-Chapter 2-

                                    

                                          
(Chapter Seven of the original book)
                          
The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired wizard in emerald-green robes and an eyepatch stood there. He had a very stern face and Lance's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.

                          
"The first years, Professor Iverson," said Coran.

"Thank you, Coran. I'll take them from here."

He pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the McClain's house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor Iverson across the flagged stone floor. Lance could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right- the rest of the school must already be here- but Professor Iverson showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor Iverson. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

His eyes lingered for a moment on Romelle's cloak, which was fastened under her left ear. Lance nervously tried to flatten his hair.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor Iverson. "Please wait quietly."

He left the chamber. Lance swallowed.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" he asked Pidge.

"Some sort of test, I think. Blaytz said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

Lance's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole school? But he didn't know any magic yet- what on earth would he have to do? He hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived. 
                          
He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too. No one was talking much. He'd never been more nervous, never, not even when he'd had to take a school report home saying that he'd somehow turned his teacher's wig blue. He kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor Iverson would come back and lead him to his doom.
                          
He turned around when he hear the snobby boy- Lotor- speaking to someone.
                          
"You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Kogane. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."
                          
Lotor was talking to the bossy boy from before. The boy looked angry.
                          
"I don't need your help, Lotor," the Kogane boy said scathingly.
                          
Lotor glanced at the larger boy behind Kogane. "I'm not so sure."
                          
"Keith-" the boy behind Kogane began.
                          
"Shut up, Lotor!" Kogane said, cutting off his friend. Lance didn't like Kogane, but he hated Lotor more. It felt good to see someone actually standing up to him.
                          
"I'd mind your manners if you don't want to end up like your parents. Or end up like the Garret family," Lotor said, gesturing to Kogane's friend.
                          
Lance was surprised at how similar these threats were to the ones Lotor had used on him. Was this the only way he knew how to intimidate people?