Hogwarts

Jace and the others were walking among the crowd, next to the Hogwarts Express. He turned back to look at his friends. "What are we supposed to do now? Should we just follow the older students?"

Tom didn't like that idea very much. "No, let us ask them first and then decide what to do."

Jace nodded, agreeing with Tom's suggestion. He looked around for an older student who seemed approachable and caught the eye of an older Gryffindor girl.

"Excuse me," Jace called out politely as he approached her. "We're new here and we were wondering what we're supposed to do now. Should we just follow the older students?"

The Gryffindor girl smiled kindly at them. "Of course! Welcome to Hogwarts! I'm Angelina Johnson, by the way. You'll need to board the wagons over to get to the castle. Follow the crowd and you'll see them. Once you're all in a wagon, say 'Start wagon' and it will take you straight to Hogwarts."

Jace thanked Angelina for the information and made his way towards his friends to tell them what he had learned. After following the crowd for a bit, they could see a line of carriages waiting for students to board. They joined the queue and soon found themselves in one of the carriages.

Once they were settled in the carriage, Jace remembered Angelina's instructions. "Start wagon," he said, a bit tentatively, unsure if it would work.

To their amazement, not only did the carriage jerk into motion but it also got off the ground. They began flying smoothly towards Hogwarts Castle.

The friends gazed in wonder as the carriage soared through the air, carried by some unseen magic. They could see the vast castle looming in the distance, its majestic towers and turrets standing tall against the darkening sky.

As they approached the castle, Jace couldn't contain his excitement. He leaned forward in his seat, eagerly taking in every detail of the approaching Hogwarts. The carriage touched down gently near the entrance courtyard, and they disembarked, still in awe of the magical transportation they had just experienced.

As they made their way towards the entrance of the castle, they were greeted by a group of older students who were also arriving. One of them, a tall Ravenclaw boy, approached them with a friendly smile.

"Hey there! I'm Michael. First years, right?" he asked, noticing their awe-struck expressions.

Jace nodded, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. "Yeah, we're new here. Just arrived on the carriage."

Michael chuckled. "I remember my first time in the carriage too. It's quite something, isn't it? Well, welcome to Hogwarts! Once all the first years are gathered here, the deputy headmaster will give you some instructions and then you'll head to the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony."

Hermione glanced around, taking in the impressive castle and the other students milling about. "What's the Sorting Ceremony?" she asked, curious.

Michael grinned. "It's where the first-year students are sorted into one of the four houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin. Don't worry, it's not as scary as it sounds. Just follow the deputy headmaster's instructions and you'll be fine."

They followed the other students into the entrance hall, where they were met by Professor Robert McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts who kept shoutting. "FIRST YEARS, gather in front of me."

After people ceased compiling, McGonagall quickly counted them to make sure that no one was missing.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, first-years," Professor McGonagall said with a stern yet warm expression. "If you'll excuse me shouting, we will proceed to the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony. Follow me, please."

Jace and his friends followed Professor McGonagall through the corridors of Hogwarts, marvelling at the grandeur of the castle. They passed by suits of armour, moving staircases, and portraits that came to life as they walked past and waved at them.

As they entered the Great Hall, the first years couldn't help but gasp in awe. The room was vast, with a high ceiling adorned with floating candles and a starry night sky. The four long tables were filled with students from different houses, all chatting and eagerly anticipating the Sorting Ceremony.

Professor McGonagall led them to a space at the front of the hall where a stool with an old, well-maintained hat perched on top of it, was waiting. The Sorting Hat, as it was called, was enchanted and could determine which house each student belonged to based on their qualities and personality.

"Line up. I will now commence with the sorting," Professor McGonagall announced in his gruff tone, and the students lined up with bated breaths.

As Jace observed his fellow first-years being called one by one, a mix of excitement and apprehension swirled in his chest. He knew that the house he would be sorted into would be his home for the duration of his time at Hogwarts. He also noticed that the sorting was being done in descending order based on family names, which increased his uneasiness as he would be one of the last to be sorted.

As Professor McGonagall continued calling names, Jace listened intently for any familiar ones and joined in the applause when students were sorted.

Sky went to Hufflepuff while Hermione and Tom who were sorted into Ravenclaw. He thought that the sorting was pretty accurate based on his limited knowledge of the four houses. But there were other names that caught his attention.

Katherine Stella was sorted into Slytherin, followed by Albus Dumbledore. Jace also noticed a peculiar white-haired boy who was sorted into Slytherin, and a girl who bore a striking resemblance to Albus and shared the same last name, who was sorted into Gryffindor.

At long last, after what felt like an eternity, Jace heard Professor McGonagall call his name. He took a deep breath, walked up to the stool, and sat down as the Sorting Hat was placed on his head.

"Hmm, interesting," the Sorting Hat's voice echoed in his mind. "You possess an insatiable thirst for knowledge and a strong sense of justice. You exhibit bravery and resourcefulness, yet also loyalty and diligence. You could excel in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or even Hufflepuff. But where shall I place you?"

Jace held his breath, anxiously awaiting the Sorting Hat's decision. After a moment that felt like an eternity, the Sorting Hat finally spoke again.

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