The Cursed Child

Chapter 2: The Sorting Hat

"Welcome, dear students, to Hogwarts!" was what entranced the four wizards-in-the-making, as they alight from their respective carriages.

Professors of various age brackets greeted the flock of newcomers who arrived last after the excruciating travel from the poorly maintained roads to the disturbed waves of the river adjacent to the entrance of the hallowed Hogwarts. These observations were easily agreed on by Hayley, Sophia, Megan and Cassidy, whose secret agenda has been solidified during in their train trip.

"Now, now, let us all settle, shall we?" said the man standing atop the grand stairs. "It's nice to see a lot handsome gentlemen-in-the-making here, isn't it?" He jovially added, as he glanced towards the female professor on his side.

"Don't discriminate the girls, okay?" the woman said.

"I don't know what discrimination you are talking about," the man said jokingly, as he closed into one male batch mate standing in front and hugged him. It was a tight hug as can be gleaned from the reaction that the male kid elicited.

"To all boys, will you please line up in front of me?" the man said.

"All the girls should line over here then!" the woman shouted.

"He's into boys, huh?" Sophia whispered to the three, as they slowly paced to the forming line of girls.

"His star-shaped pink tattoo near his left eye is a give-away," Megan said, to which Cassidy nodded in agreement.

Hayley, on the other hand, was busy looking for Josh on the opposite line.

"This one's a give-away as well," Megan said, pointing out how obvious Hayley was in doing her "surveillance" of Josh.

"Quiet please," shouted the woman who lead the line of female students.

"I am Professor Daven Leande," shouted the man who tattooed a star-shape on his face. His pink-dyed hair was in complete mess, same as his robes worn loosely. "The lady over there is Professor Janeth Arguilla, do forgive her messy attire," he added.

"Daven!" said the furious Professsor. Eventually, she cleared her throat and introduced herself, "I am Professor Arguilla. Just call me Professor Jane. You will be marching inside the hall in short while. Immediately after, you shall be sorted to your respective houses care of our Sorting Hat. After the few words of our new headmaster, then, you can have your sumptuous dinner."

The crowd of newcomers jeered at the instance of hearing the word dinner, including Sophia and Cassidy who even jumped to show how excited – and hungry, perhaps – they were.

"I still can't see Josh," Hayley murmured, preoccupied on her visual search of her partner.

"I don't think any accident will transpire here," Megan assured Hayley, "seven professors are within our short distance."

"Seven?" Hayley asked, which successfully took her attention away from Josh. "I can only see two," she added.

"They must be good at surveillance," Megan concluded. "You should be able do the same, checking on him without being extremely obvious," Megan continued.

The gigantic doors of the school suddenly opened, which made Hayley oblivious to her intent to reply to Megan's demeaning remarks. She was a pure-blood after all. Trained to be the best.

"Here are this year's first years!" echoed a flashy voice coming from the insides of the hall.

Slowly, everyone picked up the pace towards the halls of Hogwarts. The room was exponentially gigantic than how it can be observed outside. The stone walls reach a surprisingly extraordinary height. Innumerable candles and glistening objects float around the area, and were sporadically multiplying as well! Hayley could even hear loud cheers from the crowd dressed in red, yellow, and blue. At the far end of the hall, however, were people robed in green, who weren't participating at all. They were seated on their own corner and seemed to have started the dinner while the rest was engrossed at welcoming the newcomers. Though the greens were standing out due to their eerie demeanor as compared to others, the astonishing mien of majority – yelling and flying in their broomsticks, among others - were too blinding that Hayley did not bat an eyelash towards the silent group.