The Wandmaker's Granddaughter

The Wandmaker's Granddaughter Is Sorted

Everyone ducked without really needing to, it was Hagrid who was the only one that really needed to mind his head.  The boats sailed into a small alcove where the first years disembarked.  New friends helped each other out of the boats.  James helped Lucy who in turn helped Amelia out onto the solid landing.  Once everyone had safely made it onto land Hagrid continued on.  They climbed and twisted through staircases and corridors getting almost completely turned around in the process.

Hagrid opened another rather unassuming door which lead them into the entryway.

"How did we get here?" a voice in the crowd said.

"Magic," another replied to the amusement of those not completely petrified with nerves and anxiety.

"Welcome," a voice said from behind the group and they turned to find a very average looking middle aged witch.  She had a cold face but eyes that held an amusing, friendly look in them. 

"My name is Professor Balo, to some of you I will be your house head, to others I will be your dreaded transfiguration teacher, don't think of that now though.  Today is a day of feast but before we eat, the sorting ceremony will take place.  You will each be called one by one to the stage where the sorting hat will sort you into one of four houses.  Hufflepuff," she said with pride, "Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, or Slytherin.  When the doors open please proceed in and stand before the stage.  Good luck."

As Professor Balo walked away the group began murmuring amongst themselves. 

"I don't know why, but I'm starting to get nervous," Lucy said shifting back from one foot to the other.  "James?"

She looked to her cousin whose facade of confidence was nothing but a memory.  He held his robes tight in two balled fists.  His brow was knit together and a glisten of sweat was forming on his forehead.  Lucy stifled a nervous laugh at her cousin.  She turned to Amelia, "Well, I'm not THAT nervous."

The doors began to open and everyone in the entryway froze into silence.  The quiet was shortly overcome with the sound of the chatter in the Great Hall.  Once the doors had finished opening the first years made their way tentatively into the room.  The hall slowly quieted to piqued whispers as the returning students began to size up the new ones.  Teddy Lupin sat trying to catch James' eye from the Hufflepuff table but his attempts were to no avail as the mass of first years made their way to the front platform. 

The first years settled restlessly as a pause fell over the room.  Headmistress McGonagall stood and the closest thing to complete silence fell throughout the Great Hall. The headmistress walked to a three legged stool in the middle of the platform, her footsteps echoing through the hall.  In her hands she held a ragged pointed hat and a scroll. 

The hat came to life in her hands.

"Welcome," the hat began, "today is the beginning.  Yesterday is no longer here, like the phoenix it burned away and was born anew from the ashes.  We sit here today, ready to begin a new journey, a new quest, a new adventure.  Everyone of you is apart of this new day and is here for a reason.  Prepare yourselves."

McGonagall unrolled the scroll of names , once the hat was finished, and read the first name from the list.

"Amory, Donovan," she said and a short, little boy walked forward with hesitant footsteps.  He sat on the stool blinking a bit more than he really should be.  McGonagall placed the hat on him.  It almost completely swallowed his head and there was a moment of quiet. 

"Ravenclaw," the hat called resulting in a smattering of applause from the Ravenclaw table.  Donovan took off the hat with relief and quickly scurried to his new table.  Amelia watched with intent.  Lucy noticed and asked, "Do you know him?"