8 The Sorting ceremony.
Anthony, Harry, and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes.
Ron's robe was a bit short for him. You could see his sneakers underneath them.
'Actually seeing Ron's robe, you can know that it is old and worn, it can even be inherited from Ron's older brother Bill Weasley.' Anthony thought to himself.
Anthony when getting off the train saw Harry Potter and Hagrid who were chatting, afterward he went to the Black lake with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.
Hagrid notified them that only four people can get into a boat and Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Anthony Lefrancois Dumbledore, and Dean Thomas got into the boat.
Anthony who understood that Neville Longbottom and Hermione Granger who supposed to sit on the same boat with Ron and Harry understood that he already changed the plot.
On the next boat Neville Longbottom and Hermione Grander was sitting next to the indian Patil sisters
There was a loud "Oooooh!"
The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.
"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.
Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.
They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor.
Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right the rest of the school must already be here — but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather 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 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 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. 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."
"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall.
"Please wait quietly."
She left the chamber.
"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" he asked Ron.
"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."
Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole school?
But he didn't know any magic yet —what on earth would he have to do? He hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived. He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too.
Anthony on the other hand was looking calm. He knew that the sorting hat would be put on their head and would assign them to their designated houses in accordance with their traits.
'But does the Sorting Hat use legillimens to decide whether they are suited for the house, or is it just a magical feeling that would let him choose which house is best for the student?'
Draco Malfoy, took a step forward and stood in front of Harry Potter and Anthony Lefrancois Dumbledore, he looked only towards Harry Potter and stretched his hand that indicates that he wants to get introduced with him.
"So the rumor in the train is true, the famous Harry Potter is a freshman in Hogwarts this year. My name is Draco, Draco Malfoy." he said hesitatingly.
At this moment, Ron Weasley, who was afraid of losing Harry Potter, the boy who would boost his reputation in the school whispered to Harry Potter that Draco Malfoy's parents are loyal followers of you know who.
Draco Malfoy who overheard Ron Weasley's whisper become angry.
"Red hair, old worn clothes, you must be a Weasley," said Draco Malfoy with a sneering voice.
Anthony wanted to give a favor to Harry Potter and let him have a calm Hogwarts experience, without Draco Malfoy's annoying insults. Therefore he said Harry with a loud voice.
"Harry, it is rude to decline the greeting hand of a Wizard. It means either I am superior to you, or the other person is not worthy. I recommend you to shake Mr. Malfoy's hands" said Anthony with a confident voice.
Harry Potter who heard Anthony's recommendation decided to follow the wizard's manner and shook Draco's hand.
"I apologize for Ron's manner, Harry, Harry Potter" said Harry with a cautious voice.
Ron becomes alarmed and embarrassed. The reason he become embarrassed was that even though he is from a Pureblood family, he intentionally misled Harry Potter to not shake hands with Draco Malfoy.
The reason Ron becomes alarmed is that in the future if Ron tries to hide wizarding mannerism from Harry Potter, there is still Anthony Dumbledore who knows some history of the wizarding world. Therefore to not lose his reputation booster, the boy who lived, Ron needs to be honestv.
Draco Malfoy had an interesting look towards Anthony. He wanted to ask his name but unfortunately, professor McGonnagal opened the main door and stood behind Draco.
"The Sorting Ceremony's about to start. Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."
When the first years entered the Great Hall, a hat sitting on a stool in front of the students begin to sing:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.
Soon Professor McGonnagal stood in front of the first-year students and hold a long parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be
sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the
hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause —
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.
The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at
the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.
"Bones, Susan!"
Anthony when looking at Susan Bones, thought about the head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones, the first person he met in the Magical Britain. Of course he knew that Susan Bones would be assigned to Hufflepuff."
Soon enoygh "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.
"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.
"Granger, Hermione!"
Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned.
Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"
Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with themselves.
There weren't many people left now. "Moon"…, "Nott"…,
"Parkinson"…, and at last "Lefrancois Dumbledore, Anthony"
When Anthony heard his own name, he calmly walked towards the hat and sat down.
When Professor McGonnagal put the Sorting hat on Anthony's head, the Sorting hat had a surprised exclamation.
"A Dumbledore eh, oh I see maledictus bloodline as well. Best for you to be a boy, because your maledictus curse doesn't affect the male lineage. Hmm, you seem to be cunning as well as intelligent. Brave yet loyal. You could have been a great Gryffindor if your wand did not choose you. Salazar Slytherin's wand's core is screaming to me to assign you to SLYTHERIN" said the Sorting Hat in a loud voice.
When Harry saw Anthony be assigned to Slytherin, he become hesitant. Anthony, his first friend from the Wizarding world was assigned to Slytherin, and his other friend is assigned to Gryffindor.
"Potter, Harry!"
As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.
"Potter, did she say?"
"The Harry Potter?"
The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.
"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness, yes, a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting….So where shall I put you?"
Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, the best House for me to have true friends said, Harry Potter.
"You want true friends, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? Then Hufflepuff is the choice, but seeing your heart, you want to keep your friends you met in the Hogwarts express. You could be great, in Slytherin you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that. Gryffindor can help you, and you can achieve great things. But since you said you want real friends, then better be SLYTHERIN!"
Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off the
hat and walked shakily toward the Slytherin table.
He was so afraid to have been chosen in Slytherin, he hardly noticed that he was getting no cheer at all.
Ron Weasley started to stare at Harry Potter and Anthony Leracus Dumbledore with bad intentions. Who thought that his train compartment companions would be evil snakes?
The whole Great Hall had some whisperings, and the various professors had a shocked expression on their face.
Especially Albus Dumbledore become amazed to see Harry Potter in Slytherin, when he saw his grandnephew and Harry Potter sitting together, and his grandnephew to console Harry Potter, he understood the situation.
On the other hand, Professor Snape looked at Harry Potter and having deep contemplation.
'Lily, what would have happened if you were assigned to Slytherin' Snape thought inwardly. When Snape was looking at Harry Potter, even though James' arrogance could be faintly seen on his face, the imitation of Lily's emerald green eyes could be seen.
Anthony blamed himself for influencing the story greatly. And the butterfly who flapped its wing cannot stop the effect.
'I have to plan the future well.' Though Anthony inwardly.
He chatted with Harry and said. "Merlin himself was a Slytherin, Harry! It is not the house that defines you! It is your actions that define you!" said Anthony.
Harry of course knows the legend of Merlin and King Arthur. Therefore he who heard that the greatest wizard of all time was a Slytherin, become more relaxed.
