The Heart Is Not Black or White

Chapter 10

"Welcome to Hogwarts"

I looked at the magnificent sights all around me. Hogwarts was mesmerizing. The boat ride across the lake, the moving paintings... everything. Even though I was a wizard accustomed to such things, I couldn't help but sigh in awe. I was more transfixed than the muggle-borns.

A woman named Professor McGonagall was talking to all the first-years, and I listened to her intently, standing next to Ron.

"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."

"Are you ready to be sorted?"

I jumped at the sound of someone's voice close to my ear. I turned around to find Malfoy. Irritated that I was missing part of McGonagall's speech, I said, "Yes, I am perfectly fine, thank you. Now I would appreciate if you could shut up so I can listen."

"...while any rule-breaking will lose House points," McGonagall had said. Great. I had missed an important part of her speech.

"Bloody hell, L'amare," Malfoy started again. "Maybe you'll be a kiss-up Ravenclaw."

This comment made my cheeks flush with anger, but I took a deep breath and continued to listen to McGonagall's speech.

When I met Draco Malfoy on the Hogwarts Express, I didn't know what to think. At the time I met him, I was very exasperated from looking for Neville's toad, which we had not found. I was probably rude to him too, but he was being a bit of a bastard. Malfoy held his head like he owned the place and as if he was above everyone. This angered me, but I kept on being nice to him. He did strike up a half-friendly conversation with me, right after I called him a bloody git. Malfoy must have something inside him that I just haven't seen yet. But after the events which just took place during McGonagall's speech, I didn't think I would even let him try to prove to me that he had the good inside of him. No one got away with insulting me.

"The Sorting ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the whole school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves as much as you can while you are waiting."

Professor McGonagall gave looks to students who appeared a little scruffy. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

Once McGonagall left, a boy with black hair and green eyes asked, "How exactly do they sort us into Houses?" The boy looked a lot like me except he wasn't as pale.

Ron, standing next to him, answered, "Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts him a lot, but I think he was just joking."

I rolled my eyes, turned to him and said, "Of course he was joking, Ronald. It's Fred, what else could he be doing? Anyway, I have no clue how we get sorted either." I laughed a little, knowing it was just like Fred to tell Ron something like that. I secretly hoped the test would sort me into Gryffindor so I would be in the same house as Fred and George.

As I looked around I saw that many other first-years were looking scared. I tried not to stress myself out, because Fred and George had made it through. Everyone else was almost silent, except for that Hermione girl, pondering aloud which spells to use for the upcoming test. Suddenly, all the first-years screamed. Some of them pointed up.

I looked up to see what people were gawking at. Of course. The Hogwarts ghosts. Fred and George had told me about them. I wasn't surprised, but still a little startled by their sudden appearance. Suddenly a ghost looked down at all the first-years and said. "I say, what are you all doing here?"