The Girl Who Lived

Choosing Ceremony

I look out my compartment window and see a castle.
"That's Hogwarts?" I ask Fred and George.
"The one and only," George smiled.
I have to admit, I was surprised. I imagined Hogwarts as, well, a school. Not a castle.
The train screeched to a stop.
"Please leave your luggage on the train. It will be taken to Hogwarts separately." A voice said.
People started getting out of their compartments and exiting the train. I got up after Fred and George and followed then out.
"Firs' years over here, firs'years over here." An unusually large man shouted. I went over to him.
It's a good thing I'm short for my age, otherwise people might have suspected I wasn't eleven. I'm still taller then everyone else, but I don't look too much older, thankfully.
"Come on, firs'years. Follow me."
We followed him down a steep, narrow path. We could see Hogwarts after we took a sharp turn. Many people gasped at the sight. A vast castle loomed over us all.
"No more than four per boat."the giant told us.
I climbed into the first boat I saw. No one else got in with me, thankfully. I had the whole boat to myself.
"Everyone in?" He shouted.
The little fleet of boats started towards the castle. They took us through a dark tunnel. The boats stopped and everyone got out. We walked up a set of stairs up to the massive front doors of Hogwarts. The giant raised his giant fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
The door swung open. The giant left and a stern looking lady-i learned her name was Professor McGonagall- through long, twisted hallways. I could hear hundreds of voices through the door to the right.
Professor McGonnagall explained a brief history of Hogwarts and each house. Each house had its own"noble history".
"The sorting hat will place you into the house that suits you best. Now, form a line and follow me."
We followed her through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. Professor McGonnagall placed a pointed hat on a three-legged stool. A rip near the brim of the hat opened up like a mouth and started talking.

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A hat smarter than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
the Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart.
You might belong in Hufflepuff
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,
And unafraid of toil.
Or yet in old wise Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind.
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (although I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!

The whole hall burst into applause.
"When I call your name," Professor McGonagall said, "you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted."
She started calling out names. "Bones, Susan"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The Sorting Hat shouted.
In my opinion, Slytherin looked very unpleasant. I decided i would ask to be in Griffindor.
This went on for a while, until my name was called.
"Potter, Heather."
The whole hall got deadly silent. A couple people gasped. As i walked forward, people were whispering and pointing.
I placed the hat on my head and sat on the stool.
"Hmm.." said a quiet voice in my ear. "Some courage, very intelligent. Extremely cunning, and kind, when you want to be. Not Hufflepuff. Perhaps Slyther-"
"No!" I cut him off with my thoughts. "not Slytherin in a million years!"
"Okay then, perhaps Gryffindor, or maybe Ravenclaw."
"Please let it be Gryffindor."
"You do not belong in Gryffindor. You had the courage to ask, but you also had the intelligence to stay away from Slytherin."
People were watching expectantly. Harry and Malfoy were having a staring contest. They all wanted me in their own houses.
"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat finally shouted.
A huge cheer erupted from the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were so smiling at me. I walked over and took a seat between Fred and Mione.
People started giving me high-fives and slapping my back.
I knew immediately that this was somewhere I could call home.