chosen - harry potter

Chapter 3 - The Sorting Ceremony

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?" a large, bearded man said. He stood several feet above everyone, and his hand held a lantern that bobbed above the students' heads. "C'mon, follow me. Any more firs' years?"

Cassia followed the group of new students down a narrow path. The air was cool, and the night sky was clear, the stars sparkling brilliantly. She beamed at Ron, his face looking horrified. As they followed the slippery, narrow path, they all got their first look at Hogwarts. There was a great lake and a large mountain on the opposite side of it. Atop the mountain, there was a large castle, adorned with many towers. There was a loud "Ooh!"

The three kids stared at the castle. Both Cassia and Ron had seen it in pictures, but it was still much different to see it in person. Harry, on the other hand, was seeing the large castle for the first time. He looked amazed.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid yelled. Cassia found a boat and the two boys followed her to it, Neville quickly joining, still sniffling.

"Everyone in?" Hagrid shouted, his voice booming across the lake from his boat, "Right then — FORWARD!"

The small boats floated across the water without anyone touching them. Cassia was silent, wondering whether or not one of the towers in the castle would be her home for the coming year, and for many years to follow. 

"Heads down!" Hagrid yelled.

As the group of nervous first-year's boats reached the cliff, they bent their heads down and went through an opening in it, previously obscured by a curtain of ivy. They reached an underground harbor and stepped out onto the uneven ground. Ron stumbled as he stepped out of the boat, but Cassia caught him by the arm and pulled him onto his feet.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" Hagrid asked as he checked the boats.

"Trevor!" Neville yelled, running towards his previously missing pet.

As they walked onto smooth, damp grass facing the castle, Cassia approached Neville, a wide smile on her face.

"You got Trevor back!" she started, "I knew you'd find him."

"Yeah, my Gran would have had a fit if she knew I had lost him," he replied, nervously chuckling.

Cassia laughed with him for a moment, until a great knock reverberated into their ears. Hagrid's fist was still held up to the door as Cassia and Neville's heads whipped toward the sound. The castle door opened very quickly, revealing a tall witch in emerald green robes with a stern look on her face.

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

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

Ron and Cassia looked at each other in recognition. The two had heard about Professor McGonagall from Fred and George. Ron was quite afraid of her, though he would never admit it to her. Neville looked horrified.

Professor McGonagall opened the door wide. The entrance hall was enormous, the stone walls lit with flaming torches. There was a wide marble staircase, but the ceilings were too high for Cassia to make out.

They all followed Professor McGonagall down a hall and could hear the distant drone of a large group of people. She led them to a small, empty chamber off the hall. Cassia was crammed uncomfortably between Ron and Hermione, the girl from the train, as she listened to Professor McGonagall explain the different houses.

Cassia wondered where exactly she would best fit in. She thought she had attributes of each of the houses. She was smart, and kind, and brave, and ambitious, she thought. Was she expected to be just one?