1/9/1987 (2)

Tuesday, 1st of September, 1987.

Slytherin Dormitories.

I was so nervous, so excited, but I think I did an okay job at hiding it. All the other first years looked so silly being that scared that I was determined to not look that silly.

All the students got off the train and onto the platform in Hogsmeade where a giant was waiting for us. Okay, that’s an exaggeration. I know giants are over 20 feet easily, and this man was 11 maybe 12 feet. Either way though, he was huge.

The huge man introduced himself as Rubeus Hagrid and he was calling all the first years to him.

Hagrid: “Firs’ years! Over here firs’ years! Follow me , now!”

Even though the man was huge, hairy and really should’ve been absolutely terrifying, I couldn’t help but feel like he was actually a big softy. A really big, terrifying looking teddy bear. It must’ve been the way his eyes crinkled up when he saw all of us first years that made me think that under his beard he was smiling down on us.

We followed him. Aura grabbed my arm, and I looked around to see her face very pale. I took a deep breath and hoped that I didn’t look that pale. I was pale anyways, if I looked anymore pale, I would look dead.

Hagrid: “Jus’ you wait, yeh’ll get t’see Hogwarts jus’ round here.”

Hogwarts is beautiful. A very large castle sitting on top of a mountain on the other side of a black lake that reflects the sky perfectly. Standing there at the edge of the lake, I admired it all and wished that it wasn’t cloudy tonight so I could’ve seen the stars reflected.

There was a bunch of boats in the water near us. Hagrid told us to get in, no more than four to a boat, and we’d go across the lake that way. After Aura and I had climbed into a boat, the boy from the train, Wood, jumped in our boat with a grin on his face. I was very tempted to push him in the lake, but I decided I didn’t want to be in trouble quite yet. Maybe one day I will push him in the lake.

Once we had crossed the lake, we walked through a passageway in the rock, walked up stone steps and stood before the huge, oak door of Hogwarts Castle. Hagrid looked over us, his eyes crinkling again, and then pounded the door with his giant fist.

A witch opened the door and my first thought was that she looked like my aunt. Thinking about it now, I can say that they look nothing alike except for the way they look at me like I am about to cause trouble and she already knows the whole plan. In other words, they both appear very stern.

The witch who opened the door was Professor McGonagall, and she told us to follow her, which, of course, we did. She lead us through the entrance hall, which was (and still is, I guess) as large as the doors had promised it would be, the walls had torches on them—but I was used to that because my house had torches too—and the most beautiful marble staircase I had ever seen (though I’ve not seen many) lead up to many floors above us. I could hear where the other students must be, but Professor McGonagall took us to a small, empty room instead.

Once all of us were inside, McGonagall gave a speech.

Professor McGonagall: “Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and the Transfiguration professor. The start-of-term feast will begin shortly, but before it can, and before you can take seats in the Great Hall, you will need to be sorted into houses. This sorting is very important because your house will become your family here at Hogwarts. You will attend classes with your housemates, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend any free time you may have in your house common room.

“There are four houses within Hogwarts, and they are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has a long and noble history filled with witches and wizards who were, and are, celebrated and distinguished. Here at Hogwarts, the four houses compete for the House Cup, which is a great honour, by acquiring house points. Points are award for your triumphs, while rule-breaking will lose house points. I assume that each and every one of you will do your part to help your house win the House Cup for whichever house in which you are sorted.

“The Sorting Ceremony will take place in take place shortly in front of the whole school. I will return for you when we are ready. In the meantime, I suggest you ready yourselves.”

Professor McGonagall left the chamber, leaving all of us in silence. Well, we were in silence until a girl spoke out loudly. I recognised the voice as Amelia Rosier, a family friend. In fact, Rodney Rosier, Amelia’s older brother, is my sister’s best friend.

Amelia Rosier: “Well, this boring and rather degrading, bring stuffed into a closet.”

Leave it to a Rosier to think a room with forty 11 year olds is a closet.

Aura leaned over to me and whispered: “How big is her closet then?”

Before I could answer, Professor McGonagall came back.  

McGonagall: “We are ready for you now. Follow me.”

We followed her back into the entrance hall and stopped in front of the double doors to the room that all the voices were coming from. McGonagall paused before opening the doors.

Professor McGonagall: “We are about to enter the Great Hall and the sorting will begin. May I remind you that we will be in front of entire school.”

McGonagall looked at us as though to say I am seriously serious, do nothing stupid or I will slap you. I am sure that is exactly what she was thinking, in fact.

Then the door was opened and we were walking into the Great Hall. I think Electra wasn’t actually giving Hogwarts the credit it really deserves. The Great Hall is simply gorgeous. Four long tables where the older students sat had golden goblets and plates on them, and at the top of the hall, the teachers sat at another long table. There were thousands of candles that floated above everything in the hall. The most amazing part about the Great Hall, though, was the ceiling: it looked just like the sky outside. At first, I thought it must be painted to look like dark clouds, but then I saw that they were moving with the wind. It had been bewitched to look like the real sky outside!

We followed McGonagall up the hall towards the teachers table, passing every student on our way. I glanced around and quickly found where my sister sat next to Rodney Rosier at the Slytherin table. We stopped when we got to the teachers table, and, with our backs to the teachers, we faced the students who, I felt like, were weighing us up, trying to decide if any of us were worth their bother.

McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of us, and on top of the stool she put a patched and extremely dirty pointed wizard’s hat. Everyone in the hall stared at this hat, like the expected it to talk or something. Then, the strangest thing happened, a rip near the brim opened like a mouth, and it talked. Well, sung, actually.

The Sorting Hat (singing):

A long time ago,
When I was fresh and clean,
Some great things did happen,
And I will tell you what I’ve seen.

Four friends came together,
Two wizard and two witch,
Each looking for a job to do—
A way to find their niche.

Then suddenly they had it,
An idea had came to mind.
What if they were to teach
The others of their kind?

It did not take them long at all
To all agreed this idea was good,
But one problem was clear that nearly stopped it all:
To decide which students take they would.

Fair Ravenclaw said she would only teach
Those who were quick and clever,
And always loved to learn.
For the others, were not worth the endeavor.

Bold Gryffindor wanted only those
Bravest and most daring—for they were the best.
He liked the ones who would do great feats;
He said they stood above the rest.

Shrewd Slytherin thought only those
With purest ancestry and great ambition;
With cunning thoughts and seeds of greatness;
Only they deserved admission.

Sweet Hufflepuff said she didn’t care
About their bravery nor their surname.
She would teach them all as equals,
And she would treat them all the same.

The friends could not decide nor agree,
But they argued only a little while
Until a solution appeared:
A house for each to be taught with their own style.

And so a school for witches and wizards
Was duly founded.
They swore to give an education
That was the best and completely rounded.

I will sort you now into houses four,
so put me on, I know where you belong.
I’ll tell you if you go to Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Slytherin or Hufflepuff!
And I have never been wrong!

Once the hat had finished, every clapped and cheered. Apparently, it was completely normal for a hat to talk. I love Hogwarts, already.

Professor McGonagall unrolled a long roll of parchment and said loudly, so the whole hall could hear her.

McGonagall: “When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted.”

She looked over us, sternly, as if daring us to go out of order.

McGonagall: “Applebee, Tamsin!”

I was relieved to learn that the list was going in alphabetical order by surname; it meant I would be close to the end. I watched quietly as Professor McGonagall called out each name, a scared-faced first year stepped forward, the Sorting Hat called out a house and then the scared-faced first year would run to table that was cheering their new member. (Applebee, Tamsin went to Hufflepuff.)

All too soon, I heard my name being called.

McGonagall: “Serpens, Meissa!”

Aura whispered good luck to me as I walked slowly up to the stool. I’m afraid that in that moment I had forgotten I was trying to look brave. All that I could think about was that my fate was about to be decided by a talking hat. There was four different futures ahead of me in that moment, and it was completely out of my control to choose.

I took one last deep breath, and then placed the hat on my head and sat on the stool. The hat was large on me. It covered my eyes and rested on my nose, so I could only see a thin line from under the hat.

It turns out this hat could not just talk out of the rip in its rim, it could also talk to me inside my head. I didn’t like it much.

Hat: “Ah! A Serpens! I sorted your sister only a few years ago. Hmm, let’s see about you. You’re brave, I can see that easily, and very bright. You want to try everything but you’re not all that outgoing. Very kind-hearted too. Hmm. Where to put you. You would do well in any house, but which would you do best in? You’re too secluded to be in Gryffindor. Your principle of working smarter not harder will keep you from Hufflepuff. So Ravenclaw or Slytherin?”


It felt like I was sitting there for hours, listening to the small voice of the hat in my head debate about Ravenclaw or Slytherin, but then, finally, it made its choice.

Hat: “I’ve got it! You belong in SLYTHERIN!”

It shouted the last word to the entire hall. I had sighed with relief; it was over. I wanted to run to the Slytherin table, but I forced myself to walk—though it was a quick walk. They cheered for me, shook my hand and Electra even gave me a rare smile, but I was too busy wishing that I didn’t have to sit next to Amelia Rosier.

After me was Danielle Shade; she became a Gryffindor. Then came Aura Simons. I know it was silly to hope that she would be placed in Slytherin, muggle-borns rarely are, and even if she was, we wouldn’t be able to be friends anyways. I still hoped though.

The hat wasn’t on Aura’s head long before the hat shouted at its decision.

Hat: “HUFFLEPUFF!”

Only a few people after that, and Percy Weasley was called. He was placed in Gryffindor. I could see two other shockingly-ginger boys greet him, grinning. Must be other Weasleys. After that, there was only one boy left to be sorted: Oliver Wood, the kid who had released a bludger on the train. He was also placed in Gryffindor and went to sit next to Weasley. Weasley looked less than pleased by this.

Since the sorting was finished, Professor McGonagall rolled up her parchment, picked up the stool and hat, and walked off with them.

A tall man with long silver hair and beard stood up at the teachers table. He smiled broadly at all the students and introduced himself as Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Dumbledore: “To our new students, welcome to Hogwarts! To our returning students, welcome back! I have only two words to say before the feast begins, and they are: happy eating!”

He sat down, and as he did, the feast appeared. I mean it literally appeared on the golden plates on the tables. Everything you could possibly want to eat was there, and it was very good. Everyone ate and chatted happily all through the meal. As I listened to the talk around me, I learned that many of the first years were Scared Twenty-Eight. I find this very interesting.

After the feast was finished, Dumbledore stood up again and spoke some more.

Dumbledore: “Now that our bellies are full and happy, I have a few more things to share with you. I must remind all students that the forest on the grounds is forbidden due to the dangers that reside there. The caretaker, Mr. Filch, would also like me to remind you that magic is not allowed in the corridors between classes. And lastly, the Quidditch team trials will be held in the second week of the term. If you are interested in playing, you should contact Madam Hooch.”

Dumbledore smiled the whole time he talked. I decided I liked him because of that.

Dumbledore: “One last thing before bed! We shall sing our school song!”

With a flick of Dumbledore’s wand, words sprang out of the end and floated in the air for all to see.

Dumbledore: “Pick whatever tune you fancy, and go!”

I picked the tune of my favorite lullaby and sing softly. The rest of the school—especially the older students—sang very loudly.

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.

I was the last one singing, but I didn’t mind much since I had always liked singing. Dumbledore smiled as I finished.

Dumbledore: “Simply lovely everyone. Simply lovely. But now it is bedtime. Goodnight!”

All the prefects started calling out for first years to follow them. A round, but pretty girl smiled and put a hand on my shoulder, telling me to follow her. She said her name was Eleanor Wiggins, and she was a fifth year prefect.

Myself and the rest of the first years followed the prefects out of the Great Hall, through the Entrance Hall, down a passageway, down stairs, down another passageway and then more stairs before stopping at a wall deep in the dungeons of the castle. One of the prefects, Eric Murley I think, called out Elite! and a door, that had just been wall a moment ago, slid open. We walked inside to find ourselves in the Slytherin common room.

The Slytherin common room is a long, stone room with medieval tapestries depicting the adventures of famous Slytherins covering the walls, and greenish lamps hanging on chains from the ceiling. There’s a huge fireplace and high-back chairs surround it while couches, tables and few desks spread out around the room. But the most interesting and most beautiful part of the room is the windows which are clearly underwater.

Eleanor Wiggins noticed me staring at the windows and she smiled at me again.

Wiggins: “We’re under the lake down here. We often see the giant squid, or, sometimes, more interesting creatures.”

She then spoke louder so everyone could hear her.

Wiggins: “As you can see, there is a door on either side of the common room. The right leads to the boys dormitories, while the left leads to the girls. When you go through the door, either of them, you’ll find yourself in a corridor with seven doors in each one. Each door is clearly marked with a school year. You will be looking for the door marked 1st Years. Good luck.”

We all went to find our doors then—girls to the left and boys to the right. It wasn’t difficult to find the right door. They were clearly marked, just as she had said.

The dormitory itself has five ancient four-posters with green silk hangings, and bedspreads embroidered with silver thread. There were more tapestries in here, but there are silver lanterns instead of greenish ones as in the common room. The first year, Slytherin girls’ trunks had already been brought down here and placed by a bed, so we all knew where to go. I was thankful that I had the bed on the far end of the room. I had to walk past everyone else’s bed, but it was by the wall. It also meant that none of the other girls would be walking by my bed.

I was also glad that my bed was not next to Amelia Rosier’s bed. I was next to a girl named, Adeline Moore. I haven’t talked to her much, but I’m sure I will before too long. Not now though. Now it is late, and my hand hurts from writing so much. Also, everyone else is already asleep, and I think I will join them.

Today has been an interesting day.