The story of the girl-who-lived

Chapter Six

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. Ren quickly recognized her as Professor Mcgonagall the woman who had helped her with her school shopping along with taken the time to get her a present and her give her something that had belonged to her mother .

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

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

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of theDursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, theceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upperfloors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry and Ren could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here— but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall.They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will beginshortly, 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 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. 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 is awarded the house cup, a great honor. 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 while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair. Ren made sure the robes she was wearing held no wrinkles as that her hair looked presentable.

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

She left the chamber. Harry swallowed.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" he asked Ron.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole school? But he didn't know any magic yet —what on earth would he have to do? He hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived. He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified,too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Harry tried hard not to listen to her. He'd never been more nervous, never, not even when he'd had to take a school report hometo the Dursleys saying that he'd somehow turned his teacher's wig blue. He kept his eyes fixedon the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead him to his doom.

Ren didn't say anything neither did the other wizard raised students who knew about the sorting. They're wasn't a test just a hat that sorted you based on where you fit on your characteristics. Which personally Ren thought it was incredibly stupid to be sorted into a house at eleven. House could be used from 4-7 or 5-7 year to give them a chance to study for the more important test. Along with help separate into group for apparition and more. 11 was two young to know what house would suite you and if you stayed as a whole group with your year without the worry of house rivalries it might help stop that since most likely there would be more interhouse friendships.