Bat-Bogey Hexers

68

The students did their very best to stay out of the rain on the way up to the castle, however all their hard work went to waste when they entered the castle and found Peeves the Poltergeist pelting them with water balloons.

One came crashing down on Ginny's head.

"Damn ghost," Ginny grumbled as she wiped water out of her eyes.

"Ginny Weasley!" scolded Vera Raymond. "Mind your langu-"

Vera was suddenly hit in the face with a water balloon. Ginny tried not to laugh as the girl's eyes squinted closed, and her lips puckered.

"Never mind," said Vera. "Use whatever language you like."

Laughing, and still very very wet, they headed into the great hall, which was decorated in its usual array of house colors.

The warmth of the hall was very welcoming to the freezing wet students, as were the golden plates which, although empty now, were easy to imagine full of all the wonderful food that would soon be set out before them.

Ginny headed toward the Gryffindor table with her friends. Beside her, Colin was chattering.

"I can't wait for Dennis to be sorted! Do you think he'll be a Gryffindor? I think he'll be a Gryffindor!"

"I think he will," said Ginny with a grin. She knew Colin was counting on his little brother getting into Gryffindor .

"Well, you don't have long to wait," said Peggy as they all sat down at the Gryffindor table.

However it was long enough for Colin. He sat on the edge of his seat, excitedly bouncing one leg up and down.

"You'd think he was the one about to be sorted," giggled a nearby Wish Proctor.

Finally Professor McGonagall entered the Great Hall, followed by a stream of first years, all shivering and wet.

Ginny found tiny, mousy-haired Dennis Creevey among the crowd.

While all of them looked like they'd been caught in the rain (which they had), Dennis was positively dripping. He was wrapped tightly in what looked like Hagrid's moleskin overcoat. His head barely peeped out of the collar.

"There's Dennis!" Colin cried, waving at his little brother.

Dennis spotted his older brother, and, with a grin, he gave a double thumbs up. Then he mouthed, I fell in the lake!

He looked positively enthused by the idea.

"Way to jinx him Colin," laughed Ginny, remembering Colin's warning to Dennis on the platform in Hogsmeade.

Professor McGonagall proceeded to place a three legged stool and the sorting hat before the first years. Then the sorting hat sang it's song, and the sorting began.

"Ackerly, Stewart!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Baddock, Malcom!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Branstone, Eleanor!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Cauldwell, Owen!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Creevey, Dennis!"

"Go Dennis!" Colin called excitedly as Dennis staggered forward, and tripped over Hagrid's coat.

Grinning, Dennis got to his feet again, and hopped onto the stool.

Ginny saw Colin tense beside her as the hat slid onto his brother's head, covering his eyes.

"GRYFFINDOR!"