The Forgotten Twin

Chapter 7

The doors immediately opened. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a stern face. Delilah's first thought was that this was someone not to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid announced.

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

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so huge that the Dursleys' house could fit in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like in Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Delilah could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here — but Professor McGonagal led them into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing closer together than Delilah would have preferred.

"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 like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes 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 noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rulebreaking will lose 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 lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

"How do they sort us?" Delilah asked Draco.

"We have to put on a hat that sees into our minds and decides what house we'd fit best in."

Delilah relaxed. She had thought it might be a test of their magic. Putting on a hat was much easier and efficient.

Then something happened that made several people behind her scream.

"What the —?"

She gasped with the people around her. About twenty ghosts had just come 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 really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?"

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

Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people mutely nodded.

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

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