Chapter 10: Sorting Ceremony

The group of first-year students cautiously followed Hagrid's footsteps, stumbling along a steep, narrow path downhill. The Weasley twins, Fred and George, flanked Eda protectively. Fred, walking ahead, frequently warned Eda and George to watch their step.

"Just around this bend, you'll get your first glimpse of Hogwarts!" Hagrid called back to the first-year students.

"Wow!!!" Various exclamations of awe rose from the group.

At the end of the narrow path, a vast black lake suddenly spread out before them. On the opposite shore, high on a hill, stood a towering castle with numerous spires, its windows glowing under the starry sky.

Eda gazed at the distant castle, the flickering lights from its windows seeming to illuminate the path home for travelers.

Hagrid led everyone to the lakeside, where a fleet of small boats was moored.

He instructed that no more than four people were allowed per boat before boarding one himself.

The first-years began to pair up and climb into the boats. Eda quickly found an empty boat, letting the twins board first before inviting another person to join them. Only then did she climb aboard.

The person who joined was Angelina Johnson, a girl with a ponytail and dark skin whom Eda had just met while looking for a boat.

Seeing that everyone was aboard, Hagrid led the procession. The small boats glided across the tranquil lake towards their destination, the towering castle's lights shining like a lighthouse in the dark night.

The boat carrying Eda and her companions passed beneath cliffs and through a canopy of ivy draping over the cliff face, before entering a dark tunnel.

They finally stopped at what appeared to be an underground harbor.

After waiting for a while, and once Hagrid had checked the boats, he led them forward. They walked through another tunnel within the rocky hillside, eventually reaching a flat, damp patch of grass in the shadow of the castle.

They climbed a flight of stone steps and gathered in front of a massive oak door.

Hagrid raised his huge fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The oak door immediately swung open, revealing Professor McGonagall, clad in a long black robe. Her face was stern, her expression serious as she surveyed the group, her gaze naturally falling on Eda standing between the two red-haired boys.

"She looks too serious!" George whispered.

"Doesn't seem easy to deal with!" Fred frowned at Professor McGonagall.

"She is a bit scary," Angelina quietly agreed.

Professor McGonagall, with her severe demeanor and meticulous appearance, was indeed intimidating.

Eda whispered, "Professor McGonagall is actually quite nice, as long as you don't get into trouble." In Eda's view, though strict looking, Professor McGonagall was a warm person.

"The first-years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said, gesturing to the students behind him.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take it from here," Professor McGonagall responded. "First-years, follow me quietly."

Professor McGonagall motioned for everyone to follow her, then led the way along the stone-paved floor. Eda and her three companions followed the crowd, with the sound of hundreds of people talking coming from a room on the right.

Eventually, under Professor McGonagall's guidance, the first-year students arrived at a small, empty room at the other end of the hall.

With the influx of people, the small room immediately felt cramped. The Weasley twins continued their role as flower protectors, this time including Angelina Johnson in their protective circle.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said. "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 like your family at Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."

"The names of the four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history..."

While Professor McGonagall was giving her speech, some of the braver students were whispering among themselves.

"Do you know how the Sorting works?" Angelina asked, clearly worried about the ceremony. She was afraid she might not pass it.

Eda couldn't remember her friend's exact words but she remembered seeing an HP YouTube video with a singing hat... She just thought it shouldn't be too difficult. After all, Hogwarts admitted students from Muggle families as well. If the Sorting process was too hard, those students might have to pack their things and go home right away.

"We don't know either, but it shouldn't be too hard. After all, we're only first years," the twins said.

Hearing the twins' words, Angelina felt reassured.

It made sense—after all, they were just a group of first-year kids. Surely they wouldn't have to face a troll or anything like that!

"Gryffindor is the best house, Eda," George whispered to Eda, his eyes still on Professor McGonagall, who was speaking upfront.

"Dumbledore graduated from Gryffindor," Fred added, "and whatever you do, don't end up in Slytherin!"

"That house produces the most bad guys. It's where most dark wizards come from," George said just as a few unfriendly glances were thrown their way. The twins weren't intimidated at all; they glared right back.

Slytherin's reputation being tainted from a young age seemed to be a given.

Eda knew they were trying to explain things to her, even though Angelina, coming from a wizarding family, was already familiar with the four houses. 'But according to that meme isn't it common sense that there are five of the major houses? Shouldn't Azkaban be the one you should never go to?'

"I get it. But choosing a house isn't like picking out merchandise from Diagon Alley. If the four of us end up in different houses, that would be interesting," Eda said, while also glaring back at those who had thrown unfriendly looks.

Dare to glare at me? I'll pluck all your eyelashes!

"In a few minutes, the Sorting Ceremony will take place in front of the entire school. I suggest you take this time to tidy yourselves up," Professor McGonagall said. "When they're ready for you, I'll come and get you. Remember to stay quiet!"

After speaking, Professor McGonagall left the room.

"I'm still really nervous about the Sorting Ceremony. Is it a test or something else?" Angelina asked again once McGonagall had left.

"Don't worry about it, Angelina. We'll find out soon enough," Eda said, patting Angelina's shoulder comfortingly. "We've come this far; they won't send us home now, right?"

Suddenly, screams erupted around them. Twenty or so ghosts had suddenly appeared, floating out from the wall behind them.

The already nervous Angelina jumped in fright. The first-year students stared in terror at the pearly white, semi-transparent ghosts.

The ghosts, however, didn't seem to notice the frightened first years, or perhaps they hadn't expected to scare Hogwarts students...

The ghosts were quietly conversing with each other, gliding across the room, and then disappeared through the opposite wall.

At this moment, Professor McGonagall returned and said to the first years, "Now, form a single file line and follow me."

Everyone followed McGonagall into the Great Hall, where thousands of floating candles illuminated the room brightly. The velvet-black ceiling twinkled with stars.

At the head of the hall was a long table where the teachers sat. Below were four long tables corresponding to the four houses.

The first-year students stood facing the rest of the school, with hundreds of faces staring back at them, accompanied by the faint silver glow of the ghosts.

Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool before the first years and then set an old, patched, and very dirty wizard's hat on it. Eda thought that even the clothes at the orphanage looked cleaner compared to the Sorting Hat.

The hall was silent as the Sorting Hat began to move. A wide rip near the brim opened like a mouth, and the hat started to sing:

♫♪You might think I'm not much to look at,

But don't judge on what you see,

...

...

In my hands (though I have none),

You are safe as safe can be.

For I am a Thinking Cap! ♪♫

When the Sorting Hat finished its song and took a bow, the hall erupted in thunderous applause.

"Now you don't have to worry, Angelina," Eda said with a smile. Angelina finally seemed to relax.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward, holding a scroll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Joel Anji!"

A slightly chubby boy stumbled out of the line, looking a bit clumsy. He put on the hat and sat down, waiting for a moment.

"Hufflepuff!" the Sorting Hat announced loudly.

The students at the table on the right applauded and cheered for Joel Anji as he joined them.

"Cody Avery!"

Avery walked out, looking very smug. He was one of the boys Eda had exchanged glares with earlier. The Sorting Hat barely touched his head before eagerly shouting, "Slytherin!"

Avery removed the hat, a self-satisfied smirk on his face, and strutted over to the Slytherin table.

Professor McGonagall continued calling names, and the Sorting Hat placed each student into their respective houses.

"Cedric Diggory!"

A tall, handsome boy sat on the stool and put on the hat. This time, the Sorting Hat took a bit longer before finally announcing, "Hufflepuff!"

...

The sorting continued, and the number of students left was dwindling. Angelina, who had been quite nervous earlier, had already been sorted into Gryffindor, her excitement evident from her bouncing ponytail.

"Alicia Spinnet!"

"Gryffindor!"

Professor McGonagall looked at the parchment, then raised her head to look at Eda, who was slightly distracted. "Esmeralda Twist!" she called.

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