Harry Potter Male Reader Insert - Book 1

Chapter 6. The Sorting Ceremony

„How did he get covered in blood?" Seamus asked curiously.

„I've never asked," Nearly Headless Nick replied softly.

After everyone had eaten, the tables got covered in desserts. Hermione got some apple pie. Y/N got nothing, just sitting on the chair. He looked at Hermione, causing her to glance at him.

„What?" she asked, her mouth full of a pie.

„I feel very nervous with all these people here. Help me, Hermione." He chuckled at his joke. „I'm wondering, how is Cinder doing?"

The girl swallowed the pie and said, „I'm sure she's fine." Y/N nodded. „Why aren't you eating the dessert?"

„I'm not hungry."

„Oh." The girl quickly took another bite.

„You like apples, eh?" Hermione nodded.

„I'm half and half," they heard Seamus say. „Me dad's a muggle. Mam didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him." Some students laughed.

„What about you, Neville?" Ron asked.

„Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch,' said Neville, 'but the family thought I was all Muggle for ages. My great-uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me – he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, and I nearly drowned – but nothing happened until I was eight. Great-uncle Algie came round for tea and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my great-auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced – all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased. Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here – they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great-uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."

„Are you excited about the lessons, Y/N?" Hermione asked.

„Yeah."

„I do hope they start straight away. There's so much to learn. I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult."

Ron's older brother heard and said, „you'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing."

Y/N noticed Harry looking at the staff table.

„Ouch!" the raven-haired boy put his hand on his forehead across his scar.

„What is it?" Ron's older brother, Percy, asked.

„Nothing. Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrel," Harry asked.

„Oh, you know Quirrel already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous. That's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to. He's after Quirrel's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

After a while, every food and drink disappeared. Dumbledore stood up as the Great Hall fell silent at once. The old wizard was very respected in the school, Y/N noticed.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and said, „just a few more words now we all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you." He paused for a while. „'First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

„We'll go there, Hermione," Y/N whispered to her.

„No!"

„I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Hermione looked at Y/N with wide eyes. Harry laughed as one of the few.

„He's not serious?" the raven-haired boy muttered to Percy.

„Must be," he replied with a frown. „Because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere – the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us, Prefects, at least."

„Now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore's voice boomed as he flicked his wand. The golden ribbons flew out of it. They twisted themselves into words. „Everyone pick their favorite tune," Dumbledore said, „and off we go!"

The students sang:

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.

„Amazing," Y/N said as everyone finished the song at a different time. He didn't sing. The two red-haired boys were the last. Another of Ron's brothers, Y/N thought.

„Ah, music," Dumbledore said, wiping his eyes. „A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Gryffindors followed Percy out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. Y/N noticed portraits along the corridor whispering and pointing to them. The boy waved at one of them. The knight in silver armor with a sword stared at him. They were tired, walking up the stairs.

A bundle of walking sticks was floating in mid-air ahead of them and as Percy took a step towards them they started throwing themselves at him.

„Peeves," Percy whispered. „A poltergeist." He raised his voice, „Peeves, show yourself."

A loud, weird sound answered his call.

„Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"

A little man with dark eyes appeared in front of them.

„Oooh! Ickle firsties! What fun!" he cackled, then swooped at the first years. They ducked.

„Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" Percy said sharply. Peeves stuck out his tongue and disappeared.

„You want to watch out for him," Percy warned. „The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us, Prefects. Here we are."

They stood in front of the portrait of the fat woman in a pink dress.

„Password," the woman asked.

„Caput Draconis," Percy replied, and the portrait revealed a round hole in the wall. They all walked through it and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room.

The place was full of the color red. It was round and had a few armchairs to sit at.

„The girls' dormitory to the left, boys' to the right." He gestured his hand.

All the students walked off to their dormitories. Hermione and Y/N were the only ones left. They glanced at each other, her light-brown eyes met with his E/C ones.

„Night, Hermione. Y/N waved at her.

„Goodnight, Y/N." They parted ways. Hermione smiled a little.

Y/N walked up the spiral staircase. He shared his room with Harry, Ron, Seamus, Neville, and some boy named Dean Thomas. Y/N's bed was at the end of the room. Their things have been brought up to the dormitory. Cinder already slept on his bed, curled up in a ball. The boy walked over and grazed his hand on her gray fur.

„Great food, isn't it?" Y/N heard Ron muttering to Harry. „Get off, Scabbers! He's chewing my sheets," he said.

Then it was silent. Y/N dressed up in his pajamas and lay down on his bed. It was comfortable, way more than one in an orphanage. After a while, he fell asleep.