Miranda Black and the Chamber of Secrets

Chapter 4 - The Sorting

It wasn't long until we rounded a corner and a magnificent castle came into view. The towers stood tall over the largest trees, and light from windows was beaming down onto the lake. The trees surrounding us cast long shadows everywhere, making me even more jumpy about lurking creatures.

When we reached the rocky shore of the lake, everyone hopped out and followed Hagrid. He turned to us and said, "Yeh wait here. Don't go any'ere!"

We did exactly as he said, and waited patiently. I looked around the group of first years, knowing these were the people I would spend the next 7 years of my life getting to know and learning magic with. Many of the students looked as nervous as I felt. A few minutes passed before a tall lady walked out. "Hello, first years! My name is Professor McGonagall, head of the Gryffindor house and Deputy Headmistress" she explained.

"We shall now be proceeding into the castle, where you will go to the Great Hall and get sorted into your houses. Here at Hogwarts, your house will be like your family, so I hope you get sorted into one you like," she explained, pointing to the large castle doors. Everyone trailed behind her in silence. As we stepped into the castle, a roar of voices became louder and louder until we stepped into what must have been the Great Hall. There were 4 long tables stretching down the hall, filled with chattering students. At the end of the hall sat a row of teachers, sternly looking down at their students. As we began to walk towards the front of the hall, a hush fell over everyone.

We were walking towards a small stool with an old black hat on it. Dumbledore was seated in the middle of the staff, behind the hat. He seemed to notice me, acknowledging me with a small smile.

Professor McGonagall ordered us to stop, standing in the middle of two tables. All of the students and teacher had their eyes on us, but they looked away as Dumbledore stood up, immediately drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

"Hello! Welcome back to Hogwarts for what I am sure will be another wonderful year full of magic and learning.." He continued on, talking about some new rules and banned objects. When finished, he sat back down, saying simply; 'let the Sorting begin'. Then, making me jump, the old hat on the stool opened a wide mouth and started to sing this song,

"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