Sorting Ceremony

A/N: If we reach 300 stones I'll upload an extra chapter

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

Professor McGonagall's piercing gaze swept over us first-years as Hagrid lumbered away. I quickly signed a summary to Bell, who was studying the professor's lips intently. Drake, still slightly damp from nearly slipping at the dock, shuffled closer to us.

The entrance hall was enormous - bigger than anything I'd imagined from Mum's stories. Flaming torches cast dancing shadows on the stone walls, and a magnificent marble staircase led to the upper floors. Even through the solid stone ceiling, I could make out that single persistent star, twinkling as clearly as ever.

Professor McGonagall led us into a small chamber off the hall. We crowded in, and I had to press closer to Bell and Drake to avoid being squished by a particularly large boy who seemed to be mostly shoulders.

"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."

As she said that I couldn't help but think of Louise and her family, mom had already told me that she had changed the mother's memories so she would be better, I had even gone there once, okay twice, okay a few more times to check on her but could you blame me.

Still through it all, I kept signing as she explained, my hands moving quickly but discreetly.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin," Professor McGonagall continued. "Each house also 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 honor."

She paused, her stern gaze sweeping over us. "The Sorting Ceremony will begin in a few moments before 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 Drake's damp robes and my crooked hat before she swept from the chamber.

No sooner had she left than about twenty ghosts streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room, seemingly engaged in an argument. 

"That's cool as hell!" I exclaimed, immediately forgetting about the sorting. "Do you think they can actually feel emotions, and if so how do they work without a brain to guide them, is it just the residue from the person they were before, if so are they actually the same person-"

I felt someone tap on my shoulder.

"Hey Felix," Bell signed. "Can you sign to me what house I get into."

I quickly signed back. "Yeah sure Bell, lion for gryffindor, snake for slytherin, eagle for ravenclaw and badger for hufflepuff, you remember?"

She nodded her head, a grateful smile on her face.

Drake quickly budged in. "Hey guys what if we don't get into the same house?"

I looked puzzled at his question. What did it matter what house each of us got into? We were still all in our first year plus we all lived together in Hogwarts.

I quickly replied. "We stay like this, duh. What were you thinking would happen?"

Before he could answer back, Professor McGonagall returned. "Form a line and follow me," she commanded.

The Great Hall was magnificent. Thousands of candles floated in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were seated. The tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers sat.

At the center on a seat that almost looked like a throne, the most powerful wizard of today sat, the one who had defeated Grindlewald one of the strongest wizards in history, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

The name was a little too long for me but hey the man was the picture everyone thought of when you thought of a wizard, so who cared that his name was long as heck.

He had a long silver beard tucked into his belt, and half-moon spectacles that made him look all the cooler.

To his right sat a tiny wizard who could only be Professor Flitwick according to what mom had said, and to his left was an empty seat - presumably McGonagall's. A hook-nosed man with greasy black hair sat near the end, his dark eyes scanning the new students with what looked like preemptive disapproval along with a few other professors lined along the table.

But what really caught my attention was the ceiling - or rather, the lack of one. It opened up to the velvety black sky dotted with stars. I could see all of them more clearly than ever before, though that one persistent star still shone brightest of all. 

Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of us. On top of it, she put a pointed wizard's hat - patched, frayed, and extremely dirty. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched, a rip near the brim opening wide like a mouth, and it began to sing.

"A thousand years or more ago, When I was newly sewn, Four wizards shared a single dream, To build what you call home.

Brave Gryffindor sought those with heart, Who'd face what others fear, While Ravenclaw prized sharpest minds, To seek what isn't clear.

Sweet Hufflepuff took those who'd work, With patience, just and true, And Slytherin chose ambition's path, For those of cunning view.

So put me on and let me see, What lies within your mind, For I'm the one who knows the way, Your true house to find.

Perhaps you'll join the lions bold, Where courage lights the way, Or with the eagles soar on high, Where wisdom holds its sway.

The badger's den might welcome you, Where loyalty runs deep, Or in the serpent's careful coils, Your destiny might sleep.

So try me on, don't be afraid, (I've never yet been wrong) I'll look inside your mind and see, Where you really belong!"

The hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. I quickly signed the gist of it to Bell, whose eyes were wide with wonder. Drake looked slightly green.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

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

I quickly signed to Bell, "Ready?"

She nodded, though her hands shook slightly as she signed back, "As I'll ever be."

Drake just looked like he might be sick.

The hat twitched, a rip near its brim opening wide, and I leaned forward eagerly, wondering what this magical artifact might have to say.

A girl with long brown hair and hazel eyes walked from the line of first years and stood in front of the hat. McGonagall picked up the hat and placed it on her head.

The hat seemed to come alive making me wonder how it was actually enchanted since it seemed to have a sense of self, meaning sentience and everything I had read said otherwise, I wanted to get my hands on it so badly I was almost wheezing at the thought.

"Hmm yes, powerful blood. A leader like all else, yes it seems simple. Slytherin."

The Slytherin table erupted into cheers, after that more and more students were called upon until.

"Luna, Bell."

She turned to looked at me expected as I cracked my fingers, time for the best signing if my life.

The hat was soon placed on her head.

"Oh," the hat began. "You're an interesting one yes. Bold you are that's certain, smart as well, hmm yes I know which house you fit, Gryffindor!"

I signed the sign for lion to finish and at the same time the Gryffindor table erupted into cheer and she smiled, the biggest smile I had seen of her as of yet. She quickly moved to the table.

Another person was called up and the one after that came a familiar name. 

"Macmillian, Drake."

I smiled at Drake as he was called up I could see him take a deep breath before he walked over, the hat was placed above and it soon began.

"Slytherin."

The Slytherin table erupted into cheers but I could see a flash of disappointment through his face before it was replaced with a smile, a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

More names were called over and over, I had been keeping count just so I knew what number I was in the year, I had also been keeping track of the other names, faces an their respective house, it was a hassle but oh well why not.

After the 29th person, Edward Selwyn got up from the hat and to the Slytherin table my name was finally called.

"Serendipity, Felix."

I heard a small stifle of laughter from someone, oh yeah they were just edging me to throw a fireball at them, but I quickly made my way to the stool.

The hat was placed up on my head, I felt the fabric through my hair, then I felt something else crawl through my hair, it was quickly making it's way through my head, into my cranium and then I felt it reach my brain.

So that's how it read memories, but how did it have magic of his own? Yeah decision made, I was gonna steal this hat and find out how it worked for myself.

"Hmm, oh."

As it began I felt something else pull in my head, giving me a massive migraine, my eyes went up to the ceiling with the rest of the stars and I could see the one as always.

My head was killing me, just like it had when I had woken the day after the Louise incident as I had begun calling it in my mind, then I felt the anchor, the image more clear than before, a book?

"Very, very interesting. Bold when it comes to action, loyal to friends and family, no cunningness but there is your mother, still something else trumps all of this doesn't it? A want, a gift, yes your obsessiveness can only be directed at one thing can't it, the thing that trumps all else, a passion for magic, there is no other house that can fit you, Ravenclaw!!"

The Ravenclaw table erupted into claps and cheers, that only killed my head even more. Yet just as I was about to stand up I felt something say almost as if it was talking directly in my head.

"Yes you truly are a Scribe."

McGonagall grabbed the sorting hat from my head, I quickly felt the vision of the anchor dissipate, the stars seemed to shine less and I wobbly made my way to the Ravenclaw table, my head was killing me.

If you want to read ten advanced chapters, you can do so at Patreon.com/JoanjudoStories