Professor McGonagall pulled the door wide open. The Entrance Hall was bigger than she had ever expected. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.
We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Voce could be heard through a huge door to the right but McGonagall guided them into another, smaller, empty chamber off the hall. The first years huddled together.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." McGonagall looked at a few individual students, including Ron, before leaving the first years by themselves.
"How do they sort us?" y/n heard Harry ask Ron.
"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot but I think he was joking." came Ron's clearly unhelpful reply.
Y/n leant over and whispered,
"I'm pretty sure it doesn't hurt. I heard some older kids talking about it on the train. They put an old hat on your head and it tells you which house you belong in."
"Is that it? I'll kill Fred, he was going on about a troll!"
Y/n giggled and straightened back up. Hermione was whispering to herself all the spells she knew. Y/n wracked her brain trying to remember a spell from the books. She pointed her wand at herself, praying that it would work. Y/n whispered the incantation and immediately she felt herself freshen up. Her hair flattened against her head and her posture improved from her newfound energy.
"How did you do that?" Hermione asked immediately.
"Read it somewhere," y/n shrugged.
"Can you do it on me please?"
"Sure," y/n replied and pointed her wand at her. Y/n watched as she freshened up too. Her hair went slightly less bushy and her skin seemed to glow a little bit more.
"Thanks."
"How do you two look so fresh?" Ron asked.
"Freshening charm." y/n replied.
"What? Already? How can you do magic already?" He asked, Harry listening in.
"I just read it somewhere."
"Can- can you do it on me please?"
"Sure, Ron." Y/n replied and pointed her wand at him. The dirt on his nose disappeared and he stood straighter.
"Thanks, y/n. You're the best!"
Y/n laughed and turned around just as screams rang out. The ghosts of Hogwarts were gliding through the walls into the Great Hall. They were chattering among themselves and y/n heard snippets of their conversations.
Professor McGonagall returned to the room and told the first years to form a line. They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. It was lit by thousands and thousands of floating candles which hung over four long tables where the rest of the students were sitting. The tables were laid with glittering gold and plates and goblets. At the top of the Hall was another long table where the teachers sat. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, with the teachers behind in front of them. The hundreds of faces staring at the first years looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Y/n noticed Harry look up and followed his gaze. The ceiling, bewitched to look like the night sky, looked absolutely beautiful.
YOU ARE READING
Ickle Firsties
Fanfiction- part of a series - After reading all about Harry Potter and his adventures, at the age of 14 (y/n) received her Hogwarts letter and learnt a few secrets about herself. But is it possible to get your Hogwarts letter that late? Will she be able to k...
