What I'm Looking For...

I shivered as I stood on to the platform in the cold night air. A lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students and I heard a familiar voice.

“Firs’ years! Firs’ years over here! All right there, Harry and Corey?” Hagrid’s head big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

“C’mon, follow me – any more firs’ years? Mind yer step, now! Firs’ years follow me!”

We slipped and stumbled after Hagrid, down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was really dark, and I held onto Harry and Ron’s hands like my life depended on it. Nobody said much, but I could hear Neville, the boy who had lost his toad, sniff once or twice.

“Yeh’ll get yer firs’ sight o’ Hogwarts in a sec” Hagrid called over his shoulder, “Jus’ around this bend here”

The narrow path opened suddenly on to the edge of a great, black lake and there was a loud ‘Ooooooh!’ Perched on top of a high mountain on the other side of the lake, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers; its windows sparkling in the starry sky.

“It’s amazing” I breathed.

“No more’n four to a boat!” Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. I let go of Harry and Ron and we got into the boat; followed by Hermione.

“Everyone in?” Shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself, “Right then – Forward!”

The boats all started moving at the same time; gliding over the lake, which looked like it was made of glass. Everyone was silent was we all stared up at the castle. It towered over us as we sailed closer to the cliff on which it stood.

“Heads down!” yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; everyone bent their heads forward and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy which hid a wide opening in the cliff face. We were carried along a dark tunnel, and it seemed to take us right under the castle, until we reached a kind of underground harbour, where we all clambered out on to rocks and pebbles.

Hagrid was checking the boats while people were getting out of them, and he turned to Neville.

“Oi, you there! Is this your toad?”

“Trevor!” Cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Once Neville and his toad, Trevor, had reunited, we all clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid’s lamp, coming out, after a long time, on to smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. We walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. I made sure I stayed close to Harry and Ron; Hermione had already gone off with someone else.

“Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?”

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door. The door swung open immediately, revealing a tall black-haired witch in emerald-green robes.

“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; it could fit a house and a half in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing us led to the upper floors.

We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. I could hear hundreds of voices from a doorway to our right – the rest of the school must already be here – but Professor McGonagall showed all the first years into a small empty chamber off the hall. We crowded in, everyone standing rather close to each other.

“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.

“While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you 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 honour. 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 Ron’s smudged nose. Out of the corner I saw Harry nervously trying to flatten his hair. I took my hair out of its messy bun. My hair fell in its normal wave, falling past my shoulders.
“I shall return when we are ready for you” said Professor McGonagall “Please wait quietly.” She left the chamber.

“How exactly do they sort us into houses?” I asked Ron nervously.

“Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking.”

A test? In front of the whole school? I looked around and everyone else looked terrified too. I jumped and held onto Ron’s hand; who happened to be closest to me, as about twenty ghosts streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to each other and hardly glancing at the first years.

They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat monk was saying: “Forgive and forget. I say, we ought to give him a second chance-“

“My dear Friar, haven’t we given Peeves all the changes he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he’s not really even a ghost – I say, what are you all doing here?”

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed us, but nobody answered.

“New students!” Said the fat Friar, smiling around at us. “About to be Sorted, I suppose?”

A few people nodded mutely. I looked down a noticed I was still holding Ron’s and quickly let go of it.

“Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know” Said the Friar.

“Move along now” Professor McGonagall said; as she had returned to the chamber. One by one the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall. “Now form a line, and follow me.”

I got into the line; behind Harry and in front of Ron, and we walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. I had never imagined such a place as Hogwarts; so strange and splendid.

The Great Hall was lit by thousands and thousands of candles while were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets.

At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led us up to the front, so that we could come to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind us.

The hundreds of faces staring at us looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Harry looking up; so naturally I did too, to find out what he was looking at. There was a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.

“It’s bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about it in Hogwarts, a History” I heard Hermione whisper.

I looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of us. On top of the stool Professor McGonagall put a pointed wizard’s hat. The hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.

The Great Hall was silent for a while. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth – and the hat began to sing.

‘Oh, you may not think I’m pretty,
But don’t judge on what you see,
I’ll east myself if you can find
A smarter hat then 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 he brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal, - ”

I tuned out while the hat sang; I watched the people in the hall. I noticed three red-haired boys; the Weasley twins and Percy. That must be the Gryffindor table on the far left. I looked around the hall more; taking in all its magnificent characteristics.

All of a sudden the whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

“So we’ve just got to try on the hat!” Ron whispered to me “I’ll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll”

I held back my laughter, and covered my mouth with my hand. Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

“When I call your name, you will put on the hat, and sit on the stool to be sorted.” She said, before hesitating. “There seems to have been a mistake in the printing, because Miss Samuels is at the top of the list... Never mind. Samuels, Corey. Please come up to be sorted.”

I swallowed loudly before walking toward the stool. I put on the hat, and sat down. I sat staring at the Gryffindors; every inch of me praying I’d be sitting there for my time at Hogwarts.

“GRYFFINDOR!” shouted the hat. The Gryffindor table cheered and clapped, and I walked to them. The twins sat next to the spare seats for the new Gryffindors; I think they were hoping to try and pull pranks on the first years. I sat down next to Fred... I think.

“Hey guys” I said cheerfully, unable to take the smile of my face.

“Congratulations on getting into Gryffindor” Said the twin that was sitting opposite me.

“You’ll get to see us more,” Said the other, nudging me. Yup, definitely Fred. “Lucky you”

“Ewwwies! But you guys are old!” I complained.

“We’re not that old!” they retorted. I poked my tongue out at them, before turning back to the sorting. A lot of people were being sorted into Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, but we finally got someone else in Gryffindor; Lavender Brown. The twins catcalled and the whole Gryffindor table cheered; just like when I had been sorted.

I watched Harry and Ron grow paler by the second. More people were sorted but I didn’t really pay attention to them until a name was called that I recognised.

“Granger, Hermione!” She practically ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly over her head.

“GRYFFINDOR!” shouted the hat and Hermione beamed. She took the hat off and walked to the cheering table. Neville Longbottom also joined us, and Malfoy got his wise and was instantly put in Slytherin.

“Potter, Harry” Professor McGonagall said.

As Harry step forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

“Potter, did she say?”

“The Harry Potter?”

Harry gripped the chair as the hat slid over his eyes. After a bit of thinking the hat finally decided on a house.

“GRYFFINDOR!”

The whole Gryffindor table gave Harry the biggest cheer yet, as he walked towards the table. Percy the Prefect got up to shake his hand.

“We got Potter! We got Potter!” yelled the twins excitedly, standing up. Harry sat next to me, opposite the ghost in the ruff we’d seen earlier.

“Sit down, children” I told the twins, who were still cheering happily.

“Yes, mother”

I followed Harry’s staring to an old man in a large gold chair. He had silver hair that shone as brightly as the ghosts. He must’ve been Albus Dumbledore; the headmaster. There was also Professor Quirrell who looked out of place wearing his turban.

There was only Ron and another first year left now. It was now his turn and he was a pale green. I saw Harry cross his fingers under the table, and I did the same. As Ron sat down and pulled the hat onto his head, it hesitated only a second before screaming out;

“GRYFFIDOR!”

We all clapped loudly until Ron settled in next to Harry.

“Well done, Ron, excellent” said Percy Weasley.

Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll and took the Sorting hat away. Dumbledore got to his feet, beaming at all of the students, his arms wide open, as if nothing would please him more to see us all here.

“Welcome!” He said “Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin out banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!”

He sat back down and everybody clapped and cheered. I exchanged a look with Harry before he asked Percy; “Is he – A bit mad?”

“Mad? He’s a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Corey?” I shook my head and looked at the now filled dishes on the table. There was everything you could think of eating. Roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy ketchup and, for some un known reason, mint hamburgers.

I started piling things onto my plate; avoiding the mint hamburgers, but grabbing little bits of nearly everything else. I think Ron was staring at my plate; wondering how I was going to eat it all.

“That does look good.” Said the ghost in ruff sadly, watching Harry cut his steak.

“Can’t you-?” I asked

“I haven’t eaten for nearly four hundred years. I don’t need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don’t think I’ve introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower”

“I know who you are!” Ron said suddenly “My brothers told me about you – you’re nearly headless Nick!”

“I would prefer you call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-” the ghost began stiffly, but Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

“Nearly headless? How can you be nearly headless?”

“Like this” He said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fall onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on everyone’s faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back on to his neck, coughed and said, “So – new Gryffindors! I hope you’re going to help us win the house championship this year! Gryffindor have never gone so long without winning. Slytherin got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron’s becoming almost unbearable – he’s the Slytherin ghost”

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the puddings appeared; blocks of ice-cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, rice pudding...

As talk turned to families I tuned out; only picking up important things. I listened to other conversations; like Fred and George planning pranks, or Hermione and Percy talking about classes. I looked at the High Table. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet, Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore, and Professor Quirrell was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose and sallow skin.

“Ouch!” Harry clapped his hand to his head.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“N-nothing”

“Who’s the teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?” I asked Percy

“Oh, you know Professor Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he’s looking so nervous, that’s Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn’t want to – everyone knows he’s after Quirrell’s job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape.”

The puddings soon disappeared and Professor Dumbledore stood up again; making the hall instantly quiet.

“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”

Dumbledore’s twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley Twins.

“I’ve also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you that no magic should be used in between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house reams should contact Madam Hooch.

“And finally, 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”

Next to me, Harry laugh, along with a few others.

“He’s not serious?” he muttered to Percy

“Must be. It’s odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we’re not allowed to go somewhere – the forest’s full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least”

“And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!” cried Dumbledore, before giving his wand a little flick as if he was trying to get a fly off the end and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself snake-like into words.
“Everyone pick their favourite tune,” Said Dumbledore “And off we go!”

And the school bellowed:

“Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Out heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they’re bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we’ve forgot,
Just do your best, we’ll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot”

Everybody finished at different times, and, at last, only the twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

“Ah, music” He said, wiping his eyes “A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!”

All the first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. I was like the walking dead; I was so tired. I didn’t look around me and take in my surroundings until we came to a sudden stop.

A bundle of walking sticks were floating in mid-air ahead of us and as Percy stepped towards them, they started throwing themselves at him.

“Peeves” Percy whispered to us. “A Poltergeist” He raised his voice “Peeves – show yourself”

A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.
“Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?”

There was a pop and a little man with wicked dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.

“Oooooh!” He said, with an evil cackle. “Ickle Firsties! What fun!” He swooped over us suddenly, and we all ducked.

“Go away Peeves, or the Baron’ll hear about this, I mean it!” Percy barked

Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville’s head. We heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armour as he passed.

“You want to watch out for Peeves” Said Percy, as we set off again. “The Bloody Baron’s the only one who can control him, he won’t even listen to us prefects. Here we are” At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.

“Password?” She said.

“Caput Draconis” Said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. We all scrambled through, and found ourselves in the Gryffindor common-room; a cosy, round room full of squashy armchairs.

Percy led us girls through one door to our dormitory and the boys were taken to another. We found our beds; five four-posters hung with deep-red velvet curtains. Our trunks had already been brought up. We all got changed and got into bed.

“It’s great here, isn’t it?” Hermione asked from the bed next to me.

“It’s the greatest place I’ve ever been” I informed her. After that; I feel into a deep, dreamless sleep.