(Book 1) Lilian Andromeda Black and the Philospher's Stone

Ch: 7 The Sorting Hat

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE SORTING HAT

The large doors swung open the second he finished knocking. A very tall, severe looking woman was standing in the doorway. She was wearing emerald-green robes and a tall, pointed hat that was cocked to the side. She had black hair and dark eyes with dark spectacled glasses on. She was definitely an intimidating woman.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid said.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the doors wide open and the entrance hall was humongous. A few houses could fit in the entrance hall. The walls were stone and were lit by flaming torches, similar to the way the Gringotts' halls were, and the ceiling seemed to stretch on forever with a beautiful marble staircase that faced towards the first years that lead to another floor.

All of the first years followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. There seemed to be hundreds of voices coming from a doorway to the right of them- meaning that the rest of the school had to be in there-- but they weren't lead to the right, they were lead to a small and empty chamber off the hall. They crowded around each other, many peering around the room nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall said grabbing all of the students attention. "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 houses will be something like your family within Hogwarts." That statement made Lilian stop, she never knew what an actual family was like so she wasn't sure how she would fit in. "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 each your house points, while any rulebreaking 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."

Her eyes lingered on Neville's cloak which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Many of the students started fidgeting making sure they didn't look bad and her eyes wouldn't fall on them.

"I shall return when we are ready for you." Professor McGonagall said. "Please wait quietly."

She then left the chamber and the students were dead silent. Lilian knew about the Sorting Ceremony, they had to put on an old hat and it would tell them where they belong. She was still nervous and unsure. She was trying to calm her nerves down but when she was finally calm some of the students started screaming. Lilian looked back only to gasp at what she saw.

Twenty ghosts were flying above their heads. They came from the back wall and they were pearly-white and slightly transparent. The glided across the room and were talking to each other not even glancing at the students below them. They were arguing, a fat monk was saying. "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance--"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost-- I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights was noticing the first years below. No one said anything so Lilian decided to speak up, giving the rest of the students some time to breath.