Chapter 5
"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."
The voice was not expected and neither boy could tell where it came from.
"Good thing we're in our robes already." Chris said. "I've got to find Harry would you like to accompany me."
"I suppose so."
"Okay. Just remember what I said about his friend."
"Yes, yes. I'll be civil."
"Good. Let's go."
Chris led Draco out the compartment and towards the direction of the exit. People were pushing their way through so it was hard to keep track of the other. Finally they made it out and Chris looked around for his twin.
Nearby a voice boomed, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry? Where's yer brother?"
Chris looked a over to the right and there was Harry standing with Ron next to the front of the train.
"Come on, Draco."
The boys followed Hagrid like he told them to. With a bit of a jog in his step he caught up to his brother.
"Hi, Brother-mine. Did you enjoy the train ride?"
Harry turned around and was about to answer but he stopped and glared at Draco instead.
"What's he doing here?" He asked.
"Harry we've talked about this." He said with a sigh.
"No, you talked. I tol-
"Yeh'll be getting yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, interrupting the rest of Harry's statement, "jus' round this bend here."
There was a chorus of, "Ooohhh!"
The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. With the most gorgeous building Chris had ever seen.
"It's beautiful," Chris murmured to himself.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.
"Harry are you and friend going to be civil long enough for us to take a boat together to the school or we will have to go separately?"
"I can be civil, but i doubt Malfoy can," Ron said.
Draco opened his mouth to make a retort but, and without even thinking about it, Chris put his hand Draco's mouth so he couldn't speak.
"Alright then. Let's get in a boat."
"Everyone in? shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then-FORWARD!"
And the fleets moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed closer and closer to the cliff where it stood.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term feast will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses."
Chris stopped listening and instead turned to Draco.
"Are you nervous?"
"No. Of course not. Are you?"
Chris briefly glanced at his twin before answering, "Course not."
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
Chris turned his body to his brother and tried in vain to flatten Harry's hair.
"Chris stop it. It's not going to work. You know that. Ron are you ready?"
"It's some sort of test, I think. Fred said it burns a lot, but I think he was joking."
"Of course he was joking. No one is allowed to tell the younger years about the sorting. It's not even mentioned in books. So anything your brothers told you wasn't true." Chris told him.
Shortly after that Professor McGonagall returned to bring the group into the Great Hall.
Calling it great seemed like an understatement to Chris. It had to have been the largest room he had ever seen with four tables on the ground and a table on the same platform they were standing on. When Chris looked up he saw the starry sky and realized that reading about something is nothing like seeing it first hand.
Professor McGonagall placed an old hat onto a stool and all the first years were shocked when the hat 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 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 burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became still again.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward with holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbot, Hannah!"
As Professor McGonagall named children and they were sorted Chris could feel his heart racing. He grabbed Harry's hand and squeezed before whispering, "No matter what happens you're still my twin." With that he swiftly closed his eyes and went into his Head Space not letting go of his brother.
Chris was deep into his Head Space that he missed most of the sorting, including Draco's. He was brought out of it however when he felt a tug on his hand. He opened his eyes to see his brother's pale face. "It's my turn. You have to let go."
He let go not embarrassed in the slightest that the entire Great Hall had witnessed him holding his brother's hand. He paid close attention to his twin sitting on the stool. Chris was next after all. Finally the hat called out, "GRYFFINDOR!" and the entire Gryffindor section erupted into cheers with polite applause from the other houses.
Chris was already walking towards the stool when the professor called out his name. Again the hall went silent in anticipation. Although the Gryffindor table was in quiet whispers wondering if they were going to get both Potter Twins.
Professor McGonagall lowered the hat onto his head and much like with his friend Draco the hat was barely on his head before it was calling out,
"SLYTHERIN!"
As Chris walked down towards the Slytherin table the only sound that could be heard was coming from his shoes on the floor. He kept his back straight and his head held as he walked and then sat down right beside Draco.
"It's almost like they've never seen a kid be sorted before." He said to Draco. Although he might as well have been talking to the whole room because they all heard him. With his words though everyone got over shock and the sorting commenced.
"Green suits you." Draco told him with a smirk.
"I'll have to take your word for it." he says. And then asks, "Do you know which professor is our head of house?"
Draco nods," You see the professor in all black. That's Professor Snape Head of Slytherin."
Chris stared at the professor until Snape turned and looked at him as well. It was like a staring contest both staring and neither willing to turn away. Chris 'won' however when Professor Quirrell tried to get Professor Snape's attention.
"I'm going to have to talk with him when we get to our dorms. I'd like you to be there when it happens."
Draco nods and the boys turn their attention the food that appeared when they were talking.