Harry and Isabella Potter & the Philosopher's Stone

Chapter 2 - The Sorting Hat

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face. I knew her. She was Professor Minerva McGonagall. Our Transfiguration teacher. "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 huge!

We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. I could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right - the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall showed us into a small, empty chamber off the hall. We crowded in, standing rather closer together than we would usually have done, peering about nervously. "Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "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. 

"The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rule-breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours.  

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

Professor McGonagall's eyes lingered on Neville's cloak. which was fastened under his left ear, and on a Ginger-haired boy's smudged nose. "I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly." She left the chamber.

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned. "Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told us, "and follow me." I walked with Draco, still following behind us were Hermione and Neville. We all walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. The Great Hall was beautiful! 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 us up here, so that we came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind us. The hundreds of faces staring at us looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. I tried to avoid all the staring eyes and look upward. There I saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. I heard Hermione whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."

I quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of us. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.  

We all stared at the hat, everyone does. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then 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 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, 

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid of toil;  

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, If you've a ready mind,  

Where those of wit and learning,  

Will always find their kind;  

Or perhaps in Slytherin 

You'll make your real friends,  

Those cunning folk use any means To achieve their ends. 

So put me on! Don't be afraid! 

And don't get in a flap!  

You're in safe hands (though I have none)  

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!" A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause - "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat. The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.

"Bones, Susan!" "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah. "Boot, Terry!" "RAVENCLAW!" The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them. "Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers. "Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. "Finch-Fletchley, Justin!" "HUFFLEPUFF!" "Finnigan, Seamus," a sandy-haired boy stepped out of the crowd. He sat at the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor. "Granger, Hermione!" Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head. "GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. "Good job, Hermione!" I said and she smiled. I didn't paid attention into the next names until it was Draco's turn. He became deadly pale. "Remember what I told you, Drake." I said and he nodded as he walked into the stool. Draco sat there for about a minute until the hat said... "GRYFFINDOR!". The Gryffindors clapped and he smiled at me. 'Thanks!' he mouthed. 'Anytime!' I mouthed back.

There weren't many people left now. I didn't paid attention again until - "Potter, Harry!" Harry stepped forward, he had a messy raven black hair and gorgeous emerald green eyes just like mine and mum's. Whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall. "Potter, did she say?" "The Harry Potter?"

Harry sat nervously as he gripped the edges of the stool and muttering something. It took a while before the sorting hat said... "GRYFFINDOR!" All the students and teachers clapped, well except for the Slytherins. Just then, my name was called. "Potter, Isabella!" I became deadly pale. The whole hall was silent again. I heard whispers such as: "Another Potter? Hope she'll be with us." "I hope she's Gryffindor, too." I looked at my brother and his eyes were wide and he looked shocked. I bet those muggles haven't told him about me.

I walked nervously and sat at the stool. I glanced at Draco who was now giving me a thumbs-up. I put the sorting hat on and heard a small voice. "Ahhh, another Potter! You're just like your mother..." said the voice. "Very ambitious, loyal, intelligent and brave. Oh, and may I add. She's very friendly and just... and wise too! You look just like her too... Well then, I expect you to be in... GRYFFINDOR!" the hat said and the whole hall raged with loud claps except for the Slytherin again. "We've got the both Potters!" someone exclaimed. Everyone shooked my hand vigorously and two ginger-haired boys (or twins) keep on chanting: "We've got the Potters! We've got the Potters!"

I sat down next to Draco and across my brother. He looked at me like he just saw a ghost. "Hello brother," I said cheerfully.