Sorting Ceremony

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told us after we reached the entrance to the Great hall, "and follow me."

Feeling a little hyped for sorting, I immediately joined the line behind Ron with Hermione and Neville behind me. We followed Professor McGonagall and passed through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

We walked inside the Great hall with many pairs of eyes gazing at us. Looking at the splendid ceiling of the Great hall I was amazed. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. I looked over at the top of the hall and saw another long table where the teachers were sitting.

I immediately felt a brush against my Occlmency shields and turned around to see snape looking at me directly. Immediately after I looked down trying to break my eye contact with him. I can see his interest in me increasing but there were no more attacks on my shield.

Professor McGonagall led the first years upon the platform near teachers, such that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. There were hundreds of faces staring at them that looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." I heard Hermione mummer under her breath when she saw some of us looking at the ceilings.

"I know" I replied as if she was talking to me. It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open onto the heavens.

Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool, she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.

Everyone looked over the hat, waiting for it to sing its song while the First years looked confused. Suddenly, the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth —and the hat began 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. the hat proceeds to bow before each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."

Professor McGonagall now 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, 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. There was 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. I saw Hufflepuff's ghost welcoming their newest member with a smile.

"Bones, Susan!"

"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 him as he joined them. Similarly, "Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. I didn't know what that hat saw in him that looks any close to being cunning.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

As shown in the movies, I noticed that the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others, it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy

next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the

hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!" I saw Hermione ran to the stool and jammed the hat on top of her head. I crossed my fingers hoping she will go to Ravenclaw and away from those idiots but sadly my all hopes are crushed.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. I groaned along with Ron.

"Granger, Jack" I heard Professor call out my name. I walked up to the stool calmly and did what any responsible reincarnator would do.

"Scourgify," I said while pointing at the hat. I didn't know why others have not done so before. It was the easiest charm in 'Practical household Magic' book. Though it took me two weeks to master that spell along with Hermione.

I then proceed to sit on the stool and place hat gently on top of my head. Immediately I felt a contact being established between us.

"Thank you, It has been ages since someone cleaned me, That old crook always forgets about me. Now let's see." said a small voice in his head. "Difficult. Very difficult. While you are wise beyond your years, you are gaining knowledge for power. Unlike others, you will not go and get in danger yourself but if danger comes, you are not afraid to face it. You are cunning in nature more than others I sorted before but not a pureblood. So where should I put you?"

"Please Let me in Gryffindor, I need to protect my sister" I conveyed my feelings to hat through the link.

"Gryffindor huh, well it will suit you too so be in GRYFFINDOR!" the hat said while shouting the last bit to everyone. I walked towards the Gryffindor table while shaking hands with all the seniors. looks like my deed on the train has already been spread.

I talked to my seniors while making myself comfortable next to Hermione. Soon Neville and Ron joined us at the table. The weasely duo came and congratulated Ron.

"Potter, Harry!" As soon as those words left Professor McGonagall's mouth everyone turned silent. Everyone in the hall ( even the hat) looked to the boy who lived. As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing

fires all over the hall.

I already knew that if not problem arises then harry should join us. And sure enough, after some uncomfortable minutes, the hat shouted."GRYFFINDOR!"

The whole table went wild as though all of them have been awarded Order of Merlin. They started banging on the table and surrounded Harry, trying to shake his hand. Even Hermione looked a little bit starstruck after all his deeds have been recorded in all the books.

"Don't make friends with him, He will just bring problems to us" I said while looked sadly at the next person being sorted to completely ignored by others. Percy the Prefect even got up and shook harry's hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!".

'Damn, I just want to get this over with' I thought. I was really looking forward to the feast we were going to have. I didn't eat much today so that I could go all out at dinner.

Soon all the rest three-person got sorted. Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!" and he sat back down.

I don't know what that means but will try to find out at the first chance I get. For now, I was too busy devouring all the foods that magically appeared in front of us. I have to tell you, all of the food was top-notch as though they were made by a five-star Michelin chef. I just going to bury myself inside the large amount of food I was able to gather when a head popped out from it.

That was the first time I really wanted to bring a shaman or anyone who can eradicate all the ghosts of Hogwarts. At that time, I didn't know I will have the same feeling at later date but for now, I took out my fork and pierced right through his eyes towards my lamb chops.

"Now that's not a proper way to treat a ghost" He said while moving away from me. "And that's not a proper way to introduce yourself. I replied back while ignoring him.

"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly while looking at me devouring my meal.

"Can't you —?" Harry asked.

"I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you — you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy —" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"

"Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. He was quite content looking at their shocked faces before his gaze fell on me. I was too busy to notice anything and simply continued to eat my food.

Little did I know, I gained a new enemy that day.