"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said. "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 rulebreaking 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 focused this time on Neville, in which his robes are a bit untidy,
so I nudged him on his arm.
"Neville, you should fix your robe a bit, Professor's eyes on you" I whispered. He must have heard as his eyes widened while starting back at Professor McGonagall. He immediately straightened his robes and fixed the fastener near his left ear.
"T-thanks, mate." He whispered back when McGonagall's focus turned to someone else.
"Anytime," I smiled.
When I spotted a ghost phasing outside the wall, I immediately tuned out their conversation as I was still busy taking the Hogwarts's view in my eyes with every moment stored inside my mind. This is definitely a milestone for me as a Potterhead and would kill me for a chance like this.
The grouped moved as the giant door opened. What inside is another empty chamber with another giant door, that I suspect leads to the great hall.
When the other set of doors opened, what I met was magic in different colors. Nobody could possibly see this, aside from Perenelle. But it was all beautiful. The colors were like the swirling galaxies with the candles acting like stars twinkling in the night sky. It was truly a majestic sight.
All good things must come to an end though, but I still can't stop looking at the magic that flies in the air. With the whole group stopped in the middle of the hall, the sorting hat was brought out while singing his famous song.
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 folks 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!
All of the people inside the great hall clapped, even the first year students. You won't probably see another talking hat outside Hogwarts.
After all of that, the Sorting started. While waiting for my name, I looked over the teacher's table. They're all the same as the movie. The moment my eyes turned to Dumbledore, he caught me looking at him and smiled. The moment I saw his a bit of the twinkle, I quickly, but subtly looked away. Although I should smile because he's Dumbledore, I'm a bit wary of him. All fans know that Dumbledore may be a good man, but he was surely a manipulative man. His focus was all on Harry that he doesn't even realize that the students were already in danger. Most notably in the second book.
Then my eyes left him and landed on Snape. I didn't stare on his eyes though, that will just raise unnecessary alarms.
But I can see that he looked at Harry first before turning to me. He was measuring me. He didn't sneer or frown, or anything. He was checking if I measure up to anything.
When I heard Hermione's name, I turned back all of my attention to the ceremony. Soon all hell will break loose. I know enough of my Grandfather's reputation, and I won't be surprised if I make the front page with Harry tomorrow. Hell, the whole world will focus on Britain the moment my name was mentioned in the paper. That's how notorious my grandfather was.
After Greengrass was sorted into Slytherin, I noticed Professor McGonagall momentarily paused. Well, everyone noticed it. Then I heard it.
"Frederick Grindelwald."
The Great Hall was filled in murmurs. The muggle-borns and the one's who do not know asked questions while the seniors answered the lower years. Being a relative to a former Dark Lord is a big thing after all. Even all of the teacher's attention went to me.
'It's not like my life depends on what house I'll be sorted into isn't it?'
Fortunately, all my mental shields are still up. So I calmly went to the sorting hat and sat on the stool while putting the old hat inside my head.
"Hm. Ah, yes. Peculiar, and very difficult. You have the loyalty of a Hufflepuff, yes. And the ambition like a Slytherin. You're as brave as Gryffindor, and an urge to quench your thirst for knowledge like a Ravenclaw. But where to put you, young man? I must say that your... history is quite intriguing. A former Dark Lord eh? That would not help things at all. It would be easy to put you in Slytherin, but you're very much different compared to your grandfather. Hmm."
The whole student body is still silent, and the teacher looking it erected on where will I be sorted to.
"Yeah, Slytherin will not be very helpful to me. As much as how Slytherin I may be, the members there hate muggleborns. Adding the fact that I'm the grandson of a former Dark Lord, my life is already cursed." I grumbled.
"But you won't want to be in Gryffindor, no? There will be glory there, of course."
"Yeah, no. I would just be bullied there. Many people there are as bigoted as those in Slytherin. But thanks for the offer." I said.
"Well, you can't be in Hufflepuff either. You surely will be ostracized by the immature ones. You will only be pushed away, even if that's the house of loyalty." The sorting hat explained. I agreed to that, as much as I want in Hufflepuff, I can't really stay there. I feel that I will be isolated for the rest of my years in Hogwarts.
"Well, that leaves you to the last one then. You may still feel isolated in there, but you won't feel that as much as in other houses. There are a lot of muggleborns, there. Surely you'll be fine. Then I sort you in... RAVENCLAW!!!" The last word being shouted across the hall. The house clapped in polite, not the usual energetic welcome when someone's sorted into their house. But I don't know how to feel about that.
Wait, did I heard it right? Why do I feel that Dumbledore's clapping harder than anyone? Well, whatever. I walked towards the table and greeted them. Some nod, but some welcomed me. Wow, Cho's there? I may well sit in front of her.
"A Grindelwald, huh?" she asked.
"You never asked." I shrugged.
"I should've known. Silvery white hair, gray eyes. Definitely a Grindelwald." She joked.
"Well, it's not every day you go to school with a Grindelwald." I sighed.
"But you surely snatched the spotlight." She chuckled.
"From who?" I already know, but I'll still ask.
"Harry Potter." She smiled.
"Ah, that boy huh? I saw him at the entrance hall. I even stood behind him." I spoke.
"I won't even be surprised if you make it to the front page tomorrow." She smirked. Now, I'm annoyed.
"Front page? Of what?" I asked again. Of course, how could I forget? The Daily Prophet always has a nose in the juiciest issues, but they're useless in every other else they do. How could you mock the boy who saved you from a Dark Lord? I snorted at the thought.
"The Daily Prophet. It's the wizard newspaper. I don't know how, but they can somehow hear the things that leak in the castle." She shrugged.
We sat in silence after that. Waiting for the others to be sorted. Yes, I feel isolated even now. No one even greeted me and asked questions.
**************
Dumbledore's POV
The moment the door opened, I saw the boy in front of the group, The-Boy-Who-Lived. The people may see him as their hero, but he's still a child. He's a good child from what I've heard from Arabella. Obedient even to his abusive muggle guardians.
Ever since the war ended, the people were very interested in the boy who defeated the Dark Lord. So I immediately ordered his retrieval. I've investigated Lily's background, and I found out that her muggle sister is still alive. Harry must be kept outside the wizarding world for the time being. Also, Lily's protection will remain if Harry stayed with his blood relatives, so I told Hagrid to bring young Harry there. The Dark Lord's followers are still lurking somewhere, waiting for the opportunity to resurrect their lord. Harry must be prepared to face him in order to fulfill the prophecy.
After I glanced at the boy, my eyes turned to the other child that entered the doors. He has the most eye-catching features in the hall. Silvery white hair, gray eyes. The signature of a Grindelwald. I've found out about him when Minerva brought the Book of Admittance to my office. Even she was shocked that a descendant of the Grindelwald family has born. I immediately ordered the house elves of the school to search for the boy. One of the elves found him living in one of the orphanages in the outskirts of London, a small child. He has the features of a Grindelwald. But he's isolated from the other young children.
I continued observing him in worry that something is wrong with the child. I can't let him become my mistake again. But some of my worries are unfounded, I noticed that the other children stayed away from him because they found him weird from his unusual hair color. Still, the child looked unconcerned. He has the sign of maturity and certain intellect in his eyes, a true heir of Grindelwald.
Now that the boy has entered Hogwarts, the whole world will focus on him. I will be sure to guide him so he doesn't make the same mistakes his grandfather made. He must not be tempted to go to the dark side. For now, I'll let him enjoy the joys of being a child. he's not yet ready to face the harshness of the world.