Rose Weasley, perhaps she should pick her friends more carefully, or perhaps she is exactly where she needs to be, though she can't see why. Only a first year, she becomes all too closely involved with the unfortunate son of a lunatic. A boy whose...
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The huge oak front door opened slowly and in the doorway was a tall, broad, middle aged, dark haired wizard.
"All safe and sound," said Hagrid.
"Thank you, Professor, you may take your seat in the great hall," the man replied in a pleasant tone and had the ghost of a Spanish accent.
Rose was looking around the entrance hall wide-eyed. It was the biggest room she had ever seen. The walls were lit by torches and there was a marble staircase that led upward and the ceiling seemed to just keep going forever.
But then, she thought, the ceiling could be only ten feet tall but a charm that was on it could cause it to look high. That was the thing about a magic castle.
They were led past a door with chattering and excited voices inside it, to be taken to the left and into a rather small room; the tall wizard turned to look at them.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," he said smiling. "I'm Professor Dalbert. I understand that many of you are probably hungry, and the start of term banquet will begin soon so don't worry. But before anything else, you will have to be sorted into your houses. They are called, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. Each house has its own splendid history. Whichever house you are in will be your family while you are here. You will eat, sleep, learn, and play with the others in your house. I'll tell you now, things like answering questions, winning sports or other competitions will earn your house points. But any foolery, disrespect, or other disregard for our rules will lose your house points. At the end of the school year, whichever house has the most points will be rewarded the house cup. But be warned, the Hogwarts houses will get very competitive in this competition, so try not to mess it up for them. Remember, as Hogwarts students, we are all a family despite our sorting, your house will simply be intermediate. Do you all understand what I have told you?" he asked looking around. "Any questions?"
A scared little girl raised her hand.
"Yes?"
"Umm, Professor Dalbert, umm..." stammered the girl. "How will we be sorted?" Many faces looked anxious.
"Well," said the Professor. "you will try on an ancient hat, and it will tell your which house you will be in based on what's in your head."
Many of the students let out a sigh of relief. Clearly glad that someone had asked the question that many of them were dying to know.
"Alright then. Now if you will all please form a line, neatly, neatly kids - come on you're not trolls - a straight line. Good."
And he led them into a great room Rose knew as the great hall. It was as if she had walked into a dream place, all the stories that she had been told, many had taken place in this room. There were thousands of lit candles floating in midair below an enchanted ceiling. Rose peered upward at the ceiling that she was told reflects the sky above except on Holidays. Right now, it was a dull gray and light rain was beginning to fall, stopping right before it hit any of the students. There were four long tables each with older students wearing pointed black hats and different color ties. One table was wearing green and silver, one with crimson and gold, one with yellow and black, and one with blue and bronze. Above each table were long banners each with that house mascot, a lion, an eagle, a serpent, and a badger. There was one more table at the end of the room where the teachers sat. The first years were led from the side of the room and in front of the teacher's table.
