Chapter five To the Castle "Oh, sorry," said Veronica Malfoy, not sounding sorry at all, "I didn't realize this compartment was so full, and so foul smelling." She flipped her golden hair back and smirked. "You must of knocked your senses a-skew when you crashed into us." retorted Alex. "Yeah, it smells fine in here." I agreed, glaring at Veronica. Two muscular, tall girls their age stepped out from behind her. One had gorilla like arms and the other had fists the size of cantaloupes. "Allow me to introduce you to my -er- friends Melissa Crabbe and Patricia Goyle." Veronica said in a silky voice, "Come on girls, let's find somewhere else to sit." she beckoned to her bodyguards and left. A few minutes later a plump witch pushing the lunch cart came up to their compartment. "Lunch, anyone?" said asked smiling down on them. I took some money that was left over from my trip to Diagon Alley and bought a dozen of chocolate frogs, a stack of cauldron cakes, and a bulging bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. I passed my goodies around to my new found friends. I hoped they didn't care that my dad was suspected to practise the Dark Arts. We played a few rousing games of Exploding Snap and chatted casually. We got dressed into our school robes and soon the Hogwarts Express came screeching into a halt. The students piled out and I was lost in a sea of young witches and wizards. My friends and I walked over to a very tall man who I recognised as Hagrid. He was yelling "Firs years! Firs' years o'er ‘ere!" A pile of about forty students my age gathered around him and he led us to down a dark path. "Soon we'll be gettin' ter the lake and yeh'll be able ter see ‘Ogwarts." he called over his shoulder to the students. "Oh, look at that great ugly oaf." I heard Veronica Malfoy whisper to her cronies. "He is not an oaf!" I cried spinning around to face Malfoy. "Sticking up for the half-giant, are we?" she sneered and Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. "I think very highly of Hagrid, as matter of fact." I said, clenching my fists. Hagrid had been awfully kind to me and it was the least I could do to stick up for him. "Come off it. He's a big bumbling fool." "Shut up." said Serena, whipping around and pulling out her wand from her robes. "You've taken a liking to him too?Serena dear, I would have thought you would have better taste in friends, being a pure blood and all." "It does not matter what kind of so called blood you have, pig." Serena horked back and spit on Veronica's polished boot. "Ugghh. Okay, if that's the way you want to play it,fine." she took out a purple hankercheif and handed it to Goyle. She stuck out her spit-on foot and Goyle stooped to wipe it clean. They walked swiftly to the front of the crowd. Our group emerged from the thick trees. Infront of us was the black lake, sparkling in the silver moonlight. A short distance away was a small, log cabin. There was a Quidditch pitch, three greenhouses, and- Hogwarts itself. A gleaming gray, massive castle rose into the dark clouds splashed with light from the full moon. The marble front steps led up to two tall oak doors which creaked open. There stood a very tall, very slender witch with sleek black hair, which hung loosly, framing her delicate features. She was wearing robes of shocking violet and a matching pointed hat. "Thank you so very much, Hagrid." she said. She had a warm, floating voice. Then to the students, "Welcome to a fantastic seven years at Hogwart's school of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Follow me, if you please. My name is Proffesor MacGonagall-" A small wave of snorts of disbelief rippled throught the first years. "I think you're parents described my mother to you. As I was saying, the Sorting is about to begin. This is where you put on a hat and it will tell the school what House you belong in and you will sit at that table." She led them into a small, warm room that was past a giant marble entrance hall. The rosy fire crackled and spat as Proffesor MacGonagall shut the door. The students could hear hundreds of feet shuffling past them and into the Great Hall. Proffesor MacGonagall entered again and beckoned the first years outside. I was nervous but excited, too. I was here, I was really here! I glanced up at the ceiling were a lot of people pointing at. The ceiling appeared to be enchanted to appear show what was going on in the sky out of doors. Right now the stars were winking and shining at the students, who were all seated except the first years, along with a huge, round white moon. It was like a huge grey pearl floating in a black pool of deep water sheltered in trees with splinters of light peeking out through the boughs, I thought. Alicia said I was always too poetic. Proffesor MacGonagall stepped to the front of the hall and waved her long wand. A scroll magically appeared and unrolled itself and floated infront of her. She cleared her throat, "Hat?" she said, looknig at a tatty old hat that was flopped over on a three-legged stool. A rip near the brim opened wide and to the first years' surprise it burst into song. "A long time ago, when this castle was new Four great wizards, a plan in their minds did grew, To teach young students of the magical kind, Different were the students they wanted to find, For Gryffindor, Brave-hearted were his choice, Sweet Hufflepuff, Kind-natured were her joys, Lovely Ravenclaw, Quick-witted were her prize, Sly Slytherin, Ambitious were the best in his eyes, So put me on and sit right down, With a pause, in thought, or a frown, Before too long, which house I'll tell where you should belong!" The Great Hall thundered with applause. "That's all we have to do? Just sit and wear a hat?" I said, hardly daring to believe the simplicity. "Yup, I guess so." whispered Serena. "Anderson, Richard." rang out Proffesor MacGonagall's voice. A quivering boy hurridly sat on the stool and jammed the hat onto his head. The hat went through several people before I started to relax a little and I looked around. At the front of all the students was the long teachers table, seated in the middle was Proffesor Ambrosius, the headmaster. He was young, average height man with a short black hair and deeply tanned skin. He winked and gave me a gave me a mischevious grin when he caught my eye. A little embarrased I turned away and watched Hassan Palik be sorted into Ravenclaw. "Potter, Rubeus." "Oh, God." I whispered and tried to block my ears from the thousands of whispers following me. I finally reached the stool and sat down. I put the hat on my head and waited.