Hogwarts Fanfiction Ch. 1 "Summer's End"

Ch.4 Hogwart's
A voice sounded through the train.
“We have reached Hogwarts. Please leave your luggage on the train. It will be taken to the school separately.”
Eliza put C.J. In his basket.
“I'll see you in a bit.” she said.
They exited the train with all the other students onto a platform. A giant of a man was calling out “Firs' years! Firs' years over here! C'mon, follow me. Firs' years, this way!”
They followed him with the other first years down a steep path off the platform. It was dark because the sun was setting. The path led to a fleet of little boats on the shore of great, black lake.
“No more'n four per boat!” the large, hairy man said.
The students got in the boats. Eliza, Carla and James were in a boat with a small blonde boy. The man got a boat to himself. “Everyone in? FORWARD!” he commanded the boats. They glided across the lake and turned around a bend. There was a loud “Ooooh!” as everyone looked up. On top of a mountain on the other side of the lake, a large castle sat. It had many turrets and towers. It was silent as the boats drifted closer.
They reached some kind of tunnel and the giant man had to duck his head down. The boats bumped along and reached an underground harbor. The man got out of his boat and the students followed suit. He then turned around and introduced himself. “M'name is Hagrid. Rubeus Hagrid. Keeper of Keys 'ere at Hogwarts. Follow me to the castle.”
With that he turned back around and lead them up a flight of steps and knocked on the great wooden door. It opened up to a great entrance hall with a large marble staircase.
“It's huge.” Eliza whispered.
As Hagrid and the first years walked in a tall witch with her dark hair up in a tight bun approached.
“The firs' years, Professer McGonagall.” Hagrid said.
“Thank you. “ she said and Hagrid walked away and entered a room off the hall. Professer McGonagall led them to another room. This one was empty. Eliza could hear the drone of the hundrerds of other students nearby.
Professer McGonagall turned and said “Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin soon. You will be sorted into your houses and then be seated. Your house is very important as you will have classes with them, sleep with them and spend free time together.”
“The houses are Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw. While you are here your triumphs will earn your house points. Any rule breaking will lose them, however. The house with the most points at the end of the year will win the House Cup.The Sorting Ceremony will begin in a moment in front of the rest of the school. I will retreive you when we are ready.”
With that she turned and left. Carla turned to James and Eliza.
“Do you know how they sort us?” she asked nervously.
“No. My dad never would tell me.” said Eliza.
“No one has ever told me either.” James said.
“I hope it isn't a test. I've barely looked at our text books.” Carla replied.
The door opened and Professer McGonagall entered.
“Come. Form a line and follow me.”
They went back into the entrance hall and through the door Hagrid had gone in. The first thing that Eliza saw was the ceiling. It was lit by hundreds of floating candles. It looked like it opened up to the heavens. There was four long tables where the other students were sitting. The tables were set with golden goblets and plates. At the end of the Great Hall was a table seated with teachers. They were all facing the students. Professer McGonagall had made it to the front and lined the first years up in front of the staff table.
She then placed a short stool on the floor and set a patched and dirty wizard's hat on it. A seam at the brim of the hat opened up like a mouth and sang:
“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 in your headmasterThe 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 Gryffindor apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid to 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 Sltherin
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!”
The Great Hall burst in applause when the Sorting Hat had finished it's song. Professor McGonagall stepped forward and opened a scroll of parchment.
“When I call your name, put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted into your houses.” she said. “Arrows, Ryan!”
A brown-haired boy with glasses walked over, put on the hat and sat down. After a pause, the hat called “GRYFFINDOR!”.
The table on the far left cheered. Ryan went and sat at with the other Gryffindors.
“Border, Emma!”
“GRYFFINDOR!” the hat shouted again and Emma Border went and sat next to Ryan.
Eliza could hardly stand as she waited for her name to be called. Her legs were like wet noodles. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her racing heart as the students were called.
“Hildae, Eliza!”
She looked up and walked forward. She put the Sorting Hat on her head and sat down, gripping the edge of the stool for dear life. It was dark, for the hat, being fairly large, had slipped over her eyes. A small voice in her ear whispered.
“Yes. You have a good mind. But also nerve and a need to protect loved ones...GRYFFINDOR!”
Eliza took the hat off and smiled. It was over. She sat at the Gryffindor table and watched the rest of the sorting.
“Johnston, William!”
The boy Eliza had met in Flourish and Blott's step out of the line and put on the hat. After a minute..
“SLYTHERIN!” called the Sorting Hat.
Will came at sat at the table next to Gryffindor. He waved to her.
“Krisky, Justine!” Eliza's cousin was called.
Oh, please, not Gryffindor she thought. “SLYTHERIN!” said the hat.
Justine took off the hat and sat down. She turned to Eliza.
“Hello, Eliza. Too bad you're in stinking Gryffindor. I heard Slytherin hasn't lost the House Cup in 10 years.” she said with a snide.Her long,blonde hair glinted in the candlelight. So did her nose.
[When did she get that nose piercing?]Eliza thought.
Justine laughed and spun back around. Justine tried to talk to Will but after hearing the words passed between the two, he refused to talk to her.
Eliza smiled inwardly and looked back up to see Carla put the Sorting Hat on. “GRYFFINDOR!”
Eliza clapped as Carla came and sat down next to her.
“I'm glad I got in the same house as you.” said Carla. “I've never had a friend.” She smiled and Eliza smiled back.
I have a friend! Eliza cheered in her mind. She looked at the golden plate in front of her and realized how hungry she was.
“Otto, Sam!”
“HUFFLEPUFF!”
I wish they would hurry. Eliza thought.
“Bozung, Allison!”
“RAVENCLAW!”
Eliza was sitting next to a older boy who had a silver badge pinned to his robes. It said Prefect. She heard him say “That's good. She would drive me nuts in my house.”
Eliza could help her curiosity.
“Do you know her then?” she asked.
“Yes. She's my younger sister. Kurt Bozung.” the boy said and held out his hand.
“Eliza Hildae.” She toke his hand and shook it.”So, siblings don't go in the same houses?”
“Not always. That's okay. Allie never understands what I try to tell her. She just can't see that I AM smarter.” Kurt sniffed.
“Well, she DID get into Ravenclaw. She's got to have some brains.” said Eliza.
Kurt sniffed and turned to talk to someone who wouldn't prove him wrong.
“Winston, James!” Professor McGonagall called.
Eliza looked back to the front. James had put the hat on and was waiting. The hall was silent. After about five minutes, the Sorting Hat made a decision.
“GRYFFINDOR!”
Eliza and Carla cheered and James sat down across from them.
“I started getting worried for a moment.” said Carla.
Professor McGonagall had put away the Sorting Hat and stool and sat at the teacher's table. A tall, ancient-looking man had stood up. He had long silvery hair and a beard just as long. His nose was crooked and upon them rested a pair of half-moon glasses. He raised his hands to bring silence to the hall.
“Welcome everyone to Hogwarts!I have a couple of words to say: Tuck, In!”
Everyone cheered.
“Tuck in to what?” Eliza asked Carla.
“This, silly!” she giggled and nodded towards the empty plates and goblets.
Actually, they weren't empty. Mountains of food had suddenly appeared out if thin air.
“Ribs?” Carla offered as she helped herself to a platter of barbecue beef ribs.
Eliza saw that there was just about every kind of food on that table. She filled her plate and dug in. She looked over to James's plate and saw he had picked out no meat.
“Are you a vegetarian or something?” Eliza joked.
“Actually, yeah, I am. I never had the taste for meat. It's not that I feel sorry for the cows and stuff, I just never liked it.” he explained.
“Oh.”
Eliza felt embarrassed and concentrated on her dinner. Slowly, the food disappeared as the students ate their fill. The plates cleaned themselves and just when they thought they couldn't eat another bite, they plate filled themselves with deserts of every kind. Cakes and pies, ice creams of different flavors. Eliza toke some strawberry ice cream and listened to the conversation around her.
“I'm from a muggle family.” she heard the girl named Emma say. “My mother was so proud of me when I received my letter.”
“I don't know if my family is wizard or not.”said the boy named Ryan. “I grew up in an orphanage. I talked to Professor McGonagall. She said I can hire someone in the Ministry to find my parents. Someday, when I can afford it, I will.”
An older girl came by and sat next to James. She had short, black hair and was tall.
“Oy, James. I was just talking to Derrick. He said his Uncle was killed in the water tower accident.” she said.
“That's terrible. I still find it hard to believe someone could do that.” James replied. “Oh,Rachel,this is Eliza and Carla.”
Eliza and Carla nodded.
“Rachel is a 6th year. The second eldest in the family.” James explained.
“I'm a Chaser on the Quittich team. First years aren't allowed to play but do you think you'll try out next year?” asked Rachel.
“I never was much a flyer.” Eliza said. She stared down at her ice cream.
“I sure would!” Carla exclaimed. “I want to be a Chaser too.”
“That's cool. Get lots of practice next summer. Well, I'd better go check in with Derrick.” Rachel got up and went back to her seat by a tan, dark haired boy.
“..Her boyfriend.” James rolled his eyes.
The deserts disappeared from the tables and Professor Dumbledore stood once again
“I have a few start-of-the-term notices for you. The forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students. Mr. Filch, the school caretaker, reminds those that no magic is aloud in the corridors. Quittich tryouts are in the beginning of next week. And now, off to bed you go.” He sat back down and the students stood and left to go.
“First years, follow me!” Eliza heard Kurt the Prefect call. She stood and trailed after him. Back out in the entrance hall, he stopped and turned. Eliza, Carla, James, Emma, and Ryan stood around him. A tall black boy, that Eliza hadn't noticed being sorted came up behind, staring at his shoes.
“Okay. Stay close. I'm going to take the simple route to the Gryffindor common room. Its quite a hike. Try not to get lost. It's against the rules to be out after hours and I don't want to go and fetch you.”
Kurt said all this in a lazy drawl. He turned and the first years followed. Eliza realized how tired she was. By the time they climbed the 5th staircase, she couldn't focus her eyes. The group climbed the 7th set of stairs when Kurt toke a sharp left. He stopped in front of a painting of a large women in a pink, silk dress.
“Password?” she said.
“Spork Light!” Kurt said and the portrait swung forward on hinges and revealed a round hole in the brick wall. They clambered through and the fat lady swung closed behind them. The Gryffindor common room was full of comfy chairs and had a fireplace, which was now crackleing merrily. There was 2 spiral stair cases leading to the dormitories. Kurt directed the boys to the one on the left and the girls to the one on the right. Eliza climb wearily and stopped at the first landing with a door with a little bronze sign on it that said: First Years.
She pushed the door open and Carla and Emma followed her in. There was three 4-poster bed with red curtains. At each end was their trunks.
“C.J..” Eliza said when she spied her black cat lying on her pillow. There was an empty food dish next to her bed that had obviously held his supper. Eliza slipped into bed without even changing into her pajamas.
“Goodnight.” said Carla.
Eliza was fast asleep.