Chapter 3: New Traditions
Soon, it was getting dark. The tall mountains and the lush forests formed a picturesque scenery with the purple sky and the rapidly setting sun. A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately. "
Toby's group got down in the station. Looking at the first years scurrying around and wandering, Toby frowned and looked around for Hagrid, but there was no sight of the friendly half-giant anywhere. Inspiration is a strange thing. It varies from person to person, but one thing remains common. Inspiration always strikes fast. At that moment, Toby suddenly got an idea.
Toby pointed his wand down at the ground and said," Techos."
According to his intentions, a dirt platform rose, causing everyone to look toward him. Toby stepped onto his created platform and said," Good evening first years. I am Toby, a fellow student of Hogwarts currently in my second year. Please do not panic. Our gatekeeper will momentarily arrive shortly."
Getting down from his podium, Toby received surprised looks from his group of friends.
"What?" questioned Toby with a small smirk.
"Nothing," Cedric shook his head with wonder," Since when did you become so proactive in helping others? Even going to the extent of creating an earthen platform to stand on.
"Simple," said Toby, looking at the freshmen huddled together. Hagrid, with his humongous build, managed to gather their attention and led them on the path taken by the first years," I'm building a reputation."
"I'll bite, why?" asked Wilson.
Toby looked around and said," Not now, I'll explain in the carriage."
The first years in Hogwarts have a unique path to get to Hogwarts. They trek across the woods and cross the Great Lake in small boats that can only seat four to Hogwarts. This is because the founders wanted the first years to experience the path they took when searching for a place to reach Hogwarts. From the second year onwards, everyone goes to Hogwarts in carriages pulled by Therestrals, black pegasi-like creatures visible to those who have witnessed death.
Inside the carriage, Toby unveiled his thoughts," How many of you are aware of secret societies?"
"Secret Societies?" asked Cassandra, oblivious to the term.
Wilson explained it for the others," Secret societies are tightly knit groups of individuals who form groups for a common cause. They exist everywhere. Some examples in the muggle community include Skulls and Crossbones, School of the Night, Seven Society, etc."
"Like the Alliance," said Cedric.
"Exactly. Most of the secret societies created operated under the disguise of a social club when first created," said Toby.
The others did not understand where Toby was going with this, but suddenly, Alyssa widened her eyes," Are you thinking the same with Pandora's box?"
Toby nodded. Cassandra nodded, understanding where Toby was going with this. The others were not so fast on the uptake. Cassandra explained," What Toby means is to admit a large group of students under the disguise of a student club. We can screen the best students to be admitted into Pandora's box."
"Brilliant!" exclaimed Cedric.
"There's just one problem," said Wilson," How do we get Principal Dumbledore's permission to form a club?"
"True," Toby rubbed his forehead irritatedly," Professor Dumbledore knows that Alyssa is a Grindelwald."
"How about you apply as a leader to this club?" said Cedric.
Toby raised both of his hands helplessly," Apparently, I was compromised from the start. Professor Dumbledore visited our house one month ago. He didn't seem too surprised when he saw me in the Alliance hideout."
"Bollocks," said Wilson, his mood deflated.
Toby thought about how the young Voldemort, or when he was better known as Tom Marvelo Riddle, used this method to gather the core members of his Death Eaters such as Lucius Malfoy, Severus Snape, Bellatrix Lestrange, and many other young elites belonging to the Pureblood Faction.
…
Upon entering the Great Hall, everyone separated and sat at their designated tables according to their house. Toby looked around his table with warm eyes. Ever since he had made friends with Fred and George, he had almost stopped sitting at the Ravenclaw table. He mostly sat at the Gryffindor table and occasionally at the Hufflepuff table. Inspired by Toby, some other students started sitting at other tables. Only Slytherin remained closed off from the rest.
On the head table, Dumbledore sat in the center chair. He glanced at Toby and raised his glass as a greeting. Noticing that Toby was looking at them, Professor Snape frowned and stared back until Toby took his eyes away from Professor Snape and observed a new face. A middle-aged wizard with a slight build and a turban Ever so often, he touched his turban as if making sure that it was still on his head. He also glanced at Dumbledore nervously.
"Ahem!"
Toby was interrupted from his musings by a noise towards his right. Toby turned right and saw Penelope looking at him with a slightly angry expression.
"Sorry Penelope, I" Toby began to speak, but he was drawn to a distinctive brooch placed on her left breast pocket with the letter p written onto it.
"Congratulations Sister Penelope," Toby spoke with a slightly apologetic expression on his face.
Penelope puffed out her cheeks. Toby spent some more time consoling her when Professor Mcgondall led the new first-year students down the main aisle of the Great Hall.
....
After crossing the Great Lake by boat, Harry stood in front of a large door. The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here," said Professor McGonagall.
They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing somewhat closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet 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 something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend your free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Now, is there any student who would like to describe each house in Hogwarts?"
Professor McGonagall looked at every one of the students dead straight in their eyes. Somehow, Harry felt this was a rhetorical question and was not meant to be answered.
Professor McGonagall had a mixture of emotions in her heart. She was complacent that there were no students who challenged her authority, but also disappointed that the children in front of her did not want to answer the question. She found herself left with internal conflict because she wanted more lively students like Toby.
Finally, a bushy brown-haired witch raised her hair tentatively. Professor McGonagall recognized Hermione because she clearly remembered introducing Hermione's family to the wizarding world.
"Yes, dear."
Hermione took a deep breath and began to speak," Professor, according to Hogwarts A History, the four founders created houses according to their beliefs. Gryffindor wanted to admit those who were courageous, Ravenclaw wanted those who were intelligent, Slytherin only wanted students based on blood purity, and Hufflepuff took everyone."
Professor McGonagall looked pleased with Hermione's answer. In her eyes, Hermione was a hard-working student. It was a pity that based on her performance so far, Hermione might be assigned to Ravenclaw, but still, she had high hopes for Hermione.
"Excellently explained my dear. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few seconds in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. "
Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair.
Once they were done, she continued," Now, form a line and follow me. "
Feeling odd as though his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.
The Great Hall was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Harry saw Hermione waving at a boy, probably just a little bit older than him, sitting at the Ravenclaw table. Harry recognized the boy from the Hogsmeade train station. He was the boy who told them to wait for Hagrid.
"Hermione, who is he?" asked Harry.
Hermione looked towards Harry and said," That's Toby. I met him in Diagon Alley."
Harry looked toward Ron," Is he your brother's friend?"
Ron shrugged. At the moment, he was too nervous about the upcoming ceremony.
Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. She put the Sorting hat on top of the stool. For a moment, the Great Hall was silent. Then, the hat twisted and turned. There was a wide slit in the brim of the hat, like a mouth—the hat began to sing:
You may think I'm not pretty,
But don't judge people by their appearance,
If you can find a hat more beautiful than me,
I can eat myself.
You can make your bowler hats black and shiny,
Make your top silk hats smooth and crisp,
I'm the magic hat used in the Hogwarts test,
is naturally higher than your hat. Any thoughts hidden in your mind,
can't hide the golden eyes of the magic hat,
Put it on for a try,
I will tell you,
Which college should you be assigned to?
You may belong to Gryffindor,
There is bravery buried in my heart,
Their courage, boldness, and boldness,
makes Gryffindor outstanding;
You may belong to Hufflepuff,
The people there are honest and loyal,
Hufflepuff's students are steadfast and honest,
not afraid of hard work;
If you are savvy,
may enter the wise old Ravenclaw,
Those wise and knowledgeable people,
will always meet their colleagues there;
Maybe you will go to Slytherin,
Maybe you make sincere friends here,
But those cunning and insidious people will do whatever it takes,
to achieve their goals.
Come and put on me! Don't be afraid! Don't panic!
In my hand (even though I don't even have a hand)
You are safe because I am a magic hat that can think!
Once the Sorting Hat's song was completed, Professor McGonagall said "Whoever I call now, put on a hat, sit on a stool, and wait for the branch."
Professor McGonagall took out a scroll and read, "Hannah Abbot!"
A little girl with a ruddy complexion and two golden braids stumbled out of the queue and put on a hat that just covered her restricted eyes. She sat down. There was a pause—"Hufflepuff!" shouted the hat.
The people at the table on the right applauded Hannah and welcomed her to sit at their table. Harry even saw a fat monk ghost and waved at her happily.
"Susan Bones."
Approaching the Sorting Hat, Susan Bones moved tentatively, her chestnut hair cascading down to her shoulders like waves. When she reached the sorting hat, uncertainty flickered in her brown eyes. Unexpectedly, she opted to invert the hat and place her hand within its depths.
From the Ravenclaw table, Toby spat out his drink at that scene.
"What!"
Penelope looked at Susan and said," I had a hunch that this would happen. Toby, your success with the Sword of Gryffindor would inspire many students to try it out in the future."
Toby looked at the freshmen and he did notice that many shared an anticipatory look as if they intended to pull out the Sword of Gryffindor.
Penelope continued," Susan's mother is Amelia Bones, the current Head of the Department of Law Enforcement. Her mother probably instructed her to try it out. Even many of the wizarding families want their children to try it out."
"I don't think that the Pure Blood families from Slytherin are happy about that," said Toby.
"Slytherin would be really happy. They might view it as dishonoring Gryffindor every time someone pulls out the sword and not go to Gryffindor," countered Penelope.
Susan grasped around, trying to pull a sword, but she felt nothing. Disappointed, she withdrew her hand embarrassedly and sat down on the stool. The Sorting hat yelled," HUFFLEPUFF!!!"
Despite her embarrassment, Susan stood up and almost ran to the Hufflepuff table amidst the applause.
From that moment, every single freshman tried to pull out the Gryffindor sword, but everyone failed. At the teacher's table, Snape sneered," Headmaster, don't you think that this year's Sorting Ceremony is taking too long? Perhaps you should halt the student's attempt of trying to pull out the Sword of Gryffindor."
Dumbledore's gaze drifted across each of the students trying to pull out the Sword of Gryffindor. His half-moon spectacles flashed, covering his nostalgic eyes. He remembered how he and Gellert used to do all sorts of mischievous stuff. He smiled and replied," Severus, these moments in the youth are the fond memories of their schooling in Hogwarts. Who are we to deny them of the enchanting experience?"
Professor Snape snorted. Professor Sprout eagerly asked," Do you think anyone will pull out the sword this year."
"Ha-Harry P-Potter m-might um p-pull out th-the sword," stuttered Professor Quirrel.