Nina's Destiny

The Sorting Hat

Nina's POV

I followed Harry and Ron off the train to a giant of a man. He had to be at least 8' 6". I was a little surprised that Harry seemed to know this man, Harry called him Hagrid, but I figured maybe this was the person who showed Harry around Diagon Alley.

Hagrid gathered all the first years together and ushered us to a giant lake. Being a Water Mage, I loved water in general, but this lake was amazing.

"Four to a boat!" Hagrid instructed us all. I climbed in with Harry, Ron, and the boy who lost his toad. As soon as the boy, Neville, sat down, the boats began to move. It wasn't long before we could see Hogwarts. The school looked like a Medieval castle. It was breath-taking. The boats docked at the edge of the lake, and we all climbed out. Hagrid lead us inside the castle where an older, strict-looking woman was waiting for us.

"Here they are, Professor," Hagrid said proudly, clapping his hands together. The professor gave a tight-lipped smile.

"Thank you, Hagrid," she said. "That will be all." Hagrid waved to us and walked down the stone hallway. The Professor turned to us. "I am Professor McGonagall," she introduced. "I will be taking you to be sorted as soon as we are ready for you. If you will all please follow me." Professor McGonagall turned on her heel and marched down the corridor. We all followed her.

She took us to a sectioned off room where she closed us in.

"Do you know how they sort us into houses?" I asked Neville.

"Gran said something about a hat," Neville replied. His hands were shaking slightly. "I'm not really sure what we're supposed to do with it, though."

"It's some sort of test," I heard Ron say from a few feet away. "Fred says it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

"You think?" I muttered under my breath. Neville snorted. We both flipped around when we heard a loud scream. Coming out of the wall were a bunch of ― ghosts?

"The heck?" I asked. Was this normal in the wizarding world? I looked around, but all the other first years seemed just as shocked as I was. I guess this wasn't so normal.

"Forgive and forget, I say," a short, fat ghost in monks robe said. "We ought to give him a second chance."

"My dear Friar," another ghost, with a ruff and tights, said, "Haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves?" Were the ghosts arguing? "He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not even really a ghost ― I say, what are you all doing here?" The ghosts had finally noticed us. No one said a word.

"New students!" the Fat Friar laughed cheerfully. "About to be sorted I suppose?" I nodded mutely along with a few others. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old home you know."

The ghosts were interrupted by Professor McGonagall's brisk voice. "Move along now," she ordered. "The Sorting Ceremony is about to start." The ghosts floated away though the opposite wall. "Now form a line and follow me." I got into line between a brunette-girl and Neville, and we all walked out of the chamber and into the Great Hall.

Professor McGonagall lead us in front of the table with all the teachers. Directly in front of the Teachers' Table was a rickety old stool with a black wizard's hat resting on it. Around us, there were sour long tables where all the other students were sitting. On the ceiling, the stars from the night sky were shining brilliantly.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside," I heard Hermione whisper. "I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." I nodded in agreement. I had read something similar when Mom, Diane, and I had been going through all my course books. I was beginning to wonder what we were supposed to do when the hat in the front of the room started to sing.