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Sorting Ceremony: Part One
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 07-06-09 07:43
Professor McGonagall waited for Hagrid to bring the unsorted students and new first years to the castle. Since Hogwarts didn't have houses last year, a fair number of second years and any transfer students from then would need to be sorted. Minerva planned on having the Sorting Hat attend to the older students first.
As she stood on the castle steps and waited, the unsorted students sailed across the lake in boats charmed to carry them from Hogsmeade Station to the castle shore. At the same time, the older students arrived via thestral-drawn carriages. Very soon, the Great Hall would be full of young witches and wizards.
Minerva did not have to wait too long before the first boats arrived on shore. She waited until all unsorted students, new and old, gathered before her before introducing herself and the four houses of Hogwarts. She noted the large size of this year's crop and knew that the first years consisted of not only children who had just turned eleven but also any who should have gotten their letters last year but hadn't because of their family histories.
She spoke of House Points lastly and then asked that the students follow her inside the castle, through to the Great Hall. The double doors swept open and in Professor McGonagall went, followed by the unsorted students. They marched up the center aisle to the raised dais, before which Minerva had the students gather. She herself pulled a three-legged stool to the center and set a ragged, pointy hat on top.
The Great Hall fell into a hush as the hat began to sing. Its song started off somber, as a reminder of the past two years, and continued on a hopeful note with the idea that friends come in all shapes and sizes and, of course, houses. After a little on the reinstated houses themselves, the Sorting Hat was ready to commence the Sorting Ceremony.
Professor McGonagall unfurled a parchment scroll and announced, "We will begin with the older students," meaning those who'd started at Hogwarts last year and hadn't been sorted. This year there weren't any new transfer students to add to the group.
"Marjani Batuti."
The dark-skinned sister of Professor Theodosia Batuti stepped onto the dais and sat down on the now-empty stool. Professor McGonagall lowered the Sorting Hat onto Marjani's head.
"A good student, a good heart... Yes... You belong in... GRYFFINDOR!"
With a smile, Marjani jumped off the stool and joined the Gryffindor table. Next came her brother Zuberi.
He sat down on the stool feeling reluctance and skepticism. The Sorting Hat mulled Zuberi's position over for a few moments before stating unequivocally, "I know just what to do with you... SLYTHERIN!"
"Augustus Hodfuffer," came next. The younger boy climbed onto the stool and wondered where the Sorting Hat would place him.
"Hmm... loyal, a good friend... Hmm... HUFFLEPUFF!"
Donald Li was sorted into... "RAVENCLAW!"
"Zabrynna Ravensdale."
The oldest of the group stepped forward and sat down on the stool. Minerva set the Sorting Hat over Zabrynna's red hair and took a step back while the hat mulled over its options.
"Interesting... very interesting indeed. Clever if not a little manipulative. Where to place you... A difficult decision... better be... RAVENCLAW!"
After Zabrynna joined the Ravenclaw table, Drizella Ratcliffe went into... "SLYTHERIN!", Marian Rourke joined... "RAVENCLAW!", and Sonya Silver was sorted into... "GRYFFINDOR!"
"Calder Stryde," Professor McGonagall called out.
The first of the triplets came forward and was the first all three to be sorted into... "SLYTHERIN!"
After Cruise and Cutter joined Calder at the Slytherin table, Anita Tuck was placed in... "HUFFLEPUFF!"
Finally, Minerva called up "Caerwyn Valentine."
She placed the hat on his head after he sat on the stool.
"Hmm... interesting, very interesting," the Sorting Hat began, speaking to Caerwyn alone, "friendly, honest and true... I know just what to do with you! HUFFLEPUFF!"
Caerwyn jumped off the stool and joined his friend Augustus at the Hufflepuff table.
Now it was time to sort the first year students.
Sorting Ceremony: Part Two
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 07-07-09 17:15
All that remained in front of the raised dais in the Great Hall was the rather large group of first year students. They were a mixed bunch, consisting of eleven and twelve year olds. The first years would be sorted equally and alphabetically, regardless their age and when they should have started at Hogwarts. After all, they were all new to the castle and would have the same classes and teachers.
Professor McGonagall unfurled a new scroll, this one considerably longer than the last. She cleared her throat and announced, "We will continue the Sorting Ceremony with the first year students. When I call your name, please approach the stool and have a seat."
She looked at the first name on the list and called out "Audrey Appleseed."
A lanky young girl with brown hair swept into a ponytail cautiously approached the stool. She climbed onto it and allowed Minerva to set the Sorting Hat onto her head. After a few minutes, the Sorting Hat called out, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Eilonwy Barrett was also sorted into Gryffindor. Pablo Carioca went to Ravenclaw. Flora Dalton and Jasmine Doyle went to Hufflepuff. Next came Sarah Edwards, who was sorted into Ravenclaw. Arthur Fu and Gaston Gallagher went to Slytherin. Ichabod Hawkins joined the Ravenclaw table.
"Gloriaspasiana Hodfuffer!"
The younger sister of Wiggersmythe Hodfuffer approached the stool with more confidence than all those before her. She sat down and listened intently to the Sorting Hat's murmurings.
"Difficult, very difficult... creative... bold... outgoing and opinionated... Just where to place you? I know... HUFFLEPUFF!"
With a smile on her face, Glori jumped off the stool as Professor McGonagall removed the hat from her head. She happily joined her new family at the Hufflepuff table.
Lon Irwin soon joined her in Hufflepuff House.
"Mason Jeffers."
A boy who looked both surprised and intrigued by everything and everyone around him came forward. Minerva set the hat on his head and moved a step back while the Sorting Hat mulled over where to place Mason.
"Hmm... interesting... yes... you belong in... SLYTHERIN!"
"Jasper Jenkins," was next. He was sorted into Hufflepuff.
Daisy Khan and Lucy Lehane were sorted into Slytherin.
"Liannah MacDougal."
A cute girl with light brown wavy hair, dark grey eyes and a big smile approached the stool. She sat down, still all smiles, and waited to learn her fate.
"RAVENCLAW!"
Next came, "Hydrangea Marchbanks."
A tall girl with brownish blond, straight hair, cornflower blue eyes and freckles sat down on the stool. The Sorting Hat assigned her to... "GRYFFINDOR!"
The Sorting Hat placed Perla Moore in Hufflepuff. Jake Neilson, Max Owens, Orville Packard and Calliope Quinn all went to Gryffindor. Hera Roberts joined Ravenclaw House, and Boris Samson joined Slytherin House. Waldo Smee was sorted into Hufflepuff. Cody Sweet went to Gryffindor. Next came Preston Travers, who went to Ravenclaw. Then came Humbert Umberfield, who joined Hufflepuff House.
"Beatrix Vanderbilt."
A girl with long, dark blond hair and dark brown eyes stepped forward. She looked a year or two older than her eleven years. She wore a small smile on her face but mainly she stared straight ahead and waited for the Sorting Hat to tell her where to go. It surprised her by exclaiming... "RAVENCLAW!"
Next came Whitney Widowmaker and Kida Young, who both went to Slytherin. Finally, Rusty Zabowski joined Ravenclaw House.
Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll and carried it, the Sorting Hat, and the stool to the side of the room. She walked around the High Table, where all the professors sat, and took her place in the center next to Professor Dumbledore's chair. When she sat down, he stood and smiled at the entire room.
A Little Surprised With Ravenclaw
Author: Zabrynna
Date: 07-07-09 17:35
When Anne and Philippa had begun pulling robes from their trunks to change, Zabrynna had excused herself on the pretext of going to the compartment where her trunk was stored. She'd actually just gone into another carriage to the loo, waited a minute then returned to where Anne and Philippa were, the robes she'd taken from her purse now in hand.
For the rest of the journey the three friends talked again about what house Zabrynna might get and speculated on a few others, such as Professor Batuti's troublesome brother. He's younger than they are but with the trouble he caused and getting expelled for the last few weeks of term, they all knew his name and know him by sight as well. Zabrynna hadn't said much pertaining to Zuberi Batuti. If she'd acted sooner with the love potion, she could very well have been caught while school was still in session and, like Zuberi, been expelled.
When the Hogwarts Express had pulled into a stop at Hogsmeade Station, Anne and Philippa bid Zabrynna goodbye as they had to go in the carriages to the castle while Zabrynna, even though it's not her first year at Hogwarts, had to go with that large, very hairy man Hagrid. Zabrynna felt odd as the oldest of those going in the boats but at least she wasn't the only non-first year in need of being assigned to a house.
The wait to go into the Great Hall wasn't so bad but once the group was following Professor McGonagall to the front of the large room, all those eyes on them, Zabrynna's stomach started twisting and she couldn't help but wonder and worry about who knew what she'd done.
Of the staff is it only Declan, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Isuki, and Hodfuffer?
Or had the other staff been informed?
Warned to beware Zabrynna?
Will she be watched like a hawk in Potions to ensure she's not attempting a love potion on her own?
When leaving Charms after each class will she be subjected to a search to make sure she didn't put a love charm on an object when the professor wasn't looking?
In History of Magic, will Declan acknowledge her presence?
Will he show open hostility or treat her with complete and utter indifference?
Zabrynna thinks she'd rather have Declan hostile towards her than indifferent.
All these thoughts and more crowded into Zabrynna's head, made her stomach churn even more. Standing and waiting her turn to be Sorted was torture though Zabrynna doesn't think she betrayed any emotion beyond interest in what was taking place.
When it was Zabrynna's turn to sit on the stool and have the rather raggedy old hat placed on her head, not realizing the thing would sound like it was talking inside her head, her thoughts were suddenly on the fact that based on what her friends had said, Zabrynna figured she'd be put in Slytherin.
Before announcing for the entire room what house Zabrynna would belong to for the remainder of her time at Hogwarts, the Sorting Hat told her, "Interesting... very interesting indeed. Clever if not a little manipulative. Where to place you... A difficult decision..."
It had then said for her benefit, "Better be...," before louding pronouncing, "RAVENCLAW!"
Zabrynna couldn't decide if she's happy or not about the placement. If in Slytherin she would at least be roomies with Philippa. If Gryffindor, she'd be with Anne again. Neither Hufflepuff nor Ravenclaw is bad from what she knows but Zabrynna can't help but feel a teensy bit disappointed at not getting in a house with one of her best friends.
It had taken Zabrynna a moment to get oriented to where the Ravenclaw table is once she'd been Sorted into that house. The arrangement of tables by houses is so different from how things were last year. She's going to have to find out asap if seating for every meal is by house or if she and her friends will be able to eat together.
Zabrynna takes a seat by two girls who'd motioned her to join them. She quickly learns they are Cordelia Quincy and Miranda Newberry, both at Happy Haven last year so instead of being seventh years they are sixth years and her new roommates.
Reaching for something to drink while the rest of the sorting takes place, Zabrynna half listens to Cordelia and Miranda while trying very hard not to stare at Declan instead of the Sorting Ceremony.
Speech Then Dinner
Author: Sirius Padfoot Black
Date: 07-07-09 18:48
Sirius had been so excited at the prospect of his first Start of Term Feast since being a seventh year student at Hogwarts that he was ready to leave a full two and a half hours before Drucilla and he even needed to being the walk up to the castle. The twins kept begging for Sirius's attention so to give it to them meant changing clothes so as not to get his nice semi-dress robes dirty before the feast.
Sirius playing hard with the twins for two solid hours served several purposes. It kept the twins occupied and tired them out. They left Dru alone so she could get ready to leave for the feast. The two hours passed by before Sirius knew it.
Drucilla and he left the twins with Ron and Hermione, Ron prattling on about something to do with dancing and Hermione informing Ron that once the twins were in bed, they were going to practice.
Strolling arm and arm through Hogsmeade with his lovely wife, Sirius almost felt as though they were going on a real date and not to a large room full of students and co-workers, a Sorting, speeches, and a grand feast. They passed by Hogsmeade Station, stopping for half a minute to watch the scarlet engine of the Hogwarts Express pulling the train ever closer to the village.
Once at Hogwarts, they'd taken a turn around some of the gardens before going inside to mingle with others gathering, both staff and their dates, most of those dates being spouses. They'd not been there all that long when Albus Dumbledore entered the Great Hall and said, "The first of the carriages is arriving."
Everyone treated this as a cue to find their places at the head table, which has somewhat of a U shape to it. Drucilla directed Sirius to two seats next to Majandra and George Weasley on one side and Astronomy professor Celeste Quigley on the other. Minerva McGonagall was soon leading in the students to be Sorted, the center of the U-shaped of the High Table the perfect area for the ceremony to be seen by all. Sirius could only guess at some the ages of the older students being Sorted. When it came time for the first years, however, Sirius paid extra attention to each one as they would most certainly all be his students for the term.
When the Sorting Ceremony ends, Minerva moves around to take her place with the rest of the staff. Albus stands and for a moment Sirius thinks the headmaster might move around to the center of the U. The older Wizard looks around at those assembled, making sure all the just Sorted students are at their house tables and seated. He scans the head table then instead of moving around to the U, he stays where he is, clearing his throat.
The room falls quiet as Albus Dumbledore begins to speak. "I find I am rather ravenous. I shall be brief so that we may soon begin feasting. As those of you returning students may have noticed, the Hogwarts staff has increased."
Albus quickly goes around the High Table introducing all the staff. After the last of the staff, including Argus Filch, has been named, he tells the students, "You will find a complete list of professors, their classrooms, and their offices on your respective house's notice boards."
Albus pauses, thoughtfully tapping his chin with a finger. "The Forbidden Forest is, as the name says, forbidden. Students may only enter with express permission. Certain areas of the castle are off-limits at well. These areas are clearly posted. Please heed the warnings.
Saturday, the thirteenth of September, is when the Quidditch trials for house teams are slated. Please see your house notice boards for more information or speak with Professor Batuti.
The last two years have been ones of extreme hardship. Some of you suffered greatly. You may have noticed in the Entrance Hall the memorial I spoke of at this past End of Term Feast. Please be respectful of the memorial. New this term is the Adella Darling Prize. An anonymous source has kindly donated funds and left me to choose the first recipient. Although I did not have the honor of ever knowing Adella Darling, I have learned a great deal about her. I think it is fitting that Adella's close friend Charisma Stone be named. Charisma?"
Sirius looks to see who Charisma Stone is, finding himself nodding with approval when a girl gets up from the Gryffindor table. Albus hands the surprised Charisma a coin purse while everyone else claps.
The applause has died down fully by the time Charisma is seated once again at the Gryffindor table. Albus promises, "I an nearly finished. I would simply like to state that I am excited for this new term to begin and that I believe both students and staff will be very pleased with what's in store for Hogwarts.
I am somewhat nostalgic for the school song so let us sing for our suppers."
Parchments with the song on it appear along all the tables and music fills the room. Albus leads everyone in a rousing rendition.
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something, please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our 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.
When the last note fades, Albus opens his arms in a wide, welcoming gesture. "Let the feast begin!"
A vast assortment of food appears on each of the tables, lining the tables from end to end. Sirius feels transported to when he was a student, half expecting to see Remus and James, and even Peter. The feeling is fleeting as Dru is soon poking him, "Pass the roast beef, Sirius."
"Save room for dessert," he tells her, passing the request plate with one hand, while reaching for another dish with his other hand, really wishing now that he'd skipped lunch entirely.