Fifth Disaster |Harry Potter|

16.

Professor McGonagall returned in the next ten minutes.

By that point, I was braiding Sirius' hair. His hair was long and once I showed him I actually knew how to braid hair, he let me touch it.

He seemed very protective of it.

"The sorting ceremony's about to start" the stern voice of Professor McGonagall made look up as I was half way through Sirius' braid. "Form a line and follow me"

"Hurry" Sirius whispered as the other first years began walking behind her.

"You don't hurry perfection" I murmured as Sirius tapped his foot on the ground impatiently.

"Walk and braid" James pushed us forward.

Remus and Peter followed behind us, covering their mouths to hide their snickering.

Professor McGonagall opened the big doors to the Great Hall and the name didn't disappoint.

It was big, lit by thousand and thousands of candles that were floating mid-air over four long tables where the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table were the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led all of us up there, so that we came to a halt in a line. Our backs faced the student body, with the teachers in front of us. The hundreds of faces staring at us looked like pale layers in the flickering candlelight.

I heard someone chuckling nearby, turning my head toward the table that held the gold and red tones, seeing a girl pointing at my direction as I finished braiding Sirius' hair.

"Done" I whispered, stepping back between Peter and Remus. James had taken the spot on the other side of Peter.

Sirius touched his hair, smiling in satisfaction "Thanks, Kitty"

I grinned, this time taking the time to examine the rest of the Great Hall, looking up but there was no ceiling at all.

Remus caught my awe, lowering his voice to explain making sure the professors weren't watching. "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts: A history"

I nodded in acknowledgement. I think I read that too. The ceiling was a velvety black gotten with stars. Indeed it looked like I was watching the sky.

At the front, Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. She placed a pointy wizard's hat in the stool. For a few seconds everything was silent, except for Peter coughing slightly, looking around awkwardly.

Suddenly, the hat twitched. 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 blowers 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