Gryffindor's Tigress

Chapter Seventeen: The Sorting

As soon as the snobby boy said that whispers consumed the entire group of first years as they whispered of the boy who lived.

When the whispers calmed down a little bit the snobbish little boy introduced himself as though we should treat him like royalty.

"The names Malfoy, Draco Malfoy," as he said this Ron snickered from Harry's side where he was standing.

Infuriated Draco turned to him and addressed him with a snarl to his words. "Think my names funny do you? There's no questioning yours. Red hair and hand me down robes, you must be a Weasley," he said, spitting their name as if it were the plague, before turning back to Harry. "You'll find that there are some wizarding families that will get you farther than others. I can help you there," he finished holding his hand out to Harry.

Harry looked at him as if disgusted with his disdain for Ron, "I think I can figure out the kinds of families for myself thanks."

With Harry's response given Draco moved back into the crowd where he was greeted by two brutes of boys one of which I recognize as the one who peed his pants when I was getting ice cream.

After Draco had gone back Professor McGonagall came through the door, "They are ready for you," she told us before she turned back to the doors as they both opened to reveal a large hall where a feast was happening.

As she lead us forward I heard Hermione start to talk about the ceiling, "It's not the real sky it's just an enchantment. I read about it in Hogwarts a History."

While she was looking at the ceiling I was looking around the grand hall we were walking in the middle of the four rows of tables, each wearing their house colors. The silver and green for Slytherin, the yellow and black for Hufflepuff, the blue and bronze for Ravenclaw, and the red and gold for Gryffindor. At the head of the four tables was an elevated platform with on more row of tables with all of the professors seated along it.

We came to a stop just before the stairs leading to the teachers table when Professor McGonagall turned around and told us, in her wizened voice, "We will now begin the sorting.

I suppressed my laughter as I watch most of the first years paled, gulped, or, in Hermione's case, recited all of the spells they knew.

Suddenly Professor McGonagall presented a three legged stool and an old patched up hat which she set on the stool before backing away from it.

Many of the first years gasped as the hat twitched before bursting out into song.

"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 Gryffindor's apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patent Hufflepuff 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!

You're in safe hands

(Though I have none)

For I'm a thinking cap!

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It then fell still once more as it finished its song.

Professor McGonagall then pulled out a long scroll which most likely had the names of all of the first years.

"Abbot, Hannah."

Look's like they're calling us by our last name, this is going to take a while.

Everybody has been going relatively quickly through the sorting, Hermione got into Gryffindor as well! I'm happy that she got into one of the houses she wanted. Neville also got sorted into Gryffindor which will most likely do him some good since he'll be surrounded by people who will stand up for him.

All of a sudden whispers once again spread at the familiar name, "Potter, Harry."

Harry walked up to the stool and as he took a seat I got a proper look at him for the first time.

He was an average height boy with unkempt hair and large round glasses. All in all he looked like an average kid that I could pass in the street without realizing who it was.

The hat was murmuring for a long time and then Harry seamed to whisper something back to it and then the hat finally shouted out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

All of a sudden there was a loud applause as the twins started shouting out, "We've got potter! We've got Potter!"

After that it went fairly smoothly until it got to my name, "Storm, Ruby."

As I walked up everything seemed to fade out until it was just me and the hat being slowly put onto my head.

Once it was on I heard a voice start to speak in my head.

"Curious, this is the first time I've had such a difficult mind twice in a year. Let's see, you have the loyalty of a Hufflepuff, the ambition of a Slytherin, the intelligence of a Ravenclaw, but most of all the bravery of a-"

"GRYFFINDOR!"