We filed into the Great Hall, looking up at the ceiling and thinking about how beautiful it was, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and I led the little procession towards the worn and tired sorting hat which now sat on a wooden stool, one by one McGonnagal began reading out the names on her long list of new wizards and witches. There were many familiar names from the list, friends whose parents were in the order of the phoenix.
We waited patiently as everyone got sorted into their house. Harry, Ron, and Ginny looked nervous, and so did another first-year student they had made friends with her name was Hermione Granger, a muggle-born but smarter than any pureblood I know. Honestly, the profiling based on blood is just stupid.
I was the only person out of our little group who wasn't nervous. I knew that the sorting hat wouldn't do me like that, and anyway, every student gets a little bit of a choice on what house they get. Eventually, one of us was called up, "Granger, Hermione!"
Hermione walked up to the sorting hat and McGonnagal lifted it, beckoning her to sit on the stool, the hat was placed upon her head.
"Hmmmmm, very very smart, this is tough, lots of courage too, smarts and bravery, Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, anyways, better be GRYFFINDOR!"
Hermione ran over to the Gryffindor table and sat with the long table, which burst into applause having secured a valuable, point-gathering asset! Ron was called up next, he was so furiously red in the face, I couldn't distinguish his hair from it. The hat barely sat on his head, before saying, "Another Weasley, I know just what to do with you, Gryffindor!"
Ginny's was also almost the same as the sorting hat stated her status as a Weasley family member, but the hat had thought of placing her in Hufflepuff, eventually, Ginny's frantic manner caused the Hat to shout, "Gryffindor!" Harry was now called up too, he was instantly sorted and shoved into the Gryffindor table next to Ron and Hermione.
Finally, the moment came like a huge black tide, the name was next on McGonnagal's list and I knew in an instant as she opened her mouth to speak, looking at me, "Potter Johan!" I walked up to the stool, calm and composed outwardly as always, but I knew the hat could see way beyond the exterior so I stayed calm in my mind too.
"Hmmmmmm, so much talent, so much magic, so much potential. Every house can help you grow, Slytherin would make you pure and ruthlessly powerful, Hufflepuff would show you the need for compassion and mercy, Ravenclaw would take you to rights you never knew existed, and Gryffindor would teach you the values of bravery and courage in the face of fire! But more so it may teach you all the things I've listed, so... better be GRYFFINDOR!" I ran over to take a seat next to Ginny.
The table erupted in applause, it had been countless years since the sorting hat had taken this much time on a student and the Gryffindor table made sure to eat up the publicity, mainly, Fred and George who shouted out loud above everyone else.
The obvious remained, as Malfoy and some laughing girls got sorted into their houses, not surprising that Malfoy got to go to Slytherin, it took the hat about a millisecond to find where he belonged, the imbecile. I glared at him, forcing him to look away as he sat in the middle of his goons, Crabbe and Goyle.
Dumbledore who had been seated very patiently until now stood up and commenced the feast with a few words, "The third floor is out of bounds for students who do not wish a painful death, as always the dark forest is out of bounds and for quidditch, please see Madam Hootch, let the feast commence!"
Plates and platters of food erupted into existence in front of us, no doubt brought by the house elves of Hogwarts. Turkey, Beef, Chicken, Sausages, Roast Potatoes, Gravy, peas, drumsticks, toffee, sticky pudding, and ice cream in every single flavor. Everyone dug in and after a long day of doing absolutely nothing on the train, it was well-deserved, and my stomach and heart were starting to get full. ]
After a couple of hours or so of, feasting the headmaster stood up again and announced that all plates should be cleared, clapping his hands, in a second, all the plates, goblets, and cutlery were gone. "Let's sing the school song, everybody!"
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.
George and free were of course the last to finish, with their standard funeral march-type rhythm. And with that, Dumbledore clapped his hands again and said, "Good night, off you trot!"
We followed our prefect through the school of course this would be Perfect Prefect Percy, who showed us our way to the fat lady's portrait, at which point he got close and said a password out loud, "Caput Draconis, now remember everyone the password changes so be careful to remember them!" We filed in through the space behind the portrait and we were greeted by the Gryffindor common room.
Filled with extreme amounts of red and gold, stocked to the brim with armchairs, and a raging fire, blazing at the fireplace. This began to feel like home and it was the first day, the girls went to their dorms and I waved at Hermione before reluctantly kissing Ginny good night which Ron sort of snorted at. The three of us walked up the stairs to our dorm and found four poster beds, and our luggage stored in corners, next to our beds. I got changed into my pajamas and said, "Oi, Harry, Ron!"
"Yeah," came the whispers of my friends.
"Goodnight old boys!"
"See ya tomorrow Johan!"