A few more hours had passed. In that time, Emaline read some of her book that she brought from home, wrote a letter to her mom and talked with her new friends Tulip, Andre, and Badeea, played a few tunes on her ukulele, ate Ron's corned beef sandwiches and until later when she was taking a nap in her compartment. It was getting dark. She could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down. Then a voice suddenly rang out through the train. It was the conductor. "Ladies and gentlemen, we will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." This immediately woke her up. She then took off her jacket and put on her new long, black robes and her purple and silver Thunderbird scarf around her neck and her messenger bag. She crammed her pockets with the last of the sweets she brought from America and the ones that Harry and Ron gave her and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.
The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Emaline shivered in the cold night air. Fortunately, her Thunderbird scarf from Ilvermorny was keeping her warm.
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?" Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads. "C'mon, follow me -- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that she thought there must be thick trees there. "Hey, Hagrid!" Emaline shouted to him. "Where do I go?"
"Oh. Hi, Emaline! Jus' go down the platform and take one of the stagecoaches." said Hagrid. "They'll take ya right up to the castle." While the first years were led towards Hagrid, Emaline joined the rest of the upperclassmen who were being led onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches were waiting for the students. Emaline assumed that an invisible horse was pulling the carriage because when she walked in, the door to the carriage slammed shut and it began moving by itself. "Are you new?" said a girl. She was pretty. And she looked to be of Asian descent and had long black hair. "I've never seen you at Hogwarts before."
"Yes." said Emaline, "I'm a transfer student from Ilvermorny. I'm at Hogwarts for the year. Which house are you in?"
"Ravenclaw. Year Two. I wanna join the Quidditch team."
"Me too. I'm a Chaser. Which position do you wanna play?"
"Seeker. I'm Cho Chang, by the way."
"Emaline Goode." Cho shook her hand.
"We heard rumors last year that a foreign student was coming to Hogwarts. Didn't know it would be an American. Welcome."
"Thank you," said Emaline.
Another girl, sitting next to Cho, had curly, reddish-blonde hair and also wore a blue and silver tie. She also shook Emaline's hand. "Hi, Emaline. I'm Marietta Edgecombe. Also a Second year in Ravenclaw. I'm Cho's friend. So what's your Ilvermorny house?"
"Thunderbird. Year Six," she replied. "I think you're the fourth or fifth person to ask me that question today."
Marietta chuckled. "I'll bet so."
"Look over there," said Cho, pointing to a large, black lake from her seat. Emaline moved towards the window to get a closer look. There were little lights on the surface of the lake coming from a fleet of tiny, little boats gliding across the surface. "See that? Those are all of the first years out there. You should be getting your first glimpse of Hogwarts right about now." And it appeared. The coach came around the corner and then it came into view. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side of the lake, its windows sparkling in the starry sky was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. Emaline did not say a word as she was staring at it. The carriage was then approaching a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars. "So where's Ilvermorny, Emaline?" said Marietta. "It's on the top of a mountain called Mount Greylock. It's in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts. It's all surrounded by forest. Beautiful place." she said, "On a good day, you can see five states from the highest tower. To the west is New York. Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire are north and Connecticut is to the south but the castle is usually invisible to No-Majs, or Muggles as you call them in England."
"Interesting," said Cho, who then noticed Emaline's gold pendant. "Lovely necklace."
"Thank you." said Emaline, "This is my Gordian Knot necklace from Ilvermorny."
Cho was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers as they passed and then the carriage then began to pick up speed on a long, sloping drive the castle until it finally came to a halt. Cho and Marietta got out. "Emaline!" said Cho. "We're here." As Emaline stepped down, a tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes, wearing her hair in a bun, approached her. She had a very stern face about her and Emaline's first thought was that this was someone not to cross. "Emaline Goode?" she said.
"Yes?"
"I am Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Head Of Gryffindor House. And I will be your Transfiguration Professor. Welcome to Hogwarts," she said, and then bowed. Emaline bowed back. "We have been expecting you. Follow me, please."
She followed Professor McGonagall through a passageway that led straight into the entrance hall. The entrance hall was bigger than the one at Ilvermorny, where the first years are taken to be sorted as they arrive at the school for the first time. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Ilvermorny, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing her led to the upper floors. "Impressive, isn't it?" said Professor McGonagall.
"Absolutely," Emaline replied.
"You have no idea how long we've been waiting for an American to enter Hogwarts. Over 200 years we've waited." Emaline followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor and up the staircase. "So...what's gonna happen now, Professor?" she said, looking as if she had no idea about what was going on.
"Well," said McGonagall. "First, you will wait in the Great Hall while I welcome the first years, who should be here any moment then I will begin the Sorting Ceremony. Professor Dumbledore will then say a few words and introduce you and then YOU." She pointed at Emaline. "Will be sorted into your House. Are you familiar with the four Hogwarts Houses?"
"Uh...yes, ma'am," said Emaline. "They're Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin."
"Impressive," said McGonagall, who had a look of approval on her face. "Finally, you will be expected to say a few words to everyone in the school. Now if you will excuse me, the first years have arrived. Please make your way into the Great Hall." She walked away down the stairs as a large group of children made their way towards her. She saw Harry with Ron and waved to them and disappeared behind the door and entered the Great Hall. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Suddenly, hundreds of faces turned around and they were all staring at her. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Emaline stopped and leaned on the and looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. "Mercy Lewis!" she said to herself. Outside the door, she can hear McGonagall speaking.
A few moments had passed, the doors opened again and this time, Professor McGonagall was leading the first years up the floor of the Great Hall until they came to a halt. Emaline took a seat at the table where the Ravenclaws were sitting, in the middle. "Hi." said one of them, "Are you new?"
"Yes. I'm a new transfer student from America. Do you mind if I sit here?"
"Go ahead." said a boy.
"Now, before we begin," said McGonagall, "Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words." A very old man, wearing purple robes, a head of long silver hair and a beard, half-moon spectacles and, what appeared to be a crooked nose, stood up from his chair. He must have been punched in the face. Emaline knew exactly who it was. It was Albus Dumbledore. In the United States, his name is just as well known as Harry Potter's was. "Welcome!" he said, "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Now, I have a few start-of-term notices I wish to announce. First years, please note that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Secondly, Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that the third-floor corridor, on the right-hand side is out of bounds to those who do not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you." Dumbledore finished and then sat down. Light applause filled the hall.
On top of a four-legged stool, there was a pointed wizard's hat. It looked to be very, very old. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. "So I guess I have to put the hat on.", Emaline thought to herself. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth -- and the hat began to sing:
Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables, and then to Emaline, and it then became quite still again. Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will come forth. I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head and then you shall be sorted into your houses," she said.
Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones were first and they both went to Hufflepuff, while Terry Boot and Mandy Brocklehurst became the first Ravenclaws then Lavender Brown became the first new Gryffindor, while Milicent Bulstrode joined Slytherin. Justin Finch-Fletchley became a Hufflepuff and Seamus Finnigan, a sandy-haired boy with freckles joined Gryffindor. The older students at every table were cheering, welcoming each new student into their new house. Then came Hermione Granger, the same girl that Emaline met at Diagon Alley. "Ah. Right then." the hat said, "Mmm...right. Okay...GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted. The table on the left exploded into applause as Hermione walked over to there.
When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to a young and very pretty witch with brown hair named Morag MacDougal, who became a Ravenclaw.
Draco Malfloy, a boy with silver-blonde hair, came forward when his name was called. The hat barely his touched his head and it already shouted: "SLYTHERIN!" the table on the far right clapped and cheered. Malfoy went to join his friends Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, looking extremely pleased with himself. Ron leaned over to Harry. "There's no witch or wizard who went bad that wasn't in Slytherin." Emaline was getting bored and she almost fell asleep. But she knew that there weren't many people left. Then, Hagrid walked over to her. "Are ya alright, Emaline?"
"Yeah." she said, "I'm just getting a little bored."
"Well, your turn should be coming up soon, ya know? Just let me know if you're getting tired, okay?" He winked at her and then returned to his seat. As they were talking, Sue Li joined Ravenclaw and Pansy Parkinson joined Slytherin. A pair of twins, Parvati and Padma Patil, was next. Padma was sorted into Ravenclaw while her sister, Parvati became a Gryffindor, and then the words: "Harry Potter." was uttered. Emaline snapped out of her drowsy daze and now she was interested.
As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.
"Potter, did she say?"
"The Harry Potter?"
The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited. Then, there was dead silence. No one spoke a word.
Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, my goodness, yes -- and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting... So where shall I put you?"
Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.
"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that -- no? Well, if you're sure -- better be GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. He was so relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin, he hardly noticed that he was getting the loudest cheer yet. Emaline was so happy for her new friend that she was clapping too. "Congratulations, Harry!" said Emaline. Only three people were left. At this point, she started getting very nervous. She didn't know what her new house was going to be. Meanwhile, Lisa Turpin became a Ravenclaw, and then it was Ron Weasley's turn. He was pale green by now. "HA!" the hat laughed. "Another Weasley. I know just what to do you! GRYFFINDOR!"
Ron breathed a sigh of relief and went to join his new friend Harry and his brothers. The final person, Blaise Zabini joined Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. "It was very nice to meet you, guys." said Emaline, "But I should head to the entrance." She got up and started walking towards the doors.