Always There For You (Harry Potter OC X OC)

12. Joel's sorting-

The boats made it to a dock inside a cave. Dim torches lit up the area inside. An old archway on the side of a flat rock surface led to a big stair to the castle. Everyone got out of the boat. They waited for Hagrid.

'Now! Yer all can get up the stairs and wait for Professor McGonagall. Right before the big door, alrigh'? Yer guys won't see me until tomorrow, goodbye everyone!'

Joel followed the crowd. They found themselves in a spacious room before a giant metal double door. It was erected magnificently right up to a ceiling which might be a hundred metres tall. Its height was astounding.

Everyone muttered and talked to one another as they waited. But their voices stopped when an overly confident silver-haired boy started talking. It was the rude Pureblood boy he had encountered on the train.

'You must be Harry Potter, I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy,' spoke the silver-haired boy.

Everyone was whispering excitedly, pointing at a skinny boy with circular glasses. The legendary boy that people seem to know about. The boy who defeated Voldemort. The boy who lived. Harry Potter.

That boy? He looks ordinary to me, Joel thought. He couldn't grasp the image of Harry Potter who defeats an evil wizard to look like so. He thought he would at least look like a goblin or the likes, with muscles and visible veins in every part of his body, not a skinny boy with circular glasses which seemed a bit too big, as it slid down onto the edge of Harry Potter's nose.

Draco talked highly of Harry, farfetchedly different to what he did to Joel. The silver-haired boy mentioned his own father like a hero. Then he saw a red-haired boy next to Harry Potter and frowned.

'...red hair, round nose... and a hand-me-down robe... you must be a Weasley,' the silver-haired boy said.

Harry stepped forward to defend the red-haired boy. He turned down Draco's friendship. Draco was crestfallen.

Joel smirked. The stuck-up kid deserved it and it felt like the treatment he had on the train was paid for.

Then the giant double door opened with a loud buzz. A tall strict-looking woman entered the room. She reminded Joel so much of Mrs. Gretchen, Joel's homeroom teacher. The woman introduced herself as Professor Minerva McGonagall. Her voice was as stern as her appearance was. She was surely a teacher that no one would mess around with. She briefed the kids on what should be expected before taking everyone to follow her into the castle.

They entered a hallway.

Joel's mouth was agape at everything. Everywhere he looked had a medieval aesthetic with magical twists. Armours, wall details, strong decorated beams, and paintings! The paintings had people in it and they were alive! They were waving and greeting and they knew when Joel waved back. A lady in a painting smiled back at him when he did so. Magic is amazing! Joel said in his mind. Joel had to pinch himself to make sure that he wasn't dreaming. It hurt. He wasn't dreaming!

Everyone made it to a big wooden double door. It opened itself to reveal a wide room.

Older students sat and cheered as they entered the room. They were all sitting by four long tables. They wore pointy hats as they clapped at the scene. Teachers sat facing the students on the long table on the higher floor. The ceiling had flying candles and a starry night sky! The sky looked real and Joel thought for a second that this place had no ceiling! Everything felt surreal.

'Please let this be real,' Joel said unintentionally.

'It's real! Not a dream at all!' someone beside Joel responded.

The first years gathered in front of a podium where a man with long grey hair and a bushy long beard stood proudly and warmly. He made a speech to welcome the new students. Then the sorting hat ceremony commenced.