Chapter 4: Sorting Ceremony

The door swung open. Professor McGonagall stood there in emerald green robes looking down sternly at the students.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She opened the door wide and we followed the Professor into the entrance hall. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors. Professor McGonagall showed us into a small empty chamber. I could hear hundreds of voices from across the hall outside.

We crowded together closely as Professor McGonagall addressed, "Welcome to Hogwarts, 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 free time in your house common room."

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting", she said while pointedly looking at Neville and Ron who looked a bit untidy.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall before she left the chamber. "Please wait quietly."

Students around me burst into a discussion about which house they will get sorted into and how it will be done, completely forgetting about Professor's warning about keeping quiet.

I looked at Harry for the first time properly, since it was dark outside. He was standing beside Ron. He looked exactly like the books described him. Messy dark hair, round glasses over green eyes and scrawny. I think he was an inch shorter than me.

Just then, Students around me gasped. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room arguing with one another about whether they should give peeves another chance or not.

Fat Friar noticed us first, "New students?"

"About to be sorted, I suppose?", A few people nodded.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

Just then McGonagall's sharp voice entered my ears, " Move along now, the sorting ceremony is about to start."

The ghost moved out slowly as McGonagall said to form a line and follow her.

We moved in a line across the hall through the double doors into the Great Hall. It was a splendid sight with thousands of candles that were floating over four long tables which had golden cutlery on them. The ceiling above was enchanted to look like the starry sky outside. Hermione didn't forget to mention it just like in books.

I looked at Professor McGonagall placing the patched and frayed sorting hat on a four-legged stool in front of us. The hat twitched as a rip near the brim began to open wide like a mouth and it burst into its song.

(AN: I won't be writing the song, it annoys me now after reading it so many times.)

Now, I began to worry as it clearly said in the song that there is nothing in our head that it cannot see. I could only hope that it won't divulge any of my secrets.

Professor McGonagall then started calling out names from a long list, starting with Abbott Hannah. One by one students went to sit on the stool and put on the Hat. After Granger Hermione, Next was Greengrass Daphne, after Daphne was sorted in Slytherin, McGonagall finally called out, "Haven Callum".

I quickly walked to the stool, sat on it and place the Hat on my head and tried not to think of anything because Hat can definitely read surface thoughts.

'Hmm..., so much talent and potential, a thirst for knowledge, and a grand ambition. You could have been a model Slytherin, but I cannot in good conscience put you a muggle-born wizard in Slytherin, the house which can bring you the most glory, will also hinder your growth. Alas, such are the times. Well, then better be..'

"RAVENCLAW"

I took the Hat off my head placed it on the stool and walked to the applauding Ravenclaw table still totally blank and sat down beside Terry Boot. I saw Cho waving at me from across the table and a few seats up, I waved her back.

I don't know what happened there, did my trick of keeping my head clear worked or memories of my previous life is hidden from the Hat. Whatever the case, it seems no one will know about my secret at least for now. It was like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

The events that happened next were exactly as the books described. Harry's name made a lot of commotion. Finally, the Sorting Ceremony came to an end with Dumbledore saying his usual few words. Then the meal began and it was easily the best meal I have had in this life, in fact, it's one of the best meals including my previous life too. There was a lot of chatter during the meal but, I didn't talk with anyone and no anyone asked me anything.

After the meal, Dumbledore again took the stage to give the usual instructions along with the warning to not to the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side. Everyone sang the school with the Weasley twins finishing it last.

We followed our prefect Penelope Clearwater to Ravenclaw tower. We reached a door. There was no handle and no keyhole: nothing but a plain expanse of aged wood, and a bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle.

Penelope knocked on the door. The eagle opened its and gave a riddle in a musical voice, "Take away the whole and some still remains. What is it?"

Penelope turned to the first years and explained, " Beyond this door is the Ravenclaw common room and dorms, unlike the other houses we don't use passwords for the door, you will have to learn to think quickly and answer these riddles or you will be stuck waiting till someone who knows the answer comes. Don't worry, eventually, it will get into your habit to answer these riddles. You will be able to answer them in your sleep by your third or fourth year. Now then, who can answer this riddle for us?"

At first, no one said anything. I didn't say the answer even though I figured it out because it was a riddle for kids and I wanted the kids to answer it. It would be childish to show off in such things. Even though I'm a child but at the same time not.

After a few seconds, Padma Patil raised her hand timidly.

"Yes, Ms...?"

"Padma Patil"

"Ms Patil, do you know the answer?"

"Yes, it's the word 'wholesome'."

"Well answered", said the eagle, and the door swung open.

"Good Job, Ms Patil", said Penelope with a smile.

Padma smiled shyly and we entered the common room.

The Ravenclaw common room was a wide, circular room, graceful arched windows punctuated the walls, which were hung with blue-and-bronze silks. It had a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains. The ceiling was domed and painted with stars, which were echoed in the midnight-blue carpet. There were tables, chairs, and bookcases, and in a niche opposite the door stood a tall statue of Rowena Ravenclaw made with white marble.

The seventh-year prefect rounded up the first years in the middle of the common room and said, " You are all placed in Ravenclaw by the Sorting Hat, which means you all have the following virtues- intelligence and wisdom, a thirst for knowledge, books are your friends, and curiosity to know the unknown. In the next seven years, you have to stand by these virtues and hone them. Remember, we are scholars, we can solve any problems with our minds and dialogue. We don't use brute force like the Gryffindors or use ill means like the Slytherin. It doesn't mean you can neglect the practical aspect of magic. You can be better at magical theory as well as casting it. You can be more cunning than a Slytherin. With our minds, we can accomplish anything. This will be my last year here, but you all are the future of this house, do your best from tomorrow, elevate this house above others and make the Ravenclaw House proud."

There was a huge round of applause from everyone. Then we were asked to go to our dorms. There were eleven Ravenclaws in my year,

Five girls- Padma Patil, Morag MacDougall, Lisa Turpin, Sue Li and Mandy Brocklehurst.

Six boys- myself, Anthony Goldstein, Terry Boot, Michael Corner, Kevin Entwhistle and Stephen Cornfoot.

(AN: Last two names I got from some wiki page.)

We boys occupied two dorm rooms. Anthony, Terry and Michael Corner shared one. Kevin, Stephen and I shared another. I don't remember my roommates or Morag for that matter from the books. They must be mob characters. I remember from the fifth book that Anthony, Terry and Michael were best friends. Originally they must have shared a room , Kevin and Stephen must have shared another. In my room, we each occupied a four-poster bed on which our luggage had already been placed.

We introduced ourselves, we had a small conversation about our origins. Both of them were half-bloods, with Kevin's mother being a muggle-born witch and Stephen's father a muggle-born wizard.

I told them that I'm a muggle-born orphan, but they didn't seem to mind it which was a relief, it would hard to live with them otherwise.

After talking (mostly listening to them talk) for a few more minutes, l lay down in my bed to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a big day.

*************************************************

AN: I know this chapter was too much like the one written in book 1, but I had to write the things as happened in the book other than MC's sorting. Also, was the speech by the prefect too much? Let me know.