CHAPTER TWO
The Sorting Ceremony
The platform was soon almost empty. The only ones left were Hagrid, the transfers, and the first years. I stood with a girl named Sara Hill, a sixth year, whom I got to know a little at school. Hollie stood apart from us all, arms crossed in front of her chest and a sulk on her pretty face.
“Al righ’ all ye’,” Hagrid bellowed, “We’ll be headin’ to the school now, so ye’ can all jus’ follow me!” Hagrid strode off down a path. We transfers followed him at a brisk pace, keeping in a tight knot. The first years shuffled slowly and nervously. Despite the familiar faces around me, I still felt alone, like I always felt at Beauxbatons. I felt something small grab my hand and I looked down. It was Maggie, and she looked like she was about to faint.
We soon came to a small harbor with a small fleet of boats floated in the midnight tinted water. “Four to a boat, first years and transfers, two to a boat for ye’ big ones, and three for ye’ little ones,” Hagrid shouted.
Since I was big, Maggie was small, and Danny was medium, we all crammed into one of the tiny little boats. After everyone had crowded into the boats, they took off, gently floating over the water. We turned a corner and I was greeted with the most beautiful sight I had ever seen.
It sat on a large hill, towering over the lake. The large glowing castle had several towers and turrets and seemed to glow with light. This castle would be my home for the next year, and I was filled with awe at the sight of it. Beauxbatons was nothing compared to this. It didn’t even come close.
The boats glided across the large lake. I couldn’t take my eyes off the castle. Soon, we were floating through a small tunnel that lay beneath the castle and entered a small underground harbor.
Everyone climbed out of their boats. We followed Hagrid through a passageway and up a small flight of stairs where large wooden door blocked our path. Hagrid knocked three times and the doors swung open. A tall strict looking woman was waiting for us. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun that strangely reminded me of Leah’s. The woman had square shaped spectacles and a commanding presence.
“The firs’ years, Professor McGonagall,” Hagrid announced before adding, “and our transfer students.”
“Thank you Hagrid, I will take them from here,” Professor McGonagall said stiffly as she turned and walked down the brightly lit corridor. We followed her at a distance, the first years clumping together nervously. I threw my arm over Maggie’s shaking shoulders and followed.
I looked around at the other transfers. All of them looked like they were about to be sick. Even fearless Danny was turning green. Sara Hill was fidgeting with her ear, and Hollie ran her thin fingers through her perfectly silky hair. A third year named Valerie was attempting to walk with her eyes closed. It wasn’t working; she kept stepping on everyone’s toes.
The strict looking Professor led us up a marble staircase and I could hear the loud muffled voices of all the other students. I thought of them all, and my nerves shot up like a bullet. We entered a small chamber that was off the main hall and waited. Since there was more than the usual amount of students, it was extremely cramped.
“Welcome to Hogwarts,” Professor McGonagall recited. It sounded as though she had said this same speech hundreds of times before, “the start of term banquet will begin shortly. Before you may take your seats, you must first be sorted into houses. This ceremony is very important because your house will be like your family for your seven years here. You have your classes with your house, you sleep in your house dormitory, and you shall spend your free time in your house dormitory. The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each of these houses has produced many noteworthy wizards and witches. While at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you points and any rule breaking will loose you points. The house cup is awarded to the house with the most points at the end of the school year. The ceremony will begin in a few moments.” the professor exited the chamber, leaving us to wait out our nerves.
Many of the first years began contemplating the possibilities of how they will be sorted. One boy said that they would battle dragons; another girl figured they would have to win five games of wizard’s chess in a row. I rolled my eyes. All we have to do was put a hat on our head and it would sort us. Honestly, they think they would be able to take on a dragon! Some fully trained wizards can’t even hold their own against a dragon, let alone an eleven year old.
“So, Amelia. What house do you think you’re going to be in?” asked Hollie, sliding up to me.
I sighed heavily. “I’ll be happy anywhere I go,” I replied.
Hollie flipped her hair. “I’m hoping for Gryffindor. Oh my gosh, did you SEE some of the seventh year Gryffindor guys on the train? That one with the messy black hair was SO gorgeous!”
“Who, James?” I twisted my face. “She obviously didn’t know what she was talking about. Sure, James is good looking, but gorgeous?” I thought to myself.
“You know him?!” Hollie’s mouth fell open in delight. “Amelia, honey, you HAVE to introduce me to him!”
I shrugged. “Maybe I will, but only if you never call me ‘honey’ again.”
Hollie rolled her eyes. “Did you see James’s friend, the tall one with the blue eyes? HE was even more gorgeous!”
“Who, Sirius?” I asked. The thought “James may be simply good looking, but Sirius is flat out...” crossed my mind. I shook the thought away, feeling utterly disgusted with myself.
Hollie smiled and put her arm around my shoulders. “Amelia Jordan, you are my new best friend!”
I shoved her arm off me just as Professor McGonagall as she re-entered the chamber, “Please form a line and follow me.”
We did as she was told and formed a long string of people. Dylan and Maggie were ahead of me, and Hollie stood behind me. We then followed the professor from the chamber and into the Great Hall.
The Great Hall is amazing. I had never seen anything so wonderful in my entire life! Four long tables stretched the length of the corridor. Hundreds of faces gazed at us as we walked between the tables to the front of the hall. Several people murmured and gazed in my direction, but I knew they were looking at Hollie. I swiveled my head to see her reaction, and she smiled like a model back at her admirers.
The long procession of first years and lined up at the front of the hall along a long table filled with the school staff. One wizard stood out from the others. I recognized him as Albus Dumbledore from my chocolate frog card collection. He sat in a large golden chair. His snow white hair was long and frayed at the ends and he wore half moon spectacles. The wizard caught me staring and smiled gently, with a twinkle in his pale blue eyes. I found myself grinning nervously back at him.
Professor McGonagall came forward carrying a stool and a ragged black hat. She set the hat on the stool and I got a closer look at it. There was a fold that looked strangely like a mouth and I wasn’t too shocked when it opened wide and began to sing. Alanna had told me about the Sorting Hat’s song. It was a long song about the four founders of Hogwarts and a brief description of the four houses. Hollie, on the other hand, looked shocked.
When the hat was done performing, Professor McGonagall announced, “Now when I call your name, please set the hat on your head and wait to be sorted. The first years will be sorted first, and then we’ll have the transfer students sorted separately. Abbens, Joy!”
The girl who had claimed you needed to win five games of wizards chess stumbled forward and placed the hat on her head. It was much too big, and sunk over her eyes. The hall was completely silent until the hat’s brim opened wide and shouted, “RAVENCLAW!”
We stood and watched as the line grew smaller and smaller as the kids got sorted. My eyes wandered over to the Gryffindor table, where I caught Lily’s eye. She beamed at me and I smiled anxiously back. I let my gaze wander over Haylie, Leah, and Micky, who were all seated around her. I then noticed a group of boys whispering to themselves.
The first was James Potter, the annoying boy from the train. He kept stealing glances down the table at Lily, who sat with her friends. My gaze wandered to the boy next to him. He was pale and sickly looking, and had tan colored hair. The third boy was short, fat, and looked like he was about to wet himself. I watched in amusement at his rat like actions and then moved on to the Sirius, the last boy in the group. Sirius caught my eye and grinned at me. I smiled back. Next to me, Hollie was gaping and waving daintily. I scowled. Knowing Hollie Larson, she thought Sirius was looking at HER.
Professor McGonagall’s voice brought me back to the real world as she announced, “And now we have our transfer students. The ceremony is the same, although it may take longer to be sorted because you have a few years of education. We shall begin. Button, Michael.”
Michael stepped forward and shakily sat down on the stool. He placed the hat on his head, and it took a few moments before a cry of, “HUFFLEPUFF!” filled the air.
A few more transfers were sorted, and Professor McGonagall’s voice announced the dreaded. “Jordan, Amelia.”
I took a deep breath and stepped forward. My legs felt like lead. I could feel hundreds of eyes on me as I sat down on the stool and pulled the Sorting Hat onto my head.
“So,” whispered a tiny voice in my ear, “hmmmm…your mind is advanced. Much more advanced than the normal first year. You have knowledge, yes, lot’s of knowledge. Yet you also have a caring heart. But wait! You possess a daring nature. Oh yes…very daring…I see, so it better be…..GRYFFINDOR!” The hat bellowed and I scurried off to the Gryffindor table, where my new friends waited for me.
They squeezed together to admit room for me as I sat between Micky and Haylie and across from Leah and Lily.
“Congratulations, Amelia!” Lily said enthusiastically, “I knew that you’d make Gryffindor!”
Haylie added. “Not many seventh years would be willing to go in front of the whole school with the first years. It takes guts.” I smiled at them in relief. Maybe Hogwarts won’t be so bad after all.
I met Sirius’s eyes and he grinned at me. “Thank God you’re in Gryffindor! All I hope is that blonde next to you in line isn’t in our house. She looks like a piece of work.”
I laughed and nodded. “She is.”
We turned our attention back to the Sorting Hat. There sat Danny, hat on his head. I watched him for a few moments and the hat shouted. “GRYFFINDOR!”
Danny took a huge sigh of relief, and waved at me as he walked past to sit with the other kids in his year.
It was now the moment I had been dreading all night. It was Maggie’s turn to be sorted. “Jordan, Maggie.” Professor McGonagall said and Maggie did nothing. Her face was paler than death and she just stood there, gazing at the crowd. “Jordan, Maggie.” The Professor tried again. No reply. I knew what I had to do.
I squeezed from my spot at the Gryffindor table. “Amelia, what are you doing?” Lily demanded. I ignored her and ran up to the front. All eyes were on me as I approached my sister and knelt so we were eye to eye.
“Come on Maggie, I’m here. Go get sorted.” I whispered softly, petting Maggie’s curls.
Maggie gulped, and let me lead her to the stool, where she plopped down and I set the hat on her head. I held her hand, as the Sorting Hat whispered silently to her. Maggie’s lip trembled. The Sorting Hat suddenly shouted. “RAVENCLAW!”
My heart sunk. I wouldn’t be able to be there for her. She would have to do this on her own. I pulled the hat off my sister’s head and walked with her all the way to where the other second years sat at the Ravenclaw table.
Someone clapped. I turned around and saw that it was Sirius. I gave him a “don’t” look, but he didn’t pay attention. My friends saw what he was doing and joined in. Soon, the whole Great Hall was clapping as I returned to my seat.
“Amelia, is that your little sister?” asked Leah as I squeezed back in between Haylie and Micky.
“Yeah, she gets really nervous about things.” I sighed. “I only wish she was in Gryffindor so I could look after her.”
“Don’t worry, Amelia. I’m sure Maggie will be fine.” Lily assured me.
A few more people were sorted, and my head shot around as the Professor announced. “Larson, Hollie.”
Hollie had a smug little grin on her face as she gracefully slid onto the stool. Her eyes met mine, and I could tell that she was furious that I got all the attention for helping Maggie. Hollie slid the hat onto her head, and after a few moments, the hat announced. “RAVENCLAW!” Hollie had a hard time covering her disappointment as she joined all the other Ravenclaws.
Once the sorting was over, Professor McGonagall took the hat and stool away. Professor Dumbledore then stood up and gave a small speech welcoming everyone new to Hogwarts, and the gold plates that sat on the tables suddenly filled with food. I gaped at it in awe, until Micky patted me on the back, “You better eat, Amelia. You won’t fill up staring at the food.”
I grinned and began helping myself to all the delicious dishes. I had never seen so much food. At Beauxbatons, Madame Maxime insisted that we eat as healthy as possible, to keep us thin and fit. Once everyone had eaten their fill, the foods on the plates disappeared and were refilled with cakes and sweets. I chatted with my new friends throughout the meal and once the dessert was cleared away, Professor Dumbledore stood up and made a speech. He reminded us of all the rules and stuff, and then we were dismissed to go to our common rooms.
We set off for the Gryffindor Common room. As we walked through the brightly lit halls, Lily filled me in on all the rules Professor Dumbledore hadn’t covered. There were paintings everywhere; the inhabitants moved from frame to frame chatting amongst themselves. A few waved at us, and we waved back.
We soon came to a portrait of a very large woman in a very frilly dress. “To all the new first years, and transfers, remember this picture,” Lily instructed, “It’s called the Fat Lady. She guards the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room. In order to get in, you need to give her the password. It changes from time to time, so be aware.” The Fat Lady smiled at me as Lily continued, “The password is currently Felix Felicias.”
As soon as Lily finished the password, the Fat Lady’s frame swung forward and we stepped through the doorway. I found myself staring around a large circular room. It was completely red and had many ruby colored banners with the Gryffindor lion on the walls. There were several tables and many cushy looking chares and couches in front of a large fireplace. There were two large curving staircases. One led to the girl’s dormitories, and one led to the boys.
People soon filled the tables and chairs. I watched as Lily and the others settled at a table in the corner of the room. “I’ll join you guys in a bit,” I said and I left them to seek out Danny.
I found him amongst a small crowd of fifth years. I pulled him aside and said, “Hey, Danny, we need to talk.”
“About what, Amelia? Hey, isn’t Hogwarts great? I’ve already made friends!” Danny burst, grinning like a maniac.
“That’s great Danny, so have I, but what are we going to do about Maggie? She’s in a house all alone, and she’s probably making a fool of herself crying all over the place back in Ravenclaw.”
“Amelia, Maggie’s a Jordan. She’ll be fine! The Ravenclaw’s seem alright, someone will take her under wing.” Danny assured me. “Maggie will be fine.”
No matter what he said, I would still have my doubts. Plus, Hollie’s in Ravenclaw. I know she’s mad about me making Gryffindor and not her. My biggest fear was that she would take out her anger on my little sister. “Alright, but I’m checking up on her tomorrow at breakfast.”
Danny shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’ll see you around, Amelia.” With a wave, my brother returned to his group of new friends.
With a sigh, I trudged back to the table where Micky, Haylie, Lily, and Leah sat. Leah and Lily were deeply immersed in their books, Micky was doodling on a scrap of parchment, and Haylie’s nose was stuck in this week’s issue of “Quidditch Weekly”
“Haylie, do you play Quidditch?” I asked, plopping down beside her.
Micky looked up from her doodling, smiled and replied to my question, “Quidditch is her life! Both of Haylie’s parents were International Quidditch stars. Haylie’s brother plays for England, so she’s got standards to live up to.”
“Really, that’s so cool! Do you have any teams here at Hogwarts?” I asked, hoping there was a spot for a Keeper on one of them.
“Yes!” Haylie practically yelled as she sprang out of her chair in excitement.
“Haylie, shush! Some of us are trying to study!” Leah interrupted as her face appeared behind the large book she was reading. The title said: The Standard Book of Spells: Advanced Version.
“But classes haven’t even started yet!” Haylie hissed in a much quieter tone. “Why do you have to study?”
“It doesn’t hurt to get a head’s start,” Leah replied. “Besides; we’ll be taking our NEWTs this year.”
“Whatever,” Haylie rolled her eyes. “As I was saying, each of the four houses has a team. We compete for the Quidditch Cup!”
“Gryffindor has the best team in the school. We’ve won the cup for the past two years. We’re determined to win it again this year.” Micky added.
Just then, James Potter approached our table. “Hey girls, how’s it going?” he asked. Lily instantly pulled her book in front of her face so he wouldn’t notice her. “Amelia, congrats on making Gryffindor, we’re excited to have you here.”
“James, stop sucking up.” Lily spat, momentarily poking her head in front of her book.
“Me, sucking up? You’ve got to be kidding, Evans.” James cried, with a sarcastic note of drama in his tone.
“Ignore him, Lily,” Leah sang as she flipped the page in her book. Lily took Leah’s advise and continued reading with an unhappy expression on her face.
“Hey James,” Haylie chimed, “When do we start Quidditch?”
James grinned. “How did I know you were going to ask that? That’s what I came over here to talk to you about. Sirius is keeping his position, and I just talked to Maria and Donyal about staying on as Beaters.”
“You know James; a good captain doesn’t keep the same team each year. Why don’t you have everyone try out for the team? You could find some new talent.” Haylie insisted.
“Haylie Burch, when you’re captain of your own team, you can do just that. We’ve had a winning lineup for the past few years, and I don’t intend to change it.” James answered stubbornly.
“I knew you’d say that. In that case, there’s no way I’m giving up my spot on the team! I’ll play Seeker again this year.” Haylie said.
“And I’ll be the third Chaser,” Micky offered, “that was a lot of fun last year.”
“Great, so all we need is a Keeper,” my heart skipped a beat as James said the word Keeper. “Tryouts are going to be next Sunday. Spread the word, I’ll see you later.” James walked away. I watched him go.
“Who are those guys that he hangs around with?” I asked my new friends once James was out of earshot. “I already met Sirius on the train before you guys came in, but who are the others?”
“Who, the Marauders?” Leah asked, glancing up from her book.
“The who?”
“The Marauders are what Potter and his gang call themselves,” Lily explained, “There’s James Potter, Sirius Black, the tan haired one is Remus Lupin, and the fat one is Peter Pettigrew.”
“Remus is the only decent one of the group,” Leah stated bluntly. “Peter is a pushover, and Potter and Black think they own the school.”
“You only think that because you like him,” Haylie replied as she watched Brazil’s Quidditch team zoom around on the cover of her magazine. “So Amelia, do you play Quidditch? It would be great if you joined the team.”
I smiled. “Yeah, I play. It’s kind of ironic really. I played Keeper at Beauxbatons.”
“Were you any good?” asked Micky.
I shrugged, not wanting to brag. “Best in the school.”
Haylie leapt from her chair and began jumping up and down frantically. “Brilliant, you should totally try out! I’ll go down to the pitch sometime this week to help you get ready!”
The three of us talked Quidditch for a long time, and then we moved on to other subjects. Lily and Leah joined in once they finished their “studying”, and soon we were all talking like we were the best of friends. I didn’t have any good friends at Beauxbatons, so you don’t know how nice it is to be accepted so fast!
After awhile, we headed to our dormitories. Our room was the last in the long hallway of dorm rooms. On the door was a gold plaque bearing the words: Seventh Year. Inside was a comfortable looking room. It was rectangular and fairly large with five bunk beds. They had gold and red blankets and red hangings. Five trunks sat on each of the bed. Three of them had broomsticks. At the end of the room was a large window looking out onto the grounds. There was a large dresser against an open wall. Since we were the top of the school, we also got the fancy seventy year girls’ bathroom all to ourselves. The bathroom was attached to the dormitory, and could only be accessed by us.
I located my original Nimbus broom on one of the beds and opened my trunk. The other girls were doing the same. I unpacked my cloths into the bottom drawer of the dresser and placed my books on the small shelf under the nightstand that was next to my bed. I then changed into my pajamas and crawled into bed.
Once everyone was all settled in, Leah turned off the lights and I lay there, getting used to my surroundings. I thought of Sirius and of Maggie, and all the adventures that lie ahead. I knew that I would be happy here at Hogwarts, and could only imagine what my first day of classes will be like.
A Girl Like You by Lady Alanna
Chapter Notes: Here's chapter 2!!!