Percy Jackson and the Mirror of Erised

17) Sorted

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted, the girl with pigtails smiling as she walked towards the clapping table.

Susan Bones, Sally-Anne Perks, and Justin Finch-Fletchley also got sorted into Hufflepuff.

Terry Boot, Olive Moon, Lisa Turpin, Mandy Brocklhurst, and one of the Patil twins got sorted into Ravenclaw.

Draco Malfoy, after a few seconds hesitation from the hat, was sorted into Slytherin along with Crabbe, Goyle, Millicent Bulstrode, Blaise Zabini, and Pansy Parkinson.

Eventually, my friends got to go up.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville were all sorted into Gryffindor with Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan.

There were several others, but I can't remember their names.

I got to go before Harry, but after Hermione.

I sat the hat on my head and heard a voice say in my head.

"Hello there."

I spoke in my head, "Hello. Are you the sorting hat?"

"Why, yes I am. Are you Percy Jackson?"

"I think you know that I am, yes. What's your name?"

"My name? No one has ever asked me that, so thank you. It's Phil. I'm always happy to sort a student like yourself into Hufflepuff. Though before I sort you, I have something to say.

"The life ahead of you is a difficult one. Not just in our world, but your world, too. You'll face unimaginable things, but I want you to know that Hogwarts will always be a home for you. We will always be a rock for you to stand on. Don't be afraid to come to us for help, Percy. We'll give it.

"Now that that's finished, I'm pleased to sort you into HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted the last word aloud.

The yellow and black table erupted into cheers. I could see a few people clapping for me.

Once Blaise Zabini was sorted, Dumbledore stood up, "And now to announce the students going to Camp! Boot, Terry. Jackson, Perseus. Longbottom, Neville. Malfoy, Draco. Moon, Olive. Finnigan, Seamus. I hope you all have a great year at camp this summer, and please talk to Luke Castellan tomorrow."

Dumbledore looked out at the crowd of people around him, smiling brightly, and saying, "Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we behind our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

I laughed with Hannah Abbot, who smiled happily at me.

I got to know the people in my house.

There were the 3 kids in my year, which seemed like an extraordinarily low amount of kids compared to the other grades. I also talked to Cedric Diggory, a boy who was a 4th year.

We ate food and laughed and joked. No one said a rude word and no one seemed to want to. We were just one big family at this table.

After dessert, Dumbledore stood again, "Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed  and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils except the campers. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore looked at the Weasley's and some Hufflepuff boys, Connor and Travis Stoll.

"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.