I stepped through the magnificent doors of the Great Hall and all I can say is wow! The other students and I cluttered around the great stage where the Professors sat at their table, and in the middle of the raised stage sat a simple patched hat. A tall man, dressed in Emerald Green robes came forward, and raised his hands in welcome, a broad smile spreading across his face.

“Welcome!” He cried, startling some of the others around me, “Welcome to your first year at Hogwarts! My name is Professor Balog, Head of Slytherin House and Professor of History of Magic!”

A mousy girl gave a little shriek from the Hufflepuff table and quickly leapt up, grabbing her copy of “A History of Magic” and swept out of the room. Clearly someone forgot to do their homework! Professor Balog cleared his throat before continuing,

“Now when I call your name, please step forward, have a seat and we will see you sorted into your houses!”

With gentle fatigue, the students behind us clapped and a few of them cried out encouragingly. The Professor stretched out a long parchment and let his eyes fall upon it. He placed his finger upon the first name and called,

“Frost, Dian”

A petite girl with blonde hair stumbled forwards, her robes crisp and clean and an eager air floating around her. Professor Balog helped her onto a stool and he place the patchy old hat onto her head. For a few moments everything was silent, before the hat cried out:

“Ravenclaw!”

Ravenclaw House clapped and at the staff table I could see one Professor, dressed in royal blue robes begin clapping and shoot a smile down the table to a pretty Professor wearing black robes laced with bright yellow. The Professor in yellow, both leered and smiled in return as she clapped and swirled her wine. My attention was pulled back as I heard the next name,

“Hott, Ashton!”

A graceful girl with cascading brunette hair confidently walked up to the stool and sat down for the Professor. Almost as soon as the hat touched her head, it cried out,

“Hufflepuff!”

Hufflepuff House applauded loudly and this time the Professor in yellow flipped her hair and shot a smile at the professor in blue. I think I’m starting to see a pattern. I could feel my nerves creeping up as Professor Balog went down the list,

“Phillips, Sam” “Ravenclaw”

“Huang, Marilyn” “Slytherin”

“Rossi, Marie” “Slytherin”

“Southerland, Melissa” “Ravenclaw”

“Vanto, Millie” “Ravenclaw”

“Night, Shweta” “Hufflepuff”

“Doevendans, Alexander” “Gryffindor”

And then finally it came.

“Greenburg, Genevieve”

I picked up the front of my robes and tried to be confident as I walked up to the stage. I sat on the stool and felt as the hat came down around my ears. For what felt like eternity, I sat there with everyone watching me and then finally I heard the hat cry aloud,

“Ravenclaw!”

I breathed a sigh of relief that I’d been sorted into a house. For days i’d been fretting that I would turn out to be non-magic! I skipped down the stairs and joined my fellow students at the Ravenclaw Table.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur. Roasted Ham, Chocolate Cake, Sticky Date Pudding and goblet after goblet of Pumpkin Juice and Hot Chocolate!

Each Head of House then stood up and introduced themself before we were dismissed and sent off to bed.

I learnt that the wizard in blue, Professor Darkstorm, was Head of Ravenclaw House and the Professor for Transfiguration (It sounds fascinating but I’m terrified that i’ll mess it up!)

The Witch in black and yellow, Professor Nivera, was Head of Hufflepuff House and the Professor for Potions (Which I cannot WAIT to begin! However I’m afraid I’ll blow everything up!)

A witch I hadn’t previously seen, dressed in beautiful scarlet robes, Professor Mae, was the Head of Gryffindor House and the Professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts (Which sounds amazing but scary).

And so finally I’m now in bed, awaiting my first day of classes and seven years of magical excitement.

Au Revoir for now, A raven ready to fly,

Genevieve Greenburg.