Hermione Granger and the Sorcerer's Stone

The Sorting Ceremony

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

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here," said Professor McGonagall. She opened the door widely, giving the first years their very first view of the inside of Hogwarts. 

Hermione realized the giant hairy man's name was Hagrid, the Hogwarts Gamekeeper.

They were in the entrance hall.

Hermione could tell from reading about it.

The entrance hall was huge! It was almost as big as a whole house! She couldn't imagine how big the rest of the castle must be if this was just the entrance hall. The hall was lit with flaming torches just like Gringotts, and the ceiling was too high up for Hermione to see clearly. There were amazing marble stairs leading up to the higher floors in the castle.

The first years followed Professor McGonagall, across the huge Hogwarts floor. 

Everyone was whispering rapidly to their neighbors about the magnificence.

Hermione realized that the rest of the school must have already been there as they got closer and closer to where they were going, because as the noise got louder the first years got quieter.

Professor McGonagall led them to a small chamber off the hall.

The first years all struggled to crowd in. 

They were now all silent and nervous. Hermione was squeezed by Neville and Ron Weasley, which she did not enjoy much at all. 

"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 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 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."

She suddenly looked at Neville's cloak, which he had fastened under his left ear and on Ron's nose. Harry tried to flatten his hair nervously, but it was no use. His hair was just as managable as Hermione's.

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

And with that Professor McGonagall left.

Hermione's heart skipped a beat! This was it! This was the moment of truth! She could finally be sorted into Gryffindor House, but how? How on earth would they be sorted? Professor McGonagall had not said. Apparently, Harry Potter was wondering the same thing too because he swallowed nervously and asked Ron Weasley, "How exactly do they sort us into Houses?"

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

Hermione swallowed hard.

A test? What if she was not properly prepared? She could end up in Hufflepuff! Or even worse - Slytherin! She had never been so worried. But maybe it was a test of magic, which she was sure she knew better than most of the other first years. She had decided to go over all the spells she had read about over the summer, trying to decide which ones she'd need.