PHANTOM FIGURES | harry potter

2. the sorting ceremony

The door swung open at once. And Professor McGonagall was on the other side, surprising Aspen.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said the tall man.

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

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big Aspen's whole house could fit in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, like the ones Aspen saw at the bank called 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. Aspen could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right - the rest of the school must already be there - but Professor McGonagall led them into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather close together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor Mconagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you can take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, whilst 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. Whilst you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, whilst 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 whilst you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened underneath his left ear. In the corner of her eye, Aspen saw Harry attempt to flatten his hair.

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

Aspen turned to Jasmine beside her. "My hair is alright?" she nervously ruffled it. "I do not have anything on my face?"

"You look pretty," Jasmine said, trying to push down one of her ringlets that managed to escape. "You have nothing to worry about."

"Thanks." Aspen smiled, and tried to get rid of the cat hair on her robes.

Then, whilst she was doing that, something made her flinch, several people behind her screamed.

"What the - ?"

Aspen gasped. So did the people around her. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance."

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

"New students." Aspen said in the silence, since no one else answered.

"About to be Sorted, I suppose?" the Fat Friar asked.

Aspen and a few others nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" the Friar said. "My old House, you know."