1. Harry Potter (Panda's version) - Featuring Janet Hayden - Chapter 19

They followed the crowd through the castle grounds, walked pass a bunch of tress and reach a lake.

      “No more than four in a boat. We are four, let’s take a boat.” Ernie said as he jumped into an empty boat. Then, he took hold of Janet’s hand and helped her get onto the boat while Justin helped Hannah.

     Janet tried to sit still but the boat was a bit wobbly and her nerves are not helping her relax. She clutch hard on Ernie’s hand which was next to hers to release her tension. Ernie winced but tried to remain calm and kept a straight face.

    The boat glided across the lake, Janet was still clutching to Ernie’s hand although the boat was gliding smoothly. They passed a curtain of ivy and a dark tunnel and then reach the castle. There were already a few other first years that were on the boats that set sailed before them gathering around the big oak door. A big man passed through the first years and headed up to the door.

     “Woah! That is one big man!” Justin gasped.

     “That’s Hagrid, the gamekeeper.” Ernie whispered to Justin.

     Hagrid raised his fist and knocked on the door. The door swung open, a tall, black haired witch with a very stern face appeared at the door.

     “The firs’ years, Professor McGonagall,” Hagrid said.

     “Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here.” Professor McGonagall pulled the door wide and beckons the group of first years into the entrance hall.

     “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 your 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 honor. 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 scanned through the bunch of nervous first years, those who met her eyes start straightening their robes and tidy their hair.   

     “I shall return when we are ready for you,” said Professor McGonagall. “Please wait quietly,” and she left them.

     The four of them stayed close together, a sudden “Whoosh” in the air made Janet jumped and bumped into Justin who then bumped into Hannah, and almost knocking her off her feet if it was not for Ernie who kept a firm stance and held Hannah preventing her from falling over. About twenty ghosts were floating in the air, pearly white and slightly transparent, they glided across the area above them.

          Justin gasped as a ghost wearing ruffs and tights swooped next to him.

“New students!“ said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. “About to be Sorted, I suppose?“

          Justin nodded nervously.

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

          “Move along now,” said a sharp voice that made quite a few first years jumped. “The Sorting Ceremony's about to start. “ Professor McGonagall had returned.

One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

“Now, form a line,” Professor McGonagall ordered the first years, “and follow me.”

Ernie pulled Justin to stand behind Hannah and Janet as he stayed at the back of him to form a line.

     They entered the Great Hall, Janet has never been to anywhere this big, there were four long tables where the rest of the students were sitting. The ceiling is filled with floating candles and further up was black, dotted with stars that seem like the sky.

     Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of them and put a pointed wizard’s hat on the stool.

     “So this is the hat that will sort us into houses?” Justin whispered to Ernie.

     “Yes.” Ernie nodded.

     Janet thought to herself, “How will the hat tell which house are we supposed to go to? Does it change colour according to the houses?” Janet noticed that the students at each table wore a certain colour, she assumed that it represents the house colour.

     There was a complete silence for a few seconds, everybody’s attention were on the hat. Then, the hat twitched, a rip near the brim opened like a mouth and the hat started talking!

“Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than 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 the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffis are true And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!”

     “Wow!” Janet and Justin gasped together and join the applause when the hat landed back on the stool.

    Professor McGonagall stood beside the stool holding a long roll of parchment and said, “When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted.”

     “Abbott, Hannah.”

     Hannah stepped out of the line and walked towards the stool. She picks up the hat and puts it on her head.

     “Hufflepuff!”

     Hannah ran happily to the Hufflepuff table.

     “She made it into Hufflepuff.” Justin repeated.

     “Finch-Fletchley, Justin.”

     Ernie gave Justin an encouraging pat before he walks up to the sorting hat.

     “Hufflepuff!”

     Ernie cheered silently behind Janet.

     Janet thought to herself, “Justin has made it to Hufflepuff too. I guess I will be in Hufflepuff too.”

     “Hayden, Janet.”

     Janet walks up and puts on the hat.

     “Ah… I see many qualities here,” the hat said.

     Janet raises her eyebrow and tries to look at the hat on her head, wondering if everyone could hear what it had said. She don't remember the hat talking when it was other students' turn.

     The hat continued, “You would do well in most of the houses here but there is one house in particular where you would be able to outshine your potential. That is… Ravenclaw!”