Son of the Dark Lord

Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Sorting Ceremony

The door swung open at once to reveal a tall, black-haired witch in emerald green robes. She had a very stern face, and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.

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

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

She pulled the door wide and ushered the first years across the giant entrance hall. Harry took in the flaming torches, magnificent marble staircase, and the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear hundreds of voices coming from a door to the right (he supposed the rest of the school must be in there) but Professor McGonagall led them into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They all crowded in, peering around nervously.

"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 something 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 Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most house 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're waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." She left the chamber and Harry turned to Draco.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?"

"The sorting hat. It looks into your mind and decides which house you belong in."

"Oh. That's all?" Harry felt relieved. He had been imagining some test of magical prowess. As they waited, several people behind him suddenly screamed.

"What the—?" He followed the screamers' gazes and gasped. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another. 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 even really 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?" Harry saw a few people nod. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! 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 walls. "Now, form a line and follow me." Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into line between Draco and Gregory and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Even Draco gasped at the splendor of the Great Hall. 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 golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. The line of first years was led up there so they came to a halt facing the other students. Hundreds of faces stared up at them with silvery ghosts dotted in between. To avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He heard Hermione whisper that it was bewitched to look like the sky outside.