I looked up to see what had to be the most wondrous place in the world. As we slowly drifted toward the castle, I could see a large hall with hundreds of candles illuminating it. In addition, since there was not a cloud in the sky it looked as if there was a black sheet over the world with an amount of holes in it and a silver light so majestically bright showing through it.
Suddenly with a jerk, the boats washed ashore in a cave under the school. Suddenly making me look towards the door in the wall that Hagrid had just walked up to and knock three times with such a force I was surprised that it had not given way under his large fist. A woman that looked as if you even smiled in front of her you would be in serious trouble quickly opened it.
“Follow me this way children. I am Professor McGonagall,” she said in a voice that was no less strict than her look. Her hair was pulled into an elegant knot at the back of her head and the robes she wore were impeccable, not a single flaw.
She led us into a room that was barley large enough for all of us. Then she left only for a moment, excusing herself. “I shall go see if they are ready for you.”
When she retuned not even two minutes later, she ushered all of us in to the large hall that had been visible from the lake. It had four long tables going horizontally with banners hanging over them in each red, blue, yellow, and green. Then there was also a table at the head of the hall that was full of teachers. At its center, in a golden throne-like chair was a man who literally glowed with an aura of wisdom and kindness. His hair and beard were waist length and as silver as the stars outside. He wore half moon glasses and had sparkling blue eyes that shone with happiness and delight as he watched the group of us walking in between the house tables.
There was a stool with a tattered old hat sitting upon it and I knew immediately that it was the sorting hat the boys had told me about.
After a few seconds the hat opened its mouth, if you could call it that, it was closer to a rip near the brim, and started singing. The song was for all purposes informational. He explained the four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw. I could not help but think through his song how boring life would be to be a hat sitting atop a stool. It explained how it was made by Godric Gryffindor, one of the school’s founders and given a bit of knowledge from each of the four to help it decide where to place the students.
The old, raggedy hat fell silent. Everyone clapped, including the teachers. I looked at the old hat with interest. Was it told what to say? If not, how did it come up with the lyrics? Did it have a brain somewhere inside it?
Yet again, Professor McGonagall pulled me out of my thoughts unrolling a scroll of parchment. She said, “I will call you by you last name in alphabetical order, and I would like you to come up here, put on the hat, and it shall sort you.”
As Professor McGonagall read names of several students who I had not yet met, I looked around. I quickly looked at the ceiling, not really expecting to see anything, but did a double take when I saw it was exactly like the night sky outside. I gasped in awe, causing a few people to look at me then where I was looking. It had the same affect on everyone, and then I heard Professor McGonagall clear her throat and call out, “Black, Sirius”
This caused me to look back up at the old hat to see it sort someone. I had not bothered to watch the few before him. It sat upon his head, sinking over his eyes, and looked almost as if it was thinking before it screamed “Gryffindor!” This caused several older students to look surprised. I made a mental note to ask Ashley about it later. After Black came, “Bones, Edgar” he was then placed in Hufflepuff. After listening to a few more names, I zoned back out waiting to be called up.
After what seemed like forever, that voice that I knew, I would hear almost daily now shouted, “Evans, Lily.” I quickly walked to the stool and plopped down on it just waiting for it to be dropped on to my head. Now I would find out how this hat could decide where I belonged! Almost the instant I felt it touch my head, I heard a voice in my ear. “Ahh, who do we have here? Ms. Lily Evans, I see. Now, now where to put you? You are more than smart enough for Ravenclaw. You have a strong need to prove yourself worthy, like a Slytherin. Brave and loyal enough for Gryffindor, but Hufflepuff I believe you are too strong willed and fiery for Hufflepuff. So where do I put you? Which house would play to your strengths?”
This whole time I had been frozen because of, well, to be honest, a hat was talking to me!
“Difficult decision,” it whispered then shouted, “Gryffindor!”
Professor McGonagall took the sorting hat off my head. I hopped up, and nearly ran to the table with the large red banner and the students there were all clapping enthusiastically. I felt my face burning from the attention, so I sat down across from Sirius and stared avidly at the golden place setting in front of me.
By the time I was seated and turned to the front again, Professor McGonagall called out “Fenwick, Benji.” After a moment of deciding it shouted out, “Ravenclaw!”
This went on for quite a while and, of course, I got bored fast, only paying attention to my friends and those I knew. Ashley was sorted into Gryffindor, as was James, Remus, and Peter.
Wow, I thought to my self, that is weird. All of us were put together. I wonder what will this do to Ashley and me, being stuck with those boys. I shivered to my self, then realized that the hall had gone quiet, so I looked up to see the headmaster stand up and clear his throat.
“Welcome all to what is going to be a great year at Hogwarts. I am Professor Albus Dumbledore.” His voice was cheerful and his eyes were sparkling merrily. “I have great pleasure in welcoming all of the new students. Now, without further ado, let’s let the feast begin!”
He clapped his hands once and mounds of all different kinds of food appeared on platters in the middle of the table. So much food appeared in fact that I gaped and its sudden appearance. James, who after he had been sorted, came and set across from me and next to Sirius, just laughed at me, then said, “You know, you just might want to get used to this because the food appears like this every day.”
I grinned at him, and then turned to Ashley who was seated on my left. “I think I like this place!” She just smiled at me and continued to eat.
After what seemed like hours, and many, many courses, the plates suddenly vanished, Professor Dumbledore stood up again. “Now that all our stomachs are filled to capacity, I shall give you a few start of term starts, all students need to stay out of the forest and the newest addition to our grounds, the whopping willow. Our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me once again to remind all students to follow all the rules of what can and cannot be done in the halls. The list is located on his office door. Now, prefects, if you would, please stand up and lead your first years to their correct dormitories. Good night to all.” Every one started to get up and leave and I followed the boy that stood up calling for the first years. He was wearing a red and gold badge on the front of his robes.
We went up seven floors and came to a portrait of an enormously fat woman in pink who simply said, “Password please.”
The prefect said, “Hippogriffs.” Then, he turned to all of us. “Remember that password. You will need it every time to get in to the dormitories. We’ll change the password once a month and we’ll make sure you are aware.”
“Boys on the right and girls on the left,” the prefect ordered, pointing at the different staircases once we were inside the common room as he called it. There were plush couches and wing-backed chairs standing regally in front of a blazing fire. Some of the older students were sitting at tables, playing cards, and chess. They seemed so comfortable and I imagined how I would be in a few years. I glanced at Ashley and could tell she was thinking the same thing. We followed the other first year girls up the stairs on the left, waving to James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter as they went up the opposite steps.
Once we got to the door that read, “First Years,” on a golden plaque, Ashley, the other girls and I all went in. Immediately, I saw that each girl’s things had been placed at the end of a bed. After changing into my nightclothes, I was asleep in less than two minutes. It was the best sleep I had in a month, but I still worried about what lay ahead for me.
Lily and James, A Love Unfolding by lupinslover
Chapter Notes: I hope you all like it. um, for thouse of you have already read my story before i changed it around, my beta told me my chapters were to long, this is really the second half of the original 2nd chapter.