Chapter 4.
The Sorting Ceremony
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The train gracefully slowed down, eventually coming to a halt. I pushed our into the full corridor along with Dan, Phil and Sophie. Everyone was dressed completely in their black cloaks which flowed effortlessly on us. A prefects hand pushed open the door, holding it open for the others as we all left The Hogwarts Express.
I stepped out, immediately thankful for the fresh air that I hadn't been able to take in since this morning. Night had fallen once we reached the village knows as Hogsmeade, although the place was lit up by dim streetlights. The steam from the train flew up gracefully into the sky twirling around above us.
"Come on now first years this way, hurry up, don't be shy," I took noticed to the large, and I mean very large, man stood in front of us.
He grasped onto a glass lantern as we all started up at him in awe. He was gigantic.
We were quickly lead to a large lake, with many boats tied up to the docks. The cold made me shiver slightly, sending a tingle throughout me but I quickly ignored it and carried on walking. We were ordered to board the boat and follow the huge man, who quickly introduced himself as Hagrid, to the castle across from the lake. I stumbled into a boat along with my new group of friends and sailed just behind Hagrid. We all gazed up at our new home in front of us, Hogwarts. The large castle sat on some rocky cliffs as it stood out in the night with the bright yellow lights bursting out through the windows.
As first years, we were ordered to follow a group of prefects who led us into the castle and up the stoney, neatly decorated stairs. My legs began to grow tired as Dan complained about the amount of stairs we were tackling. Just as he was about to give up, we reached the top of a staircase where a tall women stood in front of us.
A fluffy green robe draped over her as a black pointy hat topped her head, two colourful feathers sticking out of it.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, in a few moments you will pass through these doors and join a few classmates but before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. There are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Now while your here, your houses will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points, and rule breaking will lose you points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup." The old women was suddenly cut off by a short, plump looking boy.
"Trevor!" He beamed, sticking his arms out to grab his toad who sat awkwardly at the women's feet.
The crowd of first years let out small chuckles as he apologised. She dismissed the problem by shaking her head, a slight unimpressed look covering her wrinkly face.
"The Sorting Ceremony will bring momentarily. I'm Mrs McGonagall." The women stated, focusing her gaze back on the crowd.
Mrs McGonagall soon left, chatting quickly to Hagrid. Our year began all talking to one another, my eyes automatically followed over to Draco, but as I saw his cold gaze on me, I immediately looked away.
"We're waiting for you now, follow me." Mrs McGonagall ordered after an older student informed her that they were waiting.
We all filed into rows of twos. I walked next to Sophie with Dan and Phil following closely behind. The women pushed the huge, satisfyingly decorated doors with ease, leading us all through them.
We entered a great hall, filled with four long tables that reached one end of the hall to the other. Students, dressed in full black with their house coloured ties and pointy black hats, sat impatiently around them, eager to meet their new housemates. At the front of the hall, anther table where all the teachers were neatly placed was exposed. I quickly caught eye contact with my dad as we walked up, he sent me a small, almost unnoticeable wink and a smile when I grinned at him.
I glanced up above me, only to find that the rood had been transformed into a beautiful scene of the night sky with floating candles dotted around it.
We reached the front of the hall. The cluster of first years, me included, stood directly in front of the teachers table.
"Can you wait along here please," Mrs McGonagall mumbled, a strict but friendly smile lining her lips.
She didn't really have to ask, as we were already patiently, but nervously waiting.
"Now before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words." She stated, the hall listening quietly.
A large man, with a bristly, snow white, beard stood up from the table. His red robe flowed along him as he scanned the room, glasses dropping down his nose. I noticed that he had a golden cup sat in front of him, while the rest of the teachers had strictly silver, this was the first hint that he was royalty in these lands.
"I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce." He began, clasping his hands together as he spoke.
"The first years, please note that the dark forest is strictly forbidden to all students." He finished his list of rules.
Just the name 'The Dark Forest' intrigued me. It shouldn't, but how could I not be interested when he made it sound so dangerous and menacing.
Our heads snapped back towards Mrs McGonagall as she began speaking.
"When I call your name, you shall come forth, I shall place the Sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses." She spoke clearing her throat.
She pulled out a large, ripped scroll and began reading through the list of numerous names.
"Sophie Barlow." She ordered after a couple of names.
Sophie tensed up next to me, but she quickly exhaled and forced herself to calmly sit on the stool.
"Hmmm, oh... hmm. You seem to be easily fit into all houses which is very unusual... but I'd say the one for you is... Slytherin!" The hat yelled, finally deciding.
A table on the right, the Slytherins table all stood up, cheering and whistling as Sophie grinned excitedly. She skipped over to the table and flopped down, being greeted by the older students immediately.
"Draco Malfoy!" Mrs McGonagall ordered.
He snickered slightly, as if this whole thing was pointless. It wasn't. He sat down, the hat didn't even have to be fully placed on his head before it yelled.
"Slytherin!" It confirmed, again the table went up in cheers.
It seemed that every table would clap for each other, but Slytherin. They would only cheer for themselves.
After a couple of names, I was left with only a handful of students.
"Primrose Snape!" She called.
The room fell silent as I inhaled, stepping up slowly feeling the eyes of each individual pupil on me. They were all staring just because they knew my dad.
I sat down quickly, the hat softly covering my head as she placed it on.
"Hmmm, another rare situation. Like the young girl from earlier, you fit into each and every house. As brave as a Gryffindor, as loyal as a Hufflepuff, as creative as a Ravenclaw. However, determination, ambition and cleverness are your strongest traits. Slytherin it is!" The hat finally finished.
I let out a sigh of relief, a grin covering my face as the table stood up, cheering for me. Dad also stood up clapping and smiling like a proud idiot. I prowled over to my table and watched them all congratulate me. All of them but Draco. Who was just watching me, leaning on his desk with curiosity filling his silver orbs of eyes.
I sat down, immediately knowing that this was my house and this was where I fitted best.
Once the Sorting Ceremony had finished, Mrs McGonagall began tapping her glass with her silver spoon.
"Your attention please!" She ordered as the chatter died down, she nudged her head towards Dumbeldore as we awaited his words.
"Let the feast begin!" Dumbledore exclaimed, suddenly portions of food covered the tables, making everyone grab greedily at the different flavours laid out.
I glanced over at my dad, he smiled at me as we caught eye contact. Our eye contact was shortly cut off by the chatter of excited students and gasps that filled the room. I flipped my head towards where everyone was looking. Four ghosts floated in towards the room, they soared over us all greeting the students. The ghost that was haunting our table, The Bloody Baron, seemed different compared to the other ghosts. He wasn't there to impress, instead he chatted comfortably with a couple students but refused to come in contact with any first years.
"Don't worry, he doesn't speak to anyone under the year of third year, don't take it personally." I looked up finding Gemma smiling encouragingly.
I nodded, as I watched him float around the hall, absent minded.
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The feast had just ended as we all began stepping up and trudging towards the entrance to the hall. We were all stuffed from the immense amount of food we had consumed. The first years were all instructed to follow two prefects from their house. Ours being Gemma and a short, stubby boy called Charles. We followed up the stairs in a group, all staring in amazement as the stairs moved away from each other, and then linked back together again.
The place was incredible.
"Slytherin's, this way," Gemma ordered as we parted from the Hufflepuffs.
We made our way down a long, dark, gloomy dungeon corridor. Gemma and Charles held their wands up, a light beaming out of it to guide the way as the darkness outside seeped into the building. My eyes caught a small white sign on a door with a familiar name laced on it.
'Professor Snape's Office'
A smile etched onto my lips as I saw it.
"Right this is it." Charles stated as he faced a stone wall.
Confused expressions awaited on or faces as we waited patiently for him.
"Pure-blood." He stated, immediately the wall opened.
A couple gasps of amazement escaped some first years mouths as we all eagerly trotted inside to the Slytherin common room.
"Right. Pure-blood is the password. This is the common room. Boys dormitories upstairs to your left, girls same on your right. All your shite is already upstairs." He grumbled, a scowl covering his face.
With that, he quickly stormed off, as well as Gemma, leaving us all staring in awe at the Common room.
There was a large portrait of a Serpent above a neatly laid fireplace. Dim, green lights hung from chains above us, making the room glow with a powerful vibrant green colour. Seats and sofas with green cushions were dotted around the room. The place seemed to have everyone mesmerised.
Slowly, we all drifted off into our dormitories. A group of boys, including Draco, stayed down and played some sort of dangerous game. If I wasn't as exhausted as I was now, I may have joined in an attempt to befriend my fellow housemates, but I was bone-tired and ready for bed.
I stumbled into the girls dormitories of our year with Sophie by my side. A couple of other girls dotted around the room, some already fast asleep, tucked in neatly underneath their green duvets. Others sat whispering to each other as they made new friendships and bonds.
"I'm exhausted," Sophie groaned flopping down onto the nearest bed, which had her stuff placed tidily at the end.
"Me too," I agreed sinking down onto my own one next to hers.
"Night Primrose," she yawned as her eyes latched shut immediately.
"Night Soph," I whispered before falling into a deep sleep myself.
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This was the last chapter of her being in first year:) so it's gonna skip a couple of years now, so if anyone confused by the sudden change then yknow you should ready authors notes next time;) jksjks x