16Thanks again to all my faithful reviewers - Aims, Damia, Kim Malfoy and Alekz!
Now, on with the story!
CHAPTER FOUR: The Sorting Hat
A giant of a man was looming over the four of us, saying amicably, "All righ' there Harry, Hermione, Ron?"
"All right, Hagrid," they all replied.
"An' who's this one then?" Hagrid asked, indicating me.
"Oh, this is Ella, she's from Australia. Ella, this is Hagrid, the gamekeeper and teacher of Care of Magical Creatures," Harry introduced us. I put my hand in Hagrid's giant one and he beamed at me.
"Pleased to meet yeh, Ella. A friend of these three is a friend o' mine!"
I just nodded back, a small smile on my face. I was bit scared that he was going to shake my arm off, actually! He finally let go and farewelled us, yelling over the din, "I'll see yeh all at th' feast, then!" He walked away, calling out, "Firs' years! Firs' years, this way, over here!"
Hermione pulled me towards the water and helped me into a boat. The boats seemed to hold six people, and the four of us were soon joined by Neville and a small, red-headed girl who looked remarkably like Ron. Greetings were made all around and I noticed that this girl blushed whenever she looked at Harry. She was (finally) introduced as Ginny, Ron's younger sister.
"Hi Ginny, I'm Ella Foropov. Are you in Gryffindor, too?"
"Yes, I am. Are you Australian?" she asked me in reply. I nodded and then thought out aloud, "You know, everyone I've met so far, except for Malfoy and his henchmen, is in Gryffindor. Isn't there anyone else in the other houses?"
"Of course there are!" Harry laughed. He continued, "We just don't tend to mix with the other houses that much. Okay, we sometimes have classes with another house, but we sit at our house tables for meals, barrick for our house teams in Quidditch and each house has its own common room. So really, there aren't that many opportunities for us to mix." I nodded to show that I understood and everyone was silent for a while.
Suddenly -
"Ella! Look up there!" Hermione grabbed my arm and pointed. I looked up in that direction and saw the outline of a magnificent castle, full of lights. It looked just beautiful against the night sky and I realised that this was Hogwarts.
The boats made their way down a lake and stopped at the entrance to the castle. Students were pouring in the enormous double doors and talking at the tops of their voices. All of a sudden I was feeling nervous about attending a school with such an enormous amount of students.
"Come on, Ella!" Hermione was calling out to me, "I'll take you to Professor McGonagall, so you can be Sorted with the First years. Don't worry, you'll be fine! Professor McGonagall is a bit brusque, but she's kind underneath it all. We'll see you two inside, okay?" I waved to Harry and Ron as they wished me luck and Hermione guided me up the stairs.
"Professor! This is the new fifth year student from Australia, Gabriella Foropov. I thought I should bring her to you, seeing as she has to be Sorted and all," Hermione explained to a stern-looking woman. She nodded and replied, "Thank-you Miss Granger. I can see we made the right decision in making you a Prefect. Now, you go on and join Potter and Weasley for the Feast. I'll look after Miss Foropov."
Then she turned to me and said, "Miss Foropov, I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House. Come along, you will see Miss Granger at the Feast later on." I waved goodbye to Hermione and she gave me an impulsive hug, which surprised me, whispering, "Good luck! You're a Gryffindor, I just know it!"
I fearfully followed Professor McGonagall inside the castle and marvelled at its magnificence. We ended up at another pair of extremely large double doors, where a big group of nervous-looking young students stood around, seemingly uncomfortable. Professor McGonagall raised her hands for silence and said, "Welcome, all. I am Professor McGonagall. In a few moments you will be Sorted into your school houses. These houses are something like a family to you while you are at school. You will eat together, have lessons together and spend your free time together. While your triumphs will earn you points for your house, any rule-breaking will lose points for your house. Now, follow me please and don't dawdle!"
There were murmurs behind me about Professor McGonagall's speech. I was impressed, too, of course, but I didn't have anyone to talk to. The Great Hall was magnificent, and I looked up to see the ceiling I had read so much about - it was bewitched to look like the sky outside. The first year students were all whispering about it and wondering what made it like that, while I listened to them, feeling somewhat superior.
We followed Professor McGonagall up to the front of the Hall, just below the teachers' table. The Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore was smiling kindly at all of us, as if to wish us all luck. Then he stood up and announced, "Before we begin our Feast, we shall have our annual Sorting!"
Professor McGonagall started reading out names and when she passed the letter 'F' I realised that I would be Sorted after all the first years. While I was waiting, I looked around the Hall at all the faces. I picked out the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables easily; Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw weren't so easy, until I saw a boy who had just been Sorted into Hufflepuff go to one of the tables.
While I was looking around, Harry caught my eye, waved and winked. I gave a small smile back, starting to feel queasy as Professor McGonagall got to the end of the alphabet. She finally put down her parchment roll and looked up.
"Ordinarily, Hogwarts does not accept new students after they have passed the age of eleven. However, this year we are joined by a fifth year witch from Australia, Gabriella Foropov. So I would like you all to help her feel welcome, as she does not come here with a great contingent of other students. Gabriella, please come and be Sorted," Professor McGonagall invited me. I looked up at everyone's faces (I had been staring at my toes during Professor McGonagall's speech, out of embarrassment) and stepped over to the stool where all the first years had sat to be Sorted.
I sat down and Professor McGonagall put the raggedy-looking Sorting Hat on my head. Or rather, over my eyes! It was so big that it completely covered my head.
"Ah! Late starter, are we?" the Hat asked me. I jumped when I heard it speak that first time, to tell you the truth. I decided to answer it back and whispered, "No, just a late starter at Hogwarts."
"Well, I can see that you would be perfect in two houses. You are determined, a hard worker - perfect for Hufflepuff."
"No, I want to be in Gryffindor!"
"Well, that was my other choice. You have all the qualities of a Gryffindor - brave, loyal, honest. Yes, yes, let's put you in GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat yelled the last word and the Gryffindor table erupted into cheers. I took the Hat off and walked over there quickly, feeling so grateful that I was trembling!
"Ella! Ella! You're in Gryffindor! I knew you would be, didn't I say it?" Hermione cried, hugging me. I nodded, almost crying with happiness. Ron and Harry clapped me on the shoulders and Fred and George and Ginny all grinned at me. A little way down the table Seamus, Dean and Neville were all smiling and cheering in my direction and once again, I couldn't help but notice how handsome Dean was!
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A/N: I just found a website that has proper descriptions of some of the characters and apparently Seamus and Dean are nothing like what I describe, so sorry about that! I'm not changing, though!