𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝; 𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡.𝐩

𝓨𝓮𝓪𝓻 1, 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 5: 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓢𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓗𝓪𝓽

~ chapter five: the sorting hat ~

before this chapter starts, i just want to point out that some lines are from the books, some from the movies. just in case someone is confused on why some of the lines i write in previous chapters aren't in the books/movies.

The door to Hogwarts swung open at once. A tall, gray haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit by flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right - the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber leading off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"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. 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."

'I wouldn't be too sure about that,' Y/N thought to herself, thinking of Voldemort.

"While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rule-breaking 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 lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber. Harry swallowed.

"Oh, Neville, let me help you," Y/N said, walking over to Neville as Harry watched her. He grit his teeth. He hated the sight of Y/N being near any other boy - Ron was an exception, as he didn't seem to harbor any romantic feelings towards Y/N - that wasn't him. It made him feel paranoid that if she spent too much time with someone that wasn't him, she might fall in love and start a relationship with them, and then she would slowly start to forget all about Harry. To her, he would be nothing but a distant memory.

'I can't let that happen.'

With major difficulty, he tore his gaze from Y/N (who was now unfastening Neville's cloak) and Neville and turned his attention to Ron. "How exactly do they sort us into Houses?" he asked.