AUTOPHOBIA - G. WEASLEY

First Year: Getting Sorted

✯ CHAPTER TWO ✯

❝And such a brave man he used to be, Sirius Black.❞

THE DOOR SWUNG open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood ther. She had a very stern face and Estella's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.

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

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." The witch Estella now knew was called Professor McGonagall looked around all of the first years and soon noticed the one with blood running out of her nose and right down on to her robes, and she gasped. "Oh my goodness, what happened here?"

Estella felt a shiver run down her spine. McGonagall looked over at Hagrid, who cleared his throat, and gruffly spoke.

"Er -- there was a bit of an accident back at the boats, and it ended wi' a bit of a nose bleed -- she'll need to go up to the hospital wing after the sorting and get cleaned up."

McGonagall looked suspicious, but nodded anyway, and Estella let out a breath of relief.

The Professor pulled the door wide. The Entrance Hall was huge, stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was so high you could hardly even tell it was there, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

All of the first years followed Professor McGonagall as they walked along the stone floor. Echoed voices seemed to be beaming out of a doorway on Estella's right, and she knew this must've been where the rest of the school were already seated -- however they didn't enter that room, McGonagall showed them into a small empty chamber of the hall.

They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would normally have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, 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 honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

McGonagall straightened up and started heading back towards the chamber door. "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're waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on Ron's smudged nose, and Neville's cloak, which was fastened around his ear.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," she said, opening the door. "Please wait quietly."

She left. Harry turned to look at Ron and Estella.

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

"Some sort of test, I think," said Ron, making Estella raise her eyebrows in confusion, as she had been told much different. "Fred says it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

Estella nodded. "He was definitely joking. My Dad said it's just a hat that they put on your head."

"Oh, well that doesn't sound as bad," Ron mused, "but I don't understand how a hat would be able to pick your house."