Taming Werewolves

The Sorting Ceremony

The smell of food reached my nose - I felt sick. My stomach churned uncomfortably as I was bustled about by the hundred or so people surrounding me. Each person was craning their neck so their eyes could take in as much as possible, bumping into me as they weren't looking where they were going. It didn't occur to them that they would have plenty of time to absorb the sights later, so they were shuffling in a predominantly forward direction very slowly, some swaying off course to trample on my feet or to stagger into the side of me.

If I were a stranger looking in through one of the very impressive stained glass windows, I would see a very scared little girl amongst a crowd of other children at least a head taller than her. The honey coloured eyes set in the pale, freckled face would be as wide as they could go and her small, pale pink lips would be pressed tight together with anxiety.

The crowd around me stopped moving in front of a wide stone platform with a long table of adults atop it. The table was decorated with a purple table cloth with a gold trim and tassels at the corners. Sat on a golden throne-like chair at the centre of the table was a very old man with extraordinarily long silver hair and a just as long beard, both shimmering in the light of the floating candles.

Above the friendly-looking old man was the strangest thing I had ever seen. The ceiling was...non-existent. Instead, the universe could be seen, with its swirling galaxies and numerous stars. I heard a girl behind me whisper, "it's bewitched," though whether she was speaking to me or not, I didn't know.

Glancing behind me, I saw four long tables decorated in different colours; red, yellow, blue and green. At each table there were maybe a hundred more people, each facing in the same direction - towards the group surrounding me.

My heart quickened and my head snapped back around quickly. The goldfish in a bowl feeling draped its horrible self over me and my pulse quickened, making the sick feeling in the back of my throat return.

My brain was working so hard on pumping the adrenaline around my body that I hardly noticed the irritated woman with her brown hair pulled back into a tight bun bustle past me carrying a three-legged stool, a ragged old hat and a thick roll of parchment. She had briefly introduced herself before we entered the hall, but I'd forgotten her name.

She placed the stool down and the hat atop it, then she straightened up and unrolled the parchment, reading out the first name. I was, of course, paying no attention as I was still preoccupied with the thought of being watched by four hundred people. My stomach churned again, this time audibly. Some people turned to look at me but I had already dropped my gaze to the floor, my pale cheeks turning a deep shade of pink.

My claustrophobia slowly started to ebb away as the crowd around me thinned. I recognised none of the names called as I'd hidden myself away from everyone else on the train here.

The list of names was in alphabetical order, I soon realised, and, although it took an eternity, the Ls were eventually called and my heart jumped into my mouth. "Lakelin, Grace." I could have fainted. I stepped forward shakily and the people in front of me parted.

Ahead of me were two stone steps, a stool and the staff table, whose occupants were watching me curiously. The stern looking woman was stood next to the ancient wooden stool with the old hat in her left hand and the roll of parchment in her right. I was very aware of the eyes on my back as I hesitantly stepped forward. The woman was staring down at me with not even a hint of kindness in those spectacled eyes.

I turned around and my knees gave way as I saw at least five hundred faces turned towards me, scrutinising my appearance. I gulped and collapsed onto the stool and the prehistoric (and rather large) pointed hat was placed on my head, covering the top of my face from the bridge of my nose upwards. At least I couldn't see the eyes of the students watching me anymore.

What happened next I was something I was not expecting. I nearly fell off my seat and had to clutch onto the sides to stay upright when I heard a voice. It felt like it was coming from inside my head!

"Brave..." the smooth male voice pondered, "yes, very brave, and stubborn." The hat let out a short laugh. "But I see intelligence in you, and curiosity... Though I think your heart will lie in Gryffindor, you will be better suited somewhere else, somewhere that will cater for your needs. In that case I think I will put you in...RAVENCLAW!"

The voice suddenly didn't sound like it was in my head anymore, I was hearing it with my own ears. The hat was lifted from my head and I blinked against the bright light. One of the center tables was cheering and applauding. I hopped down from the stool with weak knees and headed toward the long wooden bench decorated with a blue and bronze, feeling as though a huge weight had been lifted.

Suddenly, the smell of roast dinner smelled very appealing.