Second part, here we go
Word count: 1244
There was no other way to describe it; the Great Hall was magnificent. Thousands of candles lit the vast space and the ceiling was velvety black with stars.
"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside," Hermione whispered in his ear. "I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."
Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool was a pointed witch's hat. A rip opened like a mouth and began to sing.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," McGonagall said. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause —
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.
As Susan Bones went up next, Harry looked around at the tables. He saw Ron's brothers sitting at what he guessed was Gryffindor. Millicent Bulstrode went to a table on the opposite side. Slytherin, where he'd make his real friends if he took the hat's words as the truth.
But he already had two of them, and Hermione had just been called. Where would she go? Gryffindor? Ravenclaw? Those were the houses she had mentioned.
But neither was called. "SLYTHERIN!"
The Slytherins looked stunned as Hermione headed for their table. She didn't pay any mind to the sneers sent her way.
A few more people went up, including Neville Longbottom, who became a Gryffindor.
Draco Malfoy, a blonde boy with a pale, pointed face, went to Slytherin before the hat even settled on his head.
There weren't many people now. After "Perks, Sally-Anne," Harry was called.
Ignoring the sudden increase in whispers, he stepped forward and sat down on the stool, the hat sliding over his eyes.
"Hm," the hat said. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either."
Harry gripped the edges of the stool.
"I see. You want to be with your friends. Very well. SLYTHERIN!"
Stunned silence met the hat's shout. Then Ron began clapping. Hermione quickly joined in, followed by the Slytherins. The Gryffindors gaped as Harry took a seat next to Hermione, disregarding Malfoy when he gestured to the chair next to him.
"We didn't get Potter!" Fred and George bawled, dramatically sobbing into each other's shoulders. One of them stopped for a moment to give Harry a thumbs up before continuing his sobbing.
Ron Weasley was the second to last person to be Sorted. He sat on the stool for a long time.
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted.
Silence reigned once more, but Harry and Hermione greeted Ron warmly as he sank into a chair. Harry grinned at Ron. "What do you know? You're the first Slytherin in your family!"
Ron grinned back.
Blaise Zabini, a dark-skinned boy with high cheekbones, silently took the chair next to Malfoy, finishing up the Sorting Ceremony.
Albus Dumbledore got to his feet, beaming as he surveyed the students.
"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!
