The Sorting Hat
The door swung open at once, and a slender ivory skin woman, with thick, long, and orange hair stood on the other side. She had a smile on her face, a red dress, and what looked like a small owl on her shoulder. Luz had a vague impression that she was a bit of a troublemaker.
“Professor Clawthorne, the first years” said Hagrid “What’s with formalities Rubes? Thank you, I’ll be taking them from here” She lead them to the entrance hall, it was bigger than Luz’s house and it was lit with flaming torches.
They followed professor Clawthorne to a small empty chamber off the hall “Welcome, before the banquet we’re going to have the sorting ceremony, remember that your house in Hogwarts will be like your family during the next 7 years, but don’t let that bond you, you’re free to interact with any other house, foul play will not be accepted, especially if you get caught” She winked at them.
“Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, named after the founders of the school, all have their common rooms and school schedule. Also, there is a competition, so your misbehavior will take points from your house and your accomplishments will grant them points at the end of the year the house with the most points will receive the house cup. The ceremony will start soon; I’ll be back in a minute” Clawthorne left the chamber.
Anxiety flashed through Luz and everyone there, most had no idea, or just a vague one, how the ceremony would be. Suddenly, about 20 ghosts streamed through the wall behind them. Of pearly white color, they seemed to not even notice the students while they argued about someone, or something, called Peeves.
When Professor Clawthorne came back the ghost flew though the opposite wall they came, leaving the students and the professor alone again “Now, form two lines, side by side, and follow me” She walked into the Great Hall and the students followed.
Luz never imagined a place so big and majestic before, it was lit by thousands and thousands of candles, which were floating in midair over four long tables, filled with golden plates and goblets, where the rest of the students were sitting.
At the top of the hall, was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor Clawthorne led the first-years between the 4 tables and the teacher’s table, facing the other students, who Luz noticed had a slightly different uniform, their sleeves and leggings were multicolor, either scarlet, blue, gold, or green.
Luz looked up, trying to avoid all the stares. The roof was a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars “It’s bewitched to look like the sky outside” Luz heard Amity whisper it to Skara.
When she looked down again, a small four-legged stool had been placed in front of the students, and atop of it, an old pointing hat full of patches and dirty. Silence filled the great hall for a few seconds, then the Hat twitched, a rip near the brim opened 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 folks 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 exploded in applause, the Hat bowed to each of the tables and then became still once again. Luz let out a relieved sigh; she was really tense thinking that they needed to do a spell to pass and was afraid that she was going to be sent back home even before the first test.
“When I call your name, come forward, sit on the stool and the Hat will do his bedding. Now…” Clawthorne explained, she held a long roll of parchment in one hand and the hat in the other.
Arasy, Celine – A pale girl with yellow eyes walked up, sat at the stool, and after a few seconds the Hat shouted “Ravenclaw” the table second from the left clapped and shook her hand. Her uniform was now blue with bronze lines.
Asthas, Amelia – A girl with cropped green hair sat on the stool, the fell on her face covering her eyes. Mere moments later it yelled “Hufflepuff” and the table on the far right cheered and the girl joined it. Her uniform magically changed at the moment the Hat shouted, the sleeves and leggings became yellow with black stripes.
Blight, Amity – Amity walked up rather tense, she gave a look at her siblings and sat down, it took almost a full minute for the Hat to give his answer “Slytherin” He yelled and her uniform became green with silver stripes. Amity walked to the table between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Maybe it was Luz's imagination, but she seemed relieved.
Butterfly, Star – A girl with long blonde hair was the first Gryffindor of the night, she hopped to the table on the far left, there Luz saw the twins, Emira and Edric, cheering up as loud as they could. Their uniforms were scarlet with gold lines.
Luz was getting sick; she was always the last one to be chosen for sports lessons at her old school, not because she was bad, but because no one wanted Andrea to think they were friends with Luz.
Coburn, Bosook – A girl with brown hair and freckles “Ravenclaw”
Diaz Marco – A slender boy with tan skin, dark brown hair, and brown eyes “Hufflepuff”
Greenfield, Lucas – A boy with sandy hair and brown skin “Slytherin”
Halifax, Catherine – A dark skin, wavy brown hair, and black squared glasses girl “Slytherin”
Irea, Eileen – A big-eyed girl with a tired look and turquoise hair “Ravenclaw”
A horrible thought struck Luz, as horrible thoughts so when you’re nervous; what if she was never chosen? What if she sat there for hours and nothing happened? Professor Clawthorne would take the Hat herself and send her back home saying she wasn’t supposed to be there.
A few students later and the time came “ Noceda, Luz ” Professor Clawthorne called and the entire hall stayed in silence for a moment, but at the moment she stepped forward whispers suddenly broke out like hissing fires all over the Hall.
When the Hat fell over her eyes the Hat whispered to her “Hum, difficult choice, very difficult… Not a weak mind, but not a knowledge seeker… Loyal, but desperate to prove yourself, to be someone… With courage and ambition, not to mention talent… Where do I put you?”
“Not Slytherin, not Slytherin” Luz thought “Not Slytherin? Are you sure? You have potential, and I know Slytherin would make you great, just as you want… No? Okay then… In that case… GRYFFINDOR!” Her uniform turned to the house colors.
The Gryffindor table exploded in cheers and applauses, Luz walked shakily towards them and didn’t realize she received the loudest cheer of the night. The Blight twin shouted “WE GOT NOCEDA”, the prefects shook her hands vigorously, and even one of the ghosts patted her should, making her feel like she had just dived in a frozen lake.
Principal Bump sat at the center of the teacher’s table, Hagrid, who had given her thumbs up celebrating being a Gryffindor, sat on one of the ends, near the table she was in, and judging by the empty seat, Clawthorne sat on the right side of Bump.
A couple of students later and “ Park, Willow ” was called. The Hat stood on her face for about 15 seconds before it shouted “Gryffindor” Willow sat by Luz “Looks like we’re going to be housemates”.
“ Porter, Augustus ” was called right after Willow and he too ended in Gryffindor, something that Willow didn’t seem to like very much. There weren’t many students left when Clawthorne called “ Troisoeil, Boscha ” who walked up and got her to wish almost immediately, the Hat had beryl touched her head when it shouted “Slytherin”. “Tunewright, Skara” joined her two friends in Slytherin a mere moments later.
When the last student was shorted and Clawthorne took both the Hat and the stool away, Principal Bump stood up and opened his arms, nothing seemed to make him happier than seeing everyone there “Welcome, to this new year, before we started the banquet I’d like to say a few words, and here they are Nitwit, Bubbler, Oddment, and Tweak. Thank you” He fell back to his chair and everyone there clapped and yelled.
Luz didn’t know if she was supposed to laugh or not “Is he a bit mad?” She asked the twins “Mad? He’s brilliant! The greatest wizard in the world” Edric said “But yes… He is a bit mad, potatoes Luz?” Emira added. Luz’s jaw fell; the plates once empty were now filled with more food than she had ever seen in her life. She put a bit of everything she could reach with her hands.
She talked with Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, the resident ghost of Gryffindor, or as the twins called him: Nearly Headless Nick “How can someone be Nearly Headless?” Star asked “Like this,” He said irritably, he reached his left ear and pulled his head until it touched his shoulder. Someone clearly had tried to behead him but had not done it properly.
Nick commented that he hoped the new students would help Gryffindor win this year's House Cup since Slytherin had won six times in a roll, The Bloody Baron, the resident ghost of the house, was extra insufferable.
After everyone had everything they could eat, the puddings were served, ice creams of every imaginable flavor, cakes, and tarts. More than Luz could ever conceive.
Luz learned a bit about his fallow housemates; Star Butterfly was raised by a family of wizards and witches and she had family members in all four houses, especially Gryffindor and Hufflepuff; Gus’s father worked at the Daily Prophet and he was from Ravenclaw.
Luz took another look at the high table; Hagrid was taking a big sip from his goblet; Professor Clawthorne was talking to Principal Bump; And Professor Piniet, with his enormous hair, was talking to a woman with ivory skin, long and straight dark navy hair and mint green eyes. It happened very suddenly, the mint eye teacher looked past Piniet straight to Luz’s eyes and she felt something akin to an electric shock on the scar on her forehead.
“Hum, who’s the woman talking to professor Piniet?” She asked Emira, the pain only last for one second “Hum? Oh, that is Professor Clawthorne” She said and Luz turned to her confused “We have two Professor Clawthorne?” Emira nodded “Lilith Clawthorne, our Potion Master, head-witch of the Slytherin house and older sister of Edalyn Clawthorne, our Charms Master and head-witch of Gryffindor” Edric said dramatically “Though, is common knowledge that Lilith really wants to teach Defense Against The Dark Arts” Emira added.
Luz watched Lilith for a while, but the witch did not turn her gaze back to her. When the puddings were gone Professor Bump spoke “Uh-huh, just a few more words now that we are all fed… First years: The Forest on the school grounds is forbidden to all of you and some older students would do well knowing that too” He turned his gaze to the Blight twins “Also, no magic is allowed between classes in the corridors, as our caretaker would like me to remind you. Quidditch tryouts will start in the second week of the school year, those interested in representing their houses, please talk to Madame O’Neill. And finally, I must tell you that this year the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds, for those who do not wish to die a painful death”.
Luz giggled, but she was one of the only ones who did “He is… joking… right?” She asked Willow who seemed to have no clear answer to that question “Weird, He usually tells us why we are not allowed to go somewhere” Luz heard a few upperclassmen talking.
After the students sang the school song, each in their own tune, since no one told what was the correct one, Bump dismissed the students. The Gryffindor's first years followed their prefect. They passed to corridors filled with living portraits, but Luz was too tired to even be surprised by them, they reached the staircases “Now, remember students, the stairs move on their own, so keep in mind where you came from and where you’re going, you won’t be excused if get late to class because of the stairs” The prefect explained.
“Oh no, everyone duck!” The prefect warned and the students followed, suddenly a swarm of walking sticks swooped around the corridor followed by a little man with wickedly slanted, orange eyes, dressed in loud, outlandish clothes including a bell-covered hat and an orange bow tie “Peeves, The school Poltergeist, go away or I’ll call the Bloody Baron!” The prefect yelled. Compared to the school ghost, Peeves looked like a real, though a floating, person “Nice to meet you first years! See you around hehehe ahahaahahah!” He turned the corridor and vanished, his laugh echoed through the walls.
They walked more until they stopped in front of a portrait of a very fat woman, dressed in a pink silk dress “Password?” She asked and the prefect answered ‘Caput Draconis’ and the portrait swung open, revealing the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs, on the other side.
The prefect directed the boys through one door to their dormitory and the girls through another one, at the end of the spiraling stair, they were obviously on one of the towers, they found their beds, at last, 5 per room, each with four deep red velvet curtains, their trunks had already been brought up, so they just put on their pajamas and fell into bed.
Luz watched King, who was also brought up with her trunk, climb the window “Good night, King” She managed to say before falling into sleep. King stayed looking at the moon for a few more hours before he too fell asleep.
That night Luz had a strange dream, a giant blue eye stared at her while a voice whispered that she needed to be in Slytherin, ‘cause it was her destiny. Then Boscha, Skara, and Amity appeared before her and laughed at her, their bodies mangled together, forming Lilith who grabbed Luz by the neck and smiled menacingly at her. Luz woke up in a cold sweat, she rolled over and fell asleep again and when she woke up the next morning, she didn’t remember her dream at all.