The Sorting
As soon as they all got out of the boats, Hagrid led them up the dirt path towards the entrance of the castle. There on the stone steps was a woman with greying hair, and spectacles. “ Firs’ years Professor McGonagall,” Hagrid said as he climbed up the steps. “Thank you, Hagrid, you may go in now” says the witch.
She looks over the first years, “ Good evening” she greeted in a thick Scottish accent. “ My name is Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress, Transfiguration Professor, and Head of Gryffindor house. While you’re at Hogwarts your house will be your family. Any triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule-breaking will lose points. In a moment you’ll head into the Great Hall and be…”
“Trevor!” interrupted a boy who lunged forward picking up a toad. There were snickers in the back as McGonagall sternly looked at the boy for interrupting her. “As I was saying, in a moment you’ll pass these doors and be sorted into your houses. Named after the founders of Hogwarts, we have: Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Griffindor, and Slytherin. Now line up into lines and we’ll head-on in”.
They lined up quickly and were led into the castle, the outer doors closing behind them. Professor McGonagall leads them through large doors into the Great Hall. From what Harry could see there were four tables with students with different colored accents on their robes looking at them. Harry hears Hermione tell the girl besides here that the ceiling was enchanted to look like the sky; Harry looked up and say that she was correct it did, in fact, looked like the sky outside. Plus, the overabundance of wax candles providing light. A head of them was the Head table, and in front of the table was a stool with; upon it sat a grungy, old pointy hat.
The hat twitched, and a seam that acted as a mouth opened up and a gravelly voice came out :
“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 top 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! ” *
After the hat was done, it remained silent as applause echoed throughout the hall. Professor McGonagall turned to them as they reached the steps, “Now when I call your name, you’ll sit on the stool. I will place the Sorting Hat on your head and it will call out your house.” She unrolls a large sheet of parchment and began calling out names.
“ Abbott, Hannah” “HUFFLEPUFF” cried the hat as claps from the Hufflepuff table sounded. Bones, Susan became a Hufflepuff, Bulstrode, Millicent became the first Slytherin, followed by Crabbe, Vincent.
They were slowly moving up “Granger, Hermione” called McGonagall, the girl was practically bouncing in the chair when the professor placed the hat on her head. She took a while before the hat finally called out “GRIFFINDOR”. Goyle, Gregory went into Slytherin. The line got shorter and shorter as they reached the M’s. when “ Malfoy, Draco” was called; the blond strode to the stool and the hat didn’t even touch his head when it shouted “SLYTHERIN”. “
“ No surprise there” huffed Ron, as Harry politely claps. Parkinson, Pansy (a girl that looked like a Pug) was sorted into Slytherin. Patil, Parvati went to Gryffindor while her twin Padma went to Ravenclaw.
“ Potter, Harry” McGonagall called out. The whole school went silent, whispering amongst themselves. Harry shakenly walks up to the stool and sits.
As soon as the hat was placed on his head, he heard it speak “Evening Mr. Potter, Difficult I see. Plenty of cunning and ambition, Slytherin will help you on the road to greatness, there’s no doubt about that. But also, courage, loyalty, and intelligence.” Harry thought back to all the negative things people said about Slytherin, no one noticed Albus Dumbledore, casting compulsion charms under the table towards the boy and Hat.
“ Not Slytherin? Better be GRYFFINDOR!” shouts out the hat. The Gryffindor table erupted loudly as the Weasley twins chanted “ WE got Potter! We got Potter!” Harry climbed off the stool and went to sit at the house table. It took several moments for the hall to get quiet again as McGonagall resumed calling out names.
After a few more names, Ron became a Gryffindor and a boy named Zambini, Blaise became the last Slytherin. With that the headmaster stood up, smiling eyes twinkling with delight as he welcomed the students to the feast.