The walk out of the chamber led to a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.
It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables.
The rest of the students were sitting there with each house colors occupying their individual table.
These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets, all of whom were empty.
At the top of the hall was another long table where all the teachers were sitting.
Professor McGonagall led the first years up to the front, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them.
The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like a bunch of curious owls in the flickering candlelight.
Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver.
Cedric had explained that ghosts were a common sight, with one of them even being a teacher in Hogwarts.
Arthur found it fascinating that you could work even after death, talk about ‘Tenure’.
On deeper thought how did the pension situation work with ghosts?
“My dad said that its bewitched to look like the sky outside.” whispered Cedric interrupting his train of thought.
Arthur looked at the ceiling and was thankful for the helpful commentary.
The ceiling was dotted with little stars in a dark background.
Something about how the entire night sky was compressed to fit the hall made the stars even more beautiful, a twinkling river of light.
It did justice to the words ‘The Milky Way’.
…
Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years.
On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard’s hat.
This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.
Arthur was slowly getting used to wizard common sense- of course the hat would be dirty, it made perfect sense, why WOULD you clean it?
For a few seconds, there was complete silence.
Then the hat twitched.
A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:
“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 Hufflepuff’s 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!”
On second thought, maybe the talking hat liked to be dirty.
Who was Arthur to judge how someone presented themselves?
Honestly, he would also stay dirty if his body would just soak water anytime it was introduced.
Arthur joined when the whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song.
It bowed to each of the four tables and then became still again.
After the applause died down Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
“When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted,” she said.
“Diggory, Cedric!”
Cedric quickly walked out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over his eyes, and sat down.
A moments pause
“HUFFLEPUFF!” shouted the hat.
The table with yellow highlights cheered and clapped as Cedric went to sit down with them.
The sorting continued in a similar manner.
Kids were called and made to put on the hat, which would decide the fate of each student.
…
“Smith, Arthur!”
Arthur walked towards the hat trying not to fall down.
The hat had barely touched his hair when it shouted, “HUFFLEPUFF!”
Arthur joined the table and sat beside Cedric, who whispered the names of all the teachers sitting at the front.
He joined the others in watching the sorting ceremony.
Of the people that came after him, he recognized two redheaded twins- Fred and George Weasley.
There were seven kids joining the Hufflepuff house this year including Arthur and Cedric.
They included Lucian Dunn, Teddy Copper, Flora Truman, Patricia Stimpson and Anna Turner.
Lucian and Teddy obviously knew each other before the sorting by the way they sat together.
While Flora, Patricia and Anna grouped up naturally.
…
After the sorting concluded the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore got to his feet.
Arthur recognized him from the cards.
He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.
“Welcome,” he said.
“Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!”
He sat back down as everybody clapped and cheered.
Arthur assumed it was some wizarding blessing and didn’t ask any further.
Even if he wanted to he couldn’t because he had already stuffed his mouth full of the juice piece of chicken that had appeared on his plate.
Arthur was famished after not eating for the whole day.
He shouldn’t have made such big deal about ‘not paying for candies’ after all.
Driving out the distracting thoughts Arthur focused on stuffing himself as much as possible.
He only stopped when Cedric physically dragged him to introduce themselves to their classmates.
Arthur gave credit where it was due, the boy was strong as evidenced by the fact that his struggles looked very pathetic to whoever was watching.
…
After the desserts disappeared, Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again.
The hall fell silent again.
“Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered.
I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.” he announced, “First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils.
And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.
I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.
Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term.
Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.”
“And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!” Dumbledore continued.
He gave his wand a little flick and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.
“Everyone pick their favorite tune,” said Dumbledore, “and off we go!”
And the school bellowed:
“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.”
Everybody finished the song at different times.
Arthur didn’t sing very loud because he didn’t think he had any talent in the area.
Thought maybe he should have not cared, as the Weasley twins were trying to sing as far out of tune as they could, on purpose.
Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished continued, “Ah, music,” he said, wiping his eyes, “A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!”
…
The Hufflepuff first years followed Perfect Levi out of the Great Hall.
The people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed but Arthur was too tired to even focus on them.
He was trying his best not to fall asleep.
It didn’t help that Cedric started talking about how many chocolate frog cards he had left to collect, in an attempt to get back the frog from Arthur.
Arthur would be reasonably impressed if the boy could keep asking for about a week, he wouldn’t give it back though.
The entrance to the common room was located in a nook on the right hand side of the kitchen corridor, concealed behind a stack of barrels.
The perfect Levi called everyone to gather and showed them how to get in.
“Look closely.
Tap the barrel two from the bottom, middle of the second row, in the rhythm of ‘Helga Hufflepuff’, which will make the lid swing open.” he said as he performed the taps, “However, if the wrong lid is tapped or the wrong rhythm is used, the intruder will be doused in vinegar and barred access.”
The lid swung open, exposing a passageway that lead to the basement when crawled through.
The basement itself was round, earthy and low-ceilinged.
It was welcoming and warm.
There were lots of yellow hangings, polished copper, and overstuffed sofas and armchairs yellow and black in color.
There was also a large, honey colored, wooden mantelpiece with carvings of badgers on it located underneath a portrait of the house’s founder, Helga Hufflepuff.
Prefect Levi directed boys towards their dorm.
After searching for a while they found them: two beds hung with yellow and black curtains and their names on the foot of the bed.
Their trunks had already been brought up.
Arthur found that the cage was also there and was empty meaning Sir Newton was probably in the owlery.
After brushing their teeth they tucked themselves into bed.
As Arthur was closing his eyes he heard Cedric call him, “Arthur?”
“Ya.”
“Were you really about to punch a ghost?”
“Ya.”
“You know they can’t be touched right?”
“I know that now.”
“Can I get my card back?”
“Go to sleep, Diggory.”
“Good Night.”
“Good Night.”