Iris Lily Potter (Harry Potters Sister) Book 1

Chapter 7

(Iris POV)

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and my first thought was that this was not someone to cross. "The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She pulled the door wide. The Entrance Hall was so big you could have fitted the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stonewalls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing us led to the upper floors. I stared in wonder at the amazing hall.

We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. I could hear 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 I would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"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 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 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."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose then turned her gaze to my messy hair. I nervously tried to flatten it as she looked away. "I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly." She left the chamber.

I swallowed. "How exactly do they sort us into houses?" I ask Draco quietly.

"They have a talking hat who sorts you into your house. Don't worry. It's not painful." Draco whispered and I nodded.

I look around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learnt and wondering which one she'd need. I tried hard not to listen to her. I'd never been more nervous, never, not even when I'd had to take a school report home to the Dursleys saying that I'd somehow turned my teacher's wig blue. I kept my eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead me to my doom. Then something happened which made me jump about a foot in the air - several people behind me screamed.

"What the -?" I gasped. So did 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 each other 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 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 us. Nobody answered.