"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of Halliwell manor; all three floors, basement, and attic included. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.
We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. To my right I could hear the drone of hundreds of voices behind the door. Hm, the rest of the school must already be here. Professor McGonagall, however, showed us into a small, empty chamber off the hall. We crowded in, standing closer than I usually would to a bunch of kids that I haven't or just met, peering about nervously.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said sternly. "The start-of-term feast 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 rule breaking, and 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 rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."
She left the chamber, the rest of us lot began talking quickly.
"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" Harry asked Ron.
"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."
A test? Alexa hadn't mentioned anything about the Sorting Ceremony. it can't be too terrifying, or else she would have warned me about it, right? A test? Alexa hadn't mentioned anything about the Sorting Ceremony. it can't be too terrifying, or else she would have warned me about it, right?
There was a swoosh from behind and a cold chill filled the room. Several people behind me screamed, and Harry practically jumped out of his skin.
"What the - ?"
I gasped slightly,along with the people around me. 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 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 - I say, what are you all doing here?"
A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.
Nobody answered.
"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at us. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"
A few people nodded mutely.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."
![](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/1488087-288-k260746.jpg)