"...Voldemort?" Darrah was pretty sure she heard that name before, she just didn't have a clue.
Cedric just whispered back, "Don't say it out loud, his name is basically forbidden from Hogwarts. Many people think he's dead, so we don't speak of it." Darrah nodded curtly to Cedric and looked out the window, yawning.
Voldemort. 'Looks like I need to catch up in the history' She thought, excited to learn something new besides cleaning floors back home.
"Tired?" Cedric looked over at her direction, noticing that Darrah was yawning a couple of times. Darrah explained to him how she woke up at 3 am and that she only got like 5 hours of sleep in, excluding the other 3 hours before midnight.
A few long moments passed and just as the train stopped to it's destination, everyone grabbed their luggage and headed off.
Darrah's owl, Medel (ME-dull), flapped his wings to the trance of his cage being picked up, it cooed in foul disdain.
"You're a haughty one aren't you?" Cedric responded to her owl, teasing it sensibly. Darrah scoffed, "No worries, I'll get used to his abhorrent behavior." Both stepping off the train, many - and not just 100 - people were crowded in a bunch. Head's protruded around the place and even Darrah's claustrophobia kicked in, she definitely hated tight spaces. She could hear many voices talking about which house they'd sorted into.
Many chatting among the lines of "I just know that I'll be in Gryffindor. My sisters were in Gryffinfor, so this is a high chance" or "I hope we are in the same house!" Everyone quickly rose their attention to a loud voice.
"Firs' years! Come on over here. Follow me firs' years!" Hagrid shouted, motioning his hands for all the first years to meet him over. Darrah picked up her luggage and looked back at Cedric.
He glanced at her and hit his packing case against her leg, motioning that she'd run along with the rest of the first years, "See you at Hogwarts, Darrah. Can't wait to see which house you'll get sorted into." Bending down to look at Medel, he carefully poked him through the cage hole, "And you be good to Darrah alright, don't be such a stubborn bird."
With that, Darrah said her final goodbyes to Cedric and ran off with the rest of her group. She quickly peeled off her coat and threw on her long black robes around her, shoehorning the jacket into her luggage bag. Because of the narrow pathway and it being dark outside, people kept slipping and so did Darrah. Trying to catch her footing, a bushy haired girl caught her in time before she could fall.
"Are you alright?" She said.
Darrah fixed her robe and brushed dirt off of her clothing, looking up, a buck toothed smile shown on the girl's face. "Yes, I'm doing brilliant, thank you." Darrah smiled back.
"Hermione, Hermione Granger is my name." She spoke, they walked together and Darrah told her name.
Hagrid stopped and looked over his shoulder. "We're almost here guys, just around here and we'll be there in no time!" Just as he said that, the narrow path spread in half, turning into a great black lake. Darrah looked up to see a mountain, a huge castle towering over. The lights of the windows sparkled the lake and there were many
towers and turrets piecing the castle together. While she kept walking she accidentally hit her foot, looking down she saw a fleet of boats near the water.
Hagrid shouted to the crowd of first years, "No more'n four in a boat!"
Darrah went into a boat, followed in with a girl by the name of Pansy Parkinson. Two others joined her boat, but didn't know the names of.
"Okay, everyone in!" Hagrid scanned his eyes toward the students, seeing that everyone was in a boat, "Well then, FORWARD!" All at the same time, the boats glided across the smooth water.
Darrah just stared up at the huge castle, it was fascinating really, enchanting to be more exact. The boat was heading nearer and nearer to a cliff. Hagrid told them to bend their heads down so they don't get hit by the edge of it. The boats turned through to a wall of ivy and were carried through a tunnel leading them to an underground harbor where their boats would land.
Darrah climbed out of her boat and heard over that Neville's frog was found.
"Trevor!" Darrah heard him exclaim out, holding out his hands which Hagrid placed his toad in.
All the students huddled in front of the big oak door which would lead into Hogwarts. Hagrid raised his hand and balled it into a fist and knocked three times on the big door. The door opened and there stood was a black haired witch dressed in dark green robes with black lining.
"These are the first years, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid said.
"Thank you Hagrid, I'll take the students from here." Smiling wide, McGonagall spread open the big doors. Darrah gaped when looking into Hogwarts, the entrance hall was so huge, trolls could fit in it. The stone pillars held flaming torches surrounding the banquet hall, lighting up the room. There were so many stairs that were leading to different rooms, it made Darrah's head hurt. All the students followed McGonagall to a flagged stone floor and Darrah could hear the chatter of students when they reached a doorway to the right. 'The others must already be here, including Cedric.' She thought to herself. Everyone was huddled into a room, where everyone was even closer than before, everyone was peering about in confusion. Hermione looked over Darrah's shoulder along with Pansy next to her.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall said, a smile spreading across her face. "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."
Darrah looked about the room, taking in the fantastic paintings.
McGonagall continued on, "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."
McGonagall's eyes darted across the puddle of students. Her eyes shifted to Neville to Ron and then to Harry.
"I'll return soon, make yourselves comfortable. Please wait quietly." With that, McGonagall left the room, leaving the students with their quiet whispers.
Hermione turned to Darrah and Pansy, "I wonder what house I will be in! I want to be in Gryffindor or in Ravenclaw." She then started whispering super fast on all the spells that she learned over the course of summer. "Darrah, which spell do you want me to show you?" Hermione said. Darrah saw Harry look their way and she told her friend that she'd be back real quick.
Darrah walked over to Ron and Harry and held out her hand, "I am Darrah, Darrah Gordor. You must be Harry Potter and...?" She turned to Ron Weasley.
"I am Ron Weasley, I have many siblings and we all have red hair." Pausing before hand he continued, "You're a very pretty girl aren't ya?" Trying to be friendly, he cracked a smile. Darrah thanked him for the compliment and shook both of the boys' hands.
Darrah looked to Harry and said, "Everyone has been talking about you on the train, if I am correct?" The shaggy brown haired boy nodded. A few screams erupted from the back and Darrah turned to see about twenty ghosts flying in the room. They barely even noticed the first years that were huddled together looking up at them, they seemed to be arguing with each other.
"Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance--" One ghost said.
"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 even really a ghost -- I say, what are you all doing here?"
Darrah darted her eyes to see a ghost dressed in a ruff with tights, looking down at the students he finally noticed. "Ooh, new students." Fat Friar said, leaning down to the students. He questioned if they were about to be Sorted into their houses and some students nodded without a speech.
"Hope to see some of you in Hufflepuff! It was my old house!"
McGonagall came back and told the students, "Everyone please form a straight line, one behind the other," she said in a stern voice, putting her hands together. Just as she said that, everyone scuttled into a line and Darrah just went in behind Ron. "Okay students, please follow me!" McGonagall said as everyone walked out the door. Then there they were, finally arriving at the Great Hall, where all the rest of the students were seated at. Darrah looked around the place, 'it was huge' she thought. There were four, long dining tables that represented each house, chandeliers that hung up, crystal like features glowing upon. Darrah was truly going to like Hogwarts, but then again she never really knew. Everyone bumped into each other as the person in front of the line abruptly stopped while everyone got distracted in the scenery causing them to hit one another.
"Sorry, Ron." Darrah rubbed her forehead, hoping the freckled boy was doing okay.
Everyone looked up to see McGonagall placing a four legged stool in front of the first years and on it was a pointy wizard hat. The hat looked extremely dirty, for patches have been stuck on it and it looked bitten to the bone. Looking at the hat, Darrah raised an eyebrow, thinking that it wouldn't do anything and that it was a waste of time. The hat moved around slightly and near the bottom of it, Darrah saw a rip and it opened, noticing it was a magic talking wizard hat, with that it 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 Hall erupted into applause as the Sorting Hat finished it's little song, and the hat bowed to the four tables and it all went silent.
"We just have to try on the hat, that's doesn't seem too scary." Ron whispered to Darrah and Harry. The boy who lived half smiled.
"No worries! I'll be cheering for both of you. Nothing to be concerned about." Darrah put her hands on the boys' shoulders and beamed at both of them. Hermione looked at Darrah and raised a thumbs up. "I'll be cheering for you to!" Darrah looked over at her. They all turned around to the voice of McGonagall.
"When I call your name, you will put on the
hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said, holding a scroll in her hands, she called out, "Abbott, Hannah!"
A blonde pig tailed girl with a blushing pink face, made her way to the front of the Hall and sat down, the hat slightly falling to her eyes. A silence grew and the Sorting Hat finally shouted out, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
The table on the right mounted into cheers and greeted their new House member. Fat Friar waved happily to the new Hufflepuff student.
"Bones, Susan!"
The Sorting Hat then shouted "HUFFLEPUFF!" again and Susan ran off to the Hufflepuff table, casually sitting next to Hannah.
A few names passed and Darrah heard Hermione's name get called, she looked up to see her friend running to the stool, and proudly jammed the hat on her head.
A silence prompted and the Sorting Hat screamed out, "GRYFFINDOR!" The Gryffindor table clapped really loudly, besides that, Ron groaned.
Darrah cheered for Hermione and her friend looked in her direction, a wide smile showing. Not paying attention, McGongall called her name a few times.
"Gordor, Darrah!"
Darrah slowly hurried over to the front of the Great Hall and she could feel the hundreds of eyes piercing right through her, sweat fell off her chin and she started getting worried. 'Calm down, Darrah.' She sat on the stool and carefully put the hat on her head, she shut her eyes and quietly thought 'please hurry up.'
The hat muttered, "This is a tough one, very eager to learn she is." It paused and whispered, "Intelligent this one is.....RAVENCLAW!" The hat shouted at the end and Darrah opened her eyes to the sound of everyone cheering. As she stepped off the platform and started to make her way to the Ravenclaw table, she could see Hermione, Ron, and Harry staring at her with wide smiles on their faces and clapping their hands. Darrah's eyes peered over at the Hufflepuff table and she saw Cedric waving at her proudly, she waved back and sat next to Terry Boot, one of the students that was chosen as Ravenclaw.
"Potter, Harry!" McGonagall shouted out.
Darrah's ear twitched to the sound of her friend's name. She watched him step up and sit on the stool. Noticing, he looked really worried, muttering phrases that Darrah couldn't make out.
"Not Slytherin." Harry murmured under his breath. Catching onto his speech the Sorting Hat said, "Not Slytherin, ay? Well then, you might as well be in....GRYFFINDOR!"
Darrah clapped her hands, glad that Harry was in the same house as Hermione. She saw him walk to the Gryffindor table sitting right next to Granger.
"We got Potter! we got Potter!" The Weasley twins, George and Fred, cheered out.
Everyone on the list got sorted into their houses, Ron Weasley taking place in Gryffindor also.
Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet, opening his arms wide, happy to see everyone. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts, before we start the banquet I would like to say a few words...." His voice trailed off and as he was done with his small speech, everyone started feasting.