Harry Potter, Ghost Prince

Chapter 4: Sorting

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face, which said don't mess with her.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said the giant.

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

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was huge. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Ellie could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right, but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into an empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, since it was small, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall, "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 house will be something like your family within 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 each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn 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 for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose.

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

She left the chamber.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" Harry asked Ron.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said there will be a troll, but I think he's joking"

"Awesome!" Ellie said, making everyone stare at her. Harry wasn't worried about her, but fighting troll wasn't on his 'What-to-do-during-first-year' list.

No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Harry tried hard not to listen to her.

Then something happened that made Harry jump about a foot in the air, several people behind him screamed.

"What the..."

About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, unlike the ghosts Harry and Ellie got used to see, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little 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," that sounded funny for Phantom siblings, "...what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

"We are new students," Ellie said, grinning. Ghosts gaped at her. Fat Friar pointed shaking finger at her.