'Welcome to Hogwarts.' began Professor McGonagall. 'Before you take your seats in the Great hall and enjoy the start-of-term feast, you will be sorted into your houses.' The students glanced at each other nervously. 'Now, the Sorting Ceremony is very important, for your house will be your second family while you are here at Hogwarts.' She continued. 'The four houses are called Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Gryffindor. Each house has its own noble history and has produced a fair number of of outstanding witches and wizards. Your triumphs will earn your house points, but any rule-breaking will cost you points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded The House Cup. The Sorting Ceremony will begin shortly in the Great Hall in front of the rest of the school. I shall return when we are ready for you.' said Professor McGonagall. 'Please wait quietly.'
'What will we have to do?' Lily asked. 'A test?'
'I don't think so. They haven't taught us anything yet.' Replied Severus. But he was trying to remember and memorize the spells he taught himself while he was at Spinner's End. 'She said we'll be sorted in front of the whole school, Sev.' She reminded him, 'Doesn't that bother you?'
Unlike her and the rest of the students, Severus was feeling calm. He had learnt enough to help him through whatever they were going to do.
'I heard we'll have to fight a troll!' Whispered a kid next to them.
'Don't be silly, Frank, that's absurd.'A girl laughed nervously.
They were spared from waiting any longer, for Professor McGonagall returned. 'Now, form a line.' she said in a sharp voice. 'And follow me.'
The first-years formed a line, and Severus was sandwiched between Lily, who was behind him, and the boy named Frank, who was infront of him.
They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. It was lit with thousands of candles that hung in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. At the top of the Hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.
'Wow.' whispered Severus and Lily in unision. Severus felt his cheeks go red. Professor McGonagall led the first-years up to the top of the Hall, so they came to a halt facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. Severus looked upwards and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. Severus remembered reading in Hogwarts, A History that the ceiling was bewitched to look like the sky outside.
Severus looked down again and watched Professor McGonagall as she silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years. On top of the stool she placed an old pointed wizard's hat. Saying it was old is putting it mildly. The hat was patched, frayed and extremely dirty. Everyone was staring at the hat. For a few moments, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched, and suddenly got ripped near the brim. Then the hat, to Severus' amazement, started to sing.
'The Sorting Hat is who I am,
I can see who you really are, Maybe cunning, maybe brave Or smart and kind without going too far. There's nothing inside your head, The sorting hat can't see. So put me on and I'll decide, Where you ought to be. You might be in Slytherin, or Gryffindor, Or Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw So put me on, don't be afraid! There wasn't a mistake I ever made! I can see who you are from within Let the sorting now begin!'
The Hall burst into applause as the hat finished it's song. It bowed at each of the four tables, then became quite still again.
So we just have to try on the hat!' exclaimed Lily. Severus grinned. Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. 'When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted.' she said. 'Black, Bellatrix!'
A black-haired girl smirked as she stepped forward and put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down on the stool. 'SLYTHERIN!' shouted the hat instantly. The table on the right cheered loudly as Bellatrix went to sit down at the Slytherin table.
'Black, Sirius!' Severus was surprised to notice that Sirius looked quite nervous. He put on the hat then- 'GRYFFINDOR!' There was a small silence then the table on the far left clapped and cheered as Sirius joined them. 'He's the first Black to ever be sorted in Gryffindor, usually the Blacks are always in Slytherin.' Commented a boy behind Severus. 'Bones, Amelia!' was the first Hufflepuff, then Lucy Clearwater became a Ravenclaw. 'Evans, Lily!' Severus squeezed Lily's shoulder before she left hs side and walked forwards on trembling legs and sat down upon the rickety stool. Professor McGonagall dropped the sorting hat on to her head, and barely a second after the hat cried- 'GRYFFINDOR!' Severus' stomach plumetted and he let out a tiny groan. He never wanted to be in Gryffindor, but now Lily's been sorted in the house he disliked the most... He watched Lily as she took of the hat, and hurried towards the cheering Gryffindors. She glanced back at Snape, there was a small sad smile on her face. Sirius moved up the bench to make room for her. She took one look at him and folded her arms and firmly turned her back on him.
Severus barely paid attention to the rest of the sorting. The boy who thought they'd be wrestling trolls, Frank Longbottom, was sorted in Gryffindor, too, and the boy who spoke about the Black family, his name was Remus Lupin, a shabby looking boy, with dark circles under his eyes. Nevertheless, he grinned broadly as he got sorted into Gryffindor.
'Potter, James!' Severus jerked his head up to see James walk slowly to the stool, and, like Lily, the moment the hat touched his head it shouted 'GRYFFINDOR!'. At last, when only a dozen students were left to be sorted, Professor McGonagall called Severus's name. He walked to the stool and placed the hat onto his head. 'Hmmmm. You're a difficult one, aren't you?' muttered the hat. 'I can see the bravery in you, you'll sacrifice your life for the ones you love. But there aren't many loved ones. Oh yes, a thirst to prove yourself, and a particular obssession with revenge. Smart, too. Yes, yes, very difficult...' Severus didn't move a muscle. The Sorting Hat was taking more time with him than the others, apart from the Pettigrew kid.
.It took Peter Pettigrew, a short, rather weak looking boy almost 5 minutes to be finally sorted into Gryffindor.
'Slytherin!' cried the hat, hesitantly.
And Severus moved off to the other side of the hall, away from Lily, to where the Slytherins cheered loudly. A boy with white blonde hair and a Prefect badge gleaming upon his chest patted him on the shoulder as Severus sat down beside him. 'Welcome to the Slytherin house. I'm Lucius Malfoy, a prefect. I don't doubt that you've already heard of the Malfoys?' Said the prefect pompously. 'Yeah, my mum told me that you're-' 'Pure-bloods, yes. How about you? Never heard of the Snapes, before.' Asked Lucius, raising an eyebrow. 'Half-blood. My mother's a witch, she's a Prince.' Answered Severus, wanting so badly to fit in, that he almost forgot that his best friend's a muggle-born. Lucius nodded approvingly. 'Yes, my father has a friend who is a Prince.' He laughed a cold laugh. 'I almost thought that you're a mudblood.' Malfoy almost spat the word, and Severus tried his best to hide the shocked expression on his face. 'Anyway, a Slytherin can't be a muggle-born, our house doesn't accept filth like that.' Malfoy continued. Severus merely nodded. The sorting ended, and the Hat gave the hall a last bow before it got picked up by Professor McGonagall.
Severus glanced at the Gryffindor table. He spotted almost at once the red-haired girl who was looking back at him apologetically.
Then the shabby looking boy, Remus Lupin, prodded her shoulder with his finger and Lily turned to speak to him.