Harry Potter and the Seer who helped him escape his relatives

Red or Green? Lions or Snakes?

The door swung open to reveal a tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes. She had a very stern face and Harry didn't want to cross her.

"Firs' years, Professor McGonagall."

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

She pulled the door open wider. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the Dursley's house in it. The stone walls were lit with torches, the celling was too high to make out, and a marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed her across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the loud chattering of people coming from a doorway to the right. But Professor McGonagall showed them to a small, empty chamber off the hall. They all stood closely together; Harry stood in front of Draco with Ron to his side.

"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 Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has their own noble history, and each house has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while breaking rules will lose your house points. At the end of the year, the house will 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 wait."

Her eye lingered on Neville's cloak and Ron's smudged nose. Harry pressed his hair down, but it kept popping up.

"I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber and Harry swallowed.

"How do we get sorted into our houses?"

Ron went to answer but Kate beat him to it.

"A hat is placed on your head and it says what house you're in. I don't know how it works though." She was flatting her robes down.

"Fred told me we had to wrestle a troll; I'm going to kill him." Ron crossed his arms with a pout.

People started screaming and Harry jumped, turning around. He gasped with the other students. About twenty ghosts passed through the back wall, gliding across the room with their pearly-white, transparent bodies. They didn't notice the first years and seemed like they were arguing with one another.

"Forgive and forget, I say, we ought give him a second chance –"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a real ghost – I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost with ruff and tights was the first to notice the first years. No one answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling. "About to be Sorted? Hope to see you in Hufflepuff." A few kids nodded.

"Move along now. The Sorting is about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghost floated off.

"Now form a line and follow me."

Harry got into line behind Ron with Draco behind him, making him seem way shorted than he really was. They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors that led to the Great Hall.