The Way Things Should Have Been

When the Hogwarts Express Train rolled into the Hogwarts station, everyone climbed out. Most of them didn't know what they were supposed to do - so Harry didn't feel too left out. He was going to search for Ron Weasley, but was stopped when a giant nearly bumped into him!

Harry gasped in shock as he stared up at the giant. He had never seen a real giant before - he had heard about them, read about them in books, but have never actually seen one up close like this before.

The giant introduced himself to the students as Rubeus Hagrid - the gameskeeper at Hogwarts, but, as he said, "You fellers' can just call me Hagrid." Hagrid seemed friendly enough, but Harry had heard stories about giants...a lot of them were not positive ones. He started wondering why Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore was allowing a giant to work at the school.

I must stop reading rumors from The Daily Prophet gossip columns! Rita Skeeter is always up to no good and telling false stories about everyone and everything, Harry thought to himself.

At least that's what his dad always said.

Hagrid led the large group of students to the boats, where they would ride in across the huge lake surrounding the school. Harry found an empty boat and sat inside. Pretty soon though, two first year students came up to him. He recognized one of them - the redheaded Ron Wealsey - but didn't recognize the other. The other was a girl with big front teeth and dark, long bushy hair.

"Hey, Ron," said Harry brightly.

"Hey, Harry," Ron replied back.

Harry nodded at the girl. "Who's she?"

"I'm Hermione Granger," the girl replied

"We were just wondering if you'd let us into your boat, because all of the rest are taken," Ron told him.

Harry nodded again. "Yeah, sure - of course!" Harry slid to the back of the boat so Ron and Hermione could get in.

"This is so exciting!" Hermione exclaimed as they were riding across the lake. "I can't wait to take History of Magic! So many interesting things to learn about it."

Ron made a face at her. "Doesn't the History of Magic seem s bit, well, boring?" he asked her. "I mean...it's all in the past! Why study it? I'm looking more forward to Defense of the Dark Arts class. Now that seems like a wicked class."

"What about Potions? That seems quite interesting," Harry offered.

"Potions?!" Ron cried out in disgust. "Yuck! My older brothers went here and they all said Potions is taught by some creepy professor named Snape, and they say he's kinda strict. He is also head of Slytherin House."

"Well, I want to be in Ravenclaw House," Hermione said suddenly, interrupting the conversation. "They say it's for all the smart, hard working students."

"I want to be in Gryffindor," said Ron. "Gryffindor is for the brave students."

"Brave? You?!" Hermione exclaimed, snickering. "Ha! In Diagon Alley the other day, you jumped about a mile in fright of that tiny little spider! How would you possibly be put in Gryffindor?!"

"My whole family was in Gryffindor," Ron shot back. "So I should be in Gryffindor."

A few minutes later (as Ron and Hermione continued to argue), they got off the boats and walked inside the enormous castle.

A professor waited for the first years in front of the Great Hall - the dinning room.

"Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts, I am Professor McGonagall. In a few minutes, you will be joining your classmates, but before you do, you must be Sorted into your Houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Now, while you are here, your Houses will be like your families. You shall be awarded points for your good deeds, and when you break the rules, you will lose points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points shall be awarded the House Cup. So wait here for a few minutes until I get Dumbledore's permission to let you inside."

Just like she said, within a few minutes, the huge doors had opened, and they followed Professor McGonagall up to the front of the room right up to a small stage. As they walked, Harry gazed up at the ceiling and noticed that it looked more like the night sky than an actual ceiling. He had remembered reading in the book, Hogwarts, A History, that the ceiling had been bewitched to make it look like the night sky. And of course, he overheard Hermione telling another new student the same thing.

"Gather around here, quickly," Professor McGonagall announced. The students, all nervous, inched closer to the stage. Harry could see that sitting on the stage, was an old witch's hat and a stool. "Before the Sorting Ceremony begins, Professor Dumbledore wishes to say a few words."

Harry looked up at the teachers' table and saw old Professor Dumbledore sitting in the center of the table, stand up and speak. "I have a few things I would like to announce," he started in a serious tone. "First, everybody should be in their Houses by six pm every night. The basement and dungeons are off limits to all students, and Mr. Filtch, the caretaker, has reminded me to tell you that whoever broke the toilet seat in the boys' bathroom on the first floor last year must come and see me separately to discuss fixing it." There were snickers all around the room at this. "Thank you." Dumbledore sat back down, and Professor McGonagall pulled out a long scroll from her cloak and opened it.

"Now, when I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the Sorting Hat onto your heads, and you will be Sorted into your Houses," she instructed, clearing her throat.

"Nimwhy, Alexander!" A small, dark-haired boy came nervously up to the stool and sat on it. There was a few seconds of silence and then the hat burst out his House.

"Hufflepuff!" cried the hat. Sighing in relief, the boy jumped off and hurried over to the Hufflepuff table where the Hufflepuffs began cheering.

"Sandler, Francis!"

"Ravenclaw!" boasted the hat.

"Gallagher, Dawn!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Walker, Nicholas!"

"Slytherin!"

"Granger, Hermione!" Harry watched as Hermione walked up to the stool. She sat on and Harry could tell she was holding her breath.

"Ravenclaw!" the hat shouted. Hermione smiled and she got up to join the Ravenclaw table. Harry was happy for her that she had gotten the House she wanted to be in.

"Kelly, Brandon!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Kendell, Josephine!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Weasley, Ron!" Now here was someone else that Harry knew. Ron looked extremely nervous - he kept on staring longingly over at Gryffindor table where his brothers sat.

"Gryffindor!" shouted the hat. Ron sighed and went off to join his table.

"Longbottom, Neville!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Malfoy, Draco!" Harry watched the pale-faced boy walk up to the hat (not looking nervous at all, in fact) and sat on the stool.

"Slytherin!" Malfoy grinned with satisfaction and joined the Slytherin table.

"Potter, Harry!" Harry took a deep breath and walked up slowly to the stool. He hoped to be in Ron's House, but his hopes would soon be shattered.

"Slytherin!" shouted the hat. The sound rang loudly in his ears. He saw the Slytherin table cheering - Malfoy was cheering, as well. A little disappointed, Harry got off the stool and joined the Slytherin table. Harry looked over at Ron from the opposite end who just shrugged in apology for not getting into Gryffindor.

Malfoy motioned for Harry to sit in the empty seat next to him on the long bench. Instantly, Malfoy started introducing Harry to all of the Slytherins, including Marcus Flint, the captain of the Slytherin House Qudditich team.

When the Sorting Ceremony ended, Crabbe and Goyle ended up being in Slytherin House, along with a few other students, the huge, welcome back feast began, when Dumbledore clapped his hands and magically, a delicious mound of food had appeared on each table.

Harry realized how hungry he was, and quickly started eating. As he chatted with all of the Slytherins, Harry started thinking that maybe, just maybe, Slytherin House wouldn't be such a bad House to be in after all.