Supernatural and the Philosopher's Stone

The Sorting Hat

The doors swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald green robes stood there. She had a very stern look on her face and I thought this person was not someone to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here," Professor McGonagall said. She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could fit in the apartments I stayed at in it. 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 then led to the upper floors.

We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. I heard the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right--the rest of the school must already be here--but Professor McGonagall showed us into a small, empty chamber off the hall. We crowded in, standing rather closer together than we would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you will take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because while you're 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 noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are ar Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking you will lose 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 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. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair. I was nervously rubbing my eyes.

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

She left the chamber.

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

"That's exactly what I was thinking," I said.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking," Ron said.

A test? I thought. What test? I don't know any magic yet. What did we have to do? I was biting my thumb from the worry, until something made me jump and squawk a little.

"What the--?" Harry gasped.

About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at us. 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 nams and you know, he's not really even a ghost--I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed us.

No one answered.

"New students!" The Fat Friar smiled at us. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" the Friar said. "My old house, you know."