The Hidden Hero (A Harry Potter Fanfic) [Book 1 of the Hidden Hero series]

Chapter 4

    The gates opened, revealing a rather stern-looking woman in emerald green robes. 'All the firs' years, Professor McGonagall' 'Than you, Hagrid. I will take them from here.' She pulled the door wide open. Celestia gasped. The Entrance Hall was literally huge. But of course no one in her family told her that. They just complained about everything wrong with Hogwarts. (Oh, the walls are so old; Hogwarts is so boring, there is nothing to do!) The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceilings were too high to make out and the shiny marble floors led to the upper floors. They quietly followed behind Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor.

     Instead of the Great Hall, she showed the first years into a small empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, glancing nervously at one another. 'Welcome to Hogwarts,' Professor McGonagall said, 'The start-of-term banquet will start 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 as while you are here, your house will be something like your family in 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 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 number of house points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope that each of you is a credit to whichever house you are sorted into. I will come back when we're ready.' Then, Professor McGonagall left. Celestia straitened her hair and Neville fixed his cloak.

     'I do wish that I'm sorted into Gryffindor, I think it's the best. But Ravenclaw won't be too bad either.' Hermione said brightly. 'Gran says that I'll be sorted into Hufflepuff,' Neville added, 'What about you Celestia?' 'I'll be a Slytherin Just like the rest of my family. I wish I'm a Ravenclaw instead.' Celestia sighed. Suddenly, there were hundreds of ghosts swooping through the walls. 'New students! I'm the Fat Friar! I hope go to my old house, Hufflepuff!' the Fat Friar said. 'Wow! Actual ghosts!' Celestia exclaimed. She was one of the only students who spoke. 'Run along now, off you go.'                                                Professor McGonagall had returned. 'Follow me, the Sorting Ceremony is about to begin.' The first years followed her to the Great Hall. It was so grand and the ceilings looked like the twinkling night sky. Celestia read in Hogwarts: A history that the ceiling of the Great Hall was bewitched to look like the sky.

    They followed Professor McGonagall to a four-legged stool with a very old and dirty hat on it. 'When I call out your name, sit on the stool and put the hat on.' Professor McGonagall said calmly. The dirty hat twitched a little before it started singing:

                          '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 which house you ought to be.

                                 You might be 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, where you'll meet your real friends,

                                  Those cunning folks use any mean 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 in applause as the hat finished its song. 'Abbot, Hannah!' A pink girl with blonde pigtails put the hat on. 'HUFFLEPUFF' the table neared the back cheered loudly. A few people went next, 'Boot, Terry' became the first Ravenclaw. 'Granger, Hermione!' Celestia gave Hermione a thumbs-up. 'GRYFFINDOR!' The Gryffindor table went wild.

    'Hearthscramble, Celestia!' Celestia felt sick to the stomach. She took her seat and put the hat on. 'Hmm..., I never had such a difficult one in years. Gryffindor bravery, Hufflepuff loyalty, Ravenclaw wit.' Celestia felt like the hat was taking forever and wondered if she was going to be sorted at all. 'SLYTHERIN!' She quickly placed the sorting hat and made her was to the Slytherin table. She was slightly sad that she was not with Hermione and had her doubts that Neville would be a Slytherin. But she knew that the hat put her Slytherin for a reason.

     Anastasia greeted her and left shortly. 'Great, just great,' Celestia muttered to herself sarcastically. 'Deanchester, Lorcan!' Professor McGonagall shouted. A boy with sandy-blonde hair and green eyes put the hat on. 'SLYTHERIN!' He had a permanent grin on and he slowly walked towards the Slytherin table. 'Deanchester, Lysander!'

    A boy identical to the one before him placed the hat on him. However, when Celestia looked closely, she realised that he had longer and slightly messier hair, he also looked less confident. 'SLYTHERIN!' He quickly then made his way to the other boy. They were talking to each other as they made their way towards Celestia. 'Mind if we sit here?' The one with the messier hair asked. 'N-no. Not at all.' Celestia replied.

     'I'm Lysander. This is my twin brother Lorcan. We call him Lance.' 'Nice to meet you, I'm Celestia.' 'Well, the pleasure is ours. By the way if you didn't realise, I'm the older twin.' Lance said grinning. 'By what? Like two seconds. That doesn't make you any older. You're only considered older than me in Canada or something,' Lysander said. Lance just smiled and said, 'I learnt a lot during those two seconds. Therefore, I am two seconds wiser, and always will be, little brother.' Something told Celestia that the two brothers had this conversation before. 'Anyway, do you have any siblings?' Lysander asked, clearly changing the topic. 'Well I've got five I total. Only two are in Hogwarts. Anastasia, the blonde sixth year with the prefect badge. Let's not forget Matthias, the third year who positively hates me.' Celestia old the twins.

     Lysander frowned, 'What, so they don't look out for you?' Celestia shrugged. 'Lance is always there for me whether I want it or not.' 'Yeah,' Lance added, 'Despite how annoying little Sander can be- ''What? I'm the annoying one?' Lysander protested. Lance ignored Lysander and continued talking. 'As I was saying, we always stick through thick and thin.'