Chapter 11: Sorting

// we are finally here. Muhahah now i can write more of the fun parts in future chapters hehe

// Enjoy >;)

Chapter 11: Sorting

"Welcome to Hogwarts."

Professor McGonagall said.

"The opening ceremony is about to begin, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you must first be sorted into a house."

"To be sorted is an important ceremony, as the house you end up in will be like your new home here at Hogwarts."

"You will be attending classes together, living in the same dormitories together, and spending your time in the house's common room together."

She paused slightly for the students to process the information and continued.

"The names of these four houses are collectively, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each of the four houses has its own glorious history and has produced many outstanding wizards."

"During your time at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points and any rule-breaking will cause your house to lose points."

"At the end of the year, the house with the highest score will receive the House Cup. A great honor. I hope no matter which house you are sorted into to bring glory to that house."

"In a few minutes, the Sorting Ceremony will be held in front of the entire school. I suggest you tidy yourselves up and be more alert while waiting."

Professor McGonagall's eyes moved towards Neville and Ron.

Neville's cloakstrap was tied wrong, and Ron had a little dirt on his nose.

However, after hearing Professor McGonagall's words, most of the students unconsciously tidied up their hair and clothes.

"I'll come pick you up when everything's ready."

"Please keep quiet while you wait."

Professor McGonagall left the room after she finished speaking, which made the students breathe a sigh of relief. Professor McGonagall was really intimidating.

Neville and Ron approached Alan and asked anxiously, "Alan, do you know how the Sorting Ceremony will go? It's really not fighting a giant dragon and stealing its eggs, right?"

Alan looked at their nervous faces and said with a smile, "Don't worry, it's a sorting ceremony, not an execution. You can't expect a bunch of first-years to fight a dragon?"

Hearing this, the two of them seemed slightly relieved, "I hope so…" said Ron.

Seeing everyone around them in a panic, and even Hermione as she recited all the spells she knew. The two of them still couldn't feel completely at ease.

Just at this moment, something strange happened, which scared a lot of students as they screamed and even jumped.

A group of ghosts suddenly appeared through the walls behind them.

They were translucent and pearly white, gliding through the room and whispering to one another and paying no attention to the first years.

Alan looked at these ghosts curiously and wondered briefly if they were souls in some kind of suspended state or just a memory of how they were before they died.

Before Alan could think any further than that. Professor McGonagall's voice came.

"Move along now, the sorting ceremony is about to begin."

Professor McGonagall returned, and the ghosts floated away, fleeing through the opposite wall and disappearing.

"Form a single line and follow me" The students lined up and followed Professor McGonagall out of the room, through the entrance hall, and through a set of big double doors and into the luxurious Great Hall.

Alan looked around the Great Hall calmly.

At this time, students from the other grades were already sitting at their respective house tables, they were long and the colors of their houses were added to the cloths on them.

Thousands of candles of candles were floating in the air above the tables, illuminating the auditorium.

There were four long tables with glittering golden plates and tall wine glasses. There was also another long table on the platform at the farthest part of the auditorium, which was reserved for the teachers.

Professor McGonagall brought the first-year students over there and had them line up, facing the senior students, with the teachers behind them.

Then, Professor McGonagall placed a wizard's hat on a four-legged stool.

The hat was patched, worn, and extremely dirty.

Alan was staring at the dirty hat at this moment, his eyes revealing a gleam of desire to take the hat for himself.

Hm, me, a kleptomaniac? Nah. I mean who wouldn't want a talking hat companion, it could annoy his enemies, and in general, it's pretty funny.

Sadly it is impossible to yoink the hat out of Hogwarts, as it's probably impossible to even claim Hogwarts Property as a student.

Thinking of this, Alan gave up his idea of getting a talking, mind-reading hat.

The hat opened a wide crack that looked like a mouth and started singing:

"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 folks 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!"

After the Sorting Hat finished singing, the students and teachers all applauded.

It bowed to the four tables one by one and then remained motionless.

After listening to the Sorting Hat's song, the first-year students felt relieved. They were worried that they would have to do some kind of test before, but they didn't expect that it was just about putting on a dirty hat.

In fact, Intimidating new wizards during the Sorting Ceremony is a long-standing tradition at Hogwarts.

Even new students from wizarding families, will not be exempted from this tradition.

Their parents or siblings may even exaggerate these tests in order to scare them.

It's basically going through what they went through and then the evil cycle continues.

After a couple of seconds, Professor McGonagall took a few steps forward and rolled up a piece of parchment in her hand.

"Whoever's name I call out, comes forward and puts on the Sorting Hat to be sorted."

"Hannah Abbot!"

A ruddy little girl with two golden braids stumbled out of the line and put on the hat nervously.

As the hat touched her head, it thought for a moment before it shouted:

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The people at the Hufflepuff table all applauded and cheered for Hannah, welcoming her to sit at their table.

"Susan Bones!" Professor McGonagall continued to call out.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted once again.

Susan quickly ran over and sat down next to Hannah.

"Terry Boot!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

This time the Ravenclaw table clapped and cheered and when Terry joined them, they enthusiastically greeted him.

***

Next, one student after another was assigned to their respective houses until it was his turn.

"Alan Potter!"

The hall instantly went silent for a moment before everyone started whispering.

Alan was unfazed by the looks he was getting, especially from Malfoy as he stepped out of the line and sat down on the stool.

In all honesty, Alan has no prejudice against any of the four houses, they all have their merits and demerits. So it didn't really matter which house he got sorted into, after all in the magical world. Strength is the basis of everything.

People with ability can do well no matter where they are.

As the sorting hat was placed on his hat, he waited for the Hat's voice.

And waited…

waited…...

Just when he thought the sorting hat was broken it spoke with its mouth rather than with his mind.

"Difficult… very difficult. I haven't seen one like you in a long time."

Alan looked puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

The sorting hat thought for a moment with 'hmm' before it spoke again.

"You possess a lot of traits of which the four houses values, Ambition, A thirst for knowledge, courage, but most of all a mindset that allows you to work hard."

The hat said thoughtfully.

Both the students and the teachers were a little stunned at the hat's statement.

The hat spoke once again.

"Usually, I sort students based on their traits and personality. But I'm a bit uncertain myself.

At most Slytherin and Hufflepuff suit you the most.. so why don't you choose"

All eyes were on him.

Alan looked a bit miffed at this.

What happened to just sorting him quietly like everyone else?

A little irritated, Alan thought about which house he wanted to go to.

"Are you sure?" The hat asked one last time.

"Alright then..."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Chapter end

// Thanks for reading le chapter, leave power stone it helps a lot :=)

//PS: I think I'm slowly growing addicted to this whole writing thing. Maybe another chapter later uhh this time make a review of what you think so far : D ?