September 2 --- Common Room
“Welcome students, I am Professor McGonogall,” said the woman formerly know as cat. She looked all of us over and her gaze stopped one me. “Ah, you must be Virginia,” she seemed pleased, “as you already know, you will be first tonight.” She made a waving motion and then said, “Everybody, follow me.”
She led us up a couple of more steps until we got to these two humungous oak doors. Right in the center was the crest of Hogwarts engraved into it. The doors were beautiful. As I gazed up at them, I thought to myself, “I’ll get to see these doors for three years.”
Professor McGonogall pulled out her wand, swished it in the air, and said, “Aloha Mora!” Then the doors slowly started opening.
When the doors opened, they revealed the Great Hall. (I know its name because Harry told me on the train). As we walked between four tables, one for each house, we passed the Gryffindor table. Harry looked at me and smiled wide.
We got to the stage and McGonogall walked up to Dumbledore. He handed her a pointy hat. Then this old grungy-looking man hobbled in and placed a stool beside McGonogall. She put the hat carefully on the stool. All of a sudden, the hat sprung to life and began to sing.
After the singing, McGonogall said, “Virginia Calvert, come and sit down,” so I went up on stage and sat down. She smiled at me again and placed the Sorting Hat on my head. It began to wiggle-------then it stopped. It waited a couple of seconds to make the suspense grow deeper, and finally it yelled out, “Gryffindor!” Everyone at the Gryffindor table cheered and clapped for me.
I immediately ran off stage to meet the group. Harry jumped from his seat and gave me a big hug. It turns out, he had already had a place saved for me; right beside him. How he knew I would get Gryffindor, I’ll never know.
