8A's Hogwarts Adventure

Chapter 6: The Sorting

The class and I all followed Hagrid to the Boats at the Black Lake along with the other first years. 5 to a boat! I repeat, 5 to a boat! Hagrid yelled out to us all. Tamara, Lydia, Felicity, Marci and I automatically went to the same boat. Once everyone was settled, Hagrid said go, and the boats began to sail across the pitch black water. In the distance I could see a few tentacles and assumed that, that was the giant squid.

Eventually, we rounded a corner and a giant castle loomed over us in all of its beauty. Thousands of lights shined from inside, making it seem just that much more overwhelming. I had seen photos, the movies, but never had I imagined it would be this magnificent. I heard everyone gasp and I, being the awesome human being I am, squealed and took out my phone and took a photo, even though I knew I shouldnt as I might drop it in the water and loose everything. With that thought, I quickly shoved it in my pocket and continued to look at the castle looming above us.

We finally arrived at the boat house and we all quickly, yet carefully, hopped out of the boats. I was so excited, I could barely contain my joy. We followed Hagrid up many flights of stairs and finally inside, where he led us to a professor, who had their back turned to us. I had expected professor McGonagall, but I realised this was the job for the deputy headmaster/ headmistress, so the professor we can see must be professor Longbottom. I have to try so hard not to run up and hug him and ask for his autograph. I have to make a good first impression on all of my teachers.

My friends can see me trying and smile at me encouragingly, they know this must be very hard for me. One of my favourite (what I thought was a fictional character) people, was standing right in front of me.

He turned around and began the regular first year speech.

Welcome to Hogwarts, He began. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.

The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarted yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. He finally finished, smiling warmly at us all, then turned and left to go and see if they were ready for us.

All of the first years were looking at us looking absolutely terrified. It was then that I realised that they were all only 11, whilst we were 13/14 and were much bigger than them. They looked like they wanted to ask what we were doing there but they looked too scared.

After what seemed like an eternity, Professor Longbottom returned. They are ready for you now. He said. We all followed him into the great hall, allowing the first years to go in front of us. I put on a fake British accent and said to my friends, Its not real the ceiling, its bewitched to look like the night sky. I read that in Hogwarts a History. We than began giggling quietly to ourselves, but a couple of first years heard us and seeming intrigued.

Professor Longbottom went up and stood next to the sorting hat. Behind him, Professor McGonagall stood to begin a quick speech. As you can see everyone, we not only have first years joining us today, but also a class from an Australian muggle school, who were thought to have already been learning magic. She said. She then went on to explain why we werent here when we were 11 and about our classes etc. Now, on with the sorting.