Agathokakological

Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin

Harry got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron. Ariadne, didn't get to walk with Hermione, but rather with a blonde-haired girl, who introduced herself as Daphne Greengrass.

They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Ariadne had never even imagined such amazing place. It was lit by thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting, she could see Professor Dumbledore too.

McGonagall lead the first years up there, so that they same to a halt in a line facing the other students, staring at them.

McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. The hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth and the hat began to sing. The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite again.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward 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. ''Abbott, Hannah!''

The first years were called in the alphabetical order of the surnames, so there was still time before it was Ariadne's turn. Ariadne noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide.

''Davis, Tracey.'' a dark, brown haired girl behind to Ariadne in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared her a Slytherin.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat on her head.

''GRYFFINDOR!'' the sorting-hat shouted .

''Greengrass, Daphne.'' the blonde-haired girl took a deep breath and sat on the stool. ''SLYTHERIN!''

''Malfoy, Draco.''

Malfoy swaggered forward confidently when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, ''SLYTHERIN!''

Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.

There weren't many people left now, making Ariadne slightly nervous.

''Nott''..., ''Parkinson''..., then a pair of twin girls, ''Patil'' and ''Patil''..., then ''Perks, Sally-Anne..., and then –

''Potter, Harry!''

As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

''Potter, did she say?''

''The Harry Potter?''

It took some time but the finally sorted Harry into Gryffindor.

''Soleil, Ariadne.''

Ariadne swallowed the lump down her throat and looked at where Harry and Hermione sat smiling reassuringly at her.

Walking towards the stool she felt a small pang in the head, which made her look up and see that Dumbledore was pointing at his head signaling her.

It hit Ariadne, that she had forgotten what the Headmaster said to her before he left the orphanage.

''I will explain it to you once you get sorted in a house. But when it is your turn to get sorted. Close your eyes and imagine a wall slowly falling down. And once you get sorted do the same and imagine the wall repair itself to its previous state.''

She didn't quite understand why but she thought that Dumbledore knew better than her, so she had practiced it in the orphanage. She must admit that she felt quite exposed when the took the walls down.