Sorting

"Professor McGonagall, all this year's new students are here. I'll leave them to you."

"Thank you for your help, Hagrid," McGonagall said.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. In a moment, you'll go through those doors and join your fellow students. But first, you must be sorted into a house. There's Ravenclaw, Slytherin..."

"Trevor!"

Before Professor McGonagall could finish, Neville rushed out from the back of the group and found his pet toad at her feet.

"Sorry..." Neville said, looking embarrassed.

McGonagall: "..."

"The Sorting Ceremony will begin in a few minutes. I suggest you use the time to tidy yourselves up." With that, she turned and went into the hall.

"Was that Professor McGonagall? She looks strict!" Jerry asked Hermione beside him.

"Yes. She was the professor who came to my house and explained everything to my parents."

"Jerry, do you know how they sort us? I'm a little nervous."

The young witch had lost the pride and confidence she'd shown on the train. Now she seemed restless.

"Don't worry, Hermione," Jerry reassured her. "We've only just started school. They're hardly going to make things difficult for us. Besides, you're already brilliant."

Hermione relaxed a little at his words.

"My father told me sorting is easy for Pure-blood wizards, but hard for Half-bloods and Muggles. The school will do anything to keep them from enrolling."

Malfoy and his companions were loudly discussing the sorting by the wall.

"Don't listen to Malfoy's nonsense. My brothers said we have to take some kind of test. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think they were winding me up. Those two are always joking," Ron said, sounding worried.

Harry grew a little nervous too.

Neville, who had just found Trevor, joined the discussion. "My gran said we have to fight a dark wizard. If we win, we go to Gryffindor. If we lose, we go to Slytherin and become dark wizards."

"My family told me everyone in Slytherin is a dark wizard too," Ron added.

"I'm getting worried, Jerry." Listening to them all talk at once had made Hermione anxious again.

"Don't listen to them. I'm sure none of that's true. Professor Dumbledore was the one who took me to Diagon Alley, and I asked him. He said families don't tell new students how sorting works before school starts. It's a tradition in the wizarding world."

Hearing that it had come from Dumbledore finally put Hermione at ease.

"You're Harry Potter? I'm Draco Malfoy. These two are Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe," Malfoy told Harry, his face full of arrogance.

Ron took one look at him and couldn't hold back a laugh.

"Think my name's funny, do you? I don't even need to ask yours. Red hair, old robes—you must be a Weasley." Malfoy was angry. He'd heard what Ron had said about Slytherin.

"Potter, you'll find that some wizarding families are better than others. You don't want to make friends with the wrong sort. I can help you."

Malfoy shot Ron a glare as he finished.

"I think I can tell the difference for myself, thanks!" Harry refused outright.

Malfoy froze at the answer. Potter had turned him down...

Watching the amusing scene from the side, Jerry thought, It's all right, Malfoy. You're both still young. You've practically grown up together, and you've got years ahead of you. Take your time.

Malfoy, this is Britain. You've still got a chance.

Seeing Malfoy still standing there, Ron couldn't resist a jab. "Hey, what are you still doing here? Didn't you see Potter turn you down?"

Malfoy had never had to put up with this kind of insult—apart from Jerry—and having it happen in front of everyone made him seethe. The boys looked ready to start fighting.

Professor McGonagall came out through the doors with a list in her hand. Seeing the two groups facing off, she said sternly, "What are you doing? Do you want detention before you've even been sorted?"

"You'll regret this, Potter!" Malfoy said bitterly. He gave Harry one last look before turning back to Goyle and Crabbe.

Goyle saw Malfoy approaching with a grim face. "Boss, did Potter turn you down? Want us to teach him a—"

"Shut up!"

McGonagall looked them over. "If you're all ready, form a line and follow me."

The new students followed McGonagall through the doors into the Great Hall.

The hall was vast. Four long house tables stretched away from the entrance, each decorated in its own colors: red and gold for Gryffindor, green and silver for Slytherin, blue and gold for Ravenclaw, and yellow and black for Hufflepuff.

At the far end of the tables was a raised platform where the Sorting Hat stood and the teachers ate their meals.

Most striking of all was the ceiling. With candles floating beneath it, it looked like a night sky lit with stars. It was beautiful.

"Look at the sky. The ceiling's been enchanted to look like that. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History..." Hermione whispered in Jerry's ear as they walked.

The new students were led to the far end of the tables. On the platform before them stood a four-legged stool topped with a dirty, battered wizard's hat. A large patch covered one side. Once the students had lined up, the hat began to sing:

"But never judge by appearances. If you can find a hat more handsome than me, I'll..."

To be honest, it didn't sing very well, but everyone was polite enough to applaud Mr. Hat.

"So that's how they sort us. We just have to put on the hat!" Hermione said quietly to Jerry, relieved.

Jerry leaned toward Hermione's ear and said in a gloomy voice, "Have you thought about something worse? It's a thinking magic hat. It might read your memories and tell everyone your most embarrassing secrets. It might even take control of your brain..."

Hermione: "..."

Professor McGonagall opened the list in her hand. "When I call your name, come forward. I'll place the Sorting Hat on your head, and it will sort you."

"Hannah Abbott!"

A little girl with two blonde braids came forward and sat on the stool. McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head.

"Hufflepuff!" the hat shouted.

The students at the Hufflepuff table on the right applauded and cheered, welcoming Hannah to their house.