Always knew it was you

Hogwarts -Neville

"Everyone enter the boats in groups of four" said the tall bearded man. Though he looked a bit scary, there was an unmistakable kindness in his eyes.

I joined Hermione Granger, a red haired guy with a long nose and freckles and a scrawny looking guy with messy black hair who appeared to be talking to each other.

"I got my toad", I mouthed to Hermione and she smiled back at me.

I was staring at the lake when I heard many of them gasp.

I looked up and saw the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. I saw a castle with many turns and turrets. I tried to count the number of towers but failed. I was speechless. It was the first time I had seen the castle but it felt like I had spent the whole of my lifetime there. The castle was huge and tall. It looked it came straight out of a muggle fairytale.

I glanced at the others who seemed to equally fascinated as me.

I was so captivated by the castle that I hardly remember entering it. I was shaken out of my trance by a voice.

"I'll take the first years, Hagrid", said a stern faced lady. She was wearing a emerald green dress and spectacles. She looked like someone who was very strict. She led us into a empty hall.

Her eyes seemed to rest on me for a second.

"First years, welcome to Hogwarts.I'm professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor and your transfiguration teacher. You will be sorted in some time. There are four houses - Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin .You will spend your free time in your house's common room and sleep in your house dorm.

Your house mates will be like your family while you are in Hogwarts. Each of the houses has produced some brilliant witches and wizards. Please wait here . I expect you to smarten yourselves in the meantime."

I tried to adjust my cloak and flatten my hair .

I was nervous, extremely nervous because I didn't know which house I would get sorted into and I didn't know how the sorting would take place. What if there was a difficult test and I failed? What would my grandmother say if I get sent back home on my very first day?

"Don't focus on it. Think of something else", I mutter. I catch sight of Hannah who has become pale and Hermione who is muttering the spells she learnt to herself.

I look around the classroom and gasp.

There were about 20 silvery ghost floating through air. " Hope you get sorted into Hufflepuff" said a fat monk like ghost ,"It was my old house you know", he said.

"First years, follow me" said professor McGonagall.

We followed professor McGonagall into the Great Hall.

I was transfixed at the sight of the Great Hall.

The Great Hall was large with four tables overflowing with students and a few ghosts standing near the tables.

On the other side was a table filled with professors. Professor Dumbledore was sitting in the centre of the table. His silver hair and beard seemed to shine.

The ceiling ,no, there was no ceiling. The night sky was visible from the hall and there were thousands of candles illuminated for the ceremony.

"It is bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History", I heard Hermione say.

She seemed to have read everything.

There was a raised stage upon which a hat was placed on a stool. Each and every student seemed to stare at the hat.

A rip appeared near the bottom of the hat and the hat began to sing.