Standing with the other first-years in front of the closed door to Hogwarts, Hermione felt her excitement growing by the second. She knew her life was about to change—soon she'd be among other wizards, stepping into a whole new world that was nothing like what she was used to. Would she find friends who shared her love of learning and adventure, or would she be left out, lost among her indifferent classmates? Deep inside, she sought confirmation that her decision to leave the comfort of her home in pursuit of fantasy was the right one. Hermione took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, and just then, the door opened.
For the first time since saying goodbye to her parents that morning at King's Cross Station, Hermione saw a familiar face. It was Professor McGonagall, dressed in an emerald-green robe with a very stern look. Hermione's first instinct was to rush up to McGonagall and say 'hi' like they were old friends, but she held back, figuring that wouldn't be the best thing to do at the current moment. She knew it was silly to think she could be special in any way to the professor.
McGonagall thanked Hagrid, turned around, and led the new students inside. The hall they entered was huge—the ceiling was so high it vanished into the darkness. The walls were decorated with the crests of Hogwarts' four houses, with bright torches burning in between. 'It's like a medieval castle,' Hermione thought. 'All that's missing is a round table with knights celebrating a victory or planning the next tournament.'
As they walked through the hall, Hermione suddenly felt a sharp pang of homesickness, realizing this was the first night she'd spend away from her parents. She pictured them finishing dinner, sipping hot cocoa, and settling in the living room with a book or newspaper. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she wished she could go back home, give her mom and dad a tight hug, sit with them at the kitchen table, and talk about her day. Maybe they missed her too, wondering how she was settling in at Hogwarts, whether she'd made any friends, and what lay ahead. Sighing, Hermione looked around.
'Speaking of friends' she thought. 'Neville's a good kid, but a little clumsy. And Harry Potter... It'd be really interesting to be friends with him. There's got to be something special about someone who survived that...' Hermione always loved solving mysteries, and Harry's story seemed like one of the most intriguing. 'Plus, he also grew up with Muggles. Who else could understand me like he might?' Looking around, Hermione saw that Harry was still with Ron Weasley. 'Looks like he already has a friend who doesn't really like me,' she thought with a touch of disappointment. Just then, they entered a small room and stopped in front of a door where a lot of chatter could be heard from the other side.
"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…"
Professor McGonagall quickly went over the school rules and explained the four houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. She mentioned the annual House Cup, where the houses compete by earning points for good behavior and academic achievements. At the same time, improper behavior by students could lead to losing valuable points, hurting their house's chances of winning. At the end of the school year, the house with the most points wins the House Cup. After explaining this, the professor told them to wait a bit and then disappeared behind the door in front of which they'd stopped.
Hermione overheard Harry quietly asking Ron beside her:
"How exactly do they sort us into houses?"
"Some sort of test, I think" Ron replied. "Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was just joking."
Hermione thought about that for a moment. She was about to explain what she'd read about the Sorting Hat in the 'Daily Prophet', but then she realized she didn't really know how it chose a house for each student. In fact, she wasn't sure what this hat even was... or rather, who it was? The paper had described it like it was some kind of living thing, capable of making decisions. 'Maybe the Sorting Hat is a position at Hogwarts,' Hermione thought suddenly. 'There's so much strange stuff here—why not have a position with a name like that? Maybe this 'Sorting Hat' sits somewhere and decides where everyone goes. How? No idea.'
As she thought about it, Hermione pictured Professor McGonagall in a funny hat, sitting on a throne with a magic wand in her hand. She'd point the wand to indicate which house a student should join. Assuming they might have to demonstrate magic to get sorted, Hermione shared her theory with Neville, who was standing beside her:
"I think we might have to show our magical skills to get sorted into houses. I'm aiming for Gryffindor. I think it's the best house at Hogwarts. I practiced over the summer to learn some spells and improve my chances. For example, I learned how to use the 'Locomotor' spell, which allows you to move objects..."
Hermione listed everything she'd learned over the past month. She emphasized that it was not easy, but thanks to her hard work and natural abilities, she managed to learn a lot... It was clear not everyone appreciated her efforts—some, like Nancy Magwort, even snickered at her 'natural abilities'. But Neville stood by her, nodding along, and that helped Hermione take her mind off her worries about the upcoming sorting.
Her speech was cut short by a sudden outburst from the other students, as ghosts started floating into the small room through one of the walls. Hermione had read about them and knew they were at Hogwarts, but this was her first time seeing them in person. She stared at them with her mouth open, feeling a mix of awe and surprise. Here was another glimpse into the magical world.
"Move along now!" a stern voice suddenly called out. "The Sorting Ceremony is about to start."
Hermione turned and saw that McGonagall had returned. The professor lined the students up and led them through the doors into the Great Hall. The hall was lit by countless candles floating above the four long tables. Each table was filled with students representing one of the Hogwarts houses, all watching the entering first-years with curiosity. At the far end of the hall, a similar long table was where the teachers sat, also watching the new students with great interest.
Professor McGonagall brought the first-years to the teachers' table and instructed them to turn their backs to the professors and face the hall, where all the older students were seated. Then she set up a small stool and carefully placed a very worn-out hat on it. Suddenly, the hat started singing in a somewhat creaky voice! Yes, the hat had a mouth, and it sang them a song about the upcoming sorting. 'Wait, so the 'Sorting Hat' is really just a hat?' Hermione thought with mild surprise. She had convinced herself that in the magical world there could be a job with such a name, but the idea that a hat could talk and make decisions never crossed her mind.
As soon as the hat stopped singing, the hall erupted in applause, and the hat gave a small bow in response. Holding a scroll of parchment, McGonagall stepped forward and started calling the first-year students one by one. Each student walked up to the stool, sat down, and put on the hat. Sometimes the hat announced the house right away, and sometimes it took a moment. It was much simpler than Hermione had expected. Her knowledge, it seemed, didn't have any bearing on the sorting process.
Once the hat named a house, the selected students headed to their tables, where the older students welcomed them with enthusiasm. The reactions varied: some tables burst into loud applause, while others—like Slytherin—were more moderate. But everywhere, the newcomers were greeted warmly, which made Hermione feel good.
"Hermione Granger!" she heard suddenly.
McGonagall called her name and gave her a small encouraging smile. Now familiar with how the sorting worked, Hermione felt more confident. As she walked toward the stool and put on the hat, she quietly repeated to herself, "Gryffindor, Gryffindor, Gryffindor..."—hoping it might influence the hat's decision.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat announced without hesitation.
Hermione jumped off the stool, took off the hat, and hurried to the Gryffindor table, where the older students greeted her with cheers. The Weasley twins, in particular, were especially excited, and Hermione didn't sense any sign of dislike or teasing from them.
The professor kept calling out names, and one by one, students found their new houses. Miranda Ravenclaw, as expected, went to the Ravenclaw table. 'Oh, big surprise!' Hermione thought sarcastically. Another compartment-mate, Nancy Magwort, got sorted into Slytherin, which also didn't surprise Hermione. But Neville ending up in Gryffindor seemed a little odd to her. He didn't strike her as the brave type that house was known for. 'But I guess the hat knows best,' Hermione thought.
The tables were slowly filling up, and the noise in the Great Hall was getting louder as students talked and got to know each other. Suddenly, a ghost joined their table. It was one of the ghosts they had seen earlier in the smaller room while waiting for McGonagall to come back. He wore fancy breeches and a puffy round collar. When he saw Hermione staring at him, he gave her a slight nod and said politely:
"Sir Nicholas, at your service, young lady." After a pause, he added, "I hope my somewhat see-through look doesn't bother you?"
"Oh no, not at all," Hermione replied, a little taken aback.
That's when she realized she had been staring at the ghost with wide eyes, shocked by how suddenly he'd shown up. Trying to play it cool, she quickly asked how he was and what he did. The ghost was happy to chat and told Hermione that he lived in the Gryffindor Tower, basically serving as the house ghost. Apparently, each house had its own ghost that cared about the success of its students as much as they did. But there was also a ghost everyone was scared of—the Bloody Baron, Slytherin's ghost.
When Hermione looked over at the Slytherin table, she saw a grim-looking ghost, dressed in clothes stained with silvery blood. Compared to him, Sir Nicholas looked like a total angel. Suddenly, the Bloody Baron seemed to sense Hermione's gaze and shot her a stern look. The chill that ran down her spine made Hermione quickly look back at McGonagall, who was calling the next student:
"Draco Malfoy!"
It turned out that this was the name of the pale-faced boy from the train who, in Hermione's opinion, was forming his own gang. As soon as the hat touched his head, it immediately shouted:
"SLYTHERIN!"
Hermione watched him head toward the Slytherin table, thinking about how precisely the Sorting Hat could identify a student's character and preferences.
Right then, McGonagall called out:
"Potter, Harry!"
A wave of surprised murmurs spread through the hall. Students at the far end stood up to get a better view of the new celebrity. Hermione craned her neck to catch sight of Harry, who was sitting on the stool and putting on the hat. She thought briefly that making friends with Harry would be much easier if they ended up in the same house.
The whole hall went silent, and you could hear the ticking of the old clock on the wall behind the teachers. Everyone was anxiously waiting for the hat's decision, which seemed to take forever. The students started nervously glancing at each other, and a faint murmur of confusion grew in the hall. But then the hat shouted:
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry took off the hat and walked over to the Gryffindor table. Hermione thought he looked a bit lost, reminding her of Neville with his uncertainty. Just then, the entire Gryffindor house erupted into applause, loud cheers, and table-pounding. As expected, the Weasley twins stood out with their extra enthusiasm. Gradually, the noise died down, and Professor McGonagall resumed the sorting, calling out the remaining students' names.
When the last first-year found their place at the appropriate house table, it was time for the moment everyone had been waiting for. The headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, stood up, raised his goblet, and welcomed everyone. Then he waved his hand, and the tables were instantly filled with all kinds of delicious food, from fragrant roasted truffles to juicy veal cutlets, pasta with spicy sauce, and much more. There were pitchers with various drinks, and the air filled with mouthwatering aromas. After the long journey to Hogwarts, everyone was ready to dig into the feast.
Once the initial hunger subsided, the older students began sharing stories about Hogwarts with the newcomers and what happens within its walls.
"Professor McGonagall is the head of our house," Percy Weasley was telling Hermione. "She might seem strict, but she's always fair. And she's really good at Transfiguration."
"Transfiguration?" Hermione asked, clearly curious. "I think it's the most interesting subject. Oh, and by the way, McGonagall came to my home," she added unexpectedly and told the story of meeting the professor. This caught the attention of many—it wasn't every day that McGonagall visited a Muggle family to inform them they had a young wizard among them.
"So, what can you do here after classes?" Hermione asked, finishing her story about McGonagall.
"Oh, there's plenty to do!" replied an older girl with short dark hair and blue eyes. "Some play Quidditch or help the house team get ready for matches; others join various clubs. For example, I like Potion Making and go to the 'Chilling Potions' club, run by Professor Snape. He's not very friendly, but he's a master when it comes to potions. I think he's one of the best in the field, so you can forgive him for some of his quirks."
"Why's it called 'Chilling Potions'?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It's because our meetings usually happen in winter, when it's cold. For many of the potions we study and make, low temperatures, around freezing, are critical. It creates the perfect conditions for our experiments," the older student explained.
"Interesting," Hermione said with a smirk. "And… do you have a club for studying or making amulets?"
Ever since she got her amulet, now hidden under her robe, Hermione had become more interested in everything related to it. She'd even ordered a few books from Diagon Alley, hoping to unlock the secret behind her purchase. But, to her disappointment, the books didn't shed any light on the origin or power of her amulet.
"Yes, there's a club called 'Relicium'. Professor Dumbledore, our headmaster, runs it himself, but meetings are rare since he's often busy. Why do you ask?" The girl gave Hermione a questioning look.
"Well, it's just that..." Hermione started, a bit unsure. "I saw this antique shop in Diagon Alley with lots of unsolved amulets, and it got me curious. I really like solving puzzles," she quickly added.
"Ha-ha-ha," the dark-haired girl laughed. "If joining that club helped solve amulet mysteries, they'd all be gone by now," she replied with a smile.
"Got it," Hermione said, sounding a little let down.
"Don't be discouraged," the girl quickly reassured her. "Everyone who goes to that club says it's fun. Dumbledore knows how to make things interesting," she said, nodding toward the school headmaster.
As dinner wound down, the main course disappeared and a ton of desserts appeared. The tables were loaded with sweets, each like a little work of art. There were berry pies with glistening crusts, cakes elegantly decorated with creamy swirls, cookies with magical spices, and sparkling candies that changed color as you held them. Hermione's eyes went wide at the sight of so many amazing treats.
"Wow!" Ron Weasley exclaimed.
Following the direction of his wide-eyed gaze, Hermione immediately understood what had grabbed his attention. In the middle of their table stood a massive cake, but that wasn't even the most impressive part. Along the edge of the cake, a lion—the symbol of Gryffindor—was prowling and softly growling. The lion was expertly crafted from sugar, jelly, and chocolate. Its mane of candy floss gently swayed as it moved, and its marmalade eyes gleamed brightly.
Looking around the hall, Hermione saw that each house had a similar cake, designed with their respective symbols and spirit. On the Slytherin table, a green snake coiled and hissed, sometimes puffing out green smoke from its mouth. At Ravenclaw's table, a majestic eagle perched in the center of the cake, flapping its wings as if about to take flight. At Hufflepuff's table, a big badger happily hopped across the cake's cream hills.
Hermione tried a little bit of each dessert, except for the color-changing candies, which didn't catch her interest. After everyone had eaten their fill, the tables cleared, and Dumbledore stood to speak to the crowd again:
"Ahem – just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well. I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors…"
Hermione perked up at the mention of the school caretaker. Not long ago, she'd been nicknamed "Mrs. Filch," but it was likely that no actual Mrs. Filch existed, and the nickname was a tease about how her behavior resembled that of the caretaker. She got lost in this thought and missed part of Dumbledore's speech but tuned back in just in time to hear him say:
"... I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
She heard Harry laughing nearby and asking Percy:
"He is not serious?"
But Percy didn't find it amusing at all. He seemed confused, especially since even the house prefects weren't told why that area was off-limits. Hermione frowned as she considered this: 'How could a school for kids have something so dangerous that it could lead to a painful death?' The thought was quite unsettling. At that moment, the entire hall began singing the school anthem, and Hermione joined in as best she could, adding her voice to the somewhat off-key chorus.
After the anthem, all the students started heading to their dormitories. Percy, the Gryffindor prefect, gathered the first-years from his house and confidently led them to their new home. Hermione couldn't stop looking around. Despite being tired from a long day, she was still super curious about everything they passed on the way to the dormitory and kept asking Percy questions, sticking close to him as they walked.
Unlike his troublesome younger brothers, Percy seemed thoughtful and serious. He struck Hermione as someone you could rely on, and his calm attitude and approach to things earned her respect. She noticed how he listened carefully to her questions, giving thoughtful answers, which made her feel even better about him.
Suddenly, Hermione saw a bundle of walking sticks was floating in the air with nothing holding them up. By now, she'd gotten used to the magical surprises at the school, so she was more curious than shocked. She turned to Percy and asked:
"What are those?"
"Peeves. A poltergeist," he replied quietly, then raised his voice and said, "Peeves - show yourself!"
But Peeves wasn't in the mood to listen to the Prefect. Instead, he added some rude noises to the mix, mocking Percy and the group he was leading.
"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?" Percy yelled at him.
Right away, with a small pop, a cartoonish-looking figure with pitch-black eyes and a mouth that stretched across his face appeared in front of them. He swooped down toward the first-years, scaring a few of them, but after another mention of the Bloody Baron from Percy, he quickly took off.
"You want to watch out for Peeves," Percy said. "The Bloody Baron is the only one who can control him."
With that, they headed toward their dormitory, which was just around the corner. A portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress blocked their way. When she saw the students, she asked sternly, "Password?"
"Caput Draconis," Percy replied, and the portrait swung forward, revealing the entrance.
The students followed Percy into the common room, where he pointed the girls toward their dormitory and sent the boys in the other direction. Hermione and three other first-year girls went up the stairs and into the room Percy had indicated. It was cozy, with shades of red and gold, and had four large canopy beds, each covered with soft velvet blankets. Above the beds, the names of the first-year girls were glowing, and their luggage from the train was already there, neatly arranged beside their beds.
In the far corner, there was a small round table surrounded by chairs and poufs. Above the table, glowing orbs provided a soft, soothing light. It seemed like a perfect spot to relax and chat with friends.
On the other side of the room was a corner for personal care. In front of a large mirror stood a sleek vanity table with brushes, and beside it, a small cabinet. As they later discovered, the cabinet held various skincare products, hair accessories, and even magical hair tools that could create fancy hairstyles on their own.
A girl with long blond hair walked up to the mirror. Suddenly, a light glowed around it, and the mirror said:
"You look tired today. I suggest getting some rest. Tomorrow, I'll be happy to offer you advice on the best hairstyles and which accessories will add a fresh touch to your look. Good night."
The girl's mouth dropped open in surprise, but then the light around the mirror dimmed, and it went silent, not saying another word. After standing there for a moment, she moved to her bed, which was across from Hermione's, and smiled as she extended her hand.
"Hi, I'm Lila."
Hermione, smiling despite her exhaustion, replied:
"I'm Hermione. Nice to meet you."
"Where are you from?" Lila asked.
"Oakridge, it's a suburb of London."
"Never heard of it," Lila said with a casual shrug. "I live in York. My family just moved into a mansion on the outskirts of town, and I like it there. Muggles don't really bother us, so we don't have to be as secretive. My dad's an Auror at the York office of the Ministry of Magic. It's pretty quiet here compared to London. My mom runs the house and loves painting magical pictures, so our place is always clean and full of paintings," Lila finished with a cheerful smile. "What about your parents? What do they do?"
"My parents are dentists—they fix people's teeth. They're Muggles," Hermione replied. She looked at Lila, a bit nervous about how she'd react. Hermione had decided not to be ashamed of her Muggle parents, but it still made her anxious. However, Lila simply raised an eyebrow and started firing off questions. She was curious about everything: How do Muggles cook? What do they eat? How do they clean? How do they fix teeth, and why do they need their treatment? Lila winced a bit when she heard about dental procedures:
"Poor Muggles. Isn't there a better way to fix teeth, with less pain?"
They chatted for a bit longer, but soon Hermione began to feel sleepy, especially since the gentle snoring of the other two roommates had been filling the room for a while. She wished Lila goodnight, settled in, and happily drifted off to sleep.