Chapter Four: Hellwarts School of Witchcraft and Misery

I had accidentally fallen asleep on the train ride and was starving when I woke up. I should have finished breakfast..I apparently wasn’t the only one feeling this way. Goyle kept complaining about being hungry and wanting to buy thirty bags of Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans. Addeline stopped the lady with the sweets cart in the isle, but then quickly noticed that it was empty.

“Sorry dear, some 1st year bought the entire trolley. You’ll just have to wait until we get to the castle.”

Draco was very upset. He didn’t want to have to spend another hour and a half listening to Goyle complain about hunger pains. Enraged he asked the trolley woman,

“WHO COULD HAVE POSSIBLY AFFORDED THE ENTIRE LOT?!”

“Now Mr. Malfoy, don’t raise your voice at me. You won’t want to have to spend your first night in detention would you? It was some young chap with glasses and his red head friend.”

I died on the inside. Why, of all the people on this train, would it have to be him?!

“POTTER!” I said under my breath.

“What was that Tanner?” asked Goyle.

“It’s Taylor…Harry Potter, he’s the one that bought it..”

The cart lady got tired of our bickering and walked off. Everyone looked at me in complete shock. Whispers of "Potter" swarmed around the room. I waited for someone to say something.

After a minute Draco said, "Harry Potter....are you sure?"

I nodded.

Pansy turned towards me and whispered, "The Boy Who Lived? The one who defeated You-Know-Who?"

"I've heard the stories about him, I mean we all have...but I thought he had already finished school, he couldn't be our age could he?", asked Addeline

"I thought 'array Pottuh was a myff." said Crabbe

"No...god Crabbe, are you mental, of course it's not a myth-thhh." replied Draco
"I have to meet him...with such power he's bound to be in Slytherin."

"I don't think you're going to like him Draco...he's such a.." I tried saying but was cut off by the squeal of the brakes from the Hogwarts Express.

We were finally here.

We left the train and went down to the lake to get to Hogwarts in row boats. Draco forgot that he had the toad in his lap, and it had managed to hop away somewhere after we left. Malfoy pushed other 1st years out of the way spouting something about how he was somebody and that they should respect him. Addeline, Pansy and myself got into one boat, and Goyle, Crabbe, and Draco got into the other. Instantly we were sailing towards the magical place that was Hogwarts. As I gazed at all the beautiful lights and the structure of the castle, something large and....AND HAIRY blocked my view!! Who was this beast man, and why is he everywhere!? After my boat docked and the three of us got out, I tried finding Sir Beasty to confront him about his repulsion. Alas, in a crowd of first years, he managed to disappear.
An old woman with a pointed hat waited by the door to the castle. She told us to line up for the Sorting Hat ceremony. Her name was Professor McGonagall, and she told us that this was a Hogwarts Tradition. She explained that all first years had to go through this process. I started getting dizzy. As I started walking up the stairs to Hogwarts, I found Ernie who tried calming me down while going towards the corridors of the Great Hall.

We finally made our way to the corridor. I convinced myself that I would easily get into Hufflepuff. I was nice, I was caring, I was good at heart, why on Earth wouldn't I get in. I kept whispering, "It's in your blood..it's okay.." I had completely zoned out during some song the Sorting Hat sang..I'm sure it wasn't important. As McGonagall pulled out a long parchment, I made eye contact with Addeline and Malfoy who were in front of us. I nudged Ernie, and we moved beside them. Professor McGonagall started listing off people to go under the sorting hat, I hadn't noticed until now that everyone looked nervous. Well except for Draco and Addeline..they knew perfectly well that they'd get into their desired houses.

Draco turned towards Addeline and whispered, "I'm excited you know....now that we're going to be in the same house, we'll be seeing a lot more of each other.."

Addeline blushed.

I tried listening to the Sorting Hat to see if there was some sort of pattern, but Draco's voice kept muffling it out.

"I can't wait to be put into Slytherin. Everyone will respect me EVEN MORE than they do now.."

"Autumn Armstrong....GRYFFINDOR!"

"But really Taylor, have you given any thought into what house you want to be in?"

"Ilza Muller....GRYFFINDOR!"

I hadn't noticed he was talking to me, "Hufflepuff...", I mumbled.

"Sarah Donovan....RAVENCLAW!"

"HUFFLEPUFF?!" he scowled.

"Taylar Kesley.....GRYFFINDOR!"

I tried pretending it wasn't a big deal. "I guess", I shrugged.

"Ernie MacMillan", I patted him on the back before he went to the hat. "HUFFLEPUFF!"

I clapped. He pointed to me and mouthed the words, "You're next!" and winked.

"Ronald Weasley..." Malfoy made a disgusted face. That was Harry's ginger friend..I had hoped he wouldn't get into Hufflepuff. "...GRYFFINDOR!"

"Harry Potter."

The entire room fell silent. The boy who stole my owl walked up and sat in the chair. Everybody in the Hall just stared at him, their jaws dropped. Draco looked positively pleased at the live sight of the kid. He was still determined to befriend the him. I would think for being such a 'legend', his sorting would go by quickly..but no, it was completely opposite. First the kid takes all the candy away from the trolley, and now he's taking his sweet time trying to confuse the hat by saying "NOT SLYTHERIN, NOT SLYTHERIN, NOT SLYTHERIN" postponing the feast. It took an unnecessary 5 minutes for him to get his sorting finished. After he had finally shut up, the hat gave in and put him in Gryffindor...I have no idea if that's a good or bad thing.. noticing the look on Malfoy's face it was horrible.

"Addeline Jones", after about three seconds the hat shouted "SLYTHERIN!"

This was taking forever. I just wanted to get sorted into Hufflepuff, eat, and go to sleep.

"Draco Malfoy.....SLYTHERIN!", obviously...

"Taylor Valentino.",

I walked towards the hat, as I looked around my friends smiled at me. Addeline waved at me and mouthed "Wish ya luck" at the Slytherin table. Ernie let out an awkward yell of support. Malfoy nodded at me, and Nathan motioned that I wasn't welcome at his Hufflepuff table, I figured I just sit with Ernie at HIS anyway. No big deal.

As I sat down in the chair my stomach growled, "Hurry and put me in Hufflepuff, I'm STARVING."

As soon as the brim of the Sorting Hat touched my scalp, it shouted the most preposterous thing imaginable.


"SLYTHERIN!!"