The Hogwarts Emerald

Chapter 10 Sorting Ceremony
A group of first-year students followed Hagrid's footsteps carefully, stumbling along the way, walking down a steep and narrow path. The Weasley brothers still protected Ada, and Fred, who was walking in front, would remind Ada and George to be careful.

"Turn this corner and you'll see Hogwarts for the first time!" Hagrid shouted back to the first-year students.

"Wow!!!" Various exclamations rang out from the crowd.

At the end of the narrow path, a black lake suddenly opened up. On the other side of the lake, on a high hillside, stood a towering castle with towers and windows that flickered under the starry sky.

Ada looked at the castle from afar. The lights shining through the windows seemed to be illuminating the way home for the travelers far away.

Hagrid led everyone to the shore, where a group of small boats were moored. Hagrid ordered that no more than four people should be on each boat, and then Bento boarded first. The little kids also called their friends to board the boats. Ada was the first to find an empty boat and let the twins board first. After Ada asked another person to board, Ada boarded the boat.

This person was someone I had just met while looking for a boat - Angelina Johnson, a little girl with a ponytail and dark skin.

After seeing everyone on board, Hagrid began to lead everyone forward. A fleet of small boats rowed across the quiet lake and headed forward. In the dark night, the towering castle's flashing lights were like a beacon in the sea.

The boat carried Ada and the other three people past the cliffs and the ivy curtain covering the front of the cliff, and then passed through a dark tunnel, and finally stopped at a place that should be an underground dock.

Everyone waited for a while, and after counting the boats, Hagrid led everyone forward. After passing through a tunnel in the rock, they finally arrived at a flat, wet meadow in the shadow of the castle. Everyone climbed up a flight of stone steps and gathered in front of a huge oak door.

Hagrid raised a fist as big as a real casserole and knocked on the castle door three times.

The oak door opened immediately, and Professor McGonagall appeared in front of the door in a black robe. She had a stern face and a very serious expression. She looked around the crowd and naturally saw Ada standing between the two fiery red-haired boys.

"She looks so serious!" George whispered.

"She doesn't look easy to deal with!" Fred frowned and looked at Professor McGonagall.

"It's a bit scary indeed." Angelina agreed in a low voice.

Professor McGonagall, with her serious and meticulous expression, did look quite intimidating. Ada whispered, "Professor McGonagall is a good person, provided you don't fall into her hands." In Ada's opinion, although Professor McGonagall is strict, she is also a gentle person.

"Freshmen, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid pointed at the students behind him.

"Thank you, Hagrid. Leave it to me here." Professor McGonagall said to Hagrid, "New students, keep quiet and follow me."

Professor McGonagall motioned for everyone to follow her, and then she walked along the stone floor first. Ada and the other three followed the crowd and the buzzing voices of hundreds of people came from the door on the right.

Finally, under the guidance of Professor McGonagall, the first-year students came to a small empty room at the other end of the hall. With the influx of a group of people, the small room suddenly seemed a bit crowded. The Weasley brothers still played the role of flower protectors, but this time they had to protect Angelina Johnson.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term feast is about to begin, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you must first determine which house you will be assigned to. Sorting is a very important ceremony, because during your time at school, the house is like your home at Hogwarts. You will attend classes with other students in the house, live in the house dormitory together, and spend your spare time in the common room of the house together.

"The names of the four houses are: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own glorious history..."

Professor McGonagall held a large meeting upstairs, while the braver students held a small meeting downstairs.

Angelina asked, "Do you know how to be sorted?" She was very worried about the sorting ceremony and was afraid that she would not pass it.

Ada couldn't remember clearly, she just thought it shouldn't be too difficult. After all, Hogwarts would also admit some children from Muggle families. If the sorting was difficult, then these people would probably have to pack up and go home when the sorting was done.

"We don't know either. It shouldn't be too difficult. After all, we are only first graders." said the twins.

After hearing what the twins said, Angelina thought it made sense and was not so scared anymore. A group of first graders would not go to face a troll, would they?

"Gryffindor is the best house, Ada." George whispered to Ada, but his eyes were on Professor McGonagall who was still speaking.

"Dumbledore graduated from Gryffindor." Fred followed up, "And don't go to Slytherin!"

"That's where the bad guys are, and there are the most dark wizards." George had just finished speaking when several unfriendly glances were cast at him. The twins were not afraid at all, but glared back at them one by one.

As expected, the reputation of Slytherin was damaged when they were young. Ada knew that the two were explaining to her. Angelina also came from a wizard family, so she naturally knew about the four houses. But isn't it common sense that there are five of the four major houses? Shouldn't Azkaban be the place you should never go?
"I know, but the college is not a commodity in Diagon Alley, so I can't choose it. It would be interesting if the four of us each had a college." Ada said, while glaring back at the people just now. If you dare to glare at me, I'll pull out your eyelashes!
"In a few minutes, the Sorting Ceremony will be held in front of the entire school. I suggest you tidy yourself up while waiting." Professor McGonagall said, "I will pick you up when they are ready. Remember to keep quiet!"

After saying this, Professor McGonagall left the room.

"I'm still nervous about the Sorting Ceremony. Is it a test or some other method?" Angelina asked again after Magg left. "Don't think too much, Angelina. You'll know in a moment." Ada patted Angelina's shoulder and said comfortingly, "Now that we're here, they won't send us back home, will they?"

Suddenly, there were screams around them. It turned out that more than 20 ghosts suddenly jumped out from the wall behind them. Angelina, who looked nervous, jumped up. The first-year students looked at the pearly white, translucent ghosts in horror, but the ghosts didn't care about these little kids who were scared by them. Maybe they didn't expect that they could scare the students of Hogwarts...

The ghosts talked quietly to one another, then slid across the room, filing through the opposite wall and disappeared.

Professor McGonagall had returned by then and said to the first-year students, "Now, line up in a single file and follow me."

Everyone followed Magg to the auditorium. Tens of thousands of candles floating in the air illuminated the auditorium very brightly, and stars twinkled on the velvety black ceiling.

There is a long table on the platform at the top of the auditorium, which is the seat for the teachers. There are four tables below, corresponding to the four colleges.

The freshmen faced the students below. Hundreds of faces were looking at them, mixed in with the hazy silver light emitted by ghosts.

Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of the freshmen, and she placed a wizard hat on the stool. The hat was patched up, worn out, and extremely dirty. For the first time, Ada felt that compared to the Sorting Hat, the clothes in the orphanage were so clean!

The hall fell silent, and the Sorting Hat began to twist, opening a wide crack like a mouth - and the Sorting Hat sang:

You may think I'm not pretty,
But never judge a book by its appearance,
……

……

In my hand (even though I don't even have a hand)
you are absolutely safe

Because I am a thinking magic hat!
When the Sorting Hat finished singing and bowed, the whole audience burst into thunderous applause.

"Now you don't have to worry, Angelina." Ada smiled at Angelina. Angelina finally put her mind at ease.

At this time, Professor McGonagall took a few steps forward holding a roll of parchment.

"Whoever I call now will sit down on the stool and put on his hat for Sorting," she said. "Joel Angel!"

A slightly fat little boy came out of the queue, looking a little clumsy. He put on his hat, sat down and waited for a while.

"Hufflepuff!" the Sorting Hat announced loudly.

The people at the table on the right applauded and cheered for Joel Angie, and Joel also came to that table and sat down.

"Cody Avery!"

Avery came out, looking very cocky. He was the one who had just exchanged glares with Ada. As soon as the Sorting Hat touched his head, it announced impatiently, "Slytherin!"

Avery put his hat down, pulled up a self-proclaimed cool smile, and walked leisurely towards the Slytherin table.

Professor McGonagall called out a few more names, and the Sorting Hat sorted them into appropriate colleges.

"Cedric Diggory!"

A tall, handsome boy sat on the stool and put on the Sorting Hat. This time the Sorting Hat stayed on for a little longer, "Hufflepuff!"

……

The sorting was still going on, but there were not many people left. Angelina, who had been very nervous before, had been sorted into Gryffindor. The girl's excitement could be seen from her bouncing ponytail.

"Alia Spinnet!"

"Gryffindor!"

Professor McGonagall took a look at the parchment, then looked up at Ada, who was a little distracted, and said, "Esmeralda Drizzt!"

(End of this chapter)