HIS CHOSEN GIRL
chapter five-the sorting hat
[Harry's P.O.V]
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The first thing we heard when we stepped off the train, was the familiar voice of our giant friend that we had met earlier.
"Right then, First years! This way please! C'mon now! First years, don't be shy!"
Ron, (y/n) and I join the rest of the scared looking first years and walk over to the tall man.
"'Ello, Harry, (y/n)," Hagrid greets us with a warm smile.
"Hi, Hagrid," she smiles.
"Hey, Hagrid!" I add.
"Wow," Ron says staring up at the giant.
"Alright now, first years! Follow me to the boats, c'mon now!" Hagrid yells yet again after scanning the crowd of students and making sure he hasn't forgotten any of us.
The lot follows after Hagrid not paying much attention as to where we're going, most of us looking around trying to take in everything.
We finally get to a large black lake with several small boats lined up symmetrically. Ron and I jump in and when I turn to make sure (y/n) gets in okay, I see her standing before the boat hesitantly.
"Come on then," I say hopefully encouraging her.
"Yeah, right I just.. uh.. you know, I've never been in one of these, I've never even been swimming," she replies her eyes not leaving the dark water.
I smile at her and stretch out my arm connecting our hands. "I wont let you fall."
She smiles thankfully at me and steps down into the boat and smiles relieved. "Thanks, Harry."
"What are friends for?" I reply smiling.
"Friends, yeah right," Ron whispers to me mischievously to which I shove him lightly.
The young students talk animatedly together as we look around at the scenery circling us. The peaceful water and calming sound as the boats effortlessly glided over it, the light fog that rested just above the water which made everything look as if it were floating on cloud, the large rocks and mountains on every side of you which made the area look like it were right off of a post card, but the most breathtaking of all, was the castle.
The castle was ginormous no doubt. In fact, it was so huge that there was no way it could be standing on its own without some type of magical aid. There were a jumble of towers within the whole building and although it was hard to see due to the depths of the night, it was nevertheless the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It seemed as if there were one million windows all of which emitting a bright welcoming light and I decided it wouldn't be too hard to call this place my home.
The three of us stayed with mouths agape the closer we got to the castle. And while it was quite clear that all three of us wanted to say something, something in admiration, something in shock, anytime any of us tried all that was able to come out was, "Wow."
The inside of the castle was even more extraordinary then the outside and while all I want to do is explore everything, I follow my year up one of the several staircases to be greeted by an old, sophisticated looking woman.
"Welcome to Hogwarts!" She says loudly, so that the lot of us can hear her over our excited chatter. "In a few moments you will pass these doors and join your classmates... But before you take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. Now, there are four houses; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While you are here, your house will be like your families. Your accomplishments will earn you points however any rule breaking will lose you points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be rewarded house cup-,"
"Trevor!" yells a boy pushing past a few people to retrieve his toad settling down nicely by the woman's foot.
She glares down at him and he cowards away slowly muttering a small, "Sorry," and joining his now thoroughly amused classmates.
The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily," she finishes the short speech that she has presumably perfected after years of saying the same thing. She then turns away and walks through the large doors behind her.
"So it's true then,"
I turn around to see where the loud voice has came from and am greeted with a small blonde boy. "What they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts."
The remaining first years instantaneously whisper amounts themselves, something I've already grown rather uncomfortable to and I look at the boy awkwardly, not knowing how to respond.
"This is Crabbe and Goyle," he continues pointing to two larger boys on either side of him. "And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."
Ron snickers from behind me and the small blonde whips his head around to face him and eyes him maliciously.
"Think my names funny, do you? No need to ask yours. Red hair and a hand-me-down robe, you must be a Weasley," he rages spitting the name 'Weasley' out like it's poison and shakes his head with disgust before turning back to me. "You'll soon discover that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. No need to be making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."
He sticks his hand out to me waiting for me to shake it but all I can think about is how he glared at Ron when he said 'the wrong sort.' and that made me mad. "I think I can tell the wrong sort on my own thanks,"
His smirk vanishes and is instantly replaced with a hate filled scowl as he lowers his outstretched hand. The room immediately fills with tension and awkward silence each student waiting for someone to fire the next shot.
Luckily for everyone, McGonagall returns to our group and orders us to form a line as she proceeds to lead us into the awaiting room behind the two large oak doors.
The older students stare at as as we walk through the dining hall. I notice that the older the students are the less they seem to care. Apart from the hundreds of students, the hall is just a fascinating as everything else.
What stuck out to me the most though, was the castle's roof. It shone and sparkled and looked like the night sky except more beautiful. I hear Hermione behind me telling someone that it isn't the real sky and that it is just bewitched but I chose to ignore that.
After we finally get to the end of the hall, we watch as the old woman stands beside a wooden stool with a ratty, worn out hat rested atop it. Behind the stool is a long table and I recognize a few familiar faces before assuming that only the professors seat at the special table.
"Now before we start the ceremony Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words," says the lady.
Everyone in the hall turns their attention to an old man who stands up at the head of the long professors table.
He has on long robes with long white hair and beard. He has half moon shaped glasses and behind, eyes laced with happiness. He smiles a warm smile and stands up from the table before clearing his throat and beginning his speech.
"I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce. The first years please note that the dark forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker Mr. Filch..." He gestures to a man leaning against the doors to the great hall who glares around with the disgust at all the students who turned their attention to him. "...Would like me to remind you that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to anyone who does not wish to die a most painful death," he continues speaking ever so calmly despite how he had just sent out a death threat.
Death threat? Did he just say a death threat? Why is no one else acting like this isn't normal?
"Thank you," says professor Dumbledore as he returns to his seat at the long table before turning towards us first years awaiting the sorting.
I stop looking at him when I hear someone else talking. I look towards the front again and watch the ratty hat begin its speech.
Wait just one second, now the HAT is speaking?
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffis are true And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands, though I have none,
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
Every student and professor in the hall begins clapping and cheering ecstatically for the talking hat so I join in, clapping along with the school despite being only slightly concerned.
"Now when I call your name you will come forth, I will put the sorting hat onto your head and you will be sorted into your houses." She says looking down at a long scroll of paper and clearing her throat, she reads the first name.
"Abbott, Hannah!"
A small blonde first year slowly and shyly pushes her way through the group and sits down onto the old stool. Once the professor places the hat on her head, it remains silent for a few moments as if it were thinking deeply about what house to put it in. After a while of thinking, the hat finally yells out, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
One of the four long tables behind us start cheering politely and Hannah jumps of the stool with a smile on her face as she walks over to the erupting table and takes a seat next to her new house.
After a few more people of whom I admittedly don't pay attention to finish getting sorted, the professor calls Hermione to step up to the stool. And as Hermione does so, she whispers to herself, trying to calm her nerves I suppose.
"Mental," Ron whispers about the girl quietly arguing with herself.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the sorting hat yells after a moments consideration.
The Gryffindor table cheers, as it had done a few times before whilst Ron groans from beside me. Ron, having several other Gryffindor siblings had himself fairly convinced that he too, would be placed into the house of red and gold.
"Malfoy, Draco," the old woman says unenthusiastically as she drags her finger down the list.
The blonde Malfoy kid walks up to the stool, gulps quite visibly and without a moments hesitation, gets placed in Slytherin to which replaces his fearful look with a satisfied smirk.
Ron shakes his head frustratedly from beside me. (y/n) and I look at him expectedly for an explanation and when he notices us staring, he obliges.
"Not a witch or wizard from Slytherin who didn't go bad."
I suddenly feel my hands become rather damp and find myself wiping them on the sides of my robes several times per minute. I take multiple deep breaths in hopes of calming down but the sudden pressure of not being with my new found friend, Ron, in the much talked about Gryffindor and instead being placed with Draco Malfoy in Slytherin, where no witch or wizard has gone without being turned bad, has made it feel hard to breath.
"Potter, Harry."
I try my best to ignore the sudden burst of excitement in the crowd as I cautiously make my way to the stool.
"Difficult, very difficult. You have courage I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, yes, and a thirst to prove yoursel, that's interesting. So where shall I put you?" I hear the voice in my ears and assume the characteristic voice is that of the sorting hat.
Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.
I silently beg as the hat continues on.
"Not Slytherin?" Asks the hat reading my mind and getting a good fright out of me as well. "Are you sure? You could be great you know, ah very well, if not Slytherin better be GRYFFINDOR!" The hat yells the last part and I earn a standing ovation from the Gryffindor table as well as some disappointed groans from the other houses.
I smile but try to keep my head down as I walk towards the table, not being used to the immense amount of attention yet. Heck, where I came from, I was hardly ever given the time of day. As I arrive at the table, many of the older students reach out of shake my head, the majority of them being redheads. Once I sit down, I turn my attention yet again, back to the first years.
I watch as Ron gets sorted holding my breath until the hat cries out, "Another Weasley?" and sorts Ron into Gryffindor.
Shortly after Ron gets sorted, (y/n) steps up and I feel all new kinds of nervous. The hat opens its mouth after about only a second of being on (y/n)'s head.
"Has to be... SLYTH..."
My heart drops when I hear the beginning of the word 'Slytherin' the house that, from what I gather, am supposed to hate. The hat then quickly coughs and clears it's throat.
"Pardon me, GRYFFINDOR!"
I jump up and clap wildly, the craziest out of all my housemates and catch Percy, Ron's oldest sibling looking at the smiling girl curiously.
"The hat never hesitates," he explains as he catches me looking at him.
I nod thinking nothing of it as I watch the perky girl sit down next to me and greets the other first years and a few of older years, again most specifically, Ron's siblings.
"That thing had me convinced you'd be one of them," I say nodding my head in the direction of the Slytherin table.
"Me too!" She replies. "I practically begged the damn hat not to put me in there," she laughs.
Her laugh filled the giant hall and even made a few other students stop and smile at the melodic sound some even laughing just because her laugh was so contagious, at least that's what happened in my eyes.
"I begged the hat too," I say quickly realizing I had been silent for about a minute now. "I thought I'd be over at that table as well."
"Well, I guess we're pretty convincing then," she lifts her drinking goblet and gestures to me to lift mine. "To us," she points to the Slytherin table. "Thank whatever and whoever let us dodge that bullet."
Our glasses clink as we give a quick cheers and chug down the rest of our beverage.
And as I sit there, with my few new friends, I do thank whatever or whoever sent me here, I thank my parents now matter how stupid it may seem and I thank whatever I did to convince the hat to put me into Gryffindor. I smile as I watch Ron and (y/n) playfully arguing about random muggle items and wizard items and I think to myself,
That this is going to be an incredible year.
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