The New Trio and the Philosopher's Stone

Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat

Once the train got close enough to Hogwarts, they all quickly changed into their uniforms. A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Harry's stomach lurched with nerves, and he saw that Neville was bouncing one of his legs up and down, Ron looked pale under his many freckles, and Draco looked as though he might faint, eyes closed tightly and muttering something under his breath. Unsure of what to do to make Draco feel better, he gently unclenched his fist and held it until his friend looked at him. "You are not your father's perfect muggle-hating son, you are Draco. You are my friend, and I'm pretty sure that you're Nev's and Ron's friend now, too. I mean, Ron even started to call you Draco. You have a choice, so make the one that's right for you, not the easy one."

Draco took a deep breath, and smiled wanly at Harry, finally withdrawing his hand from Harry's as his face regained what little colour he had. They all crammed their pockets with the last of their sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

The train slowed right down, and finally stopped. People pushed their way towards the door and out onto a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cool night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students and Harry heard a familiar voice. He'd seen Hagrid over the summer sometimes, and a few times even in winter, and he considered him to be a very dear friend. "Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here! All right there, Harry?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me—any more firs'-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'-years follow me!"

The slippery stone path was surrounded on all sides by tall trees, which eventually gave way to the edge of a huge, still lake. No one focussed on a tentacle sticking out of the lake though, because they were entranced by the sight of the castle, perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its many windows sparkling and yellow, echoing the brightly-shining stars hanging suspended in the black velvet sky.

Harry, Neville, Draco, and Ron all got into one of the boats sitting in the water, and the group sat back as they were (magically) ferried across the lake and landed on the opposite shore. They made their way behind Hagrid to a small door set into the stone. Hagrid knocked three times.

Once they'd been let through by a tall, stern, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes by the name of Professor McGonagall, they were led through the Entrance Hall and into a small, empty chamber just off it. She welcomed them to Hogwarts, telling them about the houses and the Sorting Ceremony. "I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting," she said as she left the room to check that everything was ready for them.

Harry looked around and saw that everyone looked quite nervous, and no one was talking much except for a bushy-haired girl with large front teeth, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learnt and wondering which ones she'd need.

Harry sidled up to her and whispered, "You won't need any spells, you get sorted by the Sorting Hat."

She looked at him in surprise, then asked, "How do you know? Everything I've read about Hogwarts never told me about any Sorting Hat."

He smiled. "Muggleborn, then? Not to worry, I only know because my guardians told me, even though it's tradition not to tell us. The Sorting Hat looks into your mind, sees which houses you'd be best in and which you'd prefer, and then Sorts you."

Her previously rigid stance melted, and she smiled back at him gratefully. "Thank you. Yes, I'm muggleborn. My name's Hermione Granger. Are you what they call a pureblood, then?"