Vulpes in Arce

Year I - Hogwarts is beautiful pt.2

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a stern face and she was composed, and Emily thought best not to cross her.

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

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

She pulled the door open wide. Emily's mouth fell open at the size of the Entrance Hall. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Emily could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right and it made her a bit anxious. Professor McGonagall showed the first-years into a small empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they usually would have done, peering about nervously.

Emily found herself next to Alisha Lorne and Connor Evans and tried to keep as close to them as possible. The three girls she shared a compartment with earlier were scattered a bit away from her so she didn't make an effort to join them again. She was nervous, like most others around her, and her heart was beating fast. Alisha looked at Emily with a small empathetic smile, implying she felt the same way, and Emily felt a little bit more comfortable standing in the middle of a crowd of skittish first-years.

''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 called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. 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 are waiting.''

Her eyes lingered for a moment on a boy's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on the red-headed boy's nose that Emily recognised from Platform 9 ¾.

''I shall return when we are ready for you,'' said Professor McGonagall. ''Please wait quietly.''

She left the chamber. Emily swallowed and turned to look at her acquaintances.

"So, Bagsley, what house are you hoping for?" Connor asked as he turned towards her.

"Slytherin, I think," Emily answered, trying to keep her voice down to a whisper.

"Me too," said Alisha. "I hope they sort us into the same houses, whichever they will be."

Connor nodded. "I was hoping for Slytherin as well. I think they have the qualities that I value the most."

"Hello, cousin." A voice behind Emily interrupted the three's conversation. Turning around, she a boy with platinum blond hair and cloudy grey eyes. She recognised him almost immediately.

"Draco," Emily nodded politely in his direction. Two boys were standing next to him, like bodyguards, keeping watch. "Nice to finally meet you."

"Likewise. I hope to see you at the Slytherin table in a while. Someone with your reputation would be a great asset to the house," Draco mused. "And do make sure to make use of it with the right sort of people. Harry Potter made the wrong choice today, I hope you won't - if you know what's good for you, that is."