We reached the other side of the lake in a tiny little shack, where a small man was waiting. He waved his wand and the boat we were in hung itself up on a type of rack. Zane and I climbed several stairs before we finally got to the top and walked through the massive doors of the entrance to Hogwarts. We followed the other students up a few more stairs where a tall bald man with a long gray go tea was waiting.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." He said, "My name is Professor Vane. You are about to enter the great hall through these doors, but before you can take your seats, you have to be sorted into your houses. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. Here's another heads up for you. While you're here, your house will be like your family. Your victories will earn you points, but any rule breaking, and you will lose points. The house cup is given to the house with the most points at the end of the year. Are there any questions?" No one said anything or raised their hand. "Okay, follow me."
Professor Vane turned around and led us through another set of big doors. The first thing I noticed was the tables. There were four, and we were walking between the middle two. Then it made a little bit more sense. Four houses, four tables. I had also noticed that there were witches and wizards older than me or even Jazz. Then I noticed the ceiling, which seemed to fade into a blueish black night sky, and just between the ceiling and the tables, were floating candles. Looking all around there was fire all over to keep the place lit.
"Did anyone ever hear of a lightbulb?" I joked.
"It can't happen. There's too much magic in the air. It would burn them out too easy." Said a voice behind me. I turned around and noticed a very short girl, who I towered above.
"I'll have to remember that." I said.
"Why? Forget your cell phone?" Said the girl.
It was obvious; this girl was going to be a bit of a nag, so I kept my mouth shut.
When we reached the end of the long tables, Professor Vane told us to wait along the front.
"Before we begin, Professor McGonagall would like to say something." Said Professor Vane.
Professor McGonagall, the headmistress, stood up and said "Welcome first years. I would like to remind you that the forbidden forest is strictly forbidden to all students, unless accompanied by a teacher, and that magic is strictly forbidden in corridors. Thank you."
"One more person who has to say something." Said Professor Vane. He unwrapped a hat from a string that was holding it together, and set it on the stool.
It happened so instantly, that a few students, including Zane and I, took a few steps back, gasping. Out of the blue, it began to sing.
"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 Hufflepuffs are true,
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
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!
"That was cheerful." Said Zane.
"Totally." I replied.
"When I call your name, come up and I'll put the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted." Said Professor Vane, who was holding a piece of paper with names. "Brandis, Joseph."
A boy with short black hair walked up and sat on the stool. When the Sorting Hat was placed on his head, there was a few seconds of silence, and it yelled "RAVENCLAW!"
There were cheers and applause from the Ravenclaw table. The Hogwarts crest on Josephs left side flew off and popped like a small firecracker, sending blue sparks all over. What replaced it now was a blue Ravenclaw house emblem with a raven. Joseph hopped off the stool and made his way over to the table to our left.
"Hansen, Jamie!" Called Professor Vane.
The small girl behind me pushed me and Zane out of the way and made her way up the steps to the stool. The sorting hat had barely touched her head when it called out "SLYTHERIN!"
Like Josephs, the Hogwarts crest flew off her robe, popped, but this time sent out green sparks. The Slytherin emblem appeared, and she walked to the far left table beside Jazz.
"Hare, Vincent!" Called Professor Vane and I stepped up to the stool. The brick in my stomach had returned. Would I have friends?
The Sorting Hat was placed on my head, and the hat whispered into my ear, "Looking for friends? I know just the place. HUFFLEPUFF!"
The Hogwarts emblem shot from my robe, and yellow sparks flew everywhere. There was now a yellow patch with a badger with a silver ribbon at the bottom that said "Hufflepuff". I hopped down off the stool and made my way over to the Hufflepuff table on the right side of the students. The brick in my stomach lifted when I was greeted with handshakes and applause as I approached an empty space, but it didn't last too long. There were other students that I had to shake hands with when they were sorted. Two other girls were sorted into our house. Karley and a girl called Winter. Karley sat across from me and Winter sat next to me.
"McAlary, Zane!" Called Professor Vane.
Zane approached the stool and I crossed my fingers under the table.
"RAVENCLAW!" Shouted the Sorting Hat.
My heart sank. I wished he was in my house so I wouldn't have to feel alone, but someone took notice.
"Met him on the train, did you?" Said an older boy.
"Yeah. How did you know?" I asked.
"I see the disappointment in your eyes." He said. "Happened to me my first year. Don't worry. There's good news both ways. On one hand, you'll make friends with people in your own house, you might have a few classes with him, and lunch time allows all houses to sit together. Breakfast and dinner, however, we do have to sit with our own houses."
That relieved me. "I'm Vince."
"Viktor Abbot. Named after the famous quidditch player. Ever heard of Viktor Krum?" He asked.
"I'm still new to all this." I replied, "Haven't learned a whole lot. My mum didn't tell me about Hogwarts until I got my letter, much less anything about Hogwarts."
"What do you think?"
"It's beautiful, I'll tell you that much."
"Wait until you see it during the day." Said Viktor. "It's dark out. You only saw half of the castle."
I nodded in agreement. A little while later, after everyone had been sorted, Professor Vane tapped a glass goblet and said "Attention students! Are you all hungry?"
Everyone, including me, let out a loud "Yes!"
Then Professor McGonagall stood up and said "Then let the feast begin!"
The empty platters in front of us magically filled up with enough food to feed three dragons. I didn't know much about them, but I'm sure that judging by their size and appetite, I'm sure it would feed at least a few.
I grabbed a few chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, corn, some gravy, and a roll. I cleaned my plate, and by the time the food was replaced with dessert, I was already full. However, you know what they say: there's always room for Jell-O. When I finished a few cubes of Jell-O, I decided to help myself to some chocolate cake, and a few peanut butter balls drizzled with chocolate.
The girl called Winter looked at me and said "You got something..." She grabbed a napkin and wiped the side of my mouth, and without another word she continued eating.
If I ate another bite, I was going to be sick, so I stopped there and realized that I was exhausted.
A few minutes later, Professor McGonagall stood up and said "Before you all head to bed, I'd like to make a few more announcements. Times have changed since the battle of Hogwarts all those years ago, so to the first years, your parents may have told you how we do things here, but since times have changed, we would like to let you know the difference. The staff and I agree that it is best to give students a week free of classes at the start of term, especially for the first years. Hogwarts is a very large place, and we do not expect students to arrive to class on time, more so if you don't know these castles corridors. This will also give you time to interact with other students, not just in your house, but other houses as well. Tomorrow, I encourage you all to find some classrooms, meet your teachers, memorize where you need to be at what hour, and make new friends. I've looked out in the great hall a few times, and I see that some of you are exhausted, so it is now time for bed. Prefects, lead your houses to your dormitories."
"First years follow me, please!" Yelled out another student from down the table. We went down a staircase and past the kitchens where I saw a small looking creature that looked like an elf.
"What was that?" I asked aloud.
"Those are house elves." A Hufflepuff girl said. I didn't really catch her name or what she looked like. She was behind me and I didn't want to lose track of the group. "They work down in the kitchens, preparing our food."
We turned a few more corners and we were lead to a set of barrels. The prefect tapped his wand on a certain barrel a few times, slightly rhythmic, and the barrel opened. Students started crawling through, and I followed suit and entered a round and very cozy looking room with low ceilings and circular windows that I couldn't see out of because it was dark outside. Even though it was dark, it seemed sunny. Maybe it was because of the copper furnishings and overstuffed yellow and black sofas and chairs. Plants were all over, too. They hung from the ceiling or sat on windowsills.
"My name is Gabriel Truman." Said the older student. "Welcome to the Hufflepuff common room. If you'd like to know more about Hufflepuff and the common room, come and see me. The entrance to the common room, I'll tell you how I did it. As you saw, the entrance is concealed in a stack of large barrels in a nook on the right hand side of the kitchen corridor. Tap the barrel two from the bottom, middle of the second row, in the rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff' and the lid will swing open. We are the only house at Hogwarts that also has a repelling device for would-be intruders. If the wrong lid is tapped, or the rhythm of the tapping is wrong, the illegal entrant is doused in vinegar. Are there any questions?"
"Yes." I said. "Which way do we go to sleep? I mean...do boys and girls sleep in the same room?"
"Of course, not." Said Gabriel. "However, that's a good question. First years, dormitories are reached through round doors in the walls of the common room. On your right, is the boys dormitory, girls, same to you on the left side. Your belongings, you will find have been placed beside a bed for you, along with your sets of work clothes. Any other questions?" No one made a sound or raised their hand. "Alright then. Off to bed."
"Thank Merlin." Said one of the boys.
I walked into the dormitory, and found my trunk with my initials, and on top, a set of yellow and black gloves, the three sets of robes Mum got me, and my wand still in the Ollivanders box. I took one more look around and noticed the copper lamps that cast a warm light over the four poster beds, all of which were covered in patchwork quilts, and copper bed warmers hung on the walls, should anyone have gotten cold feet.
In fact...I had cold feet, but not the kind of cold feet that a bed warmer would help, and it wasn't the kind of cold feet you get before you get married. Don't get me wrong, Hogwarts was great, but I was feeling a bit homesick. It was then that it hit me; I was going to be here for a few months before I got to go home for Christmas, and if I was going to be here for seven years, I was going to be an adult when I graduated from Hogwarts. Would Mum and Dad still let me stay a little while? What if I screwed up badly and got expelled? I didn't cry, but I was starting to miss Mum and Dad.
However, I didn't let it get to me. I knew I was going to be fine. I slipped on some pajamas, climbed into the four poster bed, and fell into a deep sleep.