Harry Potter Rewritten - Through Anothers' Eyes

'This will not do'

Hermione's mind ran blank as soon as the two double doors opened. Her only thought was 'wow' as she took in everything, her brain racing as she connected everything to what she'd read.

It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver.

Hermione's eyes drifted upward and she gasped softly. The ceiling was a dark blue velvety color, dotting with shiny stars that formed shapes Hermione recognized. She silently pointed out the Big Dipper and Small Dipper, Orion's Belt, Aquila, Serpens... she could even see the North Star and Sirius, tiny pinpricks of bright light. Of course, she'd known that the ceiling was enchanted to look like the outside, but in her opinion, it looked even more natural. In fact, it was hard to believe that it didn't open up into the heavens (Hermione was an atheist, but she still liked to pass time thinking about the various mythologies and their versions of heaven).

Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty, but it had this sheen of old age that called out to Hermione, a life to it.

"The sorting hat," she whispered in awe.

For a few seconds, there was complete silence as everyone's gaze rested solely on the hat, which then twitched, as if it were waking up from a long sleep. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,