The Year Of Beginnings

Chapter 7

On the day of the student's arrival, I hid in my dormitory. Most of the teachers were still stressed about starting classes, so I'd avoided them also. From the window in my dormitory I could see the rain pouring down onto the lawns, and I pitied the first years who, I had learned from Hagrid, had to ride in boats across the lake.

When it was time for dinner, I changed into my school robes, my new Gryffindor badge gleaming against the black fabric. I made my way down to the Great Hall quickly and soon became lost in the mass of students storming in. I found the Gryffindor table and sat down quickly at the end of it. Soon all of the students were sitting and catching up with their friends. A couple moments later Professor McGonagall led a line of first years to the top of the Hall. She set a stool, the very stool I had sat in when I had been sorted, on the ground and placed the sorting hat on top of it.

A long tear that I hadn't noticed before on the hat opened wide and it began to sing.

A thousand years or more ago,

When I was newly sewn,

There lived four wizards of renown,

Whose names are still well known:

Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,

Fair Ravenclaw, from Glen,

Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,

Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.

They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,

They hatched a daring plan

To educate young sorcerers

Thus Hogwarts School began.

Now each of these four founders

Formed their own House, for each

Did value different virtues

In the ones they had to teach.

By Gryffindor, the bravest were

Prized far beyond the rest;

For Ravenclaw, the cleverest

Would always be the best;

For Hufflepuff, hard workers were

Most worthy of admission;

And power-hungry Slytherin

Loved those of great ambition.

While still alive they did divide

Their favourites from the throng,

Yet how to pick the worthy ones

When they were dead and gone?

'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,

He whipped me off his head

The founders put some brains in me

So I could choose instead!

Now slip me snug about your ears,

I've never yet been wrong,

I'll have a look inside your mind

And tell where you belong!

There was a loud round of applause for the hat throughout the Great Hall, and I was astonished. I certainly hadn't been expecting that. I watched as the first years were sorted into their houses, and then Dumbledore got to his feet at the Head Table.