[Hogwarts Between] First Year's Entrance

[Patrick McCartney]

> The room they entered was very small, almost too
> small for everyone
> to
> fit.  The dark haired witch waited on the side
> for everyone to cram
> in.
>
> "Welcome to Hogwarts," she finally said
> after everyone was
> silent,
> "You
> will be attending the start-of-term banquet in
> the Great Hall
> shortly.
> Before you are seated you will be sorted into
> your houses.  A house
> will act as your family while you are attending
> Hogwarts.  You will
> have classes with(sic) all of the houses, but you
> will study with
> your
> house, sleep in your house's dormitory, and
> spend your free time in
> your house's common room."
>
> "The names of these houses are Gryffindor,
> Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and
> Slytherin," she continued.  "Each is
> these houses have produced
> glorious and outstanding witches and wizards. 
> Each has its own long
> and noble history.
>
> "Each house competes for house points.  Your
> triumphs will add points
> to your house, while rule breaking will loose
> points.  When the
> school
> term ends, the house with the most points wins
> the House Cup."  She
> put
> her head up high.  "This is a great honor. 
> I know that you will live
> up to the reputation of the house you join."
>
> "The Sorting Ceremony," she continued,
> "will begin soon in front
> of the
> entire school.  You all look as fine as I could have
> hoped."
>
> She surveyed everyone.  Her gaze moved from student to
> student as if
> trying to look into the eyes of each one.
>
> "Please wait here quietly.  I will return when we
> are ready."
>
> She turned and left the room.
>
> Amber looked around again, "How are we
> sorted?" she asked Kayden and Cyrus
>
>  "The Sorting Hat. It's sort of an enchanted
> hat, that will more or less
> read parts of your mind, and put you in whatever house
> it thinks is best."
> Kadyn was only relaying what he had heard from his
> older sibling.
> 
> Paloma herd someone talking about the sorting hat so she wispered to
> Seluna, "My mom told me about the sorting hat, I wonder what its
> going to put me in."

The rustling of voices stopped abruptly as the black haired witch
reappeared.

"Now, form a line." she commanded.

Everyone tustled finding it slightly difficult to form any kind of line
in the small cramped room.

"Oh well," she said, "Follow me."

She led them out into the large entry way.  They passed the grand
staircase and finally approached the entrance where the voices had come
from.  It was absolutely silent as they approached the large double
doors that opened into the hall.

The students sitting at tables that they could see were intently
watching them as they approached.