The Tree of Blacks (English version)

The Sorting Ceremony - part 2

The Sorting ceremony continued, but Alya was so immersed in her sad thoughts about Sirius that she barely noticed what was happening around her.

She heard Professor McGonagall call out the names on the list undeterred, but her voice seemed extremely distant. More applause followed, more groups of students cheering for the newcomers. Alya didn't even notice that her friend Melyssa had been sorted in Slytherin, noticing the girl only after several minutes that she was sitting next to her.

Alya recomposed herself, leaving aside her gloomy thoughts about Sirius. She concentrated on the selection.

"Potter, James!" announced Professor McGonagall.

Emerging from the group was Sirius' thin friend, whom Alya had already met on the train. He reached the stool with an air of arrogance and put on the hat. The word GRYFFINDOR echoed once more throughout the room and the little boy reacted with a mocking smirk, as if to say it-couldn't-be-anything-else. James Potter joined the Gryffindor table and took a seat next to Sirius, who gave him a resounding pat on the back.

The look of complicity the two exchanged gave Alya an immediate surge of envy. So, Sirius preferred the company of that dishevelled little blowhard rather than that of his twin sister. The realisation caused Alya fierce anger to mount.

Alya cast another quick look at the Gryffindor table and noticed that, not far from Sirius, sat the red-haired girl, who had been crashing into her on the Hogwarts Express. Another fit of pique took hold of Alya: apparently the Gryffindor table was full of hateful people.

She looked away in disgust and shifted her attention to the Slytherin table. A certain Severus Snape had just been sorted into Slytherin and Alya saw the yellow-skinned boy, the red-haired girl's friend, join them.

After a few minutes, Philippa Travers joined Melyssa and Alya at the Slytherin table. Both welcomed her enthusiastically.

When Professor McGonagall finished the names on her list, she went to join the other teachers behind her. The whole Great Hall vibrated with great excitement, invaded by chatter.

From the table of teachers emerged an old wizard. He was the headmaster of the school, Professor Albus Dumbledore. He was a decidedly out-of-the-ordinary person: he had very long, white hair and beard, and his eyes sparkled with a blue intelligence from behind his half-moon glasses. He wore a long, bright purple robe that he sported proudly.

Nevertheless, as bizarre as his appearance was, Alya couldn't help but sense the immense magical aura the Headmaster exuded by simply standing in the middle of the Hall. Without a shadow of a doubt, he must have been a very powerful wizard.

As soon as Dumbledore managed to capture everyone's attention, he lavished the entire audience of young wizards with his warmest smile, giving them a jovial welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After a short speech, he launched the long-awaited banquet.

Immediately, the large golden trays placed along the tables were filled with food, looking inviting. Alya, who only then realized how hungry she was, dived on the food like all her schoolmates.

When everyone was finally full, with bellies stuffed of delicious food and pumpkin juice, Dumbledore again took the floor. The Hall fell silent.

"Just a few words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First-year students should note that the forest in the grounds is strictly forbidden to all pupils. I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"I must also inform you that, during the summer, a magnificent example of Slapping Willow was introduced into our grounds. It's a tree as old as it is admirable. However, I also must advise you to not enjoy its proximity and the shade of its foliage. It has quite a temper and tends to express its emotions with a certain... zeal." explained Dumbledore eloquently and, perhaps, mildly amused by the stunned faces of the students listening to him.