章節 120: Chapter 120: "Sorting Ceremony"
The Great Hall was alive with noise and movement as Professor McGonagall took center stage, unrolling a lengthy parchment. Excitement and a bit of anxiety hung in the air, especially among the first-year students who were about to learn their Hogwarts house.
Professor McGonagall's voice rang out clearly in the bustling hall, "When I call your name, please come forward, put on the hat, and sit on the stool to be sorted."
Her first call was "Abbott, Hannah!"
Hannah walked up with hesitant steps, a mix of nervousness and anticipation evident in her movements. As she placed the Sorting Hat on her head, it comically slid down over her eyes, drawing a brief silence from the crowd.
Then, suddenly, the hat's voice boomed out, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
The tension broke like a wave, and the Hufflepuff table erupted in cheers and clapping, warmly welcoming their new housemate.
Next on the list was a name Harry was eagerly waiting for.
"Bones, Susan!" called McGonagall.
Harry watched intently as his sister walked up to the stool with a mix of nerves and excitement. Placing the hat on her head, it didn't take long before it shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
Susan's face lit up with a smile as she quickly moved to sit next to Hannah. Harry clapped heartily from his seat, feeling a surge of pride for his sister joining the friendly and loyal house of Hufflepuff.
The sorting ceremony continued smoothly, and Harry found himself recognizing many names that were familiar from the Harry Potter books and movies.
One after another, students like Terry Boot, Lavender Brown, Millicent Bulstrode, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Seamus Finnegan were called up. Each of them walked up to the stool, placed the Sorting Hat on their heads, and shortly after, their new house was announced, eliciting cheers and applause from their new housemates.
When Daphne Greengrass's name was called, she calmly walked up to the stool and was quickly sorted into Slytherin. Harry felt a little relieved knowing she would be alright; Arabella and Elvinia would surely look after her.
Then came Hermione Granger's turn, a moment Harry had been somewhat anxious about. He had given her some advice earlier, hoping it might influence her sorting in some way.
As Hermione sat under the hat, the hall fell silent for a moment. Unlike the quick decisions of many others, the hat seemed to take a little longer with Hermione. Harry could see from her expression that she was having quite a discussion with the hat.
Finally, after a tense minute, the hat loudly declared "Gryffindor!"
Harry felt a pang of disappointment. It seemed Hermione had not taken his advice. Somewhat unfortunate, since she could have had a better school life in Ravenclaw. This outcome meant Harry wouldn't be intervening in Hermione's life further; if his advice hadn't helped her now, he doubted it would in the future.
He silently wished that Hermione would find good friends in Charles and Ron, hoping she would become part of their group. If not, Hogwarts could prove to be a challenging place for her.
Neville Longbottom's turn was one of the lengthier ones. The Sorting Hat seemed to ponder deeply before finally shouting, "Gryffindor!" Harry, who had secretly hoped Neville might join his sister in Hufflepuff, felt a slight disappointment wash over him. He had tried to influence Neville's placement, thinking Hufflepuff would be more supportive for him, but it seemed fate had other plans. Regardless, Harry resolved to continue supporting Neville in any way he could.
As the ceremony moved forward, Draco Malfoy's name was called. The hall watched as he briskly walked up to the stool, placed the hat on his head, and almost instantly, "Slytherin!" was announced.
Harry watched the young Malfoy from across the room, contemplating the boy's future. In Harry's eyes, Draco was not truly the villain some made him out to be; he was just a boy shaped by his upbringing and his father's expectations. His actions, often seen as mischievous or misguided in the books, were those of a child trying to live up to a villainous image set by his family, yet often failing to truly be malicious.
Finally, after more students were sorted, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived.
"Potter, Charles!" Professor McGonagall announced.
As Charles sat on the stool, the entire hall watched with bated breath. Almost instantly, "GRYFFINDOR!" was announced. There was no hesitation in the Sorting Hat's decision, reflecting the upbringing and influences of Charles, who was raised by Gryffindor parents and mentored by a Gryffindor headmaster.
Charles sprinted towards the Gryffindor table, where he was met with loud cheers, especially from the Weasley twins who excitedly chanted, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"
The ceremony seemed particularly long this year, possibly because Harry recognized many names from the books, making each sorting feel more significant. However, it could also be due to an unusually large number of first-year students.
The final students, Ron Weasley, and Blaise Zabini, were quickly sorted into Gryffindor and Slytherin, respectively. With their sorting, the lengthy process finally came to an end.
Professor McGonagall carefully rolled up her scroll and took away the Sorting Hat, marking the conclusion of the sorting ceremony. The students' attention shifted as they prepared for the next part of the evening.
Professor Dumbledore stood up, his eyes twinkling as he addressed the hall. "Welcome," he began, "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"
He sat down amid applause and laughter, leaving some, like Harry, wondering about his eccentric nature. Harry wondered if Dumbledore was simply being his usual quirky self or if this was part of a deeper strategy to keep his adversaries off balance.
As the applause died down, the tables magically filled with an array of delicious foods. The students, who had been waiting eagerly, immediately started to fill their plates, diving into the feast. The hall was quickly filled with the sounds of a joyful dinner, with conversations buzzing and laughter echoing around the room.
After everyone had their fill, and the dessert plates had been cleared, Dumbledore stood once more.
The hall quieted down instantly, all eyes on him. "Ahem—just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered," he continued, his voice carrying across the quiet hall. "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. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." His eyes twinkled as they briefly flicked towards the Weasley twins, who responded with sheepish grins.
Professor Dumbledore continued his announcements with a slight sternness in his tone, "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, our caretaker, to remind everyone that magic is not permitted in the corridors between classes. Additionally, Quidditch trials will be held during the second week of the term. Those interested in joining their house teams should speak with Madam Hooch."
He paused for a moment before adding, "And finally, I must caution you all that the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is strictly off-limits to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
Upon hearing this, Harry couldn't help but be intrigued by the mention of the forbidden corridor. He wondered about the Philosopher's Stone which was stored in that corridor. Was it actually real, or merely a decoy to lure Voldemort? Harry was quite curious about the stone, pondering its potential uses if it were indeed real.
Roger, a bit alarmed, turned to Harry and whispered, "He's not serious, is he?"
Harry nodded slowly, "Must be serious. And remember, stay away from that corridor. That corridor might be the reason I felt this year was not going to be quiet like last year."
Reggy, half-joking, chimed in, "Okay, we'll steer clear of there. Harry, maybe you really do have a knack for seeing the future. Good luck in your Divination class."
As Dumbledore concluded his speech, the traditional Hogwarts song filled the hall, signaling the end of the feast. It was time for the students to head back to their dormitories.
Harry cast one last look at his brother Charles and then at Quirrel before he joined his Ravenclaw dorm mates to make their way to the Ravenclaw Tower.
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