The Grand oak door swung open at once. There stood Minerva McGonagall or as Rebecca called her mom. "The firs' years, Professor McGonagall" said Hagrid "so this is your mother?" Harry leaned in and asked "yep" "thank you Hagrid I shall take them from here." She pulled the doors open and we followed behind her. Rebecca running up to talk to her mother, grabbing her hand as she reached her, she could hear people commenting as she did so.
They were led into a small, empty chamber, up the stairs and off the hall. "Welcome to Hogwarts," McGonagall began "The start of term feast 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 your family. You will sleep in your house dormitory, have classes with your house and spend your free time in your house common room. The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has it's own noble history and each have produced outstanding witches and wizards. While at Hogwarts your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule breaking will loose points. At the end of the year the house with the most points is awarded the house cup. The sorting wil begin momentarily, in front of the school. I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." and with that she turned and left.
Rebecca turned and looked around, everyone looked terrified. "How do they sort us?" asked Harry looking quite nervous himself "Some type of test, I believe Fred said it hurts but I think he was joking." Ron said "He was, don't worry all you have to do is sit there. I promise" Rebecca said patting Harry's shoulder. "you know there's really nothing to wor-" but she didn't get to finish because just then two ghost floated through the wall engaged in a conversation.
"Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance --" said a little fat monk Rebecca new to be the Fat friar, ghost of Hufflepuff. "My dear friar, haven't we given him all the chances he deserves? Peeves gives all of us a bad name and you know, he's not really a ghost-- I say what are all of you doing in here?" the ghost named Nickolas asked now addressing us, but no one answered him. "The new first years, waiting to be sorted, I presume." said the Fat friar smiling at us. "hope to see ya in Hufflepuff, my old house" "Move along now" said a familiar voice, McGonagall had returned. "The sorting is about to start, now into a line" she said as the ghost floated back out of the room. "Follow me" she said leading us out of the room.
Rebecca couldn't believe it, she was about to be sorted. She was so nervous but of course she was she had been waiting for this her whole life. What if she wasn't In Gryffindor, what if she wasn't any good at her classes, rubbish Rebecca you have been studying since you could read, you've practiced and successfully cast every spell you have come upon in your books. You are your mothers daughter, you will do great. They had walked through the great oak doors of the Great Hall and immediately every eye was on the first years. Rebecca looked around and in this moment she did not see the place where she ate breakfast everyday, she did not see her home. No in this moment this place was foreign to her, even the faces where unrecognizable that was until she looked up at the staff table and locked as with Albus Dumbledore, and he winked at her and gave her the biggest smile ever and all her fears seamed to melt away.
She looked up at the hat sitting on the stool her mother had just placed down when the rip in it opened and 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 then 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, There daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindor's apart; You might belong in Hufflepuff, Where they are just and loyal, Those patient Hufflepuff's are true And not afraid 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!" "He comes up with a different one every year" Rebecca whispered to Ron and Harry as everyone in the Hall applauded. "So were just trying on a hat, i'll kill Fred he said we had to wrestling a troll."
"When I call your name, you will come forth sit down and put the hat on your head to be sorted" McGonagall said "Abbott, Hannah!" A pink-faced girl with blond pigtails stumbled out of the line, sat down and put the hat on. There was silence, then "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat. The table on the right cheered as the girl joined them. "Bones, Susan!" the girl approached the hat. "HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted as she went and sat next to Hannah. "Boot, Terry!" "RAVENCLAW!" the table second from the left clapped as the boy joined them. I AM GOING TO SKIP SOME OF THE NAMES BECAUSE THERE ARE TO MANY FOR MY LIKEING SO IF YOU WANT ALL THE NAMES READ THE BOOKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
"Granger, Hermoine!" Hermione (who had grabbed Rebecca's shoulder when her name was called) ran forward and jammed the hat onto her head "GRYFFINDOR!!!!" yelled the hat as Ron groaned. "Malfoy, Draco!" Rebecca rolled her eyes as Malfoy swaggered up to the stool "SLYTHERIN!" the hat screamed as it barely touched his head. "McGonagall, Rebecca!" she froze, this was the moment she had been waiting for since ever. Looking at her mom and she nodded encouraging her forward. She took a deep breath and stepped forward, she sat her mom patting her on the back as she put the hat on. "I never thought id see the day another Du-McGonagall." the hat begone "hm a wise mind, full of bravery. I think-" "GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled as the biggest smile appeared on Rebecca's face. She wasn't the only one with a smile as she ran towards the Gryffindor table, Fred and George where yelling "WE GOT THE PRINCESS OF HOGWARTS, THE MINI McGONAGALL." Fred pulled her into a hug and when they pulled apart she hugged George and then Hermione. She sat down between Fred and Hermione and looked up at the table, smiling back at her was Albus Dumbledore, she smiled back then was brought back by her mothers voice. A couple more people where called before . "Potter, Harry" people whispered all around the hall say stuff like "Potter did they say?" and "The Harry Potter". Harry sat down and the hat fell over his eyes. Silence was all that was herd and then "GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled and the Gryffindor's went wiled, Rebecca smiling as she chanted "WE GOT POTTER!" with Fred and George. As Harry approached Percy got up to shake his hand then he sat down.
Two more people where called and then it was Ron's turn. he sat down, looking very nervous. they waited for a short while until the hat yelled. "GRYFFINDOR!" we all clapped as he came and sat down next to Harry. "Well done Ron, excellent" said Percy as McGonagall finished up.
They were all chatting, Rebecca with Fred, George and Hermione. When Dumbledore stood up and all was silent. "Welcome," he began "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" He sat back down as Everybody clapped and cheered, Rebecca being the loudest. "Is he a bit mad?" Harry asked Percy. "Mad?, He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! but he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes Harry?" he said offering Harry some as Rebecca began to speak "Nonsense!" she began getting their attention "My Godfather is not mad, just a bit silly" "Godfather,?" asked Harry "you didn't say he was you godfather" "I didn't? well now you know." she said piling food onto her plate. "My mom is his best friend," she continued more students now listening. "He used to be her teacher," "what did he teach" a boy asked "Transfiguration, she was his favorite student, best in the class. Then she got a gob here and she was going through hard times and he helped her and now well they're best friends have been for years" She finished.
"That does look good" said Nick sadly watching as we ate. "Can't you --?" "I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," Nick began interrupting Harry. "I don't need to, of course but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nickolas de Mimsy Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor tower." "I know who you are!" Ron suddenly said. "My brothers told me about you, your Nearly Headless Nick!" "Ron!" Rebecca scolded "I would prefer you to call me Sir Nickolas de Mimsy --" Nick began stiffly but was interrupted by the boy called Seamus Finnigan. "Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?" Nick looked miffed, for their chat wasn't going as planed. "Like this," he said seizing his left ear and pulling it. His head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder. Rebecca having seen him do this countless times was the only one without a stunned look on her face. Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed and said "So new Gryffindor! I hope your going to help us win the house cup this year? Gryffindor's have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have gotten the cup six years in a row!" "Don't worry we won't let them win again" Rebecca said looking up at him. "Good cause the Bloody Baron's Becoming almost unbearable, he's the Slytherin ghost." There was a moment of silence as everyone turned towards the Slytherin table. "How did he get covered in blood?" Seamus asked. "I've never asked" said Nick. "He killed himself" Rebecca said, everyone turned to her stunned "What!?" asked almost everyone at the same time "He killed himself after he killed the gray Lady. he was so grief stricken." "He killed the gray Lady?" asked Seamus "But way?" asked Hermione "Long story short he was sent to get her but she didn't want to go and he got frustrated and killed her." after she finished everyone was quiet for a while until Fred and George made a joke to lighten the mood everyone began talking again.
When everyone had finished eating the plates cleared and the desserts appeared. Rebecca piled chocolate and strawberry ice cream on her plate along with real strawberries and chocolate eclairs. She began to eat as she listened to what Seamus was saying. "I'm half and half, Me dads a muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. bit of a nasty shock for him." they began to laugh. Rebecca was having the time of her life, she looked around. These people were going to be her friends her family.
"What about you Neville?" Ron asked. "well my gran brought me up and she's a witch, but the whole thought that I was all muggle for ages. My Great uncle Algie Kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me, he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I neatly drowned but nothing happened until I was eight. Great uncle Algie came round for dinner and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by my ankle's when Great auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidently let go. But I bounced, all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased. Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here, they thought I might not be magic enough to come you see. Great uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad." They all talk about their family's more as they ate their dessert, until they had finished and it disappeared.
Dumbledore stood again and the hall went silent. "Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start of term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils, and a few of the older students would do well to remember that as well." His eyes flashed in the direction of Fred and George making Rebecca laugh at them. "Hey you came with us" Fred whispered to Rebecca. "I have also been asked by our caretaker Mr. Filch, to remind you all that no magic should be between classes in the corridors." Dumbledore continued. "Quidditch trial's will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death. And now before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Cried Dumbledore as he took out his wand and gave it a little flick, a golden ribbon flew out of it which rose high above the tables and twisted itself into words. "Everyone pick their favorite tune and off we go!" and the school began to sing: Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, Teach us something please, Whether we be old and bald Or young with scabby knees, Our heads could do with filling With some interesting stuff, For now they're bare and full of air, Dead flies and bits of fluff, So teach us things wort knowing, Bring back what we've forgot, Just do your best, we'll do the rest, And learn until our brains all rot. Everyone finished the song at different times. At last only Rebecca along with Fred and George were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand. They finished and began to clap along with everyone else, a huge smile on Rebecca's face. She loved that song she use to go around Hogwarts singing it driving everyone except Dumbledore crazy.
"Ah music," Dumbledore said wiping his eyes. "a magic beyond all we do here! and now bedtime. Off you trot!"
The Gryffindor first years followed Percy, Rebecca talking to Ron and Harry as they went encountering Peeves on the way. "Here we are." said Percy as we approached then end of the corridors, were the portrait of the Fat Lady was. "Password?" she said. "Caput Draconis" Percy said and the portrait swung open. We all entered the homey common room of the Gryffindor's.
After Percy told them were they slept Rebecca approached Hermione. "so what do you think?" she asked as they walked up the stairs to the girls dormitory. "It's rather nice and I can't wait until we start our classes" "Well then we better get to sleep so tomorrow" Hermione opened the door and we entered along with three other girls named Parvati, Lavender and another girl that Rebecca didn't know the name of. Rebecca walked to her bed to find that her mother and Dumbledore had left her something. It was her toy wolf given to her by Sirius when she was a couple weeks old and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland that Dumbledore read to her every night. Rebecca smiled she new why they left them, it was because she had problems sleeping in new places.
"so," she began turning and sitting on her bed to face Hermione whos bed was next to hers. "What class are you looking forward to the most?" Hermione also sat down on her bed. "Transfiguration" Rebecca smirked. "Of course my moms class, I -" "What's she like?" Rebecca turned to see the other three girls looking at her. "Well to me she nicest person on the earth, but I'm her child so. To you she will be strict but fare," they talked more about the classes and the teachers until they were to tiered. They all changed and slipped under their covers, Rebecca opening her book and began to read until she was to drowsy. she put the book down and closed her eyes. She thought of everything that happened today. The train ride, the feast and all the conversation's she had. She thought of her friends. She new that dark times her ahead of them but that was six years away. She just wanted to focus on the here and now, on her friends and family. On her classes and grades. But most importantly on the happiness and the joy of a change, the joy of finally being a student and the joy of being in Gryffindor with her friends. A smile appeared on her face and with those thoughts going through her head she drifted of into a lovely peaceful sleep.