Reposted: July 5, 2021
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The Sorting has come at last
"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately," an overhead voice said.
The train came to a halt, and another voice spoke. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"
"Who's that?" Harry whispered.
"That must be Hagrid," Pansy whispered back. "I hear he's the gamekeeper."
"Dropped out, I think," Draco added with a hint of scorn.
A giant hairy man was guiding students off the train. "C'mon, follow me- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"
The first years followed him down a narrow path. Hardly anyone spoke.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."
There was a loud "Oooooh!" as they came to a stop. The path had opened up to the edge of a lake.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry climbed into one with Pansy and Draco along with another boy. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ron look disappointed as he settled into another boat with Neville, Hermione, and a sandy-haired boy.
"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then- FORWARD!"
The boats began to move forward, though Harry couldn't see what propelled them.
"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.
They clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.
They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.
Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
A black-haired witch with emerald-green robes opened the door to greet them.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
She led them to a small, empty chamber off the hall, where voices from the older students could be heard.
"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."
She went on about the houses and the point system, things that Harry wouldn't have had a clue about if it weren't for Azure.
"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," she added with a look at Neville and Ron. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." She left the chamber.
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A Little Help from a Snake // Tomarry
Fanfiction(Aka the Tomalongadingdong™ fic) It was a normal day for Harry. He woke up, made breakfast for his relatives, ate some leftovers, and went out to do the chores set for him. Then it all changed when he accidentally disturbed a snake in the grass. Ple...
