Changing our Mistakes

11. The Sorting Ceremony

The Sorting Ceremony

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. The woman gave vibes that of the give-detention-strict professor with her stern face.

"That's Minnie for you." Remus laughed.

"You said something, Mr Lupin?"

"Nothing Professor McGonagall."

"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 big enough to fit the whole orphanage in it. The flaming torches lit the stone walls like the ones at Gringotts (Unfortunately there were no rollercoaster carts). The ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

Astra blew a whistle as Harry said beside her, "Dudley would be so jealous."

James snickered.

"That would be a mild term." Said, Astra.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Astra could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right. So the dramatic journey of boats was only for the first years. Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing closer together than they would usually have done. The whole nervous energy was suffocating Astra, dropping insecurity in her mind.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet..."

"It's all the same," Sirus said, stretching his limbs.

Astra lost Professor McGonagall at that.

"Didn't it just start?" Draco rolled his eyes.

Leo had told her all about that. His excitement was sometimes unbearable. And contagious. That reminded her-

Astra perked up, "Shh.. hey Ron."

McGonagall was still droning in the background, "While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points." She sent a sharp glance at Astra. That woman had keen ears.

Sirius pouted, "I know. They are the reason for half of our detentions,"

"You just have to be careful, Black. But clearly, that's not part of your vocabulary," Lysandra said cheekily, twirling her red strand of hair in her fingers

"It's not like you are so careful," Sirius snapped, "Everyone knows the fiasco of 4th year."

"We don't get caught much, but do we?" Lysandra mocked.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered on Neville's cloak, fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair. Astra paid no mind and kept looking around.

"Classic," Ginny said.

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

"What?" Ron asked once Professor McGonagall left the chamber.

"Which house is Leo in?"

"I say Gryffindor," James said.

"What are you willing to bet," Fiana smirked.

"I feel bad for him," Evan snickered, "Actually, I don't."