Ven Degrad: The Prophecy

Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all think about what house you want to go into while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you," Professor Marazion said, "And try to be quiet as well."

He left the chamber. Ven saw that Albus was nervous.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" Scorpius asked Albus.

"Some sort of test," The three of them turned around to see another group of first years talking, everyone was listening in "It hurts a lot, but then you get used to it."

Ven's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole school? But he didn't know any magic yet. What on earth would he have to do? He hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived. He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too. Ven had never been more nervous, never, not even when he'd had to take a school report home to the Orphanage saying that he'd somehow turned one of the student's skin green. He kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor Marazion would come back and lead him to his doom.

Then several girls screamed, something that hadn't made Ven jump about. About twenty ghosts had 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 the first years.

"New students," Ven answered.

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

Ven nodded mutely.

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

"Defiantly would want to be in Ravenclaw," said a voice from behind. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start. Friar."

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

"Now, form a line," Professor Marazion told the first years, "and follow me."

Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Ven got into line almost in the very back behind Albus, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Ven had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. 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. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor Marazion led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Ven looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He heard Albus whisper to Ven, "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside."

It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.

Harry quickly looked down again as Professor Marazion silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool he put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. The caretaker wouldn't have let it in the house.