43 Charm and Cunning
"Hogwarts," the train reached Hogsmeade station, and the students filed out.
Over all the noise, the booming voice of Hagrid could be heard.
"Firs' years over here. Firs' years."
"Hey Hedwig, I can't take you with me for the sorting. Why don't you see if you find a few nice mice and go to the owlery? I'll come visit you in the morning," Harry suggested.
Hedwig hooted positively and took flight to some awed expressions of the students.
Hedwig's plumage had turned completely silver except on her stomach; there it was a bright white.
"Say, why do you talk to her as if she was human?" Hannah asked.
"As I said, she's my familiar and she understands everything I say. She's very intelligent," Harry answered.
"Hey, Harry, everything okay?" Hagrid called over.
"Yes, thanks, Hagrid," Harry called back.
Once Hagrid had all first-years assembled, he led them towards a steep narrow path.
Then they turned around a bend, and Harry was startled by the sight of the lit castle in the darkness. Hundreds of windows were lit by the light inside the castle.
Then they reached the shore of a lake.
"No more'n four to a boat," Hagrid announced, pointing to a small fleet of boats sitting on the dark water.
Harry filled into a boat with Terry, Susan, and Hannah. When all first-years were in the boats, Hagrid commanded them forward.
They sailed over the lake, awed by the experience.
Finally, they were told to keep their heads down and passed through an archway, hidden by a curtain of ivy, in the cliff.
At the end of the archway, a stone staircase was located.
They left the boats and followed Hagrid up the stairs until they reached the huge oak front doors of the castle.
Hagrid knocked at the door, and they waited until the door was opened.
"The firs' years Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said.
"Thank you, Hagrid; I'll take them from here," McGonagall said.
She led the group towards a smaller chamber at the side of the entrance hall. Inside, she turned to them.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "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. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house's dormitory, and spend your 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 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 will be awarded the House Cup, a great honor.
I hope each of you will be a credit to whatever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school."
"I suggest you smarten yourself up as much as you can while you are waiting," she said, looking at Neville, who had managed to fasten his cloak under his left ear, and a red-haired boy who had a bit of dirt on his nose. "I shall return when we are ready for you."
...
After a small shock with the Hogwarts ghosts appearing through the walls, McGonagall returned.
"We are ready for you now; line up and follow me," she said.
Harry fell into line in front of Susan and after a boy with black hair and brown skin. They followed McGonagall, and Harry looked up to see the ceiling he had read so much about in "Hogwarts, A History."
They walked through the aisle between the two tables in the middle.
The eyes of all students on the four house tables were on them.
"The ceiling is charmed to look like the sky outside. I read it in 'Hogwarts, A History,'" he heard Hermione tell another girl.
'Perhaps I should sometime give her the tip to not shove her knowledge upon others in that tone,' Harry pondered.
Then the new first-years spread out in front of the head table and were looking at an old shabby hat on a stool.
Before Harry could think what the hat could have to do with the sorting, it started singing (I think it has been put into so many stories that I will skip it).
In the song, the hat outlined the traits of all the houses. Once it had ended, loud applause and cheers erupted.
Then McGonagall stepped forward and held out a parchment with names on it.
"When I call your name, you'll step forward and put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she informed the first-years. "Abbott, Hannah."
Hannah stumbled forward, nervous to be the first. The hat fell right over her eyes until it shouted out.
"HUFFLEPUFF."
Hannah joined the table on the right that cheered when the house was called out.
"Bones, Susan."
Again the hat was placed on the head, and after a short time, it shouted.
"HUFFLEPUFF."
Susan joined Hannah at the Hufflepuff table.
"Boot, Terry."
"RAVENCLAW."
The Sorting Hat, with each new student, continued its deliberations, sorting them into their respective houses. The atmosphere in the Great Hall was charged with anticipation as the Sorting Ceremony unfolded.
Brocklehurst, Mandy became a Ravenclaw, eliciting cheers from the table on the left. Lavender Brown became the first new Gryffindor, and the far-right table erupted in celebration. Millicent Bulstrode joined Slytherin, prompting applause from the far-left table.
As the sorting continued, Harry observed the diverse reactions of the students being sorted. He couldn't shake the feeling that Slytherin seemed to attract many children of Death Eaters, making him relieved not to be sorted there.
Hermione Granger, the girl from the train, was sorted into Gryffindor, and Neville Longbottom followed suit. Draco Malfoy, predictably, joined Slytherin with evident satisfaction.
The sorting progressed, with the twin girls Patil going to different houses: Padma to Ravenclaw and Parvati to Gryffindor. Sally-Anne Perks became a Hufflepuff.
Finally, it was Harry's turn. The whispers and attention from all sides were expected. Confidently stepping forward, he heard some girls giggle and comment on how cute he looked, a notion he found amusing.
As the Sorting Hat settled on his head, Harry engaged in a mental dialogue. Expressing concerns about Slytherin due to potential safety issues and negative press, he pleaded to be placed in Ravenclaw instead. The Hat deliberated, acknowledging his intelligence and weighing the options.
In the end, the Sorting Hat declared loudly, "RAVENCLAW." The Ravenclaw table erupted in cheers as Harry made his way over, taking a seat next to Terry.
Terry, grinning, remarked, "Seems your smarts won out over your cunning." Harry whispered back, revealing that he had convinced the hat that Ravenclaw would be safer for him.
"Good for you," Terry replied, clapping when Lisa Turpin was also sorted into Ravenclaw. The Sorting Ceremony concluded, leaving the Great Hall abuzz with the energy of new house assignments.
....
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