Promises

Chapter 5

The door swung open at once, revealing a tall, sterned face, black-haired lady in emerald-green robes standing there.

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

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." she pulled the door wide and led the group of students across the flagged stone floor into a small empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, peering about nervously at each other.

"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." Nyx could feel Draco's smirk beside her. "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."

Professor McGonagall paused for a while, scanning the crowd of the students before her. "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. I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber and Nyx turned to Draco.

"What house do you think you will be sorted in?"

"Definitely Slytherin. My entire family's in Slytherin, so I had better be in it, else I would catch the next train home. I hope you get sorted into Slytherin too, else I will have to compete against you, you know." Draco replied. "I mean, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw might be fine, but if you get into Gryffindor, I will have to act nasty to you."

Nyx pouted, "Doesn't have to be that way, you know. I'm not really competitive and I don't care about house points whatsoever. We can still be friends, even if we're in rival houses, don't you think?" she whispered the last part to Draco softly.

"We'll see." Nyx frowned.

"Move along now, the Sorting Ceremony is about to start." said a sharp voice. Professor McGonagall had returned. "Now, form a line, and follow me."

She led the students out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Nyx had never seen anything like it before. Multiple gasps erupted around her, all as equally awed at the beauty and massiveness of the hall. It was lit by thousands of candles which were floating in mid-air over four long tables filled with students, each sitting in front of glittering golden plates and goblets. The ceiling above them was dotted with stars, twinkling in the dark.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about it in Hogwarts: A History." Nyx heard a girl saying. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall brought the first-years up there, coming to a halt in a line facing the rest of the school. She placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years with a pointed wizard's hat resting on top of it.

For a few seconds, there was complete silence as everyone stared at the patched and frayed hat. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat begin to sing:

'Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me,
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set the Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin,
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means,
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"