desserts, some I had never seen before. As a daughter of dentists, I wasn’t allowed to eat sweets very much growing up.
When the sweets disappeared professor Dumbledore cleared his throat and said “ I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. Students should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. 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 tryouts will be held in the second week of 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.”
I looked to the older students, “is he serious?” They nodded regretfully and I turned back to the professor as he led the Great Hall in the school song. Once it was finally over he instructed the Prefects to lead the first years to their common rooms so they could meet their head of house.