Taking On The Magical World 16 Chapter 16

"All first years need to follow Hagrid, so move along." Bill says to the three of us

We make our way over to Hagrid and I make sure to greet him, Hagrid is truly a book that you cannot judge by its cover, he may come across threatening at first but he is very caring to everyone and all creatures, and he is loyal and lovable once you get to know him.

Hagrid leads us over a bend and to the edge of the great lake and near us all are many boats.

"Four to a boat" yells Hagrid as all the first years hurry to get on to a boat.

Me, the twins, and a boy get on one boat.

"Nervous mates, I sure am, the name is Lee Jordon by the way, am I rambling, sorry, I did not ask what your guys names are."

Lee Jordon, he was best mates with the twins in the books if I remember correctly, not much else was added about him. "It is alright, first day everyone is nervous, anyways I am Caelum and these two jokers are Fred and George."

"Ha, very funny, this is Mr lovegood the prodigy." says Fred

"Wow, you are really the potion genius, I thought you were 10 years old now?" asks Lee

"Our genius gets to start early since he is smarter than the rest of us" George answer with a playful tone

I roll my eye at the twins and before I could say anything back the boat gives us a shock by starting to move on its own.

Hagrid's voice came "Keep them hands and feets in the boa," but n.o.body is paying attention to him since everyone is silently staring up at the great castle overhead us all. It towered over us as we sail closer and closer to the cliff on which it stood.

The boats stops at a harbor of sorts, we all get off them, and make our way over pebbles and sand. Hagrid leads us all up a flight of stairs and knocks on a huge wooden door.

The door swings open and we are greeted to the sight of a witch with black hair tied into a bun in emerald colored robes and a stern look on her face, it is Professor McGonagall.

"Thank you, Hagrid, I shall lead them from here." says Professor McGonagall

"Yo'ur very welcom', Professor McGonagall" says Hagrid and he heads off

Professor McGonagall ushers us inside and she leads us pa.s.s moving paintings, ceilings way too high to make out, magnificent marble staircase, and flaming torches.

We follow Professor McGonagall until we reach a stone door and behind it we could hear loads of voices, the rest of the students and teachers must be behind it I think to myself, Professor McGonagall shows us into a small, empty room away from the stone door.

All of us first years crowded inside the small room standing and peering at Professor McGonagall nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, first years, no need to be nervous I am just going to give all of you an introduction." says 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. You will have cla.s.ses with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own n.o.ble 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 you house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes landed on a few students that have much to fix up.

"How do we get sorted?" asks Lee

I shrug my shoulders and answer "By a talking hat."

Suddenly I hear a gasp and I turn and look to see about twenty ghosts that have just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing.

What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance --"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost -- I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed us first years.

n.o.body answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them.

"About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few of the students nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told us, "and follow me."