Silence is Deafening

Chapter 6

The doors opened with an almighty push. Inside, the Great Hall of Hogwarts was decked out and ready for the students. The tables were covered with ornate gold plates, waiting to be filled with food. There were large gold goblets next to each plate, looking regal and royal. As I looked up at the ceiling, I noticed hundreds of candles lit and floating in the air. The light in the Great Hall was warm. Flags from each Hogwarts house were flying from the ceiling, above each house's long tables. The ceiling itself looked like the starry night sky we had just come from.

Up at the front of the room, all of the teachers were sat, waiting for us to enter. I didn't know which teacher was which, but I could assume that Albus Dumbledore was the wizard who sat in the very center. He was a very tall, thin man, with white hair and a white beard that both hung down to his waist. He was wearing midnight blue robes with gold stars embellished into them. He looked at all of us through his half-moon spectacles, smiling. We all stood still for a moment, and he gestured to the tables.

Quickly, all of the students started filing over to their house tables. I immediately started to follow Ginny before I paused.

I wasn't a Gryffindor. I wasn't anything, yet. I was supposed to  be sorted first, as Tonks had told me. My hesitation was noticed all the way from the front of the room. In my confusion, I looked up at the teachers' table, and notice that Dumbledore was silently beckoning me to come to the front. Pushing my way through the crowds of students still trying to find their seats, I finally made it up to him. Suddenly, I was very nervous. This was the famous Albus Dumbledore I had always heard about. The man that You Know Who himself was afraid of. He was probably the most skilled wizard of our time. He was beckoning me to him. I squared my jaw as I approached him, not sure if I should bow or curtsy or shake his hand or remain still and silent. I decided to go for the "remain still and silent" option.

"You must be our transfer. Miss Clarke, I presume?" He said in a very soft and very kind voice. I nodded, not trusting my voice. "An honor. I am Albus Dumbledore, headmaster here at Hogwarts. I hope that you will find your schooling here most informative and enjoyable. Am I correct that you have yet to be sorted into your Hogwarts house?" He said, a twinkle in his eye.

"N-no sir." I stammered, wondering why I was so nervous.

"And your Ilvermorny house was..." He looked at me expectantly.

"Wampus." I answered, feeling a rush of nostalgia as I talked about my old school.

"Ah. The warriors. Strong, brave. Cunning. I'll be most interested to see where you land here, Miss Clarke. Please step to the side, for just a moment." he said, gesturing to his left. I stepped over, trying to avoid looking at my shoes. Dumbledore clinked a fork to his glass, and the Great Hall fell silent.

"Welcome, students, welcome. Welcome back to Hogwarts. In just a few moments, we will have our first year students join us for their sorting hat ceremony. However, we have recently acquired a transfer student from Ilvermorny, our American counterpart wizarding school. We will be sorting her first, before our first years join us. I'm sure whatever house accepts her will be most accommodating and welcoming. Miss Clarke, if you please." Dumbledore addressed me, motioning over to a stool. A simple stool. What was I supposed to do? Sit on it and let the houses throw things at me? Whoever knocked me off the stool would be my house?

My hands shook as I sat on the stool and waited.

"I'm going to place this on your head." Dumbledore murmured to me, and I saw him holding a very old and very raggedy hat. I looked at it with fear, wondering why Dumbledore wanted to put some old, ugly hat on my head. I found myself nodding, though, and he placed it on my head.