Hogwarts: The Adventure Begins - BOOK 1 (A Harry Potter Fanfic)

3: The Sorting

The trip to Hogwarts in the boats was short, which was good because Josh was getting really seasick. The ride was really steady, but it must have just been the idea of sailing as he was green from the get-go. I rubbed his back to comfort him but was prepared to move if he couldn't contain his sick.

Hagrid was helping us all out of the boats when a stern looking woman came in. She had a pointed hat and glasses resting on the tip of her nose. Professor McGonagall. I had heard about her from Remus - she was strict, but she cared about her pupils. He advised me not to get on her bad side though and said my father had learned that one the hard way.

I saw her eyes widen when she saw me. Her mouth formed the word 'Black' and she looked distraught. I grinned when I saw this, knowing it was because I was a carbon copy of my father who had driven her up the wall with his pranks. She obviously foresaw that I would be of a similar calibre.

'I am Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House. Welcome to Hogwarts,' she said, giving me one last glance, and, after explaining the sorting process for those who were unaware, led us into a massive hall.

There were five tables in the hall, four for each house and then one at the front for the professors. In front of the professor's table, there was a stool and a grubby looking hat that must have been the Sorting Hat.  We were all told to wait in front of the hat when it opened its mouth and started singing. I took the opportunity to look around the hall in awe.

Floating candles were above all the tables and the ceiling was enchanted to look like the night sky. It was magic like I had never seen before and I couldn't keep the grin off of my face. If this was only my first taste, I couldn't imagine what the rest of the year would be like.

After the Sorting Hat had finished singing, McGonagall started reading names off a scroll.

'Abbott, Hannah,' she called and Hannah became a Hufflepuff. 

The first Slytherin was Josh Freeman who looked at me smiling as he went past. I was slightly disappointed, I was hoping to be in Gryffindor so wouldn't be with him. But I was sure that we would still be friends, regardless of our house. He seemed too nice to be bothered with petty things like house rivalries.

My name was called next.

'Black, Molly,' McGonagall called and everyone started whispering. I heard the words 'Sirius' and 'Orion Black' and I looked down. It had already begun and I felt a tension building up in my stomach. I desperately hoped that people wouldn't immediately see me as evil just because I shared blood with some of history's darkest wizards. I wouldn't be like them, I swore it.

As the hat was put on me everyone was staring at me. I was grateful that my head was small enough that the hat covered my eyes. I didn't want to see them looking.

'There is a great mind, but also lots of courage... Wait! I can see Slytherin blood running in your veins... Where to put you...?' it began. My thoughts ran cold, 'You would do well in Slytherin, you would prosper there. Perhaps get into the good graces of your family. Ravenclaw would suit you, but your lack of respect for their rules would overpower your brains. Or Gryffindor, somewhere you would feel at home, somewhere you could show your true nature.

'It sits between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Either one you could prosper, you have family members who fit well in both houses... But who do you take after? You long for greatness, to be set apart from what your family became. You are determined to be different, determined to prove yourself. That sort of attitude indicates a Slytherin, but there is something else there. Your loyalty to those you care about is more important to you than yourself, you would drop all that you worked for if it meant saving your friends... That indeed shows chivalry and bravery, Gryffindor traits. It's been some time since I had to make a decision like this.' it said and then stopped talking.

The hall was silent, you could have heard a pin drop. My eyes were squeezed tightly shut, what if the Hat decided I didn't belong anywhere? At least five minutes had passed now and I was worried about people getting impatient. If I wasted time like this they were hardly going to like me.

Finally, it yelled, 'GRYFFINDOR!'

I smiled widely as I took off the hat and went to sit down at the Gryffindor table. The clapping was hesitant, reserved. Everyone was shaking my hand and congratulating me but I could see they were looking at me warily. I prayed I could show them that I was not like the rest of my family, that I wasn't evil. I felt it would take a lot but I hoped I could do it.

Nico was called up next and I crossed my fingers. Luckily he was a Gryffindor as well and he ran to sit next to me. Nico almost fainted when Harry Potter was put in Gryffindor and I laughed so hard he hit me in annoyance.

'That was a hat stall!' Nico told me, 'I read about them... Hardly anybody makes the hat take so long to decide where they belong, it's normally less than a minute! You should have seen the teacher's faces, it was priceless! They looked so shocked that you were causing the hat so much trouble. Especially the one on the end, with the black hair. He looked like he'd never seen anything like you, it was so funny! Where was it stuck between?'

'Gryffindor and Slytherin,' I said, frowning, 'It said I strived for greatness and was determined to prove myself as different to my family which is a Slytherin trait, but the fact that I would drop everything I had worked to get for a friend made it finally decide Gryffindor.'

The headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, stood up and said a few words that had nothing to do with anything and then suddenly the plates in front of us filled with food. I felt full from the sweets on the train so didn't put anything on my plate, instead trying to have conversations with everyone around me.

'Why aren't you eating?' Nico asked, looking concerned.

'Oh, I'm still full from the train,' I smiled.

'That was hours ago, and you only had a chocolate frog and a few beans!' he argued.

'Genuinely, I'm fine,' I said, 'I have a small appetite. I'd be sick if I ate anymore.'

He still looked concerned but I ignored him, instead turning to others at the table and getting introduced. I tried to be as friendly as I could, ignoring the wary glances I was receiving. It seemed it was only the Muggle-borns who had no idea of my parentage.

Dumbledore then told us it was time for bed. All the first year Gryffindors followed Percy Weasley who was the Prefect. He took us up what seemed like thousands of staircases which moved every so often. If you didn't want to be left behind, you had to run and keep up. We ended d up in front of a portrait which opened when Percy said the words 'Caput Draconis'.

He told everyone where their dorms were and told us to go to bed. I said good night to Nico and went up to the girl's dorm.

A Muggle-born called Hermione Granger said that since it was our first night we should get to sleep early so we don't sleep in and lose points for Gryffindor on our first day. Any other day I would have argued but I couldn't be bothered so I just agreed.

I got to sleep quickly that night and I dreamt of what the lessons would be like the next day, excitement already brewing.