The Irreplaceable Charlie Weasley

Chapter 2 - The Sorting Orientation

Nova

As the Head Girl said, we knew immediately where the first-year students have to be, as Penny, Tulip, Tonks and I stepped from the train, we almost bumped into a man so large that we stood next to him in awe, as he called all first-years to come with him. His name is Hagrid and despite his size, seems like a nice man. Penny and I sat with him in one of the boats that took us to the castle. At first, we were quiet as we admired just how beautiful the school and the School Grouds are.

Then Penny and I looked at each other, her indicating that we should speak to Hagrid. We found out that he was the Gamekeeper and the Keeper of Keys for Hogwarts and that he lives in a little cottage on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, to where he most kindly invited us for tea and rock cakes.

When we finally got to the other side of the Lake and clumsily got out of the boats, Penny and I got reunited with Tonks and Tulip as we got up the stairs towards the castle. Hagrid left us with a strict-looking witch in beautiful emerald robes and a very pointy hat that led us to a giant wooden door for which she claimed was the way to the Great Hall where the rest of the students and professors were waiting for us to get sorted.

Besides telling us that her name is professor McGonagall and she is the Head of the Gryffindor House, she told us that we can use the Great Hall for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day as well as to study and pass the time with the friends we might make from other Houses. Though she warned us that if the weather is nice, she would rather see us outside in the Courtyard or by the Black Lake which is one of the rare places the first years are allowed to go on the School Grounds.

She then told us to stay put as she went through the big wooden door to see if everybody was ready for the Sorting. I was beginning to get nervous and by the look on Penny's face, she felt the same. Tonks looked rather excited so did the boy I heard talk about Quidditch on the train for which I now noticed he was in a wheelchair.

Professor McGonagall soon came back for us, leading us all inside the Great Hall. It was one of the most magical places I have seen so far. The ceiling was enchanted to look like the sky outside – something I read about in Hogwarts: A History in the car on the way to the Kings Cross Station. There were four sets of tables, each full of students that wore either red, green, yellow, or blue ties and were murmuring excitedly. I presumed they couldn't wait to see who would join their House as much as we couldn't wait to get sorted.

Professor McGonagall made us stop in front of the steps that lead to the long table where other professors were sitting. Before that table stood a chair and a hat on it, which I recognized immediately as the Sorting Hat as my mum told me all about it. The nerves kicked in again and I couldn't wait to see which of my parents won the bet.

After the Sorting Hat stopped singing, professor McGonagall pulled out a long piece of parchment, corrected her glasses that slid off her nose a little, and began to read from what seemed to be a list.

"Ali, Badeea!" She called a girl with a beautiful blue headscarf. She sat down and professor McGonagall put the Hat on her head. It immediately yelled "Ravenclaw!"

"Blackwood, Nova!" I froze when I heard my name. I looked at Tulip, Tonks, and Penny who smiled at me and showed me to go up the stairs to the Hat. I sat down, bitting the inner sides of my lips as I was so nervous.

"Hmm, a though one I see. Very smart and witted. Would do good in Ravenclaw, oh yes. But I see now...courage also and loves to help others. Gryffindor perhaps? Where to put you? Your parents did good in both Houses, oh yes. However, your thirst for knowledge is quite strong. Better put you in Ravenclaw!" The Hat finally gave its answer and my chest got lighter as if I just passed a big test.